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Wang H, Liao W, Zhou Q. An in-depth analysis of microbial response to exposure to high concentrations of microplastics in anaerobic wastewater fermentation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 953:176133. [PMID: 39250975 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176133] [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: 07/15/2024] [Revised: 09/06/2024] [Accepted: 09/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
The impact of microplastics (MPs) in anaerobic wastewater treatment on microbial metabolism is significant. Anaerobic granular sludge (AS) and biofilm (BF) are two common ways, and their responses to microplastics will have a direct impact on their application potential. This study investigated the microbial reactions of AS and BF to three types of MPs: polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and a mixture of both (MIX). Results exhibited that MPs reduced methane output by 44.65 %, 55.89 %, and 53.18 %, elevated short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels by 95.93 %, 124.49 %, and 110.78 %, and lowered chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal by 28.77 %, 36.78 %, and 33.99 % for PE-MP, PVC-MP, and MIX-MP, respectively, with PVC-MP showing the greatest inhibition. Meanwhile, microplastics also facilitated the relative production of reactive oxygen species (ROS, 40.29 %-96.99 %), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, 20.01 %-75.02 %), and adenosine triphosphate (ATP, 26.64 %-43.80 %), while reducing cytochrome c (cyt c, 23.60 %-49.02 %) and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS, 17.44 %-26.58 %). AS and BF displayed distinct enzymatic activities under MPs exposure. Correspondingly, 16S-rRNA sequencing indicated that AS was mainly involved in acetate generation by Firmicutes, while BF performed polysaccharide degradation by Bacteroidota. Metatranscriptomic analysis showed AS to be rich in acetogens (Bacillus, Syntrophobacter) and methanogens (Methanothrix, Methanobacterium), while BF contained more fermentation bacteria (Mesotoga, Lentimicrobium) and electroactive microorganisms (Clostridium, Desulfuromonas) under MIX-MP. Moreover, BF exhibited higher glycolysis gene expression, whereas AS was more active in methane metabolism, primarily through the acetoclastic methanogenic pathway's direct acetate conversion. This study provides new insights into understanding the microbial response produced by microplastics during anaerobic wastewater digestion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- College of Life Science, China West Normal University, Nanchong 637009, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Carbon Neutrality Science Center, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Wenbo Liao
- College of Life Science, China West Normal University, Nanchong 637009, China.
| | - Qixing Zhou
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Carbon Neutrality Science Center, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
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2
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Wang H, Zhou Q. Electric stimulation mitigated the mixed microplastic inhibition to anaerobic digestion during wastewater treatment. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 359:124753. [PMID: 39153540 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124753] [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: 07/25/2024] [Revised: 08/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
The presence of mixed microplastics (MPs) in anaerobic wastewater treatment processes has been shown to impede fermentation performance by suppressing microbial activity. Microbial electrosynthesis (MES), with its extensive potential, offers a promising solution for refractory substances management and methane recovery, achieved through the enhancement of microbial metabolism and interspecies electron transfer. This study, therefore, delves into the functional impacts and the microbial response to MES in the remediation of wastewater contaminated with mixed-MPs. Results indicated that mixed-MPs could inhibit methane production (-52.38%) and substance removal (-26.59%), and MES could effectively mitigate this inhibitory effect (-22.86%, -19.01%). Concurrently, MES also boosts enzymatic activities pivotal for electron transfer, such as cytochrome c and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), as well as those linked to energy metabolism like adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Furthermore, MES bolsters microbial resistance to mixed-MPs, as evidenced by an increase in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), albeit with a minor rise in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. Correspondingly, electric stimulation promoted the enrichment of functional microorganisms associated with fermentation, acetate production, electrogenesis, and methanogenesis, and stimulated elevated expression levels of genes related to methane metabolism. Notably, the Methanothrix-mediated acetoclastic pathway emerges as the predominant methanogenic route, succeeded by the Methanobacterium-driven hydrogenotrophic pathway. Lastly, the study underscores the supportive role of applied voltage and carriers in energy metabolism and substance transport, which are associated with methanogenesis. Overall, MES demonstrates efficacy in mitigating the biotoxicity induced by mixed-MPs exposure and in enhancing anaerobic wastewater treatment and methane recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- College of Life Science, China West Normal University, Nanchong 637009, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria / Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Carbon Neutrality Science Center, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Qixing Zhou
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria / Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Carbon Neutrality Science Center, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
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3
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Quartaroli L, Sakamoto PB, Moruzzi RB, da Silva GHR. Microalgae separation in MP-PVC contaminated wastewater using plant-based coagulant over different extraction methods in Bauru, Brazil. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 370:122713. [PMID: 39368380 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2024] [Revised: 08/27/2024] [Accepted: 09/28/2024] [Indexed: 10/07/2024]
Abstract
This study investigates the effectiveness of coagulation-flocculation and sedimentation (CFS) for separating microalgae, focusing on the use of various Moringa oleifera extracts as natural coagulants. We examined photobioreactor effluent (PBR) both with and without microplastic PVC (MP-PVC) contamination, referred to as PBR R2 and PBR R1, respectively. Utilising response surface methodology, we identified optimal conditions for the removal of microalgae and MP-PVC. Validation tests demonstrated that the aqueous extract of delipidated Moringa oleifera powder (AEDMOP) achieved high removal efficiencies, with coagulant dosages of 630 mg L-1 for PBR R1 and 625 mg L-1 for PBR R2. Both conditions showed microalgae removal efficiencies exceeding 83% for turbidity, colour, OD540 nm, OD680 nm, and OD750 nm, and 63% for OD254 nm. Interestingly, the optimised conditions for PBR R2 required slightly less coagulant, likely due to the additional particulate matter from MP-PVC. While extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) exhibited a marginal effect on flocculation, further investigation into their role in CFS is necessary. Our findings highlight the potential of AEDMOP for efficient microalgae separation, even in the presence of microplastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Quartaroli
- Bauru College of Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Engenheiro Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube, 14-01, Vargem Limpa, 17033-360, Bauru, SP, Brazil.
| | - Patrícia Bragança Sakamoto
- Bauru College of Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Engenheiro Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube, 14-01, Vargem Limpa, 17033-360, Bauru, SP, Brazil.
| | - Rodrigo Braga Moruzzi
- Science and Technology Institute of São José dos Campos, Department of Environmental Engineering, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Engenheiro Francisco José Longo, 777, Jardim São Dimas, 12245-000, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil.
| | - Gustavo Henrique Ribeiro da Silva
- Bauru College of Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Engenheiro Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube, 14-01, Vargem Limpa, 17033-360, Bauru, SP, Brazil.
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Gong K, Hu S, Zhang W, Peng C, Tan J. Topic modeling discovers trending topics in global research on the ecosystem impacts of microplastics. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2024; 46:425. [PMID: 39316202 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-024-02218-6] [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: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
The ecological threats of microplastics (MPs) have sparked research worldwide. However, changes in the topics of MP research over time and space have not been evaluated quantitatively, making it difficult to identify the next frontiers. Here, we apply topic modeling to assess global spatiotemporal dynamics of MP research. We identified nine leading topics in current MP research. Over time, MP research topics have switched from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems, from distribution to fate, from ingestion to toxicology, and from physiological toxicity to cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. In most of the nine leading topics, a disproportionate amount of independent and collaborative research activity was conducted in and between a few developed countries which is detrimental to understanding the environmental fates of MPs in a global context. This review recognizes the urgent need for more attention to emerging topics in MP research, particularly in regions that are heavily impacted but currently overlooked.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kailin Gong
- School of Resource and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Shuangqing Hu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, Shanghai Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- School of Resource and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Cheng Peng
- School of Resource and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China.
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, Shanghai Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shanghai, 200233, China.
- Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai, 200092, China.
| | - Jiaqi Tan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA.
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Chen C, Lai H, Deng Y, Cao J, Chen J, Jin S, Wu W, Sun D, Zhang C. Response of sedimentary microbial community and antibiotic resistance genes to aged Micro(Nano)plastics exposure under high hydrostatic pressure. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 480:135942. [PMID: 39326153 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2024] [Revised: 08/29/2024] [Accepted: 09/21/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024]
Abstract
Several studies reported that the presence of microplastics (MPs)/nanoplastics (NPs) in marine environments can alter microbial community and function. Yet, the impact of aged MPs/NPs on deep sea sedimentary ecosystems under high hydrostatic pressure remains insufficiently explored. Herein, the sedimentary microbial community composition, co-occurrence network, assembly, and transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in response to aged MPs/NPs were investigated. Compared with the control, NPs addition significantly reduced bacterial alpha diversity (p < 0.05), whereas MPs showed no significant impact (p > 0.05). Moreover, networks under NPs exhibited decreased complexity than that under MPs and the control, including edges, average degree, and the number of keystone. The assembly of the microbial community was primarily governed by stochastic processes, and aged MPs/NPs increased the importance of stochastic processes. Moreover, exposure to MPs/NPs for one month decreased the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) (from 94.8 to 36.2 TPM), while exposure for four months increased the abundance (from 40.6 to 88.1 TPM), and the shift of ARGs in sediment was driven by both functional modules and microbial community. This study is crucial for understanding the stress imposed by aged MPs/NPs on sedimentary ecosystems under high hydrostatic pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunlei Chen
- Institute of Marine Biology and pharmacology, Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hongfei Lai
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, Guangdong, China; Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, Guangzhou 510075, Guangdong, China
| | - Yinan Deng
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, Guangdong, China; Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, Guangzhou 510075, Guangdong, China.
| | - Jun Cao
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, Guangdong, China; Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, Guangzhou 510075, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiawang Chen
- Donghai laboratory, Zhoushan 316021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shidi Jin
- Institute of Marine Biology and pharmacology, Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Weimin Wu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, William & Cloy Codiga Resource Recovery Center, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-4020
| | - Dan Sun
- Institute of Marine Biology and pharmacology, Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chunfang Zhang
- Institute of Marine Biology and pharmacology, Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316021, Zhejiang, China.
