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Branco RHR, Meulepas RJW, Rijnaarts HHM, Sutton NB. Exploring long-term retention and reactivation of micropollutant biodegradation capacity. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024:10.1007/s11356-024-34186-w. [PMID: 38985427 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-34186-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
The factors limiting micropollutant biodegradation in the environment and how to stimulate this process have often been investigated. However, little information is available on the capacity of microbial communities to retain micropollutant biodegradation capacity in the absence of micropollutants or to reactivate micropollutant biodegradation in systems with fluctuating micropollutant concentrations. This study investigated how a period of 2 months without the addition of micropollutants and other organic carbon affected micropollutant biodegradation by a micropollutant-degrading microbial community. Stimulation of micropollutant biodegradation was performed by adding different types of dissolved organic carbon (DOC)-extracted from natural sources and acetate-increasing 10 × the micropollutant concentration, and inoculating with activated sludge. The results show that the capacity to biodegrade 3 micropollutants was permanently lost. However, the biodegradation activity of 2,4-D, antipyrine, chloridazon, and its metabolites restarted when these micropollutants were re-added to the community. Threshold concentrations similar to those obtained before the period of no substrate addition were achieved, but biodegradation rates were lower for some compounds. Through the addition of high acetate concentrations (108 mg-C/L), gabapentin biodegradation activity was regained, but 2,4-D biodegradation capacity was lost. An increase of bentazon concentration from 50 to 500 µg/L was necessary for biodegradation to be reactivated. These results provide initial insights into the longevity of micropollutant biodegradation capacity in the absence of the substance and strategies for reactivating micropollutant biodegrading communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita H R Branco
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, P.O. Box 1113, 8900 CC, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
| | - Roel J W Meulepas
- Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, P.O. Box 1113, 8900 CC, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
| | - Huub H M Rijnaarts
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Nora B Sutton
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
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2
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Meynet P, Joss A, Davenport RJ, Fenner K. Impact of long-term temperature shifts on activated sludge microbiome dynamics and micropollutant removal. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 258:121790. [PMID: 38833810 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121790] [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: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Micropollutants removal efficiency strongly vary across different aerobic wastewater treatment plants, resulting in their frequent detection in surface and ground waters. Seasonal temperature variation is a major factor influencing plant performance, but it is still unclear how prolonged periods of temperature change impact microbiome and micropollutant biotransformation. This work investigates the effect of long-term temperature variation on the microbial dynamics in an activated sludge system, and the impact on micropollutant biotransformation. Sequencing batch reactors were used as model system and 4-40 °C temperature range was studied. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing showed that temperature drives microbial structure (gDNA) and activity (RNA), rather than time, and this was stronger below 15 °C and above 25 °C. The microbial community was richest and more diverse at 20 °C, while rarer and more specific taxa became predominant over time, at more extreme temperatures. This suggested that less abundant taxa might be responsible for maintaining the biotransformation capability in the activated sludge at extreme temperatures. Micropollutant biotransformation rates mostly deviated from the classic Arrhenius model below 15 °C and above 25 °C, indicating that prolonged exposure to temperature changes leads to temperature-induced taxonomic shifts, resulting in the emerging of different sets of biotransformation pathways over different temperature ranges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Meynet
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom; Department of Environmental Chemistry, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland.
| | - Adriano Joss
- Department of Processing Engineering, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland
| | - Russell J Davenport
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - Kathrin Fenner
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland; Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich, Zürich 8057, Switzerland
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Branco RHR, Meulepas RJW, Sekar P, van Veelen HPJ, Rijnaarts HHM, Sutton NB. Biostimulation with oxygen and electron donors supports micropollutant biodegradation in an experimentally simulated nitrate-reducing aquifer. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 928:172339. [PMID: 38608893 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172339] [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: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
The availability of suitable electron donors and acceptors limits micropollutant natural attenuation in oligotrophic groundwater. This study investigated how electron donors with different biodegradability (humics, dextran, acetate, and ammonium), and different oxygen concentrations affect the biodegradation of 15 micropollutants (initial concentration of each micropollutant = 50 μg/L) in simulated nitrate reducing aquifers. Tests mimicking nitrate reducing field conditions showed no micropollutant biodegradation, even with electron donor amendment. However, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and mecoprop were biodegraded under (micro)aerobic conditions with and without electron donor addition. The highest 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and mecoprop biodegradation rates and removal efficiencies were obtained under fully aerobic conditions with amendment of an easily biodegradable electron donor. Under microaerobic conditions, however, amendment with easily biodegradable dissolved organic carbon (DOC) inhibited micropollutant biodegradation due to competition between micropollutants and DOC for the limited oxygen available. Microbial community composition was dictated by electron acceptor availability and electron donor amendment, not by micropollutant biodegradation. Low microbial community richness and diversity led to the absence of biodegradation of the other 13 micropollutants (such as bentazon, chloridazon, and carbamazepine). Finally, adaptation and potential growth of biofilms interactively determined the location of the micropollutant removal zone relative to the point of amendment. This study provides new insight on how to stimulate in situ micropollutant biodegradation to remediate oligotrophic groundwaters as well as possible limitations of this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita H R Branco
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands; Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, P.O. Box 1113, 8900 CC Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
| | - Roel J W Meulepas
- Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, P.O. Box 1113, 8900 CC Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
| | - Priyadharshini Sekar
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands; Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, P.O. Box 1113, 8900 CC Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
| | - H Pieter J van Veelen
- Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, P.O. Box 1113, 8900 CC Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
| | - Huub H M Rijnaarts
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Nora B Sutton
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands.
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Zhou M, Wang J, Wang H, Ran X, Xue H, Liu C, Wang Y. Revealing the comprehensive impact of organic compounds on the partial nitrification-anammox system during incineration leachate treatment: metabolic hierarchy and adaptation. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 255:121534. [PMID: 38555785 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Organics, as widespread pollutants in high-strength ammonia wastewater, typically exert adverse effects on the performance of partial nitrification-anammox (PNA) systems. However, the in-depth knowledge on how microbial consortia respond to these disturbances remains limited. In this study, we unveiled the evolution of complex organic matter flow and its impact on the metabolic hierarchy and adaptation of microbial consortia, employing multi-omics approaches, i.e., 16S amplicon sequencing, metagenomics, and metabolomics. In a two-stage PNA system sequentially treating synthetic wastewater and incineration leachate over 230 days, partial nitrification stayed stable (nitrite accumulation > 97%) while anammox efficiency dropped (nitrogen removal decreased from 86% to 78%). The phenomenon was revealed to be correlated with the evolution of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and xenobiotic organic compounds (XOCs). In the PN stage, ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) exhibited excellent adaptability through active metabolic regulation after treating leachate. Numerous heterotrophs proliferated to utilize DOM and XOCs, triggering a "boom" state evident in the glycerophospholipid metabolism. However, in the anammox stage, the competition between carbon fixation and central carbon metabolism within autotrophs and heterotrophs became evident. Increased biosynthesis costs inhibited the central metabolism (specific anammox activity decreased by 66%) and the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway of anammox bacteria (AnAOB) in the presence of recalcitrant organics. Additionally, the degradation of organics was limited, exhibiting a "bust" state. This study revealed the metabolic adaption and susceptibility of AOB and AnAOB in response to organics from the leachate, demonstrating the applicability of the two-stage configuration for treating high-strength wastewater containing abundant and diverse organics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingda Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, PR China
| | - Junjie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, PR China
| | - Han Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, PR China.
| | - Xiaochuan Ran
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, PR China
| | - Hao Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, PR China
| | - Chao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, PR China; Shanghai Youlin Zhuyuan Sewage Investment and Development Co. Ltd., Shanghai, 200125, PR China
| | - Yayi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, PR China.
