Heavy metal resistance and genotypic analysis of metal resistance genes in gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria present in Ni-rich serpentine soil and in the rhizosphere of Alyssum murale

Forty-six bacterial cultures, including one culture collection strain, thirty from the rhizosphere of Alyssum murale and fifteen from Ni-rich soil, were tested for their ability to tolerate arsenate, cadmium, chromium, zinc, mercury, lead, cobalt, copper, and nickel in their growth medium. The resistance patterns, expressed as minimum inhibitory concentrations, for all cultures to the nine different metal ions were surveyed by using the agar dilution method. A large number of the cultures were resistant to Ni (100%), Pb (100%), Zn (100%), Cu (98%), and Co (93%). However, 82, 71, 58 and 47% were sensitive to As, Hg, Cd and Cr(VI), respectively. All cultures had multiple metal-resistant, with heptametal resistance as the major pattern (28.8%). Five of the cultures (about of 11.2% of the total), specifically Arthrobacter rhombi AY509239, Clavibacter xyli AY509235, Microbacterium arabinogalactanolyticum AY509226, Rhizobium mongolense AY509209 and Variovorax paradoxus AY512828 were tolerant to nine different metals. The polymerase chain reaction in combination with DNA sequence analysis was used to investigate the genetic mechanism responsible for the metal resistance in some of these gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria that were, highly resistant to Hg, Zn, Cr and Ni. The czc, chr, ncc and mer genes that are responsible for resistance to Zn, Cr, Ni and Hg, respectively, were shown to be present in these bacteria by using PCR. In the case of, M. arabinogalactanolyticum AY509226 these genes were shown to have high homology to the czcD, chrB, nccA, and mer genes of Ralstonia metallidurans CH34. Therefore, Hg, Zn, Cr and Ni resistance genes are widely distributed in both gram-positive and gram-negative isolates obtained from A. murale rhizosphere and Ni-rich soils.     

Sulfidation treatment of molten incineration fly ashes with Na2S for zinc, lead and copper resource recovery

The present study focuses on the conversion of heavy metals involved in molten incineration fly ashes to metal sulfides which could be thereafter separated by flotation. The sulfidation treatment was carried out for five molten incineration fly ashes (Fly ash-A to Fly ash-E) by contacting each fly ash with Na(2)S solution for a period of 10 min to 6h. The initial molar ratio of S(2-) to Me(2+) was adjusted to 1.20. The conversion of heavy metals to metal sulfides was evaluated by measuring the S(2-) residual concentrations using an ion selective electrode. The formation of metal sulfides was studied by XRD and SEM-EDS analyses. In the case of Fly ash-A to Fly ash-D, more than 79% of heavy metals of zinc, lead and copper was converted to metal sulfides within the contacting period of 0.5h owing to a fast conversion of metal chlorides to metal sulfides. By contrast, the conversion of about 35% was achieved for Fly ash-E within the same contacting period, which was attributed to a high content of metal oxides. Further, the S(2-) to Me(2+) molar ratio was reduced to 1.00 to minimize Na(2)S consumption and the conversions obtained within the contacting period of 0.5h varied from 76% for Fly ash-D to 91% for Fly ash-C. Finally, soluble salts such as NaCl and KCl were removed during the sulfidation treatment, which brought about a significant enrichment in metals content by a factor varying from 1.5 for Fly ash-D to 4.9 for Fly ash-A.     

Measuring and modelling experimental densities and ultrasonic velocities of aromatic and halogenated environmental pollutants

The potential environmental impact of aromatic and halogenated chemicals from the petrochemical and steel industry is of growning concern. The present paper deals with the modelling and experimental determination of density and speed of sound at the range 278.15-323.15 of six aromatic and halogenated compounds (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Fluorobenzene, 2-Fluorotoluene and Chlorobenzene). Fitting equations were applied to the data in order to correlate for later computer based design. The estimation of the studied properties was made by the application of different theoretical procedures. The Mchaweh-Nasrifar-Moshfeghian model (MNM), an equation of state based on the generalized van der Waals theory which combines the Staverman-Guggenheim combinatorial term of lattice statistics with an attractive lattice gas expression and the Free Length Theory showed a good response at the studied conditions.     

