Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiaoman Huang, Junjie Lin, Jiarong Liang, Erfeng Kou, Wenxiao Cai, Yinjian Zheng, Haoran Zhang, Xuejie Zhang, Yingliang Liu, Wei Li, Bingfu Lei
Summary: Carbon dots doped with pyridinic nitrogen (Lev-CDs) were synthesized by the one-pot hydrothermal method, and the structure-function relationship between functional groups on Lev-CDs and photosynthesis of Chlorella pyrenoidosa was proposed. Pyridinic nitrogen plays a key role in the positive effect on photosynthesis caused by Lev-CDs. Lev-CDs act as electron donors and supply photo-induced electrons to the photosynthetic electron transport chain, enhancing the electron transfer rate, the activity of photosystem II, and the Calvin cycle.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zelin Hou, Qixing Zhou, Yingying Xie, Fan Mo, Weilu Kang, Qi Wang
Summary: Urban lakes play a crucial role in the cycling of elements and stabilization of regional climate. However, the impacts of extreme weather events on carbon-nitrogen cycling in these ecosystems are unclear. A microcosm experiment using Chlorella vulgaris showed that sandstorm events increased dissolved inorganic carbon and affected photosynthesis pathways. Plant biomass accumulation and metabolism enriched carbon into residues, which served as an energy source for decomposers. This study provides insight into the formation of water carbon pools and challenges the traditional theory of dissolved carbonates as carbon sinks.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fengwen Zhang, Xiaolin Lv, Haijiang Jia, Chongjun Huang, Jianyu Wei, Zhonglin Ding, Fenglong Wang, Jie Wang
Summary: This study evaluated the toxic effects of Otp on Chlorella vulgaris, finding that Otp has acute toxicity on algal cells, leading to decreased chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, induction of reactive oxygen species, causing oxidative damage, and impacting cell structures and energy metabolism.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Nian Liu, Zhen Sun, Huan Zhang, Lasse Hyldgaard Klausen, Ryu Moonhee, Shifei Kang
Summary: Bacterial and photocatalysis techniques are widely used for the remediation of ammonia nitrogen wastewater. While traditional microbial methods are proven useful, there is a need for more efficient and controllable treatment methods to address the diverse cases of ammonia nitrogen pollution. Bacterial treatment relies on ammonia nitrogen oxidation-reduction by nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria, but these reactions are slow and uncontrolled. Photocatalysis, on the other hand, has advantages such as low temperature reaction and long life, but cannot perform multiple complex biochemical reactions. This review highlights recent achievements, key problems, and future directions for remediation of high-ammonia-nitrogen wastewater using bacterial treatment and photocatalysis techniques, including the potential of combining bacterial-photocatalysis techniques.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Ambar Cerda, Macarena Gonzalez, Carolina Rodriguez, Jennyfer Serrano, Eduardo Leiva
Summary: The excessive deposition of ammonium in the environment has negative impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem eutrophication. Anthropogenic sources are responsible for the majority of terrestrial reactive nitrogen, contributing to 45% of the total annual production on Earth. The Feammox process, a biological method that anaerobically metabolizes ammonium, coupled with hollow fiber membrane bioreactors (HFMBs), shows promise for the removal of ammonium from agriculturally derived wastewater. This study evaluated the formation of Feammox bacterial biofilms and demonstrated their efficiency in ammonium removal, providing valuable insights for scaling up the HFMBs process.
