Isolation and characterization of two novel psychrotrophic decabromodiphenyl ether-degrading bacteria from river sediments

Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) is a brominated flame retardant and a priority contaminant. Currently, little information is available about its significance in the environment, specifically about its susceptibility to aerobic biotransformation at low temperature. In this work, five phylogenetically diverse BDE-209-degrading bacterial strains were isolated from river sediments of northern China. These strains were distributed among four different genera—Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Bacillus and Staphylococcus. All five isolates were capable of growing on BDE-209, among which two isolates show better growth. By detailed morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics and 16S rDNA sequence analysis, the two strains were identified and named as Staphylococcus haemolyticus LY1 and Bacillus pumilus LY2. The two bacteria can grow in mineral salt medium containing BDE-209 substrate across the temperatures ranging from 2.5 to 35 °C, with an optimum temperature of 25 °C which could be considered as psychrotrophs accordingly. The degradation experiment showed that more than 70.6 and 85.5 % of 0.5 mg/L BDE-209 were degraded and the highest mineralization efficiencies of 29.8 and 39.2 % were achieved for 0.5 mg/L BDE-209 by S. haemolyticus LY1 and B. pumilus LY2, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration for the biodegradation of BDE-209 by two psychrotrophic bacteria isolated from environment.     

Food wastes as fish feeds for polyculture of low-trophic-level fish: bioaccumulation and health risk assessments of heavy metals in the cultured fish

The major purpose of this study was to use different types of food wastes which serve as the major sources of protein to replace the fish meal used in fish feeds to produce quality fish. Two types of food waste-based feed pellets FW A (with cereals) and FW B (with cereals and meat products) and the commercial feed Jinfeng® were used to culture fingerlings of three low-trophic-level fish species: bighead carp, grass carp, and mud carp (in the ratio of 1:3:1) for 1 year period in the Sha Tau Kok Organic Farm in Hong Kong. Heavy metal concentrations in all of the fish species fed with food waste pellets and commercial pellets in Sha Tau Kok fish ponds were all below the local and international maximum permissible levels in food. Health risk assessments indicated that human consumption of the fish fed with food waste feed pellets was safe for the Hong Kong residents. The present results revealed that recycling of food waste for cultivating low-trophic-level fish (mainly herbivores and detritus feeders) is feasible, and at the same time will ease the disposal pressure of food waste, a common problem of densely populated cities like Hong Kong.     

Glucuronidation of hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers and their modulation of estrogen UDP-glucuronosyltransferases

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) can be metabolically converted to their hydroxylated metabolites (OH-PBDEs). The estrogenic effects of PBDEs may be mediated by OH-PBDEs, but the mechanisms of which are still not understood. This study investigated the glucuronidation of 11 OH-PBDEs and their potential in modulating UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) activity of 17β-estradiol (E2) in rat liver microsomes. The number of bromine atoms at phenolic ring was observed as the most influential factor of OH-PBDEs glucuronidation. 2′-OH-BDE-28 having one bromine atom at phenolic ring showed the fastest metabolic rates with t_1/2 value of 3.86 min, while 6-OH-BDE-137 having four bromine atoms at phenolic ring was the poorest substrate with t_1/2 value over 60 min. Regarding to the modulation of E2-UGTs activity, the phenolic hydroxyl group in OH-PBDEs played an essential role. Depending on the substitution patterns of bromine and hydroxyl group, OH-PBDEs inhibited or stimulated E2-UGTs activity. Ten of OH-PBDEs inhibited both 3-glucuronidation and 17-glucuronidation of E2 with IC₅₀ values varying from 3.80 to 129.38 μM, while 3′-OH-BDE-100 exhibited stimulating effects on 3-glucuronidation with EC₅₀ value of 35.95 μM. Kinetic analysis suggested noncompetitive inhibition mode of E2 glucuronidation by 3′-OH-BDE-7, 6-OH-BDE-47 and 2′-OH-BDE-68 with K_i values varying from 11.95 to 67.22 μM. This study demonstrated OH-PBDEs exhibited large interindividual differences in glucuronidation and modulation of E2-UGTs activity. By inhibiting the formation of E2 glucuronidation, OH-PBDEs may increase E2 bioavailability in target tissue, thereby exerting an indirect estrogenic effect.     