Biological denitrification of high strength nitrate waste using preadapted denitrifying sludge

Denitrification of synthetic high nitrate waste containing 9032 ppm NO(3)-N (40,000 ppm NO(3)) in a time period of only 6h has been achieved in our previous study using activated sludge. The activated sludge culture was acclimatized by a stepwise increase in the nitrate concentration of synthetic waste. In the present work, studies were carried out on the changing microbial population of the sludge and the physiology of nitrate metabolism during the various stages of adaptation process to high strength synthetic nitrate waste. During the course of adaptation, with an increase in the nitrate concentration, a sharp increase in the number of denitrifiers was found with an equally rapid decrease in the nitrifying community. Two key enzymes involved in the first two steps of the denitrification process were also studied during this period. The results of the study suggest that specific enzyme levels increase as the activated sludge adapts itself to higher nitrate concentrations. Biological denitrification of high nitrate waste is a slow process and to increase the rate of denitrification, parameters such as pH, temperature, C:N and biomass concentration of the process were optimized using orthogonal array method. Optimized conditions increased the specific nitrate reduction rate by 54% and specific nitrite reduction rate by 45%.     

Modeling in-situ uranium(VI) bioreduction by sulfate-reducing bacteria

We present a travel-time based reactive transport model to simulate an in-situ bioremediation experiment for demonstrating enhanced bioreduction of uranium(VI). The model considers aquatic equilibrium chemistry of uranium and other groundwater constituents, uranium sorption and precipitation, and the microbial reduction of nitrate, sulfate and U(VI). Kinetic sorption/desorption of U(VI) is characterized by mass transfer between stagnant micro-pores and mobile flow zones. The model describes the succession of terminal electron accepting processes and the growth and decay of sulfate-reducing bacteria, concurrent with the enzymatic reduction of aqueous U(VI) species. The effective U(VI) reduction rate and sorption site distributions are determined by fitting the model simulation to an in-situ experiment at Oak Ridge, TN. Results show that (1) the presence of nitrate inhibits U(VI) reduction at the site; (2) the fitted effective rate of in-situ U(VI) reduction is much smaller than the values reported for laboratory experiments; (3) U(VI) sorption/desorption, which affects U(VI) bioavailability at the site, is strongly controlled by kinetics; (4) both pH and bicarbonate concentration significantly influence the sorption/desorption of U(VI), which therefore cannot be characterized by empirical isotherms; and (5) calcium-uranyl-carbonate complexes significantly influence the model performance of U(VI) reduction.     

Spatial and temporal variations and possible sources of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites in rivers in Tianjin, China

Water, suspended solid (SS) and sediment samples were collected from nine water courses in Tianjin, China and analyzed for dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites (DDXs, including o,p'-,p,p'-DDT, DDD and DDE). The average DDX concentrations in water, SS and sediment were 59+/-30 ng l(-1), 2690+/-1940 ng g(-1)dry wt. and 340+/-930 ng g(-1)dry wt., respectively. Due to the termination of the extensive agricultural application and industrial manufacture, DDXs in river sediment decreased by one order of magnitude since 1970's and low DDT fractions in these sediments were observed. Still, DDXs in the sediments near the outlets of the major manufacturers remained relatively high attributed to the historic input. DDXs in sediment were also positively correlated with organic matter content. Spatial distributions of DDXs in SS and water was different from that in sediment. For SS, a negative correlation between DDX concentration and SS content indicated a dilution effect in many rivers. Dissolved organic carbon content was the major factor affecting DDX concentrations in water phase. Wastewater discharged from dicofol manufacturers and likely illegal agricultural application were the primary reasons causing high DDT (DDE+DDD) ratios in SS and water.     

Identification of transport processes in column experiments using a frequency domain approach

When a solute transport process is viewed as a dynamic system with input and output, a system identification technique can be used to study it from input-output data. According to the design of excitation signals in the system identification approach, the commonly used rectangular pulse as input signal for column experiments is not optimum because it does not simultaneously meet the requirements for exciting the studied transport process, i.e., possessing frequency components with high enough amplitude and wide enough passband. In this article, stepped sine signals were proposed to replace the rectangular pulse because their amplitude and passband can be independently chosen. The stepped sine signals of concentration were generated by a High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and used as the input for the column experiments to identify parameters of the convection-dispersion equation (CDE) and mobile-immobile model (MIM). In order to test the effect of noise on the identification of transport process, numerical experiments were carried out to identify the CDE under white noise when the input was designed as stepped sine functions and rectangular pulse. The results of the numerical experiments showed that the input signal of a sine function was more robust and accurate in process identification than that of a rectangular pulse.     

