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Shi X, Pereira R, Uzma, Savage L, Poursat B, Quinn D, Kostrytsia A, Cholet F, Smith CJ, Gauchotte-Lindsay C, Sloan WT, Ijaz UZ, Vignola M. Microbial stratification and DOM removal in drinking water biofilters: Implications for enhanced performance. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 262:122053. [PMID: 39059199 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122053] [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: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Biofiltration is a low-cost, low-energy technology that employs a biologically activated bed of porous medium to reduce the biodegradable fraction of the dissolved organic matter (DOM) pool in source water, resulting in the production of drinking water. Microbial communities at different bed depths within the biofilter play crucial roles in the degradation and removal of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), ultimately impacting its performance. However, the relationships between the composition of microbial communities inhabiting different biofilter depths and their utilisation of various DOC fractions remain poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted an experimental study where microbial communities from the upper (i.e., top 10 cm) and lower (i.e., bottom 10 cm) sections of a 30-cm long laboratory-scale biofilter were recovered. These communities were then individually incubated for 10 days using the same source water as the biofilter influent. Our study revealed that the bottom microbial community exhibited lower diversity yet had a co-occurrence network with a higher degree of interconnections among its members compared to the top microbial community. Moreover, we established a direct correlation between the composition and network structure of the microbial communities and their ability to utilise various DOM compounds within a DOM pool. Interestingly, although the bottom microbial community had only 20 % of the total cell abundance compared to the top community at the beginning of the incubation, it utilised and hence removed approximately 60 % more total DOC from the DOM pool than the top community. While both communities rapidly utilised labile carbon fractions, such as low-molecular-weight neutrals, the utilisation of more refractory carbon fractions, like high-molecular-weight humic substances with an average molecular weight of more than ca. 1451 g/mol, was exclusive to the bottom microbial community. By employing techniques that capture microbial diversity (i.e., flow cytometry and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing) and considering the complexities of DOM (i.e., LCOCD), our study provides novel insights into how microbial community structure could influence the microbial-mediated processes of engineering significance in drinking water production. Finally, our findings could offer the opportunity to improve biofilter performances via engineering interventions that shape the compositions of biofilter microbial communities and enhance their utilisation and removal of DOM, most notably the more classically humified and refractory DOM compound groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Shi
- James Watt School of Engineering, Advanced Research Centre (ARC), University of Glasgow, Chapel Lane, Glasgow G11 6EW, UK
| | - Ryan Pereira
- The Lyell Centre, Heriot-Watt University, Research Avenue South, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK
| | - Uzma
- James Watt School of Engineering, Advanced Research Centre (ARC), University of Glasgow, Chapel Lane, Glasgow G11 6EW, UK
| | - Laurie Savage
- James Watt School of Engineering, Advanced Research Centre (ARC), University of Glasgow, Chapel Lane, Glasgow G11 6EW, UK
| | - Baptiste Poursat
- James Watt School of Engineering, Advanced Research Centre (ARC), University of Glasgow, Chapel Lane, Glasgow G11 6EW, UK
| | - Dominic Quinn
- James Watt School of Engineering, Advanced Research Centre (ARC), University of Glasgow, Chapel Lane, Glasgow G11 6EW, UK
| | - Anastasiia Kostrytsia
- James Watt School of Engineering, Advanced Research Centre (ARC), University of Glasgow, Chapel Lane, Glasgow G11 6EW, UK
| | - Fabien Cholet
- James Watt School of Engineering, Advanced Research Centre (ARC), University of Glasgow, Chapel Lane, Glasgow G11 6EW, UK
| | - Cindy J Smith
- James Watt School of Engineering, Advanced Research Centre (ARC), University of Glasgow, Chapel Lane, Glasgow G11 6EW, UK
| | - Caroline Gauchotte-Lindsay
- James Watt School of Engineering, Advanced Research Centre (ARC), University of Glasgow, Chapel Lane, Glasgow G11 6EW, UK
| | - William T Sloan
- James Watt School of Engineering, Advanced Research Centre (ARC), University of Glasgow, Chapel Lane, Glasgow G11 6EW, UK
| | - Umer Zeeshan Ijaz
- James Watt School of Engineering, Advanced Research Centre (ARC), University of Glasgow, Chapel Lane, Glasgow G11 6EW, UK
| | - Marta Vignola
- James Watt School of Engineering, Advanced Research Centre (ARC), University of Glasgow, Chapel Lane, Glasgow G11 6EW, UK.
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2
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Takman M, Betsholtz A, Davidsson Å, Cimbritz M, Svahn O, Karlsson S, Karstenskov Østergaard S, Lund Nielsen J, Falås P. Biological degradation of organic micropollutants in GAC filters-temporal development and spatial variations. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 472:134449. [PMID: 38733780 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134449] [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: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
The capacity for organic micropollutant removal in granular activated carbon (GAC) filters for wastewater treatment changes over time. These changes are in general attributed to changes in adsorption, but may in some cases also be affected by biological degradation. Knowledge on the degradation of organic micropollutants, however, is scarce. In this work, the degradation of micropollutants in several full-scale GAC and sand filters was investigated through incubation experiments over a period of three years, using 14C-labeled organic micropollutants with different susceptibilities to biological degradation (ibuprofen, diclofenac, and carbamazepine), with parallel 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results showed that the degradation of diclofenac and ibuprofen in GAC filters increased with increasing numbers of bed volumes when free oxygen was available in the filter, while variations over filter depth were limited. Despite relatively large differences in bacterial composition between filters, a degradation of diclofenac was consistently observed for the GAC filters that had been operated with high influent oxygen concentration (DO >8 mg/L). The results of this comprehensive experimental work provide an increased understanding of the interactions between microbial composition, filter material, and oxygen availability in the biological degradation of organic micropollutants in GAC filters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Takman
- Department of Process and Life Science Engineering, Division of Chemical Engineering, Lund University, PO Box 124, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden.
| | - Alexander Betsholtz
- Department of Process and Life Science Engineering, Division of Chemical Engineering, Lund University, PO Box 124, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Åsa Davidsson
- Department of Process and Life Science Engineering, Division of Chemical Engineering, Lund University, PO Box 124, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Michael Cimbritz
- Department of Process and Life Science Engineering, Division of Chemical Engineering, Lund University, PO Box 124, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Ola Svahn
- Department of Environmental Science and Bioscience, Kristianstad University, SE-291 39 Kristianstad, Sweden
| | | | | | - Jeppe Lund Nielsen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Per Falås
- Department of Process and Life Science Engineering, Division of Chemical Engineering, Lund University, PO Box 124, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
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3
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Jeon Y, Li L, Bhatia M, Ryu H, Santo Domingo JW, Brown J, Goetz J, Seo Y. Impact of harmful algal bloom severity on bacterial communities in a full-scale biological filtration system for drinking water treatment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 927:171301. [PMID: 38423320 PMCID: PMC11333992 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171301] [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: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
The occurrence of harmful algal blooms (HABs) in freshwater environments has been expanded worldwide with growing frequency and severity. HABs can pose a threat to public water supplies, raising concerns about safety of treated water. Many studies have provided valuable information about the impacts of HABs and management strategies on the early-stage treatment processes (e.g., pre-oxidation and coagulation/flocculation) in conventional drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). However, the potential effect of HAB-impacted water in the granular media filtration has not been well studied. Biologically-active filters (BAFs), which are used in drinking water treatment and rely largely on bacterial community interactions, have not been examined during HABs in full-scale DWTPs. In this study, we assessed the bacterial community structure of BAFs, functional profiles, assembly processes, and bio-interactions in the community during both severe and mild HABs. Our findings indicate that bacterial diversity in BAFs significantly decreases during severe HABs due to the predominance of bloom-associated bacteria (e.g., Spingopyxis, Porphyrobacter, and Sphingomonas). The excitation-emission matrix combined with parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC) confirmed that filter influent affected by the severe HAB contained a higher portion of protein-like substances than filter influent samples during a mild bloom. In addition, BAF community functions showed increases in metabolisms associated with intracellular algal organic matter (AOM), such as lipids and amino acids, during severe HABs. Further ecological process and network analyses revealed that severe HAB, accompanied by the abundance of bloom-associated taxa and increased nutrient availability, led to not only strong stochastic processes in the assembly process, but also a bacterial community with lower complexity in BAFs. Overall, this study provides deeper insights into BAF bacterial community structure, function, and assembly in response to HABs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youchul Jeon
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Toledo, Mail Stop 307, 3006 Nitschke Hall, Toledo, OH 43606, United States of America
| | - Lei Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Toledo, Mail Stop 307, 3006 Nitschke Hall, Toledo, OH 43606, United States of America
| | - Mudit Bhatia
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Toledo, Mail Stop 307, 3006 Nitschke Hall, Toledo, OH 43606, United States of America
| | - Hodon Ryu
- Water Infrastructure Division, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH 45268, United States of America
| | - Jorge W Santo Domingo
- Water Infrastructure Division, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH 45268, United States of America
| | - Jess Brown
- Carollo Engineers' Research and Development Practice, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States of America
| | - Jake Goetz
- City of Toledo Colins Park Water Treatment, Toledo, OH 43605, United States of America
| | - Youngwoo Seo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Toledo, Mail Stop 307, 3006 Nitschke Hall, Toledo, OH 43606, United States of America; Department of Chemical and Engineering, University of Toledo, Mail Stop 307, 3048 Nitschke Hall, Toledo, OH 43606, United States of America.
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4
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Rosenqvist T, Chan S, Ahlinder J, Salomonsson EN, Suarez C, Persson KM, Rådström P, Paul CJ. Inoculation with adapted bacterial communities promotes development of full scale slow sand filters for drinking water production. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 253:121203. [PMID: 38402751 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121203] [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: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Gravity-driven filtration through slow sand filters (SSFs) is one of the oldest methods for producing drinking water. As water passes through a sand bed, undesired microorganisms and chemicals are removed by interactions with SSF biofilm and its resident microbes. Despite their importance, the processes through which these microbial communities form are largely unknown, as are the factors affecting these processes. In this study, two SSFs constructed using different sand sources were compared to an established filter and observed throughout their maturation process. One SSF was inoculated through addition of sand scraped from established filters, while the other was not inoculated. The operational and developing microbial communities of SSFs, as well as their influents and effluents, were studied by sequencing of 16S ribosomal rRNA genes. A functional microbial community resembling that of the established SSF was achieved in the inoculated SSF, but not in the non-inoculated SSF. Notably, the non-inoculated SSF had significantly (p < 0.01) higher abundances of classes Armatimonadia, Elusimicrobia, Fimbriimonadia, OM190 (phylum Planctomycetota), Parcubacteria, Vampirivibrionia and Verrucomicrobiae. Conversely, it had lower abundances of classes Anaerolineae, Bacilli, bacteriap25 (phylum Myxococcota), Blastocatellia, Entotheonellia, Gemmatimonadetes, lineage 11b (phylum Elusimicrobiota), Nitrospiria, Phycisphaerae, subgroup 22 (phylum Acidobacteriota) and subgroup 11 (phylum Acidobacteriota). Poor performance of neutral models showed that the assembly and dispersal of SSF microbial communities was mainly driven by selection. The temporal turnover of microbial species, as estimated through the scaling exponent of the species-time relationship, was twice as high in the non-inoculated filter (0.946 ± 0.164) compared to the inoculated filter (0.422 ± 0.0431). This study shows that the addition of an inoculum changed the assembly processes within SSFs. Specifically, the rate at which new microorganisms were observed in the biofilm was reduced. The reduced temporal turnover may be driven by inoculating taxa inhibiting growth, potentially via secondary metabolite production. This in turn would allow the inoculation community to persist and contribute to SSF function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tage Rosenqvist
- Division of Applied Microbiology, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden; Sweden Water Research AB, Ideon Science Park, Scheelevägen 15, SE-223 70 Lund, Sweden
| | - Sandy Chan
- Division of Applied Microbiology, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden; Sweden Water Research AB, Ideon Science Park, Scheelevägen 15, SE-223 70 Lund, Sweden; Sydvatten AB, Hyllie Stationstorg 21, SE-215 32 Malmö, Sweden
| | - Jon Ahlinder
- FOI, Swedish Defense Research Agency, Cementvägen 20, SE-906 21 Umeå, Sweden
| | | | - Carolina Suarez
- Water Resources Engineering, Department of Building and Environmental Technology, Lund University, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Kenneth M Persson
- Sydvatten AB, Hyllie Stationstorg 21, SE-215 32 Malmö, Sweden; Water Resources Engineering, Department of Building and Environmental Technology, Lund University, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Peter Rådström
- Division of Applied Microbiology, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Catherine J Paul
- Division of Applied Microbiology, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden; Water Resources Engineering, Department of Building and Environmental Technology, Lund University, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden.
