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Zhang S, Huang X, Dong W, Li Z, Gao J, Zhou G, Teng X, Cao K, Zheng Z. Unraveling the effects and mechanisms of microplastics on anaerobic fermentation: Exploring microbial communities and metabolic pathways. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 939:173518. [PMID: 38815824 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173518] [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: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
To investigate the effects of microplastics (MPs) on hydrolysis, acidification and microbial characteristics during waste activated sludge (WAS) anaerobic fermentation process, five different kinds of MPs were added into the WAS fermentation system and results indicated that, compared to the control group, the addition of polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-MPs exhibited the least inhibition on volatile fatty acids (VFAs), reducing them by 13.49 %. Conversely, polyethylene (PE)-MPs resulted in the greatest inhibition, with a reduction of 29.57 %. MPs, while accelerated the dissolution of WAS that evidenced by an increase of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, concurrently inhibited the activities of relevant hydrolytic enzymes (α-Glucosidase, protease). For microbial mechanisms, MPs addition affected the proliferation of key microorganisms (norank_f_Bacteroidetes_vadinHA17, Ottowia, and Propioniclava) and reduced the abundance of genes associated with hydrolysis and acidification (pfkb, gpmI, ilvE, and aces). Additionally, MPs decreased the levels of key hydrolytic and acidogenic enzymes to inhibit hydrolysis and acidification processes. This research provides a basis for understanding and unveils impact mechanisms of the impact of MPs on sludge anaerobic fermentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Xiao Huang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Water Resource Utilization and Environmental Pollution Control, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Wenyi Dong
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Water Resource Utilization and Environmental Pollution Control, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Zhiying Li
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - JingSi Gao
- Shenzhen Polytechnic, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Guorun Zhou
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Xindong Teng
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Kai Cao
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Zhihao Zheng
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
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Yang X, Chen Y, Liu T, Zhang L, Wang H, Chen M, He Q, Liu G, Ju F. Plastic particles affect N 2O release via altering core microbial metabolisms in constructed wetlands. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 255:121506. [PMID: 38552486 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/24/2024]
Abstract
Constructed wetlands (CWs) have been proven to effectively immobilize plastic particles. However, little is known about the differences in the impact of varying sized plastic particles on nitrous oxide (N2O) release, as well as the intervention mechanisms in CWs. Here, we built a lab-scale wetland model and introduced plastic particles of macro-, micro-, and nano-size at 100 μg/L for 370 days. The results showed that plastic particles of all sizes reduced N2O release in CWs, with the degrees being the strongest for the Nano group, followed by Micro and Macro groups. Meanwhile, 15N- and 18O-tracing experiment revealed that the ammoxidation process contributed the most N2O production, followed by denitrification. While for every N2O-releasing process, the contributing proportion of N2O in nitrification-coupled denitrification were most significantly cut down under exposing to macro-sized plastics and had an obvious increase in nitrifier denitrification in all groups, respectively. Finally, we revealed the three mechanism pathways of N2O release reduction with macro-, micro-, and nano-sized plastics by impacting carbon assimilation (RubisCO activity), ammonia oxidation (gene amo abundance and HAO activity), and N-ion transmembrane and reductase activities, respectively. Our findings thus provided novel insights into the potential effects of plastic particles in CWs as an eco-technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyu Yang
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Campus B, 83 Shabeijie, Shapingba, Chongqing 400044, China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Environment and Resources of Zhejiang Province, School of Engineering, Westlake University, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou 310024, China; Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Section of Sanitary Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft 2628 CN, the Netherlands; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Geological Engineering, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Yi Chen
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Campus B, 83 Shabeijie, Shapingba, Chongqing 400044, China; National Centre for International Research of Low-Carbon and Green Buildings, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China.
| | - Tao Liu
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Campus B, 83 Shabeijie, Shapingba, Chongqing 400044, China; National Centre for International Research of Low-Carbon and Green Buildings, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Environment and Resources of Zhejiang Province, 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
| | - Hui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Environment and Resources of Zhejiang Province, 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
| | - Mengli Chen
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Campus B, 83 Shabeijie, Shapingba, Chongqing 400044, China; National Centre for International Research of Low-Carbon and Green Buildings, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Qiang He
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Campus B, 83 Shabeijie, Shapingba, Chongqing 400044, China; National Centre for International Research of Low-Carbon and Green Buildings, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Gang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Section of Sanitary Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft 2628 CN, the Netherlands
| | - Feng Ju
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Environment and Resources of Zhejiang Province, 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.