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Zhuo T, Yu K, Chai B, Tang Q, Gao X, Wang J, He L, Lei X, Li Y, Meng Y, Wu L, Chen B. Microplastics increase the microbial functional potential of greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution in a freshwater lake: A metagenomic study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 257:119250. [PMID: 38844031 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119250] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
Aquatic ecosystems are being increasingly polluted by microplastics (MPs), which calls for an understanding of how MPs affect microbially driven biogenic element cycling in water environments. A 28-day incubation experiment was conducted using freshwater lake water added with three polymer types of MPs (i.e., polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene) separately or in combination at a concentration of 1 items/L. The effects of various MPs on microbial communities and functional genes related to carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur cycling were analyzed using metagenomics. Results showed that Sphingomonas and Novosphingobium, which were indicator taxa (genus level) in the polyethylene treatment group, made the largest functional contribution to biogenic element cycling. Following the addition of MPs, the relative abundances of genes related to methane oxidation (e.g., hdrD, frhB, accAB) and denitrification (napABC, nirK, norB) increased. These changes were accompanied by increased relative abundances of genes involved in organic phosphorus mineralization (e.g., phoAD) and sulfate reduction (cysHIJ), as well as decreased relative abundances of genes involved in phosphate transport (phnCDE) and the SOX system. Findings of this study underscore that MPs, especially polyethylene, increase the potential of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2, N2O) and water pollution (PO43-, H2S) in freshwater lakes at the functional gene level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyu Zhuo
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, 056038, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Intelligent Regulation and Comprehensive Management of Water Resources, School of Water Conservancy and Hydroelectric, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, 056038, China
| | - Kehong Yu
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, 056038, China
| | - Beibei Chai
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Intelligent Regulation and Comprehensive Management of Water Resources, School of Water Conservancy and Hydroelectric, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, 056038, China; Hebei Key Laboratory of Intelligent Water Conservancy, School of Water Conservancy and Hydroelectric, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, 056038, China.
| | - Qingfeng Tang
- Beijing Center for Physical & Chemical Analysis, Beijing, 100089, China
| | - Xia Gao
- Beijing Center for Physical & Chemical Analysis, Beijing, 100089, China
| | - Jiamin Wang
- Beijing Center for Physical & Chemical Analysis, Beijing, 100089, China
| | - Lixin He
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Intelligent Regulation and Comprehensive Management of Water Resources, School of Water Conservancy and Hydroelectric, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, 056038, China
| | - Xiaohui Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 100038, China
| | - Yang Li
- School of Energy and Environment, Zhongyuan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, 450007, China
| | - Yuan Meng
- School of Water Conservancy and Hydroelectric Power, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, 056038, China; School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, 056038, China
| | - Lifeng Wu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Intelligent Water Conservancy, School of Water Conservancy and Hydroelectric, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, 056038, China
| | - Bin Chen
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China; Innovation Center for Water Pollution Control and Water Ecological Remediation, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, 056038, China.
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Zheng P, Li Y, Cheng Y, Shen J. Mechanism Involved in Polyvinyl Chloride Nanoplastics Induced Anaerobic Granular Sludge Disintegration: Microbial Interaction Energy, EPS Molecular Structure, and Metabolism Functions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:11542-11553. [PMID: 38871676 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c01925] [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: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Nanoplastics (NPs) are emerging pollutants and have been reported to cause the disintegration of anaerobic granular sludge (AnGS). However, the mechanism involved in AnGS disintegration was not clear. In this study, polyvinyl chloride nanoplastics (PVC-NPs) were chosen as target NPs and their long-term impact on AnGS structure was investigated. Results showed that increasing PVC-NPs concentration resulted in the inhibition of acetoclastic methanogens, syntrophic propionate, and butyrate degradation, as well as AnGS disintegration. At the presence of 50 μg·L-1 PVC-NPs, the hydrophobic interaction was weakened with a higher energy barrier due to the relatively higher hydrophilic functional groups in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). PVC-NPs-induced ROS inhibited quorum sensing, significantly downregulated hydrophobic amino acid synthesis, whereas it highly upregulated the genes related to the synthesis of four hydrophilic amino acids (Cys, Glu, Gly, and Lys), resulting in a higher hydrophily degree of protein secondary structure in EPS. The differential expression of genes involved in EPS biosynthesis and the resulting protein secondary structure contributed to the greater hydrophilic interaction, reducing microbial aggregation ability. The findings provided new insight into the long-term impact of PVC-NPs on AnGS when treating wastewater containing NPs and filled the knowledge gap on the mechanism involved in AnGS disintegration by PVC-NPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Yan Li
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Youpeng Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Jinyou Shen
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
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Yang Y, Li G, Li Z, Lu L. The roles of typical emerging pollutants on N 2O emissions during biological nitrogen removal from wastewater. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 930:172851. [PMID: 38685430 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
N2O as a potent greenhouse gas often generates in the biological nitrogen removal (BNR) processes during wastewater treatment, which makes BNR become an important greenhouse gas emission source. The emerging pollutants (EPs) are ubiquitous in wastewater and they have shown to influence the BNR processes. However, the deep discussion on potential impacts of EPs on N2O emissions during BNR is rare. Moreover, the experimental parameters for EPs investigation in most of literatures are generally not in line with real-world BNR processes, which calls for deep elucidating the roles of EPs on N2O production and emission. In this work, a critical review summarizes the existing literature about influences of typical EPs on N2O emissions and associated mechanisms during BNR, and it discusses the impacts of some easily overlooked factors, such as real EPs environmental concentrations, EPs bioaccumulation, and multiple EPs coexistence on N2O emissions. This review will provide an insight into exploring and mitigating threats posed by typical EPs on N2O emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Guifeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zhida Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Lu Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, China.
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Wu T, Ding J, Zhao YJ, Ding L, Zang Y, Sun HJ, Zhong L, Pang JW, Li Y, Ren NQ, Yang SS. Microplastics shaped performance, microbial ecology and community assembly in simultaneous nitrification, denitrification and phosphorus removal process. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 929:172651. [PMID: 38653406 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172651] [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: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
The widespread use of microplastics (MPs) has led to an increase in their discharge to wastewater treatment plants. However, the knowledge of impact of MPs on macro-performance and micro-ecology in simultaneous nitrification, denitrification, and phosphorus removal (SNDPR) systems is limited, hampering the understanding of potential risks posed by MPs. This study firstly comprehensively investigated the performance, species interactions, and community assembly under polystyrene (PS) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) exposure in SNDPR systems. The results showed under PS (1, 10 mg/L) and PVC (1, 10 mg/L) exposure, total nitrogen removal was reduced by 3.38-10.15 %. PS and PVC restrained the specific rates of nitrite and nitrate reduction (SNIRR, SNRR), as well as the activities of nitrite and nitrate reductase enzymes (NIR, NR). The specific ammonia oxidation rate (SAOR) and activity of ammonia oxidase enzyme (AMO) were reduced only at 10 mg/L PVC. PS and PVC enhanced the size of co-occurrence networks, niche breadth, and number of key species while decreasing microbial cooperation by 5.85-13.48 %. Heterogeneous selection dominated microbial community assembly, and PS and PVC strengthened the contribution of stochastic processes. PICRUSt prediction further revealed some important pathways were blocked by PS and PVC. Together, the reduced TN removal under PS and PVC exposure can be attributed to the inhibition of SAOR, SNRR, and SNIRR, the restrained activities of NIR, NR, and AMO, the changes in species interactions and community assembly mechanisms, and the suppression of some essential metabolic pathways. This paper offers a new perspective on comprehending the effects of MPs on SNDPR systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Wu
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012, China; 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
| | - Ying-Jun Zhao
- Zhe Jiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group CO., Ltd, China
| | - Lan Ding
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012, China.
| | - Yani Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Han-Jun Sun
- 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
| | - Ji-Wei Pang
- China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group, CECEP Digital Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing 100096, 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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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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11
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Sethulekshmi S, Shriwastav A. Long-term presence of microplastics in aerobic and anaerobic sequential batch reactors: Effect on treatment, microbial diversity, and microplastics morphology. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 250:121029. [PMID: 38142505 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.121029] [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: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Sewage treatment plants (STPs) are identified as the significant sink and source of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic bodies and terrestrial systems. A major fraction of MPs gets retained in STPs for a longer duration, and their potentiality for secondary MPs generation and additives leaching remain under investigated. Therefore, this study focussed on the effect of long-term exposure of aerobic and anaerobic biological sewage treatment units on MPs, along with the effect of MPs on treatment efficiency and microbial consortium. A mixture of polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, and nylon MPs at 262 MPs/L was spiked in the aerobic and anaerobic sequential batch reactors (SBRs) for 120 days at the start of study. The study revealed a release of noteworthy fraction of secondary MPs into the reactors from spiked MPs. At the end of 120th day, the presence of secondary generated MPs was estimated as 1000 ± 71 MPs/L and 650±141 MPs/L in aerobic and anaerobic SBRs respectively. Most of the observed secondary MPs were of size < 300 µm. Leaching of additives, i.e. cyclohexylamine, cyclotetradecane, octadecanol, pipericine etc., into the SBR effluents were also observed. The depuration capacities of the reactors were not affected with the presence of MPs during the study. While the microbial diversity and abundance were negatively impacted in aerobic SBRs, no such impacts were observed in anaerobic SBRs due to MPs. These results do suggest such exposures to potentially cause secondary MPs and chemical pollution in receiving matrices for the treated effluent, as well as effect on the native microbial community.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Sethulekshmi
- Environmental Science and Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400 076, India
| | - Amritanshu Shriwastav
- Environmental Science and Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400 076, India.
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12
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Kudzin MH, Piwowarska D, Festinger N, Chruściel JJ. Risks Associated with the Presence of Polyvinyl Chloride in the Environment and Methods for Its Disposal and Utilization. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 17:173. [PMID: 38204025 PMCID: PMC10779931 DOI: 10.3390/ma17010173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Plastics have recently become an indispensable part of everyone's daily life due to their versatility, durability, light weight, and low production costs. The increasing production and use of plastics poses great environmental problems due to their incomplete utilization, a very long period of biodegradation, and a negative impact on living organisms. Decomposing plastics lead to the formation of microplastics, which accumulate in the environment and living organisms, becoming part of the food chain. The contamination of soils and water with poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) seriously threatens ecosystems around the world. Their durability and low weight make microplastic particles easily transported through water or air, ending up in the soil. Thus, the problem of microplastic pollution affects the entire ecosystem. Since microplastics are commonly found in both drinking and bottled water, humans are also exposed to their harmful effects. Because of existing risks associated with the PVC microplastic contamination of the ecosystem, intensive research is underway to develop methods to clean and remove it from the environment. The pollution of the environment with plastic, and especially microplastic, results in the reduction of both water and soil resources used for agricultural and utility purposes. This review provides an overview of PVC's environmental impact and its disposal options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin H. Kudzin
- Łukasiewicz Research Network—Lodz Institute of Technology, 19/27 Marii Sklodowskiej-Curie Str., 90-570 Łódź, Poland; (M.H.K.); (D.P.); (N.F.)
