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Filter J, Schröder C, El-Athman F, Dippon-Deissler U, Houben GJ, Mahringer D. Nitrate-induced mobilization of trace elements in reduced groundwater environments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 927:171961. [PMID: 38537820 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Groundwater is an essential source for drinking water production. Nitrate infiltration into groundwater due to over-fertilization can cause a potential risk for groundwater quality. Pyrite and other geogenic minerals can be oxidized and trace metals consequently released into water, e.g., nickel and uranium. To achieve a better understanding of the nitrate-induced mobilization of metals, this study investigated the release of antimony, arsenic, chromium, cobalt, molybdenum, uranium, and vanadium from three different reduced sediments after nitrate addition. The experiments were conducted as batch and soil column tests under oxygen-free conditions. In addition to the ORP, the pH value was a relevant driver for the metal mobilization due to pH dependent adsorption and ion exchange processes. Uranium concentrations in the water increased with increasing redox potential. Also, antimony and, to a lesser extent, molybdenum showed higher mobilization at higher ORP as well as at higher pH values. On the contrary, arsenic and cobalt was immobilized with increasing redox potential. Pourbaix diagrams demonstrated very complex species distributions even in synthetic water. The mobilization of trace metals is expected to be also influenced by the type of surrounding rocks and water quality parameters such as dissolved organic carbon.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Fatima El-Athman
- Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Georg J Houben
- Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), Hannover, Germany
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2
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Zhang Y, Liang Z, Li P, Lai J, Kang P, Huang R, Liang Y, Yu G. Piped-slow-release calcium nitrate dosing: A new approach to in-situ sediment odor control in rural areas. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 926:171993. [PMID: 38547967 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171993] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
Calcium nitrate addition is economically viable and highly efficient for the in-situ treatment of contaminated sediment and enhancement of surface water quality, particularly in rural areas. However, conventional nitrate addition technologies have disadvantages such as excessive nitrate release, sharp ammonium increase, and weakened sulfide oxidation efficiency owing to rapid nitrate injection into the sediment. To resolve these defects, we propose a piped-slow-release (PSR) calcium nitrate dosing method and investigate its treatment efficiency and underlying mechanisms. The results illustrated that PSR dosing had a longer half-life (t1/2 = 5.08 days) and a lower maximum apparent nitrate escape rate of 1.28 % than conventional nitrate injection and other dosing methods. In addition, the PSR managed the inorganic nitrogen release into the overlying water, and after the treatment, the nitrate, ammonium, and nitrite concentrations of 0 mg/L, 8.60 mg/L, and 0 mg/L on day 28 were close to those of the control group (0 mg/L, 8.76 mg/L, and 0 mg/L, respectively). Moreover, the PSR method maintained a moderate nitrate concentration of approximately 3000 mg/L in sediment interstitial water by its controlled-release design, thus greatly enhancing the sulfide oxidation efficiency by relieving the inhibitory effects of high nitrate concentrations, with 83.0 % sulfide being eradicated within 5 days. Sulfide-ferrous nitrate reduction (denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium) genera (e.g., Sulfurimonas, Thiobacillus, and Thioalkalispira) were successively enhanced and dominated the microbial community, and the related functional genes displayed high relative abundances. These results imply that the PSR dosing method for calcium nitrate, characterized by flexible operation, high efficiency, low cost, and controllable processes, is appropriate for remediating black-odorous sediment in rural areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongchun Zhang
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Natural Resource and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Ziyang Liang
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Natural Resource and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Peiling Li
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Natural Resource and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Jiangtian Lai
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Natural Resource and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Peilun Kang
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Natural Resource and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Rong Huang
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Natural Resource and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yuhai Liang
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Natural Resource and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, Guangzhou 510642, China.
| | - Guangwei Yu
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Natural Resource and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, Guangzhou 510642, China.
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3
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Kour M, Taborosi A, Boyd ES, Szilagyi RK. Development of molecular cluster models to probe pyrite surface reactivity. J Comput Chem 2023; 44:2486-2500. [PMID: 37650712 DOI: 10.1002/jcc.27213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
The recent discovery that anaerobic methanogens can reductively dissolve pyrite and utilize dissolution products as a source of iron and sulfur to meet their biosynthetic demands for these elements prompted the development of atomic-scale nanoparticle models, as maquettes of reactive surface sites, for describing the fundamental redox steps that take place at the mineral surface during reduction. The given report describes our computational approach for modeling n(FeS2 ) nanoparticles originated from mineral bulk structure. These maquettes contain a comprehensive set of coordinatively unsaturated Fe(II) sites that are connected via a range of persulfide (S2 2- ) ligation. In addition to the specific maquettes with n = 8, 18, and 32 FeS2 units, we established guidelines for obtaining low-energy structures by considering the pattern of ionic, covalent, and magnetic interactions among the metal and ligand sites. The developed models serve as computational nano-reactors that can be used to describe the reductive dissolution mechanism of pyrite to better understand the reactive sites on the mineral, where microbial extracellular electron-transfer reactions can occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manjinder Kour
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Attila Taborosi
- Research Initiative for Supra-Materials, Faculty of Engineering, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan
| | - Eric S Boyd
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Robert K Szilagyi
- Department of Chemistry, The University of British Columbia, Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
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4
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Shao L, Wang D, Chen G, Zhao X, Fan L. Advance in the sulfur-based electron donor autotrophic denitrification for nitrate nitrogen removal from wastewater. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 40:7. [PMID: 37938419 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-023-03802-1] [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: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
In the field of wastewater treatment, nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N) is one of the significant contaminants of concern. Sulfur autotrophic denitrification technology, which uses a variety of sulfur-based electron donors to reduce NO3--N to nitrogen (N2) through sulfur autotrophic denitrification bacteria, has emerged as a novel nitrogen removal technology to replace heterotrophic denitrification in the field of wastewater treatment due to its low cost, environmental friendliness, and high nitrogen removal efficiency. This paper reviews the advance of reduced sulfur compounds (such as elemental sulfur, sulfide, and thiosulfate) and iron sulfides (such as ferrous sulfide, pyrrhotite, and pyrite) electron donors for treating NO3--N in wastewater by sulfur autotrophic denitrification technology, including the dominant bacteria types and the sulfur autotrophic denitrification process based on various electron donors are introduced in detail, and their operating costs, nitrogen removal performance and impacts on the ecological environment are analyzed and compared. Moreover, the engineering applications of sulfur-based electron donor autotrophic denitrification technology were comprehensively summarized. According to the literature review, the focus of future industry research were discussed from several aspects as well, which would provide ideas for the application and optimization of the sulfur autotrophic denitrification process for deep and efficient removal of NO3--N in wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixin Shao
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang, 110870, China
| | - Dexi Wang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang, 110870, China
| | - Gong Chen
- School of Chemical Equipment, Shenyang University of Technology, Liaoyang, 111000, China
| | - Xibo Zhao
- Weihai Baike Environmental Protection Engineering Co., Ltd., Weihai, 264200, China
| | - Lihua Fan
- School of Chemical Equipment, Shenyang University of Technology, Liaoyang, 111000, China.
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5
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Ntagia E, Lens P. Pyrite-based denitrification combined with electrochemical disinfection to remove nitrate and microbial contamination from groundwater. NPJ CLEAN WATER 2023; 6:59. [PMID: 38665805 PMCID: PMC11041687 DOI: 10.1038/s41545-023-00269-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Nitrate and microbial contamination of groundwater can occur in countries that face intense urbanization and inadequate sanitation. When groundwater is the main drinking water source, as is often the case in such countries, the need to remove these contaminants becomes acute. The combination of two technologies is proposed here, a biological step to denitrify and an electrochemical step to disinfect the groundwater, thereby aiming to reduce the chemical input and the footprint of groundwater treatment. As such, a pyrite-based fluidized bed reactor (P-FBR) was constructed to autotrophically denitrify polluted groundwater. The P-FBR effluent was disinfected in an electrochemical cell with electrogenerated Cl2. Nitrate was removed with 79% efficiency from an initial 178 mg NO3- L-1 at an average denitrification rate of 171 mg NO3- L-1 d-1, with 18 h hydraulic retention time (HRT). The electrochemical unit achieved a 3.8-log reduction in total coliforms with a 41.7 A h m-3 charge density.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleftheria Ntagia
- National University of Ireland, Galway, University Road, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
| | - Piet Lens
- National University of Ireland, Galway, University Road, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
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6
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Ju Y, Koh DC, Kim DH, Mayer B, Kwon HI. Evaluating the sources and fate of nitrate in riparian aquifers under agricultural land using in situ-measured noble gases, stable isotopes, and metabolic genes. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 231:119601. [PMID: 36645943 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119601] [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: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Riparian zones with their buffering ability and abundant water supply are often subjected to intensive agricultural activities. We investigated a riparian aquifer located near a stream in South Korea that recently experienced sharply decreasing groundwater levels and elevated nitrate (NO3-) concentrations, which were attributed to local agricultural activities. Our goal was to identify the predominant nitrogen sources and NO3- removal processes. Multiple approaches including geochemical and isotopic tracers, land-use analysis, metabolic gene quantification, and inert gas tracers were used to elucidate groundwater and nutrient dynamics in stream-side granitic aquifers. The dual isotopic composition of NO3- identified manure and sewage as the major sources of NO3- contamination. Denitrification was the dominant NO3- removal process in the aquifer, as demonstrated by the negative relationship between δ15N and δ18O values in NO3-and NO3-/Cl-. Denitrification and anammox genes were also observed in microbial communities of the aquifer throughout the study site, suggesting that these processes support effective natural NO3- attenuation in groundwater. A mixing model constructed using a catchment-scale dataset including SiO2 concentrations and δ18O-H2O suggested that mixing with paddy soil water was the major driver of denitrification in the aquifer at the study site, where impervious layers provided anaerobic conditions for natural NO3- attenuation. Denitrification reduced the NO3- flux into the nearby stream by up to 114.4 NO3- kg/ha/y (26 kg N/ha/y). The N2 generated by denitrification did not accumulate in the groundwater, but mostly escaped from groundwater to the atmosphere, as demonstrated by the degassed signature of dissolved inert gases below the air saturated water level. This study identified the predominant NO3- sources and conceptualized N cycling in the heavily developed agricultural riparian aquifer using multiple tracers, demonstrating that NO3- is partially removed through denitrification and possibly anammox while N2 mostly escapes into the atmosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- YeoJin Ju
- Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon 34057, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Chan Koh
- Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Daejeon 34132, Republic of Korea; University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea.
| | - Dong-Hun Kim
- Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Daejeon 34132, Republic of Korea
| | - Bernhard Mayer
- Department of Geoscience, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Hong-Il Kwon
- Korea Radioactive Waste Agency, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbukdo 38062, Republic of Korea
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7
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Chen S, Zhou B, Chen H, Yuan R. Iron mediated autotrophic denitrification for low C/N ratio wastewater: A review. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114687. [PMID: 36356669 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, iron mediated autotrophic denitrification has been a concern because it overcomes the absence of organic carbon and has been successfully used in denitrification for low C/N ratio wastewater. However, there is currently a lack of a more systematic summary of iron-based materials that can be used for denitrification, and no detailed overview about the mechanism of iron mediated autotrophic denitrification has been reported. In this study, the iron materials with different valence states that can be used for denitrification were summarized, and emphasized, as well as the mechanism in different interaction systems were emphasize. In addition, the contribution of various microorganisms in nitrate reduction were analyzed and the effects of operating conditions and water quality were evaluated. Finally, the challenges and shortcomings of the denitrification process were discussed aiming to find better practical engineering applications of iron-based denitrification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoting Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Beihai Zhou
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Huilun Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Rongfang Yuan
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China.