Review
Plant Sciences
Yang Chen, Boran Xu, Ruoqing Yao, Changhui Chen, Chunxi Zhang
Summary: The oxygen-evolving center in photosystem II plays a crucial role in the water splitting reaction of artificial photosynthesis. However, the lack of a precise chemical model has hindered the understanding of its structure-function relationship. Recent advances in synthesizing artificial clusters that closely mimic the oxygen-evolving center have provided an opportunity to study its structure-function relationship and design efficient catalysts for water splitting in artificial photosynthesis.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Degang Fu, Liudong Zhang, Hui Li, Feng Li, Zongjie Yue, Yaobin Li, Qicheng Cai
Summary: Phenolic acids and nitrogen form ratios both have an impact on the photosynthetic productivity of poplar. Phenolic acids primarily reduce productivity by inhibiting photosynthesis. Increasing the ratio of ammonia nitrogen fertilizer in the soil can alleviate the toxic effects of phenolic acids on poplar and improve photosynthetic productivity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOREMEDIATION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yiyin Peng, Zhaoyong Bian, Wenhai Zhang, Hui Wang
Summary: This study investigated the state of nitrogen in nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) and its promotion effect on the conversion of molecular oxygen to hydrogen peroxide. Graphitic-N, pyrrolic-N, and pyridinic-N in NG were predicted for their reactivity in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) using density functional theory (DFT). NG samples with different nitrogen contents were prepared and evaluated for ORR. The study found that the 2e(-) ORR selectivity was positively correlated with nitrogen content, approaching 100% with increasing nitrogen content (0.40 V vs. RHE). The study also revealed the key role of pyrrolic-N in the synthesis of H2O2 through validation experiments. Moreover, contamination degradation studies showed that NG electrodes with lower pyrrolic-N content exhibited higher removal of p-nitrophenol (PNP) compared to pure graphene catalyst. This work provides insights into the mechanism of ORR on metal-free catalysts and offers a facile approach to optimize this important environmental catalytic strategy.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yiyin Peng, Zhaoyong Bian, Wenhai Zhang, Hui Wang
Summary: This study investigated the effect of different types of nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) on the reactivity of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The results showed that the 2e(-) ORR selectivity was positively correlated with the nitrogen content, reaching 100% at 0.40 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). The energy efficiency exhibited a volcano-type trend with nitrogen content, reaching a maximum of 94%. Pyrrolic-N was found to play a key role in the synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Additionally, NG electrodes with lower pyrrolic-N content showed higher removal of p-nitrophenol (PNP). This research provides insights into the mechanism of ORR on metal-free catalysts and offers a facile approach to optimize environmental catalytic strategies.
Article
Cell Biology
Maria Fadeeva, Daniel Klaiman, Ido Caspy, Nathan Nelson
Summary: Using cryoEM, a high-resolution structure of PSII from the green alga Chlorella ohadii was obtained. Unique subunit arrangements were observed at the luminal side to protect the oxygen-evolving complex, and significant changes were found at the stromal electron acceptor side. Based on these findings, a protective mechanism that prevents Q(B) from becoming fully reduced was proposed, providing insights into electron transfer regulation within PSII.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jin Yan, Ying Zou, Fengrui Zhang, Shenghua Zhang, Xinyue Huang, Gaboury Benoit
Summary: In this study, the effects of TCS on the growth, biochemical alterations, and physiological responses of C. vulgaris were investigated. The potential mechanisms of TCS-induced ROS accumulation and photosynthetic inhibition were analyzed. The results indicated that TCS severely affected the growth, cellular ultrastructure, and physiology of C. vulgaris, leading to oxidative damage and inhibition of photosynthetic activity.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Boran Xu, Yang Chen, Ruoqing Yao, Changhui Chen, Chunxi Zhang
Summary: This study reports two synthetic Mn3XO4 oxygen clusters that mimic the structure and catalytic mechanism of the oxygen-evolving center (OEC) in photosynthesis. By analyzing the crystal structures, significant redox-induced structural changes were identified to occur on the mu(2)-oxide bridge. This research provides chemical insights into the reactivity of three different types of oxide bridges in the Mn4CaO5-cluster in PSII.
CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jinnan Song, Jingli Yang, Byoung Ryong Jeong
Summary: Ammonium is a paradoxical nutrient that is more metabolically efficient but also causes plant stresses. This study explored the ammonium tolerance in three bedding plants and found that they had different tolerance characteristics, with root GS and NADH-GDH playing important roles in ammonium tolerance.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Adrian Bozal-Leorri, Luis Miguel Arregui, Fernando Torralbo, Ma Begona Gonzalez-Moro, Carmen Gonzalez-Murua, Pedro Aparicio-Tejo
Summary: Sorghum plants can exude allelochemicals with biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) capacity, which can reduce N pollution. However, the rate of BNI exudation may be modified by abiotic stresses such as drought.
Article
Plant Sciences
Mona Schiefloe, Oyvind Mejdell Jakobsen, Antonio Pannico, Claudia Quadri, Ann-Iren Kittang Jost
Summary: In-situ production of food, water, and oxygen is crucial for long-duration human space missions. Higher plants are essential in Bioregenerative Life Support Systems (BLSS), where crop cultivation can utilize water and nutrients recovered from waste and wastewater. Human urine is an important waste stream that can provide crops with nitrogen (N) and other nutrients.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)