- Circular Economy Center (BCG), Environmental Protection Engineering Research Group, Brzezińska 5/15, 92-103 Łódź, Poland
| | - Dominika Piwowarska
- Łukasiewicz Research Network—Lodz Institute of Technology, 19/27 Marii Sklodowskiej-Curie Str., 90-570 Łódź, Poland; (M.H.K.); (D.P.); (N.F.)
- Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, University of Lodz, 21/23 Jana Matejki Str., 90-237 Łódź, Poland
- UNESCO Chair on Ecohydrology and Applied Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 12/16 Banacha Str., 90-232 Łódź, Poland
- European Regional Centre for Ecohydrology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Tylna Str., 90-364 Łódź, Poland
| | - Natalia Festinger
- Łukasiewicz Research Network—Lodz Institute of Technology, 19/27 Marii Sklodowskiej-Curie Str., 90-570 Łódź, Poland; (M.H.K.); (D.P.); (N.F.)
- Circular Economy Center (BCG), Environmental Protection Engineering Research Group, Brzezińska 5/15, 92-103 Łódź, Poland
| | - Jerzy J. Chruściel
- Łukasiewicz Research Network—Lodz Institute of Technology, 19/27 Marii Sklodowskiej-Curie Str., 90-570 Łódź, Poland; (M.H.K.); (D.P.); (N.F.)
- Circular Economy Center (BCG), Environmental Protection Engineering Research Group, Brzezińska 5/15, 92-103 Łódź, Poland
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13
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Zhao W, Hu T, Ma H, He S, Zhao Q, Jiang J, Wei L. Deciphering the role of polystyrene microplastics in waste activated sludge anaerobic digestion: Changes of organics transformation, microbial community and metabolic pathway. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 901:166551. [PMID: 37633377 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166551] [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: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are ubiquitous in the natural environment, which inevitably affect the relevant biochemical process. Nevertheless, the knowledge about the impacts of microplastics on organics transformation and corresponding microbial metabolism response in anaerobic environment is limited. Here, polystyrene (PS) microplastics were selected as model microplastics to explore their potential impacts on organics transformation, microbial community and metabolic pathway during sludge anaerobic digestion system operation. The results indicated that the PS microplastics exhibited the dose-dependent effects on methane production, i.e., the additive of 20-40 particles/g TS of PS microplastics improved the maximum methane yield by 3.38 %-8.22 %, whereas 80-160 particles/g TS additive led to a 4.78 %-11.04 % declining. Overall, PS microplastics facilitated the solubilization and hydrolysis of sludge, but inhibited the acidogenesis process. Key functional enzyme activities were stimulated under low PS microplastics exposure, whereas were almost severely inhibited due to the increased oxidative stress induced from excess PS microplastics. Microbial community and further metabolic analysis indicated that low PS microplastics improved the acetotrophic and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis, while a high level of PS microplastics shifted methanogenesis from acetotrophic to hydrogenotrophic pathway. Further analysis showed that the reacted PS microplastics exhibited greater toxicity and ecological than the raw PS microplastics due to that they are more likely to adsorb contaminants. These findings revealed the dosage-dependent relationships between microplastics and organics transformation process in anaerobic environments, providing new insights for assessing the impact of PS microplastics on sludge anaerobic digestion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weixin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Tianyi Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Hao Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Shufei He
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Qingliang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Junqiu Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Liangliang Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
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14
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Guo H, Liu S, Wang Y, Hou J, Zhu T, Liu Y. A novel free nitrous acid (FNA)-generation pathway via ferric salts hydrolysis to mitigate sulfide and methane production in sewer: Insights into the performance and microbial mechanisms. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 459:132284. [PMID: 37591170 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132284] [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: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Ferric chloride (FeCl3) served as a solid acid has attracted attention recently. However, the feasibility of FeCl3 combined with nitrite for free nitrous acid (FNA) generation in controlling sulfide and methane as well as the triggering mechanisms in the complex syntrophic consortium (i.e., sewer biofilm) remain largely unknown. This work disclosed FeCl3 as an alternative acid source could obtain comparable sulfide and methane mitigations at a low FNA dose (i.e., 0.26 mg N/L), compared to that of HCl acid source. Whereas, a faster recovery rate of sulfide production was observed using FeCl3 under a higher FNA dose (i.e., 0.81 mg N/L) despite the methane control still being comparable. The toxicological mechanisms revealed FNA reacted with proteins amide Ⅰ in extracellular polymeric substances and destroyed protein hydrogen bond. Enzymatic and genic analysis unveiled the overall suppression of hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis, sulfidogenesis and methanogenesis steps due to the inactivation of viable cells by reactive nitrogen species. Economic and environmental assessments demonstrated that the ferric-based FNA strategy reduced chemical costs and N2O emission (ca. 26.5% decrease) compared to the traditional HCl-based FNA method. This work broadens the application of iron salt-based technology in urban water system, together with understanding the biological mechanisms of FNA-based technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haixiao Guo
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Siru Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yufen Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Jiaqi Hou
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Tingting Zhu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yiwen Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
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15
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Jafarzadeh S, Forough M, Kouzegaran VJ, Zargar M, Garavand F, Azizi-Lalabadi M, Abdollahi M, Jafari SM. Improving the functionality of biodegradable food packaging materials via porous nanomaterials. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf 2023; 22:2850-2886. [PMID: 37115945 DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.13164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Non-biodegradability and disposal problems are the major challenges associated with synthetic plastic packaging. This review article discusses a new generation of biodegradable active and smart packaging based on porous nanomaterials (PNMs), which maintains the quality and freshness of food products while meeting biodegradability requirements. PNMs have recently gained significant attention in the field of food packaging due to their large surface area, peculiar structures, functional flexibility, and thermal stability. We present for the first time the recently published literature on the incorporation of various PNMs into renewable materials to develop advanced, environmentally friendly, and high-quality packaging technology. Various emerging packaging technologies are discussed in this review, along with their advantages and disadvantages. Moreover, it provides general information about PNMs, their characterization, and fabrication methods. It also briefly describes the effects of different PNMs on the functionality of biopolymeric films. Furthermore, we examined how smart packaging loaded with PNMs can improve food shelf life and reduce food waste. The results indicate that PNMs play a critical role in improving the antimicrobial, thermal, physicochemical, and mechanical properties of natural packaging materials. These tailor-made materials can simultaneously extend the shelf life of food while reducing plastic usage and food waste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shima Jafarzadeh
- School of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Mehrdad Forough
- Department of Chemistry, Middle East Technical University, Çankaya, Turkey
| | | | - Masoumeh Zargar
- School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Farhad Garavand
- Department of Food Chemistry and Technology, Teagasc Moorepark Food Research Centre, Fermoy, Ireland
| | - Maryam Azizi-Lalabadi
- Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH), Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Mehdi Abdollahi
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering-Food and Nutrition Science, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Seid Mahdi Jafari
- Department of Food Materials and Process Design Engineering, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran
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16
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Luo T, Wei W, Ni BJ. Reply for comment on "Different microplastics distinctively enriched the antibiotic resistance genes in anaerobic sludge digestion through shifting specific hosts and promoting horizontal gene flow [Water Research 228 (2023), 119356]". WATER RESEARCH 2023; 236:119928. [PMID: 37028270 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tianyi Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, PR 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
- 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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17
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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: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [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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18
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Song F, Li T, Wu F, Leung KMY, Hur J, Zhou L, Bai Y, Zhao X, He W, Ruan M. Temperature-Dependent Molecular Evolution of Biochar-Derived Dissolved Black Carbon and Its Interaction Mechanism with Polyvinyl Chloride Microplastics. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:7285-7297. [PMID: 37098046 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c01463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Biochar-derived dissolved black carbon (DBC) molecules are dependent on the BC formation temperature and affect the fate of emerging contaminants in waters, such as polyvinyl chloride microplastic (MPPVC). However, the temperature-dependent evolution and MPPVC-interaction of DBC molecules remain unclear. Herein, we propose a novel DBC-MPPVC interaction mechanism by systematically interpreting heterogeneous correlations, sequential responses, and synergistic relationships of thousands of molecules and their linking functional groups. Two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy was proposed to combine Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry and spectroscopic datasets. Increased temperature caused diverse DBC molecules and fluorophores, accompanied by molecular transformation from saturation/reduction to unsaturation/oxidation with high carbon oxidation states, especially for molecules with acidic functional groups. The temperature response of DBC molecules detected via negative-/positive-ion electrospray ionization sequentially occurred in unsaturated hydrocarbons → lignin-like → condensed aromatic → lipid-/aliphatic-/peptide-like → tannin-like → carbohydrate-like molecules. DBC molecular changes induced by temperature and MPPVC interaction were closely coordinated, with lignin-like molecules contributing the most to the interaction. Functional groups in DBC molecules with m/z < 500 showed a sequential MPPVC-interaction response of phenol/aromatic ether C-O, alkene C═C/amide C═O → polysaccharides C-O → alcohol/ether/carbohydrate C-O groups. These findings help to elucidate the critical role of DBCs in MP environmental behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanhao Song
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Tingting Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Fengchang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Kenneth Mei Yee Leung
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Jin Hur
- Department of Environment and Energy, Sejong University, 209 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05006, South Korea
| | - Lingfeng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Yingchen Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Xiaoli Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Wei He
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Environmental Evolution, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
| | - Mingqi Ruan
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
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19
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Wang X, Zhang Y, Zhao Y, Zhang L, Zhang X. Inhibition of aged microplastics and leachates on methane production from anaerobic digestion of sludge and identification of key components. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 446:130717. [PMID: 36610343 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130717] [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: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Large amounts of microplastics (MPs) accumulate in the sludge anaerobic digestion system after being treated by the wastewater treatment plants, inevitably leading to aging and chemicals leaching. However, no information is available about the effects of aged MPs and leachates on the anaerobic digestion of sludge. In this study, the effects of different aged MPs ((polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polylactic acid (PLA)) and leachates on anaerobic methanogenesis of sludge were investigated. PLA-related treatments caused no adverse effects on anaerobic digestion. While PE-, PET-, and PVC-related treatments significantly inhibited methane production with an order of leachates (26.4-42.4 %) > MPs (16.1-22.9 %) > aged MPs (2.4-11.8 %). For different leachates, PET leachate caused the strongest inhibitory effects. The same order was found for the methane potential and hydrolysis coefficient. These results suggest that the inhibition of MPs on methanogenesis is mainly caused by the leachates. Based on biochemical and microbial community analysis, the primary mechanism is that the leachates induce oxidative stress, damaging microbial cells and reducing microbial activity, consequently inhibiting methanogenesis. Furthermore, via effect-directed analysis, methyl benzoate (MB), dimethyl phthalate (DMP), and 2,4-Di-tert-butylphenol (DTBP) were identified as key components in the PET-leachate inhibiting anaerobic methanogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinying Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
| | - Yanping Zhao
- School of Environment, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Nanjing Institute of Geography & Limnology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China
| | - Xuxiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
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20
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Using waste poly(vinyl chloride) to synthesize chloroarenes by plasticizer-mediated electro(de)chlorination. Nat Chem 2023; 15:222-229. [PMID: 36376389 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-022-01078-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
New approaches are needed to both reduce and reuse plastic waste. In this context, poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) is an appealing target as it is the least recycled high-production-volume polymer due to its facile release of plasticizers and corrosive HCl gas. Herein, these limitations become advantageous in a paired-electrolysis reaction in which HCl is intentionally generated from PVC to chlorinate arenes in an air- and moisture-tolerant process that is mediated by the plasticizer. The reaction proceeds efficiently with other plastic waste present and a commercial plasticized PVC product (laboratory tubing) can be used directly. A simplified life-cycle assessment reveals that using PVC waste as the chlorine source in the paired-electrolysis reaction has a lower global warming potential than HCl. Overall, this method should inspire other strategies for repurposing waste PVC and related polymers using electrosynthetic reactions, including those that take advantage of existing polymer additives.
