Article
Environmental Sciences
Anatoly Boguslavsky, Olga Shvartseva, Nadezhda Popova, Alexey Safonov
Summary: The long-term operation of uranium sludge storages causes contamination of neighboring aquifers with dangerous substances. It is important to utilize the potential of in situ conditions, such as indigenous microflora, to remediate water reservoirs. In this study, the characteristics of contaminated groundwater and the effectiveness of using milk whey to stimulate biologically-mediated processes were investigated.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hao Ling, Jinyu Hou, Mingjun Du, Yun Zhang, Wuxing Liu, Peter Christie, Yongming Luo
Summary: Surfactant-enhanced bioremediation (SEBR) is commonly used for cleaning up petroleum-contaminated soil, but its effect on microbial communities and different fractions of petroleum hydrocarbons in the field has been rarely studied. This study combined different surfactants with an oil-degrading bacterium to remediate oil-contaminated soil. The surfactant alpha olefin sulfonate (AOS) showed the highest removal efficiency of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs). In a field experiment, AOS combined with the bacterium significantly improved the removal efficiency of TPHs and long-chain hydrocarbons. The study also observed changes in microbial communities during bioremediation.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ernestina Hauptfeld, Jordi Pelkmans, Terry T. Huisman, Armin Anocic, Basten L. Snoek, F. A. Bastiaan von Meijenfeldt, Jan Gerritse, Johan van Leeuwen, Gert Leurink, Arie van Lit, Ruud van Uffelen, Margot C. Koster, Bas E. Dutilh
Summary: Biodegradation is a sustainable and cost-effective solution for groundwater pollution. In this study, the microbial populations involved in the biodegradation of poly-contaminants in a heavily contaminated groundwater pipeline were investigated. The microbial communities were analyzed using genome-resolved metagenomic analysis, revealing the changing microbial communities in a highly effective groundwater treatment system.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ernestina Hauptfeld, Jordi Pelkmans, Terry T. Huisman, Armin Anocic, Basten L. Snoek, F. A. Bastiaan von Meijenfeldt, Jan Gerritse, Johan van Leeuwen, Gert Leurink, Arie van Lit, Ruud van Uffelen, Margot C. Koster, Bas E. Dutilh
Summary: This study investigates the microbial communities involved in the biodegradation of poly-contaminants in a groundwater treatment system. The genome-resolved metagenomic analysis revealed significant differences in microbial populations between the plant and the contaminated park groundwater. The findings provide valuable insights into the efficacy of microbial biodegradation in treating complex groundwater contaminants.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Evelyn Krawczyk-Baersch, Justus Ramtke, Bjoern Drobot, Katharina Mueller, Robin Steudtner, Sindy Kluge, Rene Huebner, Johannes Raff
Summary: The bioassociation of U(VI) on Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 cells was investigated, and it was found that the cell wall plays a prominent role in this process. Peptidoglycan was identified as the most important ligand involved, with a stable immobilization of U(VI) over a wide pH range. The study also revealed a strong binding to carboxylic functionalities. This research provides new insights into the effective immobilization of U(VI) and may lead to new remediation strategies.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Teklit Gebregiorgis Ambaye, Alif Chebbi, Francesca Formicola, Asia Rosatelli, Shiv Prasad, Franco Hernan Gomez, Silvia Sbaffoni, Andrea Franzetti, Mentore Vaccari
Summary: The study found that adding external stimulants can enhance the degradation of PHs in soil using bioslurry enhancement as a promising approach to pilot scale.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jinfeng Wang, He Zhang, Jun Cai, Jia Li, Benhua Sun, Fuyong Wu
Summary: Different carbon substrates have different effects on the degradation of PAHs and microbial community structures in contaminated soil. Corn straw and glucose application can enhance the degradation of PAHs and change the fractions of PAHs in contaminated soil. The conversion of PAHs to more easily utilisable forms by microorganisms is facilitated by the carbon substrates.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wenyan Ma, Tong Sun, Yingming Xu, Shunan Zheng, Yuebing Sun
