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Asiedu E, Zhao K, Anwar MN, Ross M, Balaberda AL, Ulrich AC. Biodegradation in oil sands process-affected water: A comprehensive laboratory analysis of the in situ biodegradation of dissolved organic acids. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 349:141018. [PMID: 38141671 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.141018] [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: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) is a by-product of the extraction of bitumen, and volumes of OSPW have accumulated across the Alberta oil sands region due to the governments zero-discharge policy. Some dissolved organics in OSPW, including toxic naphthenic acids (NAs), can be biodegraded in oxic conditions, thereby reducing the toxicity of OSPW. While there has been much focus on degradation of NAs, the biodegradation of other dissolved organic chemicals by endogenous organisms remains understudied. Here, using the HPLC-ultrahigh resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry, we examined the microbial biodegradation of dissolved organic acids in OSPW. Non-targeted analysis enabled the estimation of biodegradation rates for unique heteroatomic chemical classes detected in negative ion mode. The microcosm experiments were conducted with and without nutrient supplementation, and the changes in the microbial community over time were investigated. Without added nutrients, internal standard-adjusted intensities of all organics, including NAs, were largely unchanged. The addition of nutrients increased the biodegradation rate of O2- and SO2- chemical classes. While anoxic biodegradation can occur in tailings ponds and end pit lakes, microbial community analyses confirmed that the presence of oxygen stimulated biodegradation of the OSPW samples studied. We detected several aerobic hydrocarbon-degrading microbes (e.g., Pseudomonas and Brevundimonas), and microbes capable of degrading sulfur-containing hydrocarbons (e.g., Microbacterium). Microbial community diversity decreased over time with nutrient addition. Overall, the results from this study indicate that toxic dissolved organics beyond NAs can be biodegraded by endogenous organisms in OSPW, but reaffirms that biological treatment strategies require careful consideration of how nutrients and dissolved oxygen may impact efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn Asiedu
- Division of Analytical & Environmental Toxicology, Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2G3, Canada
| | - Kankan Zhao
- Institute of Soil and Water Resources and Environmental Science, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Mian Nabeel Anwar
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2G3, Canada
| | - Matthew Ross
- Department of Physical Sciences, MacEwan University, Edmonton, Alberta, T5J 2P2, Canada
| | - Amy-Lynne Balaberda
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2G3, Canada
| | - Ania C Ulrich
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2G3, Canada.
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2
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Ye H, Yang B, Wang Q, How ZT, Nie C, Chelme-Ayala P, Guo S, Chen C, Gamal El-Din M. Influences of integrated coagulation-ozonation pretreatment on the characteristics of dissolved organic pollutants (DOPs) of heavy oil electric desalting wastewaters. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 300:113756. [PMID: 34534758 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The quality of heavy oil electric desalting wastewaters (HO-EDWs) affects the effectiveness of refinery wastewater treatment plants. In this study, an integrated coagulation-ozonation (ICO) process was used to pretreat HO-EDWs and the influences on the characteristics of dissolved organic pollutants (DOPs) were investigated. Coagulation using aluminum sulfate removed 39% of soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD), 21% of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), 57% of petroleum hydrocarbons and 38% of polar oils from Liaohe HO-EDWs and the biodegradability was greatly improved. Ozonation removed 33% of SCOD and 88% of polar oils from the coagulated HO-EDWs. Most species of aromatic compounds, phenols, aliphatic acids, anilines and naphthenic acids with high C numbers and ring numbers were degraded and the unsaturation degrees of DOPs significantly decreased under ozonation. As a result, the biodegradability was further improved and the acute toxicity towards Vibrio fischeri was substantially reduced. Some OxS1 species and organic nitrogen compounds in HO-EDWs were penetrated through ozonation and caused the residual biotoxicity. The results demonstrate the potential of ICO pretreatment for improving the quality of refractory HO-EDWs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huangfan Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Beijing Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Pollution Control, China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing, 102249, China
| | - Baiyu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Beijing Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Pollution Control, China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing, 102249, China
| | - Qinghong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Beijing Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Pollution Control, China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing, 102249, China
| | - Zuo Tong How
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Chunmei Nie
- Refining & Petrochemical Research Institute, PetroChina Karamay Petrochemical Co., Ltd., Karamay, 834000, China
| | - Pamela Chelme-Ayala
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Shaohui Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Beijing Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Pollution Control, China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing, 102249, China
| | - Chunmao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Beijing Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Pollution Control, China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing, 102249, China.
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada.
