Bioprospecting at former mining sites across Europe: microbial and functional diversity in soils

The planetary importance of microbial function requires urgently that our knowledge and our exploitation ability is extended, therefore every occasion of bioprospecting is welcome. In this work, bioprospecting is presented from the perspective of the UMBRELLA project, whose main goal was to develop an integral approach for remediation of soil influenced by mining activity, by using microorganisms in association with plants. Accordingly, this work relies on the cultivable fraction of microbial biodiversity, native to six mining sites across Europe, different for geographical, climatic and geochemical characteristics but similar for suffering from chronic stress. The comparative analysis of the soil functional diversity, resulting from the metabolic profiling at community level (BIOLOG ECOPlates) and confirmed by the multivariate analysis, separates the six soils in two clusters, identifying soils characterised by low functional diversity and low metabolic activity. The microbial biodiversity falls into four major bacterial phyla: Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, including a total of 47 genera and 99 species. In each soil, despite harsh conditions, metabolic capacity of nitrogen fixation and plant growth promotion were quite widespread, and most of the strains showed multiple resistances to heavy metals. At species-level, Shannon’s index (alpha diversity) and Sørensen's Similarity (beta diversity) indicates the sites are indeed diverse. Multivariate analysis of soil chemical factors and biodiversity identifies for each soil well-discriminating chemical factors and species, supporting the assumption that cultured biodiversity from the six mining sites presents, at phylum level, a convergence correlated to soil factors rather than to geographical factors while, at species level, reflects a remarkable local characterisation.     

Characterization of hydrocarbon-degrading and biosurfactant-producing Pseudomonas sp. P-1 strain as a potential tool for bioremediation of petroleum-contaminated soil

The Pseudomonas sp. P-1 strain, isolated from heavily petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil, was investigated for its capability to degrade hydrocarbons and produce a biosurfactant. The strain degraded crude oil, fractions A5 and P3 of crude oil, and hexadecane (27, 39, 27 and 13 % of hydrocarbons added to culture medium were degraded, respectively) but had no ability to degrade phenanthrene. Additionally, the presence of gene-encoding enzymes responsible for the degradation of alkanes and naphthalene in the genome of the P-1 strain was reported. Positive results of blood agar and methylene blue agar tests, as well as the presence of gene rhl, involved in the biosynthesis of rhamnolipid, confirmed the ability of P-1 for synthesis of glycolipid biosurfactant. ¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared spectrum and mass spectrum analyses indicated that the extracted biosurfactant was affiliated with rhamnolipid. The results of this study indicate that the P-1 and/or biosurfactant produced by this strain have the potential to be used in bioremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils.     

The estimation of consumer health risk associated with organochlorine xenobiotics in hard smoked cheese in Poland

The aim of this study was to estimate the health risks associated with consumption of smoked cheeses, which are popular in Poland. The analysis covered polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) indicator congeners (ndl-PCBs: PCB 28, PCB 52, PCB 101, PCB 138, PCB 153, PCB 180), dioxin-like PCBs (dl-PCBs): non-ortho (PCB 77, PCB 81, PCB 126, PCB 169) and mono-ortho (PCB 105, PCB 114, PCB 118, PCB 156, PCB 157), as well as organochlorine pesticides (OCPs: αHCH, βHCH, γHCH, heptachlor, aldrin, heptachlor epoxid isomer B, dieldrin, pp'DDE op′DDD, pp′DDT, pp′DDD, op′DDT, endrin). The pesticide residues detected in the examined cheese were below the maximum residues levels. The estimated daily intake [lifetime average daily dose (LADD)] referring to the sum of the compounds varied within 4.21·10^?7–3.92·10^?6 mg·kg^?1·day^?1 and was significantly lower than the tolerable daily intake/acceptable daily intake (TDI/ADI) for individual compounds. The health hazard quotient, being the exact measure of the magnitude of exposure potential or a quantifiable potential for developing non-carcinogenic health effects after an averaged exposure period, was also very low, ranging from 2.87·10^?6 to 5.32·10^?5. The obtained results confirmed that the intake of rennet cheese does not pose any consumer health risk in Poland.     

