Research progress on distribution,sources, identification,toxicity, and biodegradation of microplastics in the ocean,freshwater, and soil environment

• Microplastics are widely found in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. • Cleaning products and discarded plastic waste are primary sources of microplastics. • Microplastics have apparent toxic effects on the growth of fish and soil plants. • Multiple strains of biodegradable microplastics have been isolated. Microplastics (MPs) are distributed in the oceans, freshwater, and soil environment and have become major pollutants. MPs are generally referred to as plastic particles less than 5 mm in diameter. They consist of primary microplastics synthesized in microscopic size manufactured production and secondary microplastics generated by physical and environmental degradation. Plastic particles are long-lived pollutants that are highly resistant to environmental degradation. In this review, the distribution and possible sources of MPs in aquatic and terrestrial environments are described. Moreover, the adverse effects of MPs on natural creatures due to ingestion have been discussed. We also have summarized identification methods based on MPs particle size and chemical bond. To control the pollution of MPs, the biodegradation of MPs under the action of different microbes has also been reviewed in this work. This review will contribute to a better understanding of MPs pollution in the environment, as well as their identification, toxicity, and biodegradation in the ocean, freshwater, and soil, and the assessment and control of microplastics exposure.     

Transparent exopolymer particles (TEPs)-associated protobiofilm: A neglected contributor to biofouling during membrane filtration

• Bacteria could easily and quickly attached onto TEP to form protobiofilms. • TEP-protobiofilm facilitate the transport of bacteria to membrane surface. • More significant flux decline was observed in the presence of TEP-protobiofilms. • Membrane fouling shows higher sensitivity to protobiofilm not to bacteria level. Transparent exopolymer particles (TEPs) are a class of transparent gel-like polysaccharides, which have been widely detected in almost every kind of feed water to membrane systems, including freshwater, seawater and wastewater. Although TEP have been thought to be related to the membrane fouling, little information is currently available for their influential mechanisms and the pertinence to biofouling development. The present study, thus, aims to explore the impact of TEPs on biofouling development during ultrafiltration. TEP samples were inoculated with bacteria for several hours before filtration and the formation of “protobiofilm” (pre-colonized TEP by bacteria) was examined and its influence on biofouling was determined. It was observed that the bacteria can easily and quickly attach onto TEPs and form protobiofilms. Ultrafiltration experiments further revealed that TEP-protobiofilms served as carriers which facilitated and accelerated transport of bacteria to membrane surface, leading to rapid development of biofouling on the ultrafiltration membrane surfaces. Moreover, compared to the feed water containing independent bacteria and TEPs, more flux decline was observed with TEP-protobiofilms. Consequently, it appeared from this study that TEP-protobiofilms play a vital role in the development of membrane biofouling, but unfortunately, this phenomenon has been often overlooked in the literature. Obviously, these findings in turn may also challenge the current understanding of organic fouling and biofouling as membrane fouling caused by TEP-protobiofilm is a combination of both. It is expected that this study might promote further research in general membrane fouling mechanisms and the development of an effective mitigation strategy.     

Bacteria transport and deposition under unsaturated conditions: the role of the matrix grain size and the bacteria surface protein

Unsaturated (80% water saturated) packed column experiments were conducted to investigate the influence of grain size distribution and bacteria surface macromolecules on bacteria (Rhodococcus rhodochrous) transport and deposition mechanisms. Three sizes of silica sands were used in these transport experiments, and their median grain sizes were 607, 567, and 330 microm. The amount of retained bacteria increased with decreasing sand size, and most of the deposited bacteria were found adjacent to the column inlet. The deposition profiles were not consistent with predictions based on classical filtration theory. The experimental data could be accurately characterized using a mathematical model that accounted for first-order attachment, detachment, and time and depth-dependent straining processes. Visual observations of the bacteria deposition as well as mathematical modelling indicated that straining was the dominant mechanism of deposition in these sands (78-99.6% of the deposited bacteria), which may have been enhanced due to the tendency of this bacterium to form aggregates. An additional unsaturated experiment was conducted to better deduce the role of bacteria surface macromolecules on attachment and straining processes. In this case, the bacteria surface was treated using a proteolitic enzyme. This technique was assessed by examining the Fourier-transform infrared spectrum and hydrophobicity of untreated and enzyme treated cells. Both of these analytical procedures demonstrated that this enzymatic treatment removed the surface proteins and/or associated macromolecules. Transport and modelling studies conducted with the enzyme treated bacteria, revealed a decrease in attachment, but that straining was not significantly affected by this treatment.     

