Article
Environmental Sciences
Devon B. Gray, Vincent Gagnon, Mark Button, Anbareen J. Farooq, David J. Patch, Sarah J. Wallace, Iris Koch, Denis M. O'Carroll, Kela P. Weber
Summary: The study found that silver nanomaterials did not significantly impact the density, activity, function, and diversity of soil microbial communities. However, the positive ionic silver treatment showed suppression of microbial activity and an increase in specific microbial populations, indicating a need for further investigation.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Xin Zou, Mengjiao Gao, Abdul Mohammed, Yang Liu
Summary: The role of different ammonia concentrations in an aerobic granular sludge reactor was investigated, focusing on nitrogen metabolic pathways, microbial community, and specific microbial activity. Heterotrophic ammonia oxidizing bacteria (HAOB) had higher ammonia oxidation rates (AORs) than autotrophic ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AAOB) under certain conditions. The study proposed that the inhibition of heterotrophic bacteria by free ammonia (FA) may contribute to the development of the autotrophic ammonia oxidation pathway and enrichment of AAOB.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xueping Tian, Jingtao Zhao, Jun Huang, Guoke Chen, Yonggui Zhao
Summary: The metabolic process of aerobic granular sludge (AGS) treating piggery wastewater with high concentrations of carbon and nitrogen was elucidated through a combined analysis of microbial community, denitrification genes, and mathematical model calculations. The dominant microorganisms in AGS had potentials of various metabolic activities, with aerobic denitrification process being dominant. The study also revealed the resistance of rapid organic substrates storage in AGS during feast phase against high strength wastewater, providing carbon and energy sources in the famine phase.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Rachel Michaels, Kevin Eliason, Teagan Kuzniar, J. Todd Petty, Michael P. Strager, Paul F. Ziemkiewicz, Ember Morrissey
Summary: The impact of unconventional oil and gas (UOG) development on freshwater ecosystems is not fully understood. This study used a laboratory experiment and a survey study to investigate the effects of UOG development on microbial biodiversity and function. The results showed that UOG development alters water temperature, chemistry, sediment CO2 production, and microbial community biodiversity in streams. There were consistent changes in the relative abundance of bacterial taxa, suggesting that microorganisms could be used as indicators of environmental changes associated with UOG development. The observed impacts on microbial community composition and carbon cycling could have cascading effects on stream health and broader ecosystem function.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ananya Ashok, Susana Agusti
Summary: Oligotrophic areas in the oceans are important, but little is known about the sensitivity of microbial communities to pollutants in such areas. This study found that when exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), some microbial populations in the oligotrophic Red Sea decreased, and chlorophyll-a levels also decreased substantially. However, certain bacteria and Synechococcus sp. showed high tolerance, indicating adaptation to chronic pollution.
