Effect of organic carbon and metal accumulation on the bacterial communities in sulphidogenic sediments

Reveal molecular mechanism on the effects of silver nanoparticles on nitrogen transformation and related functional microorganisms in an agricultural soil

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely present in aquatic and soil environment, raising significant concerns about their impacts on creatures in ecosystem. While the toxicity of AgNPs on microorganisms has been reported, their effects on biogeochemical processes and specific functional microorganisms remain relatively unexplored. In this study, a 28-day microcosmic experiment was conducted to investigate the dose-dependent effects of AgNPs (10 mg and 100 mg Ag kg-1 soil) on nitrogen transformation and functional microorganisms in agricultural soils. The molecular mechanisms were uncovered by examining change in functional microorganisms and metabolic pathways. To enable comparison, the toxicity of positive control with an equivalent Ag+ dose from CH3COOAg was also included. The results indicated that both AgNPs and CH3COOAg enhanced nitrogen fixation and nitrification, corresponding to increased relative abundances of associated functional genes. However, they inhibited denitrification via downregulating nirS, nirK, and nosZ genes as well as reducing nitrate and nitrite reductase activities. In contrast to high dose of AgNPs, low levels increased bacterial diversity. AgNPs and CH3COOAg altered the activities of associated metabolic pathways, resulting in the enrichment of specific taxa that demonstrated tolerance to Ag. At genus level, AgNPs increased the relative abundances of nitrogen-fixing Microvirga and Bacillus by 0.02 %-629.39 % and 14.44 %-30.10 %, respectively, compared with control group (CK). The abundances of denitrifying bacteria, such as Rhodoplanes, Pseudomonas, and Micromonospora, decreased by 19.03 % to 32.55 %, 24.73 % to 50.05 %, and 15.66 % to 76.06 %, respectively, compared to CK. CH3COOAg reduced bacterial network complexity, diminished the symbiosis mode compared to AgNPs. The prediction of genes involved in metabolic pathways related to membrane transporter and cell motility showed sensitive to AgNPs exposure in the soil. Further studies involving metabolomics are necessary to reveal the essential effects of AgNPs and CH3COOAg on biogeochemical cycle of elements in agricultural soil.

Study on potential microbial community to the waste water treatment from bauxite desilication process

Discharging waste water from the bauxite desilication process will bring potential environmental risk from the residual ions and organic compounds, especially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide. Characterization of the microbial community diversity in waste water plays an important role in the biological treatment of waste water. In this study, eight waste water samples from five flotation plants in China were investigated. The microbial community and functional profiles within the waste water were analyzed by a metagenomic sequencing method and associated with geochemical properties. The results revealed that Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were the dominant bacterial phyla. Both phylogenetical and clusters of orthologous groups' analyses indicated that Tepidicella, Paracoccus, Pseudomonas, and Exiguobacterium could be the dominant bacterial genera in the waste water from bauxite desilication process for their abilities to biodegrade complex organic compounds. The results of the microbial community diversity and functional gene compositions analyses provided a beneficial orientation for the biotreatment of waste water, as well as regenerative using of water resources. Besides, this study revealed that waste water from bauxite desilication process was an ideal ecosystem to find novel microorganisms, such as efficient strains for bio-desilication and bio-desulfurization of bauxite.

The bacterial community structure in epiphytic biofilm on submerged macrophyte Potamogetom crispus L. and its contribution to heavy metal accumulation in an urban industrial area in Hangzhou

Submerged macrophytes and their epiphytic biofilms are important media for metal transport/transformation in aquatic environment. However, the bacterial community structure and the contribution of the epiphytic biofilm to the heavy metal accumulation remain unclear. Therefore, in this study, water, sediment, submerged macrophyte (Potamogeton crispus L.) and its epiphytic biofilm samples in three sites of the moat in the industrial area of Hangzhou were collected for analyzing. The bacterial community structure was significantly impacted by the TN concentrations, and Genus Aeromonas (24.5-41.8%), Acinetobacter (16.2-29.8%) and Pseudomonas (12.6-23.6%) dominated in all epiphytic biofilm samples, which had the heavy metal pollutant resistibility. The contents of Cr in biofilms (7.4-8.3 mg/kg, DW) were significantly higher than those in leaves (1.0-2.4 mg/kg, DW), while the contents of Cu (11.0-13.9 mg/kg, DW) in leaves were significantly higher than those in biofilms (0.7-3.9 mg/kg, DW) in all the three sites. The BCF values of metals in the biofilm were followed the order of YF < IC < ETS. The results indicated that the epiphytic biofilm had positive effects on the metal bioaccumulation, and the metal accumulation ability increased with the hydrodynamic forces. Bioaccumulation by the epiphytic biofilm may be an effective way for metal (especially Cr) remediation.

Long-term Impact of Gold and Platinum on Microbial Diversity in Australian Soils

The effects of platinum (Pt) and gold (Au) and on the soil bacterial community was evaluated in four different Australian soil types (acidic Burn Grounds (BGR), organic matter-rich Fox Lane, high silt/metal Pinpinio (PPN), and alkali Minnipa (MNP) spiked with either Pt or Au at 1, 25, and 100 mg kg^-1 using a next-generation sequencing approach (amplicon-based, MiSeq). Soil type and metal concentrations were observed to be key drivers of Pt and Au effects on soil microbial community structure. Different trends were therefore observed in the response of the bacterial community to Pt and Au amendments; however in each soil type, Pt and Au amendment caused a detectable shift in community structure that in most samples was positively correlated with increasing metal concentrations. New dominant groups were only observed in BGR and PPN soils at 100 mg kg^-1 (Kazan-3B-28 and Verrucomicrobia groups (BGR, Pt) and Firmicutes and Caldithrix groups (PPN, Pt) and WS2 (BGR, Au). The effects of Pt on soil microbial diversity were largely adverse at 100 mg kg^-1 and were pronounced in acidic, basic, and metal/silt-rich soils. However, this effect was concentration-related; Au appeared to be more toxic to soil bacterial communities than Pt at 25 mg kg^-1 but Pt was more toxic at 100 mg kg^-1. More bacterial groups such as those belonging to Burkholderiales/Burkholderiaceae, Alicyclobacillaceae, Rubrobacteraceae, Cytophagaceae, Oxalobacteraceae were selectively enriched by Pt compared to Au (Sphingomonadaceae and Rhodospirillaceae) amendments irrespective of soil type. The research outcomes have important implications in the management (remediation) of Pt- and Au-contaminated environments.

Characterization of microbial communities of soils from gold mine tailings and identification of mercury-resistant strain

To enrich the understanding of the complex environmental system of soil and microorganisms in gold tailings, we studied the effects of environmental factors on the microbial community diversity in gold mine tailing soil in Beijing, and the strains screened from the soil with serious mercury (Hg) pollution. The results showed that microbial diversity and community composition varied among sites, and at varying depths, soil microbes were significantly affected by soil environmental factors such as lead (Pb), Hg, pH, and total organic carbon (TOC). Pb and Hg negatively affected soil microbial diversity, and less-polluted soil showed increased microbial diversities and complex community structure. Community composition analysis showed that Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were the dominant microorganisms. Moreover, Hg-resistant bacterial species isolated from soil samples were identified as Pseudomonas plecoglossicida with a high Hg tolerance efficiency. This study is important in understanding the microbial diversity and function in gold mine tailing soils and can widen the application for bioremediation process.