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21
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Gandha Gogoi N, Dutta P, Saikia J, Handique JG. Antioxidant, Antibacterial, and BSA Binding Properties of Curcumin Caffeate Capped Silver Nanoparticles Prepared by Greener Method. ChemistrySelect 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.202203989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nishi Gandha Gogoi
- Department of Chemistry Dibrugarh University 786004 Dibrugarh Assam India
| | - Pankaj Dutta
- Department of Physics Dibrugarh University 786004 Dibrugarh Assam India
| | - Jiban Saikia
- Department of Chemistry Dibrugarh University 786004 Dibrugarh Assam India
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22
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Jachimowicz P, Jo YJ, Cydzik-Kwiatkowska A. Polyethylene microplastics increase extracellular polymeric substances production in aerobic granular sludge. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 851:158208. [PMID: 36028039 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants act as microplastic (MPs) sinks and secondary MP pollution sources. Little is known about the effect of MPs on biomass and the efficiency of biological wastewater treatment. This study assessed the impact of polyethylene (PE) MPs concentrations (1, 10, 50 mg/L) in wastewater on biological conversions and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) production (including alginate) in aerobic granular sludge (AGS). PE MPs did not worsen the efficiency of biological treatment but stimulated the production of EPS and alginate in AGS. The alginate content increased from 238.7 ± 4.4 mg/g MLSS in control to 441.6 ± 13.8 mg/g MLSS at the highest PE load in wastewater. The presence of MP changed AGS morphology and worsened the settling properties of biomass, causing biomass washout from the reactors. At the highest PE load in wastewater, the biomass concentration in the reactor effluent was over 2.8 times higher than in the control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Jachimowicz
- University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Faculty of Geoengineering, Department of Environmental Biotechnology, 10-709 Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Young-Jae Jo
- University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Faculty of Geoengineering, Department of Environmental Biotechnology, 10-709 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Cydzik-Kwiatkowska
- University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Faculty of Geoengineering, Department of Environmental Biotechnology, 10-709 Olsztyn, Poland
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23
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Cydzik-Kwiatkowska A, Milojevic N, Jachimowicz P. The fate of microplastic in sludge management systems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 848:157466. [PMID: 35868371 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157466] [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: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sewage sludge (SS) from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is commonly used as a soil amendment on agricultural land; however, this sludge contains microplastics (MPs) which harm soil ecosystems and can leach into aquatic environments. This review aims to assess the fate of MPs in SS systems and, in the context of a changing agricultural scene, present alternatives for sustainable SS disposal that are consistent with the practices of a clean, circular economy. Anaerobic digestion and composting, which are commonly used to stabilize SS before land application, were not reported to substantially affect MP removal, although process efficiency and the microbiome were affected by MPs. Alternatively, MPs can be destroyed or removed by mono-incineration or combustion, but unfortunately, some MPs may remain in the ash after these processes. Therefore, the most desirable solutions would prevent MPs from entering the environment and remove them before they enter the biological part of a WWTP, where they build up in SS. Additionally, the management of MP-containing sludge must be adapted to the geographical context and the local economy, and it should begin with legislation addressing MPs in SS. The information presented here will help to develop good practices in waste management for preventing or decreasing the transfer of MPs into the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Cydzik-Kwiatkowska
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Słoneczna 45G, 10-709 Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Natalia Milojevic
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Słoneczna 45G, 10-709 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Piotr Jachimowicz
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Słoneczna 45G, 10-709 Olsztyn, Poland
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24
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Sun M, Xiao K, Zhu Y, Ou B, Yu W, Liang S, Hou H, Yuan S, Gan F, Mi R, Yang J. Deciphering the role of microplastic size on anaerobic sludge digestion: Changes of dissolved organic matter, leaching compounds and microbial community. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 214:114032. [PMID: 35952741 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Here the role of microplastic size on dissolved organic matter, leaching compounds and microbial community during anaerobic sludge digestion was evaluated. Compared to that without the addition of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), during the 30 days' incubation, the anaerobic sludge digestion by adding PVC at the size of 75 μm and the concentration of 2.4 g/g volatile solids (VS) showed a 8.5% lower cumulative methane production, while a 17.9% higher cumulative methane production was noted by adding PVC at the size of 3000 μm and the concentration of 2.4 g/g VS. A long-term fed-batch laboratory-scale fermenter test for 147 days further testified, that higher removal efficiencies of total solids, volatile solids, and total chemical oxygen demand, and higher methane production were noted by adding PVC (2.4 g/g VS, 3000 μm) into the fermenter. More interestingly, higher concentrations of proteins, polysaccharides, volatile fatty acids, and soluble microbial by-products component were noted in the liquid phase of sludge drawn from the fermenter added with PVC since the biomass therein showed higher efficiencies of solubilization, hydrolysis, acidification, and methanogenesis. Moreover, as identified from the fermenter added with PVC, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) was the most predominant leaching phthalates compound, although the biomass therein showed a 93.4% anaerobic biodegradability of DBP. The leaching of DBP drove the predominance of microbial community towards Synergistota and Methanosaeta. More irregular elliptical shallow dimples were noted on the PVC surface after 147 days' incubation, accompanied with abundances of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, Chloroflexi, Methanosaeta and Methanobacterium. The results from this study showed that the size of microplastic was a crucial factor in evaluating its impact on anaerobic sludge digestion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Sun
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China
| | - Keke Xiao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China.
| | - Yuwei Zhu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China
| | - Bei Ou
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China
| | - Wenbo Yu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China
| | - Sha Liang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China
| | - Huijie Hou
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China
| | - Shushan Yuan
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China
| | - Fangmao Gan
- Yangtze Ecology and Environment Co. Ltd., 96 Xudong Street, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China
| | - Rongxi Mi
- Yangtze Ecology and Environment Co. Ltd., 96 Xudong Street, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China
| | - Jiakuan Yang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China
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25
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Zhang YT, Wei W, Wang C, Ni BJ. Understanding and mitigating the distinctive stresses induced by diverse microplastics on anaerobic hydrogen-producing granular sludge. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 440:129771. [PMID: 36027748 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129771] [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: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This work comparatively studied the different stress responses of anaerobic hydrogen-producing granular sludge (HPG) to several typical MPs in wastewater, i.e., polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) MPs. A new approach to mitigating the inhibition caused by MPs based on biochar was then proposed. The results displayed that microbe in HPG had diverse tolerances to PE-MPs, PET-MPs and PVC-MPs, with the hydrogen production downgraded to 82.0 ± 3.2 %, 72.3 ± 2.5 % and 66.6 ± 2.3 % (p < 0.05) of control respectively, due to the distinct leachates toxicities and oxidative stress level induced by different MPs. The discrepant mitigation reflected in the hydrogen yields of biochar-based HPGs raised back to 88.7 ± 1.4 %, 85.3 ± 3.8 % and 88.5 ± 3.5 % of control. The MPs induced disintegrated granule morphology, fragile microbial viability and impaired defensive function of extracellular polymeric substances were restored by biochar. The effective mitigation was revealed to be due to the strong adsorption of MPs by biochar, reducing direct contact between microbes and MPs. Biochar addition also enhanced protection for HPG by increasing EPS secretion and weakened the oxidative damage to anaerobes induced by MPs. Biochar manifested the disparate adsorption properties of three MPs. The most superior mitigation in HPG contaminated by PVC-MPs was attributed to the strongest affinity of biochar to PVC-MPs and effective alleviation of PVC leachates toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ting Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Wei Wei
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Chen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR 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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26
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Xu L, Su J, Li K, Hu R, Yan H, Liang E, Zhou Z, Shi J. Performance of hydrogel immobilized bioreactors combined with different iron ore wastes for denitrification and removal of copper and lead: Optimization and possible mechanism. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 225:119196. [PMID: 36206681 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Reasonable and efficient removal of mixed pollutants (nitrate and heavy metals) in industrial wastewater under heavy metal pollution has attracted more attention in recent years. The target strain Aquabacterium sp. XL4 was immobilized with different iron ore wastes (IOW) using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to construct four immobilized bioreactors. The results showed that when the ratio of C/N was 1.5 and the hydraulic retention time (HRT) was 8.0h, the denitrification performance of the bioreactor was the best, and the maximum denitrification efficiency of the bioreactor with sponge iron (SI) as the iron source was 97.19% (2.42mg L-1 h-1). Furthermore, by adjusting the concentration of Cu2+ and Pb2+, the stress behavior of the bioreactor to heavy metals under the influence of each IOW was investigated. The bioreactor has stronger tolerance and removal efficiency to Pb2+ and Cu2+ in the presence of pellets ore (PO) and refined iron ore (RO), respectively. Moreover, the high-throughput data showed that Aquabacterium accounted for a high proportion in the immobilized bioreactor, and the prediction of functional genes based on the KEGG database showed that the addition of IOW was closely related to the acceleration of nitrate transformation and the inflow and outflow of iron in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Xu
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Junfeng Su
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China.