Acid Rain and Ozone Influence Mycorrhizal Infection in Tree Seedlings

Abstract

The digital opacity compliance system (DOCS) has been proposed as an alternative to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Reference Method 9 (Visual Determination of the Opacity of Emissions for Stationary Sources). The DOCS, which employs standard digital photography to estimate the opacity of visible emissions, was evaluated in a high mountain desert environment located in Weber County, UT. The DOCS recorded an average opacity deviation of 5.28% when applied to black smoke plumes having true opacities in the range of 0–100%, an error rate that was found to be significantly less than 7.5% (allowable error rate for attaining certification under Method 9). In contrast, results from estimating the opacity of white smoke plumes indicated that the accuracy of the DOCS was less than the Method 9 error rate only in the opacity range of 0–60%, over which the DOCS average opacity deviation was determined to be 6.7%. For the 0–40% opacity range, the DOCS recorded an average opacity deviation of 5.44% and 5.9% for black and white plumes, respectively.

Results from the present study suggest that the DOCS has the potential to quantify visible opacity with an error rate that is significantly less than the Method 9 permissible error rate. Although encouraging, it is unclear to what extent the DOCS is affected by climatic conditions other than those encountered in a dry desert environment. Future studies should focus on evaluating the performance of the DOCS under variable weather conditions.     

Airborne Emissions of Mercury from Municipal Solid Waste. II: Potential Losses of Airborne Mercury before Landfill

Abstract

Waste distribution and compaction at the working face of municipal waste landfills releases mercury vapor (Hg⁰) to the atmosphere, as does the flaring of landfill gas. Waste storage and processing before its addition to the landfill also has the potential to release Hg⁰ to the air if it is initially present or formed by chemical reduction of Hg^II to Hg⁰ within collected waste. We measured the release of Hg vapor to the atmosphere during dumpster and transfer station activities and waste storage before landfilling at a municipal landfill operation in central Florida. We also quantified the potential contribution of specific Hg-bearing wastes, including mercury (Hg) thermometers and fluorescent bulbs, and searched for primary Hg sources in sorted wastes at three different landfills. Surprisingly large fluxes were estimated for Hg losses at transfer facilities (～100 mg/hr) and from dumpsters in the field (～30 mg/hr for 1,000 dumpsters), suggesting that Hg emissions occurring before landfilling may constitute a significant fraction of the total emission from the disposal/landfill cycle and a need for more measurements on these sources. Reducing conditions of landfill burial were obviously not needed to generate strong Hg⁰ signals, indicating that much of the Hg was already present in a metallic (Hg⁰) form. Attempts to identify specific Hg sources in excavated and sorted waste indicated few readily identifiable sources; because of effective mixing and diffusion of Hg⁰, the entire waste mass acts as a source. Broken fluorescent bulbs and thermometers in dumpsters emitted Hg⁰ at 10 to >100 μg/hr and continued to act as near constant sources for several days.     

Raw material potential of recyclable materials for fiber composites: a review study

The aim of this study is to investigate waste streams as a source of recyclable raw material for fiber composite production. Globally, vast volumes of waste are produced daily that are not recycled effectively. In this work, three different raw material sources are examined; industrial, construction and municipal solid waste streams. All three sources produce wastes that are currently underutilized. Usage areas for the waste material include use as a reinforcing fiber, as part of the plastic matrix or as a filler. The industrial sector produces more homogenous waste, while waste from municipalities is mixed. Irregular material flow, the varying condition of the waste and different pretreatments used pose difficulties for recycling. Furthermore, some materials are industry-specific and may be produced in only certain areas. Despite these difficulties, huge amount of potentially useful exploitable waste is available and using different waste streams as a part of wood-plastic composite production can reduce waste volumes disposed to landfill.     