Summary: Biochar, specifically rice husk biochar, shows promise in immobilizing heavy metal-contaminated soils by promoting the formation of soil aggregates, enhancing their stability, and reducing the availability of Cd in soils as well as its accumulation in maize. Additionally, the addition of biochar increased microbial diversity and the abundance of certain bacterial groups in the soil.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Pooja Sharma, Ashutosh Kumar Pandey, Sang-Hyoun Kim, Surendra Pratap Singh, Preeti Chaturvedi, Sunita Varjani
Summary: This review summarises recent studies on in-situ microbial remediation of heavy metals from industrial wastewater, highlighting the intense changes in microbial diversity induced by heavy metals, as well as the success factors and assessment approaches for evaluating the efficacy of in-situ bioremediation technologies.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Conghui Cheng, Luyao Chen, Kexin Guo, Jingxi Xie, Yangzhen Shu, Shuya He, Fangzhu Xiao
Summary: This paper mainly discusses the issue of uranium-contaminated soil and the research status of bioremediation technology in soil remediation, pointing out the advantages and disadvantages of bioremediation technology and providing some suggestions and prospects.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tamer Hafez, Maren Ortiz-Zarragoitia, Christine Cagnon, Cristiana Cravo-Laureau, Robert Duran
Summary: The use of dispersants in cold water environments affects microbial communities and their degradation capacities, particularly in the presence of PAHs. The microbial community shows adaptability to the presence of PAHs and dispersants, with specific bacteria taxa potentially involved in PAHs degradation. Dispersants shape microbial community dynamics by stimulating potential dispersant-degrading taxa.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Chongwen Shi, Man Tong, Qizheng Cai, Zhengtao Li, Ping Li, Yuxi Lu, Zixuan Cao, Hui Liu, He-Ping Zhao, Songhu Yuan
Summary: Electrokinetic-enhanced bioremediation (EK-Bio) using bioaugmentation of Dehalococcoides has been shown effective in treating low-permeability soils polluted with chlorinated ethenes. However, the variations in indigenous microbial community and biodehalogenation activity in response to EK-Bio remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the succession of microbial communities and trichloroethylene (TCE) biodehalogenation activity in a 195-day EK-Bio column experiment. Results showed that biodehalogenation activity first occurred near the cathode (<60 days) and then spread to the anode (>90 days) due to electron acceptor competition and microbial succession.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Lige Zhang, Xiaoyu Qiu, Ling Huang, Jijun Xu, Weiwei Wang, Zhao Li, Ping Xu, Hongzhi Tang
Summary: The PDMC bacterial consortium efficiently degrades PAHs and demonstrates excellent stability in small-scale wastewater bioremediation.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xusheng Wang, Xiaonan Wang, Fan Wu, Jiawen Zhang, Shunhao Ai, Zhengtao Liu
Summary: Total petroleum hydrocarbons, semi-volatile organic compounds, and heavy metals pose significant ecological risks at petrochemical-contaminated sites. Natural remediation is often ineffective, particularly under heavy metal pollution stress. This study aimed to investigate the differences in biodegradation efficiencies and identify suitable microbial communities for restoring contaminated soil. The results suggest that heavy metal contamination reduces the efficiency of natural remediation and that certain microorganisms have greater degradation potential under heavy metal stress.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Usman Zulfiqar, Fasih Ullah Haider, Muhammad Faisal Maqsood, Waqas Mohy-Ud-Din, Muhammad Shabaan, Muhammad Ahmad, Muhammad Kaleem, Muhammad Ishfaq, Zoya Aslam, Babar Shahzad
Summary: Soil contamination with cadmium is a major concern in developing countries due to its non-biodegradability and potential harm to the ecosystem. Conventional physicochemical methods for removing cadmium from soil are costly and environmentally unfriendly. Bioremediation techniques using plants and beneficial microbes provide a cutting-edge approach for restoring contaminated soils. This review explores the bioremediation capabilities of bacteria and fungi, as well as the tolerance and detoxification mechanisms of microorganisms towards metals.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yabing Meng, Depeng Wang, Zhong Yu, Qingyun Yan, Zhili He, Fangang Meng
Summary: This study investigates the cooccurring mechanisms and functional differentiation of four Candidatus Brocadia species enriched in a swine wastewater treatment system. The analysis reveals that these species can utilize different nitrogen compounds for nitrogen removal.
