Analysis of the Fertilizing and Bioremediation Potential of Leaf Litter Compost Amendment in Different Soils through Indexing Method

This research study explored the efficacy of leaf litter compost as a sustainable soil amendment with the objective of promoting soil health and mitigating the accumulation of potentially toxic elements. The investigation encompassed the impact of various organic compost amendments, including leaf compost, cow dung manure, kitchen waste compost, municipal organic waste compost, and vermicompost. The study employed Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) to evaluate soil nutrient levels and concentrations of Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) such as arsenic, chromium, cadmium, mercury, lead, nickel, and lithium. The fertilization and bioremediation potential of these compost amendments are quantified using an indexing method. Results indicated a substantial increase in overall nutrient levels (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur) in soils treated with leaf compost and other organic composts. Fertility indices (FI) are notably higher in compost-amended soils (ranging from 2.667 to 3.938) compared to those amended with chemical fertilizers (ranging from 2.250 to 2.813) across all soil samples. Furthermore, the mean concentrations of PTEs were significantly lower in soils treated with leaf compost and other organic compost amendments compared to those treated with chemical fertilizers amendments. The assessment through the indexing method revealed a high clean index (CI) for leaf compost amendment (ranging from 3.407 to 3.58), whereas the chemical fertilizer amendment exhibits a relatively lower CI (ranging from 2.78 to 3.20). Consequently, leaf compost and other organic composts exhibit the potential to enhance sustainable productivity, promoting soil health and environmental safety by improving nutrient levels and remediating potentially toxic elements in the soil.

Applications of Microalgae in Five Areas of Biotechnology

Microalgae are mostly photoautotrophic microscopic organisms.According to their cellular structure,they are classified into two types,eukaryotes,and prokaryotes,and they are distributed in all types of ecosystems,presenting unique qualities due to the fact that they synthesize high value-added molecules used in various productive and environmental activities,and because their biomass is used as raw material to obtain various products.Therefore,the objective of this review was to collect,organize,and collate current information on the use of microalgae in the development of biotechnology involving the areas of agriculture,health,food,bioremediation,and biofuels.The results show that the microalga Chlorella stands out for its multiple uses in the five areas considered in this study.The search for healthier and more environmentally friendly technologies has contributed to the development of new biotechnological applications that require the study and incorporation of specialized microorganisms to replace and/or improve existing applications.

Evaluation of the Bioremediation Potential and Antimicrobial Activity of Pseudomonas and Bacillus Bacteria Isolated from Landfills in Brazzaville, Congo

The pollution of ecosystems as a result of urbanization, industrialization and poor agricultural practices is becoming increasingly alarming. This has a major impact on health and the economy. This pollution causes illness in humans and animals, even at low levels of exposure, leading to endocrine disorders, congenital malformations, cardiovascular disease, nervous system damage and cancer. They are a brake on redevelopment because of the threats they pose, generally causing an anaerobic environment by blocking the diffusion of air into the soil pores, thus affecting the microbial communities living there and preventing the infiltration of water necessary for plant growth. In an ecosystem subjected to various disturbances, changes can be observed in ecosystem structure and function, including loss of aesthetic values, changes in biomass or productivity, and changes in species composition. These include loss of aesthetic values, changes in biomass or productivity, and altered species composition, as a result of habitat loss, disruption of food webs and variations in macro- and micro-climatic environmental conditions. Respect for the environment is becoming a major concern in today’s society. To remedy this, the concept of biological control was used as an alternative, with the selection of microorganisms of bioremediator interest. Twenty (20) isolates, including 10 (50%) from the Pseudomonas genus and 10 (50%) from the Bacillus genus, were isolated from landfills, identified and tested to assess their biofertilization (phosphate solubilization) and depollution (hydrocarbon degradation) potential, and to inhibit the growth of certain microorganisms. The results showed that all Pseudomonas and Bacillus isolates solubilized inorganic phosphate, although this activity was higher in Bacillus. All Bacillus inhibited the growth of all the pathogens included in this study, while Pseudomonas only inhibited the growth of E. coli. With regard to their ability to degrade hydrocarbons, these bacteria all showed exponential growth kinetics in the presence of gasoline. These kinetics evolved as a function of the number of days. The results obtained from this work leave no doubt as to the capacity of microorganisms to be used on a large scale as soil biofertilizers to restore soil integrity and promote sustainable agriculture, but also as biodepollutants to purify ecosystems.

