Contaminant biodegradation (round 2) papers Category

Abstract:

The use of microorganisms to destroy, or reduce the concentration of, hazardous wastes on a contaminated site is called bioremediation. Such a biological treatment system has various applications, including, clean up of contaminated sites such as water, soils, sludges, and waste streams. The treatment of the Alaskan shoreline of Prince Williams Sound after the oil spill of Exxon Valdez in 1989 is one common example in which bioremediation methods got public attention. There are numerous other success stories of bioremediation in cleaning up chemical spills, leaking underground storage tanks of gasoline, and many toxic industrial e ‚uents. This paper outlines the various factors, including scientic, non-scientic, and regulatory, that limit the use of bioremediation technologies.

R. Boopathy. (2000). Factors limiting bioremediation technologies. Bioresource technology: 74; p63-67.  dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0960-8524(99)00144-3.

This brief article reviews current techniques in bioremediation, as well as scientific and non-scientific factors that limit the progression and implementation of bioremediation technologies. What most interests me is the “Non-technical Criteria” section of the review, where the author details political and economic factors. Discussing solutions to these economic, social, and political problems should be a priority for those of us studying science. Our research wont be very useful if it’s implementation is in question.

Abstract

A two’dimensional, multispecies reactive solute transport model with sequential aerobic and anaerobic degradation processes was developed and tested. The model was used to study the field’scale solute transport and degradation processes at the Bemidji, Minnesota, crude oil spill site. The simulations included the biodegradation of volatile and nonvolatile fractions of dissolved organic carbon by aerobic processes, manganese and iron reduction, and methanogenesis. Model parameter estimates were constrained by published Monod kinetic parameters, theoretical yield estimates, and field biomass measurements. Despite the considerable uncertainty in the model parameter estimates, results of simulations reproduced the general features of the observed groundwater plume and the measured bacterial concentrations. In the simulation, 46% of the total dissolved organic carbon (TDOC) introduced into the aquifer was degraded. Aerobic degradation accounted for 40% of the TDOC degraded. Anaerobic processes accounted for the remaining 60% of degradation of TDOC: 5% by Mn reduction, 19% by Fe reduction, and 36% by methanogenesis. Thus anaerobic processes account for more than half of the removal of DOC at this site.

Justification

I chose this article because I don’t think I have read an article yet that solely compared two different types of microorganisms performing the same process. The differences between aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms are cool in general, but learning about how they each perform the same very specific task would be intriguing.   Although this is an older paper, I wanted to know what kind of simulations and models they made and used back then, and what future models or simulations could be created from then, now in the present day.

Link

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/95WR02567

Citation

Eassaid, H. I., Bekins, B. A., Godsey, E. M., Warren, E., Baedecker, M. J., & Cozzarelli, I. M. (1995). Simulation of aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation processes at a crude oil spill site.  Water Resources Research, 31,  3309-3327.

Link:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0964830511001326

Abstract:

The degradation of several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil through   composting was investigated. The selected PAHs included: fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo(a)anthracene, and chrysene, with concentrations simulating a real creosote sample. The degradation of PAHs (initial concentration 1  g of total PAHs kg^−1  dry soil) was assessed applying bioaugmentation with the white-rot fungi  Trametes versicolor  and biostimulation using compost of the source-selected organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) and rabbit food as organic co-substrates. The process performance during 30 days of incubation was evaluated through different analyses including: dynamic respiration index (DRI), cumulative oxygen consumption during 5 days (AT₅), enzymatic activity, and fungal biomass. These analyses demonstrated that the introduced  T.  versicolor  did not significantly enhance the degradation of PAHs. However, biostimulation was able to improve the PAHs degradation: 89% of the total PAHs were degraded by the end of the composting period (30 days) compared to the only 29.5% that was achieved by the soil indigenous microorganisms without any co-substrate (control, not amended). Indeed, the results showed that stable compost from the OFMSW has a greater potential to enhance the degradation of PAHs compared to non-stable co-substrates such as rabbit food.

Justification:

I selected this paper because it deal with Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which is the topic discussed in recent classes. The paper talks about composting as another method for contaminant degradation which I found very interesting.