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3
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Alberts ME, Wong J, Hindle R, Degenhardt D, Krygier R, Turner RJ, Muench DG. Detection of naphthenic acid uptake into root and shoot tissues indicates a direct role for plants in the remediation of oil sands process-affected water. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 795:148857. [PMID: 34328940 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Bitumen extraction from surface-mined oil sands deposits results in the accumulation of large volumes of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW). Naphthenic acids (NAs) are primary contributors to OSPW toxicity and have been a focal point for the development of OSPW remediation strategies. Phytoremediation is an approach that utilizes plants and their associated microbes to remediate contaminants from soil and groundwater. While previous evidence has indicated a role for phytoremediation in OSPW treatment through the transformation and degradation of NAs, there are no reports that demonstrate the direct uptake of NAs into plant tissue. Using NAs labelled with 14C radioisotopes (14C-NAs) paired with whole-plant autoradiography, we show that NAs representing aliphatic (linear), single-ring, and diamondoid compounds were effectively removed from hydroponic solution and OSPW-treated soil by sandbar willow (Salix interior) and slender wheatgrass (Elymus trachycaulus) and their associated microbiomes. The NA-derived 14C label accumulated in root and shoot tissues of both plant species and was concentrated in vascular tissue and rapidly growing sink tissues, indicating that 14C-NAs or their metabolic derivatives were incorporated into physiological processes within the plants. Slender wheatgrass seedlings grown under axenic (sterile) hydroponic and soil conditions also effectively removed all 14C-NAs, including a highly stable diamondoid NA, demonstrating that plants can directly take up simple and complex NAs without the assistance of microbes. Furthermore, root and shoot tissue fractionation into major biomolecule groups suggests that NA-derived carbon is allocated toward biomolecule synthesis rapidly after NA treatment. These findings provide evidence of plant-mediated uptake of NAs and support a direct role for plants and their associated microbes in the development of future large-scale OSPW phytoremediation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell E Alberts
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jeremy Wong
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ralph Hindle
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Vogon Laboratory Services Ltd., Cochrane, Alberta, Canada
| | - Dani Degenhardt
- Natural Resources Canada (Canadian Forest Service), Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Richard Krygier
- Natural Resources Canada (Canadian Forest Service), Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Raymond J Turner
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Douglas G Muench
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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Transcriptome Analysis of Environmental Pseudomonas Isolates Reveals Mechanisms of Biodegradation of Naphthenic Acid Fraction Compounds (NAFCs) in Oil Sands Tailings. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9102124. [PMID: 34683445 PMCID: PMC8540809 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9102124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Naphthenic acid fraction compounds (NAFCs) are highly recalcitrant constituents of oil sands tailings. Although some microorganisms in the tailings can individually and synergistically metabolize NAFCs, the biochemical mechanisms that underpin these processes are hitherto unknown. To this end, we isolated two microorganisms, Pseudomonas protegens and Pseudomonas putida, from oils sands tailings and analyzed their transcriptomes to shed light on the metabolic processes employed by them to degrade and detoxify NAFCs. We identified 1048, 521 and 1434 genes that are upregulated in P. protegens, P. putida and a 1:1 co-culture of the strains, respectively. We subsequently enumerated the biochemical activities of enriched genes and gene products to reveal the identities of the enzymes that are associated with NAFC degradation. Separately, we analyzed the NAFCs that are degraded by the two pseudomonads and their 1:1 co-culture and determined the composition of the molecules using mass spectrometry. We then compared these molecular formulas to those of the cognate substrates of the enriched enzymes to chart the metabolic network and understand the mechanisms of degradation that are employed by the microbial cultures. Not only does the consortium behave differently than the pure cultures, but our analysis also revealed the mechanisms responsible for accelerated rate of degradation of NAFCs by the co-culture. Our findings provide new directions for engineering or evolving microorganisms and their consortia for degrading NAFCs more stably and aggressively.