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5
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Abkar L, Moghaddam HS, Fowler SJ. Microbial ecology of drinking water from source to tap. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:168077. [PMID: 37914126 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
As drinking water travels from its source, through various treatment processes, hundreds to thousands of kilometres of distribution network pipes, to the taps in private homes and public buildings, it is exposed to numerous environmental changes, as well as other microbes living in both water and on surfaces. This review aims to identify the key locations and factors that are associated with changes in the drinking water microbiome throughout conventional urban drinking water systems from the source to the tap water. Over the past 15 years, improvements in cultivation-independent methods have enabled studies that allow us to answer such questions. As a result, we are beginning to move towards predicting the impacts of disturbances and interventions resulting ultimately in management of drinking water systems and microbial communities rather than mere observation. Many challenges still exist to achieve effective management, particularly within the premise plumbing environment, which exhibits diverse and inconsistent conditions that may lead to alterations in the microbiota, potentially presenting public health risks. Finally, we recommend the establishment of global collaborative projects on the drinking water microbiome that will enhance our current knowledge and lead to tools for operators and researchers alike to improve global access to high-quality drinking water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leili Abkar
- Civil Engineering Department, University of British Columbia, Canada.
| | | | - S Jane Fowler
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Canada.
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6
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Lin H, Hou Q, Sun X, Hu G, Yu R. Oyster shell for drinking water filtration compared with granular activated carbon: advantages and limitations. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:121475-121486. [PMID: 37950780 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30781-5] [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: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Deliberate media selection can be conducted to achieve targeted objective in filters. In this study, three biofilters (BFs) packed with calcinated oyster shell (COS), granular activated carbon (GAC), and COS + GAC (Mix) were set up in parallel following a rough filter packed with natural oyster shell to compare the performance for treating micro-polluted source water. Different media showed selective removal effects for different pollutants. GAC outperformed COS in terms of TOC and UV254. COS achieved higher reduction in turbidity than GAC. Due to the removal of total bacteria, the absolute and relative abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) both decreased much in rough filter treated water (1.16 × 1014 to 1.40 × 1013 copies L-1 and 81.6 to 36.9%, respectively). The highest diverse and rich bacterial community was found in the biofilms on the COS filler, so microbial leakage gave rise to high bacterial content, leading to the highest absolute abundance of ARGs in COS BF effluent (2.11 × 1013 copies L-1). The highest relative abundance of ARGs (41.2%) was found in GAC BF effluent. SourceTracker and biomarker analysis both suggested that treatment process played a more important role in shaping the bacterial community structure in Mix BF effluent than single media BFs, which contributed to the lowest absolute (8.69 × 1012 copies L-1) and relative abundance (25.2%) of ARGs in Mix BF effluent among the three BFs. Our results suggested that mix COS + GAC can not only give full play to their respective advantages for traditional pollutants, but also achieve highest reduction in ARGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huirong Lin
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China
- Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Quanyang Hou
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China
- Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Xiaohui Sun
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Gongren Hu
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China
- Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Ruilian Yu
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China.
- Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China.
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7
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Takman M, Svahn O, Paul C, Cimbritz M, Blomqvist S, Struckmann Poulsen J, Lund Nielsen J, Davidsson Å. Assessing the potential of a membrane bioreactor and granular activated carbon process for wastewater reuse - A full-scale WWTP operated over one year in Scania, Sweden. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 895:165185. [PMID: 37385512 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
A full-scale membrane bioreactor (MBR) with ultrafiltration, followed by granular activated carbon (GAC), was examined to determine the potential of reusing treated water as a source of drinking water or for irrigation. The major part of the bacteria removal took place in the MBR, whereas the GAC removed substantial amounts of organic micropollutants. Annual variations in inflow and infiltration resulted in a concentrated influent during summer and a diluted influent in the winter. The removal of E. coli was high throughout the process (average log removal 5.8), with effluent concentrations meeting the threshold for class B water standards for irrigation (EU 2020/741) but exceeding those for drinking water in Sweden. The total bacterial concentration increased over the GAC, indicating the growth and release of bacteria; however, E. coli concentrations declined. The effluent concentrations of metals met the Swedish criteria for drinking water. The removal of organic micropollutants decreased during the initial operation of the treatment plant, but after 1 year and 3 months, corresponding to 15,000 bed volumes, the removal increased. Maturation of the biofilm in the GAC filters might have resulted in biodegradation of certain organic micropollutants, in combination with bioregeneration. Although there is no legislation in Scandinavia with regard to many organic micropollutants in drinking water and water for irrigation, the effluent concentrations were generally in the same order of magnitude as to those in Swedish source waters that are used for drinking water production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Takman
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Lund University, PO Box 124, SE-122 00 Lund, Sweden.
| | - Ola Svahn
- Department of Environmental Science and Bioscience, Kristianstad University, SE-129 39 Kristianstad, Sweden
| | - Catherine Paul
- Division of Applied Microbiology, Lund University, PO Box 124, SE-122 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Michael Cimbritz
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Lund University, PO Box 124, SE-122 00 Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Jan Struckmann Poulsen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Jeppe Lund Nielsen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Åsa Davidsson
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Lund University, PO Box 124, SE-122 00 Lund, Sweden
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8
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Palomo A, Dechesne A, Smets BF, Zheng Y. Narrow host range phages infect essential bacteria for water purification reactions in groundwater-fed rapid sand filters. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 245:120655. [PMID: 37748347 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Biofiltration is used worldwide to provide safe potable water due to its low energy demand and excellent treatment performance. For instance, in Denmark, over 95% of drinking water is supplied through groundwater-fed rapid sand filters (RSF). Bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, have been shown to shape the taxonomic and functional composition of microbial communities across a range of natural and engineering systems. However, phages in the biofiltration systems are rarely studied, despite the central role microbes play in water purification. To probe this, metagenomic data from surface water, groundwater and mixed source water biofiltration units (n = 26 from China, Europe and USA) for drinking water production were analysed to characterize prokaryotic viruses and to identify their potential microbial hosts. The source water type and geographical location are found to exert influence on the composition of the phageome in biofilters. Although the viral abundance (71,676 ± 17,841 RPKM) in biofilters is only 14.4% and 17.0% lower than those of the nutrient-rich wastewater treatment plants and fresh surface waters, the richness (1,441 ± 1,046) and diversity (Inverse Simpson: 91 ± 61) in biofiltration units are significantly less by a factor of 2-5 and 3-4, respectively. In depth analysis of data from 24 groundwater-fed RSFs in Denmark revealed a core phageome shared by most RSFs, which was consistently linked to dominant microbial hosts involved in key biological reactions for water purification. Finally, the high number of specific links detected between phages and bacterial species and the large proportion of lytic phages (77%) led to the conjecture that phages regulate bacterial populations through predation, preventing the proliferation of dominant species and contributing to the established functional redundancy among the dominant microbial groups. In conclusion, bacteriophages are likely to play a significant role in water treatment within biofilters, particularly through interactions with key bacterial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Palomo
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement and Early Warning Technology for Urban Environmental Health Risks, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Arnaud Dechesne
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Barth F Smets
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Yan Zheng
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement and Early Warning Technology for Urban Environmental Health Risks, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.
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9
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McCormick NE, Earle M, Kent A, Ha C, Hakes L, Anderson L, Stoddart AK, Langille MGI, Gagnon GA. Betaproteobacteria are a key component of surface water biofilters that maintain sustained manganese removal in response to fluctuations in influent water temperature. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 244:120515. [PMID: 37634461 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120515] [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: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
The health risks associated with manganese (Mn) in drinking water, and an improved understanding of Mn accumulation within, and subsequent release from, distribution systems, have increased the need for robust, sustainable treatment options to minimize Mn concentrations in finished water. Biofiltration is an established and effective method to remove Mn in groundwater however, Mn removal in surface water biofilters is an emerging treatment process that has not been extensively studied. Seasonal variations in water temperature can present an operational challenge for surface water biofilters which may see reduced Mn removal under colder conditions. This study examined the microbiomes of surface water biofilters at three utilities (ACWD WTP, WTP B, and WTP D) which all experienced similar seasonal fluctuations in influent water temperature. High Mn removal was observed at the ACWD WTP for much of the year, but Mn removal decreased with a concurrent decrease in the influent water temperature (58% ± 22%). In contrast, both WTP B and WTP D achieved year-round Mn removal (84% ± 5% and 93% ± 8% respectively). Marker gene (16S rRNA) sequencing analysis of the biofilter microbiomes identified a high abundance of Betaproteobacteria in WTP B and WTP D (37% ± 12% and 21% ± 3% respectively), but a low abundance of Betaproteobacteria in the ACWD WTP (2% ± 2%). The microbiomes of new bench-scale biofilters, in operation at the ACWD WTP, were also investigated. The abundance of Betaproteobacteria was significantly greater (p < 0.05) after the biofilters had acclimated than before acclimation, and differential abundance analysis identified 6 genera within the Betaproteobacteria class were enriched in the acclimated microbiome. Additionally, the acclimated biofilters were able to maintain high Mn removal performance (87% ± 10%) when the influent water temperature decreased to 10 °C or less. Further analysis of previously published studies found the abundance of Betaproteobacteria was also significantly greater (p < 0.001) in biofilters with sustained Mn removal than in biofilters which did not treat for Mn as a contaminant, despite differences in design scale, source water, and media type. Microbiome network analysis identified multiple co-occurrence relationships between Betaproteobacteria and Mn oxidizing bacteria in the WTP B and WTP D biofilters, suggesting indirect contributions by Betaproteobacteria to biological Mn oxidation. These co-occurrence relationships were not present in the full-scale ACWD WTP microbiome. Whether the role of Betaproteobacteria in biological Mn oxidation is direct, indirect, or a combination of both, they are consistently present at a high abundance in both groundwater and surface water biofilters with sustained Mn removal, and their absence may contribute to the seasonal fluctuations in Mn removal observed at the ACWD WTP. This new insight to Betaproteobacteria and their role in Mn biofiltration could contribute to water innovation and design that would improve the reliability of Mn removal.
