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Yang M, Liu Z, Wang A, Nopens I, Hu H, Chen H. High biomass yields of Chlorella protinosa with efficient nitrogen removal from secondary effluent in a membrane photobioreactor. J Environ Sci (China) 2024; 146:272-282. [PMID: 38969455 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2023.10.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
Further treatment of secondary effluents before their discharge into the receiving water bodies could alleviate water eutrophication. In this study, the Chlorella proteinosa was cultured in a membrane photobioreactor to further remove nitrogen from the secondary effluents. The effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT) on microalgae biomass yields and nutrient removal was studied. The results showed that soluble algal products concentration reduced in the suspension at low HRT, thereby alleviating microalgal growth inhibition. In addition, the lower HRT reduced the nitrogen limitation for Chlorella proteinosa's growth through the phase-out of nitrogen-related functional bacteria. As a result, the productivity for Chlorella proteinosa increased from 6.12 mg/L/day at an HRT of 24 hr to 20.18 mg/L/day at an HRT of 8 hr. The highest removal rates of 19.7 mg/L/day, 23.8 mg/L/day, and 105.4 mg/L/day were achieved at an HRT of 8 hr for total nitrogen (TN), ammonia, and chemical oxygen demand (COD), respectively. However, in terms of removal rate, TN and COD were the largest when HRT is 24 hr, which were 74.5% and 82.6% respectively. The maximum removal rate of ammonia nitrogen was 99.2% when HRT was 8 hr.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Yang
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China; Key Laboratory of Dongting Lake Aquatic Eco-Environmental Control and Restoration of Hunan Province, Changsha 410114, China; BIOMATH, Department of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Ghent University, Gent B 9000, Belgium
| | - Zhen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Dongting Lake Aquatic Eco-Environmental Control and Restoration of Hunan Province, Changsha 410114, China
| | - Aijie Wang
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Ingmar Nopens
- BIOMATH, Department of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Ghent University, Gent B 9000, Belgium
| | - Hairong Hu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China
| | - Hong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Dongting Lake Aquatic Eco-Environmental Control and Restoration of Hunan Province, Changsha 410114, China.
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Cui C, Zhang H, Wang D, Song J, Yang Y. Multifunctional Design of Catalysts for Seawater Electrolysis for Hydrogen Production. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 17:4057. [PMID: 39203235 PMCID: PMC11356654 DOI: 10.3390/ma17164057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2024] [Revised: 08/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024]
Abstract
Direct seawater electrolysis is a promising technology within the carbon-neutral energy framework, leveraging renewable resources such as solar, tidal, and wind energy to generate hydrogen and oxygen without competing with the demand for pure water. High-selectivity, high-efficiency, and corrosion-resistant multifunctional electrocatalysts are essential for practical applications, yet producing stable and efficient catalysts under harsh conditions remains a significant challenge. This review systematically summarizes recent advancements in advanced electrocatalysts for seawater splitting, focusing on their multifunctional designs for selectivity and chlorine corrosion resistance. We analyze the fundamental principles and mechanisms of seawater electrocatalytic reactions, discuss the challenges, and provide a detailed overview of the progress in nanostructures, alloys, multi-metallic systems, atomic dispersion, interface engineering, and functional modifications. Continuous research and innovation aim to develop efficient, eco-friendly seawater electrolysis systems, promoting hydrogen energy application, addressing efficiency and stability challenges, reducing costs, and achieving commercial viability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ying Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China; (C.C.); (H.Z.); (D.W.); (J.S.)
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Ren K, Ming H, Liu S, Lang X, Jin Y, Fan J. Full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing reveals the operating mode and chlorination-aggravated SWRO biofouling at a nuclear power plant. WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON WATER POLLUTION RESEARCH 2024; 90:1-17. [PMID: 39007303 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2024.185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Reverse osmosis (RO) membrane fouling and biological contamination problems faced by seawater desalination systems are microbiologically related. We used full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing to assess the bacterial community structure and chlorine-resistant bacteria (CRB) associated with biofilm growth in different treatment processes under the winter mode of a chlorinated seawater desalination system in China. At the outset of the winter mode, certain CRB, such as Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and Bacillus held sway over the bacterial community structure, playing a pivotal role in biofouling. At the mode's end, Deinococcus and Paracoccus predominated, with Pseudomonas and Roseovarius following suit, while certain CRB genera still maintained their dominance. RO and chlorination are pivotal factors in shaping the bacterial community structure and diversity, and increases in total heterotrophic bacterial counts and community diversity in safety filters may adversely affect the effectiveness of subsequent RO systems. Besides, the bacterial diversity and culturable biomass in the water produced by the RO system remain high, and some conditionally pathogenic CRBs pose a certain microbial risk as a source of drinking water. Targeted removal of these CRBs will be an important area of research for advancing control over membrane clogging and ensuring water quality safety in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaijia Ren
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Coastal Ecosystem, National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, Dalian 116021, China; These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Hongxia Ming
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Coastal Ecosystem, National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, Dalian 116021, China; These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Siyu Liu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Coastal Ecosystem, National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, Dalian 116021, China; College of Marine Ecology and Environment, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Xianlong Lang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Coastal Ecosystem, National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, Dalian 116021, China; College of Marine Technology and Environment, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116021, China
| | - Yuan Jin
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Coastal Ecosystem, National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, Dalian 116021, China
| | - Jingfeng Fan
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Coastal Ecosystem, National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, Dalian 116021, China E-mail:
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Geng J, Zhang W, Liang S, Xue N, Song W, Yang Y. Diversity and biogeography of bacterial community in the Ili River network varies locally and regionally. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 256:121561. [PMID: 38581986 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121561] [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: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Microorganisms in rivers indeed play a crucial role in nutrient cycling within aquatic ecosystems. Understanding the assembly mechanisms of bacterial communities in river networks is essential for predicting their special composition and functional characteristics in natural rivers. This study employed 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequence variation (ASVs) to scrutinize the bacterial community within the uniquely topographical Ili River network. The bacterial community composition varied across the three tributaries with distinct sources and the mainstream. The confluence of various sources diminished the diversity of the bacterial community and altered the functionality of within mainstream. We suggest that strong dispersal limitation predominantly shaped the community at the regional scale (46.6 %), underscoring the significant contribution of headwater sites to bacterial community composition. Contrary to expectation, the bacterial resources in the mainstream were not enriched by the higher diversity in three tributaries. Instead, confluence disturbance potentially increased the undominated processes (36.7 %) and alter the bacterial community composition at the local scale of the mainstream. The intricate coalescence at the confluence could potentially be an intriguing causative factor. Our research indicates that the composition of bacterial communities within intricate river networks exhibits biogeographic patterns, simultaneously influenced by river confluence and geographical features, necessitating multi-scale analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Geng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Wetland Evolution & Ecological Restoration, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Weihong Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Wetland Evolution & Ecological Restoration, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Shuxin Liang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Wetland Evolution & Ecological Restoration, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; School of Ecology and Environment, Tibet University, Lhasa 850000, China
| | - Nana Xue
- College of Resources and Environment, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
| | - Wenjuan Song
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, 100083, China; Xinjiang Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Ecological Remediation, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China.
| | - Yuyi Yang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Wetland Evolution & Ecological Restoration, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.
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Shi S, Wang F, Hu Y, Zhou J, Zhang H, He C. Effects of running time on biological activated carbon filters: water purification performance and microbial community evolution. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:21509-21523. [PMID: 38393555 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32421-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Ozone-biologically activated carbon (BAC) filtration is an advanced treatment process that can be applied to remove recalcitrant organic micro-pollutants in drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). In this study, we continuously monitored a new and an old BAC filter in a DWTP for 1 year to compare their water purification performance and microbial community evolution. The results revealed that, compared with the new filter, the use of the old BAC filter facilitated a slightly lower rate of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal. In the case of the new BAC filter, we recorded general increases in the biomass and microbial diversity of the biofilm with a prolongation of operating time, with the biomass stabilizing after 7 months. For both new and old BAC filters, Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria were the dominant bacterial phyla. At the genus level, the microbial community gradually shifted over the course of operation from a predominance of Herminiimonas and Hydrogenophaga to one predominated by Bradyrhizbium, Bryobacter, Hyphomicrobium, and Pedomicrobium, with Bradyrhizobium being established as the most abundant genus in the old BAC filter. Regarding spatial distribution, we detected reductions in the biomass and number of operational taxonomic units with increasing biofilm depth, whereas there was a corresponding increase in microbial diversity. However, compared with the effects of time, the influence of depth on the composition of the biofilm microbial community was considerably smaller. Furthermore, co-occurrence network analysis revealed that the microbial community network of the new filter after 11 months of operation was the most tightly connected, although its modular coefficient was the lowest of those assessed. We speculate that the positive and negative interactions within the network may be attributable to symbiotic or competitive relationships among species. Moreover, there may have been a significant negative interaction between SWB02 and Acidovorax, plausibly associated with a competition for substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangjia Shi
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Feifei Wang
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China.
| | - Yulin Hu
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Haiting Zhang
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Chiquan He
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
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Corbin J, Jones M, Lyu C, Loh A, Zhang Z, Zhu Y, Li X. Challenges and progress in oxygen evolution reaction catalyst development for seawater electrolysis for hydrogen production. RSC Adv 2024; 14:6416-6442. [PMID: 38380239 PMCID: PMC10877674 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra08648h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Production of green hydrogen on a large scale can negatively impact freshwater resources. Therefore, using seawater as an electrolyte in electrolysis is a desirable alternative to reduce costs and freshwater reliance. However, there are limitations to this approach, primarily due to the catalyst involved in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In seawater, the OER features sluggish kinetics and complicated chemical reactions that compete. This review first introduces the benefits and challenges of direct seawater electrolysis and then summarises recent research into cost-effective and durable OER electrocatalysts. Different modification methods for nickel-based electrocatalysts are thoroughly reviewed, and promising electrocatalysts that the authors believe deserve further exploration have been highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Corbin
- Renewable Energy Group, Department of Engineering, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | - Mikey Jones
- Renewable Energy Group, Department of Engineering, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | - Cheng Lyu
- Renewable Energy Group, Department of Engineering, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | - Adeline Loh
- Renewable Energy Group, Department of Engineering, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | - Zhenyu Zhang
- Renewable Energy Group, Department of Engineering, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | - Yanqui Zhu
- Department of Engineering, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Streatham Campus Exeter EX4 4PY UK
| | - Xiaohong Li
- Renewable Energy Group, Department of Engineering, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
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El-Malah SS, Rasool K, Jabbar KA, Sohail MU, Baalousha HM, Mahmoud KA. Marine Bacterial Community Structures of Selected Coastal Seawater and Sediment Sites in Qatar. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2827. [PMID: 38137970 PMCID: PMC10745943 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11122827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe environmental conditions can have a diverse impact on marine microorganisms, including bacteria. This can have an inevitable impact on the biofouling of membrane-based desalination plants. In this work, we have utilized indicator bacteria such as total coliform, fecal coliform, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as 16S rRNA sequencing, to investigate the impact of environmental conditions and spatial variations on the diversity of bacterial communities in the coastal waters and sediments from selected sites in Qatar. The concentration levels of indicator bacteria were affected by increasing temperatures and pH, and by decreasing salinity of seawater samples. Diversity indices and the molecular phylogeny demonstrated that Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Cyanobacteria were the dominant phyla in all locations. The most abundant operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at the family level were from Flavobacteriaceae (27.07%, 4.31%) and Rhodobacteraceae (22.51%, 9.86%) in seawater and sediment, respectively. Alphaproteobacteria (33.87%, 16.82%), Flavobacteria (30.68%, 5.84%), and Gammaproteobacteria (20.35%, 12.45%) were abundant at the species level in both seawater and sediment, while Clostridia (13.72%) was abundant in sediment only. The results suggest that sediment can act as a reservoir for indicator bacteria, with higher diversity and lower abundance compared to seawater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shimaa S. El-Malah
- Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha P.O. Box 34110, Qatar; (S.S.E.-M.); (K.R.); (K.A.J.)
| | - Kashif Rasool
- Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha P.O. Box 34110, Qatar; (S.S.E.-M.); (K.R.); (K.A.J.)
| | - Khadeeja Abdul Jabbar
- Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha P.O. Box 34110, Qatar; (S.S.E.-M.); (K.R.); (K.A.J.)
| | | | - Husam Musa Baalousha
- Department of Geosciences, College of Petroleum Engineering and Geosciences, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Khaled A. Mahmoud
- Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha P.O. Box 34110, Qatar; (S.S.E.-M.); (K.R.); (K.A.J.)
