Showing papers in "Biodegradation in 2016"
TL;DR: Results indicated that 1,4-dioxane degradation potential, including degradation for growth and by co-metabolism with THF, is possessed by selected strains of Pseudonocardia and Rhodococcus, although THF degradation potential appeared to be widely distributed in Pseud onocardia.
Abstract: In recent years, several strains capable of degrading 1,4-dioxane have been isolated from the genera Pseudonocardia and Rhodococcus. This study was conducted to evaluate the 1,4-dioxane degradation potential of phylogenetically diverse strains in these genera. The abilities to degrade 1,4-dioxane as a sole carbon and energy source and co-metabolically with tetrahydrofuran (THF) were evaluated for 13 Pseudonocardia and 12 Rhodococcus species. Pseudonocardia dioxanivorans JCM 13855T, which is a 1,4-dioxane degrading bacterium also known as P. dioxanivorans CB1190, and Rhodococcus aetherivorans JCM 14343T could degrade 1,4-dioxane as the sole carbon and energy source. In addition to these two strains, ten Pseudonocardia strains could degrade THF, but no Rhodococcus strains could degrade THF. Of the ten Pseudonocardia strains, Pseudonocardia acacia JCM 16707T and Pseudonocardia asaccharolytica JCM 10410T degraded 1,4-dioxane co-metabolically with THF. These results indicated that 1,4-dioxane degradation potential, including degradation for growth and by co-metabolism with THF, is possessed by selected strains of Pseudonocardia and Rhodococcus, although THF degradation potential appeared to be widely distributed in Pseudonocardia. Analysis of soluble di-iron monooxygenase (SDIMO) α-subunit genes in THF and/or 1,4-dioxane degrading strains revealed that not only THF and 1,4-dioxane monooxygenases but also propane monooxygenase-like SDIMOs can be involved in 1,4-dioxane degradation.
59 citations
TL;DR: Taking the whole fermentation process into account, the promoting effect of Fe2+ addition on biogas yields was mainly attributed to the extension of the gas production peak stage and the improvement of cellulase activities.
Abstract: The effect of ferrous (added as FeCl2) on the anaerobic co-digestion of Phragmites straw and cow dung was studied by investigating the biogas properties, pH values, organic matter degradation (COD) and enzyme activities (cellulase, protease and dehydrogenase) at different stages of mesophilic fermentation. The results showed that Fe2+ addition increased the cumulative biogas yields by 18.1 % by extending the peak period with high daily biogas yields. Meanwhile, the methane (CH4) contents in the Fe2+ added groups were generally higher than the control group before the 15th day. The pH values were not significantly impacted by Fe2+ concentrations during the fermentation process. The COD concentrations, cellulase, protease and dehydrogenase activities varied with the added Fe2+ concentrations and the stages of the fermentation process. At the beginning stage of fermentation (4th day), Fe2+ addition increased the biogas production by improving the cellulase and dehydrogenase activities which caused a decline in COD. At the peak stage of fermentation (8th day), Fe2+ addition enhanced the cellulase and protease activities, and resulted in lower COD contents than the control group. When the biogas yields decreased again (13th day), the COD contents varied similar with the protease and dehydrogenase activities, whilst cellulase activities were not sensitive to Fe2+ concentrations. At the end of fermentation (26th day), Fe2+ addition decreased the cellulase activities, led to lower COD contents and finally resulted the lower biogas yields than the control group. Taking the whole fermentation process into account, the promoting effect of Fe2+ addition on biogas yields was mainly attributed to the extension of the gas production peak stage and the improvement of cellulase activities.
45 citations
TL;DR: The complex interaction between nitrogenous and sulfurous compounds occurring through the concomitant presence of autotrophic denitrification, conventional anammox and SR-anammox may significantly drive the nitrogen and sulfur fluxes in marine environments.