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Affiliation(s)
- N E McCormick
- Centre for Water Resources Studies, Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
| | - M Earle
- Centre for Water Resources Studies, Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - A Kent
- Arcadis US, Inc., Austin, TX, USA
| | - C Ha
- Alameda County Water District, Freemont, CA, USA
| | - L Hakes
- Alameda County Water District, Freemont, CA, USA
| | - L Anderson
- Centre for Water Resources Studies, Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - A K Stoddart
- Centre for Water Resources Studies, Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - M G I Langille
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - G A Gagnon
- Centre for Water Resources Studies, Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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10
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Fowler SJ, Torresi E, Dechesne A, Smets BF. Biofilm thickness controls the relative importance of stochastic and deterministic processes in microbial community assembly in moving bed biofilm reactors. Interface Focus 2023; 13:20220069. [PMID: 36793505 PMCID: PMC9912012 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2022.0069] [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: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Deterministic and stochastic processes are believed to play a combined role in microbial community assembly, though little is known about the factors determining their relative importance. We investigated the effect of biofilm thickness on community assembly in nitrifying moving bed biofilm reactors using biofilm carriers where maximum biofilm thickness is controlled. We examined the contribution of stochastic and deterministic processes to biofilm assembly in a steady state system using neutral community modelling and community diversity analysis with a null-modelling approach. Our results indicate that the formation of biofilms results in habitat filtration, causing selection for phylogenetically closely related community members, resulting in a substantial enrichment of Nitrospira spp. in the biofilm communities. Stochastic assembly processes were more prevalent in biofilms of 200 µm and thicker, while stronger selection in thinner (50 µm) biofilms could be driven by hydrodynamic and shear forces at the biofilm surface. Thicker biofilms exhibited greater phylogenetic beta-diversity, which may be driven by a variable selection regime caused by variation in environmental conditions between replicate carrier communities, or by drift combined with low migration rates resulting in stochastic historical contingency during community establishment. Our results indicate that assembly processes vary with biofilm thickness, contributing to our understanding of biofilm ecology and potentially paving the way towards strategies for microbial community management in biofilm systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Jane Fowler
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | | | - Arnaud Dechesne
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Barth F. Smets
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
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11
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Ma B, LaPara TM, Kim T, Hozalski RM. Multi-scale Investigation of Ammonia-Oxidizing Microorganisms in Biofilters Used for Drinking Water Treatment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:3833-3842. [PMID: 36811531 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms (AOMs) include ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), archaea (AOA), and Nitrospira spp. sublineage II capable of complete ammonia oxidation (comammox). These organisms can affect water quality not only by oxidizing ammonia to nitrite (or nitrate) but also by cometabolically degrading trace organic contaminants. In this study, the abundance and composition of AOM communities were investigated in full-scale biofilters at 14 facilities across North America and in pilot-scale biofilters operated for 18 months at a full-scale water treatment plant. In general, the relative abundance of AOM in most full-scale biofilters and in the pilot-scale biofilters was as follows: AOB > comammox Nitrospira > AOA. The abundance of AOB in the pilot-scale biofilters increased with increasing influent ammonia concentration and decreasing temperature, whereas AOA and comammox Nitrospira exhibited no correlations with these parameters. The biofilters affected AOM abundance in the water passing through the filters via collecting and shedding but exhibited a minor influence on the composition of AOB and Nitrospira sublineage II communities in the filtrate. Overall, this study highlights the relative importance of AOB and comammox Nitrospira compared to AOA in biofilters and the influence of filter influent water quality on AOM in biofilters and their release into the filtrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Ma
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering, University of Minnesota, 500 Pillsbury Dr. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Timothy M LaPara
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering, University of Minnesota, 500 Pillsbury Dr. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Avenue, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
| | - Taegyu Kim
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering, University of Minnesota, 500 Pillsbury Dr. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Raymond M Hozalski
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering, University of Minnesota, 500 Pillsbury Dr. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Avenue, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
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12
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Jeon Y, Baranwal P, Li L, Piezer K, Seo Y. Review: Current understanding on biological filtration for the removal of microcystins. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 313:137160. [PMID: 36356807 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have become a global problem not only in aquatic habitats but also in public health and safety due to the production of cyanotoxins as their secondary metabolites. Among the various identified cyanotoxin groups, microcystins (MCs) are one of the most prevalent cyanotoxin detected during HABs. Different strategies including advanced physical and chemical treatment processes have been developed to mitigate the threat of cyanotoxins in water utilities, but these have revealed certain limitations in terms of high operational costs, low removal efficacy, and harmful by-products formation. Recently, biological filtration systems (BFS) have gained attention for safe drinking water production as they can treat various natural organic matter (NOM) and emerging contaminants through a highly efficient and environmentally sustainable process. However, limited attention has been given to understand the current research progress, research challenges, and knowledge gaps for the successful implementation of BFS for MC removal. Therefore, in this review, currently identified MC biodegradation pathways and MC-degrading microorganisms with their degradation rates are summarized, which may be pivotal for studying bioaugmented BFS to enhance the MC removal during HABs. Moreover, both laboratory and field studies on BFS for MC removal are reviewed, followed by a discussion of current challenges and future research needs for the practical application of BFS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youchul Jeon
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Toledo, Mail Stop 307, 3006 Nitschke Hall, Toledo, OH, 43606, United States
| | - Parul Baranwal
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Toledo, Mail Stop 307, 3006 Nitschke Hall, Toledo, OH, 43606, United States
| | - Lei Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Toledo, Mail Stop 307, 3006 Nitschke Hall, Toledo, OH, 43606, United States
| | - Kayla Piezer
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Toledo, Mail Stop 307, 3006 Nitschke Hall, Toledo, OH, 43606, United States; Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Toledo, Mail Stop 307, 3048 Nitschke Hall, Toledo, OH, 43606, United States
| | - Youngwoo Seo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Toledo, Mail Stop 307, 3006 Nitschke Hall, Toledo, OH, 43606, United States; Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Toledo, Mail Stop 307, 3048 Nitschke Hall, Toledo, OH, 43606, United States.
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13
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Jing Z, Lu Z, Zhao Z, Cao W, Wang W, Ke Y, Wang X, Sun W. Molecular ecological networks reveal the spatial-temporal variation of microbial communities in drinking water distribution systems. J Environ Sci (China) 2023; 124:176-186. [PMID: 36182128 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2021.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Microbial activity and regrowth in drinking water distribution systems is a major concern for water service companies. However, previous studies have focused on the microbial composition and diversity of the drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs), with little discussion on microbial molecular ecological networks (MENs) in different water supply networks. MEN analysis explores the potential microbial interaction and the impact of environmental stress, to explain the characteristics of microbial community structures. In this study, the random matrix theory-based network analysis was employed to investigate the impact of seasonal variation including water source switching on the networks of three DWDSs that used different disinfection methods. The results showed that microbial interaction varied slightly with the seasons but was significantly influenced by different DWDSs. Proteobacteria, identified as key species, play an important role in the network. Combined UV-chlorine disinfection can effectively reduce the size and complexity of the network compared to chlorine disinfection alone, ignoring seasonal variations, which may affect microbial activity or control microbial regrowth in DWDSs. This study provides new insights for analyzing the dynamics of microbial interactions in DWDSs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zibo Jing
- Beijing Engineering Research Center of Environmental Material for Water Purification, College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China; School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zedong Lu
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zhinan Zhao
- Beijing Engineering Research Center of Environmental Material for Water Purification, College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Wenfeng Cao
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Weibo Wang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yanchu Ke
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Beijing Engineering Research Center of Environmental Material for Water Purification, College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
| | - Wenjun Sun
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou) Tsinghua, Suzhou 215163, China.
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14
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Zhong L, Wu T, Ding J, Xu W, Yuan F, Liu BF, Zhao L, Li Y, Ren NQ, Yang SS. Co-composting of faecal sludge and carbon-rich wastes in the earthworm's synergistic cooperation system: Performance, global warming potential and key microbiome. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159311. [PMID: 36216047 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Composting is an effective alternative for recycling faecal sludge into organic fertilisers. A microflora-earthworm (Eisenia fetida) synergistic cooperation system was constructed to enhance the composting efficiency of faecal sludge. The impact of earthworms and carbon-rich wastes (rice straw (RS) and sawdust (S)) on compost properties, greenhouse gas emissions, and key microbial species of composting were evaluated. The addition of RS or S promoted earthworm growth and reproduction. The earthworm-based system reduced the volatile solid of the final substrate by 13.19-16.24 % and faecal Escherichia coli concentrations by 1.89-3.66 log10 cfu/g dry mass compared with the earthworm-free system. The earthworm-based system increased electrical conductivity by 0.322-1.402 mS/cm and reduced C/N by 56.16-64.73 %. The NH4+:NO3- ratio of the final faecal sludge and carbon-rich waste was <0.16. The seed germination index was higher than 80 %. These results indicate that earthworms contribute to faecal sludge maturation. Earthworm addition reduced CO2 production. The simultaneous addition of earthworms and RS system (FRS2) resulted in the lowest global warming potential (GWP). The microbial diversity increased significantly over time in the RS-only system, whereas it initially increased and later decreased in the FRS2 system. Cluster analysis revealed that earthworms had a more significant impact on the microbial community than the addition of carbon-rich waste. Co-occurrence networks for earthworm-based systems were simple than those for earthworm-free systems, but the major bacterial genera were more complicated. Highly abundant key species (norank_f_Chitinophagaceae and norank_f_Gemmatimonadaceae) are closely related. Microbes may be more cooperative than competitive, facilitating the conversion of carbon and nitrogen in earthworm-based systems. This work has demonstrated that using earthworms is an effective approach for promoting the efficiency of faecal sludge composting and reducing GWP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Tong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Jie Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
| | - Wei Xu
- General Water of China Co., Ltd., Beijing 100022, China
| | - Fang Yuan
- General Water of China Co., Ltd., Beijing 100022, China
| | - Bing-Feng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Lei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Yan Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng, 224051, China
| | - Nan-Qi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Shan-Shan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
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15
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Sauter D, Steuer A, Wasmund K, Hausmann B, Szewzyk U, Sperlich A, Gnirss R, Cooper M, Wintgens T. Microbial communities and processes in biofilters for post-treatment of ozonated wastewater treatment plant effluent. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 856:159265. [PMID: 36206900 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Ozonation is an established solution for organic micropollutant (OMP) abatement in tertiary wastewater treatment. Biofiltration is the most common process for the biological post-treatment step, which is generally required to remove undesired oxidation products from the reaction of ozone with water matrix compounds. This study comparatively investigates the effect of filter media on the removal of organic contaminants and on biofilm properties for biologically activated carbon (BAC) and anthracite biofilters. Biofilms were analysed in two pilot-scale filters that have been operated for >50,000 bed volumes as post-treatment for ozonated wastewater treatment plant effluent. In parallel, the removal performance of bulk organics and OMP, including differentiation of adsorption and biotransformation through sodium azide inhibition, were carried out in bench-scale filter columns filled with material from the pilot filters. The use of BAC instead of anthracite resulted in an improved removal of organic bulk parameters, dissolved oxygen, and OMP. The OMP removal observed in the BAC filter but not in the anthracite filter was based on adsorption for most of the investigated compounds. For valsartan, however, biotransformation was found to be the dominant pathway, indicating that conditions for biotransformation of certain OMP are better on BAC than on anthracite. Adenosine triphosphate analyses in the media-attached biofilms of the pilot filters showed that biomass concentrations in the BAC filter were significantly higher than in the anthracite filter. The microbial communities (16S rRNA gene sequencing) appeared to be similar with respect to the types of organisms occurring on both filter materials. Alpha diversity also exhibited little variation between filter media. Beta diversity analysis, however, revealed that filter media and bed depth substantially influenced the biofilm composition. In practice, the impact of filter media on biofilm properties and biotransformation processes should be considered for the design of biofilters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Sauter
- Berliner Wasserbetriebe, Neue Juedenstr. 1, 10179 Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrea Steuer
- Chair of Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Environmental Technology, Technische Universität Berlin, Ernst-Reuter-Platz 1, 10587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Kenneth Wasmund
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, A-1030 Vienna, Austria; School of Biological Science, University of Portsmouth, King Henry Building, King Henry I St, PO12DY Portsmouth, UK
| | - Bela Hausmann
- Joint Microbiome Facility of the Medical University of Vienna and the University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrich Szewzyk
- Chair of Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Environmental Technology, Technische Universität Berlin, Ernst-Reuter-Platz 1, 10587 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Regina Gnirss
- Berliner Wasserbetriebe, Neue Juedenstr. 1, 10179 Berlin, Germany
| | - Myriel Cooper
- Chair of Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Environmental Technology, Technische Universität Berlin, Ernst-Reuter-Platz 1, 10587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Wintgens
- RWTH Aachen University, Institut für Siedlungswasserwirtschaft, Mies-van-der-Rohe-Str. 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany; School of Life Sciences, Institute for Ecopreneurship, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Hofackerstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland.
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16
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Halla FF, Massawa SM, Joseph EK, Acharya K, Sabai SM, Mgana SM, Werner D. Attenuation of bacterial hazard indicators in the subsurface of an informal settlement and their application in quantitative microbial risk assessment. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 167:107429. [PMID: 35914337 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Pit latrines provide essential onsite sanitation services to over a billion people, but there are concerns about their role in infectious disease transmission, and impacts on groundwater resources. We conducted fieldwork in an informal settlement in Dar es Salaam, where cholera is endemic. We combined plate counting with portable MinION sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) methods for characterization of bacteria in pit latrine sludge, leachate, shallow and deep groundwater resources. Pit latrine sludge was characterized by log10 marker gene concentrations per 100 mL of 11.2 ± 0.2, 9.9 ± 0.9, 6.0 ± 0.3, and 4.4 ± 0.8, for total bacteria (16S rRNA), E. coli (rodA), human-host-associated Bacteroides (HF183), and Vibrio cholerae (ompW), respectively. The ompW gene observations suggested 5 % asymptomatic Vibrio cholerae carriers amongst pit latrine users. Pit leachate percolation through one-meter-thick sand beds attenuated bacterial hazard indicators by 1 to 4 log10 units. But first-order removal rates derived from these data substantially overestimated the longer-range hazard attenuation in the sand aquifers. Cooccurrence of human sewage marker gene HF183 in all shallow groundwater samples testing positive for ompW genes demonstrated the human origin of Vibrio cholerae hazards in the subsurface. All borehole water samples tested negative for ompW and HF183 genes, but 16S rRNA gene sequencing data suggested ingress of faecal pollution into boreholes at the peak of the "long rainy season". Quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) predicted a gastrointestinal disease burden of 0.05 DALY per person per year for the community, well above WHO targets of 10-4-10-6 DALY for disease related to drinking water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franella Francos Halla
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Ardhi University, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Said Maneno Massawa
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Ardhi University, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Elihaika Kengalo Joseph
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Ardhi University, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Kishor Acharya
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Shadrack Mwita Sabai
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Ardhi University, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Shaaban Mrisho Mgana
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Ardhi University, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
| | - David Werner
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK.
