Characterization of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) fractions produced by Microcystis aeruginosa under the stress of linoleic acid sustained-release microspheres

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This paper focuses on the characterization of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), which are composed of soluble EPS (SL-EPS), loosely bound EPS...     

Quantification of the interactions between Ca,Hg and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of sludge

The interactions between metals (Ca²⁺ and Hg²⁺) and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) extracted from the aerobic and anaerobic sludge in wastewater treatment reactors were investigated using a combination of zeta potential measurement and 3-dimensional excitation–emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy with parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis. Results show that Ca²⁺ had no substantial effects on the EEM fluorescence spectra of the EPS, but their zeta potentials increased with the increasing Ca²⁺ dosage. However, Hg²⁺ had a significant effect on the EEM fluorescence spectra of the EPS, while their zeta potentials seemed not to be affected by the dose of Hg²⁺. The interactions between Hg²⁺ and EPS were elucidated using the fluorescence quenching with PARAFAC analysis, while the interactions between Ca²⁺ and EPS were evaluated by the zeta potential technique. The binding constants for Hg²⁺ and EPS were two orders of magnitude higher than those for Ca²⁺ and EPS, suggesting that the binding mechanisms between Ca²⁺ and EPS were different from those between Hg²⁺ and EPS. The results might be useful for understanding the roles of EPS in bacterial self-protection against heavy metals and the aggregate formation mechanisms through ionic bridging interactions.     

广玉兰、龙爪槐和黄杨化感物质对铜绿微囊藻生长的抑制

针对水华的主要物种——铜绿微囊藻,初步测定了60种植物的浸提液对其细胞增殖的抑制率。结果表明,8种植物的浸提液对铜绿微囊藻生长的抑制率达到90%以上。其中,广玉兰、龙爪槐和黄杨叶片浸提液对铜绿微囊藻生长的抑制率分别达到97.4%、95.6%和91.2%。通过计算得到培养7d后广玉兰、龙爪槐和黄杨的50%抑制效应质量浓度(EC50)分别为0.52、1.04、5.87g/L,而90%抑制效应质量浓度(EC90)分别为3.79、6.45、9.09g/L。首次发现此3种植物浸提液中富含能抑制铜绿微囊藻细胞增殖的化学物质,可以作为抑藻化感物质的一个重要来源。根据EC50和EC90对培养时间的拟合方程判断,广玉兰和龙爪槐浸提液对铜绿微囊藻的抑制效果较黄杨浸提液更为长效,且由于其抑制效果优于农作物秸秆,具有进一步研究的价值。     

Relationship between chromium(VI) resistance and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) concentration by some cyanobacterial isolates

BACKGROUND, AIM, AND SCOPE: Chromium(VI) resistance and its association with extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) concentration in cyanobacteria was investigated. Increased EPS concentration was associated with Cr(VI) resistance. The most resistant isolate, Chroococcus sp. H(4), secreted the most EPS (427 mg/L). MATERIALS AND METHODS: EPS concentration of the two most resistant isolates (Chroococcus sp. H(4) and Synechocystis sp. S(63)) was investigated following exposure to 15 and 35 ppm Cr(VI). The composition of EPS produced by Chroococcus sp. H(4) following exposure to 10 ppm Cr(VI) was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. Control EPS was composed of glucose (99%) and galactronic acid (1%); in the presence of 10 ppm Cr(VI), EPS composition changed to glucose (9%), xylose (75%), rhamnose (14%), and galacturonic acid (2%). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Results indicated that (1) exposure to elevated concentrations of Cr(VI) affected the composition of EPS produced by Chroococcus sp. H(4), and (2) there was a correlation between Cr(VI) resistance and EPS concentration in some cyanobacteria.     

Influence of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on Cd adsorption by bacteria

The role of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in Cd adsorption by Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas putida was investigated using a combination of batch adsorption experiments, potentiometric titrations, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). An increased adsorption capacity of Cd was observed for untreated bacteria relative to that for EPS-free bacteria. Surface complexation modeling of titration data showed the similar pK_a values of functional groups (carboxyl, phosphate and hydroxyl) between untreated and EPS-free bacteria. However, site concentrations on the untreated bacteria were found to be higher than those on the EPS-free bacteria. FTIR spectra also showed that no significant difference in peak positions was observed between untreated and EPS-free bacteria and carboxyl and phosphate groups were responsible for Cd adsorption on bacterial cells. The information obtained in this study is of fundamental significance for understanding the interaction mechanisms between heavy metals and biofilms in natural environments.     