Abstract: In the present study, the capacity of enrichments derived from marine sediments collected from different sites of the Mexican littoral to perform anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) coupled to sulfide-dependent denitrification for simultaneous removal of ammonium and sulfide linked to nitrite reduction was evaluated. Sulfide-dependent denitrification out-competed anammox during the simultaneous oxidation of sulfide and ammonium. Significant accumulation of elemental sulfur (ca. 14-30 % of added sulfide) occurred during the coupling between the two respiratory processes, while ammonium was partly oxidized (31-47 %) due to nitrite limitation imposed in sediment incubations. Nevertheless, mass balances revealed up to 38 % more oxidation of the electron donors available (ammonium and sulfide) than that expected from stoichiometry. Recycling of nitrite, from nitrate produced through anammox, is proposed to contribute to extra oxidation of sulfide, while additional ammonium oxidation is suggested by sulfate-reducing anammox (SR-anammox). The complex interaction between nitrogenous and sulfurous compounds occurring through the concomitant presence of autotrophic denitrification, conventional anammox and SR-anammox may significantly drive the nitrogen and sulfur fluxes in marine environments.
45 citations
TL;DR: It is observed that, as phenol concentrations increased, the different steps of anaerobic cellulose digestion were unevenly and progressively affected, methanogenesis being the most sensitive: specific methanogenic activity was half-inhibited at 1.40 g/L of phenol, whereas hydrolysis of cellulose and its fermentation to VFA were observed at up to 2.00 g /L.
Abstract: Performance stability is a key issue when managing anaerobic digesters. However it can be affected by external disturbances caused by micropollutants. In this study the influence of phenol on the methanization of cellulose was evaluated through batch toxicity assays. Special attention was given to the dynamics of microbial communities by means of automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis. We observed that, as phenol concentrations increased, the different steps of anaerobic cellulose digestion were unevenly and progressively affected, methanogenesis being the most sensitive: specific methanogenic activity was half-inhibited at 1.40 g/L of phenol, whereas hydrolysis of cellulose and its fermentation to VFA were observed at up to 2.00 g/L. Depending on the level of phenol, microbial communities resisted either through physiological or structural adaptation. Thus, performances at 0.50 g/L were maintained in spite of the microbial community's shift. However, the communities' ability to adapt was limited and performances decreased drastically beyond 2.00 g/L of phenol.
43 citations
TL;DR: It turned out that the approach of combining biostimulation and bioaugmentation was most effective in achieving reduction in the levels of α- and β-HCH and that the application of a bacterial consortium as compared to the action of a single HCH-degrading bacterial strain was more successful.
Abstract: Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) contaminated soils were treated for a period of up to 64 days in situ (HCH dumpsite, Lucknow) and ex situ (University of Delhi) in line with three bioremediation approaches. The first approach, biostimulation, involved addition of ammonium phosphate and molasses, while the second approach, bioaugmentation, involved addition of a microbial consortium consisting of a group of HCH-degrading sphingomonads that were isolated from HCH contaminated sites. The third approach involved a combination of biostimulation and bioaugmentation. The efficiency of the consortium was investigated in laboratory scale experiments, in a pot scale study, and in a full-scale field trial. It turned out that the approach of combining biostimulation and bioaugmentation was most effective in achieving reduction in the levels of α- and β-HCH and that the application of a bacterial consortium as compared to the action of a single HCH-degrading bacterial strain was more successful. Although further degradation of β- and δ-tetrachlorocyclohexane-1,4-diol, the terminal metabolites of β- and δ-HCH, respectively, did not occur by the strains comprising the consortium, these metabolites turned out to be less toxic than the parental HCH isomers.
35 citations
TL;DR: The simultaneous partial nitrification, anammox and denitrification (SNAD) process for treating domestic wastewater was investigated in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) and showed excellent nitrogen removal performance.
