Removal of nickel(II) from wastewater using a zeolite-packed anaerobic bioreactor: Bacterial diversity and community structure shifts

Ecological impacts and potential hazards of nickel on soil microbes, plants, and human health

Nickel (Ni) contamination poses a serious environmental concern, particularly in developing countries: where, anthropogenic activities significantly contributes to Ni accumulations in soils and waters. The contamination of agricultural soils with Ni, increases risks of its entry to terrestrial ecosystems and food production systems posing a threat to both food security and safety. We examined the existing published articles regarding the origin, source, accumulation, and transport of Ni in soil environments. Particularly, we reviewed the bioavailability and toxic effects of Ni to soil invertebrates and microbes, as well as its impact on soil-plant interactions including seed germination, nutrient uptake, photosynthesis, oxidative stress, antioxidant enzyme activity, and biomass production. Moreover, it underscores the potential health hazards associated with consuming crops cultivated in Ni-contaminated soils and elucidates the pathways through which Ni enters the food chain. The published literature suggests that chronic Ni exposure may have long-term implications for the food supply chain and the health of the public. Therefore, an aggressive effort is required for interdisciplinary collaboration for assessing and mitigating the ecological and health risks associated with Ni contamination. It also argues that these measures are necessary in light of the increasing level of Ni pollution in soil ecosystems and the potential impacts on public health and the environment.

Controlled synthesis of Fe3O4/MnO2 (3 1 0)/ZIF-67 composite with enhanced synergetic effects for the highly selective and efficient adsorption of Cu (II) from simulated copperplating effluents

This study designed a composite material with internal synergistic effects among multiple components to achieve highly selective adsorption of Cu (II). Through controlled synthesis, the Fe3O4/MnO2(3 1 0)/ZIF-67 composite was successfully fabricated, leading to significant improvement in adsorption selectivity, capacity, and adsorption rate. The experimental results showed that the composite is of outstanding selectivity in the adsorption of Cu (II), with a partition coefficient K of Cu (II) that was 2.2-5.3 times higher than that of other coexisting ions. Moreover, the composite exhibited a remarkable adsorption capacity of 1261.0 mg g-1 and a fast adsorption rate of 840.7 mg g-1 h-1 at 298 K. Additionally, its magnetic property facilitated easy separation from wastewater, thereby enhancing its potential for commercial applications. The synergetic effect mechanism was analyzed through characterizations and DFT calculations. Furthermore, the recyclability of the composite was investigated, which showed that after seven cycles, the adsorption efficiency remained at 85% of its initial efficiency. It can be concluded that Fe3O4/MnO2(3 1 0)/ZIF-67 has potential to address challenges posed by heavy metal pollution in copperplating effluents.

Rhizosphere interface microbiome reassembly by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi weakens cadmium migration dynamics

The prevalence of cadmium (Cd)-polluted agricultural soils is increasing globally, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can reduce the absorption of heavy metals by plants and improve mineral nutrition. However, the immobilization of the rhizosphere on cadmium is often overlooked. In this study, Glomus mosseae and Medicago sativa were established as symbiotes, and Cd migration and environmental properties in the rhizosphere were analyzed. AMF reduced Cd migration, and Cd2+ changed to an organic-bound state. AMF symbiosis treatment and Cd exposure resulted in microbial community variation, exhibiting a distinct deterministic process (|βNTI| > 2), which ultimately resulted in a core microbiome function of heavy metal resistance and nutrient cycling. AMF increased available N and P, extracellular enzyme activity (LaC, LiP, and CAT), organic matter content (TOC, EOC, and GRSP), and Eh of the rhizosphere soil, significantly correlating with decreased Cd migration (p < 0.05). Furthermore, AMF significantly affected root metabolism by upregulating 739 metabolites, with flavonoids being the main factor causing microbiome variation. The structural equation model and variance partial analysis revealed that the superposition of the root metabolites, microbial, and soil exhibited the maximum explanation rate for Cd migration reduction (42.4%), and the microbial model had the highest single explanation rate (15.5%). Thus, the AMF in the rhizosphere microenvironment can regulate metabolite-soil-microbial interactions, reducing Cd migration. In summary, the study provides a new scientific explanation for how AMF improves plant Cd tolerance and offers a sustainable solution that could benefit both the environment and human health.

