Irreversible Immune Dysfunction in Earthworms from MoS 2 Nanosheet Exposure: Implications for Nanoenabled Agricultural Sustainability
Environmental Science & Technology, vol. 60, pp. 3093–3106
Abstract
Nano-MoS 2 is emerging as a promising agricultural nanomaterial. However, nanoenabled agriculture must balance the proposed benefits with potential risks associated with material incorporation into soil matrices. This work establishes a full-process risk assessment profile for MoS 2 encompassing precursor particles, exfoliated nanosheets, and dissolved ionic species using the soil invertebrate Eisenia fetida under exposure-recovery cycles. The results showed that although precursor MoS 2 exposure at 5–50 mg Mo/kg for 7 days significantly activated ( p < 0.001) earthworm lumbrokinase (9.4%), antimicrobial peptide (10.2–14.0%), and hemolysin (11.9%) levels compared to the control, the biota exhibited transient immune memory and persistence upon another 7 days of recovery. Once exfoliated to nanosheet form at a consistent 5–50 mg Mo/kg dose range, more pronounced ion release (3.8–6.4%) and prolonged in vivo accumulation (43.9–55.4% excluded) of MoS 2 nanosheets mediated persistent immune-related gene initiation. Importantly, the filamentous extension of external DNA between immune cells and deterministic clustering of endosymbiotic microbial communities were shown to collaboratively establish the in vivo homeostasis after MoS 2 nanosheet exposure. These findings mechanistically demonstrate the persistent stress on soil invertebrate immune systems under MoS 2 nanosheet exposure and highlight the need to link nanoenabled agriculture to soil eco-sustainability.
Authors 7
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Affiliation as printed
School of Environmental Science and Engineering
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
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Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Affiliation as printed
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
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Affiliation as printed
School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences
University of Birmingham
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Peng Zhang corresponding
University of Science and Technology of China · University of Birmingham
Affiliation as printed
Department of Environmental Science and Engineering
School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences
University of Birmingham
University of Science and Technology of China
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Erkai He corresponding
Affiliation as printed
East China Normal University
School of Geographic Sciences
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Willie J.G.M. Peijnenburg Aachen
Leiden University · National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
Affiliation as printed
Center for the Safety of Substances and Products
Institute of Environmental Sciences
Leiden University
National Institute of Public Health and the Environment
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Hao Qiu corresponding
Affiliation as printed
School of Environmental Science and Engineering
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
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