Article
Agricultural Engineering
Xiqi Li, Zhe Yu, Xiaoli Ge, Wenzhe Zhang, Yingke Fang, Wenzong Liu, Aijie Wang
Summary: This study extracted extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from sludge using low-temperature thermal-hydrolysis and high-speed hydro-cyclone pretreatment, and recovered them for high-quality volatile fatty acids (VFAs) bio-production through thermophilic fermentation. The microbial mechanism analysis revealed that interspecific interaction networks composed of functional flora ensured efficient VFAs production by primarily bio-converting EPS. This process scheme shows promise in producing alternative denitrification carbon sources and improving sludge dewaterability.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yanan Wang, Ruiyong Zhang, Jizhou Duan, Xin Shi, Yimeng Zhang, Fang Guan, Wolfgang Sand, Baorong Hou
Summary: Microbial cells secrete EPS to adhere to material surfaces, causing metal corrosion. Components in EPS are closely related to metal corrosion, and functional groups play a key role in biocorrosion.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Cunsheng Zhang, Yuxuan Sun, Tianyu Cao, Wenjuan Wang, Shuhao Huo, Ze-Hua Liu
Summary: Organic load (OL) is an important factor affecting biogas composition and microbial community, with high OL promoting the relative abundance of hydrogen-producing bacteria and reducing the numbers of hydrolysis bacteria and methanogens.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Zeyu Li, Hongbo Chen
Summary: This study investigates the role of total solids content in low-temperature thermal hydrolysis and anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge. The results show that increasing the solids content from 2% to 6% improves the process performance, but further increasing it to 12% reduces methane production. The optimal conditions for sludge solubility and methane production are achieved at 6% solids.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zilong Xiao, Qian Fang, Wenxue Ding, Wuyang Zhou, Jiang Zhu, Xiaomin Guo, Guirong Liang
Summary: This study investigated the influence of pH regulation on the efficiency of sodium citrate pretreatment in waste activated sludge. It was found that acidic conditions coupled with sodium citrate limited the solubilization of organic matter and production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), while alkaline conditions combined with sodium citrate promoted sludge hydrolysis and VFAs production, with higher alkalinity leading to more pronounced synergy. Microbial analysis revealed that acidic conditions favored the enrichment of hydrogen-producing bacteria, while alkaline conditions promoted the enrichment of hydrolytic acid-producing bacteria with higher tolerance and adaptability.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Youzhou Jiao, Yongkang Yuan, Chao He, Liang Liu, Xiaohui Pan, Panpan Li
Summary: Enrichment culture combined with microbial electrochemical system significantly increased methane production in low-temperature anaerobic digestion by altering microbial communities and stimulating enzyme gene expression.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiaxin Gao, Zeyu Li, Hongbo Chen
Summary: This study reveals the key role of total solids (TS) content in the thermal-alkaline pre-treatment (TAP) and anaerobic digestion (AD) of waste activated sludge. Optimal TS content enhances sludge disintegration and methane production, while excessive TS content deteriorates sludge fluidity and hampers the disintegration process. Maintaining an appropriate TS content is crucial for efficient TAP and AD technology.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Rene Cardena, Laszlo Kook, Jan Zitka, Peter Bakonyi, Barbora Galajdova, Miroslav Otmar, Nandor Nemestothy, German Buitron
Summary: This study characterized and compared two cation exchange membranes and one bipolar membrane in microbial electrolysis cells, and found that PSEBS SU22 was competitive in terms of H-2 production efficiency.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Shaofeng Zhou, Zhiyang Liao, Beiping Zhang, Rui Hou, Yi Wang, Shungui Zhou, Yifeng Zhang, Zhiyong Jason Ren, Yong Yuan
Summary: The study investigated the photochemical characteristics of EPS from different microbial sources, revealing that the diversity of EPS composition led to variations in the steady-state concentrations of reactive species. Protein-like components in EPS were found to undergo degradation under light exposure, while humic-like components remained stable. The phototransformation of EPS facilitated the degradation of antibiotic tetracycline.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lu Zhou, Jixian Yang, Fang Ma, Shanshan Pi, Aiqi Tang, Ang Li
Summary: The recovery of Pd from Pd(II) wastewater using microbial extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and magnetic nanocomposite EPS@Fe3O4 was successful, showing excellent catalytic activity in methylene blue reduction. EPS@Fe3O4 proved to be an efficient adsorbent for Pd recovery, with high potential for practical applications.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vahideh Elhami, Evelyn C. Antunes, Hardy Temmink, Boelo Schuur
Summary: This review focuses on the recovery techniques for biologically produced carboxylic acids and polymers from waste, including liquid-liquid extraction, adsorption, and membrane separations. The route towards unsaturated short-chain acids (USCA) produced indirectly through thermal treatment of intracellular polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) polymers is discussed. Strategies for fractionation of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are also explored for the valorization of polysaccharides and proteins.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Phuc-Nguon Hong, Norihisa Matsuura, Mana Noguchi, Ryoko Yamamoto-Ikemoto, Ryo Honda
