Co-biodegradation of pyrene and other PAHs by the bacterium Acinetobacter johnsonii

Enhanced virulence of Acinetobacter johnsonii at low temperatures induces acute immune response and systemic infection in American bullfrogs (Aquarana catesbeiana)

Acinetobacter johnsonii is a denitrifying bacterium commonly used as an environmental probiotic in wastewater treatment. However, research on its potential pathogenicity to animals is limited. During an epidemiological survey conducted from 2022 to 2024 at bullfrog farms in Guangdong Province, China, multiple strains were isolated from diseased bullfrogs during the low-temperature season. Three representative strains were selected for virulence testing, which showed high virulence to bullfrogs. Molecular identification confirmed these strains as A. johnsonii. One strain was named NW220314S and chosen for further study. Artificial infection through different routes revealed that the mortality rate of bullfrogs infected with this strain was higher at 15°C compared to 28°C. Additionally, the expression of at least 11 virulence genes was significantly higher at 15°C. Pathological examinations of bullfrogs infected with A. johnsonii showed systemic infection with extensive infiltration of inflammatory factors in organs, muscles, and skin. Immune-related gene expression analysis indicated a rapid and intense inflammatory response in bullfrogs post-infection. Our findings uncovered the novel phenomenon of the pathogenicity of A. johnsonii in bullfrogs under low-temperature conditions, warning of the potential threat of A. johnsonii to amphibian populations and the risks associated with its use in various environmental applications.

A review on bioactivity, plant safety, and metal-reducing potential of lignin, its micro/nanostructures, and composites

Modern science focuses on sustainability-oriented innovation. Structurally sophisticated lignin is a sustainable alternative to non-renewable resources. Over the last several years, a tremendous scientific effort has been made to innovate lignin-based sustainable materials for numerous advanced applications. The lignin's phenolic, methoxyl and aliphatic hydroxyl functional groups are biologically and chemically active, making it conducive to developing state-of-the-art biomedicine, food packaging, crop protection, and catalyst materials. The biocidal effect of lignin rests on the phenolic compounds, specifically the double bond in α, β positions of the side chain, and a methyl group in the γ position. Also, depending on the biomass source and the pulping method, lignins possess different biocidal and antioxidant properties. The abundant hydroxyl groups in lignin are metal reductants and possess capping ability for the nanoparticles (NPs). This review focused on lignin's bioactivity mechanism, including antimicrobial efficacy and antioxidant properties. Lignin-based micro/nanocomposites and their application on food packaging, plant protection, and growth will also be explored. We will also review the application of lignin as a reducing and capping agent for the synthesis of metal NPs.

Optimisation of PAHs biodegradation by Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa through response surface methodology

Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with Box-Behnken Design (BBD) is used to optimise the Phenanthrene (PHE) degradation process by Klebsiella pneumoniae (K bacteria) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P bacteria). Wherein substrate concentration, temperature, and pH at three levels are used as independent variables, and degradation rate of PHE as dependent variables (response). The statistical analysis, via ANOVA, shows coefficient of determination R2 as 0.9848 with significant P value 0.0001 fitting in second-order quadratic regression model for PAHs removal by Klebsiella pneumonia, and R2 as 0.9847 with significant P value 0.0001 by P bacteria. According to the model analysis, temperature (P < 0.0006) is the most influential factor for PHE degradation efficiency by K bacteria, while pH (P < 0.0001) is the most influential factor for PHE degradation by P bacteria. The predicted optimum parameters for K bacteria, namely, temperature, substrate concentration, and pH are found to be 34.00℃, 50.80 mg/L, and 7.50, respectively, and those for P bacteria are 33.30℃, 52.70 mg/L, and 7.20, respectively. At these optimum conditions, the observed PHE removal rates by two bacteria are found to be 83.36% ± 2.1% and 81.23% ± 1.6% in validation experiments, respectively. Thus RSM can optimise the biodegradation conditions of both bacteria for PHE.