北极沉积物中硫酸盐还原菌与生物地球化学要素的相关分析

对北极楚科奇海、白令海测区34个沉积物样品的硫酸盐还原菌(SRB)含量与CaCO3、Si、S、P、Cd、Fe、Ti、Pb、Hg等地球化学要素作了相关分析．同时分析了SRB与其所在沉积物粒度与底层水温间的关系．结果表明：SRB与Si、砂及底层水温为正相关；SRB与CaCO3、Fe、Ti、P、Pb、Hg、粉砂、粘土为负相关；而SRB与Cd、S的相关性因海区不同而不同．既有负相关．也有正相关．分析了这些相关状况及其原因．     

SSCP技术解析硫酸盐还原反应器中微生物群落结构

采用改进的单链构象多态性(SSCP)技术,以16SrRNA基因的V3区为靶对象,分析完全混合式硫酸盐还原反应器中微生物的群落结构以及硫酸盐还原菌(SRBs)与产酸菌(ABs)的种间关系.共得到13个可辨晰的SSCP条带,对其中的6条带(A1,A3,A4,A5,A9,A10)进行了测序分析,分别同嗜柠檬酸明串球菌(GenBank登录号:AY453065,下同)、未培养细菌(AJ318147,AF227834,AJ576427)、产乙醇杆菌(AY434722)、梭杆菌(AB084627)等相似性较大.为检测系统中的SRBs,以SRBs富集培养基,对反应器中的活性污泥进行选择性富集,培养的混合菌群同样采用SSCP分析,带型与前者相差较大,其中有2条带与Bacteroidetes(AB074606)和脱硫弧菌(Y12254,U42221)最为相似.分析表明,SRBs在总DNA中的含量可能不到1·5%,但是它们与大量的ABs形成很好的种间协作关系,从而维持工艺系统较高的硫酸盐去除率和运行稳定性.     

Applications of biosensors for bacteria and virus detection in food and water–A systematic review

Biosensors for sensitive and specific detection of foodborne and waterborne pathogens are particularly valued for their portability, usability, relatively low cost, and real-time or near real-time response. Their application is widespread in several domains, including environmental monitoring. The main limitation of currently developed biosensors is a lack of sensitivity and specificity in complex matrices. Due to increased interest in biosensor development, we conducted a systematic review, com...     

辽宁某冶炼厂重金属污染对土壤中微生物的有效性影响

对某铜锌冶炼厂周边土壤微生物区系和土壤抗性细菌数进行了实验分析。结果表明,在冶炼厂周边土壤几种重金属含量与对照区土壤相比明显的增加。冶炼厂周边土壤中,土壤微生物的总数下降,土壤微生物各主要生理类群数量明显减少。抗性实验结果表明:由于土壤长期受重金属污染影响,土壤中细菌抗重金属水平提高,耐性菌种多。     

气溶胶中多环芳烃的污染源识别方法

文章评述了气溶胶中多环芳烃污染源类型识别的几种方法,即:比值法、轮廓图法、特征化合物法和多元统计方法等.比值法简单可行,应用较多,但常因苯并(a)芘的不稳定性而带来误差,建议与轮廓图法、特征化合物法等配合使用,多元统计法要求样品数多,并且运算复杂,目前应用尚不多见,但其潜力很大。      

组织如何开展环境因素识别与评价工作

本文总结了环境因素识别和评价工作的经验,在环境因素识别和评价的策划、识别评价方法的选择、环境因素识别和更新等方面提出了具体做法。     

Development of inherent safety and health index for formulated product design

The numerous formulated products which are introduced to the market consist of chemical ingredients that may cause various safety and health hazards to the consumers. Therefore, it is extremely important to practice a systematic methodology to formulate products with acceptable safety and health performances. This work presents an index-based methodology to assess the safety and health hazards of the ingredients during the early formulation stage of product design. Hence, new inherent safety and health sub-indexes are introduced to improve the current safety and health hazards that are needed in formulated product design. The inherent safety and health sub-indexes are assigned with scores based on the degree of potential hazards. A higher score indicates a higher safety risk or severe health effect, and vice versa. The proposed methodology will greatly assist the users to identify the adverse safety and health effects caused by the ingredients. Hence, it is pivotal to eliminate or reduce the safety and health impacts from product usage. A case study on common ingredients used in the formulation of paint is presented on this study to describe the proposed method.