FRONTIERS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xi Zhong, Ziwu Chen, Kengbo Ding, Wen-Shen Liu, Alan J. M. Baker, Ying-Heng Fei, Huan He, Yujie Wang, Chao Jin, Shizhong Wang, Ye-Tao Tang, Yuanqing Chao, Zhili He, Rongliang Qiu
Summary: Mining activities cause serious environmental pollution and stress to soil ecosystems. This study analyzed soil samples from metal mines in eastern China and found that pH and land use type played key roles in shaping the microbial community in heavy metal-contaminated soil. A core microbiome for soil restoration was identified. The findings enhance our understanding of microbial responses to environmental changes and can improve soil heavy metal contamination remediation practices.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Wangsuo Liu, Kaiyang Qiu, Yingzhong Xie, Yeyun Huang, Ruixia Wang, Haichao Li, Wenfen Meng, Yi He, Yayuan Li, Haiquan Li, Pengbo Zhao, Yi Yang
Summary: The planting of leguminous shrubs is an effective means to reverse desertification and improve soil microbial diversity. In the south of the Mu Us Sandy Land in China, introducing these shrubs enhances the diversity of soil bacteria and maintains ecosystem functioning by improving soil physicochemical properties.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Lingzhan Miao, Wanyi Li, Tanveer M. Adyel, Yu Yao, Ye Deng, Jun Wu, Yongqiang Zhou, Yue Yu, Jun Hou
Summary: Plastics in the environment create a unique microorganism habitat called the plastisphere. This study investigates the microbial communities in the plastisphere and their ability to biodegrade non-biodegradable and biodegradable plastics. The results show that biodegradable plastics have higher degradation rates and trigger faster succession of the plastisphere compared to non-biodegradable plastics. Ecological networks reveal that biodegradable plastics attract and retain key microorganisms that enhance biodegradation in freshwater ecosystems.
Article
Microbiology
Yingcheng Wang, Ning Dang, Kai Feng, Junbang Wang, Xin Jin, Shiting Yao, Linlin Wang, Songsong Gu, Hua Zheng, Guangxin Lu, Ye Deng
Summary: This study investigated the relationships between grass productivity and diversity and soil microbes in alpine grasslands. The researchers found that microbial diversity was negatively correlated with grass diversity, but positively correlated with grass productivity. The study also showed that grass formed complex and stable ecological networks with bacterial, archaeal, and fungal species, and the grass-fungal networks were the most robust. Additionally, the connectivity degrees of the grass-microbial network were positively correlated with grass productivity, indicating a positive feedback effect. These findings contribute to our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms between plants and microorganisms in alpine grassland ecosystems.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Xuanyu Tao, Josiah S. Morgan, Jiantao Liu, Megan L. Kempher, Tao Xu, Jizhong Zhou
Summary: In this study, CRISPR-Cas9n was used to integrate an efficient beta-glucosidase into the genome of C. cellulolyticum, disrupting lactate dehydrogenase (ldh) expression and reducing lactate production. The engineered strain showed significant improvements in cellulose degradation and ethanol production. These results demonstrate that simultaneous beta-glucosidase integration and lactate dehydrogenase disruption is an effective strategy for increasing cellulose to ethanol bioconversion rates in C. cellulolyticum.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hao Wang, Hanlin Cui, Xiaodan Ma, Carolyn R. Cornell, Liying Zhang, Yijun Ren, Minghan Li, Ying Liu, Shu-Hong Gao, Zhiling Li, Ai-Jie Wang, Jizhong Zhou, Bin Liang
Summary: The widespread use of the antimicrobial substance triclocarban (TCC) has raised concerns about its impacts on wastewater treatment systems, the environment, and human health. This study investigated the adsorption of TCC by sludge and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in a multistage biological process. The results showed that EPS had a higher adsorption capacity for TCC than sludge, potentially due to its loose multilayer structure and abundant functional groups. TCC also had adverse effects on the biological removal of ammonia nitrogen. Our study provides molecular-level insights into the interaction between TCC and activated sludge, and evaluates the risks associated with its presence in wastewater treatment systems through computational modeling.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
K. T. Ash, Y. Li, I. Alamilla, D. C. Joyner, D. E. Williams, P. J. McKay, B. M. Green, C. Iler, S. E. DeBlander, C. M. North, F. Kara-Murdoch, C. M. Swift, T. C. Hazen