Cometabolic degradation of pyrene with phenanthrene as substrate: assisted by halophilic Pseudomonas stutzeri DJP1

At present, cometabolic degradation is an extensive method for the biological removal of high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (HMW-PAHs) in the marine environment. However, due to the refractory to degradation and high toxicity, there are few studies on pyrene (PYR) cometabolic degradation with phenanthrene (PHE) as substrate. In this study, a Pseudomonas stutzeri DJP1 strain isolated from sediments was used in the cometabolic system of PHE and PYR. The biomass and the activity of key enzymes such as dehydrogenase and catechol 12 dioxygenase of strain were improved, but the enhancement of biotoxicity resulted in the inhibition of cometabolism simultaneously. Seven metabolites were identified respectively in PYR, PHE degradation cultures. It was speculated that the cometabolism of PHE and PYR had a common phthalic acid pathway, and the degradation pathway of PHE was included in the downstream pathway of PYR. The functional genes such as PhdF, NidD and CatA involved in DJP1 degradation were revealed by Genome analysis. This study provides a reference for the biodegradation of PYR and PHE in real marine environment.

Advances in electrospun materials for the adsorption and separation of environmental pollutants: A comprehensive review

Despite a broad range of new techniques developed, adsorption methods remain one of the technologies of choice for the removal of contaminants. However, significant progress has also been made in these, which finds reflection in a new spectrum of adsorbents that can be used. This comprehensive review discusses properties, advantages, and perspectives on the use of custom-made electrospun adsorbents in the processes of heavy metals, agrochemicals, and microplastic contaminants removal from the environment. It presents the versatility and adaptability of materials that can be used as electrospun fibers matrix, also considering the mechanism and parameters of the sorption process carried out with them. The presented review proves, that due to the use of new, custom-made sorbents, such as electrospun materials, the adsorption processes still possess great application potential and development opportunities to provide an attractive and effective alternative to other remediation techniques.

Bioremediation of phenanthrene in saline-alkali soil by biochar- immobilized moderately halophilic bacteria combined with Suaeda salsa L

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contaminated saline-alkali soil is commonly salinized and hardened, which leads to low self-purification efficiency, making it difficult to reuse and remediate. In this study, pot experiments were conducted to investigate remediation of PAH contaminated saline-alkali soil using biochar-immobilized Martelella sp. AD-3, and Suaeda salsa L (S. salsa). Reduction in phenanthrene concentration, PAH degradation functional genes, and the microbial community in the soil were analyzed. The soil properties and plant growth parameters were also analyzed. After a 40-day remediation, the removal rate of phenanthrene by biochar-immobilized bacteria combined with S. salsa (MBP group) was 91.67 %. Additionally, soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC) reduced by 0.15 and 1.78 ds/m, respectively. The fresh weight and leaf pigment contents increased by 1.30 and 1.35 times, respectively, which effectively alleviated the growth pressure on S. salsa in PAH-contaminated saline-alkali soil. Furthermore, this remediation resulted in abundance of PAH degradation functional genes in the soil, with a value of 2.01 × 10³ copies/g. The abundance of other PAH degraders such as Halomonas, Marinobacter, and Methylophaga in soil also increased. Furthermore, the highest abundance of Martelella genus was observed after the MBP treatment, indicating that strain AD-3 has a higher survival ability in the rhizosphere of S. salsa under the protection of biochar. This study provides a green, low-cost technique for remediation of PAH-contaminated saline-alkali soils.