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3
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Yang FA, Hou YN, Cao C, Huang C, Shen S, Ren N, Wang AJ, Guo J, Wei W, Ni BJ. Electroactive properties of EABs in response to long-term exposure to polystyrene microplastics/nanoplastics and the underlying adaptive mechanisms. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 465:133438. [PMID: 38198865 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Given widespread presence of polystyrene (PS) microplastics/nanoplastics (MPs/NPs), the electroactive responses and adaptation mechanisms of electroactive biofilms (EABs) exposed long-term to PS-containing aquatic environments remain unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the impacts of PS MPs/NPs on electroactivity of EABs. Results found that EABs exhibited delayed formation upon initially exposure but displayed an increased maximum current density (Imax) after subsequent exposure for up to 55 days. Notably, EABs exposure to NH2PS NPs (EAB-NH2PSNPs) demonstrated a 50% higher Imax than the control, along with a 17.84% increase in viability and a 58.10% increase in biomass. The cytochrome c (c-Cyts) content in EAB-NH2PSNPs rose by 178.35%, benefiting the extracellular electron transfer (EET) of EABs. Moreover, bacterial community assembly indicated the relative abundance of electroactive bacteria increased to 87.56% in EAB-NH2PSNPs. The adaptability mechanisms of EABs under prolonged exposure to PS MPs/NPs predominantly operate by adjusting viability, EET, and bacterial community assembly, which were further confirmed a positive correlation with Imax through structural equation model. These findings provide deeper insights into long-term effects and mechanisms of MPs/NPs on the electroactive properties of EABs and even functional microorganisms in aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng-Ai Yang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science and Technology, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Tianjin Chengjian University, Tianjin 300384, China; National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Ya-Nan Hou
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science and Technology, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Tianjin Chengjian University, Tianjin 300384, China; National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China; Water Research Centre, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Ce Cao
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science and Technology, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Tianjin Chengjian University, Tianjin 300384, China; National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Cong Huang
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China.
| | - Shaoheng Shen
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science and Technology, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Tianjin Chengjian University, Tianjin 300384, China; National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Nanqi Ren
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Ai-Jie Wang
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jianbo Guo
- School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Bing-Jie Ni
- Water Research Centre, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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4
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Liu S, Su C, Lu Y, Xian Y, Chen Z, Wang Y, Deng X, Li X. Effects of microplastics on the properties of different types of sewage sludge and strategies to overcome the inhibition: A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 902:166033. [PMID: 37543332 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics have been identified as an emerging pollutant. When microplastics enter wastewater treatment plants, the plant traps most of the microplastics in the sludge during sewage treatment. Therefore, the effects of microplastics on sludge removal performance, and on the physical and chemical properties and microbial communities in sludge, have attracted extensive attention. This review mainly describes the presence of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants, and the effects of microplastics on the decontamination efficiency and physicochemical properties of activated sludge, aerobic granular sludge, anaerobic granular sludge and anaerobic ammonium oxidation sludge. Further, the review summarizes the effects of microplastics on microbial activity and microbial community dynamics in various sludges in terms of type, concentration, and contact time. The mechanisms used to strengthen the reduction of microplastics, such as biochar and hydrochar, are also discussed. This review summarizes the mechanism by which microplastics influence the performance of different types of sludge, and proposes effective strategies to mitigate the inhibitive effect of microplastics on sludge and discusses removal technologies of microplastics in sewage. Biochar and hydrochar are one of the effective measures to overcome the inhibition of microplastics on sludge. Meanwhile, constructed wetland may be one of the important choice for the future removal of microplastics from sewage. The goal is to provide theoretical support and insights for ensuring the stable operation of wastewater treatment plants and reducing the impact of microplastics on the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengtao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, 15 Yucai Road, Guilin 541004, PR China
| | - Chengyuan Su
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, 15 Yucai Road, Guilin 541004, PR China; College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, 15 Yucai Road, Guilin 541004, PR China.