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8
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Spietz RL, Payne D, Szilagyi R, Boyd ES. Reductive biomining of pyrite by methanogens. Trends Microbiol 2022; 30:1072-1083. [PMID: 35624031 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2022.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Pyrite (FeS2) is the most abundant iron sulfide mineral in Earth's crust. Until recently, FeS2 has been considered a sink for iron (Fe) and sulfur (S) at low temperature in the absence of oxygen or oxidative weathering, making these elements unavailable to biology. However, anaerobic methanogens can transfer electrons extracellularly to reduce FeS2 via direct contact with the mineral. Reduction of FeS2 occurs through a multistep process that generates aqueous sulfide (HS-) and FeS2-associated pyrrhotite (Fe1-xS). Subsequent dissolution of Fe1-xS provides Fe(II)(aq), but not HS-, that rapidly complexes with HS-(aq) generated from FeS2 reduction to form soluble iron sulfur clusters [nFeS(aq)]. Cells assimilate nFeS(aq) to meet Fe/S nutritional demands by mobilizing and hyperaccumulating Fe and S from FeS2. As such, reductive dissolution of FeS2 by methanogens has important implications for element cycling in anoxic habitats, both today and in the geologic past.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel L Spietz
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Devon Payne
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Robert Szilagyi
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Eric S Boyd
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
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9
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Xu Z, Li Y, Zhou P, Song X, Wang Y. New insights on simultaneous nitrate and phosphorus removal in pyrite-involved mixotrophic denitrification biofilter for a long-term operation: Performance change and its underlying mechanism. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 845:157403. [PMID: 35850339 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Simultaneous nitrate and phosphorus removal can be completed by pyrite- and influent organics-involved mixotrophic denitrification and chemical phosphorus removal via iron precipitation. However, so far, how their removal performances change with iron precipitation accumulation remains unclear. In this study, the differences in nitrate and phosphorus removal from municipal tailwater between volcanic and pyrite supported biofilters (V-BF, P-BF) for a long-term operation were investigated, as well as the underlying mechanism for these differences. The nitrate removal efficiencies (NREs) in P-BF were greater than those in V-BF due to the synergistic effect of influent organic and pyrite, as evidenced by comparable TOC consumption and Fe2+/SO42- production. The NREs in P-BF were gradually lower than in V-BF as a result of bacterial cell-iron encrustation observed in TEM images, which would deteriorate microbial activity. However, the phosphorus removal efficiencies (PREs) in P-BF remained consistently higher than in V-BF, resulting from chemical phosphorus removal which was confirmed that P, Fe and O elements dominated on the pyrite surface after use by SEM-EDS. The dominant denitrifying bacteria differed significantly, autotrophic and heterotrophic denitrifying microorganisms coexisted in P-BF. The relative abundances of the narG coding gene in P-BF were higher than that in V-BF, which was consistent with the total relative abundances of identified denitrifying bacteria. Besides, the mechanism of simultaneous nitrogen and phosphorus removal in the pyrite-involved mixotrophic denitrification process has been deduced. This work has significant implications for the practical application of a pyrite-involved mixotrophic denitrification process for low C/N wastewater treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongshuo Xu
- Donghua University, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai 201600, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China.
| | - Yanan Li
- Donghua University, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai 201600, China
| | - Panpan Zhou
- Donghua University, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai 201600, China
| | - Xinshan Song
- Donghua University, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai 201600, China
| | - Yuhui Wang
- Donghua University, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai 201600, China.
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10
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Engel M, Noël V, Kukkadapu RK, Boye K, Bargar JR, Fendorf S. Nitrate Controls on the Extent and Type of Metal Retention in Fine-Grained Sediments of a Simulated Aquifer. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:14452-14461. [PMID: 36206030 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c03403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Aquifer groundwater quality is largely controlled by sediment composition and physical heterogeneity, which commonly sustains a unique redox gradient pattern. Attenuation of heavy metals within these heterogeneous aquifers is reliant on multiple factors, including redox conditions and redox-active species that can further influence biogeochemical cycling. Here, we simulated an alluvial aquifer system using columns filled with natural coarse-grained sediments and two domains of fine-grained sediment lenses. Our goal was to examine heavy metal (Ni and Zn) attenuation within a complex aquifer network and further explore nitrate-rich groundwater conditions. The fine-grained sediment lenses sustained reducing conditions and served as a sink for Ni sequestration─in the form of Ni-silicates, Ni-organic matter, and a dominant Ni-sulfide phase. The silicate clay and sulfide pools were also important retention mechanisms for Zn; however, Ni was associated more extensively with organic matter compared to Zn, which formed layered double hydroxides. Nitrate-rich conditions promoted denitrification within the lenses that was coupled to the oxidation of Fe(II) and the concomitant precipitation of an Fe(III) phase with higher structural distortion. A decreased metal sulfide pool also resulted, where nitrate-rich conditions generated an average 20% decrease in solid-phase Ni, Zn, and Fe. Ultimately, nitrate plays a significant role in the aquifer's biogeochemical cycling and the capacity to retain heavy metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Engel
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Geochemistry and Biogeochemistry Group, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Vincent Noël
- Geochemistry and Biogeochemistry Group, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Ravi K Kukkadapu
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, 99354, United States
| | - Kristin Boye
- Geochemistry and Biogeochemistry Group, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - John R Bargar
- Geochemistry and Biogeochemistry Group, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Scott Fendorf
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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11
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Xu B, Yang X, Li Y, Yang K, Xiong Y, Yuan N. Pyrite-Based Autotrophic Denitrifying Microorganisms Derived from Paddy Soils: Effects of Organic Co-Substrate Addition. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:11763. [PMID: 36142037 PMCID: PMC9517464 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191811763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The presence of organic co-substrate in groundwater and soils is inevitable, and much remains to be learned about the roles of organic co-substrates during pyrite-based denitrification. Herein, an organic co-substrate (acetate) was added to a pyrite-based denitrification system, and the impact of the organic co-substrate on the performance and bacterial community of pyrite-based denitrification processes was evaluated. The addition of organic co-substrate at concentrations higher than 48 mg L-1 inhibited pyrite-based autotrophic denitrification, as no sulfate was produced in treatments with high organic co-substrate addition. In contrast, both competition and promotion effects on pyrite-based autotrophic denitrification occurred with organic co-substrate addition at concentrations of 24 and 48 mg L-1. The subsequent validation experiments suggested that competition had a greater influence than promotion when organic co-substrate was added, even at a low concentration. Thiobacillus, a common chemolithoautotrophic sulfur-oxidizing denitrifier, dominated the system with a relative abundance of 13.04% when pyrite served as the sole electron donor. With the addition of organic co-substrate, Pseudomonas became the dominant genus, with 60.82%, 61.34%, 70.37%, 73.44%, and 35.46% abundance at organic matter concentrations of 24, 48, 120, 240, and 480 mg L-1, respectively. These findings provide an important theoretical basis for the cultivation of pyrite-based autotrophic denitrifying microorganisms for nitrate removal in soils and groundwater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baokun Xu
- Agricultural Water Conservancy Department, Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute, Wuhan 430010, China
- State Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Key Laboratory of River Regulation and Flood Control of Ministry of Water Resources, Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute, Wuhan 430010, China
| | - Xiaoxia Yang
- Chongqing Water Resources Bureau, Chongqing 401147, China
| | - Yalong Li
- Agricultural Water Conservancy Department, Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute, Wuhan 430010, China
| | - Kejun Yang
- School of Law, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China
- Agricultural and Rural Department of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yujiang Xiong
- Agricultural Water Conservancy Department, Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute, Wuhan 430010, China
| | - Niannian Yuan
- Agricultural Water Conservancy Department, Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute, Wuhan 430010, China
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12
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Li R, Zhang Y, Guan M. Investigation into pyrite autotrophic denitrification with different mineral properties. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 221:118763. [PMID: 35759850 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Pyrite autotrophic denitrification (PAD) is considered a promising method for nitrate removal from wastewater and groundwater. However, the results of PAD studies have been contradictory for two decades, and the mechanism is unclear. Here, we investigated mineral properties of two kinds of natural pyrite (YP and TP), their PAD performances, and microbial community shift in their column reactors in parallel. Both pyrite are highly pure crystalline pyrite, but their other mineral properties are quite different. Both batch and column experiments found that PAD of YP occurred but that of TP did not. Thus, the contradictory results of PAD were presented for the first time at the same study. The dominant bacteria in YP and TP columns finally were Thiobacillus (24.55±8.67%) and Flavobacterium (21.11±10.59%), respectively, though their initial microbial communities cultured were similar. Reduced sulfur species and oxide impurities on the surface of pyrite, and small DO in water did not change autotrophic denitrification characteristic of the pyrite itself. This research indicates that mineral property of pyrite caused the contradictory result of PAD. Among pyrite properties, the main crystal plane exposed and chemical state of surficial sulfur and iron were considered the decisive parameters for PAD. The study provides guidelines for selection of pyrite minerals for PAD applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruihua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163# Xianlin Ave., Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
| | - Yongwei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163# Xianlin Ave., Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China; Jiangsu Province Nuclear Radiation Science and Technology Co Ltd. No. 75 Yunlongshan Road, Jianye District, Nanjing City, Jiangsu 210019, China
| | - Mengsha Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163# Xianlin Ave., Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
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13
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Zhao L, Xue L, Wang L, Liu C, Li Y. Simultaneous heterotrophic and FeS 2-based ferrous autotrophic denitrification process for low-C/N ratio wastewater treatment: Nitrate removal performance and microbial community analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 829:154682. [PMID: 35307420 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Heterotrophic-autotrophic denitrification reduces the cost of wastewater treatment and the risk of excess chemical oxygen demanded (COD) in the effluent. A mixotrophic denitrification system involving mixed heterotrophic and ferrous autotrophic bacteria was investigated to treat low-C/N ratio (C/N, defined as chemical oxygen demand (COD)/total nitrogen (TN)) wastewater with pyrite and organic carbon as electron donors. The system yielded effluent total nitrogen (TN) of 0.38 mg/L in 48 h due to a synergistic effect when the C/N ratio was 0.5 and influent nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N) was 20 mg/L; this TN value was significantly lower than those of the heterotrophic system (14.08 mg/L) and ferrous autotrophic system (12.00 mg/L). The highest abundance of the narG gene was observed in the mixotrophic denitrification system, along with more abundant microbial species. The dominant denitrification bacteria in each system included Thaurea, Ferritrophicum, Pseudomonas, and Thiobacillus, which varied with the initial inoculum source and the environment. Nevertheless, the abundance of the heterotrophic bacteria Thaurea decreased with prolonged operation of the systems. Together, these results implied that the simultaneous heterotrophic and FeS2-based ferrous autotrophic denitrification process can be an alternative approach for the treatment of low-C/N ratio wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianfang Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Xikang Road, Nanjing 210098, China.