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Wang W, Nemati M. Co-biodegradation of naphthenic acids in anoxic denitrifying biofilm reactors. ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY 2021; 42:984-1000. [PMID: 31378149 DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2019.1650122] [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: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Anoxic co-biodegradation of linear and cyclic naphthenic acids (NAs) namely octanoic acid, trans-4-methyl-1-cyclohexane carboxylic acid (trans-4MCHCA), cis- and trans-4-methyl-1-cyclohexane-acetic acids (cis-4MCHAA and trans-4MCHAA) was investigated in denitrifying biofilm reactors. In all evaluated compositions, co-biodegradation of NAs was coupled to denitrification, with octanoic acid showing the fastest biodegradation rate (1180.4 mg L-1 h-1 at loading rate of 1180.4 mg L-1 h-1), followed by trans-4MCHCA (398.1 mg L-1 h-1 at loading rate of 435.8 mg L-1 h-1), trans-4MCHAA (25.7 mg L-1 h-1 at loading rate of 221.7 mg L-1 h-1), and cis-4MCHAA (5.3 mg L-1 h-1 at loading rate of 16.9 mg L-1 h-1). Biodegradation of octanoic acid and trans-4MCHCA were not influenced by the presence of recalcitrant NAs (cis- and trans-4MCHAA). Co-biodegradation of cis- and trans-4MCHAA with octanoic acid, trans-4MCHCA, or their combination enhanced the biodegradability of these recalcitrant NAs, with the positive impact being more pronounced for trans-4MCHCA. Finally anoxic co-biodegradation of NAs under denitrifying conditions proceeded at rates that were faster than the aerobic rates obtained in similar mixtures. Anoxic biodegradation, therefore, is an effective alternative for in situ treatment of oil sands process water in anoxic stabilization ponds amended with nitrate, or as an ex situ treatment approach in denitrifying bioreactors whereby the cost and technical challenges of aeration are eliminated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Mehdi Nemati
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
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6
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Huang R, Wang C, Chelme-Ayala P, Fang Z, Shi Q, Xu C, Gamal El-Din M. Ferrate oxidation of distinct naphthenic acids species isolated from process water of unconventional petroleum production. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 672:906-915. [PMID: 30978552 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.04.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Distinct naphthenic acid (NA) species were isolated from oil sands process water (OSPW) into 20 fractions via silver-ion solid phase extraction, prior to treatment using potassium ferrate(VI). Untreated and treated fractions F1-F20 were characterized using ultra performance liquid chromatography traveling-wave ion mobility time-of-flight mass spectrometry to identify classical NAs (aliphatic O2-NAs mainly found in fractions F1-F4), aromatic NAs (aromatic O2-NAs in F6-F9), oxidized NAs (O3-, O4-, and O5-NAs in F14-F17), and sulfur-containing NAs (F16-F19). The Fe(VI) oxidation reactivity of individual NA species was studied with minimized confounding effects from the complicated OSPW matrix. Aliphatic and aromatic O2-NAs were found to have different reactivity towards Fe(VI) oxidation, with removals ranging from <50% up to 90% at 200 mg/L ferrate dose. The O3-NAs and O4-NAs from raw OSPW were recalcitrant species with slight degradation under Fe(VI) oxidation conditions. The Fe(VI) oxidation of O2-NAs generated new O3-NAs as byproducts or intermediate byproducts which finally resulted in more oxygen-rich Ox-NAs as the final byproducts depending on the Fe(VI) doses. Besides the obtained knowledge on chemical reactivity, current methodology (i.e., treatment of Ag-ion fractions of OSPW versus raw OSPW) could be applied to evaluate other treatment approaches as well as toxicity of distinct NA species for environmental applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongfu Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Chengjin Wang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Pamela Chelme-Ayala
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Zhi Fang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada; State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
| | - Quan Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
| | - Chunming Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada.