Growth indices of seeds(maize and cowpea)grown in heavy metal contaminated soil treated with ginger extract

The consumption of maize and cowpea in Africa and developing countries is high,owing to the fact that they are readily available,coupled the with nutritional benefits they provide.Growth loss has been seen in crops cultivated on heavy metal polluted soils as a consequence of alterations in physiological and biochemical processes.This study was aimed at assessing the growth indices of seeds(maize and cowpea)grown on heavy metal contaminated soil treated with ginger extracts.The study adopted a Complete Randomized Design(CRD)in which growth indices of either maize or cowpea were examined from each crop type grown on soil without any pollutant or treatment and soils with metal pollutants;with or without treatment with ginger extracts in the individual experiments.Data were analyzed using ANOVA.The results showed that ginger extract induced oxidative stress on cowpea after 10 days of cultivation with root length significantly(P≤0.05)higher on the normal control-G-M and+L-G which recorded 7.60 and 7.3 cm respectively.Patterns of growth indices noticed after 30 and 40 days of cowpea cultivation were variable showing least growth in leaf development.Highest maize root(27.00 cm),shoot(8.85 cm)and leaf(25.25 cm)development were recorded in maize grown on soil without metal contamination but treated with ginger(+G-M-positive control)after days 10,40 and 40 after cultivation.It was observed that the soil contaminated with heavy metals affected the growth pattern of the crops thereby causing stunted growth,chlorosis,discoloration and wilting.It could be concluded that cowpea performed better in shoot of both treated and untreated soils even though the values were not significantly different from that of root and leaf while maize showed a decrease in shoot even though the values for root and leaf were not significantly different.

Kinetics of Bioremediation of Oil Contaminated Water Dispersed by Environment-Friendly Bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Fungi (Aspergillus niger)

The comparative effectiveness of remediating water polluted with crude oil, using environment-friendly bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and fungi (Aspergillus niger) were investigated. The samples were separately treated with Aspergillus niger and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The bioremediation kinetic efficiency for these systems was studied. At the end of the bioremediation periods, the oil and grease content of the samples decreased from 47.0 mg/L in the untreated sample to 7.0 mg/L after 20 days when inoculated with bacteria while the sample inoculated with fungi decreased to 10.0 mg/L. Post analysis when inoculated with bacteria showed a fall in the value of the biological oxygen demand (BOD) from 73.84 mg/L to 33.28 mg/L after 20 days, while, the fungi inoculated sample showed a reduction from 73.84 mg/L to 38.48 mg/L. The biodegradation process with the bacteria was consistent with the pseudo-first-order model with a rate constant of 0.0891 day-1, while the biodegradation process with the fungi was consistent with the first order reaction model with a rate constant of 0.422 day-1. The degree of degradation after the 20th day of inoculation with Pseudomonas aeruginosa was 85.11%, while with Aspergillus niger was 78.72%. Thus, the results obtained showed that, Pseudomonas aeruginosa performed better than Aspergillus niger. The bioremediation data with fungi fitted the first-order model, while that of the bacteria fitted the pseudo-first-order model. Therefore, the data obtained in this study could be applied in the design of a bioremediation system for potential application to remediation of crude oil polluted water.

Laboratory Design Criteria for Monitoring Biostimulated Bioremediation of a Crude Oil Contaminated Soil in Niger Delta Using Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon

The remediation of crude oil-impacted soil has always been a challenge in different soil environments and climatic conditions. Bioremediation technology has offered a breakthrough in restoring crude oil-impacted soil/sediment in muddy, dry soil and wetlands. Though, there have been varied environmental conditions that have hampered the success of the bioremediation process. This study has evaluated the effectiveness of a biostimulated bioremediation of crude oil-impacted soil using some design criteria—nutrient amendment (NPK fertilizer) and moisture content. Soil sample sets—A, B, C, D, E, F, and G were impacted with crude oil at a ratio of 10 g/kg and amended with varying amounts of nutrient 30, 60, and 80 g of N.P.K fertilizer. The medium for the inoculation of the nutrient was water and the volume of water applied varied from 30% to 80% saturation. The soil sample sets were harvested at an interval of 3 months for 180 days to determine the concentration of total petroleum hydrocarbon left in the soil. The analysis of the total petroleum hydrocarbon was achieved using a GC-FID with a capillary column and autosampler. Soil samples were extracted with mixed solvent dichloromethane and acetone at a 1:1 ratio. The total petroleum hydrocarbon results show that biostimulated bioremediation achieved better results in soil sample sets with low moisture content (30% water saturation) and moderate nutrient amendment. The biodegradation of the sample sets with high water saturation and a high nutrient amendment was slow with a higher amount of total hydrocarbon content at the end of the 180 days. The variability in the hydrocarbon degradation pattern of contaminated soil shows that biostimulated bioremediation achieved better results in soils with low moisture content than in soil environments with high water content (saturation). More so, nutrient overdosing of the substrate hampered the effectiveness of the remediation process.

Integrated bioremediation techniques in a shrimp farming environment under controlled conditions

This study investigated the integrated bioremediation techniques for a shrimp culture system to reduce unconsumed feed and the contents of suspended solids（SS）, nutrients and organic pollutants using barracuda,clamworm, scallop, large algae and a biofilter. A multi-pool internal circulation system was designed to test the effectiveness of the techniques in the laboratory. The experimental result has shown that Argopecten irradians,Gracilaria lemaneiformis and the biofilter efficiently reduced the contents of SS, dissolved inorganic carbon（DIC）and dissolved organic carbon（DOC） in the breeding wastewater. The amount of unconsumed feed was significantly reduced by barracuda and clamworm, but there was an increase in the contents of SS, DIC and DOC in the water due to disturbance by the barracuda and clamworm. The capacity of macroalgae to extract inorganic nitrogen was insufficient. However, the balance of the nitrogen fixation rate of macroalgae and the biological exhaust nitrogen rate within the system should be fully considered. The use of the biofilter alone was not optimal for the remediation of organic matter in shrimp effluent so that auxiliary foam separation technology is needed to improve the ability of the system to remove macromolecules. This study provides a basis for the further development of remediation techniques to reduce the environmental impact of shrimp aquaculture.

Status quo of soil petroleum contamination and evolution of bioremediation

Along with the rapid development of oil industries internationally,petroleum prospecting and exploitation activities are growing intensively.Especially in China,with the fastest economic growth in the world and shortage of petroleum resources,we are leading the practices of petroleum deep exploitation.Obviously,the risk of damage to the natural environment from these activities is high.Oil contamination in soils and groundwater is becoming a big issue along with pesticide pollution,which makes organic pollution prevention and control （OPPC） much more complex.In this paper,based on recent research on oil-contaminated soil at home and abroad,we make comments on the remediation technologies for polluted soil,emphasizing bioremediation techniques and degradation mechanisms in order to push forward research into bound organic pollution prevention and control （OPPC）,especially in China.

Isolation and characterization of atrazine-degrading Arthrobacter sp. AD26 and use of this strain in bioremediation of contaminated soil

A bacterial strain (AD26) capable of utilizing atrazine as a sole nitrogen source for growth was isolated from an industrial wastewater sample by enrichment culture. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified AD26 as an Arthrobacter sp. PCR assays indicated that AD26 contained atrazine-degrading genes trzN and atzBC. The trzN gene of AD26 only differs from the trzN of Arthrobacter aurescens TC1 by one base (A→T at 907) and one amino acid (Met→Leu at 303). The specific activity of trzN of AD26 in crude cell ext...