活性污泥胞外聚合物提取方法优化

试验对比了不同离子交换树脂(CER)含量和pH条件下胞外聚合物(EPS)的提取效果差异。结果表明,EPS各组分提取浓度均随离子交换树脂用量增加而增加,但各组分趋势不同。TOC的最佳树脂剂量为100 g CER/g VSS,而蛋白质、多糖和DNA的最佳树脂剂量约为70 g CER/g VSS。pH值对TOC、DNA和多糖的提取浓度影响较小,但对蛋白质影响比较大。各提取条件下,EPS各组分提取浓度随时间的变化过程可以分为平稳增长期、快速增长期及稳定期。     

Influences of influent carbon source on extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and physicochemical properties of activated sludge

It is necessary to understand the bioflocculation, settling and dewatering characteristics in the activated sludge process in order to establish more efficient operational strategies. The influences of carbon source on the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and flocculation, settling and dewatering properties of the activated sludge were investigated. Laboratory-scale completely mixed activated sludge processes were used to grow the activated sludge with different carbon sources of starch, glucose and sodium acetate. The sludge fed with acetate had highest loosely bound EPS (LB-EPS) and that fed with starch lowest. The amount of tightly bound EPS (TB-EPS), protein content in LB-EPS, polysaccharide content and protein contents in TB-EPS, were independent of the influent carbon source. The polysaccharide content in LB-EPS of the activated sludge fed with sodium acetate was lower slightly than those of starch and glucose. The sludge also had a nearly consistent flocs size and the sludge volume index (SVI) value. ESS content of the sludge fed with sodium acetate was higher initially, although it was similar to those fed with glucose and starch finally. However, the specific resistance to filtration and normalized capillary suction time fluctuated first, but finally were stable at around 5.0 × 10⁸ m kg⁻¹ and 3.5 s L g⁻¹ SS, respectively. Only the protein content in LB-EPS weakly correlated with the flocs size and SVI of the activated sludge. But there was no correlation between any other EPS contents or components and the physicochemical properties of the activated sludge.     

Function of bacterial cells and their exuded extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in virus removal by red soils

The potential influence of autochthonous microorganisms on virus fate in soil is usually determined through extreme conditions of sterilization vs. nonsterilization; however, the relative importance of microbial cells and their exudates remains unclear. In this study, bacterial cells (cell) were harvested, and their exuded extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) were extracted from three strains of bacteria, namely, Gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas aeruginosa as well as Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis. This study aimed to evaluate virus removal in solutions in the presence of cell, EPS, and their combination (cell/EPS), as well as to investigate how their presence affects virus removal efficiencies by four red soils based on batch experiments. Results showed that virus removal percentage in solutions ranged from 11 to 23 in the presence of cells only and from 12 to 15 in the presence of EPS only. The removal percentage in the combined cell/EPS treatment can be estimated by summing the results achieved by the cell and EPS treatments, separately. Meanwhile, cell presence had a negligible effect on virus removal by red soils. EPS and combined cell/EPS significantly reduced virus removal by 20 to 69 % and 16 to 50 %, respectively, which indicated that EPS served a dominant function in reducing virus removal. This study clearly demonstrated that the prediction of virus removal by red soils must consider the effect of bacteria, especially those producing large quantities of EPS, which can be responsible for the underestimation of viral load in certain studies.     

Interaction of erythromycin ethylsuccinate and acetaminophen with protein fraction of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from various bacterial aggregates

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are, along with microbial cells, the main components of the biological sludges used in wastewater treatment and natural biofilms. EPS play a major role in removing pollutants from water by means of sorption. The ability of soluble EPS (S-EPS) and bound EPS (B-EPS) derived from various bacterial aggregates (flocs, granules, biofilms) to bind at pH 7.0?±?0.1 to two pharmaceutical substances, acetaminophen (ACE) and erythromycin ethylsuccinate (ERY), has been investigated using the fluorescence quenching method. Two intense fluorescence peaks, A (Ex/Em range, 200–250/275–380 nm) and B (Ex/Em range, 260–320/275–360 nm), corresponding respectively to the aromatic protein region and soluble microbial by-product-like region, were identified in a three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix of EPS samples. The fluorescence peak, which corresponds to humic-like substances, was also identified though at low intensity. The ability of EPS to bind ACE was found to exceed that for ERY. The aromatic protein fraction of EPS displays a slightly higher affinity for drugs than that shown by the soluble microbial by-product-like fraction. The S-EPS and B-EPS present the same affinity for ACE and ERY. The effective quenching constants (log K) derived from the Stern–Volmer Equation equaled at peak A (with S-EPS): 3.7?±?0.2 to 4.0?±?0.1 for ACE and 2.1?±?0.3 to 2.7?±?0.1 for ERY. With B-EPS, these values were 3.9?±?0.1 to 4.0?±?0.1 for ACE and 2.0?±?0.2 to 2.6?±?0.1 for ERY. Our results suggest that the weaker EPS affinity for ERY than for ACE serves to partially explain why only about 50–80 % of ERY is removed from wastewater at the treatment plant. Moreover, this work demonstrates that EPS from natural river biofilms are able to bind drugs, which in turn may limit the mobility of drugs in natural waters.     