| | - Liuying Xue
- College of Environment, Hohai University, Xikang Road, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Li Wang
- College of Environment, Hohai University, Xikang Road, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Cheng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Ying Li
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
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14
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Hao J, Liu W, Goff JL, Steadman JA, Large RR, Falkowski PG, Yee N. Anoxic photochemical weathering of pyrite on Archean continents. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn2226. [PMID: 35767603 PMCID: PMC9242442 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn2226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sulfur is an essential element of life that is assimilated by Earth's biosphere through the chemical breakdown of pyrite. On the early Earth, pyrite weathering by atmospheric oxygen was severely limited, and low marine sulfate concentrations persisted for much of the Archean eon. Here, we show an anoxic photochemical mechanism of pyrite weathering that could have provided substantial amounts of sulfate to the oceans as continents formed in the late Archean. Pyrite grains suspended in anoxic ferrous iron solutions produced millimolar sulfate concentrations when irradiated with ultraviolet light. The Fe2+(aq) was photooxidized, which, in turn, led to the chemical oxidation of pyritic sulfur. Additional experiments conducted with 2.68 Ga shale demonstrated that photochemically derived ferric iron oxidizes and dissolves sedimentary pyrite during chemical weathering. The results suggest that before the rise of atmospheric oxygen, oxidative pyrite weathering on Archean continents was controlled by the exposure of land to sunlight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihua Hao
- Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and Environments, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Winnie Liu
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Jennifer L. Goff
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Jeffrey A. Steadman
- CODES, Centre for Ore Deposit and Earth Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
| | - Ross R. Large
- CODES, Centre for Ore Deposit and Earth Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
| | - Paul G. Falkowski
- Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Nathan Yee
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
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15
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Spietz RL, Payne D, Kulkarni G, Metcalf WW, Roden EE, Boyd ES. Investigating Abiotic and Biotic Mechanisms of Pyrite Reduction. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:878387. [PMID: 35615515 PMCID: PMC9124975 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.878387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pyrite (FeS2) has a very low solubility and therefore has historically been considered a sink for iron (Fe) and sulfur (S) and unavailable to biology in the absence of oxygen and oxidative weathering. Anaerobic methanogens were recently shown to reduce FeS2 and assimilate Fe and S reduction products to meet nutrient demands. However, the mechanism of FeS2 mineral reduction and the forms of Fe and S assimilated by methanogens remained unclear. Thermodynamic calculations described herein indicate that H2 at aqueous concentrations as low as 10-10 M favors the reduction of FeS2, with sulfide (HS-) and pyrrhotite (Fe1- x S) as products; abiotic laboratory experiments confirmed the reduction of FeS2 with dissolved H2 concentrations greater than 1.98 × 10-4 M H2. Growth studies of Methanosarcina barkeri provided with FeS2 as the sole source of Fe and S resulted in H2 production but at concentrations too low to drive abiotic FeS2 reduction, based on abiotic laboratory experimental data. A strain of M. barkeri with deletions in all [NiFe]-hydrogenases maintained the ability to reduce FeS2 during growth, providing further evidence that extracellular electron transport (EET) to FeS2 does not involve H2 or [NiFe]-hydrogenases. Physical contact between cells and FeS2 was required for mineral reduction but was not required to obtain Fe and S from dissolution products. The addition of a synthetic electron shuttle, anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate, allowed for biological reduction of FeS2 when physical contact between cells and FeS2 was prohibited, indicating that exogenous electron shuttles can mediate FeS2 reduction. Transcriptomics experiments revealed upregulation of several cytoplasmic oxidoreductases during growth of M. barkeri on FeS2, which may indicate involvement in provisioning low potential electrons for EET to FeS2. Collectively, the data presented herein indicate that reduction of insoluble FeS2 by M. barkeri occurred via electron transfer from the cell surface to the mineral surface resulting in the generation of soluble HS- and mineral-associated Fe1- x S. Solubilized Fe(II), but not HS-, from mineral-associated Fe1- x S reacts with aqueous HS- yielding aqueous iron sulfur clusters (FeS aq ) that likely serve as the Fe and S source for methanogen growth and activity. FeS aq nucleation and subsequent precipitation on the surface of cells may result in accelerated EET to FeS2, resulting in positive feedback between cell activity and FeS2 reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel L. Spietz
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Devon Payne
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Gargi Kulkarni
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - William W. Metcalf
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Eric E. Roden
- Department of Geosciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Eric S. Boyd
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
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16
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Zhang S, Peiffer S, Liao X, Yang Z, Ma X, He D. Sulfidation of ferric (hydr)oxides and its implication on contaminants transformation: a review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 816:151574. [PMID: 34798096 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Rapid industrialization and urbanization have resulted in elevated concentrations of contaminants in the groundwaters and subsurface soils, posing a growing hazard to humans and ecosystems. The transformation of most contaminants is closely linked to the mineralogy of ferric (hydr)oxides. Sulfidation of ferric (hydr)oxides is one of the most significant biogeochemical reactions in the anoxic environments, causing reductive dissolution and recrystallization of ferric (hydr)oxides and further affecting the transformation of iron-associated contaminants. This paper provides a comprehensive review on the sulfidation process of ferric (hydr)oxides and the transformation of relevant contaminants. This review presents detailed reaction mechanisms between ferric (hydr)oxides and dissolved sulfide, and elucidates the factors (e.g. crystallinity of ferric (hydr)oxides, the ratio of sulfide concentration to the surface area concentration of ferric (hydr)oxides) that control the formation of surface associated Fe(II), iron sulfide minerals, as well as transformation of secondary minerals. Then, we summarized the transformation mechanisms of a variety of typical environmentally relevant contaminants existing in groundwater and subsurface soils, including heavy metals, metal(loid) oxyanions (arsenic, antimony, chromium), radionuclides (uranium, technetium), organic contaminants and phosphate/nitrate species. The general mechanisms of contaminant transformation involve a combination of release, reduction and re-adsorption/incorporation processes, the specific pathway of which is highly dependent on the properties of the contaminant itself and the extent of sulfidation. Moreover, the challenge of extending our knowledge towards in situ remediation, as well as further research needs are identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaojian Zhang
- 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, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Stefan Peiffer
- BayCEER, Department of Hydrology, University of Bayreuth, D-95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Xiaoting Liao
- 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, China
| | - Zhengheng Yang
- 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, China
| | - Xiaoming 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, China
| | - Di He
- 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, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China.
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17
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Unraveling pharmaceuticals removal in a sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification process: Performance, kinetics and mechanisms. CHINESE CHEM LETT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2022.04.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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18
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Napieralski SA, Fang Y, Marcon V, Forsythe B, Brantley SL, Xu H, Roden EE. Microbial chemolithotrophic oxidation of pyrite in a subsurface shale weathering environment: Geologic considerations and potential mechanisms. GEOBIOLOGY 2022; 20:271-291. [PMID: 34633148 DOI: 10.1111/gbi.12474] [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: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Oxidative weathering of pyrite plays an important role in the biogeochemical cycling of Fe and S in terrestrial environments. While the mechanism and occurrence of biologically accelerated pyrite oxidation under acidic conditions are well established, much less is known about microbially mediated pyrite oxidation at circumneutral pH. Recent work (Percak-Dennett et al., 2017, Geobiology, 15, 690) has demonstrated the ability of aerobic chemolithotrophic microorganisms to accelerate pyrite oxidation at circumneutral pH and proposed two mechanistic models by which this phenomenon might occur. Here, we assess the potential relevance of aerobic microbially catalyzed circumneutral pH pyrite oxidation in relation to subsurface shale weathering at Susquehanna Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory (SSHCZO) in Pennsylvania, USA. Specimen pyrite mixed with native shale was incubated in groundwater for 3 months at the inferred depth of in situ pyrite oxidation. The colonized materials were used as an inoculum for pyrite-oxidizing enrichment cultures. Microbial activity accelerated the release of sulfate across all conditions. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metagenomic analysis revealed the dominance of a putative chemolithoautotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacterium from the genus Thiobacillus in the enrichment cultures. Previously proposed models for aerobic microbial pyrite oxidation were assessed in terms of physical constraints, enrichment culture geochemistry, and metagenomic analysis. Although we conclude that subsurface pyrite oxidation at SSCHZO is largely abiotic, this work nonetheless yields new insight into the potential pathways by which aerobic microorganisms may accelerate pyrite oxidation at circumneutral pH. We propose a new "direct sulfur oxidation" pathway, whereby sulfhydryl-bearing outer membrane proteins mediate oxidation of pyrite surfaces through a persulfide intermediate, analogous to previously proposed mechanisms for direct microbial oxidation of elemental sulfur. The action of this and other direct microbial pyrite oxidation pathways have major implications for controls on pyrite weathering rates in circumneutral pH sedimentary environments where pore throat sizes permit widespread access of microorganisms to pyrite surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yihang Fang
- Department of Geoscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Virginia Marcon
- Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Brandon Forsythe
- Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Susan L Brantley
- Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Huifang Xu
- Department of Geoscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Eric E Roden
- Department of Geoscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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19
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Cecchetti AR, Stiegler AN, Gonthier EA, Bandaru SRS, Fakra SC, Alvarez-Cohen L, Sedlak DL. Fate of Dissolved Nitrogen in a Horizontal Levee: Seasonal Fluctuations in Nitrate Removal Processes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:2770-2782. [PMID: 35077168 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c07512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Horizontal levees are a nature-based approach for removing nitrogen from municipal wastewater effluent while simultaneously providing additional benefits, such as flood control. To assess nitrogen removal mechanisms and the efficacy of a horizontal levee, we monitored an experimental system receiving nitrified municipal wastewater effluent for 2 years. Based on mass balances and microbial gene abundance data, we determined that much of the applied nitrogen was most likely removed by heterotrophic denitrifiers that consumed labile organic carbon from decaying plants and added wood chips. Fe(III) and sulfate reduction driven by decay of labile organic carbon also produced Fe(II) sulfide minerals. During winter months, when heterotrophic activity was lower, strong correlations between sulfate release and nitrogen removal suggested that autotrophic denitrifiers oxidized Fe(II) sulfides using nitrate as an electron acceptor. These trends were seasonal, with Fe(II) sulfide minerals formed during summer fueling denitrification during the subsequent winter. Overall, around 30% of gaseous nitrogen losses in the winter were attributable to autotrophic denitrifiers. To predict long-term nitrogen removal, we developed an electron-transfer model that accounted for the production and consumption of electron donors. The model indicated that the labile organic carbon released from wood chips may be capable of supporting nitrogen removal from wastewater effluent for several decades with sulfide minerals, decaying vegetation, and root exudates likely sustaining nitrogen removal over a longer timescale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidan R Cecchetti
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- ReNUWIt Engineering Research Center, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Angela N Stiegler
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- ReNUWIt Engineering Research Center, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Emily A Gonthier
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- ReNUWIt Engineering Research Center, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Siva R S Bandaru
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Sirine C Fakra
- Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Lisa Alvarez-Cohen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- ReNUWIt Engineering Research Center, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - David L Sedlak
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- ReNUWIt Engineering Research Center, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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20
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Li Y, Dong C, Li Y, Nie W, Wang M, Sun C, Liang L, Zhao Z, Zhang Y. Independent of direct interspecies electron transfer: Magnetite-mediated sulphur cycle for anaerobic degradation of benzoate under low-concentration sulphate conditions. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 423:127051. [PMID: 34523502 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the primary mechanism of magnetite promoting anaerobic degradation of aromatic compounds under the low-concentration sulphate conditions. Under influent conditions of benzoate at 50 mM-chemical oxygen demand (COD) and sulphate at 15 mM, magnetite promoted benzoate degradation (77.1% vs 56.3%), while the effluent sulphate concentration was slightly higher than that without magnetite (1.6 mM vs 0.7 mM), inconsistent with functional gene prediction that both sulphate respiration and sulphur compound respiration were relatively more active in the presence of magnetite. Remarkably, X-ray diffraction showed that, signal related to Fe3O4 faded away and finally was replaced by FeSO4 and FeS, indicating that magnetite participated in benzoate degradation coupled to sulphate reduction via dissimilatory Fe(III) reduction. Further X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that, signal related to S0 was only detected with magnetite, suggesting the possibility of re-oxidation of sulphide to elemental sulphur coupled to Fe(III) reduction. This was further supported by the increase in abundance of Desulfuromonas acetexigens capable of growing on Fe(III). In addition, magnetite specially enriched the chemolithotrophic sulphur-disproportionating microbes, Desulfovibrio aminophilus, which might proceed the disproportionation of elemental sulphur to sulphate and sulphide to achieve a sulphur cycle for benzoate degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- School of Ocean Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China
| | - Chunlei Dong
- School of Ocean Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China
| | - Yuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Dalian University of Technology), Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Wenqi Nie
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Dalian University of Technology), Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Mingwei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Dalian University of Technology), Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Cheng Sun
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Dalian University of Technology), Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Lianfu Liang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Dalian University of Technology), Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Zhiqiang Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Dalian University of Technology), Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
| | - Yaobin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Dalian University of Technology), Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
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21
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Pelivano B, Bryson S, Hunt KA, Denecke M, Stahl DA, Winkler M. Application of pyritic sludge with an anaerobic granule consortium for nitrate removal in low carbon systems. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 209:117933. [PMID: 34923445 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Granules recovered from a highly reduced anaerobic digester were capable of active nitrogen removal in the absence of exogenous electron donors, averaging 0.25 mg mgNO3--N /gVSS/d over 546 days of operation. Electron mass balance indicated that about half the influent nitrate was converted to ammonia via DNRA and another half denitrified. This capacity was associated with an onion-like structure of multiple layers enriched in reduced iron and sulfur, and a complex microbial community shown by metagenomic sequencing to consist of multiple physiological groups and associated activities, including methanogenesis, denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia (DNRA), iron oxidation and reduction, and sulfur reduction and oxidation. Nitrate reduction was supported by both entrained organic material and reduced iron and sulfur species, corresponding to 2.13 mg COD/gVSS/d. Batch incubations showed that approximately 15% of denitrified nitrate was coupled to the oxidation of sulfur derived from both sulfate respiration and granular material enriched in iron-sulfide. Inhibition of sulfate reduction resulted in redirection of electron flow to methanogenesis and, in combination with other batch tests, showed that these granules supported a complex microbial community in which cryptic redox cycles linked carbon, sulfur, and iron oxidation with nitrate, sulfate, iron, and carbon dioxide reduction. This system shows promise for treatment of nitrate contaminated ground water without addition of an external organic carbon source as well as wastewater treatment in combination with (granular) sludge elimination leading in a net reduction of solid treatment costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bojan Pelivano
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, 616 Northeast Northlake Place, Seattle, Washington 98105, USA; Department of Urban Water and Waste Management, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitaetsstr. 15, Essen 45141, Germany.