Effects of bioaugmentation by isolated Achromobacter xylosoxidans BP1 on PAHs degradation and microbial community in contaminated soil

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of organic pollutants ubiquitous and persistent in soil. In order to provide a viable solution for bioremediation of PAHs-contaminated soil, a strain of Achromobacter xylosoxidans BP1 with superior PAHs degradation ability was isolated from contaminated soil at a coal chemical site in northern China. The degradation of phenanthrene (PHE) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) by strain BP1 was investigated in three different liquid phase cultures, and the removal rates of PHE and BaP by strain BP1 were 98.47% and 29.86% after 7 days under the conditions of PHE and BaP as the only carbon source, respectively. In the medium with the coexistence of PHE and BaP, the removal rates of BP1 were 89.44% and 9.42% after 7 days, respectively. Then, strain BP1 was investigated for its feasibility in remediating PAH-contaminated soil. Among the four PAHs-contaminated soils treated differently, the treatment inoculated with BP1 exhibited higher removal rates of PHE and BaP (p < 0.05), especially the CS-BP1 treatment (inoculation of BP1 into unsterilized PAHs-contaminated soil) showed 67.72%, 13.48% removal of PHE and BaP, respectively, over 49 days of incubation. Bioaugmentation also significantly increased the activity of dehydrogenase and catalase in the soil (p＜0.05). Furthermore, the effect of bioaugmentation on the removal of PAHs was investigated by measuring the activity of dehydrogenase (DH) and catalase (CAT) during incubation. Among them, the DH and CAT activities of CS-BP1 and SCS-BP1 (inoculation of BP1 into sterilized PAHs-contaminated soil) treatments inoculated with strain BP1 were significantly higher than those of treatments without BP1 addition during incubation (p < 0.01). The structure of the microbial community varied among treatments, but the Proteobacteria phylum showed the highest relative abundance in all treatments of the bioremediation process, and most of the bacteria with higher relative abundance at the genus level also belonged to the Proteobacteria phylum. Prediction of microbial functions in soil by FAPROTAX analysis showed that bioaugmentation enhanced microbial functions associated with the degradation of PAHs. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of Achromobacter xylosoxidans BP1 as a PAH-contaminated soil degrader for the risk control of PAHs contamination.

Kinetics of Benzo(a)pyrene biodegradation and bacterial growth in sandy soil by Sphingobacterium spiritovorum

Biodegradation is the economically viable solution to restore land contaminated by hazardous pollutants such as benzo(a)pyrene (BaP). The present study focuses on the biodegradation of benzo(a)pyrene by Sphingobacterium spiritovorum in contaminated soil. The biodegradation kinetics and bacterial growth were evaluated while the biokinetic model that described the benzo(a)pyrene biodegradation was established. The Monod, Haldane, Powell and Edward models were used to model the bacterial growth in benzo(a)pyrene contaminated soil. Excel template was developed with Fourth order Runga-Kutta numerical algorithm to find the biokinetic parameters of the complex non-linear regression model. An Excel Solver function was used to obtain reasonable best-fit values of kinetic parameters. The Haldane and Edward models are well fit to describe the growth trend and model the kinetics of benzo(a)pyrene biodegradation. Enzyme substrate inhibition is the critical factor that affects the benzo(a)pyrene degradation by S. spiritovorum, which the model defines physically. The results demonstrated that removing benzo(a)pyrene showed positive interaction between substrate inhibition, the concentration of benzo(a)pyrene and sorption of the contaminants on soil particles.

Biochar application strategies for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons removal from soils

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are known as a hazardous group of pollutants in the soil which causes many challenges to the environment. In this study, the potential of biochar (BC), as a carbonaceous material, is evaluated for the immobilization of PAHs in soils. For this purpose, various bonding mechanisms of BC and PAHs, and the strength of bonds are firstly described. Also, the effect of impressive criteria including BC physicochemical properties (such as surface area, porosity, particle size, polarity, aromaticity, functional group, etc., which are mostly the function of pyrolysis temperature), number of rings in PAHs, incubation time, and soil properties, on the extent and rate of PAHs immobilization by BC are explained. Then, the utilization of BC in collaboration with biological tools which simplifies further dissipation of PAHs in the soil is described considering detailed interactions among BC, microbes, and plants in the soil matrix. The co-effect of BC and biological remediation has been authenticated by previous studies. Moreover, recent technologies and challenges related to the application of BC in soil remediation are explained. The implementation of a combined BC-biological remediation method would provide excellent prospects for PAHs-contaminated soils.