Article
Microbiology
Sarah Haenelt, Hans-Hermann Richnow, Jochen A. Mueller, Niculina Musat
Summary: The spread of antibiotic resistance genes in aquatic ecosystems, especially in biofilms, is a growing concern. The impact of wastewater treatment plant effluent on the abundance of resistance genes in surface waters has been extensively studied, but the fate of these genes in biofilms and the influence of seasonal parameters are not well understood.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Aikaterini A. Mazioti, Ioannis Vyrides
Summary: Four pilot-scale Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors (MBBRs) were used to treat real, saline, bilge wastewater. The microbial communities in the biofilm showed high diversity and stability over time, while the suspended biomass exhibited rapid changes in dominance.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Qinghong Wang, Jiawen Kong, Jiahao Liang, Mohamed Gamal El-Din, Peng Zhao, Wenyu Xie, Chunmao Chen
Summary: The bioaugmentation potential of aerobic granular sludge (AGS) was explored for improved nitrogen removal in petroleum wastewater treatment. A highly efficient heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification (HN-AD) bacterial consortium was constructed and used to bioaugment the AGS, resulting in enhanced nitrogen removal. The addition of the immobilized consortium facilitated the formation of larger AGS particles and increased the gene abundance related to heterotrophic nitrification.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Marika Truu, Teele Ligi, Hiie Nolvak, Angela Peeb, Kertu Tiirik, Arun Kumar Devarajan, Kristjan Oopkaup, Kaja Kasemets, Margit Koiv-Vainik, Kuno Kasak, Jaak Truu
Summary: Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) pose a threat to human and ecosystem health. This study evaluated the impact of increased concentrations of collargol and Ag+ ions on the microbial community composition and purification efficiency of a hybrid treatment system. The results showed that AgNPs and AgNO3 had a limited effect on the microbial community and did not significantly impact the system's performance.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Baskaran Abirami, Manikkam Radhakrishnan, Subramanian Kumaran, Aruni Wilson
Summary: Global warming has various effects on ocean ecosystems, including temperature, acidification, oxygen content, circulation, stratification, and nutrient inputs, posing a serious threat to the metabolism and distribution of marine microbes and affecting the overall ecosystem functioning.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Manu Tamminen, Jenny Spaak, Ahmed Tlili, Rik Eggen, Christian Stamm, Katja Raesaenen
Summary: The study found that microbial communities in stream biofilms respond differently to wastewater treatment plant effluents, with specific microbial members associated with micropollutants in the wastewater, further advancing our understanding of the ecological impact of wastewater treatment practices.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Donghui Liang, Yongyou Hu, Ruzhen Huang, Jianhua Cheng, Yuancai Chen
Summary: The selective inhibitory effects of various antibiotics on aerobic nitrogen removal were investigated, showing different removal efficiencies and degradation pathways for different antibiotics. High-throughput sequencing revealed that aerobic denitrifying, recalcitrant pollutant degrading, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria dominate during the community evolution process.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Qiulai He, Zhiyi Xie, Zhidong Fu, Hongyu Wang, Li Chen, Shuxian Gao, Wei Zhang, Jianyang Song, Peng Xu, Jian Yu, Jingwei Ma
Summary: The impact of phenol on aerobic granular sludge was investigated in terms of biological phosphorus removal and microbial community structures. Elevated phenol concentrations not only stimulated biological phosphorus removal but also enhanced the production of extracellular polymeric substances, maintaining the structural stability of the granules.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kai Lv, Dangcong Peng, Yun Han, Lifang Yu
Summary: Enrichment and accumulation of anammox bacteria in aerobic biofilm is crucial for successful nitrogen removal in municipal wastewater treatment plants. This study detected a relatively high percentage of anammox bacteria in the biofilm of two WWTPs in Xi'an, China, and estimated their contribution to nitrogen removal. These findings suggest that aerobic biofilm could enhance nitrogen removal in mainstream.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Yuan Cui, You-Wei Cui, Ji-Lin Huang
Summary: The halophilic bacterium strain SND-01 of Exiguobacterium mexicanum, isolated in this study, shows potential in nitrogen removal in saline wastewater treatment, with a maximum nitrogen removal rate observed under various nitrogen sources and aerobic conditions.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Tao Wang, Ziyang Lin, Bin Kuang, Zhili Ni, Xuanhao Chen, Bing Guo, Gefu Zhu, Shuli Bai
Summary: This study successfully enhanced the treatment efficiency of fishpond aquaculture wastewater by coupling an algae-bacteria microbial fuel cell (AB-MFC) with a constructed wetland (CW). High-throughput sequencing revealed the abundance of electroactive algae-bacteria on the biofilm. Economic evaluation indicated the economic feasibility of this technology.
BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Hongyu Dang, Najiaowa Yu, Anqi Mou, Lei Zhang, Bing Guo, Yang Liu
Summary: The addition of granular activated carbon (GAC) enhanced the performance of the reactor treating blackwater. Shotgun sequencing analysis revealed diverse microbial communities in the GAC-amended reactor, and quorum sensing (QS) played an important role in controlling the reactor's performance.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Ke Xu, Aude Bechu, Niladri Basu, Subhasis Ghoshal, Audrey Moores, Saji George
Summary: This study investigates the toxic potential of nanomaterials with multiple components, focusing on the interactions between these components. It found that a functional QD with a core-shell-polymer structure showed the highest toxic potential due to synergistic interactions between its core and surface functional groups. The study highlights the importance of studying multilayered nanomaterials as a whole for hazard characterization.
CHEMICAL RESEARCH IN TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Maria Balseiro-Romero, Angeles Prieto-Fernandez, Leslie M. Shor, Subhasis Ghoshal, Philippe C. Baveye, Jose Julio Ortega-Calvo
Summary: Recent research shows that chemotactic bacteria can disperse inside microsized pores with the help of motile partners, enhancing their dispersion and reducing deposition. In this study, nonmotile bacteria were co-transported with motile Pseudomonas putida G7 cells to enhance their dispersion in micrometer-sized pores. The co-transport was more intense in larger pores and with strong chemoeffectors. Mechanical pushing and hydrodynamic interactions were found to be the main mechanisms governing the co-transport.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Anirban Kundu, Orfeo Harrisson, Subhasis Ghoshal
Summary: This study examined hydrocarbon degradation and microbial activity in seven sub-Arctic soils contaminated with Arctic diesel. The results showed that nutrient amendment promoted hydrocarbon biodegradation and caused significant shifts in microbial diversity and abundance. In addition, the alkane degrading gene alkB was more abundant in systems with nutrient amendment. The extent of microbial community shifts or alkB copy number increases may not be closely correlated with hydrocarbon biodegradation and bioremediation performance across different treatments or soils.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Patrick Benoist, Adam Parrott, Xavier Lachapelle-T., Louis-Clement Barbeau, Yves Comeau, Frederic E. Pitre, Michel Labrecque
Summary: A field trial was conducted to investigate the treatment capability of a willow plantation for landfill leachate. Results showed that the system was highly efficient in removing pollutants and phosphorus amendment improved its performance. The willow biomass also increased significantly with leachate irrigation.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Wenbo Li, Tiankuo Wang, Wenfang Chen, Yujuan Wen, Wenjing Zhang, Bing Guo, Yuesuo Yang
Summary: Driven by rainfall and agricultural irrigation, chromium slag causes serious pollution to the subsurface environment and damages the indigenous soil bacterial community. The study of the ecological responses of bacterial community to chromium pollution can provide support for bioremediation of chromium pollution.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Mac-Anthony Nnorom, Devendra Saroj, Lisa Avery, Rupert Hough, Bing Guo
Summary: The urgent need to reduce the environmental burden of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) has become even more apparent as efforts are made globally to tackle the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance. Sewage sludge and animal manure contain concerning levels of ARGs, and their inadequate attenuation during conventional anaerobic digestion compromises the safety of the nutrient-rich digestate commonly recycled to agricultural land. This review discusses the potential use of carbon-and iron-based conductive materials (CMs) as additives to mitigate the proliferation of ARGs.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Sanaz Alizadeh, Pankaj Chowdhury, Vahid Ghodsi, Francesca Giaccherini, Siva Sarathy, Domenico Santoro, Yves Comeau
Summary: In this study, the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of liquid and solid streams generated by different filter configurations were compared. The results showed that the RBF, DF, and PC all had different removal efficiencies for total suspended solids. The liquid fractions also underwent significant compositional changes, while the biodegradability of the liquid fractions remained constant. The recovered solids from RBF had higher TS concentration and VS content compared to DF and PC treatments. The biodegradability rate of DF and PC sludge was higher than that of solids recovered by RBF.
WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ziruo Liu, Subhasis Ghoshal, Audrey Moores, Saji George
Summary: The effects of natural organic matters (NOMs) adsorbed on the surface of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles on their band gap energy, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, surface chemistry and phototoxicity were investigated. The adsorption of NOM reduced the band-gap energy and ROS generation of TiO2 nanoparticles, while increasing their phototoxicity to Chlorella vulgaris.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
E. Roubeau Dumont, X. Gao, J. Zheng, J. Macairan, L. M. Hernandez, A. Baesu, S. Bayen, S. A. Robinson, S. Ghoshal, N. Tufenkji
Summary: Tire wear particle (TWP) contamination is a growing concern due to its ubiquity and toxicity in various environmental compartments. The complex mixture of chemicals in TWP and its ability to release micro- and nanoparticles in water makes it difficult to assess toxicity and predict impacts on ecosystems. Our study investigated the toxicity of dissolved chemicals and nanoparticle fractions of TWP leachate on three freshwater model species. We found acute toxicity in filter-feeder species and phytotoxicity in aquatic plants, highlighting the importance of considering the toxicity of nanoparticles.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Peiying Wang, Valerie Gravel, Vinicius Bueno, Juliana A. Galhardi, Alexandra Roginski, Subhasis Ghoshal, Kevin J. Wilkinson, Stephane Bayen
Summary: This study compared the impact of two different types of nanocarriers (Allosperse and SiO2 nanoparticles) loaded with two active ingredients (azoxystrobin and bifenthrin) on the phenolic contents and metabolic profiles of strawberries. The results showed slight decreases in total phenolic content and pelargonidin 3-glucoside content, but increases in gallic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol levels in strawberries treated with the nanoencapsulated pesticides. Principal component analysis identified the effects of nanocarriers on metabolites and phenolic profiles. Overall, while the effects of nanopesticides on strawberry plants were not obvious, there were significant molecular-level changes in plant health and fruit quality. Further research is needed to assess the impact of diverse nanopesticides on other plant metabolites.
JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
(2023)
Article
Biology
Bing Guo, Dominic Frigon
Summary: A heterotrophic-specialist model was used to categorize heterotrophs in wastewater treatment plants into sub-guilds based on their consumption of readily or slowly degradable substrates. RNA and PHA levels were used as biomarkers for sorting and analysis, which showed consistent results across different plants and time periods. The high-RNA populations exhibited higher immigration rates according to a mass-flow immigration model.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Oluwadamilola Pikuda, Laura M. Hernandez, Dahyun Kyung, Qiqing Chen, Jun-Ray Macairan, Lan Liu, Xiaoyu Gao, Stephane Bayen, Subhasis Ghoshal, Dimitrios Berk, Nathalie Tufenkji
Summary: The use of single-use face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in indiscriminate disposal of face masks, some of which end up in the aquatic environment. These masks release microplastics and plastic-associated chemicals when exposed to environmental conditions. Limited knowledge exists about the impact of these masks on aquatic organisms. This study found that the microplastics and chemicals released from face masks had different toxic impacts on Daphnia magna, with younger daphnids being more affected.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-NANO
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
R. S. Cheong, E. Roubeau Dumont, P. E. Thomson, D. C. Castaneda-Cortes, L. M. Hernandez, X. Gao, J. Zheng, A. Baesu, J. R. Macairan, A. J. Smith, H. N. N. Bui, H. C. E. Larsson, S. Ghoshal, S. Bayen, V. S. Langlois, S. A. Robinson, N. Tufenkji
Summary: Tire wear particles (TWP) are a potentially toxic form of plastic in the environment, but their mechanisms of toxicity are poorly understood. This study exposed the amphibian Silurana tropicalis to different fractions of TWP leachate and found that the nanoparticle fraction caused a significant decrease in survival, while the fraction containing leached chemicals caused more malformations. These results highlight the particle-specific and chemical-specific effects of TWP leachate.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ADVANCES
(2023)