The lion's share of bacteria in various environments cannot be cloned in the laboratory and thus cannot be sequenced using existing technologies. A major goal of single-cell genomics is to complement gene-centric metagenomic data with whole-genome assemblies of uncultivated organisms. Assembly of single-cell data is challenging because of highly non-uniform read coverage as well as elevated levels of sequencing errors and chimeric reads. We describe SPAdes, a new assembler for both single-cell and standard (multicell) assembly, and demonstrate that it improves on the recently released E+V-SC assembler (specialized for single-cell data) and on popular assemblers Velvet and SoapDeNovo (for multicell data). SPAdes generates single-cell assemblies, providing information about genomes of uncultivatable bacteria that vastly exceeds what may be obtained via traditional metagenomics studies. SPAdes is available online ( http://bioinf.spbau.ru/spades ). It is distributed as open source software.

SPAdes, a new genome assembly algorithm and its applications to single-cell sequencing ( 7th Annual SFAF Meeting, 2012)

Imaging and image-based fluid transport modeling at the pore scale in geological materials : a practical introduction to the current state-of-the-art

Water pollution is one of the global challenges that society must address in the 21st century aiming to improve water quality and reduce human and ecosystem health impacts. Industrialization, climate change, and expansion of urban areas produce a variety of water pollutants. In this work, we discuss some of the most recent and relevant findings related to the release of heavy metals, the possible risks for the environment and human health, the materials and technologies available for their removal. Anthropogenic activities are identified as the main source of the increasing amounts of heavy metals found in aquatic environments. Some of the health hazards derived from repeated exposure to traces of heavy metals, including lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic, are outlined. We also give some perspectives about several techniques used to detect heavy metals, as well as about the factors that could affect the contaminant removal. The advantages and drawbacks of conventional and non-conventional heavy metal removal methods are critically discussed, given particular attention to those related to adsorption, nanostructured materials and plant-mediated remediation. Some of the commercial products currently used to eliminate heavy metals from water are also listed. Finally, we point out some the requirements and opportunities linked to developing efficient methods for heavy metal removal, such as the ones that exploit nanotechnologies.

Heavy metal water pollution: A fresh look about hazards, novel and conventional remediation methods

The pH dependent surface charging and points of zero charge. VII. Update.

Methods for measuring rock surface weathering and erosion: A critical review

Heavy metal contamination is one of the most important environmental issues. Therefore, appropriate steps need to be taken to reduce heavy metals and metalloids in water to acceptable levels. Several treatment methods have been developed recently to adsorb these pollutants. This paper reviews the ability of residuals generated as a by-product from the water treatment plants to adsorb heavy metals and metalloids from water. Water treatment residuals have great sorption capacities due to their large specific surface area and chemical composition. Sorption capacity is also affected by sorption conditions. A survey of the literature shows that water treatment residuals may be a suitable material for developing an efficient adsorbent for the removal of heavy metals and metalloids from water.

https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/9/8/487/pdf

Removal of Heavy Metals and Metalloids from Water Using Drinking Water Treatment Residuals as Adsorbents: A Review

This work presents mineralogical and chemical characteristics of weathering crusts developed on sandstones exposed to various air pollution conditions. The samples have been collected from sandstone tors in the Carpathian Foothill and from buildings in Krakow. It has been stated that these crusts differ in both fabric and composition. The sandstone black crust from tors is rich in organic matter and composed of amorphous silica. Sulphate incrustations accompanied by dust particles have been only sometimes observed. Beneath the black crust, a zone coloured by iron (oxyhydr)oxides occurs. The enrichment of the surface crust in silica and iron compounds protects the rock interior from atmospheric impact. The sandstones from architectonic details are also covered by a thin carbon-rich black crust, but they are visibly loosened. Numerous salts, mainly gypsum and halite, crystallise here, thus enhancing deterioration of the rock. Moreover, spherical particles originated from industrial emissions are much more common. Gypsum in natural outcrops, forms isolated and well-developed crystals, whilst these found on the architectonic details are finer and densely cover the surface. Such diversity reflects various concentrations of acid air pollutants in solutions.

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs11356-014-3312-y.pdf

Composition of weathering crusts on sandstones from natural outcrops and architectonic elements in an urban environment

The processes occurring during roasting of bog iron ores were characterized using TG–DTG–DTA–QMS, XRD, FTIR and specific surface analysis. Removal of physically adsorbed water is followed by dehydroxylation of iron oxyhydroxides and oxidation of organic matter at 200–600 °C. The main product of the transformations is disordered nanocrystalline (proto)hematite or hematite/maghemite mixture, depending on organic matter content and heating conditions. The conversion of iron oxyhydroxides to hematite occurs at temperatures different than those reported for pure compounds. At higher temperatures, protohematite undergoes recrystallization to the stoichiometric hematite, and manganese oxides are partially reduced. At 1000 °C, the roasting products consist of hematite and cristobalite together with Mn–Fe spinels if the initial ore contained Mn oxides. The admixtures of various secondary silicates were encountered as well. Low- to moderate-temperature roasting slightly affects the specific surface area and lowers volume of micropores. The high-temperature transformations lead to decrease in the specific surface area and to the destruction of porous texture of the bog iron ores. Although the general course of the processes during roasting was similar in all the samples, some of their details as well as mineralogy and properties of the products are highly dependent on the composition of the initial material.

/pdf/mineral-transformations-and-textural-evolution-during-1e2gcs12go.pdf

Grzegorz Rzepa

Papers

Removal of Heavy Metals and Metalloids from Water Using Drinking Water Treatment Residuals as Adsorbents: A Review

Composition of weathering crusts on sandstones from natural outcrops and architectonic elements in an urban environment

Mineral transformations and textural evolution during roasting of bog iron ores

Utilization of bog iron ores as sorbents of heavy metals.

Iodargyrite from Zalas (Cracow area, Poland) as an indicator of Oligocene–Miocene aridity in Central Europe