Understanding the influence of carbon nanomaterials on microbial communities.

Abstract Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) are widely used because of their unique advantages in recent years. At the same time, the influence of CNMs on the environment is becoming increasingly prominent. This review mainly introduces the research progress in the effects of fullerenes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and graphene on microorganisms and their toxicity mechanisms. On this basis, we have analyzed beneficial and adverse effects of fullerenes, graphene, MWCNTs and SWCNTs to microorganisms, and discussed the similarities of the toxicity mechanisms of different CNMs on microorganisms. This review helps provide ideas on how to protect microorganisms from the impacts of carbon nanomaterials, and it will be conductive to providing a strong theoretical basis for better application of carbon nanomaterials. Highlights • Fullerenes are less toxic to microorganisms than other CNMs and can disrupt the electrostatic balance of microbial cells. • SWCNT is more toxic to microorganisms than MWCNT, both of them destroy microbial cell by breaking cell wall or membrane. • Graphene can cause changes in the number of microorganisms and community structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]