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Ding MQ, Ding J, Zhang ZR, Li MX, Cui CH, Pang JW, Xing DF, Ren NQ, Wu WM, Yang SS. Biodegradation of various grades of polyethylene microplastics by Tenebrio molitor and Tenebrio obscurus larvae: Effects on their physiology. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 358:120832. [PMID: 38599089 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Polyethylene (PE) is the most productive plastic product and includes three major polymers including high-density polyethylene (HDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) variation in the PE depends on the branching of the polymer chain and its crystallinity. Tenebrio obscurus and Tenebrio molitor larvae biodegrade PE. We subsequently tested larval physiology, gut microbiome, oxidative stress, and PE degradation capability and degradation products under high-purity HDPE, LLDPE, and LDPE powders (<300 μm) diets for 21 days at 65 ± 5% humidity and 25 ± 0.5 °C. Our results demonstrated the specific PE consumption rates by T. molitor was 8.04-8.73 mg PE ∙ 100 larvae-1⋅day-1 and by T. obscurus was 7.68-9.31 for LDPE, LLDPE and HDPE, respectively. The larvae digested nearly 40% of the ingested three PE and showed similar survival rates and weight changes but their fat content decreased by 30-50% over 21-day period. All the PE-fed groups exhibited adverse effects, such as increased benzoquinone concentrations, intestinal tissue damage and elevated oxidative stress indicators, compared with bran-fed control. In the current study, the digestive tract or gut microbiome exhibited a high level of adaptability to PE exposure, altering the width of the gut microbial ecological niche and community diversity, revealing notable correlations between Tenebrio species and the physical and chemical properties (PCPs) of PE-MPs, with the gut microbiome and molecular weight change due to biodegradation. An ecotoxicological simulation by T.E.S.T. confirmed that PE degradation products were little ecotoxic to Daphnia magna and Rattus norvegicus providing important novel insights for future investigations into the environmentally-friendly approach of insect-mediated biodegradation of persistent plastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Qi Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Jie Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China.
| | - Zhi-Rong Zhang
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China
| | - Mei-Xi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Chen-Hao Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Ji-Wei Pang
- China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group, CECEP Digital Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing, 100089, China
| | - De-Feng Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Nan-Qi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Wei-Min Wu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, William & Cloy Codiga Resource Recovery Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Shan-Shan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China.
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Karayanni H, Motsiou E, Sapountzi V, Meggou L, Pagkoutsou M, Triantafyllidi A, Markouti AK, Zervou S, Anastasopoulos S, Efthimiou G. Microbes and us: microbiology literacy in Greece. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2024; 371:fnae008. [PMID: 38305148 PMCID: PMC10878407 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnae008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Microbes are ubiquitous and provide numerous services to humans and our planet. However, a query arises as to whether these microbial services are valued by the general public especially after unprecedented conditions like the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context a survey was conducted to investigate the concept of microbe in Greece. Thematic analysis of 672 anonymous responses (age range 4-75yo) received for the open-ended prompt "What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word microbe?" revealed five thematic categories: Negative emotions, Fuzzy associations, Biology, Entities and Health. Almost 80% of responses fell under "Biology" and "Health" and the general pattern of answers was the same across all age groups. Microbes took a variety of forms in the minds of respondents, however, the concept of "microbe" seems to be more unshaped at younger ages (4-11yo), as revealed in children's language choices. Overall, the often-negative perception of microorganisms seems to be confirmed in this study. Although this research was limited to participants from Greece, it remains relevant to other countries around the world as well. We discuss the reasons behind this negative perception and offer suggestions for reversing it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hera Karayanni
- Department of Biological Applications and Technology, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Eleni Motsiou
- Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Thessaly, 38221 Volos, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Sapountzi
- Department of Biological Applications and Technology, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Lydia Meggou
- Department of Biological Applications and Technology, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Maria Pagkoutsou
- Department of Biological Applications and Technology, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Aikaterini Triantafyllidi
- Department of Biological Applications and Technology, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | | | | | | | - Georgios Efthimiou
- Centre for Biomedicine, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, HU67RX, Hull, United Kingdom
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Dash DM, Osborne WJ. A systematic review on the implementation of advanced and evolutionary biotechnological tools for efficient bioremediation of organophosphorus pesticides. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 313:137506. [PMID: 36526134 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Ever since the concept of bioremediation was introduced, microorganisms, microbial enzymes and plants have been used as principal elements for Organophosphate pesticide (OPP) bioremediation. The enzyme systems and genetic profile of these microbes have been studied deeply in past years. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are considered as one of the potential candidates for OPP bioremediation and has been widely used to stimulate the phytoremediation potential of plants. Constructed wetlands (CWs) in OPP biodegradation have brought new prospects to microcosm and mesocosm based remediation strategies. Application of synthetic biology has provided a new dimension to the field of OPP bioremediation by introducing concepts like, gene manipulation andediting, expression and regulation of catabolic enzymes, implementation of whole-cell based and enzyme based biosensor systems for the detection and monitoring of OPP pollution in both terrestrial and aquatic environment. System biology and bioinformatics tools have rendered significant knowledge regarding the genetic, enzymatic and biochemical aspects of microbes and plants thereby, helping researchers to analyze the mechanism of OPP biodegradation. Structural biology has provided significant conceptual information regarding OPP biodegradation pathways, structural and functional characterization of metabolites and enzymes, enzyme-pollutant interactions, etc. Therefore, this review discussed the prospects and challenges of most advanced and high throughput strategies implemented for OPP biodegradation. The review also established a comparative analysis of various bioremediation techniques and highlighted the interdependency among them. The review highly suggested the simultaneous implementation of more than one remediation strategy or a combinational approach creating an advantageous hybrid technique for OPP bioremediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipti Mayee Dash
- Department of Bioscience School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - W Jabez Osborne
- Department of Bioscience School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632014, Tamil Nadu, India.
