Abstract
The burgeoning issue of landfill leachate, exacerbated by urbanization, necessitates evaluating its biological impact, traditionally overshadowed by physical and chemical assessments. This study harnesses Caenorhabditis elegans, a model organism, to elucidate the physiological toxicity of landfill leachate subjected to different treatment processes: nanofiltration reverse osmosis tail water (NFRO), membrane bioreactor (MBR), and raw leachate (RAW). Our investigation focuses on the modulation of sugar metabolism, particularly trehalose-a disaccharide serving dual functions as an energy source and an anti-adversity molecule in invertebrates. Upon exposure, C. elegans showcased a 60-70% reduction in glucose and glycogen levels alongside a significant trehalose increase, highlighting an adaptive response to environmental stress by augmenting trehalose synthesis. Notably, trehalose-related genes in the NFRO group were up-regulated, contrasting with the MBR and RAW groups, where trehalose synthesis genes outpaced decomposition genes by 20-30 times. These findings suggest that C. elegans predominantly counters landfill leachate-induced stress through trehalose accumulation. This research not only provides insights into the differential impact of leachate treatment methods on C. elegans but also proposes a molecular framework for assessing the environmental repercussions of landfill leachate, contributing to the development of novel strategies for pollution mitigation and environmental preservation.