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Ng YS, Chan DJC. Thermal Effect on Algae, Biofilm and Their Composition Towards Membrane Distillation Unit: A Mini-review. Mol Biotechnol 2023:10.1007/s12033-023-00853-5. [PMID: 37651079 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-00853-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Membrane distillation (MD) has lower operating temperature and potential to recycle waste heat for desalination which catches much attention of the researchers in the recent years. However, the biofouling is still a challenging hurdle to be overcome for such applications. The microbial growth rate, secretion and biofilm formation are sensitive to heat. Membrane distillation is a thermally driven separation, so the increase of temperature in the seawater feed could influence the extent of biofouling on the unit parts. In this review, we present the effect of temperature on algal growth, the range of temperature the microbes, marine algae and planktons able to survive and the changes to those planktons once exceed the critical temperature. Thermal effect on the biofilm, its composition and properties are discussed as well, with association of the biofilm secreting microbes, but the study related to membrane distillation unit seems to be lacking and MD biofouling factors are not fully understood. Characterization of the algae, biofilm and EPS that govern biofouling are discussed. This information not only will help in designing future studies to fill up the knowledge gaps in biofouling of membrane distillation, but also to some extent, assist in pointing out possible fouling factors and predicting the degree of biofouling in the membrane distillation unit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Sim Ng
- School of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300, Nibong Tebal, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Derek Juinn Chieh Chan
- School of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300, Nibong Tebal, Penang, Malaysia.
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Sun W, Jing Z. Migration of rare and abundant species, assembly mechanisms, and ecological networks of microbiomes in drinking water treatment plants: Effects of different treatment processes. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 457:131726. [PMID: 37257378 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Microorganisms play an important role in the degradation of pollutants. However, they also cause problems in drinking water distribution systems, such as pipe corrosion and biofilm growth. The microbial assembly mechanisms and molecular ecological networks associated with different drinking water treatment processes have not yet been clearly analyzed. Therefore, this study investigated the microbiomes of three processes (coal filtration-activated carbon, ozone-activated carbon and UV, and ozone-activated carbon) during different seasons. The results showed that the microbial composition and diversity among the different processes and during different seasons. Water treatment processes had deterministic effects on the microbial assembly process and significantly changed the composition of rare and abundant species, altering the size and modules of molecular ecology networks. Rare species considered as keystone species play important roles in microbial ecology and microbial community construction. Ozone-activated carbon and UV/chlorination decreased the bacterial concentration, increased the deterministic process of microbial assembly, and significantly reduced the size of the network, which is of great significance to microbial control in drinking water. This research broadens our perspectives on the microbial assembly associated with drinking water treatment processes and contributes to ensuring the safe supply of drinking water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjun Sun
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou) Tsinghua, Suzhou 215163, China.
| | - Zibo Jing
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Institute of Environment and Ecology, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China.
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Frenkel A, Zecharia E, Gómez-Pérez D, Sendersky E, Yegorov Y, Jacob A, Benichou JIC, Stierhof YD, Parnasa R, Golden SS, Kemen E, Schwarz R. Cell specialization in cyanobacterial biofilm development revealed by expression of a cell-surface and extracellular matrix protein. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2023; 9:10. [PMID: 36864092 PMCID: PMC9981879 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-023-00376-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacterial biofilms are ubiquitous and play important roles in diverse environments, yet, understanding of the processes underlying the development of these aggregates is just emerging. Here we report cell specialization in formation of Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 biofilms-a hitherto unknown characteristic of cyanobacterial social behavior. We show that only a quarter of the cell population expresses at high levels the four-gene ebfG-operon that is required for biofilm formation. Almost all cells, however, are assembled in the biofilm. Detailed characterization of EbfG4 encoded by this operon revealed cell-surface localization as well as its presence in the biofilm matrix. Moreover, EbfG1-3 were shown to form amyloid structures such as fibrils and are thus likely to contribute to the matrix structure. These data suggest a beneficial 'division of labor' during biofilm formation where only some of the cells allocate resources to produce matrix proteins-'public goods' that support robust biofilm development by the majority of the cells. In addition, previous studies revealed the operation of a self-suppression mechanism that depends on an extracellular inhibitor, which supresses transcription of the ebfG-operon. Here we revealed inhibitor activity at an early growth stage and its gradual accumulation along the exponential growth phase in correlation with cell density. Data, however, do not support a threshold-like phenomenon known for quorum-sensing in heterotrophs. Together, data presented here demonstrate cell specialization and imply density-dependent regulation thereby providing deep insights into cyanobacterial communal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alona Frenkel
- grid.22098.310000 0004 1937 0503The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002 Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Eli Zecharia
- grid.22098.310000 0004 1937 0503The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002 Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Daniel Gómez-Pérez
- grid.10392.390000 0001 2190 1447Center for Plant Molecular Biology (ZMBP), University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Eleonora Sendersky
- grid.22098.310000 0004 1937 0503The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002 Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Yevgeni Yegorov
- grid.22098.310000 0004 1937 0503The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002 Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Avi Jacob
- grid.22098.310000 0004 1937 0503The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002 Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Jennifer I. C. Benichou
- grid.22098.310000 0004 1937 0503The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002 Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - York-Dieter Stierhof
- grid.10392.390000 0001 2190 1447Center for Plant Molecular Biology (ZMBP), University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Rami Parnasa
- grid.22098.310000 0004 1937 0503The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002 Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Susan S. Golden
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA ,grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Center for Circadian Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
| | - Eric Kemen
- grid.10392.390000 0001 2190 1447Center for Plant Molecular Biology (ZMBP), University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Rakefet Schwarz
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
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Raza S, Ghasali E, Orooji Y, Lin H, Karaman C, Dragoi EN, Erk N. Two dimensional (2D) materials and biomaterials for water desalination; structure, properties, and recent advances. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 219:114998. [PMID: 36481367 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND An efficient solution to the global freshwater dilemma is desalination. MXene, Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2), Graphene Oxide, Hexagonal Boron Nitride, and Phosphorene are just a few examples of two-dimensional (2D) materials that have shown considerable promise in the development of 2D materials for water desalination. However, other promising materials for desalinating water are biomaterials. The benefits of bio-materials are their wide distribution, lack of toxicity, and superior capacity for water desalination. METHODS For the rational use of water and the advancement of sustainable development, it is of the utmost importance to research 2D-dimensional materials and biomaterials that are effective for water desalination. The scientific community has concentrated on wastewater remediation using bio-derived materials, such as nanocellulose, chitosan, bio-char, bark, and activated charcoal generated from plant sources, among the various endeavors to enhance access to clean water. Moreover, the 2D-materials and biomaterials may have ushered in a new age in the production of desalination materials and created a promising future. RESULTS The present review article focuses on and reviews the progress of 2D materials and biomaterials for water desalination. Their properties, surface, and structure, combined with water desalination applications, are highlighted. Further, the practicability and potential future directions of 2D materials and biomaterials are proposed. Thus, the current work provides information and discernments for developing novel 2D materials and biomaterials for wastewater desalination. Moreover, it aims to promote the contribution and advancement of materials for water desalination, fabrication, and industrial production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saleem Raza
- College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, Zhejiang, PR China; College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Ehsan Ghasali
- College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, Zhejiang, PR China; College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Yasin Orooji
- College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, Zhejiang, PR China; College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, Zhejiang, PR China.
| | - Hongjun Lin
- College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, Zhejiang, PR China; College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Ceren Karaman
- Departmen of Electricity and Energy, Akdeniz University, Antalya, 07070, Turkey; School of Engineering, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon.
| | - Elena Niculina Dragoi
- "Cristofor Simionescu" Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University, Bld. D. Mangeron No 73, 700050, Iasi, Romania.
| | - Nevin Erk
- Ankara University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Analytical Chemistry, 06560, Ankara, Turkey
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12
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Cabrera J, Guo HY, Yao JL, Wang XM. The effect of different carbon sources on biofouling in membrane fouling simulators: microbial community and implications. BIOFOULING 2022; 38:747-763. [PMID: 36224109 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2022.2129017] [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: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Biofouling is a problem affecting the operation of nanofiltration systems due to the complexity of the carbon matrix affecting bacteria and biofilm growth. This study used membrane fouling simulators to investigate the effects of five different carbon sources on the biofouling of nanofiltration membranes. For all the carbon sources analyzed, the increase in pressure drop was most accelerated for acetate. The use of acetate as the single carbon source produced less adenosine triphosphate but more extracellular polymers than glucose. The microbial community was analyzed using 16 s rRNA. The use of more than a single carbon source produced an increase in bacteria diversity even at similar concentrations. The relative abundance of proteobacteria was the highest at the phylum level (95%) when a single carbon source was added. Additionally, it was found that the use of different carbon sources produced a shift in the microbial community, affecting the biofouling and pressure drop on membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johny Cabrera
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Hao-Yu Guo
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | | | - Xiao-Mao Wang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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13
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Monitoring Bacterial Community Dynamics in a Drinking Water Treatment Plant: An Integrative Approach Using Metabarcoding and Microbial Indicators in Large Water Volumes. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14091435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring bacterial communities in a drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) may help to understand their regular operations. Bacterial community dynamics in an advanced full-scale DWTP were analyzed by 16S rRNA metabarcoding, and microbial water quality indicators were determined at nine different stages of potabilization: river water and groundwater intake, decantation, sand filtration, ozonization, carbon filtration, reverse osmosis, mixing chamber and post-chlorination drinking water. The microbial content of large water volumes (up to 1100 L) was concentrated by hollow fiber ultrafiltration. Around 10 million reads were obtained and grouped into 10,039 amplicon sequence variants. Metabarcoding analysis showed high bacterial diversity at all treatment stages and above all in groundwater intake, followed by carbon filtration and mixing chamber samples. Shifts in bacterial communities occurred downstream of ozonization, carbon filtration, and, more drastically, chlorination. Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota predominated in river water and throughout the process, but in the final drinking water, the strong selective pressure of chlorination reduced diversity and was clearly dominated by Cyanobacteria. Significant seasonal variation in species distribution was observed in decantation and carbon filtration samples. Some amplicon sequence variants related to potentially pathogenic genera were found in the DWTP. However, they were either not detected in the final water or in very low abundance (<2%), and all EU Directive quality standards were fully met. A combination of culture and high-throughput sequencing techniques may help DWTP managers to detect shifts in microbiome, allowing for a more in-depth assessment of operational performance.