| | - Yiying Lu
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, 15 Yucai Road, Guilin 541004, PR China
| | - Yunchuan Xian
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, 15 Yucai Road, Guilin 541004, PR China
| | - Zhengpeng Chen
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, 15 Yucai Road, Guilin 541004, PR China
| | - Yuchen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, 15 Yucai Road, Guilin 541004, PR China
| | - Xue Deng
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, 15 Yucai Road, Guilin 541004, PR China
| | - Xinjuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, 15 Yucai Road, Guilin 541004, PR China
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5
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Ye B, Zhang J, Zhou Y, Tang M, You F, Li X, Yang Q, Wang D, Liu X, Duan A, Liu J. Pretreatment of free nitrous acid combined with calcium hypochlorite for enhancement of hydrogen production in waste activated sludge. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 900:165774. [PMID: 37499831 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165774] [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: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
A variety of variables limit the recovery of resources from anaerobic fermentation of waste activated sludge (WAS), hence pretreatment strategies are necessary to be investigated to increase its efficiency. A combination of free nitrous acid (FNA) and calcium hypochlorite [Ca(ClO)2] was employed in this investigation to significantly improve sludge fermentation performance. The yields of cumulative hydrogen for the blank and FNA treatment group were 1.09 ± 0.16 and 7.36 ± 0.21 mL/g VSS, respectively, and 6.59 ± 0.24 [0.03 g Ca(ClO)2/g TSS], 7.75 ± 0.20 (0.06), and 8.58 ± 0.22 (0.09) mL/g VSS for the Ca(ClO)2 groups. The co-treatment greatly boosted hydrogen generation, ranging from 39.97 ± 2.26 to 76.20 ± 4.78 % as compared to the solo treatment. Mechanism analysis demonstrated that the combined treatment disturbed sludge structure and cell membrane permeability even more, which released more organic substrates and enhanced biodegradability of fermentation broth. This paper describes a unique strategy to sludge pretreatment that expands the use of Ca(ClO)2 and FNA in anaerobic fermentation, with implications for sludge disposal and energy recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boqun Ye
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Jiamin Zhang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Yintong Zhou
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Mengge Tang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Fengyuan You
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Xiaoming Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China.
| | - Qi Yang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Dongbo Wang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Xuran Liu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Abing Duan
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Junwu Liu
- Hunan Engineering Research Center of Mining Site Pollution Remediation, Changsha 410082, PR China
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Li J, Dagnew M, Ray MB. Microfibers in anaerobic digestion: Effect of ozone pretreatment. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 346:118792. [PMID: 37738723 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants receive significant microplastics, which are eventually discharged into the environment. Previous studies indicated that over 90% of microplastics, especially microfibers from laundry wastewater, are retained in primary sludge. The effect of microfibers from household laundry on anaerobic digestion has yet to be fully understood, which is the objective of the present study. The results in this study showed a positive correlation between methane production and the presence of microfibers. Compared to the control, the methane production increased by 2%, 27% and 43% with 20 mg/L, 100 mg/L and 1000 mg/L microfibers spiked into primary sludge, respectively. The present study suggests that microfibers at 20 mg/L insignificantly affected methane production in controlled anaerobic digestion. In contrast, ozone pretreatment of microfibers enhanced gas production by 12% in the same concentration level. Interestingly, ozone pretreatment at a higher concentration (100 mg/L-1000 mg/L) of microfibers did not affect methane production. SEM/EDX results imply that the ozone pretreatment has changed the surface characteristics of the microfibers, which provide more surface area for adsorption. The significant reduction of soluble phosphorus by 58% indicates that microfibers potentially act as a site for adsorption during anaerobic digestion. Overall, the presence of microfibers had a positive effect on anaerobic digestion. However, this work also indicated that the microfibers were not biodegraded during anaerobic digestion. Therefore, microfibers accumulate on biosolids, potentially affecting the final disposal of microfibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Li
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A5B9, Canada
| | - Martha Dagnew
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A5B9, Canada.
