Biodegradation of beta-cypermethrin by a novel Azoarcus indigens strain HZ5

A novel strain HZ5 was isolated from the activated sludge of a pesticide manufacturer in Hangzhou, which was capable of degrading beta-cypermethrin (beta-CP). Based on its physiological characteristics and analysis of 16S rDNA gene, strain HZ5 was identified as Azoarcus indigens, which was a new genus that can degrade beta-CP effectively. Strain HZ5 could degrade beta-CP over a wide range of temperature (20 to 40°C) and pH (5.5 to 9.0), and the optimal temperature and pH were 30°C and 7.0. The highest degradation rate was approximately 70% of 50 mg/L beta-CP within 144 h at pH 7.0 and 30°C in MSM. An additional carbon source could enhance the biodegradation of beta-CP. Studies on biodegradation of the beta-CP showed no significant enantioselectivity. During the process, two main intermediate metabolites were produced by strain HZ5 and determined as 3-phenoxybenzaldehyde and 3-phenoxybenzoic acid by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The results indicated that strain HZ5 may have potential application in bioremediation of beta-CP polluted environment.     

New bacterial strain of the genus Ochrobactrum with glyphosate-degrading activity

Thirty bacterial strains with various abilities to utilize glyphosate as the sole phosphorus source were isolated from farm soils using the glyphosate enrichment cultivation technique. Among them, a strain showing a remarkable glyphosate-degrading activity was identified by biochemical features and 16S rRNA sequence analysis as Ochrobactrum sp. (GDOS). Herbicide (3 mM) degradation was induced by phosphate starvation, and was completed within 60 h. Aminomethylphosphonic acid was detected in the exhausted medium, suggesting glyphosate oxidoreductase as the enzyme responsible for herbicide breakdown. As it grew even in the presence of glyphosate concentrations as high as 200 mM, Ochrobactrum sp. could be used for bioremediation purposes and treatment of heavily contaminated soils.     

Growth,photosynthesis and removal responses of the cyanobacteria Chroococcus sp. to malathion and malaoxon

Abstract

Malathion is an organophosphorus pesticide widely used in agricultural crops, despite its toxicity. In addition, malaoxon occurs by oxidation of malathion being more toxic. The toxic effects of malathion and malaoxon in humans include hepatoxicity, breast cancer, genetic damage and endocrine disruption. The aim of this study involved assessing the effect of malathion commercial grade on Chroococcus sp., and its potential as an alternative to the removal of this pesticide and its transformation product such as malaoxon. We evaluated the effect of malathion at different concentrations (1, 25, 50, 75 and 100?ppm) on the biomass of the cyanobacteria Chroococcus sp. grown in medium BG-11; also, we analyse its ability to degrade both malathion and malaoxon into a temperature of 28?±?2?°C and at pH 6. The results showed that 50?ppm of malathion the cyanobacteria Chroococcus sp. reached the highest removal efficiency of malathion and malaoxon (69 and 65%, respectively); also, the growth rate of Chroococcus sp. increased without inhibiting the production of chlorophyll “a”, this can be explained by the hormesis phenomenon. Therefore, we consider that the cyanobacteria Chroococcus sp. may be a good candidate for bioremediation of aquatic systems contaminated with organophosphorus pesticides such as malathion and its transformation product such as malaoxon.     

A strategy for aromatic hydrocarbon bioremediation under anaerobic conditions and the impacts of ethanol: a microcosm study