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7
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Leshuk T, Peru KM, de Oliveira Livera D, Tripp A, Bardo P, Headley JV, Gu F. Petroleomic analysis of the treatment of naphthenic organics in oil sands process-affected water with buoyant photocatalysts. WATER RESEARCH 2018; 141:297-306. [PMID: 29803095 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2018] [Revised: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The persistence of toxicity associated with the soluble naphthenic organic compounds (NOCs) of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) implies that a treatment solution may be necessary to enable safe return of this water to the environment. Due to recent advances in high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), the majority of the toxicity of OSPW is currently understood to derive from a subset of toxic classes, comprising only a minority of the total NOCs. Herein, oxidative treatment of OSPW with buoyant photocatalysts was evaluated under a petroleomics paradigm: chemical changes across acid-, base- and neutral-extractable organic fractions were tracked throughout the treatment with both positive and negative ion mode electrospray ionization (ESI) Orbitrap MS. Elimination of detected OS+ and NO+ classes of concern in the earliest stages of the treatment, along with preferential degradation of high carbon-numbered O2- acids, suggest that photocatalysis may detoxify OSPW with higher efficiency than previously thought. Application of petroleomic level analysis offers unprecedented insights into the treatment of petroleum impacted water, allowing reaction trends to be followed across multiple fractions and thousands of compounds simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Leshuk
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada; Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Kerry M Peru
- Water Science and Technology Directorate, Environment & Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada
| | - Diogo de Oliveira Livera
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada; Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Austin Tripp
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada; Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Patrick Bardo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada; Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - John V Headley
- Water Science and Technology Directorate, Environment & Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada
| | - Frank Gu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada; Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
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8
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Xue J, Huang C, Zhang Y, Liu Y, Gamal El-Din M. Bioreactors for oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) treatment: A critical review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 627:916-933. [PMID: 29426216 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 01/27/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Canada has the world's largest oil sands reservoirs. Surface mining and subsequent caustic hot water extraction of bitumen lead to an enormous quantity of tailings (volumetric ratio bitumen:water=9:1). Due to the zero-discharge approach and the persistency of the complex matrix, oil producers are storing oil sands tailings in vast ponds in Northern Alberta. Oil sands tailings are comprised of sand, clay and process-affected water (OSPW). OSPW contains an extremely complex matrix of organic contaminants (e.g., naphthenic acids (NAs), residual bitumen, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)), which has proven to be toxic to a variety of aquatic species. Biodegradation, among a variety of examined methods, is believed to be one of the most cost effective and practical to treat OSPW. A number of studies have been published on the removal of oil sands related contaminants using biodegradation-based practices. This review focuses on the treatment of OSPW using various bioreactors, comparing bioreactor configurations, operating conditions, performance evaluation and microbial community dynamics. Effort is made to identify the governing biotic and abiotic factors in engineered biological systems receiving OSPW. Generally, biofilms and elevated suspended biomass are beneficial to the resilience and degradation performance of a bioreactor. The review therefore suggests that a hybridization of biofilms and membrane technology (to ensure higher suspended microbial biomass) is a more promising option to remove OSPW organic constituents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinkai Xue
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Chunkai Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Yanyan Zhang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada.
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada.
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9
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Meshref MNA, Chelme-Ayala P, Gamal El-Din M. Fate and abundance of classical and heteroatomic naphthenic acid species after advanced oxidation processes: Insights and indicators of transformation and degradation. WATER RESEARCH 2017; 125:62-71. [PMID: 28830000 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2017.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Revised: 07/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The toxicological effects from all components in oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) are not known. Alternatively, monitoring the variations and abundance of different classes and compounds after treatments might be a useful approach in OSPW remediation. In this study, the variations in the compositions of classical and heteroatomic naphthenic acids (NAs) after treatment using advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), mainly ozone and peroxone, and two different mass spectrometry methods; ultra-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight (UPLC-TOFMS) and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR-MS), were examined. Two markers (O2S:O3S:O4S and O2:O4 ratios) were used to reveal changes and similarities of the treated water characteristics with those in natural waters. Both ratios decreased after all treatments, from 2.7:4.8:2.1 and 3.59 in raw OSPW to 0:1.4:0.5 and 0.7, respectively, in peroxone (1:2), becoming close to the reported ratios in natural waters. Toxicity toward Vibrio fischeri showed residual toxic effects after AOPs, suggesting that part of OSPW toxicity may be caused by specific compounds of NAs (i.e., similar reduction (50%) was achieved in both toxicity and abundance in O2 species with carbon 15-26) and/or generated by-products (e.g., O3S classes at double bond equivalent (DBE) = 4 and C9H12O2 at DBE = 4). Although by-products were generated, the best biodegradability enhancement and chemical oxygen demand reduction were achieved in peroxone (1:2) compared to ozone, suggesting the possibility of using combined OSPW remediation approaches (i.e., peroxone coupled with biological process). The recommended indicators can assist in evaluating the treatments' performance and in examining the best removal levels to accomplish significant toxicity reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed N A Meshref
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Pamela Chelme-Ayala
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada.