Abstract: The simultaneous partial nitrification, anammox and denitrification (SNAD) process for treating domestic wastewater was investigated in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The SBR was operated with air flow rate of 500 L h−1 at 30 °C. Domestic wastewater was used as influent and Kaldnes rings were used as biomass carriers. In the beginning, long aeration condition was implemented to cultivate nitrification biofilm. Afterwards, intermittent aerobic condition was conducted during the cycle operation. The influent organic matter loading rate was improved by reducing the aeration and mixing times. Consequently, when the SNAD biofilm reactor was fed with the organic matter loading rate of 0.77 (kg COD m−3 d−1), the bio-bubbles appeared in the reactor and the total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) removal efficiency decreased. After the organic matter loading rate decreased to 0.67 (kg COD m−3 d−1), the reactor showed excellent nitrogen removal performance. The TIN removal efficiency varied between 80 and 90 %, and the average TIN removal loading rate was 0.22 (kg TIN m−3 d−1). Additionally, the scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation confirmed that the anammox bacteria located in the inner part of the carriers. Finally, the microbial community analysis of 16S rRNA gene cloning revealed that the anammox bacteria on the carriers consisted of three main genuses: Candidatus Brocadia sp., Candidatus Brocadia caroliniensis and Candidatus Brocadia fulgida.
35 citations
TL;DR: The bacterial community structure of RAS was significantly affected by the SPD process and the changes included an increase in the proportion of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes and a decrease in Nitrospira abundance in RAS-DR.
Abstract: A solid-phase denitrification (SPD) reactor packed with poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) as a carbon source was incorporated into a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) to remove accumulated nitrate. Bacterial community structures in different parts of the RAS, including biofilter unit, SPD reactor, and culture water, were analyzed using Illumina MiSeq sequencing technology. The data showed that nitrate levels decreased remarkably in the RAS connected with SPD reactor (RAS-DR). In contrast, nitrate levels increased continuously in the conventional RAS without SPD reactor (RAS-CK). Biofilter unit and culture water in RAS-DR developed lower species richness and higher bacterial community diversity than that in RAS-CK. The bacterial community structure of RAS was significantly affected by the SPD process and the changes included an increase in the proportion of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes and a decrease in Nitrospira abundance in RAS-DR. Firmicutes was the most abundant phylum (56.9 %) and mainly consisted of Clostridium sensu stricto (48.3 %) in SPD reactor.
33 citations
TL;DR: Compared to the feed culture, biodiversity decreased greatly during acclimation process, the microbial community structure gradually stabilized after 9 acclimators, and the Thauera genus related to Rhodocyclales was the dominated perchlorate reducing bacteria (PRB) in the mixed culture.
Abstract: Hydrogen autotrophic reduction of perchlorate have advantages of high removal efficiency and harmless to drinking water. But so far the reported information about the microbial community structure was comparatively limited, changes in the biodiversity and the dominant bacteria during acclimation process required detailed study. In this study, perchlorate-reducing hydrogen autotrophic bacteria were acclimated by hydrogen aeration from activated sludge. For the first time, high-throughput sequencing was applied to analyze changes in biodiversity and the dominant bacteria during acclimation process. The Michaelis-Menten model described the perchlorate reduction kinetics well. Model parameters q(max) and K(s) were 2.521-3.245 (mg ClO4(-)/gVSS h) and 5.44-8.23 (mg/l), respectively. Microbial perchlorate reduction occurred across at pH range 5.0-11.0; removal was highest at pH 9.0. The enriched mixed bacteria could use perchlorate, nitrate and sulfate as electron accepter, and the sequence of preference was: NO3(-) > ClO4(-) > SO4(2-). Compared to the feed culture, biodiversity decreased greatly during acclimation process, the microbial community structure gradually stabilized after 9 acclimation cycles. The Thauera genus related to Rhodocyclales was the dominated perchlorate reducing bacteria (PRB) in the mixed culture.
30 citations
TL;DR: This study evaluated substrate interactions during the aerobic biodegradation of 1, 4-dioxane and BTEX mixtures by a pure culture, Acinetobacter baumannii DD1, which could utilize BTEX as a sole carbon source, but could not utilize m-xylene and p-Xylene.
