Isolation and characterization of halophilic bacteria and archaea from salt ponds in Hangu Saltworks, Tianjin, China

A total of 26 isolates were obtained from solar salt ponds of different salinities(100, 150, 200, and 250) in Hangu Saltworks Co. Ltd., Tianjin, China. Phylogenetic analysis of 16 SrRNA gene sequences indicated that five bacteria genera H alomonas, Salinicoccus, Oceanobacillus, Gracibacillus, and Salimicrobium and one archaea genera H alorubrum were present. The genus H alomonas was predominant with eight strains distributed in a salinity range of 100–200, followed by H alorubrum with six strains in salinity 250. Based on the genus and original sampling salinity, eight bacterial and two archaeal isolates were selected for further morphological, physiological, and biochemical characterization. All of the bacterial strains were moderately halophilic with the optimal salinity for growth being either 50 or 100, while two archaeal strains were extremely halophilic with an optimal growth salinity of 200. Additionally, we put forth strain SM.200-5 as a new candidate S alimicrobium species based on the phylogenic analysis of the 16 SrRNA gene sequence and its biochemical characteristics when compared with known related species.

Numerical Analysis of the Influence of Buoyancy Ratio and Dufour Parameter on Thermosolutal Convection in a Square Salt Gradient Solar Pond

Revise the abstract as follows:This work aims to investigate numerically the influence of the buoyancy ratio and the Dufour parameter on thermosolutal convection in a square Salt Gradient Solar Pond(SGSP).The absorption of solar radiation by the saline water,the heat losses and the wind effects via the SGSP free surface are considered.The mathematical model is based on the Navier-Stokes equations used in synergy with the thermal energy equation.These equations are solved using the finite volume method and the Gauss algorithm.Velocity-pressure coupling is implemented through the SIMPLE algorithm.Simulations of the SGSP are performed for three values of buoyancy ratio(N=1,2 and 10),three values of Dufour parameter(Df?0,0.2 and 0.8)and some sample meteorological data(Tangier,Morocco).Results show that the highest dimensionless temperature of the storage zone is found for N=10.In the same zone and for the same value of N,the dimensionless salt concentration decreases very slightly versus time(unlike for N=1 or 2).Moreover,increasing Df from 0 to 0.8 causes a decrease in the dimensionless temperature of the SGSP storage zone and this decrease is more pronounced for N=1 and N=2.