Linking the shifts in the metabolically active microbiota in a UASB and hybrid anaerobic-aerobic bioreactor for swine wastewater treatment

Due to the high concentration of pollutants, swine wastewater needs to be treated prior to disposal. The combination of anaerobic and aerobic technologies in one hybrid system allows to obtain higher removal efficiencies compared to those achieved via conventional biological treatment, and the performance of a hybrid system depends on the microbial community in the bioreactor. Here, we evaluated the community assembly of an anaerobic-aerobic hybrid reactor for swine wastewater treatment. Sequencing of partial 16S rRNA coding genes was performed using Illumina from DNA and retrotranscribed RNA templates (cDNA) extracted from samples from both sections of the hybrid system and from a UASB bioreactor fed with the same swine wastewater influent. Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were the dominant phyla and play a key role in anaerobic fermentation, followed by Methanosaeta and Methanobacterium. Several differences were found in the relative abundances of some genera between the DNA and cDNA samples, indicating an increase in the diversity of the metabolically active community, highlighting Chlorobaculum, Cladimonas, Turicibacter and Clostridium senso stricto. Nitrifying bacteria were more abundant in the hybrid bioreactor. Beta diversity analysis revealed that the microbial community structure significantly differed among the samples (p < 0.05) and between both anaerobic treatments. The main predicted metabolic pathways were the biosynthesis of amino acids and the formation of antibiotics. Also, the metabolism of C5-branched dibasic acid, Vit B5 and CoA, exhibited an important relationship with the main nitrogen-removing microorganisms. The anaerobic-aerobic hybrid bioreactor showed a higher ammonia removal rate compared to the conventional UASB system. However, further research and adjustments are needed to completely remove nitrogen from wastewater.

Innovative Low-Cost Composite Nanoadsorbents Based on Eggshell Waste for Nickel Removal from Aqueous Media

In a contemporary sustainable economy, innovation is a prerequisite to recycling waste into new efficient materials designed to minimize pollution and conserve non-renewable natural resources. Using an innovative approach to remediating metal-polluted water, in this study, eggshell waste was used to prepare two new low-cost nanoadsorbents for the retrieval of nickel from aqueous solutions. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results show that in the first eggshell-zeolite (EZ) adsorbent, the zeolite nanoparticles were loaded in the eggshell pores. The preparation for the second (iron(III) oxide-hydroxide)-eggshell-zeolite (FEZ) nanoadsorbent led to double functionalization of the eggshell base with the zeolite nanoparticles, upon simultaneous loading of the pores of the eggshell and zeolite surface with FeOOH particles. Structural modification of the eggshell led to a significant increase in the specific surface, as confirmed using BET analysis. These features enabled the composite EZ and FEZ to remove nickel from aqueous solutions with high performance and adsorption capacities of 321.1 mg/g and 287.9 mg/g, respectively. The results indicate that nickel adsorption on EZ and FEZ is a multimolecular layer, spontaneous, and endothermic process. Concomitantly, the desorption results reflect the high reusability of these two nanomaterials, collectively suggesting the use of waste in the design of new, low-cost, and highly efficient composite nanoadsorbents for environmental bioremediation.