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Papazlatani CV, Kolovou M, Gkounou EE, Azis K, Mavriou Z, Testembasis S, Karaoglanidis GS, Ntougias S, Karpouzas DG. Isolation, characterization and industrial application of a Cladosporium herbarum fungal strain able to degrade the fungicide imazalil. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 301:119030. [PMID: 35189300 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Imazalil (IMZ) is an imidazole fungicide commonly used by fruit-packaging plants (FPPs) to control fungal infections during storage. Its application leads to the production of pesticide-contaminated wastewaters, which, according to the European Commission, need to be treated on site. Considering the lack of efficient treatment methods, biodepuration systems inoculated with tailored-made inocula specialized on the removal of such persistent fungicides appear as an appropriate solution. However, nothing is known about the biodegradation of IMZ. We aimed to isolate and characterize microorganisms able to degrade the recalcitrant fungicide IMZ and eventually to test their removal efficiency under near practical bioengineering conditions. Enrichment cultures from a soil receiving regular discharges of effluents from a FPP, led to the isolation of a Cladosporium herbarum strain, which showed no pathogenicity on fruits, a trait essential for its biotechnological exploitation in FPPs. The fungus was able to degrade up to 100 mg L-1 of IMZ. However, its degrading capacity and growth was reduced at increasing IMZ concentrations in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting the involvement of a detoxification rather than an energy-gain mechanism in the dissipation of IMZ. The isolate could tolerate and gradually degrade the fungicides fludioxonil (FLD) and thiabendazole (TBZ), also used in FPPs and expected to coincide alongside IMZ in FPP effluents. The capacity of the isolate to remove IMZ in a practical context was evaluated in a benchtop immobilized-cell bioreactor fed with artificial IMZ-contaminated wastewater (200 mg L-1). The fungal strain established in the reactor, completely dominated the fungal community and effectively removed >96% of IMZ. The bioreactor also supported a diverse bacterial community composed of Sphingomonadales, Burkholderiales and Pseudomonadales. Our study reports the isolation of the first IMZ-degrading microorganism with high efficiency to remove IMZ from agro-industrial effluents under bioengineering conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina V Papazlatani
- University of Thessaly, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Laboratory of Plant and Environmental Biotechnology, Viopolis, 41500, Larissa, Greece
| | - Maria Kolovou
- University of Thessaly, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Laboratory of Plant and Environmental Biotechnology, Viopolis, 41500, Larissa, Greece
| | - Elisabeth E Gkounou
- University of Thessaly, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Laboratory of Plant and Environmental Biotechnology, Viopolis, 41500, Larissa, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Azis
- Democritus University of Thrace, Department of Environmental Engineering, Laboratory of Wastewater Management and Treatment Technologies, Vas. Sofias 12, 67132, Xanthi, Greece
| | - Zografina Mavriou
- Democritus University of Thrace, Department of Environmental Engineering, Laboratory of Wastewater Management and Treatment Technologies, Vas. Sofias 12, 67132, Xanthi, Greece
| | - Stefanos Testembasis
- Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Department of Agriculture, Plant Pathology Laboratory, University Campus, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - George S Karaoglanidis
- Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Department of Agriculture, Plant Pathology Laboratory, University Campus, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Spyridon Ntougias
- Democritus University of Thrace, Department of Environmental Engineering, Laboratory of Wastewater Management and Treatment Technologies, Vas. Sofias 12, 67132, Xanthi, Greece
| | - Dimitrios G Karpouzas
- University of Thessaly, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Laboratory of Plant and Environmental Biotechnology, Viopolis, 41500, Larissa, Greece.