Abstract: This study evaluated substrate interactions during the aerobic biodegradation of 1, 4-dioxane and BTEX mixtures by a pure culture, Acinetobacter baumannii DD1, which is capable of utilizing 1, 4-dioxane for growth. A. baumannii DD1 could utilize BTEX as a sole carbon source, but could not utilize m-xylene and p-xylene. In binary mixtures, there was a lag of about 14 h before the degradation of BTE, and 1, 4-dioxane only started to be utilized when BTE was completely degraded by 1, 4-dioxane-grown DD1. Furthermore, the biodegradation rate of 1, 4-dioxane decreased from 73.33 to 40.74 mg/(h g dry weight) after the biodegradation of benzene. 1, 4-dioxane could not be degraded after the biodegradation of o-xylene in 80 h. DD1 could also not degrade m-xylene and p-xylene coexisting with 1, 4-dioxane. The ability of DD1 to degrade BTEX occurred in the following order: benzene > ethylbenzene > toluene > o-xylene > m-xylene = p-xylene. The biodegradation of 1, 4-dioxane was not activated in the mixture with o-xylene, primarily because of the accumulation of the specific toxic intermediate, 2, 3-dimethylphenol. The lag in BTE degradation was presumably because of the induction of enzymes necessary for BTE degradation. Additionally, SDS-PAGE analysis demonstrated that there were different proteins during the degradation of benzene and 1, 4-dioxane.
26 citations
TL;DR: The results indicated that P. fluorescens and Kocuria sp.
Abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-degrading bacteria capable of growing under electrokinetic conditions were isolated using an adjusted acclimation and enrichment procedure based on soil contaminated with heavy PAHs in the presence of an electric field. Their ability to degrade heavy PAHs under an electric field was individually investigated in artificially contaminated soils. The results showed that strains PB4 (Pseudomonas fluorescens) and FB6 (Kocuria sp.) were the most efficient heavy PAH degraders under electrokinetic conditions. They were re-inoculated into a polluted soil from an industrial site with a PAH concentration of 184.95 mg kg(-1). Compared to the experiments without an electric field, the degradation capability of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Kocuria sp. was enhanced in the industrially polluted soil under electrokinetic conditions. The degradation extents of total PAHs were increased by 15.4 and 14.0% in the electrokinetic PB4 and FB6 experiments (PB4 + EK and FB6 + EK) relative to the PB4 and FB6 experiments without electrokinetic conditions (PB4 and FB6), respectively. These results indicated that P. fluorescens and Kocuria sp. could efficiently degrade heavy PAHs under electrokinetic conditions and have the potential to be used for the electro-bioremediation of PAH-contaminated soil, especially if the soil is contaminated with heavy PAHs.
26 citations
TL;DR: The results showed both the anoxic and aerobic conditions are effective in degrading OSPW classical and oxidized naphthenic acids (NAs) with the aerobic conditions demonstrating higher removal efficiency.
Abstract: Batch experiments were performed to evaluate biodegradation of raw and ozonated oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) under denitrifying anoxic and nitrifying aerobic conditions for 33 days. The results showed both the anoxic and aerobic conditions are effective in degrading OSPW classical and oxidized naphthenic acids (NAs) with the aerobic conditions demonstrating higher removal efficiency. The reactors under nitrifying aerobic condition reduced the total classical NAs of raw OSPW by 69.1 %, with better efficiency for species of higher hydrophobicity. Compared with conventional aerobic reactor, nitrifying aerobic condition substantially shortened the NA degradation half-life to 16 days. The mild-dose ozonation remarkably accelerated the subsequent aerobic biodegradation of classical NAs within the first 14 days, especially for those with long carbon chains. Moreover, the ozone pretreatment enhanced the biological removal of OSPW classical NAs by leaving a considerably lower final residual concentration of 10.4 mg/L under anoxic conditions, and 5.7 mg/L under aerobic conditions. The combination of ozonation and nitrifying aerobic biodegradation removed total classical NAs by 76.5 % and total oxy-NAs (O3–O6) by 23.6 %. 454 Pyrosequencing revealed that microbial species capable of degrading recalcitrant hydrocarbons were dominant in all reactors. The most abundant genus in the raw and ozonated anoxic reactors was Thauera (~56 % in the raw OSPW anoxic reactor, and ~65 % in the ozonated OSPW anoxic reactor); whereas Rhodanobacter (~40 %) and Pseudomonas (~40 %) dominated the raw and ozonated aerobic reactors, respectively. Therefore, the combination of mild-dose ozone pretreatment and subsequent biological process could be a competent choice for OSPW treatment.