Increased use of ethanol-blended gasoline (gasohol) and its potential release into the subsurface have spurred interest in studying the biodegradation of and interactions between ethanol and gasoline components such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene isomers (BTEX) in groundwater plumes. The preferred substrate status and the high biological oxygen demand (BOD) posed by ethanol and its biodegradation products suggests that anaerobic electron acceptors (EAs) will be required to support in situ bioremediation of BTEX. To develop a strategy for aromatic hydrocarbon bioremediation and to understand the impacts of ethanol on BTEX biodegradation under strictly anaerobic conditions, a microcosm experiment was conducted using pristine aquifer sand and groundwater obtained from Canadian Forces Base Borden, Canada. The initial electron accepter pool included nitrate, sulfate and/or ferric iron. The microcosms typically contained 400 g of sediment, 600 approximately 800 ml of groundwater, and with differing EAs added, and were run under anaerobic conditions. Ethanol was added to some at concentrations of 500 and 5000 mg/L. Trends for biodegradation of aromatic hydrocarbons for the Borden aquifer material were first developed in the absence of ethanol, The results showed that indigenous microorganisms could degrade all aromatic hydrocarbons (BTEX and trimethylbenzene isomers-TMB) under nitrate- and ferric iron-combined conditions, but not under sulfate-reducing conditions. Toluene, ethylbenzene and m/p-xylene were biodegraded under denitrifying conditions. However, the persistence of benzene indicated that enhancing denitrification alone was insufficient. Both benzene and o-xylene biodegraded significantly under iron-reducing conditions, but only after denitrification had removed other aromatics. For the trimethylbenzene isomers, 1,3,5-TMB biodegradation was found under denitrifying and then iron-reducing conditions. Biodegradation of 1,2,3-TMB or 1,2,4-TMB was slower under iron-reducing conditions. This study suggests that addition of excess ferric iron combined with limited nitrate has promise for in situ bioremediation of BTEX and TMB in the Borden aquifer and possibly for other sites contaminated by hydrocarbons. This study is the first to report 1,2,3-TMB biodegradation under strictly anaerobic condition. With the addition of 500 mg/L ethanol but without EA addition, ethanol and its main intermediate, acetate, were quickly biodegraded within 41 d with methane as a major product. Ethanol initially present at 5000 mg/L without EA addition declined slowly with the persistence of unidentified volatile fatty acids, likely propionate and butyrate, but less methane. In contrast, all ethanol disappeared with repeated additions of either nitrate or ferric iron, but acetate and unidentified intermediates persisted under iron-enhanced conditions. With the addition of 500 mg/L ethanol and nitrate, only minor toluene biodegradation was observed under denitrifying conditions and only after ethanol and acetate were utilized. The higher ethanol concentration (5000 mg/L) essentially shut down BTEX biodegradation likely due to high EA demand provided by ethanol and its intermediates. The negative findings for anaerobic BTEX biodegradation in the presence of ethanol and/or its biodegradation products are in contrast to recent research reported by Da Silva et al. [Da Silva, M.L.B., Ruiz-Aguilar, G.M.L., Alvarez, P.J.J., 2005. Enhanced anaerobic biodegradation of BTEX-ethanol mixtures in aquifer columns amended with sulfate, chelated ferric iron or nitrate. Biodegradation. 16, 105-114]. Our results suggest that the apparent conservation of high residual labile carbon as biodegradation products such as acetate makes natural attenuation of aromatics less effective, and makes subsequent addition of EAs to promote in situ BTEX biodegradation problematic.     

Biodegradation of carbofuran in soils within Nzoia River Basin,Kenya

Carbofuran (2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethylbenzofuran-7-yl methylcarbamate) has been used within the Nzoia River Basin (NRB), especially in Bunyala Rice Irrigation Schemes, in Kenya for the control of pests. In this study, the capacity of native bacteria to degrade carbofuran in soils from NRB was investigated. A gram positive, rod-shaped bacteria capable of degrading carbofuran was isolated through liquid cultures with carbofuran as the only carbon and nitrogen source. The isolate degraded 98% of 100-μg mL^?1 carbofuran within 10 days with the formation of carbofuran phenol as the only detectable metabolite. The degradation of carbofuran was followed by measuring its residues in liquid cultures using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Physical and morphological characteristics as well as molecular characterization confirmed the bacterial isolate to be a member of Bacillus species. The results indicate that this strain of Bacillus sp. could be considered as Bacillus cereus or Bacillus thuringiensis with a bootstrap value of 100% similar to the 16S rRNA gene sequences. The biodegradation capability of the native strains in this study indicates that they have great potential for application in bioremediation of carbofuran-contaminated soil sites.     