| | - Samuel Bryson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, 616 Northeast Northlake Place, Seattle, Washington 98105, USA
| | - Kristopher A Hunt
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, 616 Northeast Northlake Place, Seattle, Washington 98105, USA
| | - Martin Denecke
- Department of Urban Water and Waste Management, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitaetsstr. 15, Essen 45141, Germany
| | - David A Stahl
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, 616 Northeast Northlake Place, Seattle, Washington 98105, USA
| | - Mari Winkler
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, 616 Northeast Northlake Place, Seattle, Washington 98105, USA
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22
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Ji Z, Tang W, Pei Y. Constructed wetland substrates: A review on development, function mechanisms, and application in contaminants removal. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 286:131564. [PMID: 34298298 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Constructed wetlands (CWs) are economical, efficient, and sustainable wastewater treatment method. Substrates in CWs inextricably link with the other key components and significantly influence the performance and sustainability of CWs. Gradually, CWs have been applied to treat more complex contaminants from different fields, thus has brought forward new demand on substrates for enhancing the performance and sustainability of CWs. Various materials have been used as substrates in CWs, and their individual characteristics and application advantages have been extensively studied in recent years. Therefore, this review summarizes the development, function mechanisms (e.g., filtration, adsorption, electron supply, supporting plant growth and microbial reproduction), categories, and applications of substrates in CWs. The interaction mechanisms of substrates with contaminants/plants/microorganisms are comprehensively described, and the characteristics and advantages of different substrate categories (e.g., Natural mineral materials, chemical products, biomass materials, industrial and municipal by-products, modified functional materials, and novel materials) are critically evaluated. Meanwhile, the influences of substrate layer arrangement and synergism on contaminants removal are firstly systematically reviewed. Furthermore, further research about substrates (e.g., clogging, life cycle assessment/management, internal relationship between components) should be systematically carried out for improving efficiency and sustainability of CWs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zehua Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19, Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China; The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19, Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Wenzhong Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yuansheng Pei
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19, Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China; The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19, Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China.
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23
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Shrestha R, Černoušek T, Stoulil J, Kovářová H, Sihelská K, Špánek R, Ševců A, Steinová J. Anaerobic microbial corrosion of carbon steel under conditions relevant for deep geological repository of nuclear waste. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 800:149539. [PMID: 34392220 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We examined microbial corrosion of carbon steel in synthetic bentonite pore water inoculated with natural underground water containing microorganisms over a period of 780-days under sterile and anaerobic conditions. Corrosion behaviour was determined using the mass loss method, SEM-EDS analysis and Raman spectroscopy, while qualitative and quantitative changes in the microbial community were analysed using molecular-biological tools (16S rDNA amplicon sequencing and qPCR analysis, respectively). Corrosion rates were significantly higher in the biotic environment (compared with an abiotic environment), with significant localisation of corrosion attacks of up to 1 mm arising within 12-months. Nitrate reducing bacteria, such as Pseudomonas, Brevundimonas and Methyloversatilis, dominated the microbial consortium, the high abundance of Methyloversatilis correlating with periods of highest localised corrosion penetrations, suggesting that this bacterium plays an important role in microbially influenced corrosion. Our results indicate that nitrate-reducing bacteria could represent a potential threat to waste canisters under nuclear repository conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rojina Shrestha
- Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovations, Technical University of Liberec, Bendlova 1407/7, Liberec 1 461 17, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Černoušek
- Research Center Řež, Department of Nuclear Fuel Cycle, Husinec-Řež 130 25068, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Stoulil
- University of Chemistry and Technology, Department of Metals and Corrosion Engineering, Technická 5, Prague 166 28, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Kovářová
- Research Center Řež, Department of Nuclear Fuel Cycle, Husinec-Řež 130 25068, Czech Republic
| | - Kristína Sihelská
- Research Center Řež, Department of Nuclear Fuel Cycle, Husinec-Řež 130 25068, Czech Republic
| | - Roman Špánek
- Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovations, Technical University of Liberec, Bendlova 1407/7, Liberec 1 461 17, Czech Republic
| | - Alena Ševců
- Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovations, Technical University of Liberec, Bendlova 1407/7, Liberec 1 461 17, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Steinová
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Benátská 2, Prague 128 01, Czech Republic; Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovations, Technical University of Liberec, Bendlova 1407/7, Liberec 1 461 17, Czech Republic.
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24
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Li L, Feng J, Zhang L, Yin H, Fan C, Wang Z, Zhao M, Ge C, Song H. Enhanced nitrogen and phosphorus removal by natural pyrite-based constructed wetland with intermittent aeration. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:69012-69028. [PMID: 34286432 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15461-6] [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: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Four subsurface flow constructed wetlands (SFCWs) filled with different substrates including ceramsite, ceramsite+pyrite, ceramsite+ferrous sulfide, and ceramsite+pyrite+ferrous sulfide (labeled as SFCW-S1, SFCW-S2, SFCW-S3, and SFCW-S4) were constructed, and the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus by these SFCWs coupled with intermittent aeration in the front section was discussed. The key findings from different substrate analyses, including nitrification and denitrification rate, enzyme activity, microbial community structure, and the X-ray diffraction, revealed the nitrogen and phosphorus removal mechanism. The results showed that the nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiency for SFCW-S1 always remained the lowest, and the phosphorus removal efficiency for SFCW-S4 was recorded as the highest one. However, after controlling the dissolved oxygen by intermittent aeration in the front section of SFCWs, the nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiencies of SFCWs-S2 and S4 became higher than those of SFCW-S1, and SFCW-S3. It was noticed that the pollutants were removed mainly in the front section of the SFCWs. Both precipitation and adsorption on the substrate were the main mechanisms for phosphorus removal. A minute difference of nitrification rate and ammonia monooxygenase activity was observed in the SFCWs' aeration zone. The denitrification rates, nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase, and electron transport system activity for SFCW-S2 and SFCW-S4 were higher than those detected for SFCW-S1 and SFCW-S3 in the non-aerated zone. Proteobacteria was the largest phyla found in the SFCWs. Moreover, Thiobacillus occupied a large proportion found in SFCW-S2, and SFCW-S4, and it played a crucial role in pyrite-driven autotrophic denitrification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liya Li
- Anhui Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Rural Water Environment and Resources, School of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Jingwei Feng
- Anhui Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Rural Water Environment and Resources, School of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resources Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210046, China.
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Industrial Wastewater and Environmental Treatment, Hefei, 230024, China.
| | - Liu Zhang
- Anhui Academy of Environmental Science and Research, Hefei, 230001, China.
| | - Hao Yin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and the Environments, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
- Mass Spectrometry Lab, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Chunli Fan
- Anhui Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Rural Water Environment and Resources, School of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Zechun Wang
- Anhui Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Rural Water Environment and Resources, School of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Menglei Zhao
- Anhui Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Rural Water Environment and Resources, School of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Chengchang Ge
- Anhui Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Rural Water Environment and Resources, School of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Hao Song
- Anhui Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Rural Water Environment and Resources, School of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
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25
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Xiu W, Ke T, Lloyd JR, Shen J, Bassil NM, Song H, Polya DA, Zhao Y, Guo H. Understanding Microbial Arsenic-Mobilization in Multiple Aquifers: Insight from DNA and RNA Analyses. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:15181-15195. [PMID: 34706533 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c04117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Biogeochemical processes critically control the groundwater arsenic (As) enrichment; however, the key active As-mobilizing biogeochemical processes and associated microbes in high dissolved As and sulfate aquifers are poorly understood. To address this issue, the groundwater-sediment geochemistry, total and active microbial communities, and their potential functions in the groundwater-sediment microbiota from the western Hetao basin were determined using 16S rRNA gene (rDNA) and associated 16S rRNA (rRNA) sequencing. The relative abundances of either sediment or groundwater total and active microbial communities were positively correlated. Interestingly, groundwater active microbial communities were mainly associated with ammonium and sulfide, while sediment active communities were highly related to water-extractable nitrate. Both sediment-sourced and groundwater-sourced active microorganisms (rRNA/rDNA ratios > 1) noted Fe(III)-reducers (induced by ammonium oxidation) and As(V)-reducers, emphasizing the As mobilization via Fe(III) and/or As(V) reduction. Moreover, active cryptic sulfur cycling between groundwater and sediments was implicated in affecting As mobilization. Sediment-sourced active microorganisms were potentially involved in anaerobic pyrite oxidation (driven by denitrification), while groundwater-sourced organisms were associated with sulfur disproportionation and sulfate reduction. This study provides an extended whole-picture concept model of active As-N-S-Fe biogeochemical processes affecting As mobilization in high dissolved As and sulfate aquifers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Xiu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, P.R. China
- Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, P.R. China
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, P.R. China
| | - Tiantian Ke
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, P.R. China
| | - Jonathan R Lloyd
- Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - Jiaxing Shen
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, P.R. China
| | - Naji M Bassil
- Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - Hokyung Song
- Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - David A Polya
- Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - Yi Zhao
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, P.R. China
| | - Huaming Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, P.R. China
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, P.R. China
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Jakus N, Blackwell N, Straub D, Kappler A, Kleindienst S. Presence of Fe(II) and nitrate shapes aquifer-originating communities leading to an autotrophic enrichment dominated by an Fe(II)-oxidizing Gallionellaceae sp. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2021; 97:6415198. [PMID: 34724047 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiab145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autotrophic nitrate reduction coupled to Fe(II) oxidation is an important nitrate removal process in anoxic aquifers. However, it remains unknown how changes of O2 and carbon availability influence the community structure of nitrate-reducing Fe(II)-oxidizing (NRFeOx) microbial assemblages and what the genomic traits of these NRFeOx key players are. We compared three metabolically distinct denitrifying assemblages, supplemented with acetate, acetate/Fe(II) or Fe(II), enriched from an organic-poor, pyrite-rich aquifer. The presence of Fe(II) promoted the growth of denitrifying Burkholderiaceae spp. and an unclassified Gallionellaceae sp. This Gallionellaceae sp. was related to microaerophilic Fe(II) oxidizers; however, it did not grow under microoxic conditions. Furthermore, we explored a metagenome and 15 metagenome-assembled genomes from an aquifer-originating, autotrophic NRFeOx culture. The dominant Gallionellaceae sp. revealed the potential to oxidize Fe(II) (e.g. cyc2), fix CO2 (e.g. rbcL) and perform near-complete denitrification leading to N2O formation (e.g. narGHJI,nirK/S and norBC). In addition, Curvibacter spp.,Methyloversatilis sp. and Thermomonas spp. were identified as novel putative NRFeOx taxa. Our findings provide first insights into the genetic traits of the so far only known autotrophic NRFeOx culture originating from an organic-poor aquifer, providing the genomic basis to study mechanisms of nitrate removal in organic-poor subsurface ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Jakus
- Geomicrobiology, Center for Applied Geoscience, University of Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.,Microbial Ecology, Center for Applied Geoscience, University of Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nia Blackwell
- Microbial Ecology, Center for Applied Geoscience, University of Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Daniel Straub
- Microbial Ecology, Center for Applied Geoscience, University of Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.,Quantitative Biology Center (QBiC), University of Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Kappler
- Geomicrobiology, Center for Applied Geoscience, University of Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence: EXC 2124: Controlling Microbes to Fight Infection, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sara Kleindienst
- Microbial Ecology, Center for Applied Geoscience, University of Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
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27
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Denitrification in Intrinsic and Specific Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment: A Review. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/app112210657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Several groundwater vulnerability methodologies have been implemented throughout the years to face the increasing worldwide groundwater pollution, ranging from simple rating methodologies to complex numerical, statistical, and hybrid methods. Most of these methods have been used to evaluate groundwater vulnerability to nitrate, which is considered the major groundwater contaminant worldwide. Together with dilution, the degradation of nitrate via denitrification has been acknowledged as a process that can reduce reactive nitrogen mass loading rates in both deep and shallow aquifers. Thus, denitrification should be included in groundwater vulnerability studies and integrated into the various methodologies. This work reviewed the way in which denitrification has been considered within the vulnerability assessment methods and how it could increase the reliability of the overall results. Rating and statistical methods often disregard or indirectly incorporate denitrification, while numerical models make use of kinetic reactions that are able to quantify the spatial and temporal variations of denitrification rates. Nevertheless, the rating methods are still the most utilized, due to their linear structures, especially in watershed studies. More efforts should be paid in future studies to implement, calibrate, and validate user-friendly vulnerability assessment methods that are able to deal with denitrification capacity and rates at large spatial and temporal scales.