The effects of biochars from rice residue on the formation of iron plaque and the accumulation of Cd, Zn, Pb, As in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings

A historically multi-metal contaminated soil was amended with biochars produced from different parts of rice plants (straw, husk and bran) to investigate how biochar can influence the mobility of Cd, Zn, Pb and As in rice seedlings (Oryza sativa L.). Rice shoot concentrations of Cd, Zn and Pb decreased by up to 98%, 83% and 72%, respectively, due to biochar amendment, though that of As increased by up to 327%. Biochar amendments significantly decreased pore water concentrations (C_pw) of Cd and Zn and increased that of As. For Pb it depended on the amendment. Porewater pH, dissolved organic carbon, dissolved phosphorus, silicon in pore water and iron plaque formation on root surfaces all increased significantly after the amendments. The proportions of Cd and Pb in iron plaque increased by factors 1.8-5.7 and 1.4-2.8, respectively; no increase was observed for As and Zn. Straw-char application significantly and noticeably decreased the plant transfer coefficients of Cd and Pb. This study, the first to investigate changes in metal mobility and iron plaque formation in rice plants due to amending a historically contaminated soil with biochar, indicates that biochar has a potential to decrease Cd, Zn and Pb accumulations in rice shoot but increase that of As. The main cause is likely biochar decreasing the C_pw of Cd and Zn, increasing the C_pw of As, and increasing the iron plaque blocking capacity for Cd and Pb.     

生态修复综合技术在杭州虾龙圩河的应用

杭州虾龙圩河由于多年污染,河道水质严重黑臭,自净能力遭到破坏。本研究通过综合利用底泥污染物削减、生物接触氧化水质净化、造流曝气及水生生态系统修复等技术对虾龙圩河进行治理。结果显示,此项综合技术对城市河流污水具有良好的污染物去除性能,COD、NH3-N和TP的去除率分别可达到73．3％、80．1％和81．7％。通过1年的运行与养护,虾龙圩河治理段的水质、生态环境等有了明显改善,没有发生过水华及黑臭现象,河道水体具备了较强的自净能力。     

油品储运行业挥发性有机物排放控制技术评估

分析了我国油品储运行业的VOCs排放环节和特点。选取燃烧法、吸收法、吸附法、冷凝法、膜分离法等VOCs排放末端控制技术作为研究对象,介绍了各方法的原理和适用条件。建立了包括环境性能、技术性能、经济性能3方面共10项指标的综合评价指标体系。采用模糊评价方法分析了油品储运行业VOCs排放末端控制备选技术的综合性能。结果表明,冷凝法和膜分离法具有良好的综合性能,是油品储运行业VOCs排放的最佳末端控制技术。     

二甲基二硫代氨基甲酸钠处理锌冶炼含镉废水

以二甲基二硫代氨基甲酸钠(福美钠)作为脱镉螯合剂,以聚合氯化铝作为絮凝剂,脱除含镉废水中的Cd2+。在考察福美钠加入量、搅拌时间、聚合氯化铝加入量、沉淀时间等工艺条件对Cd2+脱除效果影响的单因素实验的基础上,采用正交实验对工艺参数进行进一步优化。实验结果表明:在福美钠加入量为1.0 g/L、搅拌时间为20 min、聚合氯化铝加入量为0.2 g/L、沉淀时间为5 h的最佳工艺条件下,采用福美钠处理初始Cd2+质量浓度为100 mg/L的锌冶炼含镉废水,剩余Cd2+质量浓度降至0.008 mg/L,Cd2+去除率为99.99%,处理后的废水达到GB8978—1996《污水综合排放标准》。     