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14
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Formation and Microbial Composition of Biofilms in Drip Irrigation System under Three Reclaimed Water Conditions. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14081216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
As the second source of water for cities, reclaimed water (RW) has become an effective solution to the problem of water scarcity in modern agriculture. However, the formation of biofilm in an RW distribution system seriously affects the performance of the system and has become a technical challenge in RW utilization. In this study, we first showed that several water quality parameters, including five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), total bacteria count (TB), total nitrogen (TN), and Cl− were the main factors affecting biofilm accumulation in the drip irrigation system (DIS), with the correlation coefficient averaging above 0.85. Second, after 392 to 490 h of system operation, the total biomass and extracellular polymer (EPS) accumulation rate of biofilms increased to a maximum of 0.72 g/m2·h and 0.027g/m2·h, respectively, making this time point a critical point for controlling biofilm accumulation and clogging of the system. Third, we examined changes in biofilm microbial composition over time on Illumina’s MiSeq platform. High throughput sequencing data showed that bacterial community structure and microbial network interaction and modularity changed significantly between 392 and 490 h, resulting in maximum microbial diversity and community richness at 490 h. Spearman correlation analyses between genera revealed that Sphingomonas and Rhodococcus promote biofilm formation due to their hydrophobicity, while Bacillus, Mariniradius, and Arthronema may inhibit biofilm formation due to their antagonistic effects on other genera. In conclusion, this work has clarified the accumulation process and compositional changes of biofilms in agriculture DIS under different RW conditions, which provides a basis for improving RW utilization efficiency and reducing system maintenance costs.
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15
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Can Aggregate-Associated Organisms Influence the Fouling in a SWRO Desalination Plant? Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10040682. [PMID: 35456734 PMCID: PMC9032733 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10040682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
This pilot study investigates the formation of aggregates within a desalination plant, before and after pre-treatment, as well as their potential impact on fouling. The objective is to provide an understanding of the biofouling potential of the feed water within a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant, due to the limited removal of fouling precursors. The 16S and 18S rRNA was extracted from the water samples, and the aggregates and sequenced. Pre-treatment systems, within the plant remove < 5 µm precursors and organisms; however, smaller size particles progress through the plant, allowing for the formation of aggregates. These become hot spots for microbes, due to their nutrient gradients, facilitating the formation of niche environments, supporting the proliferation of those organisms. Aggregate-associated organisms are consistent with those identified on fouled SWRO membranes. This study examines, for the first time, the factors supporting the formation of aggregates within a desalination system, as well as their microbial communities and biofouling potential.
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16
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Permeation Increases Biofilm Development in Nanofiltration Membranes Operated with Varying Feed Water Phosphorous Concentrations. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:membranes12030335. [PMID: 35323810 PMCID: PMC8950030 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12030335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Nutrient limitation has been proposed as a biofouling control strategy for membrane systems. However, the impact of permeation on biofilm development under phosphorus-limited and enriched conditions is poorly understood. This study analyzed biofilm development in membrane fouling simulators (MFSs) with and without permeation supplied with water varying dosed phosphorus concentrations (0 and 25 μg P·L−1). The MFSs operated under permeation conditions were run at a constant flux of 15.6 L·m2·h−1 for 4.7 days. Feed channel pressure drop, transmembrane pressure, and flux were used as performance indicators. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) images and biomass quantification were used to analyze the developed biofilms. The total phosphorus concentration that accumulated on the membrane and spacer was quantified by using microwave digestion and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Results show that permeation impacts biofilm development depending on nutrient condition with a stronger impact at low P concentration (pressure drop increase: 282%; flux decline: 11%) compared to a higher P condition (pressure drop increase: 206%; flux decline: 2%). The biofilm that developed at 0 μg P·L−1 under permeation conditions resulted in a higher performance decline due to biofilm localization and spread in the MFS. A thicker biofilm developed on the membrane for biofilms grown at 0 μg P·L−1 under permeation conditions, causing a stronger effect on flux decline (11%) compared to non-permeation conditions (5%). The difference in the biofilm thickness on the membrane was attributed to a higher phosphorus concentration in the membrane biofilm under permeation conditions. Permeation has an impact on biofilm development and, therefore, should not be excluded in biofouling studies.
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17
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Farhat N, Kim L, Mineta K, Alarawi M, Gojobori T, Saikaly P, Vrouwenvelder J. Seawater desalination based drinking water: Microbial characterization during distribution with and without residual chlorine. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 210:117975. [PMID: 34952456 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring the changes that occur to water during distribution is vital to ensure water safety. In this study, the biological stability of reverse osmosis (RO) produced drinking water, characterized by low cell concentration and low assimilable organic carbon, in combination with chlorine disinfection was investigated. Water quality at several locations throughout the existing distribution network was monitored to investigate whether microbial water quality changes can be identified. Results revealed that the water leaving the plant had an average bacterial cell concentration of 103 cells/mL. A 0.5-1.5 log increase in bacterial cell concentration was observed at locations in the network. The residual disinfectant was largely dissipated in the network from 0.5 mg/L at the treatment plant to less than 0.1 mg/L in the network locations. The simulative study involving miniature distribution networks, mimicking the dynamics of a distribution network, fed with the RO produced chlorinated and non-chlorinated drinking water revealed that distributing RO produced water without residual disinfection, especially at high water temperatures (25-30 °C), poses a higher chance for water quality change. Within six months of operation of the miniature network fed with unchlorinated RO produced water, the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and total cell concentration (TCC) in the pipe biofilm were 4 × 102 pg ATP/cm2 and 1 × 107 cells/ cm2. The low bacterial cell concentration and organic carbon concentration in the RO-produced water did not prevent biofilm development inside the network with and without residual chlorine. The bacterial community analysis using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing revealed that mesophilic bacteria with higher temperature tolerance and bacteria associated with oligotrophic, nutrient-poor conditions dominated the biofilm, with no indication of the existence of opportunistic pathogenic species. However, chlorination selected against most bacterial groups and the bacterial community that remained was mainly the bacteria capable of surviving disinfection regimes. Biofilms that developed in the presence of chlorine contained species classified as opportunistic pathogens. These biofilms have an impact on shaping the water quality received at the consumer tap. The presence of these bacteria on its own is not a health risk indicator; viability assessment and qPCRs targeting genes specific to the opportunistic pathogens as well as quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) should be included to assess the risk. The results from this study highlight the importance of implementing multiple barriers to ensure water safety. Changes in water quality detected even when high-quality disinfected RO-produced water is distributed highlight microbiological challenges that chlorinated systems endure, especially at high water temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Farhat
- Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Lanhee Kim
- Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Katsuhiko Mineta
- Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Division of Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering (CEMSE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Alarawi
- Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Division of Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering (CEMSE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Takashi Gojobori
- Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Division of Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering (CEMSE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia; Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Pascal Saikaly
- Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Johannes Vrouwenvelder
- Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia; Faculty of Applied Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, Delft 2629 HZ, Netherlands
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18
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Sanawar H, Kim L, Farhat N, van Loosdrecht M, Vrouwenvelder J. Periodic chemical cleaning with urea: disintegration of biofilms and reduction of key biofilm-forming bacteria from reverse osmosis membranes. WATER RESEARCH X 2021; 13:100117. [PMID: 34585132 PMCID: PMC8456046 DOI: 10.1016/j.wroa.2021.100117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Biofouling is one of the major factors causing decline in membrane performance in reverse osmosis (RO) plants, and perhaps the biggest hurdle of membrane technology. Chemical cleaning is periodically carried out at RO membrane installations aiming to restore membrane performance. Typical cleaning agents used in the water treatment industry include sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) in sequence. Rapid biofilm regrowth and related membrane performance decline after conventional chemical cleaning is a routinely observed phenomenon due to the inefficient removal of biomass from membrane modules. Since extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) make up the strongest and predominant structural framework of biofilms, disintegration of the EPS matrix should be the main target for enhanced biomass removal. Previously, we demonstrated at lab-scale the use of concentrated urea as a chemical cleaning agent for RO membrane systems. The protein denaturation property of urea was exploited to solubilize the proteinaceous foulants, weakening the EPS layer, resulting in enhanced biomass solubilization and removal from RO membrane systems. In this work, we investigated the impact of repeated chemical cleaning cycles with urea/HCl as well as NaOH/HCl on biomass removal and the potential adaptation of the biofilm microbial community. Chemical cleaning with urea/HCl was consistently more effective than NaOH/HCl cleaning over 6 cleaning and regrowth cycles. At the end of the 6 cleaning cycles, the percent reduction was 35% and 41% in feed channel pressure drop, 50% and 70% in total organic carbon, 30% and 40% in EPS proteins, and 40% and 66% in the peak intensities of protein-like matter, after NaOH/HCl cleaning and Urea/HCl cleaning, respectively. 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing of the biofilm microbial community revealed that urea cleaning does not select for key biofouling families such as Sphingomonadaceae and Xanthomonadaceae that are known to survive conventional chemical cleaning and produce adhesive EPS. This study reaffirmed that urea possesses all the desirable properties of a chemical cleaning agent, i.e., it dissolves the existing fouling layer, delays fresh fouling accumulation by inhibiting the production of a more viscous EPS, does not cause damage to the membranes, is chemically stable, and environmentally friendly as it can be recycled for cleaning.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. Sanawar
- Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - L.H. Kim
- Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - N.M. Farhat
- Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - M.C.M. van Loosdrecht
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - J.S. Vrouwenvelder
- Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
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19
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Wang HB, Wu YH, Luo LW, Yu T, Xu A, Xue S, Chen GQ, Ni XY, Peng L, Chen Z, Wang YH, Tong X, Bai Y, Xu YQ, Hu HY. Risks, characteristics, and control strategies of disinfection-residual-bacteria (DRB) from the perspective of microbial community structure. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 204:117606. [PMID: 34500181 PMCID: PMC8390064 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The epidemic of COVID-19 has aroused people's particular attention to biosafety. A growing number of disinfection products have been consumed during this period. However, the flaw of disinfection has not received enough attention, especially in water treatment processes. While cutting down the quantity of microorganisms, disinfection processes exert a considerable selection effect on bacteria and thus reshape the microbial community structure to a great extent, causing the problem of disinfection-residual-bacteria (DRB). These systematic and profound changes could lead to the shift in regrowth potential, bio fouling potential, as well as antibiotic resistance level and might cause a series of potential risks. In this review, we collected and summarized the data from the literature in recent 10 years about the microbial community structure shifting of natural water or wastewater in full-scale treatment plants caused by disinfection. Based on these data, typical DRB with the most reporting frequency after disinfection by chlorine-containing disinfectants, ozone disinfection, and ultraviolet disinfection were identified and summarized, which were the bacteria with a relative abundance of over 5% in the residual bacteria community and the bacteria with an increasing rate of relative abundance over 100% after disinfection. Furthermore, the phylogenic relationship and potential risks of these typical DRB were also analyzed. Twelve out of fifteen typical DRB genera contain pathogenic strains, and many were reported of great secretion ability. Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter possess multiple disinfection resistance and could be considered as model bacteria in future studies of disinfection. We also discussed the growth, secretion, and antibiotic resistance characteristics of DRB, as well as possible control strategies. The DRB phenomenon is not limited to water treatment but also exists in the air and solid disinfection processes, which need more attention and more profound research, especially in the period of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Bin Wang
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Room 524, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Yin-Hu Wu
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Room 524, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China.
| | - Li-Wei Luo
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Room 524, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Tong Yu
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266000, PR China
| | - Ao Xu
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Room 524, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China; Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou), Tsinghua, Suzhou Jiangsu 215163, PR China
| | - Song Xue
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Room 524, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Gen-Qiang Chen
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Room 524, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Xin-Ye Ni
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Room 524, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Lu Peng
- Shenzhen Environmental Science and New Energy Technology Engineering Laboratory, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen 518055, PR China
| | - Zhuo Chen
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Room 524, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Yun-Hong Wang
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Room 524, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Xin Tong
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Room 524, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Yuan Bai
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Room 524, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Yu-Qing Xu
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Room 524, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Hong-Ying Hu
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Room 524, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China; Shenzhen Environmental Science and New Energy Technology Engineering Laboratory, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen 518055, PR China.