Complete Desorption of Hybrid Nanoclays Composed of Hydrotalcite and Disperse Dye

Clays are considered great nanoadsorbents for many materials, including textile dyes. The use of these materials for cleaning textile wastewater is well known; however, it is not at all common to find applications for the hybrid materials formed from the clay and dye. In this work, a dye-loaded clay material was used to make new dye baths and colour a polyester textile substrate. The same hybrid could be used several times as it did not use all the adsorbed dye in a single dyeing. The hybrid obtained from hydrotalcite (nanoclay) and the dispersed red 1 dye was analysed by measuring the colour obtained, carrying out an X-ray diffraction analysis that provided information after each desorption-dyeing process, and using infrared spectroscopy to analyse the specific bands of each characteristic group. Both analyses showed that the amount of dye present in the hybrid decreases. Thermogravimetry (TGA), surface area and porosity measurements (BET), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) tests were conducted. Chemical stability was assessed by subjecting the hybrid to the actions of different reagents. In addition, colour fastness tests were carried out after dyeing and washing the polyester test tubes to check for the correct fixing of the dye to the fibre. These fastness results showed that the dyeing was carried out correctly and as if it was a conventional dyeing process.

Recent innovations and challenges in the eradication of emerging contaminants from aquatic systems

Presence of emerging pollutants (EPs), aka Micropollutants (MPs) in the freshwater environments is a severe threat to the environment and human beings. They include pharmaceuticals, insecticides, industrial chemicals, natural hormones, and personal care items and the pollutants are mostly present in wastewater generated from urbanization and increased industrial growth. Even concentrations as low as ngL^-1 or mgL^-1 have proven ecologically lethal to aquatic biota. For several years, the biodegradation of various Micropollutants (MPs) in aquatic ecosystems has been a significant area of research worldwide, with many chemical compounds being discovered in various water bodies. As aquatic biota spends most of their formative phases in polluted water, the impacts on aquatic biota are obvious, indicating that the environmental danger is substantial. In contrast, the impact of these contaminants on aquatic creatures and freshwater consumption is more subtle and manifests directly when disrupting the endocrine system. Research and development activities are expected to enable the development of ecologically sustainable, cost-effective, and efficient treatments for practical systems in the near future. Therefore, this review aims to understand recent emerging pollutants discovered and the available treatment technologies and suggest an innovative and cost-effective method to treat these EPs, which is sustainable and follows the circular bioeconomy.

Dyeing with Hydrotalcite Hybrid Nanoclays and Disperse, Basic and Direct Dyes

Textile effluents are among the most polluting industrial effluents in the world. Textile finishing processes, especially dyeing, discharge large quantities of waste that is difficult to treat, such as dyes. By recovering this material from the water, in addition to cleaning and the possibility of reusing the water, there is the opportunity to reuse this waste as a raw material for dyeing different textile substrates. One of the lines of reuse is the use of hybrid nanoclays obtained from the adsorption of dyes, which allow dye baths to be made for textile substrates. This study analyses how, through the use of the nanoadsorbent hydrotalcite, dyes classified by their charge as anionic, cationic and non-ionic can be adsorbed and recovered for successful reuse in new dye baths. The obtained hybrids were characterised by X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy. In addition, the colour was analysed by spectrophotometer in the UV-VIS range. The dyes made on cotton, polyester and acrylic fabrics are subjected to different colour degradation tests to assess their viability as final products, using reflection spectroscopy to measure the colour attribute before and after the tests, showing results consistent with those of a conventional dye.

Effect of nickel (II) on the performance of anodic electroactive biofilms in bioelectrochemical systems

The impact of nickel (Ni²⁺) on the performance of anodic electroactive biofilms (EABs) in the bioelectrochemical system (BES) was investigated in this study. Although it has been reported that Ni²⁺ influences microorganisms in a number of ways, it is unknown how its presence in the anode of a BES affects extracellular electron transfer (EET) of EABs, microbial viability, and the bacterial community. Results revealed that the addition of Ni²⁺ decreased power output from 673.24 ± 12.40 mW/m² at 0 mg/L to 179.26 ± 9.05 mW/m² at 80 mg/L. The metal and chemical oxygen demand removal efficiencies of the microbial fuel cells (MFCs) declined as Ni²⁺ concentration increased, which could be attributed to decreased microbial viability as revealed by SEM and CLSM. FTIR analysis revealed the involvement of various microbial biofilm functional groups, including hydroxyl, amides, methyl, amine, and carboxyl, in the uptake of Ni²⁺. The presence of Ni²⁺ on the anodic biofilms was confirmed by SEM-EDS and XPS analyses. CV demonstrated that the electron transfer performance of the anodic biofilms was negatively correlated with the various Ni²⁺ concentrations. EIS showed that the internal resistance of the MFCs increased with increasing Ni²⁺ concentration, resulting in a decrease in power output. High-throughput sequencing results revealed a decrease in Geobacter and an increase in Desulfovibrio in response to Ni²⁺ concentrations of 10, 20, 40, and 80 mg/L. Furthermore, the various Ni²⁺ concentrations decreased the expression of EET-related genes. The Ni²⁺-fed MFCs had a higher abundance of the nikR gene than the control group, which was important for Ni²⁺ resistance. This work advances our understanding of Ni²⁺ inhibition on EABs, as well as the concurrent removal of organic matter and Ni²⁺ from wastewater.