Insight into bacterial community profiles of oil shale and sandstone in ordos basin by culture-dependent and culture-independent methods

To promote the exploitation of unconventional oil resources by indigenous microorganisms, the bacterial community profiles of oil shale and sandstone in Ordos Basin were investigated using Illumina Miseq sequencing combined with the culture-based method, which was performed and reported in this literature for the first time. A total of 601 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were obtained from collected samples, the predominant phylum present in all samples was Proteobacteria (76.96%-93.07%). Discriminatory bacterial community profiles existed in those samples by culture-dependent and culture-independent methods, with variations not only in diversity indices but also in the abundance of bacteria at different genus levels. The dominant genera in cultured sandstone sample (SCB), uncultured sandstone sample (SUB), cultured shale sample (YCB), uncultured shale sample (YUB) were Enhydrobacter (71.62%), Acidovorax (42.44%), Pseudomonas (40.13%), Variovorax (70.02%), respectively. Both sample sources and culturing methods were the principal factors affecting the variation, while the communities' structures were favored primarily by culture-dependent or culture-independent approaches. The high abundance of hydrocarbon degradation-related genes was exhibited in YCB, which reveals a great potential for utilization of the culture-dependent method in shale oil exploitation. This study provided guidance for the exploitation of shale oil and sandstone oil by artificial utilization of indigenous bacteria.

Source identification and risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in air and dust samples of Lahore City

During two consecutive summer and winter seasons in Lahore, the health risk of air and dust-borne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was evaluated. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GS/MS) was used to determine air and dust samples from various functional areas across the city. The mean ∑₁₆PAHs were higher in air 1035.8 ± 310.7 (pg m^-3) and dust 963.4 ± 289.0 (ng g^-1 d.w.) during winter seasons as compared to summer seasons in air 1010.9 ± 303.3 (pg m^-3) and dust matrices 945.2 ± 283.6 (ng g^-1 d.w.), respectively. PAHs ring profile recognized 3 and 4 rings PAHs as most dominant in air and dust samples. Estimated results of incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) highlighted high carcinogenic risk among the residents of Lahore via ingestion and dermal contact on exposure to atmospheric PAHs. The total ILCR values in air among children (summer: 9.61E - 02, winter: 2.09E - 02) and adults (summer: 1.45E - 01, winter: 3.14E - 02) and in dust, children (summer: 9.16E - 03, winter: 8.80E - 03) and adults (summer: 1.38E - 02, winter: 1.33E - 02) during the study period. The isomeric ratios in the study area revealed mixed PAH sources, including vehicular emission, petroleum, diesel and biomass combustion. As a result, it is advised that atmospheric PAHs should be monitored throughout the year and the ecologically friendly fuels be used to prevent PAHs pollution and health concerns in the city. The findings of this study are beneficial to the local regulating bodies in terms of controlling the exposure and promoting steps to reduce PAHs pollution and manage health in Lahore.

Negative correlations between cultivable and active-yet-uncultivable pyrene degraders explain the postponed bioaugmentation

Bioaugmentation is an effective approach to remediate soils contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), but suffers from unsatisfactory performance in engineering practices, which is hypothetically explained by the complicated interactions between indigenous microbes and introduced degraders. This study isolated a cultivable pyrene degrader (Sphingomonas sp. YT1005) and an active pyrene degrading consortium (Gp16, Streptomyces, Pseudonocardia, Panacagrimonas, Methylotenera and Nitrospira) by magnetic-nanoparticle mediated isolation (MMI) from soils. Pyrene biodegradation was postponed in bioaugmentation with Sphingomonas sp. YT1005, whilst increased by 30.17% by the active pyrene degrading consortium. Pyrene dioxygenase encoding genes (nidA, nidA3 and PAH-RHDα-GP) were enriched in MMI isolates and positively correlated with pyrene degradation efficiency. Pyrene degradation by Sphingomonas sp. YT1005 only followed the phthalate pathway, whereas both phthalate and salicylate pathways were observed in the active pyrene degrading consortium. The results indicated that the uncultivable pyrene degraders were suitable for bioaugmentation, rather than cultivable Sphingomonas sp. YT1005. The negative correlations between Sphingomonas sp. YT1005 and the active-yet-uncultivable pyrene degraders were the underlying mechanisms of bioaugmentation postpone in engineering practices.

