Metagenomic analysis of the biotoxicity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles to microbial nitrogen transformation in constructed wetlands

Abstract Extensive use of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) in various products has increased the release of these particles into wastewater, posing potential environmental risks. As an ecological wastewater treatment facility, constructed wetland (CW) is an important sink of NPs. However, little is known about the effects of NPs on microbial nitrogen transformation and related genes in CWs. In this study, short-term (5 days) and long-term (60 days) exposure experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of TiO2 NPs (0, 1, and 50 mg/L) on microbial nitrogen removal in CWs. The results showed that nitrogen removal efficiency was decreased by 35%–51% after long-term exposure to TiO2 NPs. Metagenomic analysis further confirmed that TiO2 NPs declined the relative abundance of functional genes and those enzyme encoding genes involved in the nitrogen metabolism pathway and glycolysis metabolism process. Furthermore, our data proved that the indigent glycolysis metabolism process resulted in the shortage of electron (NADH) and energy sources (ATP), causing inefficient nitrogen removal. Overall, these results revealed that the accumulation of TiO2 NPs altered the genetic expression of biofilm in CWs, which had significant impacts on biological nitrogen transformation.