Soil Microbial Community Composition During Natural Recovery in the Loess Plateau, China

This study aimed to determine the characteristics of soil microbial community composition and its relationship with soil chemical properties during natural recovery in the Loess Plateau.The soil microbial community composition was analyzed by comparing the soil microbial phospholipid fatty acids（PLFAs） of eight croplands abandoned for 1,3,5,10,13,15,20,and 30 yr in the Dunshan watershed,northern Loess Plateau,China.The results showed that soil organic carbon,total nitrogen,soil microbial biomass carbon,and soil microbial biomass nitrogen significantly increased with the abandonment duration,whereas the metabolic quotient significantly decreased.The Shannon richness and Shannon evenness of PLFAs significantly increased after 10 yr of abandonment.Gram-negative,Gram-positive,bacterial,fungal,and total PLFAs linearly increased with increased abandonment duration.Redundancy analysis showed that the abandonment duration was the most important environmental factor in determining the PLFA microbial community composition.The soil microbial PLFAs changed from anteiso-to iso-,unsaturated to saturated,and short-to long-chain during natural recovery.Therefore,in the Loess Plateau,cropland abandonment for natural recovery resulted in the increase of the soil microbial PLFA biomass and microbial PLFA species and changed the microbial from chemolithotrophic to a more heterotrophic community.

Sludge Pollution Control from Crude Oil Tank Cleaning

This study investigated the use of microbial analysis as a bioremediation option for remediating petroleum sludge, which is part of the waste stream generated in the petroleum industry. The aim is to reduce environmental burden caused by the discharge of untreated sludge. Sludge sample was cultured in other to isolate microorganisms for the sludge treatment. The selected strain of the organisms after screening were Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Verticillus sp, Penicillum sp, and Microsporium audouinii. Bioreactors (labeled A, B, C, D and O) were designed for the treatment of petroleum sludge. These reactors contain 2.0 × 10-2 m3 of the diluted sludge samples and the isolated organisms for the treatment process. On a weekly basis, the control reactors received 1.5 × 10-3 m3 of fresh and saline water respectively. After 12 weeks of treatment, sludge physicochemical characteristics showed distinct variations. From the result, reactor D was the best in terms of remediating the sludge as compared to other reactors. Friedman non-parametric test was performed to check if the weeks of treatment affected the reduction of the total hydrocarbon content (THC) in the five reactors and also checked for significant differences in the THC after treatments. The drop in the THC of the treated sludge ranged from 56.0% to 67.3%. These results showed the possibility of enhanced biodegradation of petroleum sludge by hydrocarbon utilizing microorganisms (fungi).

Microbiological Quality of Dates in the North Center Region of Morocco

Date palm （Phoenix dactylifera L.） fruit is an important component in arid and semi-arid diet regions of the world. The present study pointed out microbial investigating of date palm collected from National wholesale market in Fez city in the center north of Morocco. The results reveal that samples dates studied are contaminated by bacteria such as TAMF （total aerobic mesophilic flora）, ASR （anaerobic sulfite reducing）, yeasts and molds. The percentage of yeasts isolated is 50% for Saccharomyces cervisae, 10% for Zygosaccharomyces fermentati, 20% for Hansenula anomala, 10% for Lodderomyces elongisporus and 10% for Kluyveromyces fragilis. The frequency of molds distribution is 51% for Aspergillus niger, 33% for Penicillium notatum and 16% for Rhizopus oryzae. Newman and keuls grouping test shows that fungal germs distribution is equal for yeast and molds in all samples analyzed. In the opposite bacterial grouping test shows greet difference between groups of bacteria isolated from date＇s samples.

Revealing the intrinsic mechanisms for accelerating nitrogen removal efficiency in the Anammox reactor by adding Fe(Ⅱ)at low temperature

Fe(Ⅱ)is an essential trace element for anaerobic ammonium oxidation bacteria(AAOB)metabolism,and can improve the nitrogen removal efficiency of anaerobic ammonia oxidation(Anammox).Here we oper-ated two identical expanded granular sludge bed(EGSB)reactors at low temperature(15±3℃)for 154 days.Reactor 1(R_(1))received additional Fe(Ⅱ)(0.12 mmol/L)during the late startup phase,while reactor 0(R_(0))served as the control and did not receive extra Fe(Ⅱ).Nitrogen removal in R_(1)became stable at 55 d of operation,ten days earlier than R_(0).The nitrogen removal rate(NRR)of R_(1) was 1.64 kg N m^(−3)d^(−1)and its TN removal rate was as high as 89%,while R_(0)only reached 75%.The addition of Fe(Ⅱ)was fur-ther beneficial to aggregation and stability of the granular sludge,and the used sludge of both reactors showed enrichment for AAOB populations compared to the inoculum,for instance,increased abundance of Candidatus-Kuenenia and in particular of Candidatus-Brocadia(from 0.17%to 10.10%in R_(0)and 7.79%in R_(1)).Diverse microbial species and complex microbial network structure in R_(1)compared to R_(0)promoted the coupled denitrogenation by Anammox,dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium(DNRA),nitrate-dependent Fe oxidation(NDFO),and ferric ammonium oxidation(Feammox).In addition,the microbial community in R_(1)was more resistant to short-term low temperature(2-7℃)starvation,illustrating a further positive effect of adding Fe(Ⅱ)during the startup phase of an Anammox reactor.