Sequestration of free and chelated Ni(II) by structural Fe(II): Performance and mechanisms

Ni(II) and chelated Ni(II) in wastewater are of environmental concern. This study explores the sequestration potential of structural Fe(II) in solid phase (≡Fe(II)) on Ni(II) and EDTA-Ni(II) using freshly prepared ferrous hydroxyl complex (FHC) as the Fe(II)-bearing mineral. The 1 mM Ni(II) could be completely sequestrated in 20 min by 3 mM FHC, although the sequestrated Ni(II) was partially released after 20 min. It is calculated that up to 156 mg Ni(II)/g Fe(II) can be sequestrated by ≡Fe(II) under neutral pH and anaerobic condition. According to the characterizations of the solid products, the large surface area for Ni(II) adsorption and the high ≡Fe(II) reduction capacity for Ni(II) reduction are the main contributors to the Ni(II) sequestration. After the reaction, the FHC is transformed to stable Fe-Ni layered double hydroxides. The concomitant ions can be either promotional or inhibitory to the sequestration performance depending on the ion type. The combination of FHC and Fe(III) can effectively sequestrate EDTA-Ni(II), whereas FHC alone has a low efficiency. Fe(III) substitutes Ni(II) from the EDTA-Ni(II), benefiting the subsequent Ni(II) sequestration by ≡Fe(II). This study demonstrates that ≡Fe(II) suspension is an cost-effective option for remediating Ni(II)-containing wastewater.

Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactors for Municipal Wastewater Treatment: A Literature Review

Currently, there is growing scientific interest in the development of more economic, efficient and environmentally friendly municipal wastewater treatment technologies. Laboratory and pilot-scale surveys have revealed that the anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) is a promising alternative for municipal wastewater treatment. Anaerobic membrane bioreactor technology combines the advantages of anaerobic processes and membrane technology. Membranes retain colloidal and suspended solids and provide complete solid–liquid separation. The slow-growing anaerobic microorganisms in the bioreactor degrade the soluble organic matter, producing biogas. The low amount of produced sludge and the production of biogas makes AnMBRs favorable over conventional biological treatment technologies. However, the AnMBR is not yet fully mature and challenging issues remain. This work focuses on fundamental aspects of AnMBRs in the treatment of municipal wastewater. The important parameters for AnMBR operation, such as pH, temperature, alkalinity, volatile fatty acids, organic loading rate, hydraulic retention time and solids retention time, are discussed. Moreover, through a comprehensive literature survey of recent applications from 2009 to 2021, the current state of AnMBR technology is assessed and its limitations are highlighted. Finally, the need for further laboratory, pilot- and full-scale research is addressed.