Synergistic degradation of pyrene by Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA06 and Achromobacter sp. AC15 with sodium citrate as the co-metabolic carbon source

Two pyrene-degrading strains, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA06 and Achromobacter sp. AC15 were co-incubated in equal proportions as a microbiological consortium and could enhance the degradation of pyrene. The enzymatic activities of the catechol 1,2-dioxygenase (C12O) and 2,3-dioxygenase activities (C23O) were produced complementary expression by P. aeruginosa PA06 and Achromobacter sp. AC15, respectively. Meanwhile, results showed that pyrene degradation was sufficiently promoted in the presence of sodium citrate as a co-metabolic carbon source, likely a result of enhanced biomass and biosurfactant production. The optimized dosage and ideal initial pHs were 1.4 g L^-1 and 5.5, respectively. We also analyzed the rate constant of pyrene degradation, cell growth, and enzyme activity. Results show that P. aeruginosa PA06 had a better effect than Achromobacter sp. AC15 in bacterial growth. However, the C23O or C12O activity produced by Achromobacter sp. AC15 continued at a similar or even faster than that of P. aeruginosa PA06. The mixed bacteria had a better effect than any single bacteria, suggesting the strains worked synergistically to enhance the degradation efficiency. In the co-metabolism system of 600 mg/L pyrene and 1.4 g/L sodium citrate, pyrene degradation reached 74.6%, was 1.57 times, 2.06 times, and 3.89 times that of the mix-culture strains, single PA06 and single AC15 without sodium citrate, respectively. Overall, these findings are valuable as a potential tool for the bioremediation of high-molecular-weight PAHs.

Co-metabolic and biochar-promoted biodegradation of mixed PAHs by highly efficient microbial consortium QY1

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), typical representatives of the persistent organic pollutants (POPs), have become ubiquitous in the environment. In this study, a novel microbial consortium QY1 that performed outstanding PAHs-degrading capacity has been enriched. The degradation characteristics of single and mixed PAHs treated with QY1 were studied, and the effect of biochar on biodegradation of mixed PAHs and the potential of biochar in PAHs-heavy metal combined pollution bioremediation were also investigated. Results showed that, in single substrate system, QY1 degraded 94.5% of 500 mg/L phenanthrene (PHE) and 17.8% of 10 mg/L pyrene (PYR) after 7 days, while in PHE-PYR mixture system, the biodegradation efficiencies of PHE (500 mg/L) and PYR (10 mg/L) reached 94.0% and 96.2%, respectively, since PHE served as co-metabolic substrate to have significantly improved PYR biodegradation. Notably, with the cooperation of biochar, the biodegradations of PHE and PYR were greatly accelerated. Further, biochar could reduce the adverse impact of heavy metals (Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, Cr₂O₇^2-) on PYR biodegradation remarkably. The sequencing analysis revealed that Methylobacterium, Burkholderia and Stenotrophomonas were the dominant genera of QY1 in almost all treatments, indicating that these genera might play key roles in PAHs biodegradation. Overall, this study provided new insights into the efficient bioremediation of PAHs-contaminated site.

Bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in contaminated mangroves: Understanding the historical and key parameter profiles

Sensitive biomes, such as coastal ecosystems, have become increasingly susceptible to environmental impacts caused by oil logistics and storing, which, although more efficient nowadays, still cause spills. Thus, bioremediation techniques attract attention owing to their low impact on the environment. Among petroleum-based compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are known for their potential impact and persistence in the environment. Therefore, PAH bioremediation is notably a technique capable of reducing these polluting compounds in the environment. However, there is a lack of understanding of microbial growth process conditions, leading to a less efficient choice of bioremediation methods. This article provides a review of the bioremediation processes in mangroves contaminated with oils and PAHs and an overview of some physicochemical and biological factors. Special attention was given to the lack of approach regarding experiments that have been conducted in situ and that considered the predominance of the anaerobic condition of mangroves.