TL;DR: The results showed that the semi-aerobic mode could substantially lower the risks of H2S pollution in landfills, which might be because of the difference in biological processes related to sulfur metabolism driven by functional microbes.
Abstract: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is one of the major contributors to offensive odors from landfills, and its concentration differs under different operation modes. This study examined the distribution of H2S emission from different landfill depths under different operation modes (anaerobic, semi-aerobic, semi-aerobic transformation, and the three operation modes with additional leachate recirculation). The microbial community (especially the sulfur-metabolizing bacterial community) was investigated using high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that the semi-aerobic mode could substantially lower the risks of H2S pollution in landfills, which might be because of the difference in biological processes related to sulfur metabolism driven by functional microbes. A myriad of factors are responsible for mutually shaping the sulfur-metabolizing bacterial community composition in landfills that might subsequently affect the behavior of H2S emission in landfills. The differences in abundance of the genera Acinetobacter and Paracoccus (phylum Proteobacteria) caused by environmental factors might explain the differences in H2S emission. H2S odor control could be realized if the related functional microbe diversity can be influenced by adjustments to landfill operation.
TL;DR: Strain RM-31 exhibited the strongest 1,4-dioxane degradation ability and was probably a first bacteria from the seawater that can exert a strong degrading ability.
Abstract: To determine the concentration of soluble 1,4-dioxane during biodegradation, a new method using of high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with a hydrophilic interaction chromatography column was developed. The developed method enabled easy and rapid determination of 1,4-dioxane, even in saline medium. Microbes capable of degrading 1,4-dioxane were selected from the seawater samples by the seawater-charcoal perfusion apparatus. Among 32 candidate 1,4-dioxane degraders,, strain RM-31 exhibited the strongest 1,4-dioxane degradation ability. 16S rDNA sequencing and the similarity analysis of strain RM-31 suggested that this organism was most closely related to Pseudonocardia carboxydivorans. This species is similar to Pseudonocardia dioxanivorans, which has previously been reported as a 1,4-dioxane degrader. Strain RM-31 could degrade 300 mg/L within 2 days. As culture incubation times increasing, the residual 1,4-dioxane concentration was decreasing and the total protein contents extracted from growth cells were increasing. The optimum initial pH of the broth medium and incubation temperature for 1,4-dioxane degradation were pH 6–8 and 25 °C. The biodegradation rate of 1,4-dioxane by strain RM-31 at 25 °C in broth medium with 3 % NaCl was almost 20 % faster than that without NaCl. It was probably a first bacteria from the seawater that can exert a strong degrading ability.
TL;DR: Investigation of the effects of thiol complexation on the uptake of MeHg by measuring the intracellular demethylation-reduction (transformation) of Mehg to Hg(0) in Hg-resistant bacteria indicates that the complexes MeHGOH, MeHhg-cysteine, and MeHHg-glutathione are all bioavailable in these bacteria, and without the mer operon there is very little biological degradation of Me
Abstract: Mercury resistant bacteria play a critical role in mercury biogeochemical cycling in that they convert methylmercury (MeHg) and inorganic mercury to elemental mercury, Hg(0). To date there are very few studies on the effects of speciation and bioavailability of MeHg in these organisms, and even fewer studies on the role that binding to cellular ligands plays on MeHg uptake. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of thiol complexation on the uptake of MeHg by measuring the intracellular demethylation-reduction (transformation) of MeHg to Hg(0) in Hg-resistant bacteria. Short-term intracellular transformation of MeHg was quantified by monitoring the loss of volatile Hg(0) generated during incubations of bacteria containing the complete mer operon (including genes from putative mercury transporters) exposed to MeHg in minimal media compared to negative controls with non-mer or heat-killed cells. The results indicate that the complexes MeHgOH, MeHg-cysteine, and MeHg-glutathione are all bioavailable in these bacteria, and without the mer operon there is very little biological degradation of MeHg. In both Pseudomonas stutzeri and Escherichia coli, there was a pool of MeHg that was not transformed to elemental Hg(0), which was likely rendered unavailable to Mer enzymes by non-specific binding to cellular ligands. Since the rates of MeHg accumulation and transformation varied more between the two species of bacteria examined than among MeHg complexes, microbial bioavailability, and therefore microbial demethylation, of MeHg in aquatic systems likely depends more on the species of microorganism than on the types and relative concentrations of thiols or other MeHg ligands present.