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5
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Zeng L, Du H, Lin X, Liao R, Man Y, Fang H, Yang Y, Tao R. Isolation, identification and whole-genome analysis of an Achromobacter strain with a novel sulfamethazine resistance gene and sulfamethazine degradation gene cluster. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2024; 399:130598. [PMID: 38493935 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.130598] [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: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
A sulfamethazine (SM2) degrading strain, Achromobacter mucicolens JD417, was isolated from sulfonamide-contaminated sludge using gradient acclimation. Optimal SM2 degradation conditions were pH 7, 36 °C, and 5 % inoculum, achieving a theoretical maximum degradation rate of 48 % at 50 ppm SM2. Cell growth followed the Haldane equation across different SM2 concentrations. Whole-genome sequencing of the strain revealed novel functional annotations, including a sulfonamide resistance gene (sul4) encoding dihydropteroate synthase, two flavin-dependent monooxygenase genes (sadA and sadB) crucial for SM2 degradation, and unique genomic islands related to metabolism, pathogenicity, and resistance. Comparative genomics analysis showed good collinearity and homology with other Achromobacter species exhibiting organics resistance or degradation capabilities. This study reveals the novel molecular resistance and degradation mechanisms and genetic evolution of an SM2-degrading strain, providing insights into the bioremediation of sulfonamide-contaminated environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luping Zeng
- Research Center of Hydrobiology, Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; The Key Laboratory of Water and Air Pollution Control of Guangdong Province, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, No. 18 Ruihe Road, Guangzhou, 510530, China
| | - Hongwei Du
- The Key Laboratory of Water and Air Pollution Control of Guangdong Province, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, No. 18 Ruihe Road, Guangzhou, 510530, China
| | - Xianke Lin
- Guangdong Eco-engineering Polytechnic, Guangzhou 510520, Guangdong, China
| | - Ruomei Liao
- Research Center of Hydrobiology, Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Ying Man
- Research Center of Hydrobiology, Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Huaiyang Fang
- The Key Laboratory of Water and Air Pollution Control of Guangdong Province, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, No. 18 Ruihe Road, Guangzhou, 510530, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Research Center of Hydrobiology, Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
| | - Ran Tao
- Research Center of Hydrobiology, Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
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6
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Liang C, Svendsen SB, de Jonge N, Carvalho PN, Nielsen JL, Bester K. Eat seldom is better than eat frequently: Pharmaceuticals degradation kinetics, enantiomeric profiling and microorganisms in moving bed biofilm reactors are affected by feast famine cycle times. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 468:133739. [PMID: 38401210 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Feast-famine (FF) regimes improved the removal of recalcitrant pharmaceuticals in moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs), but the optimal FF cycle remained unresolved. The effects of FF cycle time on the removal of bulk substrates (organic carbon and nitrogen) and trace pharmaceuticals by MBBR are systematically evaluated in this study. The feast to famine ratio was fixed to 1:2 to keep the same loading rate, but the time for the FF cycles varied from 18 h to 288 h. The MBBR adapted to the longest FF cycle time (288 h equaling 48 × HRT) resulted in significantly higher degradation rates (up to +183%) for 12 out of 28 pharmaceuticals than a continuously fed (non-FF) reactor. However, other FF cycle times (18, 36, 72 and 144 h) only showed a significant up-regulation for 2-3 pharmaceuticals compared to the non-FF reactor. Enantioselective degradation of metoprolol and propranolol occurred in the second phase of a two phase degradation, which was different for the longer FF cycle time. N-oxidation and N-demethylation pathways of tramadol and venlafaxine differed across the FF cycle time suggestin the FF cycle time varied the predominant transformation pathways of pharmaceuticals. The abundance of bacteria in the biofilms varied considerably between different FF cycle times, which possibly caused the biofilm to remove more recalcitrant bulk organic C and pharmaceuticals under long cycle times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanzhou Liang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China; Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, Roskilde 4000, Denmark
| | - Sif B Svendsen
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, Roskilde 4000, Denmark
| | - Nadieh de Jonge
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, DK-9220 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Pedro N Carvalho
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, Roskilde 4000, Denmark
| | - Jeppe Lund Nielsen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, DK-9220 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Kai Bester
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, Roskilde 4000, Denmark.
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7
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Xu Y, Liu Y, Liang C, Guo W, Ngo HH, Peng L. Favipiravir biotransformation by a side-stream partial nitritation sludge: Transformation mechanisms, pathways and toxicity evaluation. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 353:141580. [PMID: 38430943 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Information on biotransformation of antivirals in the side-stream partial nitritation (PN) process was limited. In this study, a side-stream PN sludge was adopted to investigate favipiravir biotransformation under controlled ammonium and pH levels. Results showed that free nitrous acid (FNA) was an important factor that inhibited ammonia oxidation and the cometabolic biodegradation of favipiravir induced by ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB). The removal efficiency of favipiravir reached 12.6% and 35.0% within 6 days at the average FNA concentrations of 0.07 and 0.02 mg-N L-1, respectively. AOB-induced cometabolism was the sole contributing mechanism to favipiravir removal, excluding AOB-induced metabolism and heterotrophic bacteria-induced biodegradation. The growth of Escherichia coli was inhibited by favipiravir, while the AOB-induced cometabolism facilitated the alleviation of the antimicrobial activities with the formed transformation products. The biotransformation pathways were proposed based on the roughly identified structures of transformation products, which mainly involved hydroxylation, nitration, dehydrogenation and covalent bond breaking under enzymatic conditions. The findings would provide insights on enriching AOB abundance and enhancing AOB-induced cometabolism under FNA stress when targeting higher removal of antivirals during the side-stream wastewater treatment processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifeng Xu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, 430070, China; School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yaxuan Liu
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Chuanzhou Liang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, 430070, China; School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Wenshan Guo
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Huu Hao Ngo
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Lai Peng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, 430070, China; School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, 430070, China.
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8
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Guo X, Ong WM, Zhao HP, Lai CY. Enzyme-induced reactive oxygen species trigger oxidative degradation of sulfamethoxazole within a methanotrophic biofilm. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 253:121330. [PMID: 38387268 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121330] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Although microorganisms carrying copper-containing membrane-bound monooxygenase (CuMMOs), such as particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) and ammonia monooxygenase (AMO), have been extensively documented for their capability to degrade organic micropollutants (OMPs), the underlying reactive mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we for the first time demonstrate biogenic reactive oxygen species (ROS) play important roles in the degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX), a representative OMP, within a methane-fed biofilm. Highly-efficient and consistent SMX biodegradation was achieved in a CH4-based membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR), manifesting a remarkable SMX removal rate of 1210.6 ± 39.0 μg·L-1·d-1. Enzyme inhibition and ROS clearance experiments confirmed the significant contribution of ROS, which were generated through the catalytic reaction of pMMO and AMO enzymes, in facilitating SMX degradation. Through a combination of density functional theory (DFT) calculations, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis, and transformation product detection, we elucidated that the ROS primarily targeted the aniline group in the SMX molecule, inducing the formation of aromatic radicals and its progressive mineralization. In contrast, the isoxazole-ring was not susceptible to electrophilic ROS attacks, leading to accumulation of 3-amino-5-methylisoxazole (3A5MI). Furthermore, microbiological analysis suggested Methylosarcina (a methanotroph) and Candidatus Nitrosotenuis (an ammonia-oxidizing archaea) collaborated as the SMX degraders, who carried highly conserved and expressed CuMMOs (pMMO and AMO) for ROS generation, thereby triggering the oxidative degradation of SMX. This study deciphers SMX biodegradation through a fresh perspective of free radical chemistry, and concurrently providing a theoretical framework for the advancement of environmental biotechnologies aimed at OMP removal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Guo
- MOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, 310058
| | - Weng Mun Ong
- MOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, 310058
| | - He-Ping Zhao
- MOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, 310058
| | - Chun-Yu Lai
- MOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, 310058.