Do penguins dare to walk at night? Visual cues influence king penguin colony arrivals and departures

Orientation based on visual cues can be extremely difficult in crowded bird colonies due to the presence of many individuals. We studied king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) that live in dense colonies and are constantly faced with such problems. Our aims were to describe adult penguin homing paths on land and to test whether visual cues are important for their orientation in the colony. We also tested the hypothesis that older penguins should be better able to cope with limited visual cues due to their greater experience. We collected and examined GPS paths of homing penguins. In addition, we analyzed 8 months of penguin arrivals to and departures from the colony using data from an automatic identification system. We found that birds rearing chicks did not minimize their traveling time on land and did not proceed to their young (located in crèches) along straight paths. Moreover, breeding birds' arrivals and departures were affected by the time of day and luminosity levels. Our data suggest that king penguins prefer to move in and out of the colony when visual cues are available. Still, they are capable of navigating even in complete darkness, and this ability seems to develop over the years, with older breeding birds more likely to move through the colony at nighttime luminosity levels. This study is the first step in unveiling the mysteries of king penguin orientation on land.     

Use of fly ash agglomerates for removal of arsenic

The aim of this work is to investigate the application of fly ash adsorbent for removal of arsenite ions from dilute solution (100–1,000 ppm). Experiments were carried out using material from the “Turów” (Poland) brown-coal-burning power plant, which was wetted, then mixed and tumbled in a granulator to form spherical agglomerates. Measurements of arsenic adsorption from aqueous solution were carried out at room temperature and natural pH of fly ash agglomerates, in either a shaken flask or circulating column, to compare two different methods of contacting solution with adsorbent. Adsorption isotherms of arsenic were determined for agglomerated material using the Freundlich equation. Kinetic studies indicated that sorption follows a pseudo-second-order model. Preferable method to carry out the process is continuous circulation of arsenite solution through a column.     

沉水植物伊乐藻光合放氧对水体氮转化的影响

实验室内利用聚乙烯容器于光照培养箱内开展开放和封闭实验,研究沉水植物伊乐藻（Elodea nuttallii）光合放氧对水体氮转化的影响及其对水体氮的净化效果和机理。结果表明,伊乐藻光合放氧使水体DO和pH值升高,促进了开放系统氨氮的挥发,同时水体较低的氨氮含量及较高的pH值抑制了氨氮向硝氮的转化。封闭系统通过阻止氨氮的挥发降低了总氮的去除作用,但并不影响氨氮向硝氮的转化。另外,高的DO和pH环境不利于反硝化细菌的存活,使反硝化作用比较微弱或不存在。     

Size- and food-dependent growth drives patterns of competitive dominance along productivity gradients

Patterns of coexistence among competing species exhibiting size- and food-dependent growth remain largely unexplored. Here we studied mechanisms behind coexistence and shifts in competitive dominance in a size-structured fish guild, representing sprat and herring stocks in the Baltic Sea, using a physiologically structured model of competing populations. The influence of degree of resource overlap and the possibility of undergoing ontogenetic diet shifts were studied as functions of zooplankton and zoobenthos productivity. By imposing different size-dependent mortalities, we could study the outcome of competition under contrasting environmental regimes representing poor and favorable growth conditions. We found that the identity of the dominant species shifted between low and high productivity. Adding a herring-exclusive benthos resource only provided a competitive advantage over sprat when size-dependent mortality was high enough to allow for rapid growth in the zooplankton niche. Hence, the importance of a bottom-up effect of varying productivity was dependent on a strong top-down effect. Although herring could depress shared resources to lower levels than could sprat and also could access an exclusive resource, the smaller size at maturation of sprat allowed it to coexist with herring and, in some cases, exclude it. Our model system, characterized by interactions among size cohorts, allowed for consumer coexistence even at full resource overlap at intermediate productivities when size-dependent mortality was low. Observed shifts in community patterns were crucially dependent on the explicit consideration of size- and food-dependent growth. Accordingly, we argue that accounting for food-dependent growth and size-dependent interactions is necessary to better predict changes in community structure and dynamics following changes in major ecosystem drivers such as resource productivity and mortality, which are fundamental for our ability to manage exploitation of living resources in, e.g., fisheries.