| | - Madhumita B Ray
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A5B9, Canada.
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7
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Xiong W, Wang S, Zhang Q, Hou Y, Jin Y, Chen B, Su H. Synergistic analysis of performance, microbial community, and metabolism in aerobic granular sludge under polyacrylonitrile microplastics stress. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023; 385:129394. [PMID: 37369317 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129394] [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: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) has proved to be a promising biotechnology for microplastics wastewater treatment. However, polyacrylonitrile microplastics (PAN MPs), the most widely used plastic in textile materials, have not been investigated. Therefore, the effect of the neglected PAN MPs on AGS at different concentrations (1, 10, and 100 mg/L) was evaluated. The results indicated that PAN MPs with 1 and 10 mg/L concentrations had no obvious effect on granular stability and nutrient removal performance, but greatly promoted the secretion of EPS. Remarkably, the granule structure was severely damaged under 100 mg/L PAN MPs. Moreover, microbial community analysis showed that phylum Proteobacteria played a dominant role in resistance to PAN MPs. Metabolic analysis further revealed that genes related to denitrification pathway (nasA, nirK, nirS and norB) and membrane transport were significantly inhibited under PAN MPs stress. This study may provide additional information on the treatment of microplastics wastewater using AGS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, and Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Shaojie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, and Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiuhua Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, and Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Yiran Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, and Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, and Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Biqiang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, and Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Haijia Su
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, and Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China.
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8
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Wu T, Zhong L, Ding J, Pang JW, Sun HJ, Ding MQ, Ren NQ, Yang SS. Microplastics perturb nitrogen removal, microbial community and metabolism mechanism in biofilm system. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 458:131971. [PMID: 37413798 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are a significant component of global pollution and cause widespread concern, particularly in wastewater treatment plants. While understanding the impact of MPs on nutrient removal and potential metabolism in biofilm systems is limited. This work investigated the impact of polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) on the performance of biofilm systems. The results revealed that at concentrations of 100 and 1000 μg/L, both PS and PET had almost no effect on the removal of ammonia nitrogen, phosphorus, and chemical oxygen demand, but reduced the removal of total nitrogen by 7.40-16.6%. PS and PET caused cell and membrane damage, as evidenced by increases in reactive oxygen species and lactate dehydrogenase to 136-355% and 144-207% of the control group. Besides, metagenomic analysis demonstrated both PS and PET changed the microbial structure and caused functional differences. Some important genes in nitrite oxidation (e.g. nxrA), denitrification (e.g. narB, nirABD, norB, and nosZ), and electron production process (e.g. mqo, sdh, and mdh) were restrained, meanwhile, species contribution to nitrogen-conversion genes was altered, therefore disturbing nitrogen-conversion metabolism. This work contributes to evaluating the potential risks of biofilm systems exposed to PS and PET, maintaining high nitrogen removal and system stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Le Zhong
- 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.