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20
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Son HS, Soukane S, Lee J, Kim Y, Kim YD, Ghaffour N. Towards sustainable circular brine reclamation using seawater reverse osmosis, membrane distillation and forward osmosis hybrids: An experimental investigation. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 293:112836. [PMID: 34052611 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Desalination and wastewater treatment technologies require an effective solution for brine management to ensure environmental sustainability, which is closely linked with efficient process operations, reduction of chemical dosages, and valorization of brines. Within the scope of desalination brine reclamation, a circular system consisting of seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO), membrane distillation (MD), and forward osmosis (FO) three-process hybrid is investigated. The proposed design increases water recovery from SWRO brine (by MD) and dilutes concentrated brine to seawater level (by FO) for SWRO feed. It ultimately reduces SWRO process brine disposal and improves crystallization efficiency for a zero-liquid discharge application. The operating range of the hybrid system is indicated by a seawater volumetric concentration factor (VCF) ranging from 1.0 to 2.2, which covers practical and sustainable operation in full-scale applications. Within the proposed VCF range, different operating conditions of the MD and FO processes were evaluated in series with concentrated seawater as well as real SWRO brine from a full-scale desalination plant. Water quality and membrane surface were analyzed before and after experiments to assess the impact of the SWRO brine. Despite their low concentration (0.13 mg/L as phosphorous), antiscalants present in SWRO brine alleviated the flux decline in MD operations by 68.3% compared to operations using seawater concentrate, while no significant influence was observed on the FO process. A full spectrum of water quality analysis of real SWRO brine and Red Sea water is made available for future SWRO brine reclamation studies. The operating conditions and experimental results have shown the potential of the SWRO-MD-FO hybrid system for a circular brine reclamation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyuk Soo Son
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sofiane Soukane
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Junggil Lee
- Thermal & Fluid System R&D Group, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, 89 Yangdaegiro-gil, Ipjang-myeon, Seobuk-gu, Cheonan, 331-822, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngjin Kim
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Korea University, 2511, Sejong-ro, Sejong-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Deuk Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea; BK21 FOUR ERICA-ACE Center, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan, Gyeonggi-do, 15588, Republic of Korea
| | - Noreddine Ghaffour
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
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21
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Abstract
Magnetic liquid double suspension bearing (MLDSB) is composed of an electromagnetic system and hydrostatic system and its bearing capacity and stiffness can be greatly improved. It is very suitable for occasions of medium speed, heavy load, and starting frequently. Due to the gyroscopic effect and interference between the supporting system, the space state of the rotor can be affected and the operation stability of the MLDSB can be reduced greatly. Therefore, the coupling features of the multi-degree of freedom (multi-DOF) system are analyzed and a decoupling controller is designed and verified in the paper. Firstly, the paper introduces the structural characteristics, stress forms, and control regulation mechanism. Then, the mathematical transfer function of the multi-DOF supporting system is established and the coupling principle is revealed. The state feedback decoupling controller is designed by means of a state feedback decoupling, and its decoupling effect is analyzed by the Simulink module. Finally, the single-DOF decoupling system is independently controlled by the use of the root locus method. The coupling characteristics between channel x and channel y are tested experimentally, and the decoupling controller is added and its effect tested. The results show that the state feedback decoupling controller can effectively reduce the coupling degree in the multi-DOF system and convert the multi-DOF coupling problem into a single-DOF independent control problem. The coupling effect of channel x and channel y is reduced by using the decoupling controller, with the subsequent displacement characteristic of the rotor increased, and then the operation stability of the MLDSB is improved greatly. This paper can enrich the support system of the MLDSB and provide a theoretical reference for stability control.
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22
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Zhou W, Li W, Chen J, Zhou Y, Wei Z, Gong L. Microbial diversity in full-scale water supply systems through sequencing technology: a review. RSC Adv 2021; 11:25484-25496. [PMID: 35478887 PMCID: PMC9037190 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra03680g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of microorganisms in full-scale water supply systems raises concerns about their pathogenicity and threats to public health. Clean tap water is essential for public health safety. The conditions of the water treatment process from the source water to tap water, including source water quality, water treatment processes, the drinking water distribution system (DWDS), and building water supply systems (BWSSs) in buildings, greatly influence the bacterial community in tap water. Given the importance of drinking water biosafety, the study of microbial diversity from source water to tap water is essential. With the development of molecular biology methods and bioinformatics in recent years, sequencing technology has been applied to study bacterial communities in full-scale water supply systems. In this paper, changes in the bacterial community and the influence of each treatment stage on microbial diversity in full-scale water supply systems are classified and analyzed. Microbial traceability analysis and control are discussed, and suggestions for future drinking water biosafety research and its prospects are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhou
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University Shanghai 200092 China
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University Shanghai 200092 China
| | - Weiying Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University Shanghai 200092 China
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University Shanghai 200092 China
| | - Jiping Chen
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University Shanghai 200092 China
| | - Yu Zhou
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University Shanghai 200092 China
| | - Zhongqing Wei
- Fuzhou Water Affairs Investment Development Co., Ltd. Fuzhou 350000 Fujian China
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Rehman ZU, Vrouwenvelder JS, Saikaly PE. Physicochemical Properties of Extracellular Polymeric Substances Produced by Three Bacterial Isolates From Biofouled Reverse Osmosis Membranes. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:668761. [PMID: 34349735 PMCID: PMC8328090 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.668761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This work describes the chemical composition of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) produced by three bacteria (RO1, RO2, and RO3) isolated from a biofouled reverse osmosis (RO) membrane. We isolated pure cultures of three bacterial strains from a 7-year-old biofouled RO module that was used in a full-scale seawater treatment plant. All the bacterial strains showed similar growth rates, biofilm formation, and produced similar quantities of proteins and polysaccharides. The gel permeation chromatography showed that the EPS produced by all the strains has a high molecular weight; however, the EPS produced by strains RO1 and RO3 showed the highest molecular weight. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H NMR), and Carbon NMR (13C NMR) were used for a detailed characterization of the EPS. These physicochemical analyses allowed us to identify features of EPS that are important for biofilm formation. FTIR analysis indicated the presence of α-1,4 glycosidic linkages (920 cm-1) and amide II (1,550 cm-1) in the EPS, the presence of which has been correlated with the fouling potential of bacteria. The presence of α-glycoside linkages was further confirmed by 13C NMR analysis. The 13C NMR analysis also showed that the EPS produced by these bacteria is chemically similar to foulants obtained from biofouled RO membranes in previous studies. Therefore, our results support the hypothesis that the majority of substances that cause fouling on RO membranes originate from bacteria. Investigation using 1H NMR showed that the EPS contained a high abundance of hydrophobic compounds, and these compounds can lead to flux decline in the membrane processes. Genome sequencing of the isolates showed that they represent novel species of bacteria belonging to the genus Bacillus. Examination of genomes showed that these bacteria carry carbohydrates-active enzymes that play a role in the production of polysaccharides. Further genomic studies allowed us to identify proteins involved in the biosynthesis of EPS and flagella involved in biofilm formation. These analyses provide a glimpse into the physicochemical properties of EPS found on the RO membrane. This knowledge can be useful in the rational design of biofilm control treatments for the RO membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahid Ur Rehman
- Water Desalination and Reuse Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Johannes S Vrouwenvelder
- Water Desalination and Reuse Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Pascal E Saikaly
- Water Desalination and Reuse Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
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Chen GQ, Wu YH, Wang YH, Chen Z, Tong X, Bai Y, Luo LW, Xu C, Hu HY. Effects of microbial inactivation approaches on quantity and properties of extracellular polymeric substances in the process of wastewater treatment and reclamation: A review. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 413:125283. [PMID: 33582467 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Microbial extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) have a profound role in various wastewater treatment and reclamation processes, in which a variety of technologies are used for disinfection and microbial growth inhibition. These treatment processes can induce significant changes in the quantity and properties of EPS, and altered EPS could further adversely affect the wastewater treatment and reclamation system, including membrane filtration, disinfection, and water distribution. To clarify the effects of microbial inactivation approaches on EPS, these effects were classified into four categories: (1) chemical reactions, (2) cell lysis, (3) changing EPS-producing metabolic processes, and (4) altering microbial community. Across these different effects, treatments with free chlorine, methylisothiazolone, TiO2, and UV irradiation typically enhance EPS production. Among the residual microorganisms in EPS matrices after various microbial inactivation treatments, one of the most prominent is Mycobacterium. With respect to EPS properties, proteins and humic acids in EPS are usually more susceptible to treatment processes than polysaccharides. The affected EPS properties include changes in molecular weight, hydrophobicity, and adhesion ability. All of these changes can undermine wastewater treatment and reclamation processes. Therefore, effects on EPS quantity and properties should be considered during the application of microbial inactivation and growth inhibition techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gen-Qiang Chen
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Yin-Hu Wu
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China.