Citation:

Lukić, B.,  Huguenot, D.,  Panico, A.,  van Hullebusch, E.D.,  Esposito, G., 2017. Influence of activated sewage sludge amendment on PAH removal efficiency from a naturally contaminated soil: application of the landfarming treatment.  Environmental Technology (United Kingdom), 38(23), pp. 2988-2998

(No Ratings Yet)

Loading...

ABSTRACT

After Deepwater Horizon oil reached the Florida coast, oil was buried in Pensacola Beach (PB) sands to ~  70  cm depth, resulting in Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) concentrations up to ~  2  kg per meter of beach. This study followed the decomposition of the buried oil and the factors influencing its degradation. The abundance of bacteria in oiled sand increased by 2 orders of magnitude within one week after oil burial, while diversity decreased by ~  50%. Half-lives of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons reached 25 and 22  days, respectively. Aerobic microbial oil decomposition, promoted by tidal pumping, and human cleaning activities effectively removed oil from the beach. After one year, concentrations of GC-amenable hydrocarbons at PB were similar to those in the uncontaminated reference beach at St. George Island/FL, and microbial populations that disappeared after the oil contamination had reestablished. Yet, oxihydrocarbons can be found at PB to the present day.

CITATION

Huettel, M., Overholt, W. A., Kostka, J. E., Hagan, C., Kaba, J., Wells, W. B., & Dudley, S. (2018). Degradation of Deepwater Horizon oil buried in a Florida beach influenced by tidal pumping. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 126, 488-500.

(+2 rating, 2 votes)
Loading...

Zhang, J., Li, L., & Liu, J. (2017). Effects of irrigation and water content of packing materials on a thermophilic biofilter for SO2 removal: performance, oxygen distribution and microbial population.  Biochemical engineering journal,  118, 105-112.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369703X16303217

Abstract

(No Ratings Yet)

Loading...

Bioremediation of PCB-contaminated shallow river sediments: The efficacy of biodegradation using individual bacterial strains and their consortia

Article Link:  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0045653517317721

Abstract:

Elimination of dangerous toxic and hydrophobic chlorinated aromatic compounds, mainly PCBs from the environment, is one of the most important aims of the environmental biotechnologies. In this work, biodegradation of an industrial mixture of PCBs (Delor 103, equivalent to Aroclor 1242) was performed using bacterial consortia composed of four bacterial strains isolated from the historically PCB-contaminated sediments and characterized as  Achromobacter xylosoxidans, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Ochrobactrum anthropi  and  Rhodococcus ruber. The objective of this research was to determine the biodegradation ability of the individual strains and artificially prepared consortia composed of two or three bacterial strains mentioned above. Based on the growth parameters, six consortia were constructed and inoculated into the historically contaminated sediment samples collected in the efflux canal of Chemko Strážske plant — the former producer of the industrial mixtures of PCBs. The efficacy of the biotreatment, namely bioaugmentation, was evaluated by determination of ecotoxicity of treated and non-treated sediments. The most effective consortia were those containing the strain  R.  ruber. In the combination with  A.  xylosoxidans, the biodegradation of the sum of the indicator congeners was 85% and in the combination with  S.  maltophilia  nearly 80%, with inocula applied in the ratio 1:1 in both cases. Consortium containing the strain  R.  ruber  and  S.  maltophilia  showed pronounced degradation of the highly chlorinated PCB congeners. Among the consortia composed of three bacterial strains, only that consisting of  O.  anthropi, R. ruber  and  A.  xylosoxidans  showed higher biodegradation (73%). All created consortia significally reduced the toxicity of the contaminated sediment.

I chose this article because of its relevance to our recent topics in class. It is an interesting examination of microbes involved in the breakdown of PCBs in river sediment.

Citation:  

Horvathorva, H., K. Laszlova, K. Dercova.  Bioremediation of PCB-contaminated shallow river sediments: The efficacy of biodegradation using individual bacterial strains and their consortia. 2018. Chemosphere 193:270-277.

(+4 rating, 4 votes)

Loading...