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28
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Kong Z, Song Y, Shao Z, Chai H. Biochar-pyrite bi-layer bioretention system for dissolved nutrient treatment and by-product generation control under various stormwater conditions. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 206:117737. [PMID: 34637973 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Bioretention system with modified media has been increasingly used to control dissolved nutrients in stormwater runoff. However, complicated removal processes and improper design have made most of them hardly achieve comprehensive dissolved nutrient removal and even show by-product generation problem, especially during extreme stormwater events. Here, a modified biochar-pyrite (FeS2) bi-layer bioretention system was developed and tested under various stormwater conditions with conventional sand-based and woodchip-based bioretention systems as controls. The modified system showed high stability and efficiency for dissolved nutrient treatment. The removal of dissolved organic nitrogen, ammonium, total dissolved nitrogen, and total dissolved phosphorus were 86.3-93.0%, 95.3-98.1%, 41.4-76.5%, and 69.7-88.2%, respectively. Stormwater conditions only influence nitrate removal which decreased with the increase of total received volume and increased with the extension of antecedent drying duration. Net sulfate and total iron generation were very low, less than 8 mg/L and 0.15 mg/L, respectively. Several microbiology, spectroscopy, and media related tests further demonstrated that the vadose zone and submerged zone showed synergy effects during operation. Biochar addition facilitated ammonium adsorption, nitrification, and in situ denitrification in the vadose zone. It also intercepted dissolved oxygen, which alleviated aerobic pyrite oxidation and created an anoxic condition for the submerged zone. Meanwhile, the pyrite-modified submerged zone achieved stable mixotrophic denitrification. The generated iron intermediate products further controlled phosphorus from both influent and vadose zone leaching into stable forms. Mixotrophic denitrification and potential sulfate reduction processes also reduce sulfate generation. Overall, the biochar-pyrite bi-layer bioretention is a highly promising technology for stormwater runoff treatment, with effective dissolved nutrient removal and minimal by-product generation in various stormwater conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Kong
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
| | - Yunqian Song
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
| | - Zhiyu Shao
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China.
| | - Hongxiang Chai
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China.
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29
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An S, Kang PK, Stuyfzand PJ, Lee W, Park S, Yun ST, Lee S. Identification of iron and sulfate release processes during riverbank filtration using chemical mass balance modeling. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2021; 43:3583-3596. [PMID: 33582939 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-021-00850-0] [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: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Various hydrogeochemical processes can modify the quality of river water during riverbank filtration (RBF). Identifying the subsurface processes responsible for the bank-filtered water quality is challenging, but essential for predicting water quality changes and determining the necessity of post-treatment. However, no systematic approach for this has been proposed yet. In this study, the subsurface hydrogeochemical processes that caused the high concentrations of total iron (Fe) and sulfate (SO42-) in the bank-filtered water were investigated at a pilot-scale RBF site in South Korea. For this purpose, water quality variations were monitored in both the extraction well and the adjacent river over five months. The volumetric mixing ratio between the river water and the native groundwater in the RBF well was calculated to understand the effect of mixing on the quality of water from the well and to assess the potential contribution of subsurface reactions to water quality changes. To identify the subsurface processes responsible for the evolution of Fe and SO42- during RBF, an inverse modeling based on the chemical mass balance was conducted using the water quality data and the calculated volumetric mixing ratio. The modeling results suggest that pyrite oxidation by abundant O2 present in an unsaturated zone could be a primary process explaining the evolution of total Fe and SO42- during RBF at the study site. The presence of pyrite in the aquifer was indirectly supported by iron sulfate hydroxide (Fe(SO4)(OH)) detected in oxidized aquifer sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seongnam An
- Water Cycle Research Center, National Agenda Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Korea
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Korea
| | - Peter K Kang
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Pieter J Stuyfzand
- KWR Watercycle Research Institute, PO Box 1072, 3430 BB, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geoscience, Technical University Delft, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Woonghee Lee
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Saerom Park
- Department of Land, Water and Environment Research, Urban Water Circulation Research Center, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT), Goyang-si, 10223, Korea
| | - Seong-Taek Yun
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Korea
| | - Seunghak Lee
- Water Cycle Research Center, National Agenda Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Korea.
- Graduate School of Energy and Environment (KU-KIST GREEN SCHOOL), Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Korea.
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30
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Nitrate Removal by a Novel Lithoautotrophic Nitrate-Reducing, Iron(II)-Oxidizing Culture Enriched from a Pyrite-Rich Limestone Aquifer. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:e0046021. [PMID: 34085863 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00460-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitrate removal in oligotrophic environments is often limited by the availability of suitable organic electron donors. Chemolithoautotrophic bacteria may play a key role in denitrification in aquifers depleted in organic carbon. Under anoxic and circumneutral pH conditions, iron(II) was hypothesized to serve as an electron donor for microbially mediated nitrate reduction by Fe(II)-oxidizing (NRFeOx) microorganisms. However, lithoautotrophic NRFeOx cultures have never been enriched from any aquifer, and as such, there are no model cultures available to study the physiology and geochemistry of this potentially environmentally relevant process. Using iron(II) as an electron donor, we enriched a lithoautotrophic NRFeOx culture from nitrate-containing groundwater of a pyrite-rich limestone aquifer. In the enriched NRFeOx culture that does not require additional organic cosubstrates for growth, within 7 to 11 days, 0.3 to 0.5 mM nitrate was reduced and 1.3 to 2 mM iron(II) was oxidized, leading to a stoichiometric NO3-/Fe(II) ratio of 0.2, with N2 and N2O identified as the main nitrate reduction products. Short-range ordered Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxides were the product of iron(II) oxidation. Microorganisms were observed to be closely associated with formed minerals, but only few cells were encrusted, suggesting that most of the bacteria were able to avoid mineral precipitation at their surface. Analysis of the microbial community by long-read 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that the culture is dominated by members of the Gallionellaceae family that are known as autotrophic, neutrophilic, and microaerophilic iron(II) oxidizers. In summary, our study suggests that NRFeOx mediated by lithoautotrophic bacteria can lead to nitrate removal in anthropogenically affected aquifers. IMPORTANCE Removal of nitrate by microbial denitrification in groundwater is often limited by low concentrations of organic carbon. In these carbon-poor ecosystems, nitrate-reducing bacteria that can use inorganic compounds such as Fe(II) (NRFeOx) as electron donors could play a major role in nitrate removal. However, no lithoautotrophic NRFeOx culture has been successfully isolated or enriched from this type of environment, and as such, there are no model cultures available to study the rate-limiting factors of this potentially important process. Here, we present the physiology and microbial community composition of a novel lithoautotrophic NRFeOx culture enriched from a fractured aquifer in southern Germany. The culture is dominated by a putative Fe(II) oxidizer affiliated with the Gallionellaceae family and performs nitrate reduction coupled to Fe(II) oxidation leading to N2O and N2 formation without the addition of organic substrates. Our analyses demonstrate that lithoautotrophic NRFeOx can potentially lead to nitrate removal in nitrate-contaminated aquifers.
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Jakus N, Mellage A, Höschen C, Maisch M, Byrne JM, Mueller CW, Grathwohl P, Kappler A. Anaerobic Neutrophilic Pyrite Oxidation by a Chemolithoautotrophic Nitrate-Reducing Iron(II)-Oxidizing Culture Enriched from a Fractured Aquifer. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:9876-9884. [PMID: 34247483 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c02049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Neutrophilic microbial pyrite (FeS2) oxidation coupled to denitrification is thought to be an important natural nitrate attenuation pathway in nitrate-contaminated aquifers. However, the poor solubility of pyrite raises questions about its bioavailability and the mechanisms underlying its oxidation. Here, we investigated direct microbial pyrite oxidation by a neutrophilic chemolithoautotrophic nitrate-reducing Fe(II)-oxidizing culture enriched from a pyrite-rich aquifer. We used pyrite with natural abundance (NA) of Fe isotopes (NAFe-pyrite) and 57Fe-labeled siderite to evaluate whether the oxidation of the more soluble Fe(II)-carbonate (FeCO3) can indirectly drive abiotic pyrite oxidation. Our results showed that in setups where only pyrite was incubated with bacteria, direct microbial pyrite oxidation contributed ca. 26% to overall nitrate reduction. The rest was attributed to the oxidation of elemental sulfur (S0), present as a residue from pyrite synthesis. Pyrite oxidation was evidenced in the NAFe-pyrite/57Fe-siderite setups by maps of 56FeO and 32S obtained using a combination of SEM with nanoscale secondary ion MS (NanoSIMS), which showed the presence of 56Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxides that could solely originate from 56FeS2. Based on the fit of a reaction model to the geochemical data and the Fe-isotope distributions from NanoSIMS, we conclude that anaerobic oxidation of pyrite by our neutrophilic enrichment culture was mainly driven by direct enzymatic activity of the cells. The contribution of abiotic pyrite oxidation by Fe3+ appeared to be negligible in our experimental setup.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Jakus
- Geomicrobiology, Center for Applied Geoscience, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen D-72076, Germany
- Microbial Ecology, Center for Applied Geoscience, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen D-72076, Germany
| | - Adrian Mellage
- Hydrogeology, Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen D-72076, Germany
| | - Carmen Höschen
- Soil Science, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising-Weihenstephan D-85354, Germany
| | - Markus Maisch
- Geomicrobiology, Center for Applied Geoscience, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen D-72076, Germany
| | - James M Byrne
- Geomicrobiology, Center for Applied Geoscience, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen D-72076, Germany
| | - Carsten W Mueller
- Soil Science, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising-Weihenstephan D-85354, Germany
| | - Peter Grathwohl
- Hydrogeochemistry, Center for Applied Geoscience, University of Tuebingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Kappler
- Geomicrobiology, Center for Applied Geoscience, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen D-72076, Germany
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32
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Zhu M, Zhang M, Yuan Y, Zhang P, Du S, Ya T, Chen D, Wang X, Zhang T. Responses of microbial communities and their interactions to ibuprofen in a bio-electrochemical system. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 289:112473. [PMID: 33819654 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Ibuprofen has caused great concerns due to their potential environmental risks. However, their removal efficiency and their effects on microbial interactions in bio-electrochemical system remain unclear. To address these issues, a lab-scale bio-electrochemical reactor integrated with sulfur/iron-mediated autotrophic denitrification (BER-S/IAD) system exposing to 1000 μg L-1 ibuprofen was operated for about two months. Results revealed that the BER-S/IAD system obtained efficient simultaneous denitrification (98.93%) and phosphorus (82.67%) removal, as well as an excellent ibuprofen removal performance (96.98%). Ibuprofen had no significant impacts on the nitrate (NO3--N) removal and the ammonia (NH4+-N) accumulation, but decreased the total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) removal efficiencies. MiSeq sequencing analysis revealed that ibuprofen significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the microbial community diversity and changed their overall structure. Some bacteria related to denitrification and phosphorus removal, such as Pseudomonas and Thiobacillus, decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Moreover, molecular ecological network (MEN) analysis revealed that ibuprofen decreased the network's size and complexity, and enhanced the negative correlations of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. Besides, ibuprofen decreased the links of some keystone bacteria related to denitrification and phosphorus removal. This research could provide a new dimension for our comprehending of the responses of microbial communities and their interactions to ibuprofen in bio-electrochemical system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Cleaner Production and Integrated Resource Utilization of China National Light Industry, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, 100048, China; Beijing Engineering Research Center of Environmental Material for Water Purification, College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China; School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Minglu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cleaner Production and Integrated Resource Utilization of China National Light Industry, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Yibo Yuan
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Peilin Zhang
- Beijing Engineering Research Center of Environmental Material for Water Purification, College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Shuai Du
- Beijing Guo Dian Fu Tong Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd., Beijing, 100090, China
| | - Tao Ya
- Beijing Engineering Research Center of Environmental Material for Water Purification, College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Daying Chen
- Beijing Engineering Research Center of Environmental Material for Water Purification, College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Beijing Engineering Research Center of Environmental Material for Water Purification, College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China.