| | - Yun-Hong Wang
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Zhuo Chen
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Xing Tong
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Yuan Bai
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Li-Wei Luo
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Chuang Xu
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Hong-Ying Hu
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China; Shenzhen Environmental Science and New Energy Technology Engineering Laboratory, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen 518055, PR China
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25
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Putri RE, Kim LH, Farhat N, Felemban M, Saikaly PE, Vrouwenvelder JS. Evaluation of DNA extraction yield from a chlorinated drinking water distribution system. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0253799. [PMID: 34166448 PMCID: PMC8224906 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Desalination technology based on Reverse Osmosis (RO) membrane filtration has been resorted to provide high-quality drinking water. RO produced drinking water is characterized by a low bacterial cell concentration. Monitoring microbial quality and ensuring membrane-treated water safety has taken advantage of the rapid development of DNA-based techniques. However, the DNA extraction process from RO-based drinking water samples needs to be evaluated regarding the biomass amount (filtration volume) and residual disinfectant such as chlorine, as it can affect the DNA yield. We assessed the DNA recovery applied in drinking water microbiome studies as a function of (i) different filtration volumes, (ii) presence and absence of residual chlorine, and (iii) the addition of a known Escherichia coli concentration into the (sterile and non-sterile, chlorinated and dechlorinated) tap water prior filtration, and directly onto the (0.2 μm pore size, 47 mm diameter) mixed ester cellulose membrane filters without and after tap water filtration. Our findings demonstrated that the co-occurrence of residual chlorine and low biomass/cell density water samples (RO-treated water with a total cell concentration ranging between 2.47 × 102-1.5 × 103 cells/mL) failed to provide sufficient DNA quantity (below the threshold concentration required for sequencing-based procedures) irrespective of filtration volumes used (4, 20, 40, 60 L) and even after performing dechlorination. After exposure to tap water containing residual chlorine (0.2 mg/L), we observed a significant reduction of E. coli cell concentration and the degradation of its DNA (DNA yield was below detection limit) at a lower disinfectant level compared to what was previously reported, indicating that free-living bacteria and their DNA present in the drinking water are subject to the same conditions. The membrane spiking experiment confirmed no significant impact from any potential inhibitors (e.g. organic/inorganic components) present in the drinking water matrix on DNA extraction yield. We found that very low DNA content is likely to be the norm in chlorinated drinking water that gives hindsight to its limitation in providing robust results for any downstream molecular analyses for microbiome surveys. We advise that measurement of DNA yield is a necessary first step in chlorinated drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs) before conducting any downstream omics analyses such as amplicon sequencing to avoid inaccurate interpretations of results based on very low DNA content. This study expands a substantial source of bias in using DNA-based methods for low biomass samples typical in chlorinated DWDSs. Suggestions are provided for DNA-based research in drinking water with residual disinfectant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ratna E. Putri
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, Water Desalination and Reuse Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Lan Hee Kim
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, Water Desalination and Reuse Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nadia Farhat
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, Water Desalination and Reuse Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mashael Felemban
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, Water Desalination and Reuse Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Pascal E. Saikaly
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, Water Desalination and Reuse Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Johannes S. Vrouwenvelder
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, Water Desalination and Reuse Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
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26
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Javier L, Farhat NM, Vrouwenvelder JS. Enhanced hydraulic cleanability of biofilms developed under a low phosphorus concentration in reverse osmosis membrane systems. WATER RESEARCH X 2021; 10:100085. [PMID: 33385157 PMCID: PMC7770974 DOI: 10.1016/j.wroa.2020.100085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
A critical problem in seawater reverse osmosis (RO) filtration processes is biofilm accumulation, which reduces system performance and increases energy requirements. As a result, membrane systems need to be periodically cleaned by combining chemical and physical protocols. Nutrient limitation in the feed water is a strategy to control biofilm formation, lengthening stable membrane system performance. However, the cleanability of biofilms developed under various feed water nutrient conditions is not well understood. This study analyzes the removal efficiency of biofilms grown in membrane fouling simulators (MFSs) supplied with water varying in phosphorus concentrations (3 and 6 μg P·L-1 and with constant biodegradable carbon concentration) by applying hydraulic cleaning after a defined 140% increase in the feed channel pressure drop, through increasing the cross-flow velocity from 0.18 m s-1 to 0.35 m s-1 for 1 h. The two phosphorus concentrations (3 and 6 μg P·L-1) simulate the RO feed water without and with the addition of a phosphorus-based antiscalant, respectively, and were chosen based on measurements at a full-scale seawater RO desalination plant. Biomass quantification parameters performed after membrane autopsies such as total cell count, adenosine triphosphate, total organic carbon, and extracellular polymeric substances were used along with feed channel pressure drop measurements to evaluate biofilm removal efficiency. The outlet water during hydraulic cleaning (1 h) was collected and characterized as well. Optical coherence tomography images were taken before and after hydraulic cleaning for visualization of biofilm morphology. Biofilms grown at 3 μg P·L-1 had an enhanced hydraulic cleanability compared to biofilms grown at 6 μg P·L-1. The higher detachment for biofilms grown at a lower phosphorus concentration was explained by more soluble polymers in the EPS, resulting in a lower biofilm cohesive and adhesive strength. This study confirms that manipulating the feed water nutrient composition can engineer a biofilm that is easier to remove, shifting research focus towards biofilm engineering and more sustainable cleaning strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Javier
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nadia M. Farhat
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
- Corresponding author.
| | - Johannes S. Vrouwenvelder
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
- Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629, HZ Delft, the Netherlands
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27
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Yu H, Li X, Chang H, Zhou Z, Zhang T, Yang Y, Li G, Ji H, Cai C, Liang H. Performance of hollow fiber ultrafiltration membrane in a full-scale drinking water treatment plant in China: A systematic evaluation during 7-year operation. J Memb Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2020.118469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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28
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Benladghem Z, Seddiki SML, Mahdad YM. Identification of bacterial biofilms on desalination reverse osmosis membranes from the mediterranean sea. BIOFOULING 2020; 36:1065-1073. [PMID: 33233947 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2020.1851366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Revised: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Nanofiltration and reverse osmosis are two of the most effective surface water treatment processes. They provide water of high quality and eliminate a large amount of microorganisms, organic matter and micropollutants. However, the main limitation of membrane nanofiltration is fouling, which imposes an additional cost. This study focused on the search for microorganisms capable of reducing the performance of nanofilters and also to study autoaggregation and biofilms formation by bacterial strains isolated from the nanomembranes used in the seawater desalination plant of Souk Tlata (Algeria). It provides new microbiological data on the desalination of seawater in the southern Mediterranean basin. The results revealed 14 bacterial species isolated from six fouled reverse osmosis membranes; their quantities were significant with the dominance of Raoultella sp., Klebsiella sp., Staphylococcus sp., Stenotrophomonas sp., Micrococcus sp., and Escherichia coli. In addition, electron imaging of nanomembrane surfaces revealed complex structures of microorganisms forming biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zakaria Benladghem
- LAPSAB Lab: Antifungal Antibiotic, Physico-Chemical Synthesis and Biological Activity, University of Tlemcen, Tlemcen, Algeria
| | - Sidi Mohamed Lahbib Seddiki
- LAPSAB Lab: Antifungal Antibiotic, Physico-Chemical Synthesis and Biological Activity, University of Tlemcen, Tlemcen, Algeria
- Department of Biology, University Center of Naâma, Naâma, Algeria
| | - Yassine Moustafa Mahdad
- Department of Biology, University Center of Naâma, Naâma, Algeria
- PPABIONUT Lab: Physiology, Physiopathology and Biochemistry of Nutrition, University of Tlemcen, Tlemcen, Algeria
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29
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Characterization of the Bacterial Biofilm Communities Present in Reverse-Osmosis Water Systems for Haemodialysis. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8091418. [PMID: 32942620 PMCID: PMC7564833 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8091418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Biofilm in reverse osmosis (RO) membranes is a common problem in water treatment at haemodialysis facilities. Bacteria adhere and proliferate on RO membranes, forming biofilms, obstructing and damaging the membranes and allowing the transfer of bacteria and/or cellular components potentially harmful to the health of haemodialysis patients. Our aim was to characterize the bacterial community associated to biofilm of RO membranes and to identify potentially pathogenic bacteria present in the haemodialysis systems of two dialysis centres in Chile. The diversity of the bacterial communities present on RO membranes and potable and osmosed water samples was evaluated using Illumina sequencing. Additionally, bacteria from potable water, osmosed water and RO membrane samples were isolated, characterized and identified by Sanger’s sequencing. The molecular analyses of metagenomics showed that the phyla having a greater relative abundance in both dialysis centres were Proteobacteria and Planctomycetes. Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, Agrobacterium, Pigmentiphaga, Ralstonia, Arthrobacter, Bacteroides and Staphylococcus were bacterial genera isolated from the different samples obtained at both haemodialysis centres. Pseudomonas spp. was a bacterial genus with greater frequency in all samples. Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus showed higher levels of resistance to the antibiotics tested. Results demonstrated the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria, showing resistance to antimicrobials on RO membranes and in osmosed water in both dialysis centres studied.
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Nady N, Salem N, Amer R, El-Shazly A, Kandil SH, Hassouna MSED. Comparison between a Conventional Anti-Biofouling Compound and a Novel Modified Low-Fouling Polyethersulfone Ultrafiltration Membrane: Bacterial Anti-Attachment, Water Quality and Productivity. MEMBRANES 2020; 10:membranes10090227. [PMID: 32927801 PMCID: PMC7558014 DOI: 10.3390/membranes10090227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In this work, the efficiency of a conventional chlorination pretreatment is compared with a novel modified low-fouling polyethersulfone (PES) ultrafiltration (UF) membrane, in terms of bacteria attachment and membrane biofouling reduction. This study highlights the use of membrane modification as an effective strategy to reduce bacterial attachment, which is the initial step of biofilm formation, rather than using antimicrobial agents that can enhance bacterial regrowth. The obtained results revealed that the filtration of pretreated, inoculated seawater using the modified PES UF membrane without the pre-chlorination step maintained the highest initial flux (3.27 ± 0.13 m3·m−2·h−1) in the membrane, as well as having one and a half times higher water productivity than the unmodified membrane. The highest removal of bacterial cells was achieved by the modified membrane without chlorination, in which about 12.07 × 104 and 8.9 × 104 colony-forming unit (CFU) m−2 bacterial cells were retained on the unmodified and modified membrane surfaces, respectively, while 29.4 × 106 and 0.42 × 106 CFU mL−1 reached the filtrate for the unmodified and modified membranes, respectively. The use of chlorine disinfectant resulted in significant bacterial regrowth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norhan Nady
- Polymeric Materials Research Department, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), Borg El-Arab City, Alexandria 21934, Egypt
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +20-109-091-8521
| | - Noha Salem
- Department of Environmental Studies, Institute of Graduate Studies and Research, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21321, Egypt; (N.S.); (M.S.E.-D.H.)
| | - Ranya Amer
- Environment and Natural Material Research Institute (ENMRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab, Alexandria 21934, Egypt;
| | - Ahmed El-Shazly
- Chemicals and Petrochemical Engineering Department, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), Alexandria 21934, Egypt;
| | - Sherif H. Kandil
- Department of Materials Science, Institute of Graduate Studies and Research, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21321, Egypt;
| | - Mohamed Salah El-Din Hassouna
- Department of Environmental Studies, Institute of Graduate Studies and Research, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21321, Egypt; (N.S.); (M.S.E.-D.H.)
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31
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Curtin AM, Thibodeau MC, Buckley HL. The Best-Practice Organism for Single-Species Studies of Antimicrobial Efficacy against Biofilms Is Pseudomonas aeruginosa. MEMBRANES 2020; 10:E211. [PMID: 32872560 PMCID: PMC7559251 DOI: 10.3390/membranes10090211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
As potable water scarcity increases across the globe; it is imperative to identify energy and cost-effective processes for producing drinking-water from non-traditional sources. One established method is desalination of brackish and seawater via reverse osmosis (RO). However, the buildup of microorganisms at the water-membrane interface, known as biofouling, clogs RO membranes over time, increasing energy requirements and cost. To investigate biofouling mitigation methods, studies tend to focus on single-species biofilms; choice of organism is crucial to producing useful results. To determine a best-practice organism for studying antimicrobial treatment of biofilms, with specific interest in biofouling of RO membranes, we answered the following two questions, each via its own semi-systematic review: 1. Which organisms are commonly used to test antimicrobial efficacy against biofilms on RO membranes? 2. Which organisms are commonly identified via genetic analysis in biofilms on RO membranes? We then critically review the results of two semi-systematic reviews to identify pioneer organisms from the listed species. We focus on pioneer organisms because they initiate biofilm formation, therefore, inhibiting these organisms specifically may limit biofilm formation in the first place. Based on the analysis of the results, we recommend utilizing Pseudomonas aeruginosa for future single-species studies focused on biofilm treatment including, but not limited to, biofouling of RO membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Heather L. Buckley
- Green Safe Water Lab, Civil Engineering Department, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada; (A.M.C.); (M.C.T.)
