ArticleEnvironmental science and pollution research international2026
Effects of pristine and citrate-coated zinc oxide nanoparticles on soil nitrogen cycling determined using multi-level assessment of enzyme activity, functional gene abundance and microbial community composition.
Article in Environmental science and pollution research international, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) are increasingly detected in agricultural soils, yet their long-term effects on soil nitrogen cycling microorganisms, particularly how surface chemistry modulates toxicity, remain poorly understood. These nanoparticles frequently enter agricultural soils directly using nanopesticides and fertilizers or indirectly through irrigation or sewage sludge application, potentially harming soil microorganisms. This study investigates the effects of pristine and citrate-coated ZnO NPs on the physiological and genetic responses of nitrifying bacteria in soil microcosms. Pristine and citrate-coated ZnO NPs were synthesized in-house and introduced to soil at three concentrations: low (0.01 mg/g), medium (0.1 mg/g), and high (0.5 mg/g). Over a 105-day period, enzyme assays (ammonia monooxygenase [AMO], nitrite oxidoreductase [NXR], nitrite reductase [NIR], hydroxylamine dehydrogenase [HAO]), qPCR of functional genes (amoA, arch-amoA, nirK, norA, hao), and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were used to track microbial responses. Results showed concentration and citrate-dependent effects. AMO and NXR activities increased early in citrate-coated ZnO NPs and high treatments but declined at later stages, while NIR gradually decreased. Gene abundance patterns supported these trends, with citrate-coated ZnO NPs amplifying amoA and arch-amoA. Sequencing data indicated substantial shifts in microbial community structure, with notable differences in alpha and beta diversity. Untreated soils maintained higher richness and evenness, whereas high-concentration treatments, particularly citrate-coated ZnO NPs, reduced microbial diversity and altered community clustering. Functional groups responded unevenly, with ammonia- and nitrite-oxidizers increasing while nitrogen-fixers and denitrifiers declined. These findings suggest that ZnO nanoparticles, particularly in citrate-coated form at higher concentrations, may disturb soil microbial functions and shift nitrogen cycling pathways. This highlights potential ecological risks of nanoparticle accumulation in agricultural soils.
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