Effects of tributyltin on the energy metabolism of pen shell (Atrina pectinata japonica)

We examined the effects of tributyltin (TBT) on aerobic and anaerobic energy metabolism of pen shell (Atrina pectinata japonica). We exposed pen shells to TBT at nominal concentrations of 0 (control) and 1.0microg/l for 72h under aerobic condition. At the end of the exposure, half of the pen shells in each treatment were wrapped in plastic wrap to simulate exposure to hypoxia and held at 25 degrees C for another 12h. The concentrations of the products of energy metabolism, namely lactate, pyruvate, fumarate and succinate, in adductor muscle were measured. The exposure to TBT under aerobic condition significantly elevated lactate, pyruvate and fumarate concentrations (p<0.001). After subsequent exposure to anaerobic condition, the mean concentration of succinate in the TBT treatment group was 64% of that in the control group, but there were no significant differences. Our results suggest that the energy metabolism of pen shell is disrupted by exposure to TBT.     

Source apportionment of fine particles in Tennessee using a source-oriented model

Source apportionment of fine particles (PM2.5, particulate matter < 2 microm in aerodynamic diameter) is important to identify the source categories that are responsible for the concentrations observed at a particular receptor. Although receptor models have been used to do source apportionment, they do not fully take into account the chemical reactions (including photochemical reactions) involved in the formation of secondary fine particles. Secondary fine particles are formed from photochemical and other reactions involving precursor gases, such as sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, ammonia, and volatile organic compounds. This paper presents the results of modeling work aimed at developing a source apportionment of primary and secondary PM2.5. On-road mobile source and point source inventories for the state of Tennessee were estimated and compiled. The national emissions inventory for the year 1999 was used for the other states. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Models3/Community Multi-Scale Air Quality modeling system was used for the photochemical/secondary particulate matter modeling. The modeling domain consisted of a nested 36-12-4-km domain. The 4-km domain covered the entire state of Tennessee. The episode chosen for the modeling runs was August 29 to September 9, 1999. This paper presents the approach used and the results from the modeling and attempts to quantify the contribution of major source categories, such as the on-road mobile sources (including the fugitive dust component) and coal-fired power plants, to observed PM2.5 concentrations in Tennessee. The results of this work will be helpful in policy issues targeted at designing control strategies to meet the PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards in Tennessee.     

Assessment of pesticide contamination in three Mississippi Delta oxbow lakes using Hyalella azteca

Three oxbow lakes in northwestern Mississippi, USA, an area of intensive agriculture, were assessed for biological impairment from historic and current-use pesticide contamination using the amphipod, Hyalella azteca. Surface water and sediment samples from three sites in each lake were collected from Deep Hollow, Beasley, and Thighman Lakes from September 2000 to February 2001. Samples were analyzed for 17 historic and current-use pesticides and selected metabolites. Ten-day H. azteca survival and growth (as length and dry weight) were measured to determine the degree of biological impairment. Maximum number of detectable pesticides in surface water from Deep Hollow, Beasley and Thighman Lakes was 10, 11, and 17, respectively. Maximum number of detectable pesticides in lake sediments was 17, 17, and 15, respectively. Bioassay results indicated no observable survival effects on H. azteca exposed to surface water or sediment from any lake examined and no growth impairment in animals exposed to lake sediments. However, growth was significantly impaired in surface water exposures from Deep Hollow Lake (2 sites) and Beasley Lake (1 site). Statistically significant relationships between growth impairment (length) and cyanazine, methyl parathion, λ-cyhalothrin, chlorfenapyr, and pp′DDE surface water concentrations in Deep Hollow Lake as well as trifluralin, atrazine, and methyl parathion in Beasley Lake were observed. Although pesticide frequency and concentrations were typically greater in sediment than surface water, bioassay results indicated decreased availability of these pesticides in sediment due to the presence of clay and organic carbon. Growth impairment observed in surface water exposures was likely due to complex interaction of pesticide mixtures that were present.