Isolation of Cr(Ⅵ) reducing bacteria from industrial effuents and their potential use in bioremediation of chromium containing wastewater

The present study was aimed to assess the ability of Bacillus sp.JDM-2-1 and Staphylococcus capitis to reduce hexavalent chromium into its trivalent form.Bacillus sp.JDM-2-1 could tolerate Cr（Ⅵ）（4800 μg/mL） and S.capitis could tolerate Cr（Ⅵ）（2800 μg/mL）.Both organisms were able to resist Cd^2＋（50 μg/mL）,Cu^2＋（200 μg/mL）,Pb^2＋（800 μg/mL）,Hg^2＋（50 μg/mL） and Ni2＋（4000 μg/mL）.S.capitis resisted Zn^2＋ at 700 μg/mL while Bacillus sp.JDM-2-1 only showed resistance up to 50 μg/mL.Bacillus sp.JDM-2-1 and S.capitis showed optimum growth at pH 6 and 7,respectively,while both bacteria showed optimum growth at 37°C.Bacillus sp.JDM-2-1 and S.capitis could reduce 85% and 81% of hexavalent chromium from the medium after 96 h and were also capable of reducing hexavalent chromium 86% and 89%,respectively,from the industrial effuents after 144 h.Cell free extracts of Bacillus sp.JDM-2-1 and S.capitis showed reduction of 83% and 70% at concentration of 10 μg Cr（Ⅵ）/mL,respectively.The presence of an induced protein having molecular weight around 25 kDa in the presence of chromium points out a possible role of this protein in chromium reduction.The bacterial isolates can be exploited for the bioremediation of hexavalent chromium containing wastes,since they seem to have a potential to reduce the toxic hexavalent form to its nontoxic trivalent form.

Microbial changes in rhizospheric soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons after bioremediation

Effects of bioremediation on microbial communities in soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons are a scientific problem to be solved. Changes in dominate microbial species and the total amount of microorganisms including bacteria and fungi in rhizospheric soils after bioremediation were thus evaluated using field bioremediation experiments. The results showed that there were changed dominant microorganisms including 11 bacterial strains which are mostly Gram positive bacteria and 6 fungal species which were identified. The total amount of microorganisms including bacteria and fungi increased after bioremediation of microbial agents combined with planting maize. On the contrary, fungi in rhizospheric soils were inhibited by adding microbial agents combined with planting soybean.

Effects of combination of plant and microorganism on degradation of simazine in soil

The degradative characteristics of simazine （SIM）, microbial biomass carbon, plate counts of heterotrophic bacteria and most probably number （MPN） of SIM degraders in uninoculated non-rhizosphere soil, uninoculated rhizosphere soil, inoculated non- rhizosphere soil, and inoculated rhizosphere soil were measured. At the initial concentration of 20 mg SIM/kg soil, the half-lives of SIM in the four treated soils were measured to be 73.0, 52.9, 16.9, and 7.8 d, respectively, and corresponding kinetic data fitted first-order kinetics. The experimental results indicated that higher degradation rates of SIM were observed in rhizosphere soils, especially in inoculated rhizosphere soil. The degradative characteristics of SIM were closely related to microbial process. Vegetation could enhance the magnitude of rhizosphere microbial communities, microbial biomass content, and heterotrophic bacterial community, but did little to influence those community components responsible for SIM degradation. This suggested that rhizosphere soil inoculated with microorganisms-degrading target herbicides was a useful pathway to achieve rapid degradation of the herbicides in soil.

Effects of nitrate concentration in interstitial water on the bioremediation of simulated oil-polluted shorelines

Nutrient addition has been proved to be an effective strategy to enhance oil biodegradation in marine shorelines. To determine the optimal range of nutrient concentrations in the bioremediation of oil-polluted beaches, nitrate was added to the simulated shoreline models in the initial concentration of 1, 5 and 10 mg/L. Whenever the NO3-N concentration declined to 70% of its original value, additional nutrients were supplemented to maintain a certain range. Results showed adding nutrients increased the oil biodegradation level, the counts of petroleum degrading bacteria （PDB） and heterotrophic bacteria （HB）, and the promoted efficiency varied depending on the concentration of nitrate. Oil degradation level in 5 mg/L （NO3-N） group reached as much as 84.3% accompanied with the consistently highest counts of PDB; while in l mg/L group oil removal efficiency was only 35.2%, and the numbers of PDB and HB were relatively low compared to the other groups supplemented with nutrients. Although counts of HB in the 10 mg/L group were remarkable, lower counts of PDB resulted in poorer oil removal efficiency （70.5%） compared to 5 mg/L group. Furthermore, it would need more NO3-N （0.371 mg） to degrade 1 mg diesel oil in the 10 mg/L group than in the 5 mg/L group （0.197 mg）. In conclusion, Nitrate concentration in 5 mg/L is superior to l and 10 mg/L in the enhancement of diesel oil biodegradation in simulated shorelines.