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Nguyen AH, Oh S. Side effects of the addition of an adsorbent for the nitrification performance of a microbiome in the treatment of an antibiotic mixture. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 465:133034. [PMID: 38035522 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
This work determined the effect of biochar (BC) as an adsorbent on the nitrifying microbiome in regulating the removal, transformation, fate, toxicity, and potential environmental consequences of an antibiotic mixture containing oxytetracycline (OTC) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX). Despite the beneficial role of BC as reported in the literature, the present study revealed side effects for the nitrifying microbiome and its functioning arising from the presence of BC. Long-term monitoring revealed severe disruption to nitratation via the inhibition of both nitrite oxidizers (e.g., Nitrospira defluvii) and potential comammox species (e.g., Ca. Nitrospira nitrificans). Byproducts (BPs) more toxic than the parent compounds were found to persist at a high relative abundance, particularly in the presence of BC. Quantitative structure-activity relationship modeling determined that the physicochemical properties of the toxic BPs significantly differed from those of OTC and SMX. The results suggested that the BPs tended to mobilize and accumulate on the surface of the solids in the system (i.e., the BC and biofilm), disrupting the nitrifiers growing at the interface. Collectively, this study provides novel insights, demonstrating that the addition of adsorbents to biological systems may not necessarily be beneficial; rather, they may generate side effects for specific bacteria that have important ecosystem functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anh H Nguyen
- Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | - Seungdae Oh
- Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
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10
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Lv JL, Min D, Cheng ZH, Zhang JX, Li WW, Mu Y, Liu SJ, Liu DF. Direct ammonia oxidation (Dirammox) is favored over cell growth in Alcaligenes ammonioxydans HO-1 to deal with the toxicity of ammonium. Biotechnol Bioeng 2024; 121:980-990. [PMID: 38088435 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Bacteria capable of direct ammonia oxidation (Dirammox) play important roles in global nitrogen cycling and nutrient removal from wastewater. Dirammox process, NH3 → NH2 OH → N2 , first defined in Alcaligenes ammonioxydans HO-1 and encoded by dnf gene cluster, has been found to widely exist in aquatic environments. However, because of multidrug resistance in Alcaligenes species, the key genes involved in the Dirammox pathway and the interaction between Dirammox process and the physiological state of Alcaligenes species remain unclear. In this work, ammonia removal via the redistribution of nitrogen between Dirammox and microbial growth in A. ammonioxydans HO-1, a model organism of Alcaligenes species, was investigated. The dnfA, dnfB, dnfC, and dnfR genes were found to play important roles in the Dirammox process in A. ammonioxydans HO-1, while dnfH, dnfG, and dnfD were not essential genes. Furthermore, an unexpected redistribution phenomenon for nitrogen between Dirammox and cell growth for ammonia removal in HO-1 was revealed. After the disruption of the Dirammox in HO-1, more consumed NH4 + was recovered as biomass-N via rapid metabolic response and upregulated expression of genes associated with ammonia transport and assimilation, tricarboxylic acid cycle, sulfur metabolism, ribosome synthesis, and other molecular functions. These findings deepen our understanding of the molecular mechanisms for Dirammox process in the genus Alcaligenes and provide useful information about the application of Alcaligenes species for ammonia-rich wastewater treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Lu Lv
- School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Di Min
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Zhou-Hua Cheng
- School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Jia-Xin Zhang
- School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Wen-Wei Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yang Mu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Shuang-Jiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, and Environmental Microbiology Research Center at Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Dong-Feng Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
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11
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Branco RHR, Meulepas RJW, Kadlecová K, Cardoso MFS, Rijnaarts HHM, Sutton NB. Effect of dissolved organic carbon on micropollutant biodegradation by aquifer and soil microbial communities. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 347:140644. [PMID: 37952821 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140644] [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: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Groundwater, a major source of drinking water worldwide, is often contaminated with micropollutants. Although microbial communities in aquifers and soils have the capability to biodegrade some micropollutants, this process is limited in situ. Biostimulation with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is known to promote micropollutant biodegradation, but the role of DOC biodegradability is still poorly understood. This study investigated how three DOC types with different biodegradability (humics, dextran and acetate) affect the biodegradation of 15 micropollutants by aquifer and soil microbial communities under aerobic and nitrate reducing conditions. Although originating from different environments, both communities were able to biodegrade the same 4 micropollutants under aerobic conditions - 2,4-D, MCPP, chloridazon (CLZ) and chloridazon-desphenyl. However, DOC addition only affected MCPP biodegradation, promoting MCPP biodegradation regardless of DOC biodegradability. Biodegradation of 2,4-D, MCPP and CLZ under aerobic conditions was observed after a lag phase, whose duration differed per compound. 2,4-D was biodegraded first and fully. Aquifer community was able to degrade about half of the initial MCPP concentration (removal efficiency of 49.3 ± 11.7%). CLZ was fully biodegraded by the aquifer community, but not by the soil community, possibly due to substrate competition with organics originating from the inoculum. Therefore, the natural organic carbon present in the inocula and in environmental systems can influence micropollutant biodegradation. Under nitrate reducing conditions micropollutant biodegradation was not observed nor biostimulated by DOC addition. The results also highlight the importance of sufficient exposure time to trigger in situ micropollutant biodegradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita H R Branco
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, P.O. Box 1113, 8900 CC, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
| | - Roel J W Meulepas
- Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, P.O. Box 1113, 8900 CC, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
| | - Kateřina Kadlecová
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, P.O. Box 1113, 8900 CC, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
| | - Marta F S Cardoso
- Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, P.O. Box 1113, 8900 CC, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
| | - Huub H M Rijnaarts
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Nora B Sutton
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
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12
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Wang L, Li A. Ammonia monooxygenase-mediated transformation of 17α-ethinylestradiol: Underlying molecular mechanism. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 237:116930. [PMID: 37604224 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) has received increasing attention as an emerging and difficult-to-remove emerging contaminant in recent years. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) have been reported to be effective in EE2 removal, and ammonia monooxygenase (AMO) is considered as the primary enzyme for EE2 removal. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the transformation of EE2 by AOB and AMO is still unclear. This study investigated the molecular mechanism of EE2 degradation using a combination of experimental and computational simulation methods. The results revealed that ammonia nitrogen was essential for the co-metabolism of EE2 by AOB, and that NH3 bound with CuC (one active site of AMO) to induce a conformational change in AMO, allowing EE2 to bind with the other active site (CuB), and then EE2 underwent biological transformation. These results provide a theoretical basis and a novel research perspective on the removal of ammonia nitrogen and emerging contaminants (e.g., EE2) in wastewater treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Wang
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China; Laboratory of Environmental Protection in Water Transport Engineering, Tianjin Research Institute of Water Transport Engineering, Tanggu, Tianjin, 300456, China
| | - Anjie Li
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
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13
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Ahmadi N, Abbasi M, Torabian A, van Loosdrecht MCM, Ducoste J. Biotransformation of micropollutants in moving bed biofilm reactors under heterotrophic and autotrophic conditions. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 460:132232. [PMID: 37690201 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132232] [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: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the transformation of four pharmaceuticals (Diclofenac, Naproxen, Ibuprofen and Carbamazepine) in a moving bed biofilm reactor subjected to different COD/N ratios in four experimental phases. The shift from medium to high range COD/N ratio (i.e., 5:1 to 100:1) intensified the competition between heterotrophs and nitrifying communities, leading to a transition from co-existence of heterotrophic and autotrophic conditions with high COD removal and nitrification rate in phase I to dominant heterotrophic conditions in phase II. At lower range COD/N ratios (i.e., 1:2 and 1:8) in phase III and IV, autotrophic conditions prevailed, resulting in increased nitrification rates and high abundance of amoA gene in the biofilm. Such shifts in the operating condition were accompanied by notable changes in the biofilm concentrations, composition and abundance of microbial populations as well as biodiversity in the biofilms, which collectively affected the degradation rates of the pharmaceuticals. We observed higher kinetic rates per unit of biofilm concentration under autotrophic conditions compared to heterotrophic conditions for all compounds except Naproxen, indicating the importance of nitrification in the transformation of such compounds. The results also revealed a positive relationship between biodiversity and biomass-normalized kinetic rates of most compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navid Ahmadi
- School of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mona Abbasi
- School of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Torabian
- School of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mark C M van Loosdrecht
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629Hz Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Joel Ducoste
- Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
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14
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Mortensen AT, Goonesekera EM, Dechesne A, Elad T, Tang K, Andersen HR, Smets BF, Valverde-Pérez B. Methanotrophic oxidation of organic micropollutants and nitrogen upcycling in a hybrid membrane biofilm reactor (hMBfR) for simultaneous O 2 and CH 4 supply. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 242:120104. [PMID: 37348423 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Pharmaceuticals and other organic micropollutants (OMPs) present in wastewater effluents are of growing concern, as they threaten environmental and human health. Conventional biological treatments lead to limited removal of OMPs. Methanotrophic bacteria can degrade a variety of OMPs. By employing a novel bubble-free hybrid membrane biofilm bioreactor (hMBfR), we grew methanotrophic bacteria at three CH4 loading rates. Biomass productivity and CH4 loading showed a linear correlation, with a maximum productivity of 372 mg-VSS·L-1·d-1, with corresponding biomass concentration of 1117.6 ± 56.4 mg-VSS·L-1. Furthermore, the biodegradation of sulfamethoxazole and 1H-benzotriazole positively correlated with CH4 oxidation rates, with highest biodegradation kinetic constants of 3.58 L·g-1·d-1 and 5.42 L·g-1·d-1, respectively. Additionally, the hMBfR recovered nutrients as microbial proteins, with an average content 39% DW. The biofilm community was dominated by Methylomonas, while the bulk was dominated by aerobic heterotrophic bacteria. The hMBfR removed OMPs, allowing for safer water reuse while valorising CH4 and nutrients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders T Mortensen
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DTU, Building 115, Bygningstorvet, Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Estelle M Goonesekera
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DTU, Building 115, Bygningstorvet, Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Arnaud Dechesne
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DTU, Building 115, Bygningstorvet, Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Tal Elad
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DTU, Building 115, Bygningstorvet, Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Kai Tang
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DTU, Building 115, Bygningstorvet, Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Henrik R Andersen
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DTU, Building 115, Bygningstorvet, Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Barth F Smets
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DTU, Building 115, Bygningstorvet, Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Borja Valverde-Pérez
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DTU, Building 115, Bygningstorvet, Lyngby 2800, Denmark.