Functional gene expression of oil-degrading bacteria resistant to hexadecane toxicity

Contamination with oil poses a threat to the environment and to human health worldwide. Biological methodologies have proved to be economical, versatile and efficient for the remediation of pollutants. In this paper, a highly efficient oil-degrading bacterial strain USTB-2 was isolated from an oil production well of Dagang oil field in Tianjin, China. The 16S rRNA sequence of USTB-2 showed 100% similarity with that of Bacillus subtilis BSn5. Hexadecane is one of the most important components in petroleum. The half inhibitory ratio (IC₅₀) of hexadecane inhibited organisms, determined by microcalorimetry, was lower in USTB-2 than in B. BSn5. The results indicate that the strain USTB-2 degrades hexadecane to make it less toxic compared with the normal strain. RT-PCR was used to evaluate the expression of oil-degrading enzymes, specifically 4-hydroxyphenylacetate 3-monooxygenase genes (HPMO). A sharp increase in the expression of HPMO genes was observed for USTB-2, while the expression of HPMO genes in reference strain B. BSn5 remained relatively stable. These methods can be used to study the metabolic potential of microorganisms for in situ oil decontamination.     

Characterization of endophytic Rahnella sp. JN6 from Polygonum pubescens and its potential in promoting growth and Cd,Pb, Zn uptake by Brassica napus

Microbe-assisted phytoremediation has been considered as a promising measure for the remediation of heavy metal-polluted soils. In this study, a metal-tolerance and plant growth-promoting endophytic bacterium JN6 was firstly isolated from roots of Mn-hyperaccumulator Polygonum pubescens grown in metal-contaminated soil and identified as Rahnella sp. based on 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis. Strain JN6 showed very high Cd, Pb and Zn tolerance and effectively solubilized CdCO₃, PbCO₃ and Zn₃(PO₄)₂ in culture solution. The isolate produced plant growth-promoting substances such as indole-3-acetic acid, siderophore, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic deaminase, and also solubilized inorganic phosphate. Based upon its ability in metal tolerance and solubilization, the isolate JN6 was further studied for its effects on the growth and accumulation of Cd, Pb and Zn in Brassica napus (rape) by pot experiments. Rape plants inoculated with the isolate JN6 had significantly higher dry weights, concentrations and uptake of Cd, Pb and Zn in both above-ground and root tissues than those without inoculation grown in soils amended with Cd (25 mg kg^?1), Pb (200 mg kg^?1) or Zn (200 mg kg^?1). The isolate also showed a high level of colonization in tissue interior of rapes. The present results demonstrated that Rahnella sp. JN6 is a valuable microorganism, which can cost-effectively improve the efficiency of phytoremediation in soils contaminated by Cd, Pb and Zn.     

可见光分解-氯碱氧化法去除废水中的铁氰化物

采用可见光分解（光解）-氯碱氧化法去除模拟废水中的Fe（CN）63-。考察了光解过程中反应时间、初始Fe（CN）63-质量浓度和初始废水pH对Fe（CN）63-去除效果及表观反应速率常数（k（Fe（CN）63-））的影响,以及光解-氯碱氧化法对Fe（CN）63-模拟废水中总氰化物（TCN）的去除效果。实验结果表明：在初始Fe（CN）63-质量浓度6.7 mg/L、初始废水pH 12、反应时间8.0 h的条件下,Fe（CN）63-的去除率为83%,光解过程符合表观一级动力学模型;在初始Fe（CN）63-质量浓度6.7 mg/L、初始TCN质量浓度4.90 mg/L、初始废水pH 12、反应时间12.0 h的条件下,采用光解-氯碱氧化法可使Fe（CN）63-模拟废水的TCN质量浓度降至0.14 mg/L,低于GB 16171—2012的要求（0.2 mg/L）,该过程的限速步骤为Fe（CN）63-的光解破络过程。