TL;DR: Results showed that the reactor configuration can develop SOB in an anaerobic sludge under microaerobic conditions and can improve and reestablish the sulfide conversion to elemental sulfur.
Abstract: A novel bioreactor, employing a silicone membrane for microaeration, was studied for partial sulfide oxidation to elemental sulfur. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of using an internal silicone membrane reactor (ISMR) to treat dissolved sulfide and to characterize its microbial community. The ISMR is an effective system to eliminate sulfide produced in anaerobic reactors. Sulfide removal efficiencies reached 96 % in a combined anaerobic/microaerobic reactor and significant sulfate production did not occur. The oxygen transfer was strongly influenced by air pressure and flow. Pyrosequencing analysis indicated various sulfide-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) affiliated to the species Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans, Sulfuricurvum kujiense and Pseudomonas stutzeri attached to the membrane and also indicated similarity between the biomass deposited on the membrane wall and the biomass drawn from the material support, supported the establishment of SOB in an anaerobic sludge under microaerobic conditions. Furthermore, these results showed that the reactor configuration can develop SOB under microaerobic conditions and can improve and reestablish the sulfide conversion to elemental sulfur.
TL;DR: Because the oxidation rate of BPA by BPA-acclimated activated sludge limits the rate of the whole biodegradation pathway, the accumulation of metabolic intermediates 4HAP, 4HB, and 4HBA would be negligible.
Abstract: As a result of its wide usage in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, bisphenol A (BPA) is commonly detected in wastewaters. Recently, BPA became a major concern because its adverse effects as an endocrine disruptor. In this work, the biodegradation kinetics of BPA and its metabolic intermediates 4-hydroxyacetophenone (4HAP), 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (4HB) and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4HBA) by BPA-acclimated activated sludge was studied using manometric respirometry (BOD) tests. For all the tested compounds, BOD curves exhibited two phases. In the first one, a fast increase of the oxygen consumption (OC) due to the active oxidation of the substrate was obtained. Then, when the substrate was exhausted, the endogenous respiration produced a slower increase of OC. A standard Monod-model with biomass growth was used to represent the OC profiles as a function of time. For all the tested compounds, a good agreement between the proposed model and the experimental data was obtained. According to their biodegradation rates, the tested compounds can be ordered as follows: BPA < 4HAP ≪ 4HB < 4HBA. Because the oxidation rate of BPA by BPA-acclimated activated sludge limits the rate of the whole biodegradation pathway, the accumulation of metabolic intermediates 4HAP, 4HB, and 4HBA would be negligible. To calculate the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration (C) during the BOD tests, the oxygen transfer coefficient (kLa) of the BOD bottles was obtained using the sulfite method. Finally, a simple procedure to calculate the minimum DO concentration (Cmin) based on BOD data was developed. Calculation results demonstrated that under the tested conditions, C values were high enough as not to be the limiting substrate for the microbial growth.
TL;DR: Results from the present study provided scientific basis for remediating CVOCs contaminated groundwater at the site, and biomarker analyses and microcosm studies showed that electron donors had influence on the degradation of contaminants.
