Interactions between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)-degrading strain Sphingomonas sp. GY2B and nano bamboo charcoal

As the global consumption of engineered nanomaterials such as nano bamboo charcoal (NBC) steadily increases, so does the potential for their release into the environment through human activity. In this study, the aggregation and dispersion of NBC, and its effect on GY2B, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)-degrading strain of Sphingomonas sp., were investigated. Results showed that NBC aggregation was affected by both its concentration and GY2B, while the zeta potential of NBC was mainly influenced by GY2B and less so by its concentration. With the addition of NBC, the biodegradation rate of phenanthrene was enhanced while GY2B growth was inhibited initially, however, cell growth inhibition was attenuated and eliminated with NBC aggregation and sedimentation which adsorbed toxic metabolites, such as 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, eventually resulting in more favorable conditions. This work indicates that NBC has the potential to be used in environmental remediation.