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Beijing Engineering Research Center of Environmental Material for Water Purification, College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China.
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Huang J, Jones A, Waite TD, Chen Y, Huang X, Rosso KM, Kappler A, Mansor M, Tratnyek PG, Zhang H. Fe(II) Redox Chemistry in the Environment. Chem Rev 2021; 121:8161-8233. [PMID: 34143612 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c01286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Iron (Fe) is the fourth most abundant element in the earth's crust and plays important roles in both biological and chemical processes. The redox reactivity of various Fe(II) forms has gained increasing attention over recent decades in the areas of (bio) geochemistry, environmental chemistry and engineering, and material sciences. The goal of this paper is to review these recent advances and the current state of knowledge of Fe(II) redox chemistry in the environment. Specifically, this comprehensive review focuses on the redox reactivity of four types of Fe(II) species including aqueous Fe(II), Fe(II) complexed with ligands, minerals bearing structural Fe(II), and sorbed Fe(II) on mineral oxide surfaces. The formation pathways, factors governing the reactivity, insights into potential mechanisms, reactivity comparison, and characterization techniques are discussed with reference to the most recent breakthroughs in this field where possible. We also cover the roles of these Fe(II) species in environmental applications of zerovalent iron, microbial processes, biogeochemical cycling of carbon and nutrients, and their abiotic oxidation related processes in natural and engineered systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianzhi Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 2104 Adelbert Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
| | - Adele Jones
- UNSW Water Research Centre, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - T David Waite
- UNSW Water Research Centre, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Yiling Chen
- Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiaopeng Huang
- Physical Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Kevin M Rosso
- Physical Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Andreas Kappler
- Geomicrobiology, Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Muammar Mansor
- Geomicrobiology, Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Paul G Tratnyek
- School of Public Health, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, Oregon 97239, United States
| | - Huichun Zhang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 2104 Adelbert Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
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Carboni MF, Florentino AP, Costa RB, Zhan X, Lens PNL. Enrichment of Autotrophic Denitrifiers From Anaerobic Sludge Using Sulfurous Electron Donors. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:678323. [PMID: 34163455 PMCID: PMC8215349 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.678323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
This study compared the rates and microbial community development in batch bioassays on autotrophic denitrification using elemental sulfur (S0), pyrite (FeS2), thiosulfate (S2O3 2-), and sulfide (S2-) as electron donor. The performance of two inocula was compared: digested sludge (DS) from a wastewater treatment plant of a dairy industry and anaerobic granular sludge (GS) from a UASB reactor treating dairy wastewater. All electron donors supported the development of a microbial community with predominance of autotrophic denitrifiers during the enrichments, except for sulfide. For the first time, pyrite revealed to be a suitable substrate for the growth of autotrophic denitrifiers developing a microbial community with predominance of the genera Thiobacillus, Thioprofundum, and Ignavibacterium. Thiosulfate gave the highest denitrification rates removing 10.94 mM NO3 - day-1 and 8.98 mM NO3 - day-1 by DS and GS, respectively. This was 1.5 and 6 times faster than elemental sulfur and pyrite, respectively. Despite the highest denitrification rates observed in thiosulfate-fed enrichments, an evaluation of the most relevant parameters for a technological application revealed elemental sulfur as the best electron donor for autotrophic denitrification with a total cost of 0.38 € per m3 of wastewater treated.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. F. Carboni
- Department of Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - A. P. Florentino
- Department of Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - R. B. Costa
- Department of Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, São Paulo State University, Araraquara, Brazil
| | - X. Zhan
- Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - P. N. L. Lens
- Department of Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
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Hu Y, Lu Y, Edmonds J, Liu C, Zhang Q, Zheng C. Irrigation alters source-composition characteristics of groundwater dissolved organic matter in a large arid river basin, Northwestern China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 767:144372. [PMID: 33434831 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
It has been well documented that agricultural activities lead to significant alterations in surface water dissolved organic matter (DOM), yet their impacts on groundwater DOM remain poorly constrained. The quantity, source, and composition of DOM play a pivotal role in a range of groundwater ecosystem services that are of important ecological and societal values. We assessed the impact of irrigation on the source and compositional characteristics of groundwater DOM in a large river basin supporting intensive agriculture in arid northwestern China. We sampled five water types along a river reach of approximately 40 km, including groundwater, river water, irrigation canal water, hyporheic water, and soil leachates. The excitation-emission matrix (EEM) measurements coupled with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) identified two terrestrial-derived, humic-like fluorescent components (C1 and C2) and one protein-like autochthonous component (C3). DOM composition and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration varied as a function of water type, with subsurface waters showing relatively lower DOC and terrestrial humic fluorescence than surface waters. Combining nitrate, electrical conductivity, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and δ13C-DIC, irrigation-influenced samples were identified, and the influence of irrigation on groundwater DOM appeared only in shallow aquifers (<50 m). Irrigation-influenced groundwater exhibited higher DOC and terrestrial fluorescence than unimpacted groundwater, suggesting that irrigation return flows accelerated the downward movement of terrestrial humic compounds and led to their accumulation in aquifers. This effect was propagated via surface water-groundwater interactions to upwelling hyporheic water, which also showed enrichment in terrestrial fluorescence. Our findings demonstrate that irrigation can accelerate the biogeochemical cycling of organic compounds via a subsurface pathway of from the soil to aquifer to hyporheic zone. The enrichment of soil-derived compounds in subsurface waters may have important ecological consequences, such as altering the transport of nutrients and pollutants and changing carbon and energy flows across the surface-subsurface boundary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection (Chengdu University of Technology), Chengdu 610059, China
| | - YueHan Lu
- Molecular Eco-Geochemistry Laboratory, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA.
| | - Jennifer Edmonds
- Physical and Life Sciences, Nevada State College, Henderson, NV 89002, USA
| | - Chuankun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection (Chengdu University of Technology), Chengdu 610059, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection (Chengdu University of Technology), Chengdu 610059, China
| | - Chunmiao Zheng
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, South University of Science and Technology of China, Shenzhen, China; Institute of Water Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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Fakhreddine S, Prommer H, Scanlon BR, Ying SC, Nicot JP. Mobilization of Arsenic and Other Naturally Occurring Contaminants during Managed Aquifer Recharge: A Critical Review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:2208-2223. [PMID: 33503373 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c07492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Population growth and climate variability highlight the need to enhance freshwater security and diversify water supplies. Subsurface storage of water in depleted aquifers is increasingly used globally to alleviate disparities in water supply and demand often caused by climate extremes including floods and droughts. Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) stores excess water supplies during wet periods via infiltration into shallow underlying aquifers or direct injection into deep aquifers for recovery during dry seasons. Additionally, MAR can be designed to improve recharge water quality, particularly in the case of soil aquifer treatment and riverbank filtration. While there are many potential benefits to MAR, introduction of recharge water can alter the native geochemical and hydrological conditions in the receiving aquifer, potentially mobilizing toxic, naturally occurring (geogenic) contaminants from sediments into groundwater where they pose a much larger threat to human and ecosystem health. On the basis of the present literature, arsenic poses the most widespread challenge at MAR sites due to its ubiquity in subsurface sediments and toxicity at trace concentrations. Other geogenic contaminants of concern include fluoride, molybdenum, manganese, and iron. Water quality degradation threatens the viability of some MAR projects with several sites abandoning operations due to arsenic or other contaminant mobilization. Here, we provide a critical review of studies that have uncovered the geochemical and hydrological mechanisms controlling mobilization of arsenic and other geogenic contaminants at MAR sites worldwide, including both infiltration and injection sites. These mechanisms were evaluated based on site-specific characteristics, including hydrological setting, native aquifer geochemistry, and operational site parameters (e.g., source of recharge water and recharge/recovery cycling). Observed mechanisms of geogenic contaminant mobilization during MAR via injection include shifting redox conditions and, to a lesser extent, pH-promoted desorption, mineral solubility, and competitive ligand exchange. The relative importance of these mechanisms depends on various site-specific, operational parameters, including pretreatment of injection water and duration of injection, storage, and recovery phases. This critical review synthesizes findings across case studies in various geochemical, hydrological, and operational settings to better understand controls on arsenic and other geogenic contaminant mobilization and inform the planning and design of future MAR projects to protect groundwater quality. This critical review concludes with an evaluation of proposed management strategies for geogenic contaminants and identification of knowledge gaps regarding fate and transport of geogenic contaminants during MAR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Fakhreddine
- Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78758, United States
| | - Henning Prommer
- CSIRO Land and Water, Wembley, Western Australia 6913, Australia
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6913, Australia
| | - Bridget R Scanlon
- Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78758, United States
| | - Samantha C Ying
- Environmental Sciences, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Jean-Philippe Nicot
- Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78758, United States
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Chen J, Li X, Jia W, Shen S, Deng S, Ji B, Chang J. Promotion of bioremediation performance in constructed wetland microcosms for acid mine drainage treatment by using organic substrates and supplementing domestic wastewater and plant litter broth. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 404:124125. [PMID: 33049629 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Gravel-based subsurface-flow constructed wetlands (CWs) amended with a walnut shell (WS) substrate were established to treat synthetic acid mine drainage (AMD) in this study, and artificial domestic wastewater (DW) and plant litter broth (PLB) were supplemented to enhance the performance. The CW media rapidly reached adsorption saturation with respect to metals (except Fe and Cr) without an external carbon source, while the addition of DW and PLB stimulated sulfate reduction activity and achieved efficient biogenic metal removal, primarily by the formation of hydroxide and sulfide precipitates and concomitant co-precipitation. The WS-amended CWs performed notably better than the control systems, not only in sequestering more metals and rapidly establishing favourable environments for biogenic metal abatement but also in supporting better growth of plants and functional microbes. The external organic carbon input greatly shaped the bacterial community compositions in the CWs, with substantial increases in the proportions of core functional populations involved in AMD biotreatment. Cooperation among Cellulomonas, Propioniciclava and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), dominated by Desulfobulbus and Desulfatirhabdium, was the primary biogenic mechanism of AMD remediation in the CWs. Cellulosic waste-amended CWs with DW and PLB addition offer a promising eco-technology for AMD remediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinquan Chen
- Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory for Plateau Mountain Ecology and Restoration of Degraded Environments, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Xuan Li
- Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Wei Jia
- Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; China Machinery International Engineering Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd, Changsha 410007, China
| | - Shili Shen
- Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory for Plateau Mountain Ecology and Restoration of Degraded Environments, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Shengjiong Deng
- Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Bohua Ji
- Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Junjun Chang
- Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory for Plateau Mountain Ecology and Restoration of Degraded Environments, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China.