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32
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Pinel ISM, Kim LH, Proença Borges VR, Farhat NM, Witkamp GJ, van Loosdrecht MCM, Vrouwenvelder JS. Effect of phosphate availability on biofilm formation in cooling towers. BIOFOULING 2020; 36:800-815. [PMID: 32883093 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2020.1815011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Phosphate limitation has been suggested as a preventive method against biofilms. P-limited feed water was studied as a preventive strategy against biofouling in cooling towers (CTs). Three pilot-scale open recirculating CTs were operated in parallel for five weeks. RO permeate was fed to the CTs (1) without supplementation (reference), (2) with supplementation by biodegradable carbon (P-limited) and (3) with supplementation of all nutrients (non-P-limited). The P-limited water contained ≤10 µg PO4 l-1. Investigating the CT-basins and coupons showed that P-limited water (1) did not prevent biofilm formation and (2) resulted in a higher volume of organic matter per unit of active biomass compared with the other CTs. Exposure to external conditions and cycle of concentration were likely factors that allowed a P concentration sufficient to cause extensive biofouling despite being the limiting compound. In conclusion, phosphate limitation in cooling water is not a suitable strategy for CT biofouling control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid S M Pinel
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Lan Hee Kim
- Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Vitor R Proença Borges
- Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nadia M Farhat
- Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Geert-Jan Witkamp
- Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mark C M van Loosdrecht
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Johannes S Vrouwenvelder
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
- Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
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33
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Vera-Villalobos H, Pérez V, Contreras F, Alcayaga V, Avalos V, Riquelme C, Silva-Aciares F. Characterization and removal of biofouling from reverse osmosis membranes (ROMs) from a desalination plant in Northern Chile, using Alteromonas sp. Ni1-LEM supernatant. BIOFOULING 2020; 36:505-515. [PMID: 32545993 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2020.1776268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Biofouling control in reverse osmosis membranes (ROMs) is challenging due to the high cost of treatments, and reduction in the life of ROMs. This study characterizes the biofouling in the ROMs from a desalination plant and reports its effective removal using the supernatant obtained from Alteromonas sp. strain Ni1-LEM. The characterization of the bacterial community revealed that the most abundant taxa in ROMs were the genera Fulvivirga and Pseudoalteromonas, and unclassified species of the families Flavobacteriaceae and Sphingomonadaceae. This bacterial community significantly decreased upon treatment with the supernatant from Alteromonas sp. Ni1-LEM, resulting in the prevalence of the genus Pseudoalteromonas. Furthermore, this bacterial supernatant significantly inhibited cell adhesion of seven benthic microalgae isolated from ROMs as well as promoting cell detachment of the existing microbial biofilms. The study showed that the extracellular supernatant modified the conformation of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in the biofouling of ROMs without any biocidal effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hernán Vera-Villalobos
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana, Centro de Bioinnovación, Facultad de Ciencias del mar y recursos biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Vilma Pérez
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Francisco Contreras
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana, Centro de Bioinnovación, Facultad de Ciencias del mar y recursos biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Valezka Alcayaga
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana, Centro de Bioinnovación, Facultad de Ciencias del mar y recursos biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Vladimir Avalos
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana, Centro de Bioinnovación, Facultad de Ciencias del mar y recursos biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Carlos Riquelme
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana, Centro de Bioinnovación, Facultad de Ciencias del mar y recursos biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Unidad de Microbiología Aplicada, Centro de Bioinnovación, Facultad de Ciencias del mar y recursos biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Fernando Silva-Aciares
- Unidad de Microbiología Aplicada, Centro de Bioinnovación, Facultad de Ciencias del mar y recursos biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
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Sousi M, Salinas-Rodriguez SG, Liu G, Schippers JC, Kennedy MD, van der Meer W. Measuring Bacterial Growth Potential of Ultra-Low Nutrient Drinking Water Produced by Reverse Osmosis: Effect of Sample Pre-treatment and Bacterial Inoculum. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:791. [PMID: 32411118 PMCID: PMC7201026 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Measuring bacterial growth potential (BGP) involves sample pre-treatment and inoculation, both of which may introduce contaminants in ultra-low nutrient water (e.g., remineralized RO permeate). Pasteurization pre-treatment may lead to denaturing of nutrients, and membrane filtration may leach/remove nutrients into/from water samples. Inoculating remineralized RO permeate samples with natural bacteria from conventional drinking water leads to undesired nutrient addition, which could be avoided by using the remineralized RO permeate itself as inoculum. Therefore, this study examined the effect of pasteurization and membrane filtration on the BGP of remineralized RO permeate. In addition, the possibility of using bacteria from remineralized RO permeate as inoculum was investigated by evaluating their ability to utilize organic carbon that is readily available (acetate, glucose) or complex (laminarin, gelatin, and natural dissolved organic carbon), as compared with bacteria from conventional drinking water. The results showed that membrane filtration pre-treatment increased (140-320%) the BGP of remineralized RO permeate despite the extensive soaking and flushing of filters (>350 h), whereas no effect was observed on the BGP of conventional drinking water owing to its high nutrient content. Pasteurization pre-treatment had insignificant effects on the BGP of both water types. Remineralized RO permeate bacteria showed limitations in utilizing complex organic carbon compared with bacteria from conventional drinking water. In conclusion, the BGP bioassay for ultra-low nutrient water (e.g., remineralized RO permeate) should consider pasteurization pre-treatment. However, an inoculum comprising bacteria from remineralized RO permeate is not recommended as the bacterial consortium was shown to be limited in terms of the compounds they could utilize for growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohaned Sousi
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Water Technology, IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Delft, Netherlands
- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands
| | - Sergio G. Salinas-Rodriguez
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Water Technology, IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Gang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Jan C. Schippers
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Water Technology, IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Maria D. Kennedy
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Water Technology, IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Delft, Netherlands
- Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Walter van der Meer
- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands
- Oasen Drinkwater, Gouda, Netherlands
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de Vries HJ, Stams AJM, Plugge CM. Biodiversity and ecology of microorganisms in high pressure membrane filtration systems. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 172:115511. [PMID: 31986400 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.115511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
High-pressure membrane filtration (reverse osmosis and nanofiltration) is used to purify different water sources, including wastewater, surface water, groundwater and seawater. A major concern in membrane filtration is the accumulation and growth of micro-organisms and their secreted polymeric substances, leading to reduced membrane performance and membrane biofouling. The fundamental understanding of membrane biofouling is limited despite years of research, as the means of microbial interactions and response to the conditions on the membrane surface are complicated. Here, we discuss studies that investigated the microbial diversity of fouled high-pressure membranes. High-throughput amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene have shown that Burkholderiales, Pseudomonadales, Rhizobiales, Sphingomonadales and Xanthomonadales frequently obtain a high relative abundance on fouled membranes. The bacterial communities present in the diverse feed water types and in pre-treatment compartments are different from the communities on the membrane, because high-pressure membrane filtration provides a selective environment for certain bacterial groups. The biofilms that form within the pre-treatment compartments do not commonly serve as an inoculum for the subsequent high-pressure membranes. Besides bacteria also fungi are detected in the water treatment compartments. In contrast to bacteria, the fungal community does not change much throughout membrane cleaning. The stable fungal diversity indicates that they are more significant in membrane biofouling than previously thought. By reviewing the biodiversity and ecology of microbes in the whole high pressure membrane filtration water chain, we have been able to identify potentials to improve biofouling control. These include modulation of hydrodynamic conditions, nutrient limitation and the combination of cleaning agents to target the entire membrane microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik J de Vries
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708, WE, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Oostergoweg 9, 8911, MA, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
| | - Alfons J M Stams
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708, WE, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Caroline M Plugge
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708, WE, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Oostergoweg 9, 8911, MA, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands.
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36
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Ali M, Shaw DR, Saikaly PE. Application of an enrichment culture of the marine anammox bacterium "Ca. Scalindua sp. AMX11" for nitrogen removal under moderate salinity and in the presence of organic carbon. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 170:115345. [PMID: 31805498 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.115345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 10/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Seawater can be directly used for toilet flushing in coastal areas to reduce our dependence on desalination and freshwater resources. The presence of high-salt content in the generated wastewater from seawater toilet flushing could limit the performance of conventional biological nitrogen removal processes. Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process is regarded as one of the most energy-efficient process for nitrogen removal from N-rich waste streams. In this study, we demonstrated the application of a novel marine anammox bacterium (Candidatus Scalindua sp. AMX11) in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) to treat moderate-saline (∼1.2% salinity) and N-rich organic (2 mM acetate) solution, prepared using real seawater. The MBR showed stable performance with nitrogen removal rate of 0.3 kg-N m-3 d-1 at >90% N-removal efficiency. Furthermore, results of 15N stable isotope experiments revealed that anammox bacteria was mainly responsible for respiratory ammonification through NO3- reduction to NH4+ via NO2-, and the by-products of respiratory ammonification were used as substrates by anammox bacteria. The dominant role of anammox bacteria in nitrogen removal under saline and organic conditions was further confirmed by genome-centric combined metagenomics and meta-transcriptomic approach. Taken together, these results highlight the potential application of marine anammox bacteria for treating saline wastewater generated from seawater toilet flushing practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Ali
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, Water Desalination and Reuse Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Dario Rangel Shaw
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, Water Desalination and Reuse Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Pascal E Saikaly
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, Water Desalination and Reuse Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
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Gao Z, Xu H, Zhang P, Ji D, Xia L, Wang X, Li B, Dou M, Xu Y. Variations in bacterial community structures during geothermal water recharge-induced bioclogging. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART A, TOXIC/HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 2020; 55:629-637. [PMID: 32036743 DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2020.1724744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Characterizing bacterial communities is of great significance for targeted control of bacteria-induced clogging during geothermal water recharge. Based on a series of laboratory-scale percolation experiments, the variations in bacterial community diversity, composition, and structure were investigated during simulated geothermal water recharge using high-throughput sequencing technology. The Chao, Shannon, and Evenness indexes were used to quantify the richness, diversity, and evenness of the bacterial community, respectively. The results show that the richness of the bacterial community initially increased and then decreased in the sand columns during the experiments of geothermal water recharge, while the changes in bacterial diversity and evenness were not apparent. A variety of bacterial phyla were found, among which Proteobacteria was predominant (88.31%), followed by Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes (4.23%, 3.44%, and 2.49%). For the non-Proteobacterial phyla, Actinobacteria gradually disappeared while Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were detected during the percolation experiments. This study implies that, despite the variations in the bacterial community, a core group of bacteria persists during geothermal water recharge, and thus a targeted control of bacteria-induced clogging during geothermal water recharge should be feasible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongjun Gao
- College of Earth Science and Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Hailong Xu
- College of Earth Science and Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Pingping Zhang
- The Second Institute of Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology, Shandong Provincial Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources, Dezhou, China
- Shandong Provincial Research Cerner of Geothermal Resources and Reinjection, Dezhou, China
| | - Deshuai Ji
- College of Earth Science and Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Lu Xia
- College of Earth Science and Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Xinyi Wang
- College of Earth Science and Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Bin Li
- College of Earth Science and Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Minyue Dou
- College of Earth Science and Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Yifan Xu
- College of Earth Science and Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
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Chen L, Hu BX, Dai H, Zhang X, Xia CA, Zhang J. Characterizing microbial diversity and community composition of groundwater in a salt-freshwater transition zone. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 678:574-584. [PMID: 31078848 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
A salt-freshwater transition zone due to seawater intrusion to groundwater promotes changes in microbial diversity and community composition in a coastal aquifer. The main purpose of this study is to explore the effect of seawater intrusion on the groundwater quality in a salt-freshwater transition zone and identify the microbial fingerprints of seawater intrusion. The changes in microbial community diversity response to the seawater intrusion were characterized by comparing the community structures of the microbes in fresh groundwater, seawater, and salty groundwater from various monitoring wells at different depths using the high throughput 16S rDNA gene sequencing. Results show that seawater had the lowest taxon richness and evenness, and the irrigation water had the highest richness and evenness. Statistical analysis showed that DO%, ORP, and Cl- affected microbial distribution in the groundwater; while DO% was a main environmental factor influencing microbial community diversity. The analysis of microbial community structures indicates that the order Oceanospirillales and the family Alteromonadaceae could be used as indicators of seawater intrusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Chen
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), 100083 Beijing, China
| | - Bill X Hu
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), 100083 Beijing, China; Institute of Groundwater and Earth Science, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, China.