| | - Kai Li
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Ruizhu Hu
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Huan Yan
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Enlei Liang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Zhennan Zhou
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Jun Shi
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
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27
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Zhao Q, Guo W, Luo H, Wang H, Yu T, Liu B, Si Q, Ren N. Dissecting the roles of conductive materials in attenuating antibiotic resistance genes: Evolution of physiological features and bacterial community. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 438:129411. [PMID: 35780739 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129411] [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: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Supplying conductive materials (CMs) into anaerobic bioreactors is considered as a promising technology for antibiotic wastewater treatment. However, whether and how CMs influence antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) spread remains poorly known. Here, we investigated the effects of three CMs, i.e., magnetite, activated carbon (AC), and zero valent iron (ZVI), on ARGs dissemination during treating sulfamethoxazole wastewater, by dissecting the shifts of physiological features and microbial community. With the addition of magnetite, AC, and ZVI, the SMX removal was improved from 49.05 to 71.56-92.27 %, while the absolute abundance of ARGs reducing by 26.48 %, 61.95 %, 48.45 %, respectively. The reduced mobile genetic elements and antibiotic resistant bacteria suggested the inhibition of horizontal and vertical transfer of ARGs. The physiological features, including oxidative stress response, quorum sensing, and secretion system may regulate horizontal transfer of ARGs. The addition of all CMs relieved oxidative stress compared with no CMs, but ZVI may cause additional free radicals that needs to be concerned. Further, ZVI and AC also interfered with cell communication and secretion system. This research deepens the insights about the underlying mechanisms of CMs in regulating ARGs, and is expected to propose practical ways for mitigating ARGs proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Wanqian Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.
| | - Haichao Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Huazhe Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Taiping Yu
- Yangtze Ecology and Environment Co. Ltd., Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Banghai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Qishi Si
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Nanqi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
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28
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Wu JW, Pei SZ, Zhou CS, Liu BF, Cao GL. Assessment of potential biotoxicity induced by biochar-derived dissolved organic matters to biological fermentative H 2 production. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:156072. [PMID: 35598665 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156072] [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: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Biochar is a widely used antecedent for improving bio‑hydrogen production. However, little is known about the impact of biochar-derived dissolved organic matter (DOM) on the performance of fermentative bio-H2 production. Herein, we evaluated the impact of biochar-derived DOM on the fermentation performance of hydrogen-producing microflora. The pyrolysis temperature of biochar affected the DOM composition, with lower pyrolysis temperatures showing more serious inhibition on H2 accumulation. When biochar was pyrolyzed at 500 °C, DOM prolonged the fermentation period and decreased H2 production from 1330.41 mL L-1 to 1177.05 mL L-1 compared to the control group. The xylose utilization in mixed substrate decreased from 29.72% to 26.41%, which is not favorable for practical applications where lignocellulosic biomass is used as a substrate. Otherwise, DOM caused a 6% reduction in microbial biomass accumulation and less soluble metabolites formation. The potential mechanism of DOM inhibiting bio‑hydrogen production was verified by identifying an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) level (178.2%) and the microbial community shifted to containing fewer hydrogen-producing strains. The finding prompts a more precise design of biochar applications in fermentation systems to alleviate the potential hazards and maximum the fermentation performance, not limited to fermentative hydrogen production system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Wen Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Shu-Zhao Pei
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Chun-Shuang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Bing-Feng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Guang-Li Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
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29
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Shi X, Li J, Shang L, Wang S, Chen S, Liu J, Mei M, Xue Y, Wang T. Microplastics in dyeing sludge: Whether do they affect sludge incineration? JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 437:129394. [PMID: 35749899 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs), as emerging contaminant detected in dyeing sludge (DS), inevitably affected the subsequent treatment and disposal of DS. However, the effect of MPs on the predominant disposal path (incineration) of DS remains far from explicit. This study used thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry (TG-MS) method to explore the effect of representative MPs, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), on combustion characteristics, gas evolution and kinetics on DS combustion. Results showed that PET inhibited the whole combustion of DS by physical barrier. Relatively, PVC delayed the combustion of light volatile but promoted heavy volatile and char reaction due to HCl catalyst. Generally, MPs deteriorated the combustibility, burnout performance and combustion stability of DS. MPs aggravated HCl and gaseous N emissions. Noticeably, the interactions between DS and PVC accelerated the emissions of gaseous pollutants, especially under high dose condition. DAEM and FWO models could well describe the combustion kinetic of DS containing MPs. MPs led to an increase in activation energy of DS, namely, it deteriorated the combustion efficiency of DS. The combustion mechanisms could be divided into two stages: (1) diffusion (D3) stage: melted MPs blocked the gas channels, (2) chemical reaction (F3): the residual chars were thermally stable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoao Shi
- School of Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430073, China
| | - Jinping Li
- School of Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430073, China; Engineering Research Centre for Clean Production of Textile Dyeing and Printing, Ministry of Education, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430073, China
| | - Lingna Shang
- School of Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430073, China
| | - Sijia Wang
- School of Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430073, China
| | - Si Chen
- School of Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430073, China; Engineering Research Centre for Clean Production of Textile Dyeing and Printing, Ministry of Education, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430073, China
| | - Jingxin Liu
- School of Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430073, China; Engineering Research Centre for Clean Production of Textile Dyeing and Printing, Ministry of Education, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430073, China
| | - Meng Mei
- School of Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430073, China; Engineering Research Centre for Clean Production of Textile Dyeing and Printing, Ministry of Education, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430073, China
| | - Yongjie Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Silicate Materials for Architectures, Wuhan University of Technology, 430070 Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Teng Wang
- School of Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430073, China; Engineering Research Centre for Clean Production of Textile Dyeing and Printing, Ministry of Education, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430073, China.
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30
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Wei W, Wang C, Shi X, Zhang YT, Chen Z, Wu L, Ni BJ. Multiple microplastics induced stress on anaerobic granular sludge and an effectively overcoming strategy using hydrochar. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 222:118895. [PMID: 35908482 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies mostly focused on the responses of anaerobic granular sludge (AGS) to one kind of microplastics during wastewater treatment. However, a wide variety of microplastics has been detected in wastewater. The multiple microplastics induced stress on AGS and the effectively mitigating strategy still remain unavailable. Herein, this work comprehensively excavated the influences of multiple microplastics (i.e., polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP)) coexisting in the wastewater on AGS system from macroscopic to microcosmic aspects. Experimental results illustrated that microplastics decreased AGS granule size, increased cell inactivation and caused deteriorative methane recovery from wastewater. As such, this study then put great emphasis on proposing a mitigating strategy using hydrochar and disclosing the role of hydrochar in overcoming the stress induced by coexisting microplastics to AGS system. Physiological characterization and microbial community analysis demonstrated that hydrochar effectively mitigated the reductions in methane production by 50.6% and cell viability by 68.8% of microplastics-bearing AGS and reduced the toxicity of microplastics to microbial community in the AGS. Mechanisms investigation by fluorescence tagging and excitation emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy with fluorescence regional integration (EEM-FRI) analysis revealed that hydrochar adsorbed/accumulated microplastics and enhanced microplastics-bearing AGS to secrete extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) with more humic acid generation, thus reducing the direct contact between microplastics and AGS. In addition, hydrochar weakened the AGS intracellular oxidative stress induced by microplastics, thereby completely eliminating the inhibition of microplastics on acidification efficiency of AGS, and partially mitigating the suppression on methanation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wei
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Chen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xingdong Shi
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Yu-Ting Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
| | - Zhijie Chen
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Lan Wu
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - 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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31
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Manoli K, Naziri A, Ttofi I, Michael C, Allan IJ, Fatta-Kassinos D. Investigation of the effect of microplastics on the UV inactivation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in water. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 222:118906. [PMID: 35914503 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the effect of polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics on the UV fluence response curve for the inactivation of multidrug-resistant E. coli and enterococci in ultrapure water at pH 6.0 ± 0.1. In the absence of microplastics, the UV inactivation of the studied bacteria exhibited an initial resistance followed by a faster inactivation of free (dispersed) bacteria, while in the presence of microplastics, these 2 regimes were followed by an additional regime of slower or no inactivation related to microplastic-associated bacteria (i.e., bacteria aggregated with microplastics resulting in shielding bacteria from UV indicated by tailing at higher UV fluences). The magnitude of the negative effect of microplastics varied with different microplastics (type/particle size) and bacteria (Gram-negative and Gram-positive). Results showed that when the UV transmittance of the microplastic-containing water was not taken into account in calculating UV fluences, the effect of microplastics as protectors of bacteria was overestimated. A UV fluence-based double-exponential microbial inactivation model accounting for both free and microplastic-associated bacteria could describe well the disinfection data. The present study elucidated the effect of microplastics on the performance of UV disinfection, and the approach used herein to prove this concept may guide future research on the investigation of the possible effect of other particles including nanoplastics with different characteristics on the exposure response curve for the inactivation of various microorganisms by physical and chemical disinfection processes in different water and wastewater matrices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyriakos Manoli
- Nireas-International Water Research Center, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, Nicosia CY-1678, Cyprus.
| | - Andrea Naziri
- Nireas-International Water Research Center, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, Nicosia CY-1678, Cyprus
| | - Iakovia Ttofi
- Nireas-International Water Research Center, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, Nicosia CY-1678, Cyprus
| | - Costas Michael
- Nireas-International Water Research Center, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, Nicosia CY-1678, Cyprus
| | - Ian John Allan
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Økernveien 94, Oslo NO-0579, Norway
| | - Despo Fatta-Kassinos
- Nireas-International Water Research Center, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, Nicosia CY-1678, Cyprus; Nireas-International Water Research Center and Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, Nicosia CY-1678, Cyprus.