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10
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Foght JM, Gieg LM, Siddique T. The microbiology of oil sands tailings: past, present, future. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2017; 93:3064888. [PMID: 28334283 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fix034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Surface mining of enormous oil sands deposits in northeastern Alberta, Canada since 1967 has contributed greatly to Canada's economy but has also received negative international attention due largely to environmental concerns and challenges. Not only have microbes profoundly affected the composition and behavior of this petroleum resource over geological time, they currently influence the management of semi-solid tailings in oil sands tailings ponds (OSTPs) and tailings reclamation. Historically, microbial impacts on OSTPs were generally discounted, but next-generation sequencing and biogeochemical studies have revealed unexpectedly diverse indigenous communities and expanded our fundamental understanding of anaerobic microbial functions. OSTPs that experienced different processing and management histories have developed distinct microbial communities that influence the behavior and reclamation of the tailings stored therein. In particular, the interactions of Deltaproteobacteria and Firmicutes with methanogenic archaea impact greenhouse gas emissions, sulfur cycling, pore water toxicity, sediment biogeochemistry and densification, water usage and the trajectory of long-term mine waste reclamation. This review summarizes historical data; synthesizes current understanding of microbial diversity and activities in situ and in vitro; predicts microbial effects on tailings remediation and reclamation; and highlights knowledge gaps for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M Foght
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada T6G 2E9
| | - Lisa M Gieg
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Tariq Siddique
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada T6G 2G7
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11
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Sun J, Peng H, Alharbi HA, Jones PD, Giesy JP, Wiseman SB. Identification of Chemicals that Cause Oxidative Stress in Oil Sands Process-Affected Water. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:8773-8781. [PMID: 28661683 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b01987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) has been reported to cause oxidative stress in organisms, yet the causative agents remain unknown. In this study, a high-throughput in vitro Nrf2 reporter system was used, to determine chemicals in OSPW that cause oxidative stress. Five fractions, with increasing polarity, of the dissolved organic phase of OSPW were generated by use of solid phase extraction cartridges. The greatest response of Nrf2 was elicited by F2 (2.7 ± 0.1-fold), consistent with greater hydroperoxidation of lipids in embryos of Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) exposed to F2. Classic naphthenic acids were mainly eluted in F1, and should not be causative chemicals. When F2 was fractionated into 60 subfractions by use of HPLC, significant activation of Nrf2 was observed in three grouped fractions: F2.8 (1.30 ± 0.01-fold), F2.16 (1.34 ± 0.05-fold), and F2.25 (1.28 ± 0.15-fold). 54 compounds were predicted to be potential chemicals causing Nrf2 response, predominated by SO3+ and O3+ species. By use of high-resolution MS2 spectra, these SO3+ and O3+ species were identified as hydroxylated aldehydes. This study demonstrated that polyoxygenated chemicals, rather than classic NAs, were the major chemicals responsible for oxidative stress in the aqueous phase of OSPW.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianxian Sun
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan , 44 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada
| | - Hui Peng
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan , 44 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada
| | - Hattan A Alharbi
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan , 44 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada
| | - Paul D Jones
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan , 44 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada
- School of Environment and Sustainability, 117 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada
| | - John P Giesy
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan , 44 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada
- School of Environment and Sustainability, 117 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan , Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada
- Zoology Department, Center for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University , East Lansing, Michigan United States
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University , Nanjing, People's Republic of China
- Biology Department, Hong Kong Baptist University , Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Steve B Wiseman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge , Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 3M4, Canada
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Wang C, Huang R, Klamerth N, Chelme-Ayala P, Gamal El-Din M. Positive and negative electrospray ionization analyses of the organic fractions in raw and oxidized oil sands process-affected water. CHEMOSPHERE 2016; 165:239-247. [PMID: 27657816 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2016] [Revised: 08/27/2016] [Accepted: 09/02/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This work investigated the oxidative transformation of the organic species in oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-TOF-MS) in both negative and positive electrospray ionization (ESI) modes. This is the first time to apply FTICR-MS to investigate species transformation in OSPW treatments by ferrate (VI), UV/H2O2, and molecular ozone, and also this is the first preliminary study to use positive ESI to investigate organic species in addition to naphthenic acids (NAs) in these treatment processes. The oxidation processes with potassium ferrate (VI), UV/H2O2, and ozone transformed the distribution profiles of Ox, OxSy, and OxNy organic fractions (i.e., species containing oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen, with x, y specifying the oxygen number and sulfur/nitrogen number, respectively), with OxSy distribution profiles showing the most sensitive responses to the oxidation extent and can be used as a signature fraction to evaluate the oxidation effectiveness. Negative mode UPLC-TOF-MS confirmed the transformation pattern of Ox species observed with FTICR-MS, but positive mode UPLC-TOF-MS results showed severe discrepancies with FTICR-MS results and should be subjected for future further investigation, regarding the relatively low mass resolution of UPLC-TOF-MS. The investigation of the transformation patterns of different organic species using two ionization modes was a preliminary study to enhance the understanding of the efficiency, selectivity, and mechanism of different oxidation processes in OSPW remediation for both NAs and non-NA species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengjin Wang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Rongfu Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Nikolaus Klamerth
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Pamela Chelme-Ayala
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada.
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