Isolation and Characteristics of a Microbial Consortium for Effectively Degrading Phenanthrene

A microbial consortium （named W4） capable of aerobic biodegradation of solid phenanthrene as the sole source of carbon and energy was isolated by selective enrichment from petroleum-contaminated soil in the Henan oilfield, China. The strains of the consortium were identified as Sphingomonas cloacae, Rhizobium sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Achromobacter xylosoxidans respectively by means of genetic methods. The major metabolites of phenanthrene were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC-MS）. The biodegradation percentage of solid phenanthrene at 200 mg/L in liquid medium after 7 days of growth was greater than 99%. The degradation of phenanthrene was compared between individual predominant strains and the microbial consortium in different treatment processes. The microbial consortium showed a significant improvement of phenanthrene degradation rates in either static or shaking culture. The degradation percentage of phenanthrene by the consortium W4 decreased to some degree when C 16 coexisted, however it was hardly affected by C30. Furthermore, the ability of consortium W4 to remediate oil sludge from the Dagang oil refinery was studied by composting, and it was found that the consortium W4 could obviously remove polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons （PAils） and paraffinic hydrocarbons. All the results indicated that the microbial consortium W4 had a promising application in bioremediation of oil-contaminated environments and could be potentially used in microbial enhanced oil recovery （MEOR）.

Characterization of recuperating talent of white-rot fungi cells to dye-contaminated soil/water

This study was purposed to explore the decolorization of dyes by fungi on either a soil or in a liquid medium and to determine the application through batch shaking system. Two commercial dyes were decolorized and studied with four fungal strains in three media. Fungal growth is the best in malt extract/glucose medium for all organisms. Decolorization of reactive blue 220 and methyl red was investigated in soil medium by Trametes versicolor. These dyes were removed 91% and 80% for methyl red and reactive blue 220 respectively(dye concentration; 100 mg·L^(-1)) by both organisms. Enzymatic activities were monitored. Laccase(Lac) and manganese peroxidase(Mn P) were detected. MnP enzyme had important role for the dye decolorization. This study demonstrates that it is possible to decolorize some synthetic dyes, which would be highly advanced for dye containing wastewater and soil. These applications could be used for dye bioremediation.

Combination of a crude oil-degrading bacterial consortium under the guidance of strain tolerance and a pilot-scale degradation test

Under the guidance of strain tolerance, a new combination method for crude oil-degrading bacterial consortium was studied. Firstly, more than 50 efficient crude oil-degrading and biosurfactant producing bacteria were isolated from petroleum-contaminated soil and water in Tianjin Binhai New Area Oilfield, China. Twenty-four of them were selected for further study. These strains were identified as belonging Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Brevibacillus brevis, Achromobacter sp., Acinetobacter venetianus, Lysinibacillus macroides, Klebsiella oxytoca, Stenotrophomonas rhizophila, Rhodococcus sp. and Bacillus thuringiensis. A shake-flask degradation test revealed that 12 of these strains could degrade over 50% of 1% crude oil concentration in 7 d. Of these, 8 strains were able to produce biosurfactants. Furthermore, environmental tolerance experiments indicated that the majority of the strains had the ability to adapt to extreme environments including high temperatures, alkaline environments and high salinity environments. A mixed bacterial agent comprising the strains WB2, W2, W3 and HA was developed based on the environmental tolerance tests and subjected to the pilot-scale degradation test indicating that this bacterial agent could degrade 85.2% of 0.8% crude oil concentration in 60 d. Our results suggest that the application of this mixed agent could remediate crude oil polluted soils in saline and alkaline environments.

