Article
Microbiology
Alyssa A. Carrell, Grace E. Schwartz, Melissa A. Cregger, Caitlin M. Gionfriddo, Dwayne A. Elias, Regina L. Wilpiszeski, Dawn M. Klingeman, Ann M. Wymore, Katherine A. Muller, Scott C. Brooks
Summary: This study utilized high-throughput amplicon sequencing to analyze the microbiome of periphyton communities in a contaminated watershed in East Tennessee, United States. The research found that nutrient amendments impacted the structure and function of periphyton communities and identified specific bacterial families correlated with Hg methylation potential. The study also highlighted the significant role of microbiome structure in influencing rates of Hg transformation within periphyton communities.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yuping Xiang, Guangliang Liu, Yongguang Yin, Yong Cai
Summary: Periphyton in the Florida Everglades plays a significant role in the distribution and bioaccumulation of MeHg in water systems.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Maiara P. de Souza, Gustavo S. Colares, Patrik G. Wiesel, Tiele M. Rizzetti, Michele Hoeltz, Lisianne B. Benitez, Enio L. Machado, Rosana C. S. Schneider
Summary: The use of algal turf scrubber (ATS) systems can help remediate water bodies by reducing nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic contaminants, while also valorizing biomass for bioactive compound production. A life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to evaluate the environmental impacts of pigment production from periphytic biomass using a pilot-scale ATS system.
BIOMASS CONVERSION AND BIOREFINERY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
James J. Willacker, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, James A. Chandler, Jesse Naymik, Ralph Myers, David P. Krabbenhoft
Summary: Impoundment is a common hydrologic alteration that affects aquatic ecosystems, including mercury (Hg) cycling. Our study found that reservoirs and tailraces in the Snake River had higher total Hg concentrations in Smallmouth Bass compared to free-flowing segments. The presence of inconsistent stratification patterns in reservoirs and tailraces also resulted in higher Hg concentrations and increased fish and human health risk.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elsebeth Lynge, Hans Asger Holmsgaard, Therese L. F. Holmager, Soren Lophaven
Summary: In a Danish fishing community, a chemical factory pollution was found to significantly increase cancer incidence, particularly for kidney, bladder, stomach, lung, and colorectal cancer. The cancer risk for residents at the height of pollution was 20% higher compared to those living in non-polluted fishing communities, suggesting a potential impact of chemical pollution on cancer risk.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Geoffrey Millard, Chris S. Eckley, Todd P. Luxton, David Krabbenhoft, Jennifer Goetz, John McKernan, John DeWild
Summary: This study measured mercury methylation and demethylation rates using stable isotope tracers in sediments and water of a shallow branch of the Nacimiento Reservoir. The results showed high methylmercury concentrations in the hypolimnetic waters and higher methylation rates in littoral sediments during late summer. Modelled results indicated that the remaining hypolimnetic methylmercury could originate from profundal sediments, highlighting the importance of addressing methylation in both the water column and sediment for remediation strategies.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jie Hu, Ningla Yang, Tianrong He, Xian Zhou, Deliang Yin, Yan Wang, Litao Zhou
Summary: Algae-derived organic matter (AOM) can significantly regulate the production and accumulation of methylmercury (MeHg) in paddy fields by changing the properties of soil-dissolved organic matter (SDOM). In this study, a 25-day microcosm experiment was conducted to compare the effects of AOM, rice straw, and rapeseed straw on MeHg production in a Hg-contaminated paddy soil-water system. Results showed that AOM input increased dissolved organic carbon concentrations in soil, while decreasing tryptophan-like fractions and promoting the formation of high-molecular-weight fractions in soil DOM. AOM input also significantly increased MeHg concentrations in pore water, overlying water, and soil solid-phase particles compared to rice and rapeseed-derived OMs. Correlation analysis revealed negative and positive relationships between MeHg concentrations and tryptophan-like C4 fraction and molecular weight of soil DOM, respectively. These findings highlight the importance of AOM in promoting MeHg production in Hg-contaminated paddy soils.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Di Liu, Yan Wang, Tianrong He, Deliang Yin, Shouyang He, Xian Zhou, Yiyuan Xu, Enxin Liu
Summary: Algal decomposition significantly increases MeHg concentrations in soil and rice, promoting its bioaccumulation in Hg-contaminated paddies. This finding is important for understanding the environmental effects of mercury pollution in rice fields.