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32
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Wang C, Wei W, Zhang YT, Ni BJ. Evaluating the role of biochar in mitigating the inhibition of polyethylene nanoplastics on anaerobic granular sludge. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 221:118855. [PMID: 35949070 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118855] [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: 05/07/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The extensive application of anaerobic granular sludge (AGS) to wastewater treatment for methane recovery has drawn considerable attention to the system performances affected by the presence of emerging contaminants in wastewater such as nanoplastics. However, effective strategies on how to mitigate the inhibition caused by nanoplastics remained unavailable. In this study, a novel strategy using biochar to mitigate the inhibition on the AGS performances caused by polyethylene nanoplastics (PE-NPs) was proposed and the corresponding mitigating mechanisms involved were explored. The PE-NPs solely decreased the level of methane recovery of AGS to 71.3 ± 2.7% of control, which was subsequently increased to 85.6 ± 0.8% of control with the presences of both biochar and PE-NPs, although biochar solely showed no obvious effect on methane production. The addition of biochar also elevated the granule size of AGS, along with AGS integrity based on the morphological observation. Moreover, the distributions of live cells and functional microbes related to acidification and methanation increased with biochar addition compared to sole PE-NPs exposure. More extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) was secreted when biochar was involved in AGS systems, with more protein being detected to maintain the granule structure of AGS. Evaluation of adsorption tests indicated that biochar possessed stronger affinity for PE-NPs than AGS, thus capturing the PE-NPs that would originally contact AGS and posing less toxicity to microorganisms.
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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.
| | - Yu-Ting Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, 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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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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Nie C, Yang J, Sang C, Xia Y, Huang K. Reduction performance of microplastics and their behavior in a vermi-wetland during the recycling of excess sludge: A quantitative assessment for fluorescent polymethyl methacrylate. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 832:155005. [PMID: 35381247 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Large amounts of microplastics (MPs) that have accumulated in excess sludge may increase the environmental risk for its subsequent treatment. This study aimed to investigate the performance and mechanism of the reduction of MPs in excess sludge in a vermi-wetland. For this, 1 μm, 100 μm, and 500 μm of fluorescent MPs stained with Nile red were added to raw sludge, and their decreased numbers were quantified during the treatment of sludge. The results showed that the removal rates of chemical oxygen demand and total solids from the excess sludge were 63.44%-90.98% and 37.61%-51.56% in the vermi-wetland, respectively. The numbers of 1 μm, 100 μm, and 500 μm MPs could be reduced by 86.62%-95.69%, 95.44%-99.52%, and 100% in the vermi-wetland, respectively. These results indicate that the vermi-wetland is more effective at eliminating MPs. Further insight into the vermi-wetland stratification was obtained, and more than 74.87% of the MPs were intercepted in the vermicompost layer. Moreover, all the particle sizes of MPs were found in the excrement of earthworms. However, only 1 μm MPs were detected in their digestive organs. This study suggests that the interception effect is primarily responsible for elimination of MPs in excess sludge, and the bioturbation of earthworms plays an important role in the mobilization of MPs in vermi-wetlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cailong Nie
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jing Yang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China; Key Laboratory of Yellow River Water Environment in Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Chunlei Sang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China; Key Laboratory of Yellow River Water Environment in Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Yu Xia
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China; 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.
| | - Kui Huang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China; Key Laboratory of Yellow River Water Environment in Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, China.
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Zhang YT, Wei W, Wang C, Ni BJ. Microbial and physicochemical responses of anaerobic hydrogen-producing granular sludge to polyethylene micro(nano)plastics. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 221:118745. [PMID: 35728500 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Micro(nano)plastics is an emerging contaminant in wastewater that has showed significant impacts on various biological treatment processes. Nevertheless, the underlying effects of micro(nano)plastics with different concentrations and sizes on the anaerobic hydrogen-producing granular sludge (HPG) were still unclear. This work firstly attempted to illustrate the microbial and physicochemical responses of HPG to a shock load of polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) with varied concentrations and sizes. The results revealed that the PE-MPs inhibitory effect on hydrogen production by HPG was both concentration- and size-dependent. Specifically, the increase of PE-MPs concentration and the decline of PE-MPs size to nano-sized plastics (NPs) significantly decreased the hydrogen yield, downgraded to 79.9 ± 2.6% and 63.0 ± 3.9% (p = 0.001, and 0.0002) of control, respectively, at higher MPs concentration and the smaller MPs size (i.e., NPs). The higher PE-MPs concentration and PE-NPs also suppressed extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) generation more severely. The critical bio-processes involved in hydrogen production were disturbed by PE-MPs, with the extent of negative impacts depending on the dosage and size of PE-MPs. These adverse impacts further manifested as granule disintegration and loss of cellular activity. Mechanism analysis highlighted the roles of oxidative stress, leachate released from PE-MPs, interaction between PE-NPs and granules inducing physical crushing of HPG that led to possible direct contact between cells and toxic substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ting Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Wei Wei
- Center for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Chen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Bing-Jie Ni
- Center for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
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Tang M, Zhou S, Huang J, Sun L, Lu H. Stress responses of sulfate-reducing bacteria sludge upon exposure to polyethylene microplastics. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 220:118646. [PMID: 35661505 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The stress responses of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) sludge to polyethylene (PE) microplastic exposure were revealed for the first time. In this study, a lab-scale sulfate-reducing up-flow sludge bed reactor was continuously operated with different concentrations of PE microplastics in the feed (20, 100, and 500 microplastic particles (MPs)/L). Exposure to low levels of PE microplastics (i.e., 20 MPs/L) had a limited effect on SRB consortia, whereas higher levels of PE microplastics imposed apparent physiological stresses on SRB consortia. Despite this, the overall reactor performance, i.e., chemical oxygen demand removal and sulfate conversion, was less affected by prolonged exposure to PE microplastics. Moreover, as the concentration of PE microplastics increased, the SRB consortia promoted the production of extracellular polymeric substances to a greater extent, especially the secretion of proteins. As a result, protective effects against the cytotoxicity of PE microplastics were provided. Batch experiments further demonstrated that leaching additives from PE microplastics (including acetyl tri-n‑butyl citrate and bisphenol A, concentrations up to 5 μg/g sludge) exerted only a minor effect on the activity of SRB consortia. Additionally, microbial community analysis revealed active and potentially efficient sulfate reducers at different operational stages. Our results provide insight into the stress responses of SRB sludge under PE microplastic exposure and suggested that SRB consortia can gradually adapt to and resist high levels of PE microplastics. These findings may promote a better understanding of the stable operation of SRB sludge systems under specific environmental stimuli for practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Tang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology (Sun Yat-sen University), Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Sining Zhou
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology (Sun Yat-sen University), Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Jiamei Huang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology (Sun Yat-sen University), Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Lianpeng Sun
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology (Sun Yat-sen University), Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Hui Lu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology (Sun Yat-sen University), Guangzhou, 510275, China.
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Wei W, Zhang YT, Wang C, Guo W, Ngo HH, Chen X, Ni BJ. Responses of anaerobic hydrogen-producing granules to acute microplastics exposure during biological hydrogen production from wastewater. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 220:118680. [PMID: 35671684 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Anaerobic hydrogen-producing granule (AHPG) has been successfully applied in hydrogen production from wastewater. While various types of microplastics in large amounts are readily detected in both municipal and industrial wastewaters, however, to date the response of AHPG to multiple coexisting microplastics in wastewater is unknown yet. Herein, this study provided a first insight into the acute exposure-response relationship between multiple coexisting microplastics and the AHPG during biological hydrogen production from wastewater. Fluorescence tagging found that many microplastics accumulated and covered on the surface of the whole granule. Morphology and particle size of microplastics-bearing AHPG were characterized by microscopic observation, showing that the shock load of microplastics in the wastewater at the studied concentrations (40 and 80 mg/L) made the granule loose and even break down with the decreased particle size. The visualization of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) structure revealed that microplastics decreased EPS production by 8.8-16.7%. Microbial community analysis demonstrated that the acute exposure of microplastics did not drive the change in the microbial community diversity and composition. However, toxic leachates and upgraded oxidative stress induced by microplastics increased cell death up to 14.7% and decreased hydrogen production by 18.7%, when the AHPG exposed to 80 mg/L of microplastics. This work gained a new insight into the response of anaerobic microorganisms to coexisting microplastics in the real environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wei
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater (CTWW), School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Yu-Ting Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Chen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Wenshan Guo
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater (CTWW), School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Huu Hao Ngo
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater (CTWW), School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - 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 (CTWW), School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
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Wang C, Wei W, Zhang YT, Dai X, Ni BJ. Different sizes of polystyrene microplastics induced distinct microbial responses of anaerobic granular sludge. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 220:118607. [PMID: 35623145 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Recent investigations confirmed the inhibitory effect of microplastics with single sizes on the anaerobic granular sludge (AGS) wastewater treatment system. However, the differences of toxicity from different sizes of microplastics toward AGS and their underlying mechanism are still unclear. In this work, the responds of AGS exposed to different particle sizes of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) were reported. The results showed that the increasing particle sizes (from 0.5 μm to 150 μm) of PS-MPs induced a gradually increasing and distinct inhibitory (from 6.7% to 16.2%) effect on the cumulative methane production by AGS, accompanied by the similar decreasing organic carbon degradation trends. Correspondingly, the integrity and the cell viability of the AGS granules were damaged and the populations of the key acidogens and methanogens were reduced when exposed to PS-MPs, which was particularly evident in the reactors affected by the larger micron-sized PS-MPs. The zeta potential and contact angle indicated that the larger-sized PS-MPs had the stronger dispersive properties and affinity for AGS, causing the higher oxidative stress and leachates toxicity. Further investigation revealed that the tolerance of AGS to PS-MPs toxicity also exhibited size-dependent trend. Larger particles (e.g., 150 μm) of PS-MPs inhibited extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) secretion, while smaller particles (e.g., 0.5 μm) promoted EPS generation with the release of more humic acid, alleviating their toxicity.