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15
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Zhang H, Gong W, Xue Y, Zeng W, Wang H, Wang J, Tang X, Li G, Liang H. Municipal wastewater contains antibiotic treatment using O 2 transfer membrane based biofilm reactor: Interaction between regular pollutants metabolism and sulfamethoxazole degradation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 879:163060. [PMID: 36966821 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The antibiotic sulfamethoxazole (SMX) is frequently detected in wastewater treatment plant effluents and has attracted significant attention owing to its significant potential environmental effects. We present a novel O2 transfer membrane based biofilm reactor (O2TM-BR) to treat municipal wastewater to eliminate containing SMX. Furthermore, conducting metagenomics analyses, the interactions in biodegradation process between SMX and regular pollutants (NH4+-N and COD) were studied. Results suggest that O2TM-BR yields evident advantages in SMX degradation. Increasing SMX concentrations did not affect the efficiency of the system, and the effluent concentration remained consistent at approximately 17.0 μg/L. The interaction experiment showed that heterotrophic bacteria tend to consume easily degradable COD for metabolism, resulting in a delay (>36 h) in complete SMX degradation, which is 3-times longer than without COD. It is worth noting that the taxonomic and functional structure and composition in nitrogen metabolism were significantly shifted upon the SMX. NH4+-N removal remained unaffected by SMX in O2TM-BR, and the expression of K10944 and K10535 has no significant difference under the stress of SMX (P > 0.02). However, the K00376 and K02567 required in the nitrate reductase is inhibited by SMX (P < 0.01), which hinders the reduction of NO3--N and hence the accumulation of TN. This study provides a new method for SMX treatment and reveals the interaction between SMX and conventional pollutants in O2TM-BR as well as the microbial community function and assembly mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment (SKLUWRE), Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150090, PR China
| | - Weijia Gong
- School of Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, 600 Changjiang Street, Xiangfang District, Harbin 150030, PR China.
| | - Ying Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment (SKLUWRE), Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150090, PR China
| | - Weichen Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment (SKLUWRE), Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150090, PR China
| | - Hesong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment (SKLUWRE), Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150090, PR China
| | - Jinlong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment (SKLUWRE), Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150090, PR China
| | - Xiaobin Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment (SKLUWRE), Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150090, PR China
| | - Guibai Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment (SKLUWRE), Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150090, PR China
| | - Heng Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment (SKLUWRE), Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150090, PR China.
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16
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Chen W, Wang B, Wang Y, Li J. Understanding the cometabolic degradation of sulfadiazine by an enriched ammonia oxidizing bacteria culture from both extracellular and intracellular perspectives. CHEMOSPHERE 2023:139244. [PMID: 37330061 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotics are widely used drugs in the world and pose serious threats to ecosystems and human health. Although it has been reported that ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) can cometabolize antibiotics, little has been reported on how AOB would respond to the exposure of antibiotics on extracellular and enzymatic levels, as well as the impact of antibiotics on the bioactivity of AOB. Therefore, in this study, a typical antibiotic, sulfadiazine (SDZ), was selected, and a series short-term batch tests using enriched AOB sludge were conducted to investigate the intracellular and extracellular responses of AOB along the cometabolic degradation process of SDZ. The results showed the cometabolic degradation of AOB made the main contribution to SDZ removal. When the enriched AOB sludge was exposed to SDZ, ammonium oxidation rate, ammonia monooxygenase activity, adenosine triphosphate concentration and dehydrogenases activity were negatively affected. The amoA gene abundance increased 1.5 folds within 24 h, which may enhance the uptake and utilization of substrates and maintain stable metabolic activity. In the tests with and without ammonium, the concentration of total EPS increased from 264.9 to 231.1 mg/gVSS to 607.7 and 538.2 mg/gVSS, respectively, under the exposure to SDZ, which was mainly contributed by the increase of proteins in tightly bound extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and polysacharides in tightly bound EPS and soluble microbial products. The proportion of tryptophan-like protein and humic acid-like organics in EPS also increased. Moreover, SDZ stress stimulated the secretion of three quorum sensing signal molecules, C4-HSL (from 140.3 to 164.9 ng/L), 3OC6-HSL (from 17.8 to 42.4 ng/L) and C8-HSL (from 35.8 to 95.9 ng/L) in the enriched AOB sludge. Among them, C8-HSL may be a key signal molecule that promoted the secretion of EPS. The findings of this study could shed more light on the cometabolic degradation of antibiotics by AOB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiping Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Anaerobic Biotechnology, School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Bingzheng Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Anaerobic Biotechnology, School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China.
| | - Yaqing Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Anaerobic Biotechnology, School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Ji Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Anaerobic Biotechnology, School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China; Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory for Biomass Energy and Carbon Reduction Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China; Jiangsu College of Water Treatment Technology and Material Collaborative Innovation Center, Suzhou, 215009, China.
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17
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Tian H, Li Y, Chen H, Zhang J, Hui M, Xu X, Su Q, Smets BF. Aerobic biodegradation of quinoline under denitrifying conditions in membrane-aerated biofilm reactor. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 326:121507. [PMID: 36972812 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121507] [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: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Aerobic denitrification is being investigated as a novel biological nitrogen removal process, yet the knowledge on aerobic denitrification is limited to pure culture isolations and its occurrence in bioreactors remains unclear. This study investigated the feasibility and capacity of applying aerobic denitrification in membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) for biological treatment of quinoline-laden wastewater. Stable and efficient removals of quinoline (91.5 ± 5.2%) and nitrate (NO3-) (86.5 ± 9.3%) were obtained under different operational conditions. Enhanced formation and function of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) were observed at increasing quinoline loadings. MABR biofilm was highly enriched with aerobic quinoline-degrading bacteria, with a predominance of Rhodococcus (26.9 ± 3.7%) and secondary abundance of Pseudomonas (1.7 ± 1.2%) and Comamonas (0.94 ± 0.9%). Metagenomic analysis indicated that Rhodococcus contributed significantly to both aromatic degradation (24.5 ± 21.3%) and NO3- reduction (4.5 ± 3.9%), indicating its key role in aerobic denitrifying quinoline biodegradation. At increasing quinoline loadings, abundances of aerobic quinoline degradation gene oxoO and denitrifying genes of napA, nirS and nirK increased; there was a significant positive correlation of oxoO with nirS and nirK (p < 0.05). Aerobic quinoline degradation was likely initiated by hydroxylation, encoded by oxoO, followed by stepwise oxidations through 5,6-dihydroxy-1H-2-oxoquinoline or 8-hydroxycoumarin pathway. The results advance our understanding of quinoline degradation during biological nitrogen removal, and highlight the potential implementation of aerobic denitrification driven quinoline biodegradation in MABR for simultaneous removal of nitrogen and recalcitrant organic carbon from coking, coal gasification and pharmaceutical wastewaters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailong Tian
- College of Bioengineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- College of Bioengineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China
| | - Hui Chen
- College of Bioengineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China
| | - Jisheng Zhang
- College of Bioengineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China
| | - Ming Hui
- College of Bioengineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China
| | - Xingjian Xu
- Hinggan League Academy of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Ulanhot, Inner Mongolia 137400, PR China
| | - Qingxian Su
- Center for Water Research, Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai, 519087, China; Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Barth F Smets
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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18
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Rios-Miguel AB, Jhm van Bergen T, Zillien C, Mj Ragas A, van Zelm R, Sm Jetten M, Jan Hendriks A, Welte CU. Predicting and improving the microbial removal of organic micropollutants during wastewater treatment: A review. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 333:138908. [PMID: 37187378 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Organic micropollutants (OMPs) consist of widely used chemicals such as pharmaceuticals and pesticides that can persist in surface and groundwaters at low concentrations (ng/L to μg/L) for a long time. The presence of OMPs in water can disrupt aquatic ecosystems and threaten the quality of drinking water sources. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) rely on microorganisms to remove major nutrients from water, but their effectiveness at removing OMPs varies. Low removal efficiency might be the result of low concentrations, inherent stable chemical structures of OMPs, or suboptimal conditions in WWTPs. In this review, we discuss these factors, with special emphasis on the ongoing adaptation of microorganisms to degrade OMPs. Finally, recommendations are drawn to improve the prediction of OMP removal in WWTPs and to optimize the design of new microbial treatment strategies. OMP removal seems to be concentration-, compound-, and process-dependent, which poses a great complexity to develop accurate prediction models and effective microbial processes targeting all OMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana B Rios-Miguel
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Tamara Jhm van Bergen
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Caterina Zillien
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Ad Mj Ragas
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Rosalie van Zelm
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Mike Sm Jetten
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - A Jan Hendriks
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Cornelia U Welte
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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19
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Vega MAP, Scholes RC, Brady AR, Daly RA, Narrowe AB, Vanzin GF, Wrighton KC, Sedlak DL, Sharp JO. Methane-Oxidizing Activity Enhances Sulfamethoxazole Biotransformation in a Benthic Constructed Wetland Biomat. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:7240-7253. [PMID: 37099683 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c09314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Ammonia monooxygenase and analogous oxygenase enzymes contribute to pharmaceutical biotransformation in activated sludge. In this study, we hypothesized that methane monooxygenase can enhance pharmaceutical biotransformation within the benthic, diffuse periphytic sediments (i.e., "biomat") of a shallow, open-water constructed wetland. To test this hypothesis, we combined field-scale metatranscriptomics, porewater geochemistry, and methane gas fluxes to inform microcosms targeting methane monooxygenase activity and its potential role in pharmaceutical biotransformation. In the field, sulfamethoxazole concentrations decreased within surficial biomat layers where genes encoding for the particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) were transcribed by a novel methanotroph classified as Methylotetracoccus. Inhibition microcosms provided independent confirmation that methane oxidation was mediated by the pMMO. In these same incubations, sulfamethoxazole biotransformation was stimulated proportional to aerobic methane-oxidizing activity and exhibited negligible removal in the absence of methane, in the presence of methane and pMMO inhibitors, and under anoxia. Nitrate reduction was similarly enhanced under aerobic methane-oxidizing conditions with rates several times faster than for canonical denitrification. Collectively, our results provide convergent in situ and laboratory evidence that methane-oxidizing activity can enhance sulfamethoxazole biotransformation, with possible implications for the combined removal of nitrogen and trace organic contaminants in wetland sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A P Vega
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
- NSF Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt), Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Rachel C Scholes
- NSF Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt), Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Adam R Brady
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
- NSF Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt), Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Rebecca A Daly
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Adrienne B Narrowe
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Gary F Vanzin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Kelly C Wrighton
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - David L Sedlak
- NSF Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt), Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Jonathan O Sharp
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
- NSF Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt), Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
- Hydrologic Science and Engineering Program, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
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20
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Xu Y, Gu Y, Peng L, Wang N, Chen S, Liang C, Liu Y, Ni BJ. Unravelling ciprofloxacin removal in a nitrifying moving bed biofilm reactor: Biodegradation mechanisms and pathways. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 320:138099. [PMID: 36764613 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138099] [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: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Although moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs) have shown excellent antibiotic removal potentials, the information on underlying mechanisms is yet limited. This work assessed the removal of ciprofloxacin in an enriched nitrifying MBBR by clarifying the contribution of adsorption and microbial-induced biodegradation. Results demonstrated the considerable biomass adsorption (55%) in first 30 min. Limiting nitrite oxidizing bacteria growth or inhibiting nitrification would lead to lower adsorption capacities. The highest ciprofloxacin biodegradation rate constant was 0.082 L g SS-1 h-1 in the presence of ammonium, owing to ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB)-induced cometabolism, while heterotrophs played an insignificant role (∼9%) in ciprofloxacin biodegradation. The developed model also suggested the importance of AOB-induced cometabolism and metabolism over heterotrophs-induced biodegradation by analyzing the respective biodegradation coefficients. Cometabolic biodegradation pathways of ciprofloxacin mainly involved the piperazine ring cleavage, probably alleviating antimicrobial activities. It implies the feasibility of nitrifying biofilm systems towards efficient antibiotic removal from wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifeng Xu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China; Shenzhen Research Institute of Wuhan University of Technology, Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China
| | - Ying Gu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China
| | - Lai Peng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China; Shenzhen Research Institute of Wuhan University of Technology, Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China.
