The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Torleif Bramryd.

Torleif Bramryd

Professor emeritus

Torleif Bramryd.

Microbial community structure and function in sediments from e-waste contaminated rivers at Guiyu area of China

Author

  • Jun Liu
  • Xi Chen
  • Hao yue Shu
  • Xue rui Lin
  • Qi xing Zhou
  • Torleif Bramryd
  • Wen sheng Shu
  • Li nan Huang

Summary, in English

The release of toxic organic pollutants and heavy metals by primitive electronic waste (e-waste) processing to waterways has raised significant concerns, but little is known about their potential ecological effects on aquatic biota especially microorganisms. We characterized the microbial community composition and diversity in sediments sampled along two rivers consistently polluted by e-waste, and explored how community functions may respond to the complex combined pollution. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that Proteobacteria (particularly Deltaproteobacteria) dominated the sediment microbial assemblages followed by Bacteroidetes, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi and Firmicutes. PICRUSt metagenome inference provided an initial insight into the metabolic potentials of these e-waste affected communities, speculating that organic pollutants degradation in the sediment might be mainly performed by some of the dominant genera (such as Sulfuricurvum, Thiobacillus and Burkholderia) detected in situ. Statistical analyses revealed that toxic organic compounds contributed more to the observed variations in sediment microbial community structure and predicted functions (24.68% and 8.89%, respectively) than heavy metals (12.18% and 4.68%), and Benzo(a)pyrene, bioavailable lead and electrical conductivity were the key contributors. These results have shed light on the microbial assemblages in e-waste contaminated river sediments, indicating a potential influence of e-waste pollution on the microbial community structure and function in aquatic ecosystems.

Department/s

  • Department of Service Studies

Publishing year

2018-04-01

Language

English

Pages

171-179

Publication/Series

Environmental Pollution

Volume

235

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Elsevier

Topic

  • Environmental Sciences
  • Oceanography, Hydrology, Water Resources

Keywords

  • E-waste
  • Heavy metals
  • Microbial community structure and function
  • River sediment
  • Toxic organic pollutants

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0269-7491