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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, PR China
| | - Wei Wei
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
| | - Yu-Ting Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Xiaohu Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR 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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Wang J, Ma D, Feng K, Lou Y, Zhou H, Liu B, Xie G, Ren N, Xing D. Polystyrene nanoplastics shape microbiome and functional metabolism in anaerobic digestion. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 219:118606. [PMID: 35597220 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Nanoplastics (NPs) and microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous in the natural environment, social production, and life. However, our understanding of the effects of NPs and MPs on shaping the microbiome and functional metabolism of anaerobic microorganisms is limited. We investigated the response of core microbiomes and functional genes to polystyrene (PS) NPs and MPs exposure in a representative anaerobic micro-ecosystem of waste activated sludge. Independent anaerobic digestion (AD) experiment indicated that PS nanobeads suppressed acidogenesis by inhibiting the activity of acetate kinase, and subsequently reduced methane production. Our findings confirmed that MPs (1 and 10 μm) had no perceptible effect on methane production, yet 50 nm NPs resulted in a 15.5% decrease in methane yield, perhaps driven by the behavior of dominant genera Sulfurovum, Candidatus Methanofastidiosum, and Methanobacterium. Assays revealed that NPs contributed to the simplest network assemblies in bacterial communities, contrary to empirical networks in archaeal communities. NPs significantly reduced the abundance of genes involved in carbon degradation: lig, naglu and xylA, as well as gcd and phnK related to phosphorus cycling. The absolute abundance of mcrA encoding methyl-coenzyme M reductase was 54.4% of the control assay. PS NPs might adversely affect the biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles in natural and artificial ecosystems through their negative impact on biomass energy conversion by anaerobic microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 2614, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, China
| | - Dongmei Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 2614, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, China
| | - Kun Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 2614, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, China
| | - Yu Lou
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 2614, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, China
| | - Huihui Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 2614, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, China
| | - Bingfeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 2614, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, China
| | - Guojun Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 2614, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, China
| | - Nanqi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 2614, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, China
| | - Defeng Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 2614, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, China.
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Zhou CS, Wu JW, Ma WL, Liu BF, Xing DF, Yang SS, Cao GL. Responses of nitrogen removal under microplastics versus nanoplastics stress in SBR: Toxicity, microbial community and functional genes. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 432:128715. [PMID: 35305418 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs), as emerging pollutants, are frequently detected in wastewater treatment plants. However, studies comparing the effects of MPs versus NPs on nitrogen removal by activated sludge are rarely reported. Here, the responses of nitrogen removal performance, microbial community and functional genes to MPs and NPs in sequencing batch reactors were investigated. Results revealed that MPs (10 and 1000 μg/L) had no effects on nitrogen removal. While upon exposure to NPs, although low concentration (10 μg/L) of NPs showed no remarkable influence on nitrogen removal, high level (1000 μg/L) of NPs decreased NH4+-N removal efficiency by 24.48% and caused accumulation of NO3--N and NO2--N. These inhibitory probably due to the acute toxicity of NPs to activated sludge, which was reflected by the increasing reactive oxygen species generation and lactate dehydrogenase release. The toxic effects of NPs further declined the relative abundance of nitrifiers (e.g., Nitrospira) and denitrifiers (e.g., Dechloromonas). These negative effects, accompanied by a decrease in abundance of amoA and nxrA genes related to nitrification (30.01% and 65.24% of control) and narG, nirK and nirS genes associated with denitrification (78.59%, 61.39%, and 86.17% of control), directly illustrated the attenuate phenomenon observed in nitrogen removal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Shuang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Ji-Wen Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Wan-Li Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Bing-Feng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - De-Feng Xing
- 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
| | - Guang-Li Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
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Cen C, Zhang K, Fu J, Wu X, Wu J, Zheng Y, Zhang Y. Odor-producing response pattern by four typical freshwater algae under stress: Acute microplastic exposure as an example. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 821:153350. [PMID: 35077797 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Algae-induced odor problems in water have been repeatedly occurred concerns for drinking water quality. However, present researches mostly focus on the odor-producing pattern of algae in normal growth, and there is scarce discussion on those under stress. Microplastics (MPs) pollution have been global concern for their negative ecological impacts and frequently co-occurs with odor-producing algal bloom in freshwaters. Thus, this study aimed to elucidate the effects and mechanisms of MPs as an environmental stress on algal odorant production for good illustration of odor-producing response pattern under stress. Variation in MP size (polystyrene microspheres; 100 nm, 1000 nm and 10 μm) had significant effects on odorant formation (β-cycloidal, 2-methylisopropanol, 2,4-heptandienal and 2,4-decadienal) by four freshwater algae (Microcystis aeruginosa, Pseudanabaena sp., Cyclotella meneghiniana and Melosira varians). The size ratio of MPs over cells (SRMC) was proposed to categorize the size-ratio dependent effects on the algal odorant production. Interestingly, when SRMC was in the range of 0.1-1, there were always promoting effects; when SRMC < 0.1 or SRMC > 1, there exhibited inhibiting effects, and the inhibiting effects of SRMC < 0.1 were far more severe than those of SRMC > 1. The promotion on odorant production in the SRMC range of 0.1-1 was mainly attributed to the increase in cellular yield, which was related to the increased odorant precursors derived from the oxidation products of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Alternatively, the inhibition of odorant production caused by MPs with SRMC < 0.1 was the results of simultaneously inhibiting cellular density and cellular yield, which might be attributed to the cellular internalization of MPs, inducing the extensive toxic effects. This study illustrated the possibilities of MPs in impairing the esthetics of the source water and provided guidance for the future algal odor issues under stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Cen
- College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Kejia Zhang
- College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Jie Fu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Xiaogang Wu
- College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jiajia Wu
- College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yingying Zheng
- College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yibo Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
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Zhang Z, Gao SH, Luo G, Kang Y, Zhang L, Pan Y, Zhou X, Fan L, Liang B, Wang A. The contamination of microplastics in China's aquatic environment: Occurrence, detection and implications for ecological risk. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 296:118737. [PMID: 34954308 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The widespread occurrence of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems that resulted in environmental contamination has attracted worldwide attention. Microplastics pose a potential threat to the growth and health of aquatic organisms, thereby affecting the function of the ecosystems. As one of the top ten countries producing and consuming plastic products globally, China's aquatic ecosystems have been profoundly affected by microplastics. In this review, we have summarized the microplastics contamination in three typical water environments (marine environment, freshwater environment, and wastewater treatment plants) in China, elaborated on the adverse impacts of microplastics on the ecological environment, and evaluated the potential ecological risks exposed to the ecosystem. In addition, the progress of microplastics extraction methods, as the important basis of microplastics related research, in aquatic ecosystems was introduced, especially the difference between the extraction of microplastics from wastewater and sludge samples. At present, most of the research on microplastics focuses on "one point", such as a certain river or wastewater treatment plant. Research on the mitigation and transfer of microplastics among different connected water environments is still lacking. Also, the microscale ecotoxicity caused by microplastics is poorly understood. In the end, we proposed suggestions and perspectives for future research regarding microplastics in the aquatic ecosystems in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Shu-Hong Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
| | - Gaoyang Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yuanyuan Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Liying Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yusheng Pan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Xu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Lu Fan
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China; Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bin Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Aijie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil & 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
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Wang S, Xu M, Jin B, Wünsch UJ, Su Y, Zhang Y. Electrochemical and microbiological response of exoelectrogenic biofilm to polyethylene microplastics in water. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 211:118046. [PMID: 35030360 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 12/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Exoelectrogenic biofilm and the associated microbial electrochemical processes have recently been intensively studied for water treatment, but their response to and interaction with polyethylene (PE) microplastics which are widespread in various aquatic environments has never been reported. Here, we investigated how and to what extent PE microplastics would affect the electrochemistry and microbiology of exoelectrogenic biofilm in both microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). When the PE microplastics concentration was increased from 0 to 75 mg/L in the MECs, an apparent decline in the maximum current density (from 1.99 to 0.74 A/m2) and abundance of electroactive bacteria (EAB) in the exoelectrogenic biofilm was noticed. While in the MFCs, the current output was not significantly influenced and the abundance of EAB lightly increased at 25 mg/L microplastics. In addition, PE microplastics restrained the viability of the exoelectrogenic biofilms in both systems, leading to a higher system electrode resistance. Moreover, the microbial community richness and the microplastics-related operational taxonomic units decreased with PE microplastics. Furthermore, the electron transfer-related genes (e.g., pilA and mtrC) and cytochrome c concentration decreased after adding microplastics. This study provides the first glimpse into the influence of PE microplastics on the exoelectrogenic biofilm with the potential mechanisms revealed at the gene level, laying a methodological foundation for the future development of efficient water treatment technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Wang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby DK-2800, Denmark
| | - Mingyi Xu
- Department of Environmental 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
| | - Urban J Wünsch
- Section for Oceans and Arctic, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet, Kongens Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Yanyan Su
- Carlsberg Research Laboratory, Bjerregaardsvej 5, Valby 2500, Denmark.
| | - Yifeng Zhang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby DK-2800, Denmark.
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Tang Q, Wu M, Zhang Y, Li J, Liang J, Zhou H, Qu Y, Zhang X. Performance and bacterial community profiles of sequencing batch reactors during long-term exposure to polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene microplastics. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2022; 347:126393. [PMID: 34826561 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), but much remains to be learned about their roles in WWTPs. Herein, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene (PE) particles were added into sequencing batch reactors (SBRs), and the sole impacts and co-impacts of MPs with other pollutants (phenol and Cu2+) on wastewater treatment processes were evaluated. Results indicated that MPs did not significantly affect SBR performance, either alone or co-occurrence with phenol, but the co-exposure to MPs and Cu2+ severely suppressed COD removal efficiency by 37.02%-64.70%. The functional groups of activated sludge had no changes after receiving MPs, but the MPs-Cu2+ co-exposure could greatly promote the secretion of extracellular polymeric substances. Furthermore, MPs had no negative impacts on diversity, richness and structure of bacterial communities, and PET and PE showed different preferences for enrichment of bacterial populations. Moreover, the MPs-Cu2+ co-exposure obviously reduced the overall abundances of Cu-related genes in SBRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qidong Tang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Ocean Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China
| | - Minghuo Wu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Ocean Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China
| | - Yuelin Zhang
- Panjin QIZHENG Environmental Water Co., Ltd., Panjin 124211, China
| | - Jingzhe Li
- Panjin QIZHENG Environmental Water Co., Ltd., Panjin 124211, China
| | - Jinxuan Liang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Ocean Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China
| | - Hao Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Ocean Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China
| | - Yuanyuan Qu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Xuwang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Ocean Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China.