Bioremediation of lead by lead-resistant microorganisms, isolated from industrial sample

Lead contamination in water is a widespread problem throughout the world and results from industrial use and processing of lead ore. Bio-availability of lead can be hazardous for children and causes mental retardation. The use of lead free petrol is one measure to check this pollution, but this heavy metal is also present in industrial effluents and need to be removed before these effluents are discharged to natural land or water and as well as to the environment. Using bioremediation, bacteria could render lead non-bioavailable would provide an alternative option for detoxifying this contaminant in the environment. The property of some species of bacteria and algae, to extract metals from their surroundings, has been utilized to purify industrial effluents. The first step in devising a bioremediation strategy is to identify candidate bacterial strains capable of modifying the contaminant. Biotechnological approaches are recommended for extraction of metal forms can be grown in ponds where effluents (rich in heavy metals) are discharged. The microbes will extract the heavy metals and sequester them inside their cell membranes. The goal of the present study was to examine the capacity of lead resistant bacteria and bioremediation of lead contaminated water.

Assessment of Heavy Metals in Grain Fields with Long-term Treatment of Agrochemicals and Organic Manure in Hailun City of Northeast China

Heavy metals were evaluated in the soils of grain fields in Hailun City Experimental Research Station-Chinese Academy of Sciences （CAS）. Four categories of the soil samples were chosen from the fields after 19 years of treatment with chemicals, no fertilizer, organic manure, and organic manure combined with chemical fertilizer. The study revealed a prevalence of significantly high concentrations of Cu, Zn and Pb in organic manure combined with chemical fertilizer in the grain fields of black soils. The concentrations of Cu and Zn in no fertilizer treatment, chemical treatment, and organic treatment also exceeded the permissible limits However, the concentrations of rig and As were found to be within the safe limits in all treatments.

Hydrocarbon-Degrading Bacteria and Paraffin from Polluted Seashores 9 Years after the Nakhodka Oil Spill in the Sea of Japan

Pollution of petroleum hydrocarbons, in particular oil spills, has attracted much attention in the past and recent decades. Oil spills influence natural microbial community, and physical and chemical properties of the affected sites. The biodegradation of hydrocarbons by microorganisms is one of the primary ways by which oil spill is eliminated from contaminated sites. One such spill was that of the Russian tanker the Nakhodka that spilled heavy oil into the Sea of Japan on January 2, 1997. The impact of the Nakhodka oil spill resulted in a viscous sticky fluid fouling the shores and affected natural ecosystems. This paper describes the weathering of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria （genus Pseudomonas） and crystallized organic compounds from the Nakhodka oil spill-polluted seashores after nine years. The Nakhodka oil has hardened and formed crust of crystalline paraffin wax as shown by XRD analysis （0.422, 0.377, and 0.250 nm d-spacing） in association with graphite and calcite after 9 years of bioremediation. Anaerobic reverse side of the oil crust contained numerous coccus typed bacteria associated with halite. The finding of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria and paraffin wax in the oil crust may have a significant effect on the weathering processes of the Nakhodka oil spill during the 9- year bioremediation.

Distribution and controlling factors of phytoplankton assemblages associated with mariculture in an eutrophic enclosed bay in the East China Sea

The distribution of phytoplankton and its correlation with environmental factors were studied monthly during August 2012 to July 2013 in the Yantian Bay. A total of 147 taxa of phytoplankton were identified, and the average abundance was in the range of 0.57×10~4 to 7.73×10~4 cell/L. A total of 19 species dominated the phytoplankton assemblages, and several species that are widely reported to be responsible for microalgae blooms were the absolutely dominant species, such as Skeletonema costatum, Navicula sp., Thalassionema nitzschioides,Pleurosigma sp., and Licmophora abbreviata. The monthly variabilities in phytoplankton abundance could be explained by water temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, dissolved inorganic nitrogen（DIN）, and suspended solids. The results of a redundancy analysis showed that p H and nutrients, including DIN and silicate（SiO_4）, were the most important environmental factors controlling phytoplankton assemblages in specific months. It was found that nutrients and pH levels that were mainly influenced by mariculture played a vital role in influencing the variation of phytoplankton assemblages in the Yantian Bay. Thus, a reduction of mariculture activities would be an effective way to control microalgae blooms in an enclosed and intensively eutrophic bay.