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17
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Pulido-Reyes G, Magherini L, Bianco C, Sethi R, von Gunten U, Kaegi R, Mitrano DM. Nanoplastics removal during drinking water treatment: Laboratory- and pilot-scale experiments and modeling. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 436:129011. [PMID: 35643007 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics detected in potable water sources and tap water have led to concerns about the efficacy of current drinking water treatment processes to remove these contaminants. It is hypothesized that drinking water resources contain nanoplastics (NPs), but the detection of NPs is challenging. We, therefore, used palladium (Pd)-labeled NPs to investigate the behavior and removal of NPs during conventional drinking water treatment processes including ozonation, sand and activated carbon filtration. Ozone doses typically applied in drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) hardly affect the NPs transport in the subsequent filtration systems. Amongst the different filtration media, NPs particles were most efficiently retained when aged (i.e. biofilm coated) sand was used with good agreements between laboratory and pilot scale systems. The removal of NPs through multiple filtration steps in a municipal full-scale DWTP was simulated using the MNMs software code. Removal efficiencies exceeding 3-log units were modeled for a combination of three consecutive filtration steps (rapid sand filtration, activated carbon filtration and slow sand filtration with 0.4-, 0.2- and 3.0-log-removal, respectively). According to the results from the model, the removal of NPs during slow sand filtration dominated the overall NPs removal which is also supported by the laboratory-scale and pilot-scale data. The results from this study can be used to estimate the NPs removal efficiency of typical DWTPs with similar water treatment chains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo Pulido-Reyes
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600 Duebendorf, Switzerland.
| | - Leonardo Magherini
- Department of Environmental, Land and Infrastructure Engineering (DIATI), Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
| | - Carlo Bianco
- Department of Environmental, Land and Infrastructure Engineering (DIATI), Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
| | - Rajandrea Sethi
- Department of Environmental, Land and Infrastructure Engineering (DIATI), Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
| | - Urs von Gunten
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600 Duebendorf, Switzerland; School of Architecture, Civil, and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; Environmental Systems Science Department, ETH Zurich, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ralf Kaegi
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600 Duebendorf, Switzerland.
| | - Denise M Mitrano
- Environmental Systems Science Department, ETH Zurich, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
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18
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Lin H, Hou Q, Luo Y, Hu G, Yu J, Yu R. Reutilization of waste oyster shell as filler for filter for drinking water pretreatment: Feasibility and implication. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 315:115142. [PMID: 35500484 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Oyster shell (OS) is a kind of reusable resource that can serve as carbon source, biofilms carrier and basifying agent, suggesting it is an attractive filler option for biofiltration, but studies on its application in drinking water treatment are limited. In this study, one pilot-scale up-flow filter filled with OS media were designed to pretreat surface source water. Filter performance and biological functions were investigated to determine its application scope. The results showed that effluent pH increased and was stable around 7.5 due to the alkalinity provided by OS and its buffering capacity. High and stable removal efficiencies of turbidity (mostly >60%) were achieved. The removal efficiencies of NH4+-N changed in a wide range (mostly <30%). TOC and UV254 removal rate was low (<10%). The biofilms formation period took about 45 days. During this period, this filter mainly removed pollutants through adsorption by OS. High-throughput sequencing results showed that functional taxa did not play a key role after adsorption saturation in early operation period. Functional microbial taxa formed on the OS surface after long-term operation and NH4+-N removal rate increased to some extent. Our results suggested that unburned OS filter can be used as rough filter for turbidity removal instead of coagulation and sedimentation process. Preoxidation, calcination of OS, mixed with other filler and are recommended to improve the performance if it would be used for biofiltration. This study provides an insight for the reuse of OS in drinking water treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huirong Lin
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China; Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Quanyang Hou
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China; Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Yang Luo
- Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Gongren Hu
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Monitoring of University in Fujian Province, Xiamen 361024, China
| | | | - Ruilian Yu
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China; Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, China.
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19
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Microbial ecology of biofiltration used for producing safe drinking water. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:4813-4829. [PMID: 35771243 PMCID: PMC9329406 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-12013-x] [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: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Biofiltration is a water purification technology playing a pivotal role in producing safe drinking water. This technology attracts many interests worldwide due to its advantages, such as no addition of chemicals, a low energy input, and a high removal efficiency of organic compounds, undesirable taste and odours, and pathogens. The current review describes the microbial ecology of three biofiltration processes that are routinely used in drinking water treatment plants, i.e. (i) rapid sand filtration (RSF), (ii) granular activated carbon filtration (GACF), and (iii) slow sand filtration (SSF). We summarised and compared the characteristics, removal performance, and corresponding (newly revealed) mechanisms of the three biofiltration processes. Specifically, the microbial ecology of the different biofilter processes and the role of microbial communities in removing nutrients, organic compounds, and pathogens were reviewed. Finally, we highlight the limitations and challenges in the study of biofiltration in drinking water production, and propose future perspectives for obtaining a comprehensive understanding of the microbial ecology of biofiltration, which is needed to promote and optimise its further application. Key points • Biofilters are composed of complex microbiomes, primarily shaped by water quality. • Conventional biofilters contribute to address safety challenges in drinking water. • Studies may underestimate the active/functional role of microbiomes in biofilters. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00253-022-12013-x.
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Lu Z, Jing Z, Huang J, Ke Y, Li C, Zhao Z, Ao X, Sun W. Can we shape microbial communities to enhance biological activated carbon filter performance? WATER RESEARCH 2022; 212:118104. [PMID: 35114529 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
A new focus on biofiltration has emerged that aims to shape microbial communities to improve treatment efficacy. It is therefore necessary to understand the linkages between microbial community structure and biofilter function. However, the assembly and interaction of microbial communities in biological activated carbon (BAC) filters are unknown. In this study, we selected one coal-based granular activated carbon (GAC), GAC-13, with simultaneously developed micropore and micro-level macropore volume used for a bench-scale BAC column experiment, and compared it with other coal-based GACs and wood-based GAC in terms of the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal and microbial community characteristics. The results showed that there was no difference between the DOC removal efficiency of BAC-13 and the other two coal-based BAC filters with high iodine value in the period dominated by adsorption, while the DOC removal efficiency of BAC-13 (64.7±0.6%) was significantly higher than that of other BAC filters (36.3±0.8-54.1±0.4%) with a difference of 0.3-0.7 mg/L in DOC during the steady state. The bacterial communities were strongly assembled by deterministic rather than stochastic factors, where the surface polarity of GAC had a greater effect on the microbial communities than its physical properties. The corresponding co-occurrence network revealed that microbes in the BAC filter may be more cooperative than competitive. The keystone bacterium Hyphomicrobium, which had a relatively low abundance, contributed 0.3-1% more to the most abundant functions and produced 5-21 proteins/(g·GAC) more than the dominant bacterium Sphingobium. The metaproteomic-based approach could provide more accurate information regarding the contributions of different species to metabolic functions. The pore size distribution of GAC was found to be an important factor in determining BAC filter performance; the most important pore sizes were micropores and micro-level macropores (0.2-10 μm and >100 μm in diameter), and the latter impacted the abundance of keystone species. Overall, our findings provide new insights into shaping microbial communities by optimizing pore size structure to improve BAC performance, especially the abundance of keystone species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zedong Lu
- 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; Beijing Engineering Research Center of Environmental Material for Water Purification, College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Beijing Drainage Group Co. Ltd. (BDG), Beijing 100022, China
| | - Yanchu Ke
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Chen Li
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zhinan Zhao
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Beijing Engineering Research Center of Environmental Material for Water Purification, College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Xiuwei Ao
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Wenjun Sun
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou) Tsinghua, Suzhou 215163, China.
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21
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Thom C, Smith CJ, Moore G, Weir P, Ijaz UZ. Microbiomes in drinking water treatment and distribution: A meta-analysis from source to tap. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 212:118106. [PMID: 35091225 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
A meta-analysis of existing and available Illumina 16S rRNA datasets from drinking water source, treatment and drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) were collated to compare changes in abundance and diversity throughout. Samples from bulk water and biofilm were used to assess principles governing microbial community assembly and the value of amplicon sequencing to water utilities. Individual phyla relationships were explored to identify competitive or synergistic factors governing DWDS microbiomes. The relative importance of stochasticity in the assembly of the DWDS microbiome was considered to identify the significance of source and treatment in determining communities in DWDS. Treatment of water significantly reduces overall species abundance and richness, with chlorination of water providing the most impact to individual taxa relationships. The assembly of microbial communities in the bulk water of the source, primary treatment process and DWDS is governed by more stochastic processes, as is the DWDS biofilm. DWDS biofilm is significantly different from bulk water in terms of local contribution to beta diversity, type and abundance of taxa present. Water immediately post chlorination has a more deterministic microbial assembly, highlighting the significance of this process in changing the microbiome, although elevated levels of stochasticity in DWDS samples suggest that this may not be the case at customer taps. 16S rRNA sequencing is becoming more routine, and may have several uses for water utilities, including: detection and risk assessment of potential pathogens such as those within the genera of Legionella and Mycobacterium; assessing the risk of nitrification in DWDS; providing improved indicators of process performance and monitoring for significant changes in the microbial community to detect contamination. Combining this with quantitative methods like flow cytometry will allow a greater depth of understanding of the DWDS microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Thom
- Infrastructure and Environment Research Division, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, UK; Scottish Water, 6 Castle Drive Dunfermline, KY11 8GG, UK.
| | - Cindy J Smith
- Infrastructure and Environment Research Division, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, UK
| | - Graeme Moore
- Scottish Water, 6 Castle Drive Dunfermline, KY11 8GG, UK
| | - Paul Weir
- Scottish Water, 6 Castle Drive Dunfermline, KY11 8GG, UK
| | - Umer Z Ijaz
- Infrastructure and Environment Research Division, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, UK
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22
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Guarin TC, Li L, Pagilla KR. Microbial community characterization in advanced water reclamation for potable reuse. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:2763-2773. [PMID: 35294588 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-11873-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated the microbial community structure and composition across two treatment steps used in advanced water reclamation for potable reuse applications, namely Coagulation/Flocculation/Clarification/Granular Media Filtration (CFCGMF) and Ozone-Biological Activated Carbon filtration (O3/BAC). The study examined the richness, variations, and similarities of the microorganisms involved at each treatment step to better understand the role of ecology and the dynamics on unit process performance and the microbial community developed within it. The bacterial microbiomes at each treatment step were independently characterized using 16S metagenomic sequencing. Combining both treatment steps, a total of 3801 species were detected. From the total species detected, 38% and 98% were identified at CFCGMF and O3/BAC, respectively. The most abundant phyla were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes in both treatment steps. The identified species were classified based on their preferences to free-living style (59%) vs attached-living style (22%) showing a relatively low richness in the BAC media, but higher diversities. At the taxonomic class level, Betaproteobacteria was the predominant in both system processes. Additionally, a list of eight genera were identified as potential bacterial pathogens present in both process effluents. They are Aeromonas, Clostridium, Enterobacter, Escherichia, Flavobacterium, Legionella, Mycobacterium, and Pseudomonas. CFCGMF effluent yielded less pathogenic bacteria than both the ozone and BAC filter effluent from the O3/BAC process unit; their relative abundance accounted for about 2% and 8% for CFCGMF and O3/BAC, respectively. Detailed studies to characterize the microbial communities are crucial in interpreting the mechanisms and synergies between processes performance and microorganisms by identifying the needs and best practices to ensure public health protection. Key points • Microbial communities of two treatment processes are characterized using 16S rRNA sequencing. • Organisms that can tolerate ozone and form biofilms define microbial community in subsequent biofilters. • In relatively low abundances, potential pathogenic bacteria are detected in the treated water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana C Guarin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia Street, Reno, NV, 89557-0258, USA
| | - Lin Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia Street, Reno, NV, 89557-0258, USA
| | - Krishna R Pagilla
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia Street, Reno, NV, 89557-0258, USA.