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Mavriou Ζ, Alexandropoulou I, Melidis P, Karpouzas DG, Ntougias S. Bioprocess performance, transformation pathway, and bacterial community dynamics in an immobilized cell bioreactor treating fludioxonil-contaminated wastewater under microaerophilic conditions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:29597-29612. [PMID: 34542817 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16452-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Fludioxonil is a post-harvest fungicide contained in effluents produced by fruit packaging plants, which should be treated prior to environmental dispersal. We developed and evaluated an immobilized cell bioreactor, operating under microaerophilic conditions and gradually reduced hydraulic retention times (HRTs) from 10 to 3.9 days, for the biotreatment of fludioxonil-rich wastewater. Fludioxonil removal efficiency was consistently above 96%, even at the shortest HRT applied. A total of 12 transformation products were tentatively identified during fludioxonil degradation by using liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight Mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS). Fludioxonil degradation pathway was initiated by successive hydroxylation and carbonylation of the pyrrole moiety and disruption of the oxidized cyanopyrrole ring at the NH-C bond. The detection of 2,2-difluoro-2H-1,3-benzodioxole-4-carboxylic acid verified the decyanation and deamination of the molecule, whereas its conversion to the tentatively identified compound 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid indicated its defluorination. High-throughput amplicon sequencing revealed that HRT shortening led to reduced α-diversity, significant changes in the β-diversity, and a shift in the bacterial community composition from an initial activated sludge system typical community to a community composed of bacterial taxa like Clostridium, Oligotropha, Pseudomonas, and Terrimonas capable of performing advanced degradation and/or aerobic denitrification. Overall, the immobilized cell bioreactor operation under microaerophilic conditions, which minimizes the cost for aeration, can provide a sustainable solution for the depuration of fludioxonil-contaminated agro-industrial effluents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ζografina Mavriou
- Laboratory of Wastewater Management and Treatment Technologies, Department of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, Vas. Sofias 12, 67132, Xanthi, Greece
| | - Ioanna Alexandropoulou
- Laboratory of Wastewater Management and Treatment Technologies, Department of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, Vas. Sofias 12, 67132, Xanthi, Greece
| | - Paraschos Melidis
- Laboratory of Wastewater Management and Treatment Technologies, Department of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, Vas. Sofias 12, 67132, Xanthi, Greece
| | - Dimitrios G Karpouzas
- Laboratory of Plant and Environmental Biotechnology, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Viopolis, 41500, Larissa, Greece
| | - Spyridon Ntougias
- Laboratory of Wastewater Management and Treatment Technologies, Department of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, Vas. Sofias 12, 67132, Xanthi, Greece.
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Alexandrino DAM, Mucha AP, Tomasino MP, Almeida CMR, Carvalho MF. Combining Culture-Dependent and Independent Approaches for the Optimization of Epoxiconazole and Fludioxonil-Degrading Bacterial Consortia. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9102109. [PMID: 34683430 PMCID: PMC8538489 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9102109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Epoxiconazole (EPO) and fludioxonil (FLU) are two widely used fluorinated pesticides known to be highly persistent and with high ecotoxicological potential, turning them into pollutants of concern. This work aimed to optimize two degrading bacterial consortia, previously obtained from an agricultural soil through enrichment with EPO and FLU, by characterizing the contribution of their corresponding bacterial isolates to the biodegradation of these pesticides using both culture-dependent and independent methodologies. Results showed that a co-culture of the strains Hydrogenophaga eletricum 5AE and Methylobacillus sp. 8AE was the most efficient in biodegrading EPO, being able to defluorinate ca. 80% of this pesticide in 28 days. This catabolic performance is likely the result of a commensalistic cooperation, in which H. eletricum may be the defluorinating strain and Methylobacillus sp. may assume an accessory, yet pivotal, catabolic role. Furthermore, 16S rRNA metabarcoding analysis revealed that these strains represent a minority in their original consortium, showing that the biodegradation of EPO can be driven by less abundant phylotypes in the community. On the other hand, none of the tested combinations of bacterial strains showed potential to biodegrade FLU, indicating that the key degrading strains were not successfully isolated from the original enrichment culture. Overall, this work shows, for the first time, the direct involvement of two bacterial species, namely H. eletricum and Methylobacillus sp., in the biodegradation of EPO, while also offering insight on how they might cooperate to accomplish this process. Moreover, the importance of adequate culture-dependent approaches in the engineering of microbial consortia for bioremediation purposes is also emphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diogo A. M. Alexandrino
- CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; (A.P.M.); (M.P.T.); (C.M.R.A.); (M.F.C.)