| | - Ji-Wei Pang
- China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group, CECEP Talroad Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing 100096, China
| | - Han-Jun Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Meng-Qi Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Nan-Qi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - 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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9
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Huang S, Zhang B, Zhao Z, Yang C, Zhang B, Cui F, Lens PNL, Shi W. Metagenomic analysis reveals the responses of microbial communities and nitrogen metabolic pathways to polystyrene micro(nano)plastics in activated sludge systems. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 241:120161. [PMID: 37276653 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) are prevalent in sewage and pose a potential threat to nitrogen biotransformation in wastewater treatment systems. However, investigations on how MPs and NPs affect the microbial nitrogen conversion and metabolism of the activated sludge are still scanty. Herein, the responses of microbiomes and functional genes to polystyrene MPs and NPs in activated sludge systems were investigated by metagenomic analysis. Results indicated that 1 mg/L MPs and NPs had marginal impacts on the nitrogen removal performance of the activated sludge systems, whereas high concentrations of MPs and NPs (20 and 100 mg/L) decreased the total nitrogen removal efficiency (13.4%-30.6%) by suppressing the nitrogen transformation processes. Excessive reactive oxygen species induced by MPs and NPs caused cytotoxicity, as evidenced by impaired cytomembranes and decreased bioactivity. Metagenomic analysis revealed that MPs and NPs diminished the abundance of denitrifiers (e.g. Mesorhizobium, Rhodobacter and Thauera), and concurrently reduced the abundance of functional genes (e.g. napA, napB and nirS) encoding for key enzymes involved in the nitrogen transformations, as well as the genes (e.g. mdh) related to the electron donor production, thereby declining the nitrogen removal efficiency. Network analysis further clarified the attenuate association between denitrifiers and denitrification-related genes in the plastic-exposed systems, elucidating that MPs and NPs restrained the nitrogen removal by inhibiting the contributions of microorganisms to nitrogen transformation processes. This study provides vital insights into the responses of the microbial community structure and nitrogen conversion processes to micro(nano)plastics disturbance in activated sludge systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuchang Huang
- College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Bing Zhang
- College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China.
| | - Zhiwei Zhao
- College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Chun Yang
- College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Bing Zhang
- National Research Base of Intelligent Manufacturing Service, Chongqing Technology and Business University, Chongqing 400067, China
| | - Fuyi Cui
- College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Piet N L Lens
- UNESCO-IHE, Institute for Water Education, Westvest 7, 2601, DA Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Wenxin Shi
- College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China.
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10
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Manu MK, Luo L, Kumar R, Johnravindar D, Li D, Varjani S, Zhao J, Wong J. A review on mechanistic understanding of microplastic pollution on the performance of anaerobic digestion. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 325:121426. [PMID: 36907239 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Anaerobic digestion (AD) has emerged as a promising technology for diverting the organic waste from the landfills along with the production of clean energy. AD is a microbial-driven biochemical process wherein the plethora of microbial communities participate in converting the putrescible organic matter into biogas. Nevertheless, the AD process is susceptible to the external environmental factors such as presence of physical (microplastics) and chemical (antibiotics, pesticides) pollutants. The microplastics (MPs) pollution has received recent attention due to the increasing plastic pollution in terrestrial ecosystems. This review was aimed for holistic assessment of impact of MPs pollution on AD process to develop efficient treatment technology. First, the possible pathways of MPs entry into the AD systems were critically evaluated. Further, the recent literature on the experimental studies pertaining to the impact of different types of MPs at different concentrations on the AD process was reviewed. In addition, several mechanisms such as direct exposure of MPs on the microbial cells, indirect impact of MPs through the leaching of toxic chemicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation on AD process were elucidated. Besides, the risk possessed by the increase of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) after the AD process due to the MPs stress on microbial communities were discussed. Overall, this review deciphered the severity of MPs pollution on AD process at different levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- M K Manu
- Institute of Bioresource and Agriculture, Sino-Forest Applied Research Centre for Pearl River Delta Environment and Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong
| | - Liwen Luo
- Institute of Bioresource and Agriculture, Sino-Forest Applied Research Centre for Pearl River Delta Environment and Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong
| | - Reeti Kumar
- Institute of Bioresource and Agriculture, Sino-Forest Applied Research Centre for Pearl River Delta Environment and Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong
| | - Davidraj Johnravindar
- Institute of Bioresource and Agriculture, Sino-Forest Applied Research Centre for Pearl River Delta Environment and Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong
| | - Dongyi Li
- Institute of Bioresource and Agriculture, Sino-Forest Applied Research Centre for Pearl River Delta Environment and Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong
| | - Sunita Varjani
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, 999077, Hong Kong; Sustainability Cluster, School of Engineering, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, 248 007, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Jun Zhao
- Institute of Bioresource and Agriculture, Sino-Forest Applied Research Centre for Pearl River Delta Environment and Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong
| | - Jonathan Wong
- Institute of Bioresource and Agriculture, Sino-Forest Applied Research Centre for Pearl River Delta Environment and Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong.
