Phylogenetic analysis of the microbial community in hypersaline petroleum produced water from the Campos Basin.

In this work the archaea and eubacteria community of a hypersaline produced water from the Campos Basin that had been transported and discharged to an onshore storage facility was evaluated by 16S recombinant RNA (rRNA) gene sequence analysis. The produced water had a hypersaline salt content of 10 (w/v), had a carbon oxygen demand (COD) of 4,300 mg/l and contains phenol and other aromatic compounds. The high salt and COD content and the presence of toxic phenolic compounds present a problem for conventional discharge to open seawater. In previous studies, we demonstrated that the COD and phenolic content could be largely removed under aerobic conditions, without dilution, by either addition of phenol degrading Haloarchaea or the addition of nutrients alone. In this study our goal was to characterize the microbial community to gain further insight into the persistence of reservoir community members in the produced water and the potential for bioremediation of COD and toxic contaminants. Members of the archaea community were consistent with previously identified communities from mesothermic reservoirs. All identified archaea were located within the phylum Euryarchaeota, with 98 % being identified as methanogens while 2 % could not be affiliated with any known genus. Of the identified archaea, 37 % were identified as members of the strictly carbon-dioxide-reducing genus Methanoplanus and 59 % as members of the acetoclastic genus Methanosaeta. No Haloarchaea were detected, consistent with the need to add these organisms for COD and aromatic removal. Marinobacter and Halomonas dominated the eubacterial community. The presence of these genera is consistent with the ability to stimulate COD and aromatic removal with nutrient addition. In addition, anaerobic members of the phyla Thermotogae, Firmicutes, and unclassified eubacteria were identified and may represent reservoir organisms associated with the conversion hydrocarbons to methane.

Biodegradation of aromatic hydrocarbons by Haloarchaea and their use for the reduction of the chemical oxygen demand of hypersaline petroleum produced water.

Ten halophilic Archaea (Haloarchaea) strains able to degrade aromatic compounds were isolated from five hypersaline locations; salt marshes in the Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia, crystallizer ponds in Chile and Cabo Rojo (Puerto Rico), and sabkhas (salt flats) in the Persian Gulf (Saudi Arabia) and the Dead Sea (Israel and Jordan). Phylogenetic identification of the isolates was determined by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The isolated Haloarchaea strains were able to grow on a mixture of benzoic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, and salicylic acid (1.5mM each) and a mixture of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, naphthalene, anthracene, phenanthrene, pyrene and benzo[a]anthracene (0.3mM each). Evaluation of the extent of degradation of the mixed aromatic hydrocarbons demonstrated that the isolates could degrade these compounds in hypersaline media containing 20% NaCl. The strains were shown to reduce the COD of hypersaline crude oil reservoir produced waters significantly beyond that achieved using standard hydrogen peroxide treatment alone.

Laccase activity and putative laccase genes in marine-derived basidiomycetes.

Studies of laccases from marine-derived fungi are limited. In the present work, putative laccase genes from three marine-derived basidiomycetes and their laccase activities were evaluated. High amounts of laccase were produced by the fungal strains Marasmiellus sp. CBMAI 1062 (971.2UL⁻¹) and Peniophora sp. CBMAI 1063 (709.03UL⁻¹) when grown for 21d at 28°C in MA2ASW medium prepared with artificial seawater. Marine-derived basidiomycetes produced multiple distinct laccase sequences of about 200bp with 73-90% similarity to terrestrial basidiomycete laccases. Marasmiellus sp. CBMAI 1062 and Tinctoporellus sp. CBMAI 1061 showed the greatest laccase gene diversity with three and four distinct putative laccase sequences, respectively. This is the first report of laccase genes from marine-derived fungi, and our results revealed new putative laccases produced by three basidiomycetes.

Microbial degradation of sulfentrazone in a Brazilian rhodic hapludox soil

Sulfentrazone is amongst the most widely used herbicides for treating the main crops in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, but few studies are available on the biotransformation of this compound in Brazilian soils. Soil samples of Rhodic Hapludox soil were supplemented with sulfentrazone (0.7 µg active ingredient (a.i.) g-1 soil) and maintained at 27ºC. The soil moisture content was corrected to 30, 70 or 100 percent water holding capacity (WHC) and maintained constant until the end of the experimental period. Herbicide-free soil samples were used as controls. Another experiment was carried out using soil samples maintained at a constant moisture content of 70 percent WHC, supplemented or otherwise with the herbicide, and submitted to different temperatures of 15, 30 and 40º C. In both experiments, aliquots were removed after various incubation periods for the quantitative analysis of sulfentrazone residues by gas chromatography. Herbicide-degrading microorganisms were isolated and identified. After 120 days a significant effect on herbicide degradation was observed for the factor of temperature, degradation being higher at 30 and 40º C. A half-life of 91.6 days was estimated at 27º C and 70 percent WHC. The soil moisture content did not significantly affect sulfentrazone degradation and the microorganisms identified as potential sulfentrazone degraders were Nocardia brasiliensis and Penicillium sp. The present study enhanced the prospects for future studies on the bio-prospecting for microbial populations related to the degradation of sulfentrazone, and may also contribute to the development of strategies for the bioremediation of sulfentrazone-polluted soils.

Microbial degradation of sulfentrazone in a Brazilian rhodic hapludox soil.