Summary: This study investigated the effects of vanillin on extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and microbial community in an MBR. The results showed that vanillin remarkably reduced membrane fouling by inhibiting the production of viscous EPS and hydrophobic lipopolysaccharides. This interference to microbial activity effectively mitigated biofouling in the MBR.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hang Xu, Erkai He, Willie J. G. M. Peijnenburg, Lan Song, Ling Zhao, Xiaoyun Xu, Xinde Cao, Hao Qiu
Summary: This study highlights the significant role of microbial EPS as reducing agents and electron transfer mediators for cupric reduction and cuprous formation in natural environments. EPS from different microbial species showed varied electron transfer ability, with c-type cytochromes playing a major role in copper transformation for Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 EPS, while functional groups like phenolic and amide dominated Cu(II) reduction for Bacillus subtilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae EPS.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhimao Mai, Xin Zeng, Xing Wei, Cuici Sun, Jianwei Niu, Wenwen Yan, Jun Du, Yingting Sun, Hao Cheng
Summary: This study found that mangrove restoration significantly enhances sediment anti-scouribility and promotes EPS content in sediments, with extracellular protein and polysaccharide positively correlated with anti-scouribility. The increased bacterial abundances in sediments after mangrove restoration, especially Kandelia obovata, suggest Proteobacteria and Bacteroides may play important roles in EPS secretion and anti-scouribility promotion. Additionally, the increase in total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus induced by mangrove restoration may contribute to the improvement of sediment anti-scouribility.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rurong Jiang, Fang Ren, Jinhua Yao
Summary: This study investigates the effect of alkyl polyglycosides (APG) on hydrogen production from excess sludge and plant waste. The results show that APG can increase hydrogen yield, with a recommended dosage of 0.15 g/g. APG promotes the dissolution, hydrolysis, and acidification of complex organic matter, leading to higher concentrations of dissolved chemical oxygen demand (COD) and improved output of volatile fatty acids (VFA). Additionally, APG reduces hydrogen consumption and accumulates hydrogen, providing an alternative strategy for organic waste recycling and enhanced hydrogen generation.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Toshimi Nakajima, Mao Kuragano, Makoto Yamada, Ryo Sugimoto
Summary: This study compared the contribution of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) to river nutrient budgets at nearshore and embayment scales, and found that SGD-derived nutrients become more important at larger spatial scales.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fan Liu, Lei Zhang, Chongyang Zhang, Ziguang Chen, Jingguang Li
Summary: NO2 emissions from wall-mounted gas stoves used for household heating have become a significant source of indoor pollution in Chinese urban areas. The high indoor concentration of NO2 poses potential health risks to residents. It is urgently necessary to establish relevant regulations and implement emission reduction technologies to reduce NO2 emissions from wall-mounted gas stoves.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Letter
Environmental Sciences
Hans Peter H. Arp, Raoul Wolf, Sarah E. Hale, Sivani Baskaran, Juliane Gluege, Martin Scheringer, Xenia Trier, Ian T. Cousins, Harrie Timmer, Roberta Hofman-Caris, Anna Lennquist, Andre D. Bannink, Gerard J. Stroomberg, Rosa M. A. Sjerps, Rosa Montes, Rosario Rodil, Jose Benito Quintana, Daniel Zahn, Herve Gallard, Tobias Mohr, Ivo Schliebner, Michael Neumann
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Philomina Onyedikachi Peter, Binessi Edouard Ifon, Francois Nkinahamira, Kayode Hassan Lasisi, Jiangwei Li, Anyi Hu, Chang-Ping Yu
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between dissolved organic matter (DOM) and Rare Earth Elements (REEs) in sediments from Yundang Lagoon, China. The results show four distinct fluorescent components, with protein-like substances being the most prevalent. Additionally, the total fluorescence intensity and LREE concentrations exhibit a synchronized increase from Outer to Inner to Songbai Lake core sediments. The findings demonstrate a strong correlation between DOM content and pollution levels.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Surya Gupta, Pasquale Borrelli, Panos Panagos, Christine Alewell
Summary: The objective of this study is to incorporate soil hydraulic properties into the erodibility factor (K) of USLE-type models. By modifying and improving the existing equations for soil texture and permeability, the study successfully included information on saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) into the calculation of K factor. Using the Random Forest machine learning algorithm, two independent K factor maps with different spatial resolutions were generated. The results show that the decrease in K factor values has a positive impact on the modeling of soil erosion rates.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jesmin Akter, Wendy J. M. Smith, Yawen Liu, Ilho Kim, Stuart L. Simpson, Phong Thai, Asja Korajkic, Warish Ahmed