The effect of continuous exposure of copper on the properties and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of bulking activated sludge

Introduction  

This study investigated the effect of copper on chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency and on the properties (mainly settling and dewatering) and the composition of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) when 20 mg/L Cu(II) was continuously dosed to a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) inoculated with activated sludge.     

Response of extracellular and intracellular alkaline phosphatase in Microcystis aeruginosa to organic phosphorus

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Cyanobacterial blooms caused by Microcystis have become a menace to public health and water quality in the global freshwater ecosystem. Alkaline...     

膜生物反应器中EPS对污泥絮体形成的影响及其膜污染特性研究

为了给减缓膜生物反应器(MBR)膜污染提供新思路,对MBR中EPS各组分对污泥聚集性能的影响及其膜污染特性进行研究。通过分析MBR中污泥的聚集性,发现原始污泥的聚集速率常数为0.0151,提取EPS后污泥的聚集速率常数为0.00181,由此可以看出EPS在污泥聚集的过程中起重要作用。为了进一步明确EPS各组分对MBR中污泥聚集性能的影响,利用扩展的DLVO理论研究MBR中EPS及其各组分对污泥聚集性能的影响,发现MBR中EPS里粘液的二级能量最小值大约为-0.94 KT,松散型EPS(LB-EPS)为-2.98 KT,紧密型EPS(TB-EPS)为-3.87 KT,说明TB-EPS在污泥聚集的过程中起重要作用。进一步通过三维荧光光谱及EPS浓度分析,发现EPS各组分浓度及结构的不同导致EPS各组分对污泥聚集性起不同的作用。通过吸附实验、原子力显微镜观察发现EPS各组分的膜污染速率为:上清液 < 粘液 < LB-EPS < TB-EPS,由此,可以推测出减少粘液和LB-EPS含量可有效降低膜污染,同时对污泥絮体结构影响较小。     

胞外聚合物中蛋白质对好氧污泥颗粒化的影响

为确定胞外聚合物(EPS)中蛋白质(PN)对好氧颗粒污泥(AGS)形成的影响,研究了好氧污泥颗粒化过程,污泥EPS变化规律及其与污泥表面特性的相关性,分析了AGS和接种污泥EPS组分和相关官能团的差异并确定了EPS分布情况.结果 表明,在好氧污泥颗粒化期间,EPS中PN含量由13.98 mg·g-1增加到41.86 m...     

钙离子存在下胞外聚合物及其模拟溶液在膜污染中的差异

针对膜生物反应器膜污染的问题,为探究模拟物质替代实际物质的可行性,以胞外聚合物(EPS)及其模拟溶液(BSA+SA)为研究对象,对比了钙离子(Ca~(2+))存在下胞外聚合物及其模拟溶液在膜污染中的差异,考察了EPS-Ca~(2+)和BSA+SA-Ca~(2+)在粒径分布、官能团、流变特性和膜污染行为等方面的差异。结果表明:Ca~(2+)使得溶液粒径变大,且EPS-Ca~(2+)的平均粒径大于BSA+SA-Ca~(2+)的平均粒径;不同官能团与Ca~(2+)发生作用导致红外光谱中特征峰发生偏移;BSA+SA-Ca~(2+)水胶体系结构更稳定,随着应变的增大,胶体结构被破坏的程度较轻;在微滤过程中,相同操作条件下,BSA+SA-Ca~(2+)的膜污染现象更为严重。进一步采用Hermia过滤模型拟合发现,EPSCa~(2+)和BSA+SA-Ca~(2+)分别对中间堵塞模型和滤饼层过滤模型的拟合程度最高。上述结果可为膜污染过程中胞外聚合物及其膜污染机理研究提供参考。     