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23
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Chang H, Yu H, Li X, Zhou Z, Liang H, Song W, Ji H, Liang Y, Vidic RD. Role of biological granular activated carbon in contaminant removal and ultrafiltration membrane performance in a full-scale system. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2021.120122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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24
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Ribeiro Dos Santos P, de Souza Leite L, Daniel LA. Performance of biological activated carbon (BAC) filtration for the treatment of secondary effluent: A pilot-scale study. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 302:114026. [PMID: 34731715 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114026] [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: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In addition to the adsorption capability for organic compounds, granular activated carbon (GAC) can also serve as a good media for the growth of microbial communities in biofilters. Despite its potential, the application of BAC filtration for municipal wastewater treatment has been little addressed in the literature. In this context, this paper aimed to investigate BAC filtration as a post-treatment of anaerobic effluent in pilot scale and its performance in removing organic matter and turbidity. Removal efficiencies during the biofilters run times and along biofilters depth were also evaluated. Three BAC filters were evaluated under different operating conditions of filtration rates (from 13 to 32 m d-1) and empty bed contact time (EBCT) (from 45 to 112 min) during 170 days. The lowest filtration rate (13 m d-1) presented the best performance in terms of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal (68.2 ± 4.0%), leading to mean DOC effluent concentration of 6.8 ± 0,9 mg L-1. The BAC reached the stability of biological activity from the 63rd day of operation, however, the adsorption process was still occurring contributing to DOC removal. These DOC removals were higher than those results reported in the literature for BAC filters treating drinking water and municipal wastewater. The DOC removal efficiencies were maintained during the filter run times, showing the robustness of the system even after the interference caused by the backwashing process. BAC filtration was also capable of removing turbidity, with removal efficiencies between 84.5 ± 3.6% and 70.63 ± 6.8% depending on the filtration rate. The results indicated the capability of BAC systems to remove efficiently organic carbon and turbidity from effluents with high organic content, mean of 23.97 (±3.96) mg.L-1, and also valuable support to determine adequate operating parameters for BAC filters application in secondary effluent treatment, such as filtration rate (13 m d-1), EBCT (112 min), and detailed backwashing procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscila Ribeiro Dos Santos
- Department of Hydraulics and Sanitation, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador São-Carlense, 400, 13566-59, São Carlos - São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Luan de Souza Leite
- Department of Hydraulics and Sanitation, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador São-Carlense, 400, 13566-59, São Carlos - São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luiz Antonio Daniel
- Department of Hydraulics and Sanitation, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador São-Carlense, 400, 13566-59, São Carlos - São Paulo, Brazil
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25
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Influence of Simplified Microbial Community Biofilms on Bacterial Retention in Porous Media under Conditions of Stormwater Biofiltration. Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0110521. [PMID: 34704792 PMCID: PMC8549730 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01105-21] [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] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Porous media filters are used widely to remove bacteria from contaminated water, such as stormwater runoff. Biofilms that colonize filter media during normal function can significantly alter performance, but it is not clear how characteristics of individual populations colonizing porous media combine to affect bacterial retention. We assess how four bacterial strains isolated from stormwater and a laboratory strain, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, alter Escherichia coli retention in experimental sand columns under conditions of stormwater filtration relative to a clean-bed control. Our results demonstrate that these strains differentially affect E. coli retention, as was previously shown for a model colloid. To determine whether E. coli retention could be influenced by changes in relative abundance of strains within a microbial community, we selected two pairs of biofilm strains with the largest observed differences in E. coli retention and tested how changes in relative abundance of strain pairs in the biofilm affected E. coli retention. The results demonstrate that E. coli retention efficiency is influenced by the retention characteristics of the strains within biofilm microbial community, but individual strain characteristics influence retention in a manner that cannot be determined from changes in their relative abundance alone. This study demonstrates that changes in the relative abundance of specific members of a biofilm community can significantly alter filter performance, but these changes are not a simple function of strain-specific retention and the relative abundance. Our results suggest that the microbial community composition of biofilms should be considered when evaluating factors that influence filter performance. IMPORTANCE The retention efficiency of bacterial contaminants in biofilm-colonized biofilters is highly variable. Despite the increasing number of studies on the impact of biofilms in filters on bacterial retention, how individual bacterial strains within a biofilm community combine to influence bacterial retention is unknown. Here, we studied the retention of an E. coli K-12 strain, as a model bacterium, in columns colonized by four bacterial strains isolated from stormwater and P. aeruginosa, a model biofilm-forming strain. Simplified two-strain biofilm communities composed of combinations of the strains were used to determine how relative abundance of biofilm strains affects filter performance. Our results provide insight into how biofilm microbial composition influences bacterial retention in filters and whether it is possible to predict bacterial retention efficiency in biofilm-colonized filters from the relative abundance of individual members and the retention characteristics of cultured isolates.
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26
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Ghosh S, Zhu NJ, Milligan E, Falkinham JO, Pruden A, Edwards MA. Mapping the Terrain for Pathogen Persistence and Proliferation in Non-potable Reuse Distribution Systems: Interactive Effects of Biofiltration, Disinfection, and Water Age. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:12561-12573. [PMID: 34448580 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c02121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Diverse pathogens can potentially persist and proliferate in reclaimed water distribution systems (RWDSs). The goal of this study was to evaluate interactive effects of reclaimed water treatments and water age on persistence and proliferation of multiple fecal (e.g., Klebsiella, Enterobacter) and non-fecal (e.g., Legionella, mycobacteria) gene markers in RWDSs. Six laboratory-scale RWDSs were operated in parallel receiving the influent with or without biologically active carbon (BAC) filtration + chlorination, chloramination, or no disinfectant residual. After 3 years of operation, the RWDSs were subject to sacrificial sampling and shotgun metagenomic sequencing. We developed an in-house metagenome-derived pathogen quantification pipeline, validated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and mock community analysis, to estimate changes in abundance of ∼30 genera containing waterborne pathogens. Microbial community composition in the RWDS bulk water, biofilm, and sediments was clearly shaped by BAC filtration, disinfectant conditions, and water age. Key commonalities were noted in the ecological niches occupied by fecal pathogen markers in the RWDSs, while non-fecal pathogen markers were more varied in their distribution. BAC-filtration + chlorine was found to most effectively control the widest range of target genera. However, filtration alone or chlorine secondary disinfection alone resulted in proliferation of some of these genera containing waterborne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudeshna Ghosh
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, United States
| | - Ni Joyce Zhu
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, United States
| | - Erin Milligan
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, United States
| | - Joseph O Falkinham
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, United States
| | - Amy Pruden
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, United States
| | - Marc A Edwards
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, United States
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27
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Zhu NJ, Ghosh S, Edwards MA, Pruden A. Interplay of Biologically Active Carbon Filtration and Chlorine-Based Disinfection in Mitigating the Dissemination of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Water Reuse Distribution Systems. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:8329-8340. [PMID: 34080846 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c01199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Appropriate management approaches are needed to minimize the proliferation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in reclaimed water distribution systems (RWDSs). Six laboratory-scale RWDSs were operated over 3 years receiving influent with or without biologically active carbon (BAC) filtration + chlorination, chloramination, or no disinfectant residual. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing was applied toward comprehensive characterization of resistomes, focusing on total ARGs, ARG mobility, and specific ARGs of clinical concern. ARGs such as aadA, bacA, blaOXA, mphE, msrE, sul1, and sul2 were found to be particularly sensitive to varying RWDS conditions. BAC filtration with chlorination most effectively achieved and maintained the lowest levels of nearly all metagenomically derived antibiotic resistance indicators. However, BAC filtration or addition of residual disinfectants alone tended to increase these indicators. Biofilm and sediment compartments harbored ARGs in disinfected systems, presenting a concern for their release to bulk water. Relative and absolute abundances of most ARGs tended to decrease with water age (up to 5 days), with notable exceptions in BAC-filtered chloraminated and no residual systems. Superchlorination of unfiltered water especially raised concerns in terms of elevation of clinically relevant and mobile ARGs. This study revealed that BAC filtration and disinfection must be carefully coordinated in order to effectively mitigate ARG dissemination via RWDSs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ni Joyce Zhu
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, United States
| | - Sudeshna Ghosh
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, United States
| | - Marc A Edwards
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, United States
| | - Amy Pruden
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, United States
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28
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Lu Z, Li C, Jing Z, Ao X, Chen Z, Sun W. Implication on selection and replacement of granular activated carbon used in biologically activated carbon filters through meta-omics analysis. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 198:117152. [PMID: 33940501 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Biologically activated carbon (BAC) filters are widely used in China and worldwide as an essential part of advanced water treatment. However, it is unclear how to properly select the granular activated carbon (GAC) used in BAC filters and to determine when GAC should be replaced. In this study, five BAC filters, each filled with a different coconut- or coal-based GAC with different physicochemical properties, were run continuously for 400 days. The structure and function of the microbial community and the quantity of specific enzymes in the BAC filters were investigated through an integrated metagenomic/metaproteomic analysis. The results indicated that GAC adsorption still played a major role in removing organic matter once the filters reached a steady-state, which was attributed to bioregeneration, and the contribution of adsorption might be relatively greater than that of biodegradation. GAC with strong adsorption capacity and high bioregeneration potential selected bacterial communities more phylogenetically closely-related than others. The iodine value could be used as an indicator of BAC performance in terms of organic matter removal in the initial stage of the filters, which is dominated by adsorption. However, it could not be used to assess performance at a later stage when adsorption and biodegradation occurred simultaneously. Pore-size distribution characteristics could be chosen as a potential better indicator compared with the current adsorption indicators, dually representing the adsorption performance and the microbial activity, and the proportion of important pore-size of GAC that is more suitable for BAC filter is suggested. GAC with strongly polar terminal groups is more conducive to the removal of ammonium-nitrogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zedong Lu
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Chen Li
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Zibo Jing
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Xiuwei Ao
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Zhongyun Chen
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Wenjun Sun
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China; Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou) Tsinghua, Suzhou215163, China.
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29
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Guarin TC, Pagilla KR. Microbial community in biofilters for water reuse applications: A critical review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 773:145655. [PMID: 33940748 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The combination of ozonation (O3) and biofiltration processes has become practical and desirable in advanced water reclamation for water reuse applications. However, the role of microbial community and its characteristics (source, abundance, composition, viability, structure) on treatment performance has not received the same attention in water reclamation biofilters as in other applications, such as in drinking water biofilters. Microbial community characterization of biofilters used in water reuse applications will add evidence to better understand the potential microorganisms, consequent risks, and mechanisms that will populate drinking water sources and ultimately influence public health and the environment. This critical review provides insights into O3-biofiltration as a treatment barrier with a focus on development, structure, and composition of the microbial community characteristics involved in the process. The effect of microorganism seeding by the influent before and after the biofilter and ozone oxidation effects are explored to capture the microbial ecology interactions and environmental factors affecting the media ecosystem. The findings of reviewed studies concurred in identifying Proteobacteria as the most dominant phylum. However, Proteobacteria and other phyla relative abundance differ substantially depending upon environmental factors (e.g., pH, temperature, nutrients availability, among others) gradients. In general, we found significant gaps to relate and explain the biodegradation performance and metabolic processes within the biofilter, and hence deserve future attention. We highlighted and identified key challenges and future research ideas to assure O3-biofiltration reliability as a promising barrier in advanced water treatment applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana C Guarin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV 89557-0258, USA
| | - Krishna R Pagilla
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV 89557-0258, USA.