| | - Ning Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China
| | - Shi Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China
| | - Chuanzhou Liang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China; Shenzhen Research Institute of Wuhan University of Technology, Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China.
| | - Yiwen Liu
- 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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21
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Watanabe M, Guruge KS, Uegaki R, Kure K, Yamane I, Kobayashi S, Akiba M. Occurrence and the potential ecological risk of veterinary antimicrobials in swine farm wastewaters in Japan: Seasonal changes, relation to purchased quantity and after termination of oxytetracycline usage. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 173:107812. [PMID: 36805159 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
This study provides the first comprehensive investigation of the residual concentrations of eight classes of antimicrobial agents (AMs, 20 compounds) in 13 swine wastewater treatment facilities in Japan. These facilities implemented the aerobic activated sludge (AS) or its alternative methods. The maximum concentrations before treatment were found at the level of 7100, 6900, 6000, 3600, 3400, and 1400 µg/L for tilmicosin, oxytetracycline (OTC), chlortetracycline, lincomycin , sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim, respectively. The highest detection rate (96.3%) in influents was noted for the morantel, which was a feed additive. The seasonal difference in residual concentration was much greater for tetracyclines (TCs) and macrolides (MLs) when their residual concentrations were high, especially in the cold season. There was a positive correlation between the purchased quantity of TCs and fluoroquinolones (FQs) and their residue levels detected in the effluents (p < 0.01). The estimated removal rate of AMs was greater than 80%. In contrast, on a few occasions, it was diminished due to failing operating conditions, such as water temperature and AS rate in the aeration tank. The estimated ecological risks of AMs in effluents based on risk quotients (RQs) considered to enhance the selection pressure for drug resistance (RQs-AMR) were high for TCs and FQs, whereas ecotoxicological effects (RQs-ENV) to aquatic organisms were higher for sulfonamides and MLs. When OTC usage ceased, its concentration in wastewater decreased rapidly; however, it remained longer period in the effluents, probably due to OTC desorption from the AS. The concentrations (and respective RQs) of TCs were decreased by >99.8% and >92% in the influents and effluents, respectively. This data suggested that it is essential to reduce the amount used and introduce more efficient methods and operating conditions to constantly remove AMs during the treatment to reduce the risk of AM discharge from swine farms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mafumi Watanabe
- National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan
| | - Keerthi S Guruge
- National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan; Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Osaka Metropolitan University, 1-58 Rinku-oraikita, Izumisano, Osaka 598-8531, Japan.
| | - Ryuichi Uegaki
- National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan
| | - Katsumasa Kure
- The Japanese Association of Swine Veterinarians (JASV), 1704-3 Nishi-Ooi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 300-1260, Japan
| | - Itsuro Yamane
- National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan
| | - Sota Kobayashi
- National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan
| | - Masato Akiba
- National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan
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22
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Wang Q, Wang H, Lv M, Wang X, Chen L. Sulfamethoxazole degradation by Aeromonas caviae and co-metabolism by the mixed bacteria. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 317:137882. [PMID: 36657578 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.137882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) is a frequently detected antibiotic in the environment and has attracted much attention. Aeromonas caviae strain GLB-10 was isolated, which could degrade SMX to Aniline and 3-Amino-5-methylisoxazole. Compared to the single bacteria, the mixed bacteria including stain GLB-10, Vibrio diabolicus strain L2-2, Zobellella taiwanensis, Microbacterium testaceum, Methylobacterium, etc, had an ultrahigh degradation efficiency to SMX, with 250 mg/L SMX being degraded in 3 days. In addition to bioproducts of single bacteria, SMX bioproducts by the mixed bacteria also included acetanilide and hydroquinone which were not detected in the single bacteria. The SMX degradation mechanism of the mixed bacteria was more complicated including acetylation, sulfur reduction 4S pathway, and ipso-hydrolysis. The molecular mechanism of the mixed bacteria degrading SMX was also investigated, revealing that the resistance mechanism related to protein outer membrane protein and catalase peroxidase were overexpressed, meanwhile, 6-hydroxynicotinate 3-monooxygenase and ammonia monooxygenase might be the key proteins in SMX degradation. The mixed bacteria could efficiently degrade SMX in different real environments including tap water, river water, artificial lake water, estuary, and, marine water, and have very great research value in bacterial co-metabolism and biodegradation of sulfonamides antibiotics in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoning Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, Research Centre for Coastal Environmental Engineering and Technology, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Hongdan Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, Research Centre for Coastal Environmental Engineering and Technology, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Min Lv
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, Research Centre for Coastal Environmental Engineering and Technology, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, China
| | - Lingxin Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, Research Centre for Coastal Environmental Engineering and Technology, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China.
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23
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Su Q, Huang S, Zhang H, Wei Z, Ng HY. Abiotic transformations of sulfamethoxazole by hydroxylamine, nitrite and nitric oxide during wastewater treatment: Kinetics, mechanisms and pH effects. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 444:130328. [PMID: 36402107 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130328] [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: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Hydroxylamine (NH2OH), nitrite (NO2-) and nitric oxide (NO), intermediates enzymatically formed during biological nitrogen removal processes, can engage in chemical (abiotic) transformations of antibiotics. This study determined the kinetics, mechanisms and pathways of abiotic transformations of the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole (SMX) by NH2OH, NO2- and NO in a series of batch tests under different pH and oxygen conditions. While NH2OH was not able to directly transform SMX, NO2- (with HNO2 as the actual reactant) and NO can chemically transform SMX primarily through hydroxylation, nitration, deamination, nitrosation, cleavage of S-N, N-C and C-S bonds, and coupling reactions. There were substantial overlaps in transformation product formations during abiotic transformations by HNO2- and NO. The second order rate constants of SMX with NO2- and NO were determined in the range of 1.5 × 10-1 - 4.8 × 103 M-1 s-1 and 1.0 × 102 - 3.1 × 104 M-1 s-1, respectively, under varying pH (4 - 9) and anoxic or oxic conditions. Acidic pH significantly enhanced abiotic transformation kinetics, and facilitated nitration, nitrosation, and cleavage of S-N and N-C bonds. The findings advance our understanding of the fate of antibiotics during biological nitrogen removal, and highlight the role of enzymatically formed reactive nitrogen species in the antibiotic degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingxian Su
- National University of Singapore Environmental Research Institute, 5A Engineering Drive 1, 117411, Singapore; Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Shujuan Huang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, 11 Fushun Road, Qingdao 266033, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- College of Resources and Environment, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, Sichuan 610225, China
| | - Zongsu Wei
- Centre for Water Technology (WATEC), Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Universitetsbyen 36, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - How Yong Ng
- National University of Singapore Environmental Research Institute, 5A Engineering Drive 1, 117411, Singapore; Center for Water Research, Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai, 519087, China.