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0964830515301384

Acikgoz, Eda, and Birgul Ozcan. “Phenol Biodegradation by Halophilic Archaea.’  Internation Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, vol. 107, Feb. 2016, pp. 140 146., doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibiod.2015.11.016.

(+2 rating, 2 votes)

Loading...

ABSTRACT
Phenol is a toxic aromatic compound produced as a by-product of industrial activities. Biological treatment of highly saline wastewaters containing phenol can be performed through halophilic  microorganisms. In this study, the ability of halophilic archaeal isolates to degrade phenol was investigated. Among 103 tested isolates, the strain designated A235 was identified as having the highest phenol degradation capacity on solid and liquid media containing 20% (w/v) NaCl and phenol as the sole carbon and energy source. The strain was adapted sequentially to increasing phenol concentrations. The removal of phenol via cross-toluene adaptation was increased by 14% in the medium. The growth kinetics of strain A235 during growth on phenol was found to fit the Monod model. The values of μmax and Ks were calculated to be 0.015  h^−1  and 71.4  g  l^−1, respectively. For an initial phenol concentration of 100  ppm, the biodegradation by A235 was found to be optimal at pH 7.5, 37   °C and 200  rpm when the culture contained 20% (w/v) NaCl, 0.025% yeast extract and the inoculum size was set at 10%. A preliminary enzyme screening indicated that the degradation of phenol was achieved through a  meta-cleavage pathway involving a catechol 2,3-dioxygenase. Catechol 2,3-dioxygenase displayed its highest catalytic activity at 42   °C, 2  M KCl, and pH 8. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report showing the ability an extremely halophilic archaeon to metabolize phenol at higher salt concentrations.

Justification:
Continuing with the wastewater treatment section, and about different energy sources/donors for microbes, this article is about how halophilic archaea can help biodegrade pollutants in extra salty wastewater by adapting to high levels of phenol, and using that as the energy source. I like how this article kind of combines many different subjects that we have talked about this semester, and it includes biodegradation (I also think archaea are super cool).

(+6 rating, 6 votes)

Loading...

“Oil Biodegradation and Bioremediation: A Tale of the Two Worst Spills in U.S. History”

Atlas, R. M., & Hazen, T. C. (2011). Oil biodegradation and bioremediation: A tale of the two worst spills in U.S. history.  Environmental Science and Technology,  45(16), 6709—6715. https://doi.org/10.1021/es2013227

Abstract

Justification

Link:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4507529/

Citation: Santisi, S., S. Cappello, M. Catalfamo, G. Mancini, M. Hassanshahian, L. Genovese, L. Giuliano, M. Yakimov. 2015. Biodegradation of crude oil by individual bacteria strains and a mixed bacterial consortium. Brazilian Journal of Microbiology 46: 377-387.

Abstract:

Three bacterial isolates identified as  Alcanivorax borkumensis  SK2,  Rhodococcus erythropolis  HS4 and  Pseudomonas stutzeri  SDM, based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, were isolated from crude oil enrichments of natural seawater. Single strains and four bacterial consortia designed by mixing the single bacterial cultures respectively in the following ratios: (Alcanivorax: Pseudomonas, 1:1), (Alcanivorax:  Rhodococcus,  1:1), (Pseudomonas:  Rhodococcus, 1:1), and (Alcanivorax:  Pseudomonas:  Rhodococcus, 1:1:1), were analyzed in order to evaluate their oil degrading capability. All experiments were carried out in microcosms systems containing seawater (with and without addition of inorganic nutrients) and crude oil (unique carbon source). Measures of total and live bacterial abundance, Card-FISH and quali-, quantitative analysis of hydrocarbons (GC-FID) were carried out in order to elucidate the co-operative action of mixed microbial populations in the process of biodegradation of crude oil. All data obtained confirmed the fundamental role of bacteria belonging to  Alcanivorax  genus in the degradation of linear hydrocarbons in oil polluted environments.

Justification:

I find biodegradation of oil fascinating because before learning about it in general Microbiology I had no idea that microbes had the ability to break down such a harsh substance such as oil. I think it is relevant for us to learn about because we live in Alaska, where oil is being extracted and has the potential to have oil spills.

(No Ratings Yet)
Loading...