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11
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Kang W, Sun S, Hu X. Microplastics trigger the Matthew effect on nitrogen assimilation in marine diatoms at an environmentally relevant concentration. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 233:119762. [PMID: 36841163 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119762] [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: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs, diameter <5 mm) are widely distributed on Earth, especially in the oceans. Diatoms account for ∼40% of marine primary productivity and affect the global biogeochemical cycles of macroelements. However, the effects of MPs on marine nitrogen cycling remain poorly understood, particularly comparisons between nitrogen-replete and nitrogen-limited conditions. We found that MPs trigger the Matthew effect on nitrogen assimilation in diatoms, where MPs inhibited nitrogen assimilation under nitrogen-limited conditions while enhancing nitrogen metabolism under nitrogen-replete conditions in Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Nitrate reductase (NR) and nitrite reductase (NIR) are upregulated, but nitrate transporter (NRT) and glutamine synthetase (GS) are downregulated by MPs under nitrogen-limited conditions. In contrast, NR, NIR, and GS are all upregulated by MPs under nitrogen-replete conditions. MPs accelerate nitrogen anabolic processes with an increase in the accumulation of carbohydrates by 80.7 ± 7.9% and enhance the activities of key nitrogen-metabolizing enzymes (8.20-44.90%) under nitrogen-replete conditions. In contrast, the abundance of carbohydrates decreases by 22.0-34.4%, and NRT activity is inhibited by 79.0-86.5% in nitrogen-limited algae exposed to MPs. Metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses were performed to further explore the molecular mechanisms of reprogrammed nitrogen assimilation, including carbon metabolism, nitrogen transport and ammonia assimilation. The aforementioned spatial redistribution (e.g., the Matthew effect between nitrogen-replete and -limited conditions) of nitrogen assimilation highlights the potential risks of MP contamination in the ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weilu Kang
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Shan Sun
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Xiangang Hu
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
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12
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Liu X, Deng Q, Du M, Lu Q, Zhou W, Wang D. Microplastics decrease the toxicity of cadmium to methane production from anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 869:161780. [PMID: 36706993 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161780] [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: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) and Cd have been proven to inhibit methane production from anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge. However, the published studies mainly focused on their single inhibition. This cannot reflect the real-world situations where MPs and Cd co-exist. This study therefore aims to reveal the combined effect of MPs and Cd on anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge. Experimental results showed that PVC-MPs at environmentally relevant levels (e.g., 1, 10 particles/g total solids (TS)) did not affect methane yield but decrease the toxicity of Cd. When PVC-MPs were 30 particles/g TS, the cumulative methane production recovered from 58.8 % (in the presence of 5 mg Cd/g TS) to 89.7 % of the control. Organic fluxes were significantly increased compared with the control, particularly affecting the content of dissolved substances and short-chain fatty acids during anaerobic digestion. Mechanistic exploration showed that the adsorption of Cd by PVC-MPs was higher than that of sludge-substrate, which reduced the bioavailability of Cd by anaerobes, as evidenced by the increased anaerobes driven carbon flux from solid-phase to bio-methane during anaerobic digestion. Overall, these findings identified important factors in determining the toxicity of pollutants on anaerobic digestion process, providing precise data for toxicity evaluation of MPs and metals in anaerobic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuran Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China.
| | - Qian Deng
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Ministry of Education), Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Mingting Du
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Ministry of Education), Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Qi Lu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Ministry of Education), Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Wenneng Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Quality Improvement and Ecological Restoration for Watersheds, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China.
| | - Dongbo Wang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Ministry of Education), Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China.