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30
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Kinnunen-Grubb M, Sapkota R, Vignola M, Nunes IM, Nicolaisen M. Breeding selection imposed a differential selective pressure on the wheat root-associated microbiome. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2021; 96:5911094. [PMID: 32970821 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiaa196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants-microbiome associations are the result of millions of years of co-evolution. Due to breeding-accelerated plant evolution in non-native and highly managed soil, plant-microbe links could have been lost. We hypothesized that post-domestication breeding of wheat changed the root-associated microbiome. To test this, we analyzed root-associated fungal and bacterial communities shortly after emergence of seedlings representing a transect of wheat evolution including modern wheat, landraces and ancestors. Numbers of observed microbial taxa were highest in landraces bred in low-input agricultural systems, and lowest in ancestors that had evolved in native soils. The microbial communities of modern cultivars were different from those of landraces and ancestors. Old wheat accessions enriched Acidobacteria and Actinobacteria, while modern cultivars enriched OTUs from Candidatus Saccharibacteria, Verrucomicrobia and Firmicutes. The fungal pathogens Fusarium, Neoascochyta and Microdochium enriched in modern cultivars. Both bacterial and fungal communities followed a neutral assembly model when bulk soil was considered as the source community, but accessions of the ancient Triticum turgidum and T. monococcum created a more isolated environment in their roots. In conclusion, wheat root-associated microbiomes have dramatically changed through a transect of breeding history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Kinnunen-Grubb
- Novozymes A/S, Microbiomics and Microbe Discovery Denmark, Biologiens Vej 2, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Rumakanta Sapkota
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Marta Vignola
- School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, 78 Oakfield Ave, Glasgow G12 8LS, United Kingdom
| | - Inês Marques Nunes
- Novozymes A/S, Microbiomics and Microbe Discovery Denmark, Biologiens Vej 2, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Mogens Nicolaisen
- Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Forsøgsvej 1, 4200 Slagelse, Denmark
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31
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Bruno A, Sandionigi A, Magnani D, Bernasconi M, Pannuzzo B, Consolandi C, Camboni T, Labra M, Casiraghi M. Different Effects of Mineral Versus Vegetal Granular Activated Carbon Filters on the Microbial Community Composition of a Drinking Water Treatment Plant. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.615513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Drinking water quality and safety is strictly regulated and constantly monitored, but little is known about the microorganisms inhabiting drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). This lack of knowledge prevents optimization of designs and operational controls. Here we investigated the drinking water microbial community harbored by a groundwater-derived DWTP, involving mineral and vegetal granular activated carbon filters (GACs). We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to analyze water microbiome variations through the potabilization process, considering (i) different GAC materials and (ii) time from GAC regeneration. Our results revealed the predominance of Cand. Patescibacteria, uncultivable bacteria with limited metabolic capacities and small genomes, from source to downstream water. Microbial communities clustered per sampling date, with the noteworthy exception of groundwater samples. If the groundwater microbiome showed no significant variations over time, the community structure of water downstream GACs (both mineral and vegetal) seemed to be affected by time from GAC regeneration. Looking at a finer scale, different GAC material affected microbiome assembly over time with significant variation in the relative abundances of specific taxa. The significance of our research is in identifying the environmental microorganisms intrinsic of deep groundwater and the community shift after the perturbations induced by potabilization processes. Which microorganisms colonize different GACs and become abundant after GACs regeneration and over time is a first step toward advanced control of microbial communities, improving drinking water safety and management of operational costs.
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32
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Li L, Ning D, Jeon Y, Ryu H, Santo Domingo JW, Kang DW, Kadudula A, Seo Y. Ecological insights into assembly processes and network structures of bacterial biofilms in full-scale biologically active carbon filters under ozone implementation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 751:141409. [PMID: 32882545 PMCID: PMC8273922 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
To address the adverse effects of harmful algal blooms, there are increased demands over the implementation of ozone coupled with biologically active carbon (BAC) filters in the drinking water treatment plants. Although the microbial biofilms are vital elements to support the proper performance of BAC filters, except for taxonomic affiliations, little is known about the assembly mechanisms of microbial communities in the full-scale BAC filters. This study aimed to examine how the assembly processes and their associated factors (e.g., influent characteristics, biological interactions) drive the temporal dynamics of bacterial communities in full-scale BAC filters, which underwent ozone implementation (five consecutive seasons from 2017 to 2018). The results revealed that along with the increase of bacterial taxonomic richness and evenness, stochastic processes became more crucial to determine the bacterial community assembly in the summer and autumn after ozone implementation (relative contribution: 61.23% and 83.75%, respectively). Moreover, their corresponding networks possessed simple network structures with lower modularity than other seasons, which implied lesser biological interactions among bacterial populations. The correlation between taxonomic and predicted functional diversities using functional redundancy index indicated that relatively high levels of bacterial functional redundancy (>0.83) were generally present in BAC filters. However, compared to other seasons, significantly higher degrees of functional redundancy existed in the summer and autumn after ozone implementation (0.85 ± 0.01 and 0.86 ± 0.01, respectively). Overall, this work improves our understanding of the microbial ecology of full-scale BAC filters by providing a conceptual framework that characterizes bacterial biofilm assembly processes relevant to performance optimization of full-scale BAC filters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Toledo, Mail Stop 307, 3048 Nitschke Hall, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Daliang Ning
- Institute for Environmental Genomics and Department of Botany and Microbiology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Youchul Jeon
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Toledo, Mail Stop 307, 3048 Nitschke Hall, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Hodon Ryu
- Water Infrastructure Division, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Jorge W Santo Domingo
- Water Infrastructure Division, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Dae-Wook Kang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Toledo, Mail Stop 307, 3048 Nitschke Hall, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Anusha Kadudula
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Toledo, Mail Stop 307, 3048 Nitschke Hall, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Youngwoo Seo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Toledo, Mail Stop 307, 3048 Nitschke Hall, Toledo, OH, USA; Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Toledo, Mail Stop 307, 3048 Nitschke Hall, Toledo, OH, USA.
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Zhao X, Yang Y, Feng K, Wang X, Liu B, Xie G, Xing D. Self-regulating microbiome networks ensure functional resilience of biofilms in sand biofilters during manganese load fluctuations. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 188:116473. [PMID: 33038718 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Sand biofilters (SBFs) are commonly used to remove manganese (Mn(II)) from drinking water. Mn(II) load variation frequently occurs in SBFs due to fluctuating influent Mn(II) concentrations or flow rates. Therefore, it is important to understand the responses of microbial biofilms in SBFs to environmental disturbances and how they affect Mn(II) oxidation efficiency. Here, the responses of microbial ecological networks and Mn(II) removal in SBFs to increasing Mn(II) load were investigated. The Mn(II) removal efficiency in two SBFs remained at 99.8% despite an increase in influent Mn(II) from 2 mg/L to 4 mg/L, but significantly deteriorated (50.1-58.5%) upon increasing the filtration rate. A canonical correlation analysis of the microbial communities indicated that the local Mn(II) concentration and biofilter depth impacted community compositions of biofilms. The dominant species within the biofilms exhibited clear stratification, with simple associations in the upper layer of the SBFs and more complex interspecies interactions in the bottom layers. Putative manganese-oxidizing bacteria Hyphomicrobium and Pedomicrobium dominated the microbiomes in different layers of SBFs, and changed relatively little in abundance when Mn(II) and filtration rate increased. The community networks showed that biofilm microbiomes in SBFs were resilient to the disturbance of Mn(II) load, primarily via regulating microbial interactions. High manganese loads negatively affected the functional modules for Mn(II) removal. Furthermore, the relatively rare species Candidatus Entotheonella palauensis was identified as a module hub, implying taxa with low abundances can have important roles in ecosystem function. These results shed new light on the ecological rules guiding responses of microbiomes in sand biofilters to environmental stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China; School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 2614, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China
| | - Yang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China; School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 2614, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China
| | - Kun Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China; School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 2614, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China
| | - Xiuheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China; School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 2614, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China
| | - Bingfeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China; School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 2614, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China
| | - Guojun Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China; School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 2614, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China
| | - Defeng Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China; School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 2614, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China.
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Acharya K, Halla FF, Massawa SM, Mgana SM, Komar T, Davenport RJ, Werner D. Chlorination effects on DNA based characterization of water microbiomes and implications for the interpretation of data from disinfected systems. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 276:111319. [PMID: 32889498 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Quantitative PCR (qPCR) and next generation sequencing (NGS) are nucleic acid based microbiology techniques that provide new insights into drinking water quality, but considerable uncertainty remains around their correct interpretation. We noticed the presence of bacterial DNA from various putative pathogens, including from faecal indicator bacteria (FIB), in disinfected water, when culturable FIB were absent. To understand these observations better we studied the effect of chlorination on conventional and DNA based microbial water quality assessments. Surface water chlorination reduced plate counts for various FIB by up to >6 log units, intact cell counts by flow cytometry by 3.3 log units, and 16S rRNA gene copies by qPCR by 1.5 and 1.6 log units for total bacteria and total coliforms, respectively. Nanopore sequencing of 16S rRNA amplicons with the portable MinION device revealed the DNA from several families containing putative pathogens appeared to be more resistant than that of other bacteria to degradation by chlorine disinfection. For instance, 16S rRNA genes assigned to the Enterobacteriaceae family, members of which are mostly the target of coliform tests, increased in relative abundance from 0.001 ± 0.0002% to 0.0036 ± 0.003% after chlorine treatment. Hence, metagenomic drinking water data needs to be interpreted with caution. Plate counts and flow cytometry in combination with DNA based analysis provide more robust insight than NGS or qPCR alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kishor Acharya
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom.
| | - Franella Francos Halla
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Ardhi University, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Said Maneno Massawa
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Ardhi University, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Shaaban Mrisho Mgana
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Ardhi University, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Tom Komar
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - Russell J Davenport
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - David Werner
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
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Ma B, LaPara TM, Hozalski RM. Microbiome of Drinking Water Biofilters is Influenced by Environmental Factors and Engineering Decisions but has Little Influence on the Microbiome of the Filtrate. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:11526-11535. [PMID: 32786579 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c01730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial communities in biofilters can improve drinking water quality through the biodegradation of dissolved contaminants but also pose potential risks by harboring and shedding microbes into the drinking water distribution system. In this study, pilot-scale granular activated carbon (GAC)-sand and anthracite-sand pilot-scale biofilters were investigated to determine the effects of filter design and operation on the microbiome of the filter media and its relationship to the microbiome in the filter effluent water. Bacterial abundance in the biofilters was relatively stable over time. Bacterial community composition exhibited spatial variation (i.e., with bed depth) and temporal variation linked to water quality changes. Bacterial community composition was significantly affected by the media type (GAC vs anthracite) and backwashing strategy (chloraminated water vs nonchloraminated water). The biofilters reduced bacterial abundance in the water (∼70%) but had only a minor effect on the bacterial community composition in the filtrate. Overall, our results suggest that the bacterial communities growing on biofilters affect filtered water quality primarily through the biotransformation of pollutants and nutrients rather than by altering the microbial community composition of the water as it passes through the filter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Ma
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering, University of Minnesota, 500 Pillsbury Dr. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Timothy M LaPara
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering, University of Minnesota, 500 Pillsbury Dr. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Avenue, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
| | - Raymond M Hozalski
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering, University of Minnesota, 500 Pillsbury Dr. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Avenue, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
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36