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24
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Beretsou VG, Nika MC, Manoli K, Michael C, Sui Q, Lundy L, Revitt DM, Thomaidis NS, Fatta-Kassinos D. Multiclass target analysis of contaminants of emerging concern including transformation products, soil bioavailability assessment and retrospective screening as tools to evaluate risks associated with reclaimed water reuse. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 852:158391. [PMID: 36049679 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The occurrence of 200 multiclass contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) encompassing 168 medicinal products and transformation products (TPs), 5 artificial sweeteners, 12 industrial chemicals, and 15 other compounds was investigated in influent and effluent wastewater samples collected during 7 consecutive days from 5 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) located in Cyprus. The methodology included a generic solid-phase extraction protocol using mixed-bed cartridges followed by Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with Quadrupole-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS) analysis. A total of 63 CECs were detected at least in one sample, with 52 and 55 out of the 200 compounds detected in influents and effluents, respectively. Ten (10) out of the 24 families of parent compounds and associated TPs were found in the wastewater samples (influent or effluent). 1-H-benzotriazole, carbamazepine, citalopram, lamotrigine, sucralose, tramadol, and venlafaxine (>80 % frequency of appearance in effluents) were assessed with respect to their bioavailability in soil as part of different scenarios of irrigation with reclaimed water following a qualitative approach. A high score of 12 (high probability) was predicted for 2 scenarios, a low score of 3 (rare occasions) for 2 scenarios, while the rest 28 scenarios had scores 5-8 (unlikely or limited possibility) and 9-11 (possibly). Retrospective screening was performed with the use of a target database of 2466 compounds and led to the detection of 158 additional compounds (medicinal products (65), medicinal products TPs (15), illicit drugs (7), illicit drugs TPs (3), industrial chemicals (11), plant protection products (25), plant protection products TPs (10), and various other compounds (22). This work aspires to showcase how the presence of CECs in wastewater could be investigated and assessed at WWTP level, including an expert-based methodology for assessing the soil bioavailability of CECs, with the aim to develop sustainable practices and enhance reclaimed water reuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasiliki G Beretsou
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus; Nireas-International Water Research Center, School of Engineering, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Maria-Christina Nika
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece
| | - Kyriakos Manoli
- Nireas-International Water Research Center, School of Engineering, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Costas Michael
- Nireas-International Water Research Center, School of Engineering, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Qian Sui
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Lian Lundy
- Middlesex University, Department of Natural Sciences, School of Science and Technology, London NW4 4BT, United Kingdom
| | - D Michael Revitt
- Middlesex University, Department of Natural Sciences, School of Science and Technology, London NW4 4BT, United Kingdom
| | - Nikolaos S Thomaidis
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece.
| | - Despo Fatta-Kassinos
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus; Nireas-International Water Research Center, School of Engineering, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus.
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25
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Sun P, Chen Y, Liu J, Xu Y, Zhou L, Wu Y. Periphytic biofilms function as a double-edged sword influencing nitrogen cycling in paddy fields. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:6279-6289. [PMID: 36335557 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
It remains unclear whether periphytic biofilms are beneficial to N cycling in paddy fields. Here, based on a national-scale field investigation covering 220 rice fields in China, the N accumulation potential of periphytic biofilms was found to decrease from 8.8 ± 2.4 to 4.5 ± 0.7 g/kg and 3.1 ± 0.6 g/kg with increasing habitat latitude and longitude, respectively. The difference in abundant and rare subcommunities likely accounts for their geo-difference in N accumulation potential. The N cycling pathways involved in periphytic biofilms inferred that soil N and N2 were two potential sources for N accumulation in periphytic biofilms. Meanwhile, some of the accumulated N may be lost via N2 , N2 O, NO, or NH3 outputs. Superficially, periphytic biofilms are double-edged swords to N cycling by increasing soil N through biological N fixation but accelerating greenhouse gas emissions. Essentially, augmented periphytic biofilms increased change of TN (ΔTN) content in paddy soil from -231.9 to 31.9 mg/kg, indicating that periphytic biofilms overall benefit N content enhancement in paddy fields. This study highlights the contribution of periphytic biofilms to N cycling in rice fields, thus, drawing attention to their effect on rice production and environmental security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China.,Zigui Three Gorges Reservoir Ecosystem, Observation and Research Station of Ministry of Water Resource of the Peoples' Republic of China, Shuitianba, Zigui, Yichang, China
| | - Yin Chen
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Junzhuo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China.,Zigui Three Gorges Reservoir Ecosystem, Observation and Research Station of Ministry of Water Resource of the Peoples' Republic of China, Shuitianba, Zigui, Yichang, China
| | - Ying Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China.,Zigui Three Gorges Reservoir Ecosystem, Observation and Research Station of Ministry of Water Resource of the Peoples' Republic of China, Shuitianba, Zigui, Yichang, China
| | - Lei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China.,Zigui Three Gorges Reservoir Ecosystem, Observation and Research Station of Ministry of Water Resource of the Peoples' Republic of China, Shuitianba, Zigui, Yichang, China
| | - Yonghong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China.,Zigui Three Gorges Reservoir Ecosystem, Observation and Research Station of Ministry of Water Resource of the Peoples' Republic of China, Shuitianba, Zigui, Yichang, China
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26
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Ecological Aerobic Ammonia and Methane Oxidation Involved Key Metal Compounds, Fe and Cu. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12111806. [PMID: 36362966 PMCID: PMC9693385 DOI: 10.3390/life12111806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Interactions between metals and microbes are critical in geomicrobiology and vital in microbial ecophysiological processes. Methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) and ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms (AOM) are key members in aerobic environments to start the C and N cycles. Ammonia and methane are firstly oxidized by copper-binding metalloproteins, monooxygenases, and diverse iron and copper-containing enzymes that contribute to electron transportation in the energy gain pathway, which is evolutionally connected between MOB and AOM. In this review, we summarized recently updated insight into the diverse physiological pathway of aerobic ammonia and methane oxidation of different MOB and AOM groups and compared the metabolic diversity mediated by different metalloenzymes. The elevation of iron and copper concentrations in ecosystems would be critical in the activity and growth of MOB and AOM, the outcome of which can eventually influence the global C and N cycles. Therefore, we also described the impact of various concentrations of metal compounds on the physiology of MOB and AOM. This review study could give a fundamental strategy to control MOB and AOM in diverse ecosystems because they are significantly related to climate change, eutrophication, and the remediation of contaminated sites for detoxifying pollutants.
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27
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Zhao J, Fang S, Liu G, Qi W, Bai Y, Liu H, Qu J. Role of ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in the removal of organic micropollutants during simulated riverbank filtration. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 226:119250. [PMID: 36274354 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119250] [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: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Biodegradation plays an important role in the removal of organic micropollutants (OMPs) during riverbank filtration (RBF) for drinking water production. The ability of ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms (AOM) to remove OMPs has attracted increasing attention. However, the distribution of AOM in RBF and its role in the degradation of OMPs remains unknown. In this study, the behavior of 128 selected OMPs and the distribution of AOM and their roles in the degradation of OMPs in RBF were explored by column and batch experiments simulating the first meter of the riverbank. The results showed that the selected OMPs were effectively removed (82/128 OMPs, >70% removal) primarily by biodegradation and partly by adsorption. Inefficiently removed OMPs tended to have low molecular weights, low log P, and contain secondary amides, secondary sulfonamides, secondary ketimines, and benzyls. In terms of the microbial communities, the relative abundance of AOM increased from 0.1%-0.2% (inlet-sand) to 5.3%-5.9% (outlet-sand), which was dominated by ammonia-oxidizing archaea whose relative abundance increased from 23%-72% (inlet-sand) to 97% (outlet-sand). Comammox accounted for 23%-64% in the inlet-sand and 1% in the outlet-sand. The abundances of AOM amoA genes kept stable in the inlet-sand of control columns, while decreased by 78% in the treatment columns, suggesting the inhibition effect of allylthiourea (ATU) on AOM. It is observed that AOM played an important role in the degradation of OMPs, where its inhibition led to the corresponding inhibition of 32 OMPs (5/32 were completely suppressed). In particular, OMPs with low molecular weights and containing primary amides, secondary amides, benzyls, and secondary sulfonamides were more likely to be removed by AOM. This study reveals the vital role of AOM in the removal of OMPs, deepens our understanding of the degradation of OMPs in RBF, and offers valuable insights into the physiochemical properties of OMPs and their AOM co-metabolic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Zhao
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Shangbiao Fang
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Gang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Sanitary Engineering, Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, P.O. Box 5048, 2600GA, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Weixiao Qi
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Beijing Laboratory of Environmental Frontier Technologies, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yaohui Bai
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Huijuan Liu
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Beijing Laboratory of Environmental Frontier Technologies, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Jiuhui Qu
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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28
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Vega MAP, Scholes RC, Brady AR, Daly RA, Narrowe AB, Bosworth LB, Wrighton KC, Sedlak DL, Sharp JO. Pharmaceutical Biotransformation is Influenced by Photosynthesis and Microbial Nitrogen Cycling in a Benthic Wetland Biomat. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:14462-14477. [PMID: 36197061 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c03566] [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] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In shallow, open-water engineered wetlands, design parameters select for a photosynthetic microbial biomat capable of robust pharmaceutical biotransformation, yet the contributions of specific microbial processes remain unclear. Here, we combined genome-resolved metatranscriptomics and oxygen profiling of a field-scale biomat to inform laboratory inhibition microcosms amended with a suite of pharmaceuticals. Our analyses revealed a dynamic surficial layer harboring oxic-anoxic cycling and simultaneous photosynthetic, nitrifying, and denitrifying microbial transcription spanning nine bacterial phyla, with unbinned eukaryotic scaffolds suggesting a dominance of diatoms. In the laboratory, photosynthesis, nitrification, and denitrification were broadly decoupled by incubating oxic and anoxic microcosms in the presence and absence of light and nitrogen cycling enzyme inhibitors. Through combining microcosm inhibition data with field-scale metagenomics, we inferred microbial clades responsible for biotransformation associated with membrane-bound nitrate reductase activity (emtricitabine, trimethoprim, and atenolol), nitrous oxide reduction (trimethoprim), ammonium oxidation (trimethoprim and emtricitabine), and photosynthesis (metoprolol). Monitoring of transformation products of atenolol and emtricitabine confirmed that inhibition was specific to biotransformation and highlighted the value of oscillating redox environments for the further transformation of atenolol acid. Our findings shed light on microbial processes contributing to pharmaceutical biotransformation in open-water wetlands with implications for similar nature-based treatment systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A P Vega