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has created a need to monitor community infection rates and detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2. Wastewater-based epidemiology is an efficient, economical, fast, and non-invasive method to monitor a large community for a single pathogen or multiple pathogen targets.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Yujie Sha, Qingyun Yan, Jian Liu, Jiafeng Yu, Shicai Xu, Zhili He, Jing Ren, Jie Qu, Shiying Zheng, Guomin Wang, Weiying Dong
Summary: This study reveals the impact of homologous genes on the selective adhesion of probiotics and competitive exclusion of pathogens in the intestine by regulating the membrane proteins. Results showed that reducing the activity of FtsH protease can enhance the adhesion ability of L. plantarum HC-2 to shrimp mucus. The membrane proteins involved in transport and cellular processes are significantly affected. Furthermore, L. plantarum HC-2 exhibits adaptation to carbohydrate metabolism and bacteria-host interactions.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Jugui Zhuang, Ruihuan Zhang, Yufei Zeng, Tianjiao Dai, Zhencheng Ye, Qun Gao, Yunfeng Yang, Xue Guo, Guanghe Li, Jizhong Zhou
Summary: This study investigated the effects of petroleum pollution on soil microbial diversity, community structure, and network co-occurrence patterns in an abandoned refinery. The results showed that high levels of C10-C40 decreased soil microbial α-diversity and caused significant changes in community structure. However, the complexity of soil microbial networks increased with petroleum pollution levels, indicating more intricate microbial interactions.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Dandan Zhang, Huang Yu, Yuchun Yang, Fei Liu, Mingyue Li, Jie Huang, Yuhe Yu, Cheng Wang, Feng Jiang, Zhili He, Qingyun Yan
Summary: This study investigates the ecological interactions between anammox and denitrifying bacteria during the enrichment of anammox bacteria from lake sediments, providing new insights into N removal for eutrophication control in lakes.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Bo-Yu Peng, Shaoze Xiao, Ying Sun, Yurong Liu, Jiabin Chen, Xuefei Zhou, Wei-Min Wu, Yalei Zhang
Summary: This study investigates the possibility of generating microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) during the biodegradation of plastics by mealworms. The results show that mealworms can break down plastics into MPs but NPs were not detected. This provides important insights into the factors controlling MP and NP generation during macroinvertebrate-mediated plastic biodegradation.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xuanyu Tao, Huanrong Ouyang, Aifen Zhou, Dongyu Wang, Hagan Matlock, Josiah S. Morgan, Abigail T. Ren, Dashuai Mu, Chongle Pan, Xuejun Zhu, Arum Han, Jizhong Zhou
Summary: In this study, a Rhodococcus strain A34 was isolated from naturally weathered plastic waste and potential key polyethylene degradation enzymes were identified. The degradation of polyethylene and the associated metabolic pathways were investigated through proteomics analysis. The findings provide valuable insights for optimizing plastic degradation conditions and assembling artificial microbial communities for efficient plastic degradation.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yichao Wu, Chengxia Fu, Caroline L. Peacock, Soren J. Sorensen, Marc A. Redmile-Gordon, Ke-Qing Xiao, Chunhui Gao, Jun Liu, Qiaoyun Huang, Zixue Li, Peiyi Song, Yongguan Zhu, Jizhong Zhou, Peng Cai
Summary: Cooperative interactions between free-living and biofilm-forming bacteria are found to drive spatial segregation and enable species coexistence in a microfluidic chip environment, promoting their respective dominance in segregated microhabitats. This active spatial segregation is induced by cooperative interactions, improving the fitness of both biofilm and planktonic populations. The study also shows that free-living Arthrobacter induces surface colonization and receives benefits from public goods secreted by biofilm-forming strains.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Xiafei Zheng, Kui Xu, Jonathan Naoum, Yingli Lian, Bo Wu, Zhili He, Qingyun Yan
Summary: Microeukaryotes and bacteria play important roles in aquaculture ecosystems. This study examined their co-occurrence relationships using high-throughput sequencing data. The networks showed dominant phyla of Chlorophyta and fungi in water and sediment, respectively. Most microeukaryotes and bacteria were classified as generalists and had symmetric connections. Some microeukaryotes had asymmetric connections in water. Four microeukaryotes and twelve uncultured bacteria were identified as potential keystone taxa. The microeukaryotic-bacterial bipartite network in sediment had more nestedness compared to water. Loss of microeukaryotes and generalists could lead to the collapse of positive co-occurrence relationships in both water and sediment. This study provides insights into the structure and function of microeukaryotic-bacterial networks in aquaculture ecosystems.
MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)