| | - Heng Dai
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), 100083 Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoying Zhang
- College of Construct Engineering, Jilin University, 130012 Changchun, China
| | - Chuan-An Xia
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), 100083 Beijing, China; Institute of Groundwater and Earth Science, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- Institute of Groundwater and Earth Science, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, China.
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Kerdi S, Qamar A, Alpatova A, Ghaffour N. An in-situ technique for the direct structural characterization of biofouling in membrane filtration. J Memb Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2019.04.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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40
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Biofouling of FeNP-Coated SWRO Membranes with Bacteria Isolated after Pre-Treatment in the Sea of Cortez. COATINGS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/coatings9070462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Commercial seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) membranes were coated with iron nanoparticles (FeNPs) and biofouled with a bacterium strain isolated from the Sea of Cortez, Mexico. This strain was selected and characterized, as it was the only cultivable strain in pretreated seawater. Molecular identification of the strain showed that it belongs to Bacillus halotolerans MCC1. This strain was Gram positive with spore production, and was susceptible to Fe+2 toxicity with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 1.8 g L−1. Its biofouling potential on both uncoated and FeNP coated reverse osmosis (RO) membranes was measured via biofilm layer thickness, total cell count, optical density and organic matter. The FeNP-coated RO membrane presented a significant reduction in biofilm cake layer thickness (>90%), total cells (>67%), optical density (>42%) and organic matter (>92%) with respect to an uncoated commercial membrane. Thus, Bacillus halotolerans MCC1 shows great potential to biofoul RO membranes as it can pass through ultrafiltration membranes due to its spore producing ability; nonetheless, FeNP-coated membranes represent a potential alternative to mitigate RO membrane biofouling.
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Fu G, Han J, Yu T, Huangshen L, Zhao L. The structure of denitrifying microbial communities in constructed mangrove wetlands in response to fluctuating salinities. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 238:1-9. [PMID: 30836279 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Revised: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the experimental vertical-flow constructed wetland (CW) systems planted with the salt-tolerant mangrove species Kandelia candel were established to investigate the influence of salinity fluctuations on the denitrification performance and denitrifying microbial community structure of the CWs. The high-throughput sequencing analysis showed that 10-13 genera aerobic microbes had been enriched in the upper layer of wetland matrix in the depth of 10-25 cm, with the relative abundance accounting for 19.1 ± 7.9%. Although the ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) were inhibited significantly in the CW systems with salinity levels in the range of 0.9-1.8%, the aerobic denitrifying (AD) bacteria including Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter and Aeromonas, removed 99% of ammonia nitrogen from the influent by heterotrophic nitrification (HN) functions, and conducted denitrification at the same time to remove 90% of the TN in the system, indicating that the wetland test system successfully enriched a variety of aerobic denitrifying bacterial communities under different salinity conditions. Not only the nitrogen removal efficiency but also the adaptability of the wetland system to salinity fluctuations had been improved by the enriched HN-AD bacteria. In addition, HN-AD bacterial communities can conduct both nitrification and denitrification in the middle and upper layers of the vertical flow wetland, hereby saving the reaction space of the constructed wetland and reducing the construction cost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guiping Fu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-Environmental Science, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
| | - Jingyi Han
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-Environmental Science, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Tianyu Yu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-Environmental Science, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Linkun Huangshen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-Environmental Science, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Lin Zhao
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-Environmental Science, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
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Rehman ZU, Ali M, Iftikhar H, Leiknes TO. Genome-resolved metagenomic analysis reveals roles of microbial community members in full-scale seawater reverse osmosis plant. WATER RESEARCH 2019; 149:263-271. [PMID: 30448738 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Biofouling of Reverse Osmosis (RO) membrane is a significant issue for the water treatment industry. In this study, we apply the metagenomic shot-gun sequencing technology to characterise the composition and functional potential of the microbial community in a full-scale RO plant, at different stages of seawater treatment. We find Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Planctomycetes to be the most abundant bacterial phyla. The genetic potential of the RO membrane microbial community shows the enrichment of genes involved in biofilm formation, representing the selective pressure of the biofilm formation process. We recover 31 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from intake (raw seawater), fouled RO membranes (leading and middle RO module) and brine reject water. A total of 25 MAGs are recovered from the biofilm samples (leading and middle RO modules), with 9 of them (36%) belonging to Planctomycetes. We investigate all 25 MAGs for genes (pili, flagella, quorum sensing, quorum quenching and nitrate reduction) that play an important role in biofilm formation and sustenance of cells. We show that Planctomycetes contain genes for the formation of flagella and pili, and the reduction of nitrate. Although genes for quorum sensing are not detected, quorum quenching genes are identified in the biofilm MAGs. Our results show that Planctomycetes, along with other microbes, play an important role in the formation and sustenance of biofilms on seawater RO membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahid Ur Rehman
- Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Muhammad Ali
- Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hina Iftikhar
- Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - TOrove Leiknes
- Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
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Sanawar H, Pinel I, Farhat N, Bucs S, Zlopasa J, Kruithof J, Witkamp G, van Loosdrecht M, Vrouwenvelder J. Enhanced biofilm solubilization by urea in reverse osmosis membrane systems. WATER RESEARCH X 2018; 1:100004. [PMID: 31194008 PMCID: PMC6549900 DOI: 10.1016/j.wroa.2018.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Chemical cleaning is routinely performed in reverse osmosis (RO) plants for the regeneration of RO membranes that suffer from biofouling problems. The potential of urea as a chaotropic agent to enhance the solubilization of biofilm proteins has been reported briefly in the literature. In this paper the efficiency of urea cleaning for RO membrane systems has been compared to conventionally applied acid/alkali treatment. Preliminary assessment confirmed that urea did not damage the RO polyamide membranes and that the membrane cleaning efficiency increased with increasing concentrations of urea and temperature. Accelerated biofilm formation was carried out in membrane fouling simulators which were subsequently cleaned with (i) 0.01M sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and 0.1M hydrochloric acid (HCl) (typically applied in industry), (ii) urea (CO(NH2)2) and hydrochloric acid, or (iii) urea only (1340 g/Lwater). The pressure drop over the flow channel was used to evaluate the efficiency of the applied chemical cleanings. Biomass removal was evaluated by measuring chemical oxygen demand (COD), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), protein, and carbohydrate content from the membrane and spacer surfaces after cleaning. In addition to protein and carbohydrate quantification of the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (FEEM) spectroscopy was used to distinguish the difference in organic matter of the remaining biomass to assess biofilm solubilization efficacy of the different cleaning agents. Results indicated that two-stage CO(NH2)2/HCl cleaning was as effective as cleaning with NaOH/HCl in terms of restoring the feed channel pressure drop (>70% pressure drop decrease). One-stage cleaning with urea only was not as effective indicating the importance of the second-stage low pH acid cleaning in weakening the biofilm matrix. All three chemical cleaning protocols were equally effective in reducing the concentration of predominant EPS components protein and carbohydrate (>50% reduction in concentrations). However, urea-based cleaning strategies were more effective in solubilizing protein-like matter and tyrosine-containing proteins. Furthermore, ATP measurements showed that biomass inactivation was up to two-fold greater after treatment with urea-based chemical cleanings compared to the conventional acid/alkali treatment. The applicability of urea as an alternative, economical, eco-friendly and effective chemical cleaning agent for the control of biological fouling was successfully demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. Sanawar
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - I. Pinel
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629, HZ Delft, the Netherlands
| | - N.M. Farhat
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sz.S. Bucs
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - J. Zlopasa
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629, HZ Delft, the Netherlands
| | - J.C. Kruithof
- Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Oostergoweg 9, 8911, MA, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
| | - G.J. Witkamp
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629, HZ Delft, the Netherlands
| | - M.C.M. van Loosdrecht
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629, HZ Delft, the Netherlands
| | - J.S. Vrouwenvelder
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629, HZ Delft, the Netherlands
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Sousi M, Liu G, Salinas-Rodriguez SG, Knezev A, Blankert B, Schippers JC, van der Meer W, Kennedy MD. Further developing the bacterial growth potential method for ultra-pure drinking water produced by remineralization of reverse osmosis permeate. WATER RESEARCH 2018; 145:687-696. [PMID: 30212807 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Revised: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Ensuring the biological stability of drinking water is essential for modern drinking water supply. To understand and manage the biological stability, it is critical that the bacterial growth in drinking water can be measured. Nowadays, advance treatment technologies, such as reverse osmosis (RO), are increasingly applied in drinking water purification where the produced water is characterized by low levels of nutrients and cell counts. The challenge is, therefore, how to measure the low bacterial growth potential (BGP) of such ultra-pure water using the available methods which were originally developed for conventionally treated drinking water. In this study, we proposed a protocol to assess BGP of ultra-pure drinking water produced by RO and post-treatment (including remineralization). Natural bacterial consortium from conventional drinking water was added to all water samples during this study to ensure the presence of a wide range of bacterial strains. The method development included developing an ultra-pure blank with high reproducibility to lower the detection limit of the BGP method (50 ± 20 × 103 intact cells/mL) compared with conventional blanks such as bottled spring water, deep groundwater treated by aeration and slow sand filtrate of surface water supply. The ultra-low blank consists of RO permeate after adjusting its pH and essential mineral content under controlled laboratory conditions to ensure carbon limitation. Regarding the test protocol, inoculum concentrations of >10 × 103 intact cells/mL may have a significant contribution to the measured low levels of BGP. Pasteurization of water samples before measuring BGP is necessary to ensure reliable bacterial growth curves. The optimized method was used to assess BGP of ultra-pure drinking water produced by RO membranes and post-treatment (including remineralization), where the BGP has decreased more than 6-fold to a level of 90 ± 20 × 103 intact cells/mL compared with conventionally treated water (630 ± 70 × 103 intact cells/mL).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohaned Sousi
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Water Technology, IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Westvest 7, 2611 AX, Delft, the Netherlands; Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Drienerlolaan 5, 7522 NB, Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Gang Liu
- Oasen Drinkwater, Nieuwe Gouwe O.Z. 3, 2801 SB, Gouda, the Netherlands; Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geoscience, Delft University of Technology, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN, Delft, the Netherlands.