Abstract: Site in a former chemical manufacture plant in China was found contaminated with high level of chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs). The major contaminants chloroform (CF), 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCA) and vinyl chloride (VC) in groundwater were up to 4.49 × 104, 2.76 × 106 and 4.35 × 104 μg/L, respectively. Ethene and methane were at concentrations up to 2219.80 and 165.85 μg/L, respectively. To test the hypothesis that the CVOCs in groundwater at this site could be removed via biodegradation, biomarker analyses and microcosm studies were conducted. Dehalococcoides 16S rRNA gene and VC-reductase gene vcrA at densities up to 1.5 × 104 and 3.2 × 104 copies/L were detected in some of the groundwater samples, providing strong evidence that dechlorinating bacteria were present in the aquifer. Results from the microcosm studies showed that at moderate concentrations (CF about 4000 μg/L and 1,2-DCA about 100 μg/L), CF was recalcitrant under natural condition but was degraded under biostimulation and bioaugmentation, while 1,2-DCA was degraded under all the three conditions. At high concentration (CF about 1,000,000 μg/L and 1,2-DCA about 20,000 μg/L), CF was recalcitrant under all the three treatments and 1,2-DCA was only degraded under bioaugmentation, indicating that high concentrations of contaminants were inhibitory to the bacteria. Electron donors had influence on the degradation of contaminants. Of the four fatty acids (pyruvate, acetate, propionate and lactate) examined, all could stimulate the degradation of 1,2-DCA at both moderate and high concentrations, whereas only pyruvate and acetate could stimulate the degradation of CF at moderate concentration. In the microcosms, the observed first-order degradation rates of CF and 1,2-DCA were up to 0.12 and 0.11/day, respectively. Results from the present study provided scientific basis for remediating CVOCs contaminated groundwater at the site.
TL;DR: Results indicated that deoxidation and dehydration were the preferred metabolic reactions of TCF in this TCF-degrading bacterium.
Abstract: The novel trichlorfon (TCF)-degrading bacterium PA F-3, identified as Bacillus tequilensis, was isolated from pesticide-polluted soils by using an effective screening and domesticating procedure. The TCF biodegradation pathways of PA F-3 were also systematically elucidated. As revealed by high-performance liquid chromatography, the TCF residues in the mineral salt medium demonstrated that PA F-3 can utilize TCF as its sole carbon source and reach the highest degradation of 71.1 % at an initial TCF concentration of 200 mg/L within 5 days. The TCF degradation conditions were optimized using response surface methodology as follows: temperature, 28 °C; inoculum amount, 4 %; and initial TCF concentration, 125 mg/L. Biodegradation treatments supplemented with exogenous carbon sources and yeast extract markedly increased the microbial dry weights and TCF-degrading performance of PA F-3, respectively. Meanwhile, five metabolic products of TCF were identified through gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, and a biodegradation pathway was proposed. Results indicated that deoxidation and dehydration (including the cleavage of the P-C phosphonate bond and the C-O bond) were the preferred metabolic reactions of TCF in this TCF-degrading bacterium.
TL;DR: chemical analysis with EDS, FTIR and XRD confirmed the presence of CaCO3 precipitates on biomass surface during the long-term operation under high bicarbonate conditions and the attachment of precipitates to the SCN sludge helped to improve the biomass settleability and finally enhanced the SCn performance of the ALR.
Abstract: The short-cut nitrification (SCN) performance of an airlift reactor (ALR) was investigated under increasing bicarbonate condition. The sequential increase of bicarbonate from 2.5 to 7.0 g/L accelerated the nitrite accumulation and improved the NAP to 99 %. With the increase of bicarbonate dose to 11 g/L, the ammonium removal efficiency and the ammonium removal rate (ARR) were improved to 95.1 % and 0.57 kg/m(3)/day, respectively. However, the elevation of bicarbonate concentration from 11.0 to 14.0 g/L gradually depreciated the nitrite accumulation percentage to 62.5 %. Then, the reactor was operated in increasing ammonium strategy to increase the nitrogen loading rate (NLR) to 1.1 kg/m(3)/day under 700 mg/L influent ammonium concentration. The ARR and nitrite production rate were elevated to 1.1 and 0.9 kg/m(3)/day, respectively. The SCN performance was improved to 1.8 kg/m(3)/day (NLR) by the subsequent progressive shortening of HRT to 4.8 h at ammonium concentration of 350 mg/L, which was 1.6 times higher than that of the increasing ammonium strategy. Chemical analysis with EDS, FTIR and XRD confirmed the presence of CaCO3 precipitates on biomass surface during the long-term operation under high bicarbonate conditions. The attachment of precipitates to the SCN sludge helped to improve the biomass settleability and finally enhanced the SCN performance of the ALR.
TL;DR: The major benefit of UV photolysis in this case was to transform TCP into a set of much-less-inhibitory products, and this relieved inhibition by TCP.