FRONTIERS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Sujithkumar Surendran Nair, Christopher DeRolph, Mark J. Peterson, Ryan A. McManamay, Teresa Mathews
Summary: In this study, an empirical Hg flux model for UEFPC watershed was developed using the SWAT framework. By integrating monitoring data and simulated flow, the study quantified controls on Hg flux and made predictions under future scenarios. The approach showed promise in replicating for sites with similar data availability.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Fei Zhao, Hideo Yoshida, Eiji Goto, Shoko Hikosaka
Summary: In this study, an automatic irrigation method using image-based system was developed to enhance high-quality tomato production in a greenhouse. The effects of a diurnal periodic cycle of irrigation on various aspects of tomatoes were investigated. The results showed that the frequency of diurnal periodic cycle was higher in the moderate wilting-full recovery treatment compared to the severe wilting-full recovery treatment. Moreover, total irrigation amount was found to be a more important factor than the threshold value in controlling the growth, yield, and fruit quality of tomatoes.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Vinh G. Tran, Somesh Mishra, Sarang S. Bhagwat, Saman Shafaei, Yihui Shen, Jayne L. Allen, Benjamin A. Crosly, Shih- Tan, Zia Fatma, Joshua D. Rabinowitz, Jeremy S. Guest, Vijay Singh, Huimin Zhao
Summary: This study presents a metabolic engineering approach to enhance the production of succinic acid (SA) by acid-tolerant yeast, achieving high titers at low pH conditions. The pilot-scale fermentation using sugarcane juice medium resulted in a SA titer of 63.1g/L with a high crystallization yield. Techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment indicate the financial viability and significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of the proposed low-pH SA production process.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Vinh G. Tran, Somesh Mishra, Sarang S. Bhagwat, Saman Shafaei, Yihui Shen, Jayne L. Allen, Benjamin A. Crosly, Shih-I Tan, Zia Fatma, Joshua D. Rabinowitz, Jeremy S. Guest, Vijay Singh, Huimin Zhao
Summary: In this study, we successfully engineered yeast to produce succinic acid at high efficiency under low pH conditions. The high titers of succinic acid obtained in the experiments, as well as the economic and environmental benefits demonstrated in the techno-economic and life cycle assessments, indicate the potential of scaling up this process for industrial applications.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ayesha Imtiyaz Cheema, Guijian Liu, Balal Yousaf, Aniqa Ashraf, Muyuan Lu, Samina Irshad, Krzysztof Pikon, Mehr Ahmed Mujtaba Munir, Muhammad Saqib Rashid
Summary: This study shows that biochar prepared under negative pressure-induced carbonization can have a positive impact on metal(loid) contamination in the soil system, enhancing plant growth and development. The use of vacuum-assisted biochar (VBC) can affect the immobilization and speciation of metal(loid) in the soil, leading to improved physiological characteristics and antioxidant activities in maize plants. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy provide insights into the structural and chemical changes induced by VBC, explaining its effects on metal(loid) adsorption and complexation. The application of biochar prepared at 500 degrees Celsius is the most efficient way to reduce the uptake and transfer of metal(loid)s in the soil-plant system.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Gabriele Centi, Siglinda Perathoner
Summary: From a personal perspective, this article analyzes the gaps and opportunities for catalysis in addressing the electrification of chemical production in a high-tech scenario. The short-term objective is the design of novel thermal catalysts to exploit the new opportunities offered by electrification. The medium-term challenge is direct electrification for producing chemicals and fuels, while in the long term, artificial-leaf-type solutions are necessary for distributed production.
Article
Microbiology
Zhuo Chen, Brenda Zarazua-Osorio, Priyanka Srivastava, Masaya Fujita, Oleg A. Igoshin
Summary: In this study, the researchers used mathematical modeling and experiments to show that a regulator called Spo0A controls cell differentiation in Bacillus subtilis. They also explained why biofilm formation and sporulation appear to be mutually exclusive on a single-cell level.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Grace E. Schwartz, Todd A. Olsen, Katherine A. Muller, Scott C. Brooks
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY
(2019)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Peng Lian, Luanjing Guo, Deepa Devarajan, Jerry M. Parks, Scott L. Painter, Scott C. Brooks, Jeremy C. Smith
JOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY
(2020)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Deepa Devarajan, Liyuan Liang, Baohua Gu, Scott C. Brooks, Jerry M. Parks, Jeremy C. Smith
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Water Resources
Scott C. Brooks, Ami L. Riscassi, Kenneth A. Lowe
Summary: This data note provides 15-minute discharge and water quality data along East Fork Poplar Creek in Tennessee, USA. The data includes temperature, gauge height, water surface elevation, and water quality measurements such as pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity. The ongoing monitoring aims to enhance understanding of watershed functions and material flux.
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2021)
Article
Water Resources
Scott C. Brooks, Carrie L. Miller, Ami L. Riscassi, Kenneth A. Lowe, Johnbull O. Dickson, Grace E. Schwartz
Summary: The study revealed that Hg and MMHg concentrations and flux decreased in the upper reaches of EFPC near the point of water addition, while most water quality parameters remained unchanged after flow management stopped. Changes in dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition may have implications for the formation and bioavailability of MMHg.