Lead and cadmium biosorption by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) extracted from activated sludges: pH-sorption edge tests and mathematical equilibrium modelling

The sorption of Cd and Pb by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) extracted from activated sludges originated from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) or Lab-scale bioreactors was investigated as a function of pH. The study was carried out using a polarographic method in the SMDE (stripping mercury dropping electrode) mode which is suited to determine labile metals in solution containing soluble ligands such as EPS. The results obtained provide evidence of the presence of a pH-sorption/desorption edge for Cd and Pb by EPS. The use of Kurbatov’s model gives information on the mechanisms involved through the determination of “relative complexation constants” (operationally defined) and the number of protons exchanged. The use of this model demonstrates that proton exchange with metals is not the only mechanism involved in metal biosorption by EPS. Other mechanisms such as cation exchange with Ca or Mg, global electric field surrounding the ligand or micro-precipitation of metals could be involved in metal sorption by EPS. The position of the pH-sorption edge curves and the “relative complexation constants” show that Pb displays a greater affinity for EPS than Cd. The studied EPS have large differences regarding binding strength of Cd and Pb. These differences are not correlated with the organic parameters measured to characterize the EPS, however the mineral fraction of the EPS could be involved to a large extent in the sorption of metal.     

铜绿微囊藻的胞外有机物对不同混凝剂除藻效果的影响

为了保证水厂在高藻条件下的安全清洁供水,以分布较为广泛的铜绿微囊藻(Microcystis aeruginosa)为研究对象,采用2种铝系混凝剂AlCl3和聚合氯化铝(polyaluminum chloride,PACl)进行烧杯混凝实验,考察混凝过程中铝形态对除藻的影响,分析铜绿微囊藻的胞外有机物(extracellular organic matters,EOM)对藻去除的影响机制。结果表明:在PACl浓度为0.04 mmol·L~(-1)时,对藻细胞及浊度的去除率均为90%,而AlCl_3摩尔浓度为0.08 mmol·L~(-1)时,藻细胞及浊度去除率才达到90%;在制备PAC时,会水解产生大量中等聚合形态、性质稳定的Alb,在弱酸性到弱碱性的范围(pH为6～8)内,Alb对藻细胞去除率均可达到95%以上;而AlCl_3只有在比较窄的pH范围内形成原位Al_b,AlCl_3只能在较窄的pH范围内(pH为6～6.5)保持95%藻细胞去除率。与AlCl_3相比,PACl可去除更多表观分子质量为200～300 Da的胞外聚合物,同时PACl混凝后得到的絮体密实度大于AlCl_3。以上结果为研究铝系混凝剂强化去除藻的胞外有机物提供了参考。     

Copper (II) adsorption by the extracellular polymeric substance extracted from waste activated sludge after short-time aerobic digestion

The extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) extracted from waste activated sludge (WAS) after short-time aerobic digestion was investigated to be used as a novel biosorbent for Cu²⁺ removal from water. The EPS consisted of protein (52.6 %, w/w), polysaccharide (30.7 %, w/w), and nucleic acid (16.7 %, w/w). Short-time aerobic digestion process of WAS for about 4 h promoted the productivity growth of the EPS for about 10 %. With a molecular weight of about 1.9?×?10⁶ Da, the EPS showed a linear structure with long chains, and contained carboxyl, hydroxyl, and amino groups. The sorption kinetics was well fit for the pseudo-second-order model, and the maximum sorption capacity of the EPS (700.3 mg Cu²⁺/g EPS) was markedly greater than those of the reported biosorbents. Both Langmuir model and Freundlich model commendably described the sorption isotherm. The Gibbs free energy analysis of the adsorption showed that the sorption process was feasible and spontaneous. According to the complex results of multiple analytical techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, etc., the adsorption process took place via both physical and chemical sorption, but the electrostatic interaction between sorption sites with the functional groups and Cu²⁺ is the major mechanism.     

Interspecific competition between Microcystis aeruginosa and Chlamydomonas microsphaera stressed by tetracyclines

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The extensive use of tetracyclines in human and veterinary medicine causes contamination in the environment that could contribute to the spread of...     

Interspecific competition between Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii and Microcystis aeruginosa on different phosphorus substrates

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Phosphorus (P) is responsible for algal growth and the structural changes in algal communities. Therefore, it is essential to know whether the...