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13
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Ding Q, Yu J, Wang D, You J. Mutual effects of microplastics and microbes: tiny things have big impacts. Future Microbiol 2023; 18:159-162. [PMID: 36916608 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2022-0237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Qi Ding
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution & Health, Center for Environmental Microplastics Studies, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511443, China
| | - Jing Yu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution & Health, Center for Environmental Microplastics Studies, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511443, China
| | - Dali Wang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution & Health, Center for Environmental Microplastics Studies, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511443, China
| | - Jing You
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution & Health, Center for Environmental Microplastics Studies, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511443, China
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14
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Wang Z, Wang H, Nie Q, Ding Y, Lei Z, Zhang Z, Shimizu K, Yuan T. Pb(II) bioremediation using fresh algal-bacterial aerobic granular sludge and its underlying mechanisms highlighting the role of extracellular polymeric substances. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 444:130452. [PMID: 36435038 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Lead (Pb) discharged from rural industries poses a significant threat to the environment and human health. Algal-bacterial aerobic granular sludge (A-B AGS) is a promising alternative for sewage treatment with high efficiency and good settleability. In this study, Pb(II) biosorption using fresh A-B AGS was investigated for the first time. The important role of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) was revealed with the involved mechanisms being clarified. The desorbents for Pb recovery from Pb-loaded A-B AGS were also screened. Results showed that A-B AGS has an excellent maximum Pb adsorption capacity of 72.4 mg·g-1 at pH 6.0. EPS plays an important role in keeping microbial activity, Pb bonding, and providing metal ions (Ca, Na and Mg) for Pb ion exchanges. Electrostatic interaction, ion exchange, and bonding to functional groups may occur orderly in the Pb biosorption process and the formation of pyromorphite (Pb5(PO4)3Cl) contributes to Pb biosorption. About 66 % of the adsorbed Pb was accumulated in the A-B AGS microbial cells. Na2EDTA (0.05 M) can recover 60.3 % of the loaded Pb with the highest microbial activity of granules being remained. All the findings will provide the theoretical basis for the large-scale application of A-B AGS to bioremediate Pb(II)-containing wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwei Wang
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
| | - Hanxiao Wang
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
| | - Qi Nie
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
| | - Yi Ding
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
| | - Zhongfang Lei
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
| | - Zhenya Zhang
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
| | - Kazuya Shimizu
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
| | - Tian Yuan
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan.
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15
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing-Jie Ni
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
| | - Kevin V Thomas
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Eun-Ju Kim
- Water Cycle Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, South Korea
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16
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Wang Z, Hu X, Qu Q, Hao W, Deng P, Kang W, Feng R. Dual regulatory effects of microplastics and heat waves on river microbial carbon metabolism. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 441:129879. [PMID: 36084464 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129879] [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: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Rivers play a critical role in the global carbon cycle, but the processes can be affected by widespread microplastic (MP) pollution and the increasing frequency of heat waves (HWs) in a warming climate. However, little is known about the role of river microbes in regulating the carbon cycle under the combined action of MP pollution and HWs. Here, through seven-day MP exposure and three cycles of HW simulation experiments, we found that MPs inhibited the thermal adaptation of the microbial community, thus regulating carbon metabolism. The CO2 release level increased, while the carbon degradation ability and the preference for stable carbon were inhibited. Metabonomic, 16 S rRNA and ITS gene analyses further revealed that the regulation of carbon metabolism was closely related to the microbial r-/K- strategy, community assembly and transformation of keystone taxa. The random forest model revealed that dissolved oxygen and ammonia-nitrogen were important variables influencing microbial carbon metabolism. The above findings regarding microbe-mediated carbon metabolism provide insights into the effect of climate-related HWs on the ecological risks of MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongwei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education),Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Xiangang Hu