Study on the aerobic remediation of Ni(II) by Pseudomonas hibiscicola strain L1 interaction with nitrate

Aerobic denitrifying bacteria have the potential to remove the co-pollutants Ni(II) and nitrate in industrial wastewater. In this study, aerobic denitrifying bacteria with significant Ni(II) removal efficiency was isolated from the biological reaction tank and named as Pseudomonas hibiscicola L1 strain after 16 S rRNA identification analysis. The removal of ever-increasing Ni(II) and NO₃^--N wastewater under aerobic conditions by strain L1 was discussed. The experimental results showed that strain L1 removed 84% of Ni(II) and 81% of COD, with the use of 34.8 mg L^-1 of nitrogen source and without nitrite accumulation yet. Strain L1 had remarkable activity (OD₆₀₀ = 0.51-0.56 (p < 0.05)) at 20 mg L^-1 of Ni(II) and 100 mg L^-1 of NO₃^--N. It was found that high Ni(II) gradients (2-10 mg L^-1) had little effect on nitrate removal ratio (35-34% (p > 0.05), and the removal ratios of Ni(II) was enhanced (from 42% to 83% (p < 0.05)) by increasing nitrate (25-100 mg L^-1). Also, the results indicated that strain L1 could reduce Ni(II) and nitrate under different pH (6-9); electron donor-glucose, sodium acetate, sodium succinate and trisodium citrate; C/N (5-20) and coexisting ions (Cu(II) and Zn(II)). Notably, the nitrogen balance analysis showed 32.4% of TN was lost nitrogen and 19.7% of TN was assimilated for cell growth, which indicated aerobic denitrification process of strain L1. Meanwhile, characterization technology (SEM, FTIR, and XRD) showed Ni(II) was bioadsorbed in the form of Ni(NH₂)₂, NiCO₃, and Ni(OH)₂·2H₂O through surface functional groups. This research provides new microbial method for the simultaneous removal of nitrate and Ni(II) in wastewater.

Nickel in soil and water: Sources, biogeochemistry, and remediation using biochar

Nickel (Ni) is a potentially toxic element that contaminates soil and water, threatens food and water security, and hinders sustainable development globally. Biochar has emerged as a promising novel material for remediating Ni-contaminated environments. However, the potential for pristine and functionalized biochars to immobilize/adsorb Ni in soil and water, and the mechanisms involved have not been systematically reviewed. Here, we critically review the different dimensions of Ni contamination and remediation in soil and water, including its occurrence and biogeochemical behavior under different environmental conditions and ecotoxicological hazards, and its remediation using biochar. Biochar is effective in immobilizing Ni in soil and water via ion exchange, electrostatic attraction, surface complexation, (co)precipitation, physical adsorption, and reduction due to the biogeochemistry of Ni and the interaction of Ni with surface functional groups and organic/inorganic compounds contained in biochar. The efficiency for Ni removal is consistently greater with functionalized than pristine biochars. Physical (e.g., ball milling) and chemical (e.g., alkali/acidic treatment) activation achieve higher surface area, porosity, and active surface groups on biochar that enhance Ni immobilization. This review highlights possible risks and challenges of biochar application in Ni remediation, suggests future research directions, and discusses implications for environmental agencies and decision-makers.

Oyster Shell Powder, Zeolite and Red Mud as Binders for Immobilising Toxic Metals in Fine Granular Contaminated Soils (from Industrial Zones in South Korea)

Low-cost absorbent materials have elicited the attention of researchers as binders for the stabilisation/solidification technique. As, there is a no comprehensive study, the authors of this paper investigated the performance of Oyster shell powder (OS), zeolite (Z), and red mud (RM) in stabilising heavy metals in three types of heavy metal-contaminated soils by using toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP). Samples were collected from surroundings of an abandoned metal mine site and from military service zone. Furthermore, a Pb-contaminated soil was artificially prepared to evaluate each binder (100× regulatory level for Pb). OS bound approximately 82% of Pb and 78% of Cu in real cases scenario. While Z was highly effective in stabilizing Pb in highly polluted artificial soil (>50% of Pb) at lower dosages than OS and RM, it was not effective in stabilising those metals in the soils obtained from the contaminated sites. RM did not perform consistently stabilising toxic metals in soils from contaminated sites, but it demonstrated a remarkable Pb-immobilisation under dosages over than 5% in the artificial soil. Further, authors observed that OS removal efficiency reached up to 94% after 10 days. The results suggest that OS is the best low-cost adsorbent material to stabilize soils contaminated with toxic metals considered in the study.