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
- NSF Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt), https://www.renuwit.org
| | - Rachel C Scholes
- NSF Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt), https://www.renuwit.org
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Adam R Brady
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
- NSF Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt), https://www.renuwit.org
| | - Rebecca A Daly
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Adrienne B Narrowe
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Lily B Bosworth
- NSF Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt), https://www.renuwit.org
- Hydrologic Science and Engineering Program, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Kelly C Wrighton
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - David L Sedlak
- NSF Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt), https://www.renuwit.org
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Jonathan O Sharp
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
- NSF Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt), https://www.renuwit.org
- Hydrologic Science and Engineering Program, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
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29
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Cheng Z, Ren D, Yang S, Qiao L, Liu Y, Huang X. Simultaneous elimination of antibiotics and antibiotics resistance genes in nitritation of source-separated urine. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 437:129369. [PMID: 35897182 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129369] [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: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotics in human urine could accelerate dissemination of antibiotics resistance genes (ARGs), posing potential threat to sewage. The nitritation of source-separated urine was a critical step to realize the urine resourcelization and nitrogen stabilization. However, the synergic control on antibiotics and ARGs during urine nitritation was unrevealed. This study investigated the removal profiles of five typical antibiotics and the shifts of microbial community and ARGs during stable nitritation. The result showed that sulfamethoxazole and roxithromycin were effectively eliminated with high removal efficiency of (95 ± 5) % and (90 ± 10) %, followed by enrofloxacin with removal efficiency of (60 ± 5) %, whereas trimethoprim and chloramphenicol showed low removal efficiency of less than 40 %. Ammonia oxidation bacteria and heterotrophic bacteria equally contributed to elimination of sulfamethoxazole with a high biodegradation rate of 0.1534 L/gVSS·h, while sorption and biodegradation jointly promoted other antibiotics removal. The total relative abundance of top 25 bacteria genera was decreased by 10 %. The total relative abundance of top 30 ARGs was decreased by more than 20 %, which was corresponding to the variation of bacterial community. The findings in this research would get a deeper insight into the eliminating antibiotics and controlling ARGs dissemination during nitritation of source-separated urine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Cheng
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Daheng Ren
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, PR China
| | - Shaolin Yang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Longkai Qiao
- Institute of Global Environmental Change, School of Human Settlements and Civil Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China
| | - Yanchen Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China.
| | - Xia Huang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
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30
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Su Q, Albani G, Sundberg J, Andersen HR, Nielsen TG, Thamdrup B, Jensen MM. Microbial bioremediation of produced water under different redox conditions in marine sediments. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 218:118428. [PMID: 35461099 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118428] [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] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The discharge of produced water from offshore oil platforms is an emerging concern due to its potential adverse effects on marine ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the feasibility and capability of using marine sediments for the bioremediation of produced water. We utilized a combination of porewater and solid phase analysis in a series of sediment batch incubations amended with produced water and synthetic produced water to determine the biodegradation of hydrocarbons under different redox conditions. Significant removal of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) compounds was observed under different redox conditions, with biodegradation efficiencies of 93-97% in oxic incubations and 45-93% in anoxic incubations with nitrate, iron oxide or sulfate as the electron acceptor. Higher biodegradation rates of BTEX were obtained by incubations dominated by nitrate reduction (104-149 nmolC/cm3/d) and oxygen respiration (52-57 nmolC/cm3/d), followed by sulfate reduction (14-76 nmolC/cm3/d) and iron reduction (29-39 nmolC/cm3/d). Chemical fingerprint analysis showed that hydrocarbons were biodegraded to smaller alcohols/acids under oxic conditions compared to anoxic conditions with nitrate, indicating that the presence of oxygen facilitated a more complete biodegradation process. Toxicity of treated produced water to the marine copepod Acartia tonsa was reduced by half after sediment incubations with oxygen and nitrate. Our study emphasizes the possibility to use marine sediment as a biofilter for treating produced water at sea without extending the oil and gas platform or implementing a large-scale construction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingxian Su
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby 2800, Denmark.
| | - Giovanna Albani
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Jonas Sundberg
- Danish Offshore Technology Center, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Henrik Rasmus Andersen
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Torkel Gissel Nielsen
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Bo Thamdrup
- Nordic Center for Earth Evolution and Institute of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M 5230, Denmark
| | - Marlene Mark Jensen
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby 2800, Denmark.
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31
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Scholes RC. Emerging investigator series: contributions of reactive nitrogen species to transformations of organic compounds in water: a critical review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2022; 24:851-869. [PMID: 35546580 DOI: 10.1039/d2em00102k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Reactive nitrogen species (RNS) pose a potential risk to drinking water quality because they react with organic compounds to form toxic byproducts. Since the discovery of RNS formation in sunlit surface waters, these reactive intermediates have been detected in numerous sunlit natural waters and engineered water treatment systems. This critical review summarizes what is known regarding RNS, including their formation, contributions to contaminant transformation, and products resulting from RNS reactions. Reaction mechanisms and rate constants have been described for nitrogen dioxide (˙NO2) reacting with phenolic compounds. However, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding reactions of RNS with other types of organic compounds. Promising methods to quantify RNS concentrations and reaction rates include the use of selective quenchers and probe compounds as well as electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Additionally, high resolution mass spectrometry methods have enabled the identification of nitr(os)ated byproducts that form via RNS reactions in sunlit surface waters, UV-based treatment systems, treatment systems that employ chemical oxidants such as chlorine and ozone, and certain types of biological treatment processes. Recommendations are provided for future research to increase understanding of RNS reactions and products, and the implications for drinking water toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel C Scholes
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
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32
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Huang Y, Qian X, Wang X, Wang T, Lounder SJ, Ravindran T, Demitrack Z, McCutcheon J, Asatekin A, Li B. Electrospraying Zwitterionic Copolymers as an Effective Biofouling Control for Accurate and Continuous Monitoring of Wastewater Dynamics in a Real-Time and Long-Term Manner. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:8176-8186. [PMID: 35576931 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c01501] [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] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Long-term continuous monitoring (LTCM) of water quality can provide high-fidelity datasets essential for executing swift control and enhancing system efficiency. One roadblock for LTCM using solid-state ion-selective electrode (S-ISE) sensors is biofouling on the sensor surface, which perturbs analyte mass transfer and deteriorates the sensor reading accuracy. This study advanced the anti-biofouling property of S-ISE sensors through precisely coating a self-assembled channel-type zwitterionic copolymer poly(trifluoroethyl methacrylate-random-sulfobetaine methacrylate) (PTFEMA-r-SBMA) on the sensor surface using electrospray. The PTFEMA-r-SBMA membrane exhibits exceptional permeability and selectivity to primary ions in water solutions. NH4+ S-ISE sensors with this anti-fouling zwitterionic layer were examined in real wastewater for 55 days consecutively, exhibiting sensitivity close to the theoretical value (59.18 mV/dec) and long-term stability (error <4 mg/L). Furthermore, a denoising data processing algorithm (DDPA) was developed to further improve the sensor accuracy, reducing the S-ISE sensor error to only 1.2 mg/L after 50 days of real wastewater analysis. Based on the dynamic energy cost function and carbon footprint models, LTCM is expected to save 44.9% NH4+ discharge, 12.8% energy consumption, and 26.7% greenhouse emission under normal operational conditions. This study unveils an innovative LTCM methodology by integrating advanced materials (anti-fouling layer coating) with sensor data processing (DDPA).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuankai Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Xin Qian
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Xingyu Wang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Tianbao Wang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Samuel J Lounder
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Tulasi Ravindran
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Zoe Demitrack
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Jeffrey McCutcheon
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Ayse Asatekin
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Baikun Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
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33
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Yan R, Wang Y, Li J, Wang X, Wang Y. Determination of the lower limits of antibiotic biodegradation and the fate of antibiotic resistant genes in activated sludge: Both nitrifying bacteria and heterotrophic bacteria matter. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 425:127764. [PMID: 34799165 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotics can be biodegraded in activated sludge via co-metabolism and metabolism. In this study, we investigated the biodegradation pathways of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and antibiotic resistant genes' (ARGs) fate in different autotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms, by employing aerobic sludge, mixed sludge, and nitrifying sludge. A threshold concentration of SMX activating the degradation pathways in the initial stage of antibiotics degradation was found and proved in different activated sludge systems. Heterotrophic bacteria played an important role in SMX biodegradation. However, ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) had a faster metabolic rate, which was about 15 times higher than heterotrophic bacteria, contributing much to SMX removal via co-metabolism. As SMX concentration increases, the amoA gene and AOB relative abundance decreased in aerobic sludge due to the enrichment of functional heterotrophic bacteria, while it increased in nitrifying sludge. Microbial community analysis showed that functional bacteria which possess the capacity of SMX removal and antibiotic resistance were selected by SMX pressure. Potential ARGs hosts could increase their resistance to the biotoxicity of SMX and maintain system performance. These findings are of practical significance to guide antibiotic biodegradation and ARGs control in wastewater treatment plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruofan Yan
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Yibing Wang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Jiahuan Li
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Xinhua Wang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China.