Bioremediation of Chromate by Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria, Cytochromes c3 and hydrogenases

The treatment of soils and ground waters polluted by heavy metals is of economical and environmental interest. Reduction of Cr(VI) to the less toxic Cr(III) associated to its precipitation is a potentially useful process for bioremediation. In order to develop ecological processes using micro-organisms, we have compared various sulfate-reducing bacteria for enzymatic reduction of chromate. The best Cr(VI) reductase activity was obtained with Desulfomicrobium norvegicum. Despite morphological changes induced by the presence of chromate, this strain can grow in the presence of up to 500 M Cr(VI) and can decontaminate waters polluted by Cr(VI) when seeded in bioreactors. We have demonstrated the ability of several metalloenzymes (cytochromes c ₃ and hydrogenases) to reduce chromate. Biophysical investigations of the chromate/protein interaction in order to get further informations on the mechanism of metal reduction by cytochromes c ₃ are under the way.     

油污土壤生物修复实验研究

为了有效预防和治理因石油开采、运输等造成的土壤污染,对大庆地区油污土壤进行了生物修复的实验研究,通过室内盆栽模拟实验,对芦苇和香蒲根际土壤的石油类污染物总含量、石油烃类组分浓度、非烃组分浓度进行了测定。结果表明,芦苇和香蒲对石油类污染物具有比较明显的降解作用,可以使被污染土壤中的某些油污成分逐渐被选择性消耗。实验还可看出,芦苇和香蒲对石油类污染物中正构烷烃的降解能力高于非正构烃。总体看,芦苇对石油类污染物的降解能力强于香蒲,但芦苇对非正构烃的降解能力略逊于香蒲。     

生物修复重金属污染土壤的研究进展

重金属污染土壤的生物修复是一种环境友好型的污染治理技术，是利用生物体将重金属降解、富集、转移而恢复土壤生态功能的过程。综述了植物修复（植物体内降解、植物根系钝化、植物吸收富集、植物气化）、微生物修复、动物修复等技术的研究进展，分析了生物修复技术在实际应用中存在的问题，并展望了研究方向。     

乙醇对含水层中燃油芳香烃内在生物修复的潜在风险

内在生物修复,是在没有工程措施促进的情况下利用土著微生物降解含水层内灾害性物质的一种修复技术,在燃油烃污染管理方面具有显著的成本效益。该技术需要确定自然衰减过程,并能够继续提供有效的风险保护。针对燃油污染含水层,北美与欧洲认为内在生物修复是值得优先考虑的应用技术。然而,随着乙醇燃油的推广使用,我国在应用这样的经验时需要考虑乙醇的潜在影响。现有的文献研究表明乙醇存在能够阻止燃油主要污染物芳香烃(BTEX)的生物降解,降低水环境的pH值,并可能增强BTEX在水中的溶解性,或存在对生物的毒性,或因为乙醇降解降低介质的渗透性能。因此,需要更好地认识乙醇的潜在风险,为发展乙醇燃油污染含水层修复策略提供科学依据。     

实时合成水滑石分离模拟放射性核素锶的研究

采用实时合成水滑石的方法从高放废液中分离模拟放射性核素锶,通过单因素实验并借助XRD分析确定了最佳分离实验条件,同时,运用FTIR、SEM等技术手段对合成的含锶水滑石的结构、形貌进行了分析.结果表明,当Sr2+初始浓度为70mg.L-1、pH值为10.5、n(Mg+Sr)/n(Al)为3时,锶的去除率最高可达95%以上;XRD和SEM分析结果表明,锶嵌入了水滑石的晶格中,合成的含锶水滑石形貌为层状六边形;含锶水滑石煅烧产物主要为尖晶石,且煅烧产物中未见氧化锶,表明嵌入到水滑石晶格中的锶在煅烧后存在于尖晶石的晶体结构中.