Impacts of backwashing on micropollutant removal and associated microbial assembly processes in sand filters

● Backwashing in sand filters with 2-h and 4-h EBCTs was simulated. ● Removal efficiency of five micropollutants recovered within 2 d at 2-h EBCT. ● Active biomass of sand filters recovered within 2 d under two EBCTs. ● Microbial composition gradually recovered to pre-backwashing level at 2-h EBCT. ● Recovered microbes only accounted for 15.55 %–25.69 % in the sand filters at 4-h EBCT. Backwashing is crucial for preventing clogging of sand filters. However, few studies have investigated the effect of backwashing on micropollutant removal and the dynamic changes in the microbial community in sand filters. Here, we used a series of manganese and quartz sand filters under empty bed contact times (EBCTs) of 2 h and 4 h to explore variations in micropollutant degradation and temporal dynamics of the microbial community after backwashing. The results showed that the removal efficiencies of caffeine, sulfamethoxazole, sulfadiazine, trimethoprim, atrazine, and active biomass recovered within 2 d after backwashing in both types of sand filters at 2-h EBCT, but the recovery of sulfadiazine and trimethoprim was not observed at 4-h EBCT. Moreover, the removal efficiency of atenolol increased after backwashing in the manganese sand filters, whereas maintained almost complete removal efficiency in the quartz sand filters at both EBCTs. Pearson correlation analysis indicated that microbial community composition gradually recovered to the pre-backwashing level (R increased from 0.53 to 0.97) at 2-h EBCT, but shifted at 4-h EBCT (R < 0.25) after backwashing. Furthermore, the compositions of the recovered, depleted, and improved groups of microbes were distinguished by applying hierarchical clustering to the differentially abundant amplicon sequence variants. The cumulative relative abundance of recovered microbes at 2-h EBCT was 82.76 % ± 0.43 % and 46.82 % ± 4.34 % in the manganese and quartz sand filters, respectively. In contrast, at 4-h EBCT, the recovered microbes dropped to 15.55 %–25.69 % in both types of sand filters.     

Validation of Bacteroidales-based microbial source tracking markers for pig fecal pollution and their application in two rivers of North China

• Pig feces is the predominant excrement produced by animal husbandry in China. • The PF, Pig-1-Bac^TaqMan, and Pig-2-Bac^TaqMan MST assays showed better performance. • The pig-specific MST assays can contribute to managing the pig fecal pollution. In China, pig feces is the predominant source of excrement produced by animal husbandry. Improper use or direct discharge of pig feces can result in contamination of natural water systems. Microbial source tracking (MST) technology can identify the sources of fecal pollution in environmental water, and contribute to the management of pig fecal pollution by local environmental protection agencies. However, the accuracy of such assays can be context-dependent, and they have not been comprehensively evaluated under Chinese conditions. We aimed to compare the performance of five previously reported pig-specific MST assays (PF, Pig-Bac1^SYBR, Pig-Bac2^SYBR, Pig-1-Bac^TaqMan, and Pig-2-Bac^TaqMan, which are based on Bacteroidales 16S rRNA gene markers) and apply them in two rivers of North China. We collected a total of 173 fecal samples from pigs, cows, goats, chickens, humans, and horses across China. The PF assay optimized in this study showed outstanding qualitative performance and achieved 100% specificity and sensitivity. However, the two SYBR green qPCR assays (Pig-Bac1^SYBR and Pig-Bac2^SYBR) cross-reacted with most non-pig fecal samples. In contrast, both the Pig-1-Bac^TaqMan and Pig-2-Bac^TaqMan assays gave 100% specificity and sensitivity. Of these, the Pig-2-Bac^TaqMan assay showed higher reproducibility. Our results regarding the specificity of these pig-specific MST assays differ from those reported in Thailand, Japan, and America. Using the PF and Pig-2-Bac^TaqMan assays, a field test comparing the levels of pig fecal pollution in rivers near a pig farm before and after comprehensive environmental pollution governance indicated that pig fecal pollution was effectively controlled at this location.     

未消化生活污泥中氮磷供应特性及其环境行为

采用土柱模拟试验，比较了生活污泥和化肥在水－旱耕作制下氮磷的肥效及其对地下水的影响。结果表明，污泥氮磷生物有效性在当季虽比等量的化肥略低，但仍有较大的肥效，且较化肥后效显著，有利于后茬作物的稳健生长。种水稻施用污泥或化肥都未发现有氮磷下渗现象；旱作条件下施化肥和污泥会产生较多的硝酸盐，且极易向下层土壤移动，但污泥的影响程度远没有化肥的大。作者认为在供试条件下按作物对养分的需要来施用污泥，不会构成氮磷对地下水污染的威胁。     

Simultaneous removal of hydrogen sulfide and volatile organic sulfur compounds in off-gas mixture from a wastewater treatment plant using a two-stage bio-trickling filter system

A two-stage BTF system was established treating odorous off-gas mixture from a WWTP. The two-stage BTF system showed resistance for the lifting load of H₂S and VOSC. Miseq Illumina sequencing showed separated functional microbial community in BTFs. Avoiding H₂S inhibition and enhancement of VOSC degradation was achieved. Key control point was discussed to help industrial application of the system. Simultaneous removal of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) and volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs) in off-gas mixture from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is difficult due to the occasional inhibitory effects of H₂S on VOSC degradation. In this study, a two-stage bio-trickling filter (BTF) system was developed to treat off-gas mixture from a real WWTP facility. At an empty bed retention time of 40 s, removal efficiencies of H₂S, methanethiol, dimethyl sulfide, and dimethyl disulfide were 90.1, 88.4, 85.8, and 61.8%, respectively. Furthermore, the effect of lifting load shock on system performance was investigated and results indicated that removal of both H₂S and VOSCs was slightly affected. Illumina Miseq sequencing revealed that the microbial community of first-stage BTF contained high abundance of H₂S-affinity genera including Acidithiobacillus (51.43%), Metallibacterium (25.35%), and Thionomas (8.08%). Analysis of mechanism demonstrated that first stage of BTF removed 86.1% of H₂S, mitigating the suppression on VOSC degradation in second stage of BTF. Overall, the two-stage BTF system, an innovative bioprocess, can simultaneously remove H₂S and VOSC.