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +351-223401815
| | - Ana P. Mucha
- CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; (A.P.M.); (M.P.T.); (C.M.R.A.); (M.F.C.)
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto (FCUP), Rua do Campo Alegre 790, 4150-171 Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria Paola Tomasino
- CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; (A.P.M.); (M.P.T.); (C.M.R.A.); (M.F.C.)
| | - C. Marisa R. Almeida
- CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; (A.P.M.); (M.P.T.); (C.M.R.A.); (M.F.C.)
| | - Maria F. Carvalho
- CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; (A.P.M.); (M.P.T.); (C.M.R.A.); (M.F.C.)
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
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Evaluation of Sand Filtration and Activated Carbon Adsorption for the Post-Treatment of a Secondary Biologically-Treated Fungicide-Containing Wastewater from Fruit-Packing Industries. Processes (Basel) 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/pr9071223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In this work, a sand filtration-activated carbon adsorption system was evaluated to remove the fungicide content of a biologically treated effluent. The purification process was mainly carried out in the activated carbon column, while sand filtration slightly contributed to the improvement of the pollutant parameters. The tertiary treatment system, which operated under the batch mode for 25 bed volumes, resulted in total and soluble COD removal efficiencies of 76.5 ± 1.5% and 88.2 ± 1.3%, respectively, detecting total COD concentrations below 50 mg/L in the permeate of the activated carbon column. A significant pH increase and a respective electrical conductivity (EC) decrease also occurred after activated carbon adsorption. The total and ammonium nitrogen significantly decreased, with determined concentrations of 2.44 ± 0.02 mg/L and 0.93 ± 0.19 mg/L, respectively, in the activated carbon permeate. Despite that, the initial imazalil concentration was greater than that of the fludioxonil in the biologically treated effluent (i.e., 41.26 ± 0.04 mg/L versus 7.35 ± 0.43 mg/L, respectively). The imazalil was completely removed after activated carbon adsorption, while a residual concentration of fludioxonil was detected. Activated carbon treatment significantly detoxified the biologically treated fungicide-containing effluent, increasing the germination index by 47% in the undiluted wastewater or by 68% after 1:1 v/v dilution.
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Emmanouil C, Kungolos A. Environmental Toxicity Assessment: state of the art and future directions in a world of arising threats. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:3753-3755. [PMID: 33394407 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-11950-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christina Emmanouil
- School of Spatial Planning and Development, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - Athanasios Kungolos
- School of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
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Whittington HD, Singh M, Ta C, Azcárate-Peril MA, Bruno-Bárcena JM. Accelerated Biodegradation of the Agrochemical Ametoctradin by Soil-Derived Microbial Consortia. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1898. [PMID: 32982997 PMCID: PMC7477900 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Pesticide-resistant plant pathogens are an increasing threat to the global food supply and have generated a need for novel, efficacious agrochemicals. The current regulatory process for approving new agrochemicals is a tedious but necessary process. One way to accelerate the safety evaluation process is to utilize in vitro systems to demonstrate pesticide degradation by soil microbes prior to ex vivo soil evaluations. This approach may have the capability to generate metabolic profiles free of inhibitory substances, such as humic acids, commonly present in ex vivo soil systems. In this study, we used a packed-bed microbial bioreactor to assess the role of the natural soil microbial community during biodegradation of the triazolopyrimidine fungicide, ametoctradin. Metabolite profiles produced during in vitro ametoctradin degradation were similar to the metabolite profiles obtained during environmental fate studies and demonstrated the degradation of 81% of the parent compound in 72 h compared to a half-life of 2 weeks when ametoctradin was left in the soil. The microbial communities of four different soil locations and the bioreactor microbiome were compared using high throughput sequencing. It was found that biodegradation of ametoctradin in both ex vivo soils and in vitro in the bioreactor correlated with an increase in the relative abundance of Burkholderiales, well characterized microbial degraders of xenobiotic compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hunter D Whittington
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Mahatam Singh
- BASF Corporation, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Chanh Ta
- BASF Corporation, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - M Andrea Azcárate-Peril
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and UNC Microbiome Core, Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - José M Bruno-Bárcena
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
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