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Peng Lian, Zhongyu Mou, Connor J. Cooper, Ryne C. Johnston, Scott C. Brooks, Baohua Gu, Niranjan Govind, Sofi Jonsson, Jerry M. Parks
Summary: The study demonstrates that reduced sulfur groups on sulfide mineral surfaces can facilitate the formation of dimethylmercury, allowing for a direct transfer of methyl groups. Coordination of mercury by multiple sulfur atoms stabilizes the transition state and activates the bond for methyl transfer. Additionally, solvation effects play a significant role in reducing the energetic barrier for dimethylmercury formation on the nanoparticle surface compared to the reaction in a vacuum.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY A
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Jinshu Yan, Neha Sharma, Elaine D. Flynn, Daniel E. Giammar, Grace E. Schwartz, Scott C. Brooks, Pamela Weisenhorn, Kenneth M. Kemner, Edward J. O'Loughlin, Daniel Kaplan, Jeffrey G. Catalano
Summary: The study suggests that trace metal speciation in freshwater wetland soils and stream sediments is consistently dominated by a small set of recurring components, distinct for each metal, indicating a general geochemical phenomenon in anoxic soils and sediments with trace metals at background concentrations.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Grace E. Schwartz, Katherine A. Muller, Saubhagya S. Rathore, Regina L. Wilpiszeski, Alyssa A. Carrell, Melissa A. Cregger, Dwayne A. Elias, Mircea Podar, Scott L. Painter, Scott C. Brooks
Summary: The study demonstrates that the TAM can accurately describe MMHg production in sediments, with the need to revise the model structure to incorporate terms for concentration-dependent microbial activity. By including expressions accounting for such activity, the model description of the data can be improved in some cases.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-PROCESSES & IMPACTS
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Dipankar Dwivedi, Carl Steefel, Bhavna Arora, Jill Banfield, John Bargar, Maxim Boyanov, Scott C. Brooks, Xingyuan Chen, Susan S. Hubbard, Dan Kaplan, Kenneth M. Kemner, Peter S. Nico, Edward J. O'Loughlin, Eric M. Pierce, Scott L. Painter, Timothy D. Scheibe, Haruko M. Wainwright, Kenneth H. Williams, Mavrik Zavarin
Summary: This paper reviews the extensive research conducted by the US Department of Energy at representative sites and testbeds, exploring the distribution of contaminants and nutrients in water resources and their interactions with carbon and nitrogen dynamics. The paper also describes state-of-the-art characterization approaches and models for predicting contaminant fate and transport.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Saubhagya S. Rathore, Grace E. Schwartz, Scott C. Brooks, Scott L. Painter
Summary: In this study, a Bayesian joint-fitting scheme is proposed to calibrate the entire biogeochemical model at once by simultaneously fitting all available datasets using the MCMC method. The joint fitting of datasets allows for complete uncertainty propagation and parameter estimates informed by all available data.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Elizabeth R. Crowther, Jason D. Demers, Joel D. Blum, Scott C. Brooks, Marcus W. Johnson
Summary: Isotope ratios of methylmercury (MeHg) within organisms can be used to identify sources of MeHg that have accumulated in food webs. A new method for extracting and isolating MeHg from fish and aquatic invertebrates has been developed for compound-specific isotopic analysis. This method provides a streamlined and reliable technique that produces reproducible results.
ANALYTICAL AND BIOANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Young Gwang Kim, Sae Yun Kwon, Spencer J. Washburn, Scott C. Brooks, Ji Won Yoon, Lucien Besnard
Summary: The study uses Hg isotope ratios to identify the sources and exposure pathways of mercury in bivalves, finding that dissolved Hg phases in the water column are the primary source and exposure pathway to bivalves. This provides new insights into using bivalves as bioindicators for sediment quality monitoring.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Scott C. Brooks, Ami L. Riscassi, Carrie L. Miller, Kenneth A. Lowe, Xiangping Yin, Tonia L. Mehlhorn
Summary: The biogeochemical cycles of mercury and methylmercury in a creek contaminated with high levels of inorganic mercury respond differently to the daily photocycle. Factors such as macrobiota activity, water column temperature changes, and photosynthetic activity significantly influence the suspension of contaminated sediments and the dynamics of mercury and methylmercury concentrations.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-PROCESSES & IMPACTS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Runwei Li, Lin Qi, Victor Ibeanusi, Veera Badisa, Scott Brooks, Gang Chen
Summary: This study investigated microbial mediated mercuric reduction and mercury adsorption onto bacterial surfaces in two mixed cultures of indigenous bacteria at the Oak Ridge Reservation site. The results showed that the mercuric reduction was energy-dependent, with a positive relationship between mercuric reduction and the energy provided by a unit amount of substrate. Additionally, there was competition between mercury adsorption and reduction, with different capacities observed in the two cultures.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Elizabeth R. Crowther, Jason D. Demers, Joel D. Blum, Scott C. Brooks, Marcus W. Johnson
Summary: The study demonstrates that legacy mercury in streambed sediment can be remobilized and enter stream water as dissolved mercury, potentially being incorporated into streambed biofilm. Weakly-bound sediment mercury pools play a significant role in this process, contributing to the isotopic composition of dissolved mercury and being transferred to biofilm and suspended particulates along the flow path.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-PROCESSES & IMPACTS
(2021)