Effects of environmental factors and coexisting substrates on PAH degradation and transcriptomic responses of the defined bacterial consortium OPK

The present study showed that syntrophic associations in a defined bacterial consortium, named OPK, containing Mycolicibacterium strains PO1 and PO2, Novosphingobium pentaromativorans PY1 and Bacillus subtilis FW1, led to effective pyrene degradation over a wide range of pH values, temperatures and salinities, as well as in the presence of a second polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). Anthracene, phenanthrene or fluorene facilitated complete pyrene degradation within 9 days, while fluoranthene delayed pyrene degradation. Interestingly, fluoranthene degradation was enhanced in the presence of pyrene. Transcriptome analysis confirmed that Mycolicibacterium strains were the key PAH-degraders during the cometabolism of pyrene and fluoranthene. Notably, the transcription of genes encoding pyrene-degrading enzymes were shown to be important for enhanced fluoranthene degradation. NidAB was the major initial oxygenase involved in the degradation of pyrene and fluoranthene mixture. Other functional genes encoding ribosomal proteins, an iron transporter, ABC transporters and stress response proteins were induced in strains PO1 and PO2. Furthermore, an intermediate pyrene-degrading Novosphingobium strain contributed to protocatechuate degradation. The results demonstrated that synergistic interactions among the bacterial members (PO1, PO2 and PY1) of the consortium OPK promoted the simultaneous degradation of two high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs.

Bioremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons Using Acinetobacter sp. SCYY-5 Isolated from Contaminated Oil Sludge: Strategy and Effectiveness Study

Biodegradation has been considered as an ideal technique for total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) contamination, but its efficiency is limited by its application in the field. Herein, an original TPH-degrading strain, SCYY-5, was isolated from contaminated oil sludge and identified as Acinetobacter sp. by 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The biological function of the isolate was investigated by heavy metal tolerance, carbon, and nitrogen source and degradation tests. To enhance its biodegradation efficiency, the response surface methodology (RSM) based on a function model was adopted to investigate and optimize the strategy of microbial and environmental variables for TPH removal. Furthermore, the performance of the system increased to 79.94% with the further addition of extra nutrients, suggesting that the RSM and added nutrients increased the activity of bacteria to meet the needs of the co-metabolism matrix during growth or degradation. These results verified that it is feasible to adopt the optimal strategy of combining bioremediation with RSM to improve the biodegradation efficiency, for contaminated oil sludge.

Optimization of an Autochthonous Bacterial Consortium Obtained from Beach Sediments for Bioremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons

Oil spill pollution remains a serious concern in marine environments and the development of effective oil bioremediation techniques are vital. This work is aimed at developing an autochthonous hydrocarbon-degrading consortium with bacterial strains with high potential for hydrocarbons degradation, optimizing first the growth conditions for the consortium, and then testing its hydrocarbon-degrading performance in microcosm bioremediation experiments. Bacterial strains, previously isolated from a sediment and cryopreserved in a georeferenced microbial bank, belonged to the genera Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus and Acinetobacter. Microcosms were assembled with natural seawater and petroleum, for testing: natural attenuation (NA); biostimulation (BS) (nutrients addition); bioaugmentation with inoculum pre-grown in petroleum (BA/P) and bioaugmentation with inoculum pre-grown in acetate (BA/A). After 15 days, a clear blending of petroleum with seawater was observed in BS, BA/P and BA/A but not in NA. Acetate was the best substrate for consortium growth. BA/A showed the highest hydrocarbons degradation (66%). All bacterial strains added as inoculum were recovered at the end of the experiment. This study provides an insight into the capacity of autochthonous communities to degrade hydrocarbons and on the use of alternative carbon sources for bacterial biomass growth for the development of bioremediation products to respond to oil spills.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: Sources, Toxicity, and Remediation Approaches