Abstract: A bacterial strain isolated from activated sludge and identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens could biodegrade phenol, but 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) inhibited phenol biodegradation and biomass growth. UV photolysis converted TCP into dichlorocatechol, monochlorophenol, and dichlorophenol, and this relieved inhibition by TCP. Phenol-removal and biomass-growth rates were significantly accelerated after UV photolysis: the monod maximum specific growth rate (μ
max) increased by 9 % after TCP photolysis, and the half-maximum-rate concentration (K
S) decreased by 36 %. Thus, the major benefit of UV photolysis in this case was to transform TCP into a set of much-less-inhibitory products.
TL;DR: Biodegradation was found to be the major NAP and PHE removal mechanism and there was no NAP accumulation in the biomass.
Abstract: The removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by membrane bioreactor (MBR) under aerobic conditions had been studied using naphthalene (NAP) and phenanthrene (PHE) as model compounds. Three MBRs with submerged ultra-filtration hollow fiber membranes were operated applying different operational conditions during 6.5 months. Complete NAP and PHE removal was obtained applying loads of 7 gNAP kgTSS−1 day−1 and 0.5 gPHE kgTSS−1 day−1, while the organic loading rate was adjusted to 0.26 kgCOD kgTSS−1 day−1, with the biomass concentration being 6000 mgTSS L−1, the hydraulic retention time (HRT) 8 h and the solids retention time (SRT) 30 days. Load increases, as well as HRT and SRT reductions, affected the NAP and PHE removals. Biodegradation was found to be the major NAP and PHE removal mechanism. There was no NAP accumulation in the biomass. Low PHE quantities remain sorbed in the biomass and the contribution of the sorption in the removal of this compound was estimated to be less than 0.01 %. The volatilization does not contribute to the PHE removal in MBRs, but the contribution of NAP volatilization can reach up to 0.6 % when HRT of 8 h is applied.
TL;DR: The retention of TiO2 NPs in BAC filters and the negative effect on the ammonia reduction are identified, suggesting a potential threat to DWT by TiO 2 NPs.
Abstract: Given the increasing discoveries related to the eco-toxicity of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) in different ecosystems and with respect to public health, it is important to understand their potential effects in drinking water treatment (DWT). The effects of TiO2 NPs on ammonia reduction, ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in biological activated carbon (BAC) filters for drinking water were investigated in static and dynamic states. In the static state, both the nitrification potential and AOB were significantly inhibited by 100 μg L(-1) TiO2 NPs after 12 h (p 0.05). In the dynamic state, different amounts of TiO2 NP pulses were injected into three pilot-scale BAC filters. The decay of TiO2 NPs in the BAC filters was very slow. Both titanium quantification and scanning electron microscope analysis confirmed the retention of TiO2 NPs in the BAC filters after 134 days of operation. Furthermore, the TiO2 NP pulses considerably reduced the performance of ammonia reduction. This study identified the retention of TiO2 NPs in BAC filters and the negative effect on the ammonia reduction, suggesting a potential threat to DWT by TiO2 NPs.
TL;DR: Acetate and formate accelerated TCP reductive dechlorination, and the impact was proportional to the number of electron equivalents released by oxidation of the donor; the impact of exogenous electron donor was stronger on a per-equivalent basis.
Abstract: 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol (TCP) is a biologically recalcitrant compound, but its biodegradation via reductive dechlorination can be accelerated by adding an exogenous electron donor. In this work, acetate and formate were evaluated for their ability to accelerate TCP reductive dechlorination, as well to accelerate mono-oxygenation of TCP’s reduction product, phenol. Acetate and formate accelerated TCP reductive dechlorination, and the impact was proportional to the number of electron equivalents released by oxidation of the donor: 8 e− equivalents per mol for acetate, compared to 2 e− eq per mol for formate. The acceleration phenomenon was similar for phenol mono-oxygenation, and this increased the rate of TCP mineralization. Compared to endogenous electron equivalents generated by phenol mineralization, the impact of exogenous electron donor was stronger on a per-equivalent basis.