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Ortmeyer F, Volkova K, Wisotzky F, Wohnlich S, Banning A. Monitoring nitrate reduction: hydrogeochemistry and clogging potential in raw water wells. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2021; 193:112. [PMID: 33543341 PMCID: PMC7862208 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-021-08880-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The mainly agricultural input of NO3- and compliance with drinking water guideline values pose major challenges for many water suppliers. Additionally, associated changes in hydrochemistry, especially concerning products of NO3- reduction (Fe2+/3+, Mn2+/4+, Ca2+, Mg2+, SO42-, HCO3-) and subsequent reactions, can have a major influence on mineral saturation states and well yield: well productivity can be strongly reduced by mineral precipitation and silting. To evaluate hydrogeochemical evolution and clogging potential for a given well field, thorough hydrochemical and geochemical investigations are required. Therefore, time-dependent and depth-specific ion concentrations in water samples (n = 818) were analysed in a catchment area of a waterworks in western Germany. The sediments of the aquifers were extensively investigated for their geochemistry (CS, scanning electron microscope, aqua regia digestion and dithionite solution; n = 253). In addition, PhreeqC was used to model saturation indices in order to identify possible mineral precipitation in the wells. Results show a high NO3- input into deep wells screened in Tertiary sediments due to an admixture of Quaternary groundwater. Directly at the Quaternary-Tertiary boundary, chemolithotrophic NO3- reduction consuming pyrite occurs. Protons released during the process are pH-buffered by dissolving carbonate minerals. Overall, the hydrochemistry and especially the saturation indices are strongly influenced by NO3- reduction and its degradation products. A change in well yield has not yet been observed, but future clogging by ochre formation or sintering cannot be excluded.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Ortmeyer
- Hydrogeology Department, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - K Volkova
- Hydrogeology Department, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - F Wisotzky
- Hydrogeology Department, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - S Wohnlich
- Hydrogeology Department, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - A Banning
- Hydrogeology Department, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany.
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Taylor KA, Risk D, Williams JP, Wach GD, Sherwood OA. Occurrence and origin of groundwater methane in the Stellarton Basin, Nova Scotia, Canada. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 754:141888. [PMID: 32911143 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Groundwater methane (CH4) in areas of fossil fuel development has been a recent focus of study as high CH4 concentrations pose water quality concerns and potential explosive hazards. In 2013, a provincial study in Nova Scotia identified areas with elevated groundwater CH4. However, due to limited data, the specific sources and local distribution of CH4 in those areas remain unknown. In this study, we examined the Stellarton Basin in central Nova Scotia, Canada, a region with an abundance of coal formations, numerous abandoned coal mines, and an active open pit coal mine. Methane was detected in 94% of water samples that were sampled from 45 private water wells. Six water wells exceeded the 28 mg/L hazard mitigation threshold with CH4 levels of up to 72.7 mg/L. The δ13CCH4 (-85.5 to -48.5‰) and the δ2HCH4 (-280 to -88‰) indicated that >95% of samples had CH4 of microbial origin. However, the detection of ethane (C2H6) up to 2.97 mg/L and propane (C3H8) up to 0.008 mg/L, as well as the δ13CC2H6 values (-30.1 to -15.6‰) suggested a mixture of microbial CH4 with trace thermogenic gas, likely migrated from Stellarton coals (δ13CC2H6 of -27.6 to -15.35‰). A mobile greenhouse gas analyzer survey was conducted within the perimeter of residences and off-gassing from taps had atmospheric CH4 measurements as high as 66 ppmv. This study integrates multiple sampling and monitoring methods to investigate groundwater CH4 in a coal-bearing region. The findings advance the understanding of the origin and occurrence of CH4 in complex groundwater systems. The data acquired in this study may be used as a pre-drill baseline for groundwater CH4 concentrations and origins should coal-bed methane operations in Nova Scotia proceed in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberley A Taylor
- Department of Earth Science, St. Francis Xavier University, Physical Sciences Complex 2066, PO Box 5000, B2G 2W5 Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada; Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Dalhousie University, 1459 Oxford Street, PO BOX 15000, B3H 4R2 Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
| | - David Risk
- Department of Earth Science, St. Francis Xavier University, Physical Sciences Complex 2066, PO Box 5000, B2G 2W5 Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - James P Williams
- Department of Earth Science, St. Francis Xavier University, Physical Sciences Complex 2066, PO Box 5000, B2G 2W5 Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada; Department of Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics, McGill University, 817 Sherbrooke Street West, H3A 0C3 Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Grant D Wach
- Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Dalhousie University, 1459 Oxford Street, PO BOX 15000, B3H 4R2 Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Owen A Sherwood
- Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Dalhousie University, 1459 Oxford Street, PO BOX 15000, B3H 4R2 Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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Voutchkova DD, Schullehner J, Rasmussen P, Hansen B. A high-resolution nitrate vulnerability assessment of sandy aquifers (DRASTIC-N). JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 277:111330. [PMID: 32971506 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Groundwater protection against agricultural diffuse nitrate pollution is of paramount importance for safeguarding groundwater-dependent aquatic ecosystems and protecting human health by securing clean groundwater for drinking water production. Nitrate vulnerability assessment of aquifers is the core of a scientifically sound strategy for management and protection of groundwater by authorities. A multitude of methods exists for assessing intrinsic aquifer vulnerability. The objective of this paper is to develop a nitrate-specific groundwater vulnerability assessment method based on the globally recognized DRASTIC method, which was developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency in the 1980s. We propose a new method "DRASTIC-N″ for assessing aquifer nitrate vulnerability, which for the first time expands the seven original geological and hydrogeological parameters with a geochemical parameter for redox condition. The development of DRASTIC-N is based on the longstanding Danish practice of performing detailed groundwater mapping based on dense sampling of geophysical, geological, and geochemical data. DRASTIC-N is compared to the widely used and documented Danish nitrate vulnerability assessment method SCANVA in a study area where the primary aquifer used for drinking water production is composed of heterogeneous sandy glacial deposits. Both SCANVA and DRASTIC-N result in vulnerability maps, which show similar patterns of nitrate vulnerability with a fair overall agreement of 71%. DRASTIC-N provides a framework for systematic and transparent application, which can facilitate stakeholder involvement and help authorities in groundwater protection and decision-making with regards to nitrate pollution. DRASTIC-N is suitable for nitrate vulnerability assessments of glacially deposited sandy aquifers, an abundant and important water resource worldwide, potentially threatened by nitrate pollution from anthropogenic activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denitza D Voutchkova
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), C.F. Møllers Allé 8, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Jörg Schullehner
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), C.F. Møllers Allé 8, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark; Department of Public Health, Research Unit for Environment, Work and Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Per Rasmussen
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Øster Voldgade 10, 1350, København K, Denmark.
| | - Birgitte Hansen
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), C.F. Møllers Allé 8, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
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Escudero C, Del Campo A, Ares JR, Sánchez C, Martínez JM, Gómez F, Amils R. Visualizing Microorganism-Mineral Interaction in the Iberian Pyrite Belt Subsurface: The Acidovorax Case. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:572104. [PMID: 33324359 PMCID: PMC7726209 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.572104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite being considered an extreme environment, several studies have shown that life in the deep subsurface is abundant and diverse. Microorganisms inhabiting these systems live within the rock pores and, therefore, the geochemical and geohydrological characteristics of this matrix may influence the distribution of underground biodiversity. In this study, correlative fluorescence and Raman microscopy (Raman-FISH) was used to analyze the mineralogy associated with the presence of members of the genus Acidovorax, an iron oxidizing microorganisms, in native rock samples of the Iberian Pyrite Belt subsurface. Our results suggest a strong correlation between the presence of Acidovorax genus and pyrite, suggesting that the mineral might greatly influence its subsurface distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Escudero
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBMSO, CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Planetología y Habitabilidad, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB, INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Adolfo Del Campo
- Departamento de Electrocerámica, Instituto de Cerámica y Vidrio, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose R Ares
- Departamento de Física de Materiales, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Sánchez
- Departamento de Física de Materiales, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose M Martínez
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBMSO, CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Felipe Gómez
- Departamento de Planetología y Habitabilidad, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB, INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ricardo Amils
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBMSO, CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Planetología y Habitabilidad, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB, INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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42
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Pang Y, Wang J. Insight into the mechanism of chemoautotrophic denitrification using pyrite (FeS 2) as electron donor. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2020; 318:124105. [PMID: 32932113 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.124105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
In this study, denitrification was performed using pyrite as sole electron donor. The nitrate reducing rate ranged from 0.61 to 0.95 mM/d. The production of nitrous oxide (N2O) was observed, accounting for 20% of the total nitrate reduction. The isotope fractionation indicated that N2O production was mainly caused by the bacterial denitrification, instead of chemical denitrification by Fe(Ⅱ). Thiobacillus was the predominant genus, of which relative abundance decreased after the incubation with pyrite. Conversely, other genera belonging to Actinobacteria, like Rhodococcus, increased by more than 10 times. These Actinobacteria-like bacteria lack nitrous oxide reductase, which might be the reason for high N2O production. Furthermore, the predicted microbial functions analysis by PICRUSt2 showed that the genes (menC/E/G) involved in the biosynthesis of electron shuttles (menaquinone-related redox-active molecule), which were remarkably enriched during the process, suggesting that the first step of pyrite oxidation might be driven by the microbial derived electron shuttles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunmeng Pang
- Laboratory of Environmental Technology, INET, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Jianlong Wang
- Laboratory of Environmental Technology, INET, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Radioactive Waste Treatment, INET, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China.