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread across the globe mainly due to long-term anthropogenic sources of pollution. The inherent properties of PAHs such as heterocyclic aromatic ring structures, hydrophobicity, and thermostability have made them recalcitrant and highly persistent in the environment. PAH pollutants have been determined to be highly toxic, mutagenic, carcinogenic, teratogenic, and immunotoxicogenic to various life forms. Therefore, this review discusses the primary sources of PAH emissions, exposure routes, and toxic effects on humans, in particular. This review briefly summarizes the physical and chemical PAH remediation approaches such as membrane filtration, soil washing, adsorption, electrokinetic, thermal, oxidation, and photocatalytic treatments. This review provides a detailed systematic compilation of the eco-friendly biological treatment solutions for remediation of PAHs such as microbial remediation approaches using bacteria, archaea, fungi, algae, and co-cultures. In situ and ex situ biological treatments such as land farming, biostimulation, bioaugmentation, phytoremediation, bioreactor, and vermiremediation approaches are discussed in detail, and a summary of the factors affecting and limiting PAH bioremediation is also discussed. An overview of emerging technologies employing multi-process combinatorial treatment approaches is given, and newer concepts on generation of value-added by-products during PAH remediation are highlighted in this review.

Characterizing the bacterial consortium ASDF capable of catabolic degradation of fluoranthene and other mono- and poly-aromatic hydrocarbons

In this study, a bacterial consortium ASDF was developed, capable of degrading fluoranthene (a non-alternant poly-aromatic hydrocarbon). It comprised of three bacterial strains: Pseudomonas sp. ASDF1, Burkholderia sp. ASDF2 and Mycobacterium sp. ASDF3 capable of degrading 100 mg/L of fluoranthene under experimentally defined and optimum conditions (37 °C, pH 7.0, 150 rpm) within 7 days. Consortium had metabolized fluoranthene as sole source of carbon and energy with maximum degradation rate of 0.52 mg/L/h and growth rate of 0.054/h. Fluoranthene degradation is an aerobic process, therefore with increasing the gyratory shaking from 50 to 150 rpm, degradation was concurrently enhanced by 7.1-fold. The synthetic surfactants SDS and CTAB had antagonistic effect on fluoranthene degradation (decreased up to 2.8-fold). The proficiency of consortium was assessed for its inherent ability to degrade seven other hydrocarbons both individually as well as in mixture. The degradation profile was studied using HPLC and the detection of two degraded intermediates (salicylic acid and derivatives of phthalic acid) suggested that fluoranthene degradation might have occurred via ortho- and meta-cleavage pathways. The competency of consortium was further validated through simulated microcosm studies, which showed 96% degradation of fluoranthene in soil ecosystem under the ambient conditions. Hence, the study suggested that the consortium ASDF has an inherent potential for its wide applicability in bioremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated sites.

Effect of lignin and plant growth-promoting bacteria (Staphylococcus pasteuri) on microbe-plant Co-remediation: A PAHs-DDTs Co-contaminated agricultural greenhouse study

Due to the ecological toxicity and environmental residues, how to remove the persistent organic pollutants (POPs), especially of polycyclic-aromatic-hydrocarbons (PAHs) and dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethanes (DDTs), from agricultural soil has captured the attention of scholars for a long time. To develop an effective and low-cost in situ co-remediation technique, five independent but complementary treatments were used on an over-standard PAHs-DDTs co-contaminated soil in an agricultural greenhouse. Experimental results identified that the combination of microbe (Bacillus methylotrophicus) - plant (Brassica rapa) could remove rhamnolipid activated PAHs and DDTs effectively after enhanced by Staphylococcus pasteuri. Also, the Benzoapyrene and total DDTs residue in Brassica rapa was up to the standard of National (China) food safety. The lignin enhanced the removal of high-rings PAHs and p-p' DDE but reduced soil microbial biomass carbon and soil enzymes activity (polyphenol oxidase, invertase and acid phosphatase). Pearson correlation analysis showed that polyphenol oxidase activity was significantly related to the PAHs/DDTs dissipation rate. Our research suggested a new amendment that could remediate PAHs/DDTs co-contaminated agricultural soil without interrupting crop production, and the polyphenol oxidase activity should be considered as a micro-ecological indicator in this process.