Sulfentrazone is amongst the most widely used herbicides for treating the main crops in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, but few studies are available on the biotransformation of this compound in Brazilian soils. Soil samples of Rhodic Hapludox soil were supplemented with sulfentrazone (0.7 µg active ingredient (a.i.) g(-1) soil) and maintained at 27°C. The soil moisture content was corrected to 30, 70 or 100 % water holding capacity (WHC) and maintained constant until the end of the experimental period. Herbicide-free soil samples were used as controls. Another experiment was carried out using soil samples maintained at a constant moisture content of 70% WHC, supplemented or otherwise with the herbicide, and submitted to different temperatures of 15, 30 and 40° C. In both experiments, aliquots were removed after various incubation periods for the quantitative analysis of sulfentrazone residues by gas chromatography. Herbicide-degrading microorganisms were isolated and identified. After 120 days a significant effect on herbicide degradation was observed for the factor of temperature, degradation being higher at 30 and 40° C. A half-life of 91.6 days was estimated at 27° C and 70 % WHC. The soil moisture content did not significantly affect sulfentrazone degradation and the microorganisms identified as potential sulfentrazone degraders were Nocardia brasiliensis and Penicillium sp. The present study enhanced the prospects for future studies on the bio-prospecting for microbial populations related to the degradation of sulfentrazone, and may also contribute to the development of strategies for the bioremediation of sulfentrazone-polluted soils.

Toxicity-directed approach of polyester manufacturing industry wastewater provides useful information for conducting treatability studies.

A broader characterization of industrial wastewaters, especially in respect to hazardous compounds and their potential toxicity, is often necessary in order to determine the best practical treatment (or pretreatment) technology available to reduce the discharge of harmful pollutants to the environment or publicly owned treatment works. Using a toxicity-directed approach, this paper sets the base for a rational treatability study of polyester resin manufacturing. Relevant physical and chemical characteristics were determined. Respirometry was used for toxicity reduction evaluation after physical and chemical effluent fractionation. Of all the procedures investigated, only air stripping was significantly effective in reducing wastewater toxicity. Air stripping in pH 7 reduced toxicity in 18.2%, while in pH 11 a toxicity reduction of 62.5% was observed. Results indicated that toxicants responsible for the most significant fraction of the effluent's instantaneous toxic effect to unadapted activated sludge were organic compounds poorly or not volatilized in acid conditions. These results led to useful directions for conducting treatability studies which will be grounded on actual effluent properties rather than empirical or based on the rare specific data on this kind of industrial wastewater.

Quantitative analysis of Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP) microbial community profiles: peak height data showed to be more reproducible than peak area / Análise quantitativa de perfis de T-RFLP de comunidades microbianas: dados de altura de picos mostraram-se mais reprodutíveis do que os de área

Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP) is a culture-independent fingerprinting method for microbial community analysis. Profiles generated by an automated electrophoresis system can be analysed quantitatively using either peak height or peak area data. Statistical testing demontrated that peak height data showed to be more reproducible than peak area data.

Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP) é um método molecular, independente de cultivo, para análise de comunidades microbianas. Perfis gerados por um sistema automatizado de eletroforese podem ser analisados quantitativamente usando dados de altura ou área dos picos. Os dados de altura mostraram-se mais reprodutíveis do que os de área.

Growth of lignocellulosic-fermenting fungi on different substrates under low oxygenation conditions.

Four soil fungi able to grow under low oxygenation conditions were selected and used in studies to determine the production of enzymes that promote the degradation of lignocellulosic materials. The capacity of these fungi to ferment such materials was also investigated. The fungi were grown in sugarcane bagasse and sawdust at final concentrations of 4 and 10%, as the carbon sources. The strains were cultivated under microaerophilic and combined conditions of oxygenation (aerobic followed by microaerophilic conditions). The results obtained with the basidiomycete specie, Trichocladium canadense, Geotrichum sp., and Fusarium sp. suggest that they prefer lower oxygen concentration for growth and enzyme production. Lignocellulolytic activities were detected in all strains but varied with the carbon source used. The highest levels of these activities were produced by the Basidiomycete specie and Fusarium sp. Ethanol and other nongaseous fermentation products were detected following high-performance liquid chromatography analysis using a supelcogel C-610H column, demonstrating the fermentative capability of these strains. In view of their ability to produce enzymes necessary for the breakdown of lignocellulosic materials and to utilize most of the degradation products for growth, these strains have a great potential for biotechnological application.

Biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by soil fungi

Thirteen deuteromycete ligninolytic fungal strains were grown in media containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), for 6 and 10 days. The PAHs were added directly with the inocula or on the third day of cultivation. A selection of the best strains was carried out based on the levels of degradation of the PAHs and also on the ligninolytic activities produced by the fungi. The selected strains were cultivated for 3,6,9,12 and 15 days in the PAHs-containing media. Degradation of PAHs, as measured by reversed-phase HPLSC on a C18 column, varied with each strain as did the ligninolytic enzymes present in the culture supernatants. Highest degradation of naphthalene 69 (per cent) was produced by the strain 984, having Mn-peroxidase activity, followed by strain 870 17 per cente showing lignin peroxidase and laccase activities. The greatest degradation of phenanthrene 12 (per cent) was observed with strain 870 containing Mn-peroxidase and laccase activities. When anthracene was used, the strain 710 produced a good level of degradation 65 per cente.