Effects of emerging contaminants on carbon-nitrogen cycles and microbial response mechanisms

LI Qian; DU Shuhao; GAO Xinxin; ZHANG Liying; SHI Ke; LIANG Bin

doi:10.13205/j.hjgc.202503014

Volume 43 Issue 3

Mar. 2025

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Article Navigation > ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING > 2025 > 43(3): 167-177

LI Qian, DU Shuhao, GAO Xinxin, ZHANG Liying, SHI Ke, LIANG Bin. Effects of emerging contaminants on carbon-nitrogen cycles and microbial response mechanisms[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING , 2025, 43(3): 167-177. doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202503014

Citation:

LI Qian, DU Shuhao, GAO Xinxin, ZHANG Liying, SHI Ke, LIANG Bin. Effects of emerging contaminants on carbon-nitrogen cycles and microbial response mechanisms[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING , 2025, 43(3): 167-177. doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202503014

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Effects of emerging contaminants on carbon-nitrogen cycles and microbial response mechanisms

doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202503014

1. State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Eco-Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China;
2. State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China

Received Date: 2024-12-23
Accepted Date: 2025-01-07
Rev Recd Date: 2025-01-05

Available Online: 2025-06-07

Publish Date: 2025-03-01

Abstract

Abstract

Emerging contaminants （ECs）， such as persistent organic pollutants， endocrine disruptors， micro/nanoplastics， antibiotics/antimicrobials， etc.， are frequently detected in multi-media environments， with high detection rates and strong risk covertness， posing a threat to the biological cycles of mater in ecosystems. This paper provided a systematic review of the impact characteristics and regulatory mechanisms of typical ECs on the microbial metabolism and the carbon-nitrogen cycles. It summarized the biological and ecological effects of ECs in various media， such as soil， sediment， as well as engineered and natural water environments. ECs affect the microbial metabolism by altering the structure and functions of microbial community， inhibiting key enzyme activities， etc.， thereby interfering with the carbon-nitrogen cycles and greenhouse gas emissions. In light of the key challenges posed by the complexity of multi-media and cross-media migration and （bio）transformation processes， the uncertainty of multi-contaminant mixture effects， and the lack of dynamic risk assessment models， we suggest future research focus on interdisciplinary and innovative studies of dynamic risk models in multi-media/cross-media environments and the molecular mechanisms of microbial response， and in-depth exploration of the key regulatory roles of ECs in the carbon-nitrogen cycle， as well as the patterns and mechanisms of the combined effects of ECs on the carbon-nitrogen cycle.
- emerging contaminants,
- carbon-nitrogen cycle,
- multi-media environment,
- biological effects,
- greenhouse gas

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References(94)

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