Consigli Veronica, Guarienti Michela, Bilo Fabjola, Benassi Laura, Depero Laura E, Bontempi Elza, Presta Marco
1 Zebrafish Facility, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia , Brescia, Italy .
2 INSTM and Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory, University of Brescia , Brescia, Italy .
Zebrafish. 2016 Oct;13(5):449-55. doi: 10.1089/zeb.2016.1255. Epub 2016 Aug 3.
Ashes derived from biomass combustion and used as soil fertilizers can generate negative environmental and human health risks, related to leaching of heavy metals and other putative toxic elements. Tree wood ash composition may vary depending on geographical location and surrounding industrial processes. In this study, we evaluated the biotoxicity of lixiviated tree wood ash samples from trees of the Ash (Fraxinus), Cherry (Pronus), Hazel (Corylus), and Black locust (Robinia) genus collected in an industrialized region in Northern Italy. Elemental chemical analysis of the samples was performed by total reflection X-ray fluorescence technique and their biotoxicity was assessed in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. Ashes from Ash, Cherry, and Hazel trees, but not Black locust trees, had a high concentration of heavy metals and other putative toxic elements. Accordingly, a dose-dependent increase in mortality rate and morphological and teratogenic defects was observed in zebrafish embryos treated with lixiviated Ash, Cherry, and Hazel tree wood samples, whereas the toxicity of Black locust tree wood ashes was negligible. In conclusion, lixiviated wood ashes from different plants show a different content of toxic elements that correlate with their biotoxic effects on zebrafish embryos. Tree wood ashes derived from biomass combustion may represent a potential risk for the environment and human health.
生物质燃烧产生并用作土壤肥料的灰烬会带来负面的环境和人类健康风险，这与重金属及其他假定有毒元素的浸出有关。树木灰分的成分可能因地理位置和周边工业过程而异。在本研究中，我们评估了从意大利北部一个工业化地区采集的白蜡树（水曲柳属）、樱桃树（李属）、榛树（榛属）和刺槐树（刺槐属）的树木灰分浸出液样本的生物毒性。通过全反射X射线荧光技术对样本进行了元素化学分析，并在斑马鱼（斑马丹鱼）胚胎中评估了它们的生物毒性。白蜡树、樱桃树和榛树的灰烬，而非刺槐树的灰烬，含有高浓度的重金属和其他假定有毒元素。因此，在用白蜡树、樱桃树和榛树的树木灰分浸出液样本处理的斑马鱼胚胎中，观察到死亡率以及形态和致畸缺陷呈剂量依赖性增加，而刺槐树木灰的毒性可忽略不计。总之，不同植物的树木灰分浸出液显示出不同的有毒元素含量，这与它们对斑马鱼胚胎的生物毒性作用相关。生物质燃烧产生的树木灰分可能对环境和人类健康构成潜在风险。