| | - Sergio G Salinas-Rodriguez
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Water Technology, IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Westvest 7, 2611 AX, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Aleksandra Knezev
- Het Waterlaboratorium, J.W. Lucasweg 2, 2031 BE, Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - Bastiaan Blankert
- Oasen Drinkwater, Nieuwe Gouwe O.Z. 3, 2801 SB, Gouda, the Netherlands
| | - Jan C Schippers
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Water Technology, IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Westvest 7, 2611 AX, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Walter van der Meer
- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Drienerlolaan 5, 7522 NB, Enschede, the Netherlands; Oasen Drinkwater, Nieuwe Gouwe O.Z. 3, 2801 SB, Gouda, the Netherlands
| | - Maria D Kennedy
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Water Technology, IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Westvest 7, 2611 AX, Delft, the Netherlands; Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geoscience, Delft University of Technology, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN, Delft, the Netherlands
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Monitoring of microbial dynamics in a drinking water distribution system using the culture-free, user-friendly, MYcrobiota platform. Sci Rep 2018; 8:14727. [PMID: 30283052 PMCID: PMC6170421 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-32987-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Drinking water utilities currently rely on a range of microbiological detection techniques to evaluate the quality of their drinking water (DW). However, microbiota profiling using culture-free 16S rRNA gene next-generation sequencing (NGS) provides an opportunity for improved monitoring of the microbial ecology and quality of DW. Here, we evaluated the utility of a previously validated microbiota profiling platform (MYcrobiota) to investigate the microbial dynamics of a full-scale, non-chlorinated DW distribution system (DWDS). In contrast to conventional methods, we observed spatial and temporal bacterial genus changes (expressed as operational taxonomic units - OTUs) within the DWDS. Further, a small subset of bacterial OTUs dominated with abundances that shifted across the length of the DWDS, and were particularly affected by a post-disinfection step. We also found seasonal variation in OTUs within the DWDS and that many OTUs could not be identified, even though MYcrobiota is specifically designed to reduce potential PCR sequencing artefacts. This suggests that our current knowledge about the microbial ecology of DW communities is limited. Our findings demonstrate that the user-friendly MYcrobiota platform facilitates culture-free, standardized microbial dynamics monitoring and has the capacity to facilitate the introduction of microbiota profiling into the management of drinking water quality.
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Nagaraj V, Skillman L, Li D, Ho G. Review - Bacteria and their extracellular polymeric substances causing biofouling on seawater reverse osmosis desalination membranes. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2018; 223:586-599. [PMID: 29975885 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.05.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Revised: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/26/2018] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Biofouling in seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) membranes is a critical issue faced by the desalination industry worldwide. The major cause of biofouling is the irreversible attachment of recalcitrant biofilms formed by bacteria and their extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on membrane surfaces. Transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) and protobiofilms are recently identified as important precursors of membrane fouling. Despite considerable amount of research on SWRO biofouling, the control of biofouling still remains a challenge. While adoption of better pretreatment methods may help in preventing membrane biofouling in new desalination setups, it is also crucial to effectively disperse old, recalcitrant biofilms and prolong membrane life in operational plants. Most current practices employ the use of broad spectrum biocides and chemicals that target bacterial cells to disperse mature biofilms, which are evidently inefficient. EPS, being known as the strongest structural framework of biofilms, it is essential to breakdown and disintegrate the EPS components for effective biofilm removal. To achieve this, it is necessary to understand the chemical composition and key elements that constitute the EPS of major biofouling bacterial groups in multi-species, mature biofilms. However, significant gaps in understanding the complexity of EPS are evident by the failure to achieve effective prevention and mitigation of fouling in most cases. Some of the reasons may be difficulty in sampling membranes from fully operational full-scale plants, poor understanding of microbial communities and their ecological shifts under dynamic operational conditions within the desalination process, selection of inappropriate model species for laboratory-scale biofouling studies, and the laborious process of extraction and purification of EPS. This article reviews the novel findings on key aspects of SWRO membrane fouling and control measures with particular emphasis on the key sugars in EPS. As a novel strategy to alleviate biofouling, future control methods may be aimed towards specifically disintegrating and breaking down these key sugars rather than using broad spectrum chemicals such as biocides that are currently used in the industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veena Nagaraj
- School of Engineering and Information Technology, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia.
| | - Lucy Skillman
- School of Engineering and Information Technology, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia.
| | - Dan Li
- School of Engineering and Information Technology, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia.
| | - Goen Ho
- School of Engineering and Information Technology, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia.
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Brandt J, Albertsen M. Investigation of Detection Limits and the Influence of DNA Extraction and Primer Choice on the Observed Microbial Communities in Drinking Water Samples Using 16S rRNA Gene Amplicon Sequencing. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2140. [PMID: 30245681 PMCID: PMC6137089 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing has been widely adopted for analyzing the microbial communities in drinking water (DW). However, no comprehensive attempts have been made to illuminate the inherent method biases specifically relating to DW communities. In this study, we investigated the impact of DNA extraction and primer choice on the observed microbial community, and furthermore estimated the detection limit of the 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing in these experimental settings. Of the two DNA extraction kits investigated, the PowerWater DNA Isolation Kit resulted in higher yield, better reproducibility and more OTUs identified compared to the FastDNA SPIN Kit for Soil, which is also commonly used within DW microbiome research. The use of three separate primer-sets targeting the V1-3, V3-4, and V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene revealed large differences in OTU abundances, with some of the primers unable to detect entire phyla. Estimations of the detection limit were based on bacteria-free water samples (1 L) spiked with Escherichia coli cells in different concentrations [101–106 cells/ml]. E.coli could be detected in all samples, however, samples with ∼101 cells/ml had several contaminating OTUs constituting approximately 8% of the read abundances. Based on our findings, we recommend using the PowerWater DNA Isolation Kit for DNA extraction in combination with PCR amplification of the V3-4 or V4 region for DW samples if a broad overview of the microbial community is to be obtained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Brandt
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Center for Microbial Communities, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Mads Albertsen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Center for Microbial Communities, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
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Xu H, Pei H, Jin Y, Ma C, Wang Y, Sun J, Li H. High-throughput sequencing reveals microbial communities in drinking water treatment sludge from six geographically distributed plants, including potentially toxic cyanobacteria and pathogens. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 634:769-779. [PMID: 29653422 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Revised: 04/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/01/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The microbial community structures of drinking water treatment sludge (DWTS) generated for raw water (RW) from different locations and with different source types - including river water, lake water and reservoir water -were investigated using high-throughput sequencing. Because the unit operations in the six DWTPs were similar, community composition in fresh sludge may be determined by microbial community in the corresponding RW. Although Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Verrucomicrobia, and Planctomycetes were the dominant phyla among the six DWTS samples, no single phylum exhibited similar abundance across all the samples, owing to differences in total phosphorus, chemical oxygen demand, Al, Fe, and chloride in RW. Three genera of potentially toxic cyanobacteria (Planktothrix, Microcystis and Cylindrospermopsis), and four potential pathogens (Escherichia coli, Bacteroides ovatus, Prevotella copri and Rickettsia) were found in sludge samples. Because proliferation of potentially toxic cyanobacteria and Rickettsia in RW was mainly affected by nutrients, while growth of Escherichia coli, Bacteroides ovatus and Prevotella copri in RW may be influenced by Fe, control of nutrients and Fe in RW is essential to decrease toxic cyanobacteria and pathogens in DWTS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hangzhou Xu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Haiyan Pei
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China; Provincial Engineering Center on Environmental Science and Technology, Jinan 250061, China.
| | - Yan Jin
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Chunxia Ma
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Yuting Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Jiongming Sun
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Hongmin Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
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Gao L, Zhou W, Wu S, He S, Huang J, Zhang X. Nitrogen removal by thiosulfate-driven denitrification and plant uptake in enhanced floating treatment wetland. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 621:1550-1558. [PMID: 29054632 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.10.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Revised: 09/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the potential of thiosulfate-driven autotrophic enhanced floating treatment wetland (AEFTW) in removing nitrogen from the secondary effluent at the relatively short hydraulic retention times and low S/N ratios. Simultaneous autotrophic and heterotrophic denitrification was observed in AEFTW. The peak TN removal rate (15.3gm-2d-1) exceeded most of the reported floating treatment wetlands. Based on the kinetic model results, low mean temperature coefficient and high k20 verified that the excellent performance in AEFTW diminished the microbial dependence on temperature. Nitrogen removal performance of enhanced floating treatment wetland (EFTW) and floating treatment wetland (FTW) were similar and highly sensitive to temperature. The interaction of sulfur transformation on the nitrogen, carbon uptake of plants was studied. Thiosulfate addition significantly raised sulfur content in the shoots and further enhanced the uptake of nitrogen and carbon, and increased the plant biomass at the same time. Higher composition of autotrophic and heterotrophic denitrifiers in AEFTW interpreted the occurrence of mixotrophic denitrification during summer. Thiosulfate induced mutual promotion of nitrogen removal by plant uptake and microbial denitrification in AEFTW.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Gao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Weili Zhou
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Suqing Wu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Shengbing He
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Jungchen Huang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
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Bhojani G, Binod Kumar S, Kumar Saha N, Haldar S. Membrane biofouling by chlorine resistant Bacillus spp.: effect of feedwater chlorination on bacteria and membrane biofouling. BIOFOULING 2018; 34:426-439. [PMID: 29726272 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2018.1461213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In this study, bacteria isolated from a lake were characterised for their chlorine resistivity and the effects of chlorination on growth, mortality, protein expression and attachment propensity towards membranes. Biofouling and membrane performance were analysed. All isolated chlorine resistant strains, characterised by 16s rRNA gene sequencing, belonged to the genus Bacillus. Chlorination caused limited effects on bacterial growth and mortality. B. safensis and B. lechinoformis suffered the maximum effects due to chlorination. Live-to-dead ratios immediately after chlorination were above 1.3, with some exceptions. The membrane pure water flux recovery was highly strain dependent. Irreversible membrane fouling was observed with B. aquimaris. Membrane flux decreased substantially during ultrafiltration of water containing chlorine resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gopal Bhojani
- c Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research , CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute , Bhavnagar , India
| | - Sweta Binod Kumar
- c Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research , CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute , Bhavnagar , India
| | - Nirmal Kumar Saha
- a Membrane Science and Separation Technology Division , CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute , Bhavnagar , India
| | - Soumya Haldar
- b Analytical and Environmental Science Division and Centralized Instrument Facility , CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute , Bhavnagar , India
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