Summary: The choice of workflow in wastewater surveillance has a significant impact on SARS-CoV-2 concentrations, while having minimal effects on HF183 and no effect on HAdV 40/41 concentrations. Certain components in the workflow can be interchangeable, but factors such as buffer type, chloroform, and homogenization speed can affect the recovery of viruses and bacteria.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yu Luo, Xueting Yang, Diwei Wang, Hongmei Xu, Hongai Zhang, Shasha Huang, Qiyuan Wang, Ningning Zhang, Junji Cao, Zhenxing Shen
Summary: Atmospheric PM2.5, which can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), is associated with cardiorespiratory morbidity and mortality. The study found that both the mass concentration of PM2.5 and the DTT activity were higher during the heating season than during the nonheating season. Combustion sources were the primary contributors to DTT activity during the heating season, while secondary formation dominated during the nonheating season. The study also revealed that biomass burning had the highest inherent oxidation potential among all sources investigated.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Erin L. Murphy, Leah R. Gerber, Chelsea M. Rochman, Beth Polidoro
Summary: Plastic pollution has devastating consequences for marine organisms. This study uses a trait-based framework to develop a vulnerability index for marine mammals, seabirds, and sea turtles in Hawai'i. The index ranks 63 study species based on their vulnerability to macroplastic pollution, providing valuable information for species monitoring and management priorities.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kenji Maurice, Amelia Bourceret, Sami Youssef, Stephane Boivin, Liam Laurent-Webb, Coraline Damasio, Hassan Boukcim, Marc-Andre Selosse, Marc Ducousso
Summary: Growing pressure from climate change and agricultural land use is destabilizing soil microbial community interactions. Little is known about microbial community resistance and adaptation to disturbances, hindering our understanding of recovery latency and implications for ecosystem functioning. This study found that anthropic disturbance and natural disturbance have different effects on the topology and stability of soil microbial networks.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yunhao Li, Yali Feng, Haoran Li, Yisong Yao, Chenglong Xu, Jinrong Ju, Ruiyu Ma, Haoyu Wang, Shiwei Jiang
Summary: Deep-sea mining poses a serious threat to marine ecosystems and human health by disturbing sediment and transmitting metal ions through the food chain. This study developed a new regenerative adsorption material, OMN@SA, which effectively removes metal ions. The adsorption mechanism and performance of the material for metal ion fixation were investigated.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Antonio Medici, Margherita Lavorgna, Marina Isidori, Chiara Russo, Elena Orlo, Giovanni Luongo, Giovanni Di Fabio, Armando Zarrelli
Summary: Valsartan, a widely used antihypertensive drug, has been detected in high concentrations in surface waters due to its unchanged excretion and incomplete degradation in wastewater treatment plants. This study investigated the degradation of valsartan and identified 14 degradation byproducts. The acute and chronic toxicity of these byproducts were evaluated in key organisms in the freshwater trophic chain.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiang Lin, Lianbao Chi, Qing Yuan, Busu Li, Mingbao Feng
Summary: This study investigated the photodegradation behavior and product formation of two representative pharmaceuticals in simulated estuary water. The study found that the formed transformation products of these pharmaceuticals have potential toxicity on marine organisms, including oxidative stress and damage to cellular components.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hua Fang, Dongdong Jiang, Ye He, Siyi Wu, Yuehong Li, Ziqi Zhang, Haoting Chen, Zixin Zheng, Yan Sun, Wenxiang Wang
Summary: This study revealed that exposure to lower levels of air pollutants led to decreased pregnancy rates, with PM10, NO2, SO2, and CO emerging as the four most prominent pollutants. Individuals aged 35 and above exhibited heightened susceptibility to pollutants.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ali Shaan Manzoor Ghumman, Rashid Shamsuddin, Amin Abbasi, Mohaira Ahmad, Yoshiaki Yoshida, Abdul Sami, Hamad Almohamadi
Summary: In this study, inverse vulcanized polysulfides (IVP) were synthesized by reacting molten sulfur with 4-vinyl benzyl chloride, and then functionalized using N-methyl D-glucamine (NMDG). The functionalized IVP showed a high mercury adsorption capacity and a machine learning model was developed to predict the amount of mercury removed. Furthermore, the functionalized IVP can be regenerated and reused, providing a sustainable and cost-effective adsorbent.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rita Bonfiglio, Renata Sisto, Stefano Casciardi, Valeria Palumbo, Maria Paola Scioli, Erica Giacobbi, Francesca Servadei, Gerry Melino, Alessandro Mauriello, Manuel Scimeca
Summary: This study investigated the presence of aluminum in human colon cancer samples and its potential association with biological processes involved in cancer progression. Aluminum was found in tumor areas of 24% of patients and was associated with epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell death. Additional analyses revealed higher tumor mutational burden and mutations in genes related to EMT and apoptosis in aluminum-positive colon cancers. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of aluminum toxicity may improve strategies for the management of colon cancer patients.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)