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Lai J, Cheng M, Huang R, Yu G, Chong Y, Li Y, Zhong Y. Mechanism of ammonium sharp increase during sediments odor control by calcium nitrate addition and an alternative control approach by subsurface injection. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 190:109979. [PMID: 32745537 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Nitrate-driven sulfide/ferrous oxidation has been proved a cost-effective approach for river sediments in-situ odor control. However, calcium nitrate addition would sharply increase ammonium concentration in interstitial water and the mechanism was not yet clear. In this work, though sulfide and ferrous iron were efficiently oxidized, about 102% of NH4+ concentration increased in interstitial water on the first day of calcium nitrate injection (30 mg kg dwt-1), and about 31% more NH4+ increase at the 21st days was observed. To discover the mechanism of ammonium sharp release, desorption kinetics experiment was conducted and the results suggested that the short-time sharp releases of ammonium when calcium nitrate was added could be attributed to the chemical extraction of exchangeable ammonium by calcium ion. Furthermore, at the end of treatment, many genus such as Thiobacillus, Sulfurimonas, Thermomonas, and Clostridium, which were closely related to sulfide and ferrous-driven denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), were identified by 16S rRNA Illumina sequencing method. These findings indicated the long-time increase of ammonium might be determined by the biochemical processes (e.g. DNRA) driven by nitrate reduction. Therefore, to avoid the impact of ammonium release, an alternative subsurface injection method was introduced in this work, and the results showed that ammonium releases could be well controlled when the injection position was beneath 10 cm of the sediment surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangtian Lai
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Natural Resource and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Mingshuang Cheng
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Natural Resource and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Rong Huang
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Natural Resource and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
| | - Guangwei Yu
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Natural Resource and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
| | - Yunxiao Chong
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Natural Resource and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Yanqiong Li
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Natural Resource and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Yuchen Zhong
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Natural Resource and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
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Gupta D, Guzman MS, Bose A. Extracellular electron uptake by autotrophic microbes: physiological, ecological, and evolutionary implications. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 47:863-876. [DOI: 10.1007/s10295-020-02309-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Microbes exchange electrons with their extracellular environment via direct or indirect means. This exchange is bidirectional and supports essential microbial oxidation–reduction processes, such as respiration and photosynthesis. The microbial capacity to use electrons from insoluble electron donors, such as redox-active minerals, poised electrodes, or even other microbial cells is called extracellular electron uptake (EEU). Autotrophs with this capability can thrive in nutrient and soluble electron donor-deficient environments. As primary producers, autotrophic microbes capable of EEU greatly impact microbial ecology and play important roles in matter and energy flow in the biosphere. In this review, we discuss EEU-driven autotrophic metabolisms, their mechanism and physiology, and highlight their ecological, evolutionary, and biotechnological implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinesh Gupta
- grid.4367.6 0000 0001 2355 7002 Department of Biology Washington University in St. Louis One Brookings Drive 63130 St. Louis MO USA
| | - Michael S Guzman
- grid.250008.f 0000 0001 2160 9702 Biosciences and Biotechnology Division Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore CA USA
| | - Arpita Bose
- grid.4367.6 0000 0001 2355 7002 Department of Biology Washington University in St. Louis One Brookings Drive 63130 St. Louis MO USA
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45
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Quan X, Zhang H, Liu H, Chen L, Li N. Remediation of nitrogen polluted water using Fe-C microelectrolysis and biofiltration under mixotrophic conditions. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 257:127272. [PMID: 32534299 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
A hybrid biofilter was established on Fe-C supported carriers aimed to enhance nitrogen removal from polluted water of low Carbon/Nitrogen (C/N) ratio. Effects of organic loadings, hydraulic retention time (HRT), additional electron donor (Fe2+) supplementation and operation mode on the performance of the biofilter were investigated. Results showed that up-flow operation mode was better than down-flow mode in terms of nitrate and total nitrogen (TN) removal at low COD/N. The average removal of NO3--N, NH4+ -N and TN attained 83.1%, 84.7% and 81.2%, respectively, under the conditions of influent COD/NO3--N = 1.5-3.6, HRT = 10 h and up-flow operation. When the biofilter was operated under autotrophic conditions without organic compounds in influent as electron donors, the biofilter achieved a NO3--N removal of 46% and TN removal of 56% depending on the innate electron donors provided by the Fe-C carriers. Supplementation of Fe2+ in influent further promoted autotrophic denitrifying process, and the removal of NO3--N and TN increased to 96.3% and 84.7%, respectively, at the mol ratio of Fe2+/NO3- = 10 and HRT = 10 h. The microbial community was analyzed for the biofilm samples enriched under heterotrophic and autotrophic conditions. The Fe-C biofilter boosted the growth of a large population of mixotrophic denitrifying bacteria including Gallionella, heterotrophic denitrifying bacteria Denitratisoma, and autotrophic denitrifying bacteria Thiobacillus and Thioalkalispira. On the whole, the biofilter coupled with Fe-C micro-electrolysis provides a novel strategy to treat polluted water of low C/N under both heterotrophic and autotrophic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangchun Quan
- 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.
| | - Haifeng Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering, Northeast Electric Power University, Jinlin, 132012, Jinlin Province, China
| | - Hezun Liu
- School of Chemical Engineering, Northeast Electric Power University, Jinlin, 132012, Jinlin Province, China
| | - Liang Chen
- 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
| | - Naiyu 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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Zhang W, Huang F, Hu W. Performance and mechanism of synchronous nitrate and phosphorus removal in constructed pyrite-based mixotrophic denitrification system from secondary effluent. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:36816-36825. [PMID: 32572742 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-09780-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The performance and process of the constructed pyrite-based mixotrophic denitrification (POMD) system using pyrite and residual organic matters as the co-electron donors were investigated for simultaneous removal of N and P from secondary effluent. After the batch experiments, 61.80 ± 3.26% of phosphate and 99.99 ± 0.01% of nitrate were removed, and the obtained nitrate removal rate constant can reach 2.09 days-1 in POMD system, which was significantly superior to that reported (0.95 day-1) in pyrite-based autotrophic denitrification (PAD) system. PO43--P removal was mainly achieved via chemical precipitation as FePO4 with iron, and it was irrelevant with the initial nitrate and ammonium concentrations. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis showed the coexistence of heterotrophic and autotrophic denitrifiers in the mixotrophic environment. The denitrification process could be divided into two stages according to the carbon balance and calculation of sulfate accumulation: (a) nitrate was mainly reduced heterotrophically during 12-36 h and (b) nitrate was reduced autotrophically after 36 h. The calculated proportion of heterotrophic denitrification was 58.17 ± 3.78%, which was promoted by a higher ammonium concentration. These findings are likely to be useful in understanding the mixotrophic denitrification process and developing a cost-effective technology to simultaneously remove N and P from secondary effluent. Graphical abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Zhang
- School of Water Resources and Environment, MOE Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Environmental Evolution, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China
| | - Fuyang Huang
- School of Water Resources and Environment, MOE Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Environmental Evolution, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China
| | - Weiwu Hu
- School of Water Resources and Environment, MOE Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Environmental Evolution, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China.
- The Journal Center, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China.
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Di Capua F, Mascolo MC, Pirozzi F, Esposito G. Simultaneous denitrification, phosphorus recovery and low sulfate production in a recirculated pyrite-packed biofilter (RPPB). CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 255:126977. [PMID: 32402891 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The simultaneous removal of nitrate (15 mg N-NO3- L-1) and phosphate (12 mg P-PO43- L-1) from nutrient-polluted synthetic water was investigated in a recirculated pyrite-packed biofilter (RPPB) under hydraulic retention time (HRT) ranging from 2 to 11 h. HRT values ≥ 8 h resulted in nitrate and phosphate average removal efficiency (RE) higher than 90% and 70%, respectively. Decrease of HRT to 2 h significantly reduced the RE of both nitrogen and phosphorus. The RPPB showed high resiliency as reactor performance recovered immediately after HRT increase to 5 h. Solid-phase characterization of pyrite granules and backwashing material collected from the RPPB at the end of the study revealed that iron-phosphate, -hydroxide and -sulfate precipitated in the bioreactor. Thermodynamic modeling predicted the formation of S0 during the study. Residence time distribution tests showed semi-complete mixing hydrodynamic flow conditions in the RPPB. The RPPB can be considered an elegant and low-cost technology coupling biological nitrogen removal to the recovery of phosphorus, iron and sulfur via chemical precipitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Di Capua
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, via Claudio 21, 80125 Naples, Italy.
| | - Maria Cristina Mascolo
- Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, via Gaetano di Biasio 43, 03043, Cassino, Italy
| | - Francesco Pirozzi
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, via Claudio 21, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Esposito
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, via Claudio 21, 80125 Naples, Italy
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48
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Mansor M, Xu J. Benefits at the nanoscale: a review of nanoparticle-enabled processes favouring microbial growth and functionality. Environ Microbiol 2020; 22:3633-3649. [PMID: 32705763 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Nanoparticles are ubiquitous and co-occur with microbial life in every environment on Earth. Interactions between microbes and nanoparticles impact the biogeochemical cycles via accelerating various reaction rates and enabling biological processes at the smallest scales. Distinct from microbe-mineral interactions at large, microbe-nanoparticle interactions may involve higher levels of active recognition and utilization of the reactive, changeable, and thereby 'moldable' nano-sized inorganic phases by microbes, which has been given minimal attention in previous reviews. Here we have compiled the various cases of microbe-nanoparticle interactions with clear and potential benefits to the microbial cells and communities. Specifically, we discussed (i) the high bioavailabilities of nanoparticles due to increased specific surface areas and size-dependent solubility, with a focus on environmentally-relevant iron(III) (oxyhydr)oxides and pyrite, (ii) microbial utilization of nanoparticles as 'nano-tools' for electron transfer, chemotaxis, and storage units, and (iii) speculated benefits of precipitating 'moldable' nanoparticles in extracellular biomineralization. We further discussed emergent questions concerning cellular level responses to nanoparticle-associated cues, and the factors that affect nanoparticles' bioavailabilities beyond size-dependent effects. We end the review by proposing a framework towards more quantitative approaches and by highlighting promising techniques to guide future research in this exciting field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muammar Mansor
- Geomicrobiology, Center for Applied Geoscience, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, 72076, Germany
| | - Jie Xu
- Department of Geological Sciences, the University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, 79968, USA
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49
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Hu Y, Wu G, Li R, Xiao L, Zhan X. Iron sulphides mediated autotrophic denitrification: An emerging bioprocess for nitrate pollution mitigation and sustainable wastewater treatment. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 179:115914. [PMID: 32413614 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.115914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Iron sulphides, mainly in the form of mackinawite (FeS), pyrrhotite (Fe1-xS, x = 0-0.125) and pyrite (FeS2), are the most abundant sulphide minerals and can be oxidized under anoxic and circumneutral pH conditions by chemoautotrophic denitrifying bacteria to reduce nitrate to N2. Iron sulphides mediated autotrophic denitrification (ISAD) represents an important natural attenuation process of nitrate pollution and plays a pivotal role in linking nitrogen, sulphur and iron cycles in a variety of anoxic environments. Recently, it has emerged as a promising bioprocess for nutrient removal from various organic-deficient water and wastewater, due to its specific advantages including high denitrification capacity, simultaneous nitrogen and phosphorus removal, self-buffering properties, and fewer by-products generation (sulphate, waste sludge, N2O, NH4+, etc.). This paper provides a critical overview of fundamental and engineering aspects of ISAD, including the theoretical knowledge (biochemistry, and microbial diversity), its natural occurrence and engineering applications. Its potential and limitations are elucidated by summarizing the key influencing factors including availability of iron sulphides, low denitrification rates, sulphate emission and leaching heavy metals. This review also put forward two key questions in the mechanism of anoxic iron sulphides oxidation, i.e. dissolution of iron sulphides and direct substrates for denitrifiers. Finally, its prospects for future sustainable wastewater treatment are highlighted. An iron sulphides-based biotechnology towards next-generation wastewater treatment (NEO-GREEN) is proposed, which can potentially harness bioenergy in wastewater, incorporate resources (P and Fe) recovery, achieve simultaneous nutrient and emerging contaminants removal, and minimize waste sludge production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuansheng Hu
- Civil Engineering, College of Engineering and Informatics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland; Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Guangxue Wu
- Institute of Environmental Engineering and Management, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Ruihua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163# Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Liwen Xiao
- Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Xinmin Zhan
- Civil Engineering, College of Engineering and Informatics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland; Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland; MaREI Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy, Ireland.
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50
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Guo W, Cecchetti AR, Wen Y, Zhou Q, Sedlak DL. Sulfur Cycle in a Wetland Microcosm: Extended 34S-Stable Isotope Analysis and Mass Balance. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:5498-5508. [PMID: 32275414 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b05740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The sulfur cycle is an important part of constructed wetland biogeochemistry because it is intimately intertwined with the carbon, nitrogen, and iron cycles. However, to date, no quantitative investigation has been conducted on the sulfur cycle in constructed wetlands because of the complexity of wetland systems and the deficiencies in experimental methodology. In this study, 34S-stable isotope analysis was extended in terms of the calculation for the enrichment factor and the kinetic analysis for bacterial sulfate reduction. With this extended method, we attempted for the first time to assess the true rate of bacterial sulfate reduction when sulfide oxidation co-occurs. The joint application of the extended 34S-stable isotope and mass balance analyses made it possible to quantitatively investigate the primary sulfur transformation in a wetland microcosm. Accordingly, a sulfur cycle model for constructed wetlands was quantified and validated. Approximately 75% of the input sulfur was discharged. The remainder was mainly removed through deposition as acid volatile sulfide, pyrite, and elemental sulfur. Plant uptake was negligible. These findings improve our understanding of the physical, chemical, and biological transformations of sulfur among plants, sediments, and microorganisms, and their interactions with carbon, nitrogen, and iron cycles, in constructed wetlands and similar systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenrui Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Room 504, Mingjing Building, Shanghai 200092, P.R. China
- PowerChina Huadong Engineering Corporation Limited, Hangzhou 311122, China
| | | | - Yue Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Room 504, Mingjing Building, Shanghai 200092, P.R. China
- Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Qi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Room 504, Mingjing Building, Shanghai 200092, P.R. China
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