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Lu Z, Sun W, Li C, Cao W, Jing Z, Li S, Ao X, Chen C, Liu S. Effect of granular activated carbon pore-size distribution on biological activated carbon filter performance. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 177:115768. [PMID: 32278992 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.115768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Proper granular activated carbon (GAC) selection could improve the performance of biological activated carbon (BAC) filters through a combination of adsorption and biodegradation, while the GACs used in BAC filters are now mainly selected according to adsorption function, ignoring biodegradation. In this study, sand filter effluent obtained from a drinking water treatment plant was fed into continuous-flow bench-scale BAC columns operated in parallel over 245 days to examine the effects of GAC pore-size distribution on BAC filter performance, in terms of the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and disinfection byproduct (DBP) precursors. A metagenomic analysis indicated that bacterial community structure played an important role in BAC filter performance. A significant correlation was found between metabolism-related proteins and the volume of micro-level macropores based on metaproteomic analysis. It is suggested that the adsorption saturation was dynamic and that adsorption played a role in the performance of the BAC filters throughout the 245-day operating period. Renewed adsorption capacity, or bioregeneration, was driven by bacterial metabolic activity. Such activity largely depended on the organic matter adsorbed by the GAC, in which micro-level macropores, especially those with diameters of 0.2-10 μm, played an important but previously unrecognized role. The results suggest that more attention should be paid to well-developed pores and pore-size distribution in the production and selection of GAC used for full-scale drinking water biofilters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zedong Lu
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Wenjun Sun
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Chen Li
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Wenfeng Cao
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Zibo Jing
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Simiao Li
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Xiuwei Ao
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Chao Chen
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Shuming Liu
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
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37
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Hu W, Liang J, Ju F, Wang Q, Liu R, Bai Y, Liu H, Qu J. Metagenomics Unravels Differential Microbiome Composition and Metabolic Potential in Rapid Sand Filters Purifying Surface Water Versus Groundwater. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:5197-5206. [PMID: 32207614 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b07143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Designed for retaining suspended particles, rapid sand filters (RSFs) are widely used in drinking water treatment. There is increasing evidence that microbial processes within RSFs contribute to the transformation and removal of organic carbon, nitrogen, and metal pollutants. Here, we linked microbial composition and functional profiles with the treatment performance of 12 different RSFs that significantly removed influent ammonium and manganese (Mn). Metagenomic analyses showed that chemoautotrophic or methanotrophic bacteria were prevalent in the groundwater filters, and chemoheterotrophic bacteria encoding more carbohydrate- and xenobiotic-metabolizing genes were more abundant in the surface water filters. Approximately 92% of ammonium was transformed into nitrate, with a critical contribution from comammox Nitrospira. The composition of comammox amoA differed between groundwater and surface water filters, with clade A dominating groundwater filters (78.0 ± 12.0%) and clade B dominating surface water filters (91.9 ± 8.9%). Further, we identified six bacterial genera encoding known Mn(II)-oxidizing genes in the RSFs, with Pseudomonas accounting for 71.1%. These Mn(II)-oxidizing bacteria might promote Mn(II) oxidation and thus increase the removal of influent Mn. Overall, our study gave a comprehensive investigation of microbiome in RSFs and highlighted the roles of comammox and Mn(II)-oxidizing bacteria in water purification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanchao Hu
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jinsong Liang
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Feng Ju
- School of Engineering, Westlake University, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou 310024, China
- Institute of Advanced Technology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Qiaojuan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ruiping Liu
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yaohui Bai
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Huijuan Liu
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jiuhui Qu
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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Ott A, Martin TJ, Acharya K, Lyon DY, Robinson N, Rowles B, Snape JR, Still I, Whale GF, Albright VC, Bäverbäck P, Best N, Commander R, Eickhoff C, Finn S, Hidding B, Maischak H, Sowders KA, Taruki M, Walton HE, Wennberg AC, Davenport RJ. Multi-laboratory Validation of a New Marine Biodegradation Screening Test for Chemical Persistence Assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:4210-4220. [PMID: 32162906 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b07710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Current biodegradation screening tests are not specifically designed for persistence assessment of chemicals, often show high inter- and intra-test variability, and often give false negative biodegradation results. Based on previous studies and recommendations, an international ring test involving 13 laboratories validated a new test method for marine biodegradation with a focus on improving the reliability of screening to determine the environmental degradation potential of chemicals. The new method incorporated increased bacterial cell concentrations to better represent the microbial diversity; a chemical is likely to be exposed in the sampled environments and ran beyond 60 days, which is the half-life threshold for chemical persistence in the marine environment. The new test provided a more reliable and less variable characterization of the biodegradation behavior of five reference chemicals (sodium benzoate, triethanolamine, 4-nitrophenol, anionic polyacrylamide, and pentachlorophenol), with respect to REACH and OSPAR persistence thresholds, than the current OECD 306 test. The proposed new method provides a cost-effective screening test for non-persistence that could streamline chemical regulation and reduce the cost and animal welfare implications of further higher tier testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelie Ott
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy J Martin
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - Kishor Acharya
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - Delina Y Lyon
- Shell Oil Company, 150 N. Dairy Ashford Rd., Houston, Texas 77079, United States
| | - Nik Robinson
- European Oilfield Specialty Chemicals Association (EOSCA), Aberdeen AB11 6YQ, United Kingdom
| | - Bob Rowles
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Pakefield Road, Lowestoft NR33 0HT, United Kingdom
| | - Jason R Snape
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
- AstraZeneca Global Environment, Mereside, Alderley Park, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 4TF, United Kingdom
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Campus, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Ian Still
- European Oilfield Specialty Chemicals Association (EOSCA), Aberdeen AB11 6YQ, United Kingdom
| | - Graham F Whale
- Risk Science Team, Shell International Ltd., 4 York Road, London SE1 7NA, United Kingdom
| | - Vurtice C Albright
- Toxicology & Environmental Research & Consulting, The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Michigan 48674, United States
| | - Petra Bäverbäck
- Schlumberger, Sandslikroken 140, Sandsli, Bergen 5254, Norway
| | - Nicola Best
- Covance CRS Research Limited, Shardlow Business Park, London Road, Derby DE72 2GD, United Kingdom
| | - Ruth Commander
- Scymaris Ltd., Brixham Laboratory, Brixham TQ5 8BA, United Kingdom
| | - Curtis Eickhoff
- Nautilus Environmental Company, Inc., Burnaby, BC V5A 4N7, Canada
| | - Sarah Finn
- National Oilwell Varco (NOV), Flotta, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3NP, United Kingdom
| | - Björn Hidding
- BASF SE, Carl-Bosch-Straße 38, Ludwigshafen am Rhein 67056, Germany
| | - Heiko Maischak
- Noack Laboratorien GmbH, Käthe-Paulus-Straße 1, Sarstedt, Hildesheim 31157, Germany
| | - Katherine A Sowders
- Baker Hughes - Environmental Services Group, 369 Marshall Ave., Webster Groves, Missouri 63119, United States
| | - Masanori Taruki
- Chemicals Evaluation and Research Institute, Japan, Kurume (CERI Kurume), 3-2-7 Miyanojin, Kurume-shi, Fukuoka 839-0801, Japan
| | - Helen E Walton
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Pakefield Road, Lowestoft NR33 0HT, United Kingdom
| | | | - Russell J Davenport
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
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Zhao X, Liu B, Wang X, Chen C, Ren N, Xing D. Single molecule sequencing reveals response of manganese-oxidizing microbiome to different biofilter media in drinking water systems. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 171:115424. [PMID: 31887545 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.115424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Rapid sand biofiltration (RSBF) is widely used for the removal of contaminants from drinking water treatment systems. Biofilm microbiomes in the biofilter media play essential roles in biotransformation of contaminants, but is not comprehensively understood. This study reports on Mn(II) oxidation and the core microbiomes in magnetite sand RSBF (MagS-RSBF) and manganese sand RSBF (MnS-RSBF). MnS-RSBF showed a relatively higher Mn(II) removal rate (40-91.2%) than MagS-RSBF during the start-up. MagS-RSBF and MnS-RSBF had similar Mn(II) removal rates (94.13% and 99.16%) over stable operation for 80 days. Mn(II) removal rates at different depths in the MnS-RSBF reactor significantly changed with operation time, and the filter in the upper layer of MnS-RSBF made the largest contribution to Mn(II) oxidation once operation had stabilized. PacBio single molecule sequencing of full-length 16S rRNA gene indicated that biofilter medium had a significant impact on the core microbiomes of the biofilms from the two biofilters. The magnetite sand biofilter facilitated the enrichment of Mn(II)-oxidizing biofilms. The dominant populations consisted of Pedomicrobium, Pseudomonas, and Hyphomicrobium in the RSBF, which have been affiliated with putative manganese-oxidizing bacteria (MnOB). The relative abundance of Pedomicrobium manganicum increased with operation time in both RSBF reactors. In addition, Nordella oligomobilis and Derxia gummosa were statistically correlated with Mn(II) oxidation. Species-species co-occurrence networks indicated that the microbiome of MnS-RSBF had more complex correlations than that of MagS-RSBF, implying that biofilter medium substantially shaped the microbial community in the RSBF. Hyphomicrobium and nitrite-oxidizing Nitrospira moscoviensis were positively correlated. The core microbiomes' composition of both RSBF reactors converged over operation time. A hybrid biofilter medium with magnetite sand and manganese sand may therefore be best in rapid sand filtration for Mn(II) oxidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Bingfeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Xiuheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Chuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Nanqi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Defeng Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China.
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Xu R, Zhang S, Meng F. Large-sized planktonic bioaggregates possess high biofilm formation potentials: Bacterial succession and assembly in the biofilm metacommunity. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 170:115307. [PMID: 31786395 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.115307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Wanted and unwanted surface-attached growth of bacteria is ubiquitous in natural and engineered settings. Normally, attachment of planktonic cells to media surfaces initiates biofilm formation and fundamentally regulates biofilm assembly processes. Here, culturing biofilm with planktonic sludge as source community, we found distinct succession profiles of biofilm communities sourced from the size-fractionated sludge flocs (<25; 25-120; >120 μm). Null model analyses revealed that deterministic process dominated in biofilm community assemblies but decreased with decreasing floc size. Additionally, the relative importance of environmental selection increased with increasing floc size of the source sludge, whereas homogenizing dispersal and ecological drift followed opposite trends. Phylogenetic molecular ecological networks (pMENs) indicated that species interactions were intensive in biofilm microbiota developed from large-sized flocs (>120 μm), as evidenced by the low modularity and harmonic geodesic distance and the high average degree. Intriguingly, the keystone taxa in these biofilm ecological networks were controlled by distinct interaction patterns but all showed strong habitat characteristics (e.g., facultative anaerobic, motile, hydrophobic and involved in extracellular polymeric substance metabolism), corroborating the crucial roles of environmental filtering in structuring biofilm community. Taken together, our findings highlight the role of planktonic floc properties in biofilm community assembly and advance our understanding of microbial ecology in biofilm-based systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronghua Xu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology (Sun Yat-sen University), Guangzhou, 510275, PR China
| | - Shaoqing Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology (Sun Yat-sen University), Guangzhou, 510275, PR China
| | - Fangang Meng
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology (Sun Yat-sen University), Guangzhou, 510275, PR China.
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41
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Zhu Y, Chen L, Xiao H, Shen F, Deng S, Zhang S, He J, Song C, Wang X, Zhang J, Gong L, Hu C. Effects of disinfection efficiency on microbial communities and corrosion processes in drinking water distribution systems simulated with actual running conditions. J Environ Sci (China) 2020; 88:273-282. [PMID: 31862068 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2019.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The effects of disinfection efficiency on microbial communities and the corrosion of cast iron pipes in drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs) were studied. Two annular reactors (ARs) that simulated actual running conditions with UV/Cl2 disinfection and chlorination alone were used. High chlorine consumption and corrosion rate were found in the AR with UV/Cl2. According to functional genes and pyrosequencing tests, a high percentage of iron recycling bacteria was detected within the biofilm of the AR with Cl2 at early running stage, whereas siderophore-producing bacteria were dominant in the biofilm of the AR with UV/Cl2. At the early running stage, the sequential use of UV light and an initial high chlorine dosage suppressed the biomass and iron-recycling bacteria in both bulk water and biofilms, thereby forming less protective scales against further corrosion, which enhanced chlorine consumption. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis showed that the bacterial communities in the ARs shaped from within rather than being imported by influents. These results indicate that the initial high disinfection efficiency within the distribution system had not contributed to the accumulation of iron-recycling bacteria at the early running stages. This study offer certain implications for controlling corrosion and water quality in DWDSs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhu
- Institute of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China; Rural Environment Protection Engineering & Technology Center of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China.
| | - Lu Chen
- College of Environmental Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China
| | - Hong Xiao
- College of Environmental Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China
| | - Fei Shen
- Institute of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China; Rural Environment Protection Engineering & Technology Center of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China
| | - Shihuai Deng
- Institute of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China; Rural Environment Protection Engineering & Technology Center of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China
| | - Shirong Zhang
- College of Environmental Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China
| | - Jinsong He
- Institute of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China; Rural Environment Protection Engineering & Technology Center of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China
| | - Chun Song
- Institute of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China; Rural Environment Protection Engineering & Technology Center of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China
| | - Xie Wang
- Soil and Fertilizer Research Institute, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan 610066, China; Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environment of Southwest China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu, Sichuan 610066, China
| | - Jianhua Zhang
- Soil and Fertilizer Research Institute, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan 610066, China; Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environment of Southwest China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu, Sichuan 610066, China
| | - Li Gong
- College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China
| | - Chun Hu
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China.