| | - Yunkun Wang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China; Chinese Academy of Science Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
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34
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Li S, Peng L, Yang C, Song S, Xu Y. Cometabolic biodegradation of antibiotics by ammonia oxidizing microorganisms during wastewater treatment processes. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 305:114336. [PMID: 34953231 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Studies on antibiotic removal during wastewater treatment processes are crucial since their release into the environment could bring potential threats to human health and ecosystem. Cometabolic biodegradation of antibiotics by ammonia oxidizing microorganisms (AOMs) has received special attentions due to the enhanced removal of antibiotics during nitrification processes. However, the interactions between antibiotics and AOMs are less well-elucidated. In this review, the recent research proceedings on cometabolic biodegradation of antibiotics by AOMs were summarized. Ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB), ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA) and complete ammonia oxidizers (comammox) played significant roles in both nitrification and cometabolic biodegradation of antibiotics. Antibiotics at varying concentrations might pose inhibiting or stimulating effect on AOMs, influencing the microbial activity, community abundance and ammonia monooxygenase subunit A gene expression level. AOMs-induced cometabolic biodegradation products were analyzed as well as the corresponding pathways for each type of antibiotics. The effects of ammonium availability, initial antibiotic concentration, sludge retention time and temperature were assessed on the cometabolic biodegradation efficiencies of antibiotics. This work might provide further insights into the fate and removal of antibiotics during nitrification processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengjun Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China; School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China
| | - Lai Peng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China; School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China.
| | - Chenguang Yang
- Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya Hainan, 572000, China
| | - Shaoxian Song
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China; School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China
| | - Yifeng Xu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China; School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China.
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35
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Athanasakoglou A, Fenner K. Toward Characterizing the Genetic Basis of Trace Organic Contaminant Biotransformation in Activated Sludge: The Role of Multicopper Oxidases as a Case Study. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:313-324. [PMID: 34932304 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c05803] [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] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Activated sludge treatment leverages the ability of microbes to uptake and (co)-metabolize chemicals and has shown promise in eliminating trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) during wastewater treatment. However, targeted interventions to optimize the process are limited as the fundamental drivers of the observed reactions remain elusive. In this work, we present a comprehensive workflow for the identification and characterization of key enzymes involved in TrOCs biotransformation pathways in complex microbial communities. To demonstrate the applicability of the workflow, we investigated the role of the enzymatic group of multicopper oxidases (MCOs) as one putatively relevant driver of TrOCs biotransformation. To this end, we analyzed activated sludge metatranscriptomic data and selected, synthesized, and heterologously expressed three phylogenetically distinct MCO-encoding genes expressed in communities with different TrOCs oxidation potentials. Following the purification of the encoded enzymes, we screened their activities against different substrates. We saw that MCOs exhibit significant activities against selected TrOCs in the presence of the mediator compound 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid and, in some cases, also in the presence of the wastewater contaminant 4'-hydroxy-benzotriazole. In the first case, we identified oxidation products previously reported from activated sludge communities and concluded that in the presence of appropriate mediators, bacterial MCOs could contribute to the biological removal of TrOCs. Similar investigations of other key enzyme systems may significantly advance our understanding of TrOCs biodegradation and assist the rational design of biology-based water treatment strategies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Athanasakoglou
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Kathrin Fenner
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
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36
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Li Z, Ren L, Qiao Y, Li X, Zheng J, Ma J, Wang Z. Recent advances in membrane biofilm reactor for micropollutants removal: Fundamentals, performance and microbial communities. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2022; 343:126139. [PMID: 34662738 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126139] [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: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The occurrence of micropollutants (MPs) in water and wastewater imposes potential risks on ecological security and human health. Membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR), as an emerging technology, has attracted much attention for MPs removal from water and wastewater. The review aims to consolidate the recent advances in membrane biofilm reactor for MPs removal from the standpoint of fundamentals, removal performance and microbial communities. First, the configuration and working principles of MBfRs are reviewed prior to the discussion of the current status of the system. Thereafter, a comprehensive review of the MBfR performance for MPs elimination based on literature database is presented. Key information on the microbial communities that are of great significance for the removal performance is then synthesized. Perspectives on the future research needs are also provided in this review to ensure the development of MBfRs for more cost-effective elimination of MPs from water and wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhouyan Li
- Tongji University, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji Advanced Membrane Technology Center, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Lehui Ren
- Tongji University, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji Advanced Membrane Technology Center, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Yiwen Qiao
- Tongji University, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji Advanced Membrane Technology Center, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Xuesong Li
- Tongji University, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji Advanced Membrane Technology Center, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Junjian Zheng
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, 1 Jinji Road, Guilin 541004, PR China
| | - Jinxing Ma
- Key Laboratory for City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Zhiwei Wang
- Tongji University, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji Advanced Membrane Technology Center, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai 200092, PR China.
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37
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Su Q, Schittich AR, Smets BF. Response to "Comment on 'Role of Ammonia Oxidation in Organic Micropollutant Transformation during Wastewater Treatment': Overlooked Evidence to the Contrary". ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:16783-16784. [PMID: 34850629 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c05941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Qingxian Su
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Anna-Ricarda Schittich
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Barth F Smets
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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38
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Wang L, Liu Z, Jiang X, Li A. Aerobic granulation of nitrifying activated sludge enhanced removal of 17α-ethinylestradiol. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 801:149546. [PMID: 34438142 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The positive correlation between the nitrification activity of activated sludge and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) removal has been widely reported. However, up to now the effect of the granulation of nitrifying activated sludge (NAS) on EE2 removal has not been determined. In this study, nitrifying granular sludge (NGS) exhibited more effective EE2 removal efficiency with 3.705 μgEE2∙(gMLSS∙h)-1 in a sequential batch reactor (SBR). Through the artificial neural network (ANN) model and Spearman correlation analysis, nitrite accumulation was demonstrated to be the key factor affecting EE2 removal. Notably, under the same aeration condition (0.15 L/min), nitrite accumulation was more easily achieved in NGS because of its dense structure. Full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing suggested that EE2 could strongly influence the microbial communities of NAS and NGS. NGS exhibited an increase in community diversity and richness, but NAS exhibited a decrease. In addition, the relative abundance of Nitrosomonas (ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, AOB) decreased considerably in both NAS and NGS, whereas the expression of amoA and nirK genes in Nitrosomonas was upregulated. It was suggested that Nitrosomonas was forced to regulate its gene expression to resist the negative effects of EE2. Denitrifying bacteria, such as Comamonas, were enriched in both NAS and NGS, and there were more species of heterotrophs that can degrade micropollutants in NGS with exposure to EE2. The transformation pathways of EE2 were uniform in NAS and NGS. Ammonia monooxygenase (AMO) in AOB directly biotransformed EE2 while reactive species produced by AOB chemically transformed EE2. Heterotrophs degraded EE2 and its transformation products (TPs) generated by AOB. According to TPs and microbial structure, NGS exhibited better performance than NAS regarding the collaborative removal of EE2 by AOB and heterotrophs. These results provide important information for the development and application of NGS to treat wastewater containing estrogen and high-strength ammonium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Wang
- Key Laboratory of Water and sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Zhifang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Water and sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Xiaoman Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Water and sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Anjie Li
- Key Laboratory of Water and sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
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39
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Fenner K, Men Y. Comment on "Role of Ammonia Oxidation in Organic Micropollutant Transformation during Wastewater Treatment": Overlooked Evidence to the Contrary. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:12128-12129. [PMID: 34405990 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c04178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Fenner
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Yujie Men
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, Riverside California 92521, United States
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