Biochar Extracts Can Modulate the Toxicity of Persistent Free Radicals in the Nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>
As an effective soil amendment, biochars require a comprehensive ecological evaluation before they can be widely used in agriculture because endogenous contaminants, such as environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs), certainly pose an ecological risk to soil invertebrates. In this study, <...
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Applied Biosciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0464/2/1/7 |
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| author | Xuchao Zhang Nadine Saul Thora Lieke Yi Chen Min Wu Bo Pan Christian E. W. Steinberg |
| author_facet | Xuchao Zhang Nadine Saul Thora Lieke Yi Chen Min Wu Bo Pan Christian E. W. Steinberg |
| author_sort | Xuchao Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As an effective soil amendment, biochars require a comprehensive ecological evaluation before they can be widely used in agriculture because endogenous contaminants, such as environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs), certainly pose an ecological risk to soil invertebrates. In this study, <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> (<i>C. elegans</i>) was used as a model organism to investigate the neurotoxicity of two rice straw biochars pyrolyzed at 500 and 700 °C. After 24 h exposure to unwashed biochar, washed biochar, and leaching fluids (supernatants), the neurobehavioral parameters of <i>C. elegans</i> were determined in a liquid toxicity test. The results showed that the washed 700 °C biochar particles significantly impaired locomotion and prolonged the defecation interval at a biochar concentration of 4 g·well<sup>−1</sup>, while the unwashed biochar and supernatants caused no apparent impairment. Supporting this, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) results showed that the intensity of EPFRs in unwashed 700 °C biochar was stronger than that of the corresponding washed particles. This indicates that, in the liquid test, the EPR signal alone is not indicative of particle toxicity. The accessibility and activity of the EPFRs should be considered. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) was observed in the leaching fluids. The neurotoxic activity of the washed biochar was alleviated after the re-addition of leaching fluids to the washed biochar, suggesting that the dissolved organic materials modulate the reactivity of the EPFRs in the liquid phase. This study suggests that the leaching process may increase the risk of biochar when used in the field environment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:59:54Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2813-0464 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:59:54Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
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| series | Applied Biosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-c1198f354a9d4b3abc7b09f7e807e1452023-11-17T09:19:45ZengMDPI AGApplied Biosciences2813-04642023-02-0121718310.3390/applbiosci2010007Biochar Extracts Can Modulate the Toxicity of Persistent Free Radicals in the Nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>Xuchao Zhang0Nadine Saul1Thora Lieke2Yi Chen3Min Wu4Bo Pan5Christian E. W. Steinberg6Yunnan Provincial Key Lab of Soil Carbon Sequestration and Pollution Control, Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, ChinaFaculty of Life Sciences, Freshwater and Stress Ecology Group, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 12437 Berlin, GermanyFaculty of Life Sciences, Freshwater and Stress Ecology Group, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 12437 Berlin, GermanyYunnan Provincial Key Lab of Soil Carbon Sequestration and Pollution Control, Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, ChinaYunnan Provincial Key Lab of Soil Carbon Sequestration and Pollution Control, Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, ChinaYunnan Provincial Key Lab of Soil Carbon Sequestration and Pollution Control, Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, ChinaYunnan Provincial Key Lab of Soil Carbon Sequestration and Pollution Control, Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, ChinaAs an effective soil amendment, biochars require a comprehensive ecological evaluation before they can be widely used in agriculture because endogenous contaminants, such as environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs), certainly pose an ecological risk to soil invertebrates. In this study, <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> (<i>C. elegans</i>) was used as a model organism to investigate the neurotoxicity of two rice straw biochars pyrolyzed at 500 and 700 °C. After 24 h exposure to unwashed biochar, washed biochar, and leaching fluids (supernatants), the neurobehavioral parameters of <i>C. elegans</i> were determined in a liquid toxicity test. The results showed that the washed 700 °C biochar particles significantly impaired locomotion and prolonged the defecation interval at a biochar concentration of 4 g·well<sup>−1</sup>, while the unwashed biochar and supernatants caused no apparent impairment. Supporting this, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) results showed that the intensity of EPFRs in unwashed 700 °C biochar was stronger than that of the corresponding washed particles. This indicates that, in the liquid test, the EPR signal alone is not indicative of particle toxicity. The accessibility and activity of the EPFRs should be considered. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) was observed in the leaching fluids. The neurotoxic activity of the washed biochar was alleviated after the re-addition of leaching fluids to the washed biochar, suggesting that the dissolved organic materials modulate the reactivity of the EPFRs in the liquid phase. This study suggests that the leaching process may increase the risk of biochar when used in the field environment.https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0464/2/1/7environmental persistent free radicals<i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>neurotoxicitybiochar |
| spellingShingle | Xuchao Zhang Nadine Saul Thora Lieke Yi Chen Min Wu Bo Pan Christian E. W. Steinberg Biochar Extracts Can Modulate the Toxicity of Persistent Free Radicals in the Nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> Applied Biosciences environmental persistent free radicals <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> neurotoxicity biochar |
| title | Biochar Extracts Can Modulate the Toxicity of Persistent Free Radicals in the Nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> |
| title_full | Biochar Extracts Can Modulate the Toxicity of Persistent Free Radicals in the Nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> |
| title_fullStr | Biochar Extracts Can Modulate the Toxicity of Persistent Free Radicals in the Nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biochar Extracts Can Modulate the Toxicity of Persistent Free Radicals in the Nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> |
| title_short | Biochar Extracts Can Modulate the Toxicity of Persistent Free Radicals in the Nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> |
| title_sort | biochar extracts can modulate the toxicity of persistent free radicals in the nematode i caenorhabditis elegans i |
| topic | environmental persistent free radicals <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> neurotoxicity biochar |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0464/2/1/7 |
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