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Ma B, LaPara TM, N Evans A, Hozalski RM. Effects of geographic location and water quality on bacterial communities in full-scale biofilters across North America. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2020; 96:5698304. [PMID: 31913449 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiz210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatial patterns of bacterial community composition often follow a distance-decay relationship in which community dissimilarity increases with geographic distance. Such a relationship has been commonly observed in natural environments, but less so in engineered environments. In this study, bacterial abundance and community composition in filter media samples (n = 57) from full-scale rapid biofilters at 14 water treatment facilities across North America were determined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Illumina HiSeq high-throughput sequencing targeting the 16S rRNA gene, respectively. Bacteria were abundant on the filter media (108.8±0.3 to 1010.7±0.2 16S rRNA gene copies/cm3 bed volume) and the bacterial communities were highly diverse (Shannon index: 5.3 ± 0.1 to 8.4 ± 0.0). Significant inter-filter variations in bacterial community composition were observed, with weighted UniFrac dissimilarity values following a weak but highly significant distance-decay relationship (z = 0.0057 ± 0.0006; P = 1.8 × 10-22). Approximately 50% of the variance in bacterial community composition was explained by the water quality parameters measured at the time of media sample collection (i.e. pH, temperature and dissolved organic carbon concentration). Overall, this study suggested that the microbiomes of biofilters are primarily shaped by geographic location and local water quality conditions but the influence of these factors on the microbiomes is tempered by filter design and operating conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Ma
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering, University of Minnesota, 500 Pillsbury Dr. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States
| | - Timothy M LaPara
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering, University of Minnesota, 500 Pillsbury Dr. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States
- Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55108 , United States
| | - Ashley N Evans
- Arcadis U.S. Inc., 1717 W. 6th St. Suite 210, Austin, TX, 78703, United States
| | - Raymond M Hozalski
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering, University of Minnesota, 500 Pillsbury Dr. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States
- Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55108 , United States
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43
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Zheng W, Wen X. How exogenous influent communities and environmental conditions affect activated sludge communities in the membrane bioreactor of a wastewater treatment plant. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 692:622-630. [PMID: 31539970 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Revised: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the residual population of influent and activated sludge (AS) communities was defined based on their occurrence frequency and relative abundance through long-term and fine-scale sampling from the membrane bioreactor (MBR) of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). There were 481 OTUs defined as the residual OTUs, which taken up 67.90 ± 9.36% of relative abundance in the influent community. Besides, 6.76 ± 5.71% of the residual population migrated to and remained in the AS community. Additionally, the residual populations were more likely to be anaerobes and microaerobes. As the most predominant genus from residual community, the relative abundance of Arcobacter was reduced from 15.78 ± 3.58% in the influent to 1.15 ± 1.35% in the AS. The residues that migrated from the influent have increased the richness and evenness of AS community, as well as the dissimilarities among samples over long-term. The rank-abundance distribution showed identical pattern for the residual species between influent and AS. By adopting the analysis of neutral model, 2766 out of 7491 shared OTUs between influent and AS communities were identified as neutral OTUs, which respectively made up 53.9% and 41.8% of the total relative abundance of influent and AS communities. These indicated that the AS community was to some extent, but not entirely assembled by neutral process. For the residual community in the AS, dissolved oxygen (DO) was positively associated with several aerobic genera, meanwhile influent chemical oxygen demand (COD) had positive relationship with genus Pseudomonas. Last but most importantly, the influent community could not inoculate the nitrifiers in the AS, but instead, was able to inoculate the denitrifiers; as well as enhance the biodiversity and the ability of resisting external disturbance for the AS community in MBR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanlin Zheng
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Xianghua Wen
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China.
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A comparative assessment of conventional and molecular methods, including MinION nanopore sequencing, for surveying water quality. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15726. [PMID: 31673047 PMCID: PMC6823499 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51997-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid based techniques, such as quantitative PCR (qPCR) and next generation sequencing (NGS), provide new insights into microbial water quality, but considerable uncertainty remains around their correct interpretation. We demonstrate, for different water sources in informal settlements in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, significant Spearman rank correlations between conventional and molecular microbiology methods that indicate faecal contamination. At family and genera level, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing results obtained with the low-cost, portable next generation sequencer MinION from Oxford Nanopore Technologies had significant Spearman rank correlations with Illumina MiSeq sequencing results. However, method validation by amplicon sequencing of a MOCK microbial community revealed the need to ascertain MinION sequencing results for putative pathogens at species level with complementary qPCR assays. Vibrio cholerae hazards were poorly associated with plate count faecal coliforms, but flagged up by the MinION screening method, and confirmed by a qPCR assay. Plate counting methods remain important to assess viability of faecal coliforms in disinfected water sources. We outline a systematic approach for data collection and interpretation of such complementary results. In the Kathmandu Valley, there is high variability of water quality from different sources, including for treated water samples, illustrating the importance of disinfection at the point of use.
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45
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Acharya K, Khanal S, Pantha K, Amatya N, Davenport RJ, Werner D. A comparative assessment of conventional and molecular methods, including MinION nanopore sequencing, for surveying water quality. Sci Rep 2019. [PMID: 31673047 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-01951997-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid based techniques, such as quantitative PCR (qPCR) and next generation sequencing (NGS), provide new insights into microbial water quality, but considerable uncertainty remains around their correct interpretation. We demonstrate, for different water sources in informal settlements in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, significant Spearman rank correlations between conventional and molecular microbiology methods that indicate faecal contamination. At family and genera level, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing results obtained with the low-cost, portable next generation sequencer MinION from Oxford Nanopore Technologies had significant Spearman rank correlations with Illumina MiSeq sequencing results. However, method validation by amplicon sequencing of a MOCK microbial community revealed the need to ascertain MinION sequencing results for putative pathogens at species level with complementary qPCR assays. Vibrio cholerae hazards were poorly associated with plate count faecal coliforms, but flagged up by the MinION screening method, and confirmed by a qPCR assay. Plate counting methods remain important to assess viability of faecal coliforms in disinfected water sources. We outline a systematic approach for data collection and interpretation of such complementary results. In the Kathmandu Valley, there is high variability of water quality from different sources, including for treated water samples, illustrating the importance of disinfection at the point of use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kishor Acharya
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - Santosh Khanal
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Kalyan Pantha
- Group for Rural Infrastructure Development, Wise use House, Jwagal, Lalitpur, Nepal
- Faculty of Chemistry, University Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, D-45141, Essen, Germany
| | - Niroj Amatya
- Faculty of Chemistry, University Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, D-45141, Essen, Germany
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Nobel College, Pokhara University, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Russell J Davenport
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - David Werner
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom.
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Neu L, Proctor CR, Walser JC, Hammes F. Small-Scale Heterogeneity in Drinking Water Biofilms. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2446. [PMID: 31736893 PMCID: PMC6828615 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Biofilm heterogeneity has been characterized on various scales for both natural and engineered ecosystems. This heterogeneity has been attributed to spatial differences in environmental factors. Understanding their impact on localized biofilm heterogeneity in building plumbing systems is important for both management and representative sampling strategies. We assessed heterogeneity within the confined engineered ecosystem of a shower hose by high-resolution sampling (200 individual biofilm sections per hose) on varying scales (μm to m). We postulated that a biofilm grown on a single material under uniform conditions should be homogeneous in its structure, bacterial numbers, and community composition. A biofilm grown for 12 months under controlled laboratory conditions, showed homogeneity on large-scale. However, some small-scale heterogeneity was clearly observed. For example, biofilm thickness of cm-sections varied up to 4-fold, total cell concentrations (TCC) 3-fold, and relative abundance of dominant taxa up to 5-fold. A biofilm grown under real (i.e., uncontrolled) use conditions developed considerably more heterogeneity in all variables which was attributed to more discontinuity in environmental conditions. Interestingly, biofilm communities from both hoses showed comparably low diversity, with <400 taxa each, and only three taxa accounting for 57%, respectively, 73% of the community. This low diversity was attributed to a strong selective pressure, originating in migrating carbon from the flexible hoses as major carbon source. High-resolution sampling strategy enabled detailed analysis of spatial heterogeneity within an individual drinking water biofilm. This study gives insight into biofilm structure and community composition on cm-to m-scale and is useful for decision-making on sampling strategies in biofilm research and monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Neu
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Caitlin R. Proctor
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Schools of Civil, Environmental and Ecological, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | | | - Frederik Hammes
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
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Hou L, Mulla SI, Niño-Garcia JP, Ning D, Rashid A, Hu A, Yu CP. Deterministic and stochastic processes driving the shift in the prokaryotic community composition in wastewater treatment plants of a coastal Chinese city. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 103:9155-9168. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-019-10177-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Revised: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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48
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Rolph CA, Villa R, Jefferson B, Brookes A, Choya A, Iceton G, Hassard F. From full-scale biofilters to bioreactors: Engineering biological metaldehyde removal. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 685:410-418. [PMID: 31176226 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Revised: 05/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Polar, low molecular weight pesticides such as metaldehyde are challenging and costly to remove from drinking water using conventional treatment methods. Although biological treatments can be effective at treating micropollutants, through biodegradation and sorption processes, only some operational biofilters have shown the ability to remove metaldehyde. As sorption plays a minor role for such polar organic micropollutants, biodegradation is therefore likely to be the main removal pathway. In this work, the biodegradation of metaldehyde was monitored, and assessed, in an operational slow sand filter. Long-term data showed that metaldehyde degradation improved when inlet concentrations increased. A comparison of inactive and active sand batch reactors showed that metaldehyde removal happened mainly through biodegradation and that the removal rates were greater after the biofilm was acclimated through exposure to high metaldehyde concentrations. This suggested that metaldehyde removal was reliant on enrichment and that the process could be engineered to decrease treatment times (from days to hours). Through-flow experiments using fluidised bed reactors, showed the same behaviour following metaldehyde acclimation. A 40% increase in metaldehyde removal was observed in acclimated compared with non-acclimated columns. This increase was sustained for >40 days, achieving an average of 80% removal and compliance (<0.1 μ L-1) for >20 days. An initial microbial analysis of the acclimated and non-acclimated biofilm from the same filter materials, showed that the microbial community in acclimated sand was significantly different. This work presents a novel conceptual template for a faster, chemical free, low cost, biological treatment of metaldehyde and other polar pollutants in drinking water. In addition, this is the first study to report kinetics of metaldehyde degradation in an active microbial biofilm at a WTW.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Raffaella Villa
- Cranfield University, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL, UK; De Montfort University, Leicester, LE1 9BH, UK.
| | | | - Adam Brookes
- Anglian Water, Thorpewood House, Peterborough PE3 6WT, UK
| | - Andoni Choya
- Cranfield University, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL, UK; Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Gregg Iceton
- Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE17RU, UK
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49
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Microbial Dynamics of Biosand Filters and Contributions of the Microbial Food Web to Effective Treatment of Wastewater-Impacted Water Sources. Appl Environ Microbiol 2019; 85:AEM.01142-19. [PMID: 31227556 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01142-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Biosand filtration systems are widely used for drinking water treatment, from household-level, intermittently operated filters to large-scale continuous municipal systems. While it is well-established that microbial activity within the filter is essential for the removal of potential pathogens and other contaminants, the microbial ecology of these systems and how microbial succession relates to their performance remain poorly resolved. We determined how different source waters influence the composition, temporal dynamics, and performance of microbial communities in intermittently operated biosand filters. We operated lab-scale biosand filters, adding daily inputs from two contrasting water sources with differing nutrient concentrations and found that total coliform removal increased and became less variable after 4 weeks, regardless of water source. Total effluent biomass was also lower than total influent biomass for both water sources. Bacterial community composition, assessed via cultivation-independent DNA sequencing, varied by water source, sample type (influent, effluent, or sand), and time. Despite these differences, we identified specific taxa that were consistently removed, including common aquatic and wastewater bacteria. In contrast, taxa consistently more abundant in the sand and effluent included predatory, intracellular, and symbiotic bacteria.IMPORTANCE Although microbial activities are known to contribute to the effectiveness of biosand filtration for drinking water treatment, we have a limited understanding of what microbial groups are most effectively removed, colonize the sand, or make it through the filter. This study tracked the microbial communities in the influent, sand, and effluent of lab-scale, intermittently operated biosand filters over 8 weeks. These results represent the most detailed and time-resolved investigation of the microbial communities in biosand filters typical of those implemented at the household level in many developing countries. We show the importance of the microbial food web in biosand filtration, and we identified taxa that are preferentially removed from wastewater-impacted water sources. We found consistent patterns in filter effectiveness from source waters with differing nutrient loads and, likewise, identified specific bacterial taxa that were consistently more abundant in effluent waters, taxa that are important targets for further study and posttreatment.
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50
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Wu Q, Du Y, Huang Z, Gu J, Leung JYS, Mai B, Xiao T, Liu W, Fu J. Vertical profile of soil/sediment pollution and microbial community change by e-waste recycling operation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 669:1001-1010. [PMID: 30970449 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The present study aims to assess the effect of electronic waste (e-waste) recycling on microbial community and the underlying modulation mechanism. Core soil/sediment samples were collected from an abandoned e-waste burning site and neighboring farmland/stream sites in Guiyu, China. High concentrations and health risks of toxic heavy metals, particularly, Sb and Sn, and halogenated flame retardants (HFRs), including decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE 209) and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) were mostly retained at the top surface layers of soils/sediments (0-30cm) after more than one year of natural vertical diffusion and microbe-facilitated biodegradation. Heavy metals, such as Ag, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb, and Sn, played a critical role for the reduction of microbial diversity. This is the first study reporting the open burning of e-waste caused an obvious heat effect and enriched thermophilic/mesophilic microbes in local area. The acid washing during e-waste recycling process may result in the enrichment of acidophilic microbes. This investigation showed that e-waste processing operation resulted in not only severe pollution of the soils/sediments by various pollutants, but also reduction of microbial diversity that was difficult to self-store by the local ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qihang Wu
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yongming Du
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhuying Huang
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jidong Gu
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Toxicology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Jonathan Y S Leung
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Bixian Mai
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
| | - Tangfu Xiao
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wen Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jie Fu
- Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China.
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