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education),Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Qian Qu
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education),Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Weidan Hao
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education),Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Peng Deng
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education),Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Weilu Kang
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education),Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Ruihong Feng
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education),Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
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17
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Wang C, Wei W, Chen Z, Wang Y, Chen X, Ni BJ. Polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics distinctively affect anaerobic sludge treatment for hydrogen and methane production. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 850:158085. [PMID: 35981580 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics and nanoplastics generally accumulated in waste activated sludge (WAS) after biological wastewater treatment. Currently, researches mainly focused on how plastics affected a particular sludge treatment method, without the comparison of different sludge systems. Herein, distinct responses of hydrogen-producing and methane-producing sludge systems were comprehensively evaluated with polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) and nanoplastics (PS-NPs) existence. Experimental results showed that PS particles would stimulate inhibition on anaerobic gas production except that PS-MPs were conducive to hydrogen accumulation, which was caused by the enhanced solubilization. Mechanistic investigation demonstrated that severe inhibition of PS-NPs to hydrogen production was derived from the excessively inhibitory hydrolysis despite of improving solubilization. Varying degrees of inhibition to acidification and methanation collectively contributed to reduced methane accumulation with exposure to PS-MPs and PS-NPs. Excessive oxidative stress would be generated in the presence of PS-MPs or PS-NPs, deteriorating microbial activities and richness of species responsible for hydrogen or methane production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Zhijie Chen
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Yun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xueming Chen
- Fujian Provincial Engineering Research Center of Rural Waste Recycling Technology, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fujian 350116, China
| | - Bing-Jie Ni
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
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18
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Wang S, Wang X, Fessler M, Jin B, Su Y, Zhang Y. Insights into the impact of polyethylene microplastics on methane recovery from wastewater via bioelectrochemical anaerobic digestion. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 221:118844. [PMID: 35949067 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Bioelectrochemical anaerobic digestion (BEAD) is a promising next-generation technology for simultaneous wastewater treatment and bioenergy recovery. While knowledge on the inhibitory effect of emerging pollutants, such as microplastics, on the conventional wastewater anaerobic digestion processes is increasing, the impact of microplastics on the BEAD process remains unknown. This study shows that methane production decreased by 30.71% when adding 10 mg/L polyethylene microplastics (PE-MP) to the BEAD systems. The morphology of anaerobic granular sludge, which was the biocatalysts in the BEAD, changed with microbes shedding and granule crack when PE-MP existed. Additionally, the presence of PE-MP shifted the microbial communities, leading to a lower diversity but higher richness and tight clustering. Moreover, fewer fermentative bacteria, acetogens, and hydrogenotrophic methanogens (BEAD enhanced) grew under PE-MP stress, suggesting that PE-MP had an inhibitory effect on the methanogenic pathways. Furthermore, the abundance of genes relevant to extracellular electron transfer (omcB and mtrC) and methanogens (hupL and mcrA) decreased. The electron transfer efficiency reduced with extracellular cytochrome c down and a lower electron transfer system activity. Finally, phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states analysis predicted the decrease of key methanogenic enzymes, including EC 1.1.1.1 (Alcohol dehydrogenase), EC 1.2.99.5 (Formylmethanofuran dehydrogenase), and EC 2.8.4.1 (Coenzyme-B sulfoethylthiotransferase). Altogether, these results provide insight into the inhibition mechanism of microplastics in wastewater methane recovery and further optimisation of the BEAD process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Wang
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby DK-2800, Denmark
| | - Xueting Wang
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby DK-2800, Denmark; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China
| | - Mathias Fessler
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby DK-2800, Denmark
| | - Biao Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Yanyan Su
- Carlsberg Research Laboratory, Bjerregaardsvej 5, Valby 2500, Denmark.
| | - Yifeng Zhang
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby DK-2800, Denmark.
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