Enhanced Bioremediation of Aged Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Soil Using Immobilized Microbial Consortia Combined with Strengthening Remediation Strategies.

Microbial biodegradation is considered as one of the most effective strategies for the remediation of soil contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). To improve the degradation efficiency of PAHs, PAH-degrading consortia combined with strengthening remediation strategies was used in this study. The PAH biodegrading performance of seven bacterial consortia constructed by different ratios of Mycobacterium gilvum MI, Mycobacterium sp. ZL7 and Rhodococcus rhodochrous Q3 was evaluated in an aqueous system containing phenanthrene, pyrene, benzo[a]pyrene and benzo[b]fluoranthene. Bacterial consortium H6 (Q3:ZL7:MI = 1:2:2) performed a high degrading efficiency of 59% in 8 days. The H6 was subsequently screened to explore its potential ability and performance to degrade aged PAHs in soils from a coking plant and the effects of strengthening strategies on the aged PAH degradation, including the addition of glucose or sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) individually or as a mixture along immobilization of the inoculant on biochar. The highest degradation efficiencies, which were 15% and 60% for low-molecular-weight (LMW) PAHs and high-molecular-weight (HMW) PAHs, respectively, were observed in the treatment using immobilized microbial consortium H6 combined with the addition of glucose and SDBS after 24 days incubation. This study provides new insights and guidance for future remediation of aged PAH contaminated soils.

Roles of bacterial community in the transformation of organic nitrogen toward enhanced bioavailability during composting with different wastes.

This study aimed to explore the roles of bacterial community in the transformation of bioavailable organic-N (BON) during different wastes composting. BON fractions with different forms and molecular weights were identified in this study. Results indicated that core bacterial communities improved the availability of BON by degrading high molecular weights BON into low molecular weights BON during different wastes composting. A total of fifty-two core bacterial genera involved in BON transformation were identified by network analysis. Three types of high molecular weights BON fractions (amino acid-N, amine-N and amino sugar-N) were degraded by bacteria during chicken manure and garden waste composting, while only amine-N was degraded during municipal solid waste composting. Finally, moisture, C/N and pH were identified as the key operational parameters affecting BON transformation mediated by microorganisms, which can be used to improve bioavailability of organic-N and reduce N loss during composting.

Host bacterial community of MGEs determines the risk of horizontal gene transfer during composting of different animal manures.

Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) play critical roles in transferring antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) among different microorganisms in the environment. This study aimed to explore the fate of MGEs during chicken manure (CM) and bovine manure (BM) composting to assess horizontal transfer risks of ARGs. The results showed that the removal efficiency of MGEs during CM composting was significantly higher than that during BM composting, because the potential host bacteria of MGEs were eliminated largely during CM composting. Meanwhile, these potential host bacterial communities are significantly influenced by pH, NH4+, NO3- and total N, which can be used to regulate host bacterial communities to remove MGEs during composting. Projection pursuit regression further confirmed that composting can effectively reduce the horizontal transfer risk of ARGs, especially for CM composting. These results identified the critical roles of host bacterial communities in MGEs removal during composting of different animal manures.

Transformation of organic nitrogen fractions with different molecular weights during different organic wastes composting.

This study aimed to investigate different transformation mechanisms of organic nitrogen (N) fractions during composting with different raw materials, and the contributions of bacterial communities and environmental factors to organic N fractions transformation. The results showed that high molecular weight organic N was first degraded to low molecular weight organic N and then turned into NH4+ during chicken manure composting. In comparison, organic N fractions were stored in composts rather than mineralization during garden waste and municipal solid waste composting. Meanwhile, bacterial communities, environmental factors and the combination of them were the main drivers of N transformation during chicken manure, municipal solid waste and garden waste composting, respectively. In conclusion, the proposed organic N transformation mechanisms in this study provided a theoretical basis for improving the quality of compost products.

Effects of floodgates operation on nitrogen transformation in a lake based on structural equation modeling analysis.

Floodgates operation is one of the primary means of flood control in lake development. However, knowledge on the linkages between floodgates operation and nitrogen transformation during the flood season is limited. In this study, water samples from six sampling sites along Lake Xingkai watershed were collected before and after floodgates operation. The causal relationships between environmental factors, bacterioplankton community composition and nitrogen fractions were determined during flood season. We found that concentrations of nitrogen fractions decreased significantly when the floodgates were opened, while the concentrations of total nitrogen (TN) and NO3- increased when the floodgates had been shut for a period. Further, we proposed a possible mechanism that the influence of floodgates operation on nitrogen transformation was largely mediated through changes in dissolved organic matter, dissolved oxygen and bacterioplankton community composition as revealed by structural equation modeling (SEM). We conclude that floodgates operation has a high risk for future eutrophication of downstream watershed, although it can reduce nitrogen content temporarily. Therefore, the environmental impacts of floodgates operation should be carefully evaluated before the floodwaters were discharged into downstream watershed.

Effect of tricarboxylic acid cycle regulator on carbon retention and organic component transformation during food waste composting.

Composting is an environment friendly method to recycling organic waste. However, with the increasing concern about greenhouse gases generated in global atmosphere, it is significant to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2). This study analyzes tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle regulators on the effect of reducing CO2 emission, and the relationship among organic component (OC) degradation and transformation and microorganism during composting. The results showed that adding adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) could enhance the transformation of OC and increase the diversity of microorganism community. Malonic acid (MA) as a competitive inhibitor could decrease the emission of CO2 by inhibiting the TCA cycle. A structural equation model was established to explore effects of different OC and microorganism on humic acid (HA) concentration during composting. Furthermore, added MA provided an environmental benefit in reducing the greenhouse gas emission for manufacture sustainable products.