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Effects of 17β‐estradiol pollution on water microbial methane oxidation activity
Author(s) -
Ruan Aidong,
Zong Fengjiao,
Zhao Ying,
Liu Chenxiao,
Chen Jing
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.2516
Subject(s) - methane , environmental chemistry , anaerobic oxidation of methane , pollution , chemistry , water pollution , oxidizing agent , pollutant , atmospheric methane , microbial population biology , bacteria , ecology , biology , genetics , organic chemistry
Abstract 17β‐estradiol (17β‐E2), a widespread and natural estrogen in the environment, has imposed a serious threat to the safety and function of aquatic ecosystems because of worsening pollution and high potential toxicity. In the present study, the authors focus on the impact of 17β‐E2 pollution on water microbial methane oxidation function. The authors investigated the mechanism of its influence on water microbial activity and discuss the growth rate of methane‐oxidizing bacteria. The results showed that 17β‐E2 could significantly inhibit the function of water microbial methane oxidation. When 17β‐E2 concentration was ≥5 ng L −1 , the methane oxidation rate increased with increasing 17β‐E2 and finally settled to a constant value. Furthermore, the authors found no significant linear correlation between 17β‐E2 concentrations and its methane oxidation rate. However, increasing 17β‐E2 dramatically improved water microbial community activity, because a significant or highly significant promotion in the generation rate of CO 2 was measured. Moreover, within a certain period of time and at certain concentrations, positive linear correlation existed between water CO 2 generation rate and 17β‐E2 concentrations. In addition, the growth rate of culturable methane‐oxidizing bacteria was promoted when 17β‐E2 pollution concentration from 2 ng L −1 to 20 ng L −1 . Therefore, 17β‐E2 pollution can inhibit microbial methane oxidation function in water, which indirectly promotes the release of water methane and directly contributes to the rate of water‐generated and released CO 2 . Specifically, 17β‐E2 pollution can promote water emissions of greenhouse gases. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014;33:768–775. © 2014 SETAC