Bioremediation Methods for the Recovery of Lead-Contaminated Soils: A Review

Currently, the pollution of soils by heavy metals is a problem of paramount relevance and requires the development of proper remediation techniques. In particular, lead is a frequently detected soil contaminant that poses adverse effects to the environment and human health. In this review, we provide an overview of the bioremediation treatments promoted by plants (phytoremediation), fungi, or bacteria that could be applied to areas polluted by lead. These restoration processes have the advantage of being environmentally friendly and cost-effective solutions that exploit plants to immobilize and extract contaminants from soil and water, and fungi and bacteria to degrade them. Phytoremediation is an extensively studied and mature practice, with many in-the-field applications where numerous plant species have been employed. In contrast, bioremediation processes promoted by fungi and bacteria are very promising but, up to now, studies have been mostly performed at a laboratory scale with only a few implementations in real-world situations; therefore, further research is needed.

Biodegradation of aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by the thermophilic bioemulsifier-producing Aeribacillus pallidus strain SL-1

The utilization of thermophilic hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms is a suitable strategy for improving biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons and PAHs, as well as enhancing oil recovery from high-temperature reservoirs. In this study, the thermophilic strain Aeribacillus pallidus SL-1 was evaluated for the biodegradation of crude oil and PAHs at 60 °C. Strain SL-1 was found to preferentially degrade short-chain n-alkanes (<C17) and aromatic hydrocarbons from crude oil. The highest degradation rate of 84% was obtained with 1000 mg/l naphthalene as sole carbon source. Additionally, the strain was able to degrade 80% of phenanthrene (200 mg/l) and 50% of pyrene (50 mg/l) within 5 days at 60 °C. The SL-bioemulsifier produced by strain SL-1 was identified as a glycoprotein with stable emulsifying activity over a wide range of environmental conditions. Chemical composition studies exhibited that the SL-bioemulsifier consisted of polysaccharides (65.6%) and proteins (13.1%), among them, proteins were the major emulsifying functional substrates. Furthermore, the SL-bioemulsifier was able to enhance the solubility of PAHs. Thus, the bioemulsifier-producing strain SL-1 has great potential for applications in high-temperature bioremediation.

Future Trends for In Situ Monitoring of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Water Sources: The Role of Immunosensing Techniques

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are hazardous environmental pollutants found in water, soil, and air. Exposure to this family of chemicals presents a danger to human health, and as a result, it is imperative to design methods that are able to detect PAHs in the environment, thus improving the quality of drinking water and agricultural soils. This review presents emerging immunoassay techniques used for in situ detection of PAH in water samples and how they compare to common-place techniques. It will discuss their advantages and disadvantages and why it is required to find new solutions to analyze water samples. These techniques are effective in reducing detection times and complexity of measurements. Immunoassay methods presented here are able to provide in situ analysis of PAH concentrations in a water sample, which can be a great complement to existing laboratory techniques due to their real-time screening and portability for immunoassay techniques. The discussion shows in detail the most relevant state-of-the-art surface functionalization techniques used in the field of immunosensors, with the aim to improve PAH detection capabilities. Specifically, three surface functionalization techniques are key approaches to improve the detection of PAHs, namely, substrate surface reaction, layer-by-layer technique, and redox-active probes. These techniques have shown promising improvements in the detection of PAHs in water samples, since they show a wider linear range and high level of sensitivity compared to traditional PAH detection techniques. This review explores the various methods used in the detection of PAH in water environments. It provides extra knowledge to scientists on the possible solutions that can be used to save time and resources. The combination of the solutions presented here shows great promise in the development of portable solutions that will be able to analyze a sample in a matter of minutes on the field.