Characteristics of microbial community involved in early biofilms formation under the influence of wastewater treatment plant effluent

Effluents from wastewater treatment plants（WWTPs） containing microorganisms and residual nutrients can influence the biofilm formation. Although the process and mechanism of bacterial biofilm formation have been well characterized, little is known about the characteristics and interaction of bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes in the early colonization, especially under the influence of WWTP effluent. The aim of this study was to characterize the important bacterial, archaeal and eukaryotic species in the early stage of biofilm formation downstream of the WWTP outlet. Water and biofilm samples were collected 24 and 48 hr after the deposition of bio-cords in the stream. Illumina Miseq sequencing of the 16 S and 18 S rDNA showed that, among the three domains, the bacterial biofilm community had the largest alpha and beta diversity. The early bacterial colonizers appeared to be ＂biofilm-specific＂, with only a few dominant operational taxonomic units（OTUs） shared between the biofilm and the ambient water environment. Alpha-proteobacteria and Ciliophora tended to dominate the bacterial and eukaryotic communities, respectively, of the early biofilm already at 24 hr, whereas archaea played only a minor role during the early stage of colonization. The network analysis showed that the three domains of microbial community connected highly during the early colonization and it might be a characteristic of the microbial communities in the biofilm formation process where co-occurrence relationships could drive coexistence and diversity maintenance within the microbial communities.

Temporal variation of microbial population in a thermophilic biofilter for SO_2 removal

The performance of a biofilter relies on the activity of microorganisms during the gas contaminant treatment process. In this study, SO2 was treated using a laboratory-scale biofilter packed with polyurethane foam cubes（PUFC）, on which thermophilic desulfurization bacteria were attached. The thermophilic biofilter effectively reduced SO2 within 10 months of operation time, with a maximum elimination capacity of 48.29 g/m^3/hr.Temporal shifts in the microbial population in the thermophilic biofilter were determined through polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and deoxyribonucleic acid（DNA） sequence analysis. The substrate species and environmental conditions in the biofilter influenced the microbial population. Oxygen distribution in the PUFC was analyzed using a microelectrode. When the water-containing rate in PUFC was over 98%, the oxygen distribution presented aerobic–anoxic–aerobic states along the test route on the PUFC. The appearance of sulfate-reducing bacteria was caused by the anaerobic conditions and sulfate formation after 4 months of operation.

Features of gut microbiota in patients with anorexia nervosa

Background:Anorexia nervosa(AN)is a psychological disorder,which is characterized by the misunderstanding of body image,food restriction,and low body weight.An increasing number of studies have reported that the pathophysiological mechanism of AN might be associated with the dysbiosis of gut microbiota.The purpose of our study was to explore the features of gut microbiota in patients with AN,hoping to provide valuable information on its pathogenesis and treatment.Methods:In this cross-sectional study,from August 2020 to June 2021,patients with AN who were admitted into Peking University Third Hospital and Peking University Sixth Hospital(n=30)were recruited as the AN group,and healthy controls(HC)were recruited from a middle school and a university in Beijing(n=30).Demographic data,Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD)scores of the two groups,and length of stay of the AN group were recorded.Microbial diversity analysis of gut microbiota in stool samples from the two groups was analyzed by 16S ribosomal RNA(rRNA)gene sequencing.Results:The weight(AN vs.HC,[39.31±7.90]kg vs.[56.47±8.88]kg,P<0.001)and body mass index(BMI,AN vs.HC,[14.92±2.54]kg/m^(2)vs.[20.89±2.14]kg/m^(2),P<0.001)of patients with AN were statistically significantly lower than those of HC,and HAMD scores in AN group were statistically significantly higher than those of HC.For alpha diversity,there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups;for beta diversity,the two groups differed obviously regarding community composition.Compared to HC,the proportion of Lachnospiraceae in patients with AN was statistically significantly higher(AN vs.HC,40.50%vs.31.21%,Z=-1.981,P=0.048),while that of Ruminococcaceae was lower(AN vs.HC,12.17%vs.19.15%,Z=-2.728,P=0.007);the proportion of Faecalibacterium(AN vs.HC,3.97%vs.9.40%,Z=-3.638,P<0.001)and Subdoligranulum(AN vs.HC,4.60%vs.7.02%,Z=-2.369,P=0.018)were statistically significantly lower,while that of Eubacterium_halli_group was significantly higher(AN vs.HC,7.63%vs.3.43%,Z=-2.115,P=0.035).Linear discriminant effect(LEfSe)analysis(LDA score>3.5)showed that o_Lachnospirales,f_Lachnospiraceae,and g_Eubacterium_halli_group(o,f andg represents order,family and genus respectively)were enriched in patients with AN.Microbial function of nutrient transport and metabolism in AN group were more abundant(P>0.05).In AN group,weight and BMI were significantly negatively correlated with the abundance of Bacteroidota and Bacteroides,while positively correlated with Subdoligranulum.BMI was significantly positively correlated with Firmicutes;HAMD scores were significantly negatively correlated with Faecalibacterium.Conclusions:The composition of gut microbiota in patients with AN was different from that of healthy people.Clinical indicators have correlations with the abundance of gut microbiota in patients with AN.