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Salimi A, Alavehzadeh A, Ramezani M, Pourahmad J. Differences in sensitivity of human lymphocytes and fish lymphocytes to polyvinyl chloride microplastic toxicity. Toxicol Ind Health 2022; 38:100-111. [DOI: 10.1177/07482337211065832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics are emerging contaminants affecting biological wastewater treatment processes. So far, the toxicological investigation of PVC microplastics usually focused on the anaerobic and denitrifying bacteria. It seems that the primary lymphocytes isolated from peripheral blood are more sensitive than most other organ cell types in vitro; therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the cytotoxicity of PVC microplastic on human and fish blood lymphocytes as a useful ex vivo model for accelerated human toxicity studies. Using biochemical analyses, we showed human lymphocytes are more sensitive to toxic effects of PVC microplastic than fish lymphocytes. Our result showed that addition of PVC microplastic at 24, 48, and 96 μ g/ml for 3 h to human blood lymphocytes induced cytotoxicity. The PVC microplastic-induced cytotoxicity on human blood lymphocytes was associated with intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, lysosomal membrane injury, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) collapse, depletion of glutathione, and lipid peroxidation. According to our results, PVC microplastic particles induce oxidative stress and organelle damage in human lymphocytes, while these significant alterations in toxicity parameters in PVC microplastic-treated fish lymphocytes were not observed. Finally, our findings suggest that human lymphocytes are more sensitive to PVC microplastic toxicity compared with fish lymphocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Salimi
- Traditional Medicine and Hydrotherapy Research Center, Ardabil University of Medical SciencesRINGGOLD, Iran
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Iran
| | - Ali Alavehzadeh
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maral Ramezani
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jalal Pourahmad
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Rozman U, Kalčíková G. Seeking for a perfect (non-spherical) microplastic particle - The most comprehensive review on microplastic laboratory research. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 424:127529. [PMID: 34736190 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, much attention has been paid to microplastic pollution, and research on microplastics has begun to grow exponentially. However, microplastics research still suffers from the lack of standardized protocols and methods for investigation of microplastics under laboratory conditions. Therefore, in this review, we summarize and critically discuss the results of 715 laboratory studies published on microplastics in the last five years to provide recommendations for future laboratory research. Analysis of the data revealed that the majority of microplastic particles used in laboratory studies are manufactured spheres of polystyrene ranging in size from 1 to 50 µm, that half of the studies did not characterize the particles used, and that a minority of studies used aged particles, investigated leaching of chemicals from microplastics, or used natural particles as a control. There is a large discrepancy between microplastics used in laboratory research and those found in the environment, and many laboratory studies suffer from a lack of environmental relevance and provide incomplete information on the microplastics used. We have summarized and discussed these issues and provided recommendations for future laboratory research on microplastics focusing on (i) microplastic selection, (ii) microplastic characterization, and (iii) test design of laboratory research on microplastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ula Rozman
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, 113 Večna pot, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Gabriela Kalčíková
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, 113 Večna pot, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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47
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Ma J, Gong Z, Wang Z, Liu H, Chen G, Guo G. Elucidating degradation properties, microbial community, and mechanism of microplastics in sewage sludge under different terminal electron acceptors conditions. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2022; 346:126624. [PMID: 34958908 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This study is designed to investigate the roles of five key terminal electron acceptors (TEAs): O2, NO3-, Fe3+, SO42-, and CH2O, typically existing in the sludge on the degradation rates and pathways of three representative MPs: polylactic acid (PLA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). The results revealed that approximately 51.46 ∼ 52.70% of PHA was degraded within 43 days, despite PLA and PVC being degraded insignificantly. Different TEAs significantly affected the end-products of PHA. The production rate of acetate gradually decreased from 90.48, 42.67, 38.30, and 17.56 to 3.30% when the TEAs were tested with CH2O, O2, SO42-, NO3- and Fe3+, respectively. The main functional bacteria involved in the PHA degradation were hydrolysis bacteria Burkholderiaceae and homo-acetogenic bacteria Clostridiacea, which accounted for 0.83% and 18.91% of the microbes. The current investigation could help improve understanding of MPs degradation pathways and mechanisms and minimize their risks in practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Ma
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Water and Wastewater Treatment (MOHURD), Hubei Provincial Engineering Research Center for Water Quality Safety and Pollution Control, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Zhiwei Gong
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Water and Wastewater Treatment (MOHURD), Hubei Provincial Engineering Research Center for Water Quality Safety and Pollution Control, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Zongping Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Water and Wastewater Treatment (MOHURD), Hubei Provincial Engineering Research Center for Water Quality Safety and Pollution Control, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Hui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology and School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Guanghao Chen
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Hong Kong Branch of the Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Control & Treatment of Heavy Metal Pollution, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Gang Guo
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Water and Wastewater Treatment (MOHURD), Hubei Provincial Engineering Research Center for Water Quality Safety and Pollution Control, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
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48
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Liu X, Du M, Lu Q, He D, Song K, Yang Q, Duan A, Wang D. How Does Chitosan Affect Methane Production in Anaerobic Digestion? ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:15843-15852. [PMID: 34788010 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c04693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The expanding use of chitosan in sewage and sludge treatment processes raises concerns about its potential environmental impacts. However, investigations of the impacts of chitosan on sewage sludge anaerobic digestion where chitosan is present at substantial levels are sparse. This study therefore aims to fill this knowledge gap through both long-term and batch tests. The results showed that 4 g/kg total suspended solid (TSS) chitosan had no acute effects on methane production, but chitosan at 8-32 g/kg TSS inhibited methane production by 7.2-30.3%. Mass balance and metabolism of organic analyses indicated that chitosan restrained the transfer of organic substrates from solid phase to liquid phase, macromolecules to micromolecules, and finally to methane. Further exploration revealed that chitosan suppressed the secretion of extracellular polymeric substances of anaerobes by occupying the connection sites of indigenous carbohydrates and increased the mass transfer resistance between anaerobes and substrates, which thereby lowered the metabolic activities of anaerobes. Although chitosan could be partly degraded by anaerobes, it is much more persistent to be degraded compared with indigenous organics in sludge. Microbial community and key enzyme encoding gene analyses further revealed that the inhibition of chitosan to CO2-dependent methanogenesis was much severer than that to acetate-dependent methanogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuran Liu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, P.R. China
| | - Mingting Du
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, P.R. China
| | - Qi Lu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, P.R. China
| | - Dandan He
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, P.R. China
| | - Kang Song
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, P.R. China
| | - Qi Yang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, P.R. China
| | - Abing Duan
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, P.R. China
| | - Dongbo Wang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, P.R. China
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49
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Song Q, Chen X, Zhou W, Xie X. Application of a Spiral Symmetric Stream Anaerobic Bioreactor for treating saline heparin sodium pharmaceutical wastewater: Reactor operating characteristics, organics degradation pathway and salt tolerance mechanism. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 205:117671. [PMID: 34555740 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In this study, a Spiral Symmetry Stream Anaerobic Bioreactor (SSSAB) was adopted for treating actual saline heparin sodium pharmaceutical wastewater (HSPW). After adaptation, under the influent COD of 8731 mg/L, OLR of 6.98 kg COD/(m³•d) and salinity of 3.57 wt%, the COD removal reached up to 82%. This value is much higher than the reported for the other reactors at similar salinity. Benzenes are the major organic compounds in HSPW. The main rate-limiting steps are the degradations of phenol and p-cresol. In addition, the degradation pathways of typical benzenes in HSPW were analyzed. After adaptation, the soluble salt content in the granular sludge increased, and the bacterial extracellular polymers (EPS), especially tightly-bound EPS also significantly increased. 16S rRNA analysis revealed that the microbial community in the anaerobic granular sludge (AGS) had become adapted to the HSPW treatment since Mesotoga (12.4%), Anaerophaga (9.0%), Oceanotoga (6.1%) and Aminobacterium (4.1%) increased from previously below 1.0% values. The relative abundance of Methanosarcina in the upper layer of the reactor (68.7%) is significantly higher than that at the bottom (3.8%). This proves the superiority of the SSSAB structure. Finally, a model for salt-tolerant microorganisms is given, which proposes a mechanism for this study and provides reference for other anaerobic biological treatments of high-salt containing wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Song
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, State Environmental Protection Engineering Center for Pollution Treatment and Control in Textile Industry, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Xiaoguang Chen
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, State Environmental Protection Engineering Center for Pollution Treatment and Control in Textile Industry, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China.
| | - Weizhu Zhou
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, State Environmental Protection Engineering Center for Pollution Treatment and Control in Textile Industry, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Xuehui Xie
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, State Environmental Protection Engineering Center for Pollution Treatment and Control in Textile Industry, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
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50
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Xu J, Wang X, Zhang Z, Yan Z, Zhang Y. Effects of chronic exposure to different sizes and polymers of microplastics on the characteristics of activated sludge. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 783:146954. [PMID: 33866171 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have become an important source of microplastics (MPs) contamination and most MPs remain in the sludge inducing potential impacts on sludge disposal. However, little is known about the influence of MPs on the characteristics of sludge, which is essential for sludge disposal. In this study, the dewaterability of activated sludge in response to chronic exposure (60 days) to MPs of different sizes (213.7 nm ~ 4.2 mm) and polymers (polystyrene, polyethylene, and polyvinyl chloride) were investigated. Overall, different particle sizes caused more evident effects on sludge dewatering than different polymer types did. Millimeter MPs (~4 mm) dramatically reduced the dewaterability of sludge by 29.6% ~ 47.7%. These effects were mainly caused by the physical crushing of MPs on sludge flocs, except polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-MPs, possibly containing additives, induced toxicity on sludge. Moreover, 100 mg/L nano-size MPs (213 nm) also reduced the dewatering performance of sludge. The potential mechanism is that nano-size MPs inhibited sludge activity and decreased the abundance of key microorganisms, which subsequently altered the composition and spatial distribution of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), and finally impeded sludge dewatering. Our results highlight the impacts of different sizes of MPs on the characteristics of sludge, affecting the final disposal of sludge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiankang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Xinying Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Zhanao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Zehua Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
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