The role of NiFe_(2)O_(4)nanoparticle in the anaerobic digestion(AD)of waste activated sludge(WAS)

Anaerobic digestion(AD)is a promising technology for the treatment of waste activated sludge(WAS)with energy recovery.However,the low methane yield and slow methanogenesis limit its broad application.In this study,the NiFe_(2)O_(4)nanoparticles(NPs)were fabricated and applied as a conductive material to enhance the AD via promoting the direct interspecies electron transfer(DIET).The crystal structure,specific surface area,morphology and elemental composition of the as-prepared NiFe_(2)O_(4)NPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD),Brunauer-Emmett-Teller(BET),scanning electron microscopy(SEM)and energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS).The biochemical methane potential(BMP)test was performed(lasting for 35 days)to evaluate the energy recovery in AD with the addition of the NiFe_(2)O_(4)NPs.The results illustrate that NiFe_(2)O_(4)NPs could accelerate both the hydrolysis,acidogenesis and methanogenesis,i.e.,the cumulative methane production and daily methane yield increased from 96.76±1.70 mL/gVS and 8.24±1.26 mL gVS^(-1)d^(-1)in the absence of NiFe_(2)O_(4)NPs(Group A)to 123.69±3.20 mL/gVS and 9.71±0.77 mL gVS^(-1)d^(-1)in the presence of NiFe_(2)O_(4)NPs(Group B).The model simulation results showed that both the first-order kinetic model and the modified Gompertz model can well simulate the experimental results.The hydrolysis rate constant k increased from 0.04±0.01 d^(-1)in Group A to 0.06±0.01 d^(-1)in Group B.And the maximum methane production potential and activity were both improved after adding NiFe_(2)O_(4).The microbial community analysis revealed that the microorganisms associated with hydrolysis and acidogenesis were more abundant in the presence of NiFe_(2)O_(4).And the methanogenic archaea were enriched to a larger extent,resulted in the higher methanogenesis activities via dosing NiFe_(2)O_(4).

High rate production of concentrated sulfides from metal bearing wastewater in an expanded bed hydrogenotrophic sulfate reducing bioreactor

Metallurgical wastewaters contain high concentrations of sulfate,up to 15 g L^(-1).Sulfate-reducing bioreactors are employed to treat these wastewaters,reducing sulfates to sulfides which subsequently coprecipitate metals.Sulfate loading and reduction rates are typically restricted by the total H2S concentration.Sulfide stripping,sulfide precipitation and dilution are the main strategies employed to minimize inhibition by H2S,but can be adversely compromised by suboptimal sulfate reduction,clogging and additional energy costs.Here,metallurgical wastewater was treated for over 250 days using two hydrogenotrophic granular activated carbon expanded bed bioreactors without additional removal of sulfides.H2S toxicity was minimized by operating at pH 8±0.15,resulting in an average sulfate removal of 7.08±0.08 g L^(-1),sulfide concentrations of 2.1±0.2 g L^(-1) and peaks up to 2.3±0.2 g L^(-1).A sulfate reduction rate of 20.6±0.9 g L^(-1)d^(-1) was achieved,with maxima up to 27.2 g L^(-1)d^(-1),which is among the highest reported considering a literature review of 39 studies.The rates reported here are 6e8 times higher than those reported for other reactors without active sulfide removal and the only reported for expanded bed sulfate-reducing bioreactors using H2.By increasing the influent sulfate concentration and maintaining high sulfide concentrations,sulfate reducers were promoted while fermenters and methanogens were suppressed.Industrial wastewater containing 4.4 g L^(-1) sulfate,0.036 g L^(-1) nitrate and various metals(As,Fe,Tl,Zn,Ni,Sb,Co and Cd)was successfully treated with all metal(loid)s,nitrates and sulfates removed below discharge limits.