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Sobieraj K, Stegenta-Dąbrowska S, Zafiu C, Binner E, Białowiec A. Carbon Monoxide Production during Bio-Waste Composting under Different Temperature and Aeration Regimes. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 16:4551. [PMID: 37444865 DOI: 10.3390/ma16134551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Despite the development of biorefinery processes, the possibility of coupling the "conventional" composting process with the production of biochemicals is not taken into account. However, net carbon monoxide (CO) production has been observed during bio-waste composting. So far, O2 concentration and temperature have been identified as the main variables influencing CO formation. This study aimed to investigate CO net production during bio-waste composting under controlled laboratory conditions by varying aeration rates and temperatures. A series of composting processes was carried out in conditions ranging from mesophilic to thermophilic (T = 35, 45, 55, and 65 °C) and an aeration rate of 2.7, 3.4, 4.8, and 7.8 L·h-1. Based on the findings of this study, suggestions for the improvement of CO production throughout the composting process have been developed for the first time. The highest concentrations of CO in each thermal variant was achieved with an O2 deficit (aeration rate 2.7 L·h-1); additionally, CO levels increased with temperature, reaching ~300 ppm at 65 °C. The production of CO in mesophilic and thermophilic conditions draws attention to biological CO formation by microorganisms capable of producing the CODH enzyme. Further research on CO production efficiency in these thermal ranges is necessary with the characterization of the microbial community and analysis of the ability of the identified bacteria to produce the CODH enzyme and convert CO from CO2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Sobieraj
- Department of Applied Bioeconomy, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 37a Chełmońskiego Str., 51-630 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Sylwia Stegenta-Dąbrowska
- Department of Applied Bioeconomy, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 37a Chełmońskiego Str., 51-630 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Christian Zafiu
- Department of Water-Atmosphere-Environment, Institute of Waste Management and Circularity, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 107, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Erwin Binner
- Department of Water-Atmosphere-Environment, Institute of Waste Management and Circularity, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 107, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrzej Białowiec
- Department of Applied Bioeconomy, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 37a Chełmońskiego Str., 51-630 Wrocław, Poland
- Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, 605 Bissell Road, Ames, IA 50011, USA
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Sobieraj K, Stegenta-Dąbrowska S, Luo G, Koziel JA, Białowiec A. Biological treatment of biowaste as an innovative source of CO-The role of composting process. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1126737. [PMID: 36845185 PMCID: PMC9947533 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1126737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Carbon monoxide (CO) is an essential "building block" for producing everyday chemicals on industrial scale. Carbon monoxide can also be generated though a lesser-known and sometimes forgotten biorenewable pathways that could be explored to advance biobased production from large and more sustainable sources such as bio-waste treatment. Organic matter decomposition can generate carbon monoxide both under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. While anaerobic carbon monoxide generation is relatively well understood, the aerobic is not. Yet many industrial-scale bioprocesses involve both conditions. This review summarizes the necessary basic biochemistry knowledge needed for realization of initial steps towards biobased carbon monoxide production. We analyzed for the first time, the complex information about carbon monoxide production during aerobic, anaerobic bio-waste treatment and storage, carbon monoxide-metabolizing microorganisms, pathways, and enzymes with bibliometric analysis of trends. The future directions recognizing limitations of combined composting and carbon monoxide production have been discussed in greater detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Sobieraj
- Department of Applied Bioeconomy, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Sylwia Stegenta-Dąbrowska
- Department of Applied Bioeconomy, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Gang Luo
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,Shanghai Technical Service Platform for Pollution Control and Resource Utilization of Organic Wastes, Shanghai, China,Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai, China
| | - Jacek A. Koziel
- USDA-ARS Conservation and Production Research Laboratory, Bushland, TX, United States,Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Andrzej Białowiec
- Department of Applied Bioeconomy, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland,Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States,*Correspondence: Andrzej Białowiec,
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Stegenta-Dąbrowska S, Randerson PF, Białowiec A. Aerobic Biostabilization of the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste-Monitoring Hot and Cold Spots in the Reactor as a Novel Tool for Process Optimization. MATERIALS 2022; 15:ma15093300. [PMID: 35591634 PMCID: PMC9104568 DOI: 10.3390/ma15093300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
The process of aerobic biostabilization (AB) has been adopted for treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW). However, thermal gradients and some side effects in the bioreactors present difficulties in optimization of AB. Forced aeration is more effective than natural ventilation of waste piles, but “hot and cold spots” exist due to inhomogeneous distribution of air and heat. This study identified the occurrence of hot and cold spots during the OFMSW biostabilization process at full technical scale. It was shown that the number of hot and cold spots depended on the size of the pile and aeration rate. When the mass of stabilized waste was significantly lower and the aeration rate was two-fold higher the number of anaerobic hot spots decreased, while cold spots increased. In addition, the results indicated that pile construction with sidewalls decreased the number of hot spots. However, channelizing the airflow under similar conditions increased the number of cold spots. Knowledge of the spatial and temporal distribution of process gases can enable optimization and adoption of the OFMSW flow aeration regime. Temperature monitoring within the waste pile enables the operator to eliminate undesirable “hot spots” by modifying the aeration regime and hence improve the overall treatment efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylwia Stegenta-Dąbrowska
- Department of Applied Bioeconomy, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 37a, Chełmońskiego Str., 51-630 Wrocław, Poland;
| | - Peter F. Randerson
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK;
| | - Andrzej Białowiec
- Department of Applied Bioeconomy, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 37a, Chełmońskiego Str., 51-630 Wrocław, Poland;
- Correspondence:
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Medina MS, Bretzing KO, Aviles RA, Chong KM, Espinoza A, Garcia CNG, Katz BB, Kharwa RN, Hernandez A, Lee JL, Lee TM, Lo Verde C, Strul MW, Wong EY, Owens CP. CowN sustains nitrogenase turnover in the presence of the inhibitor carbon monoxide. J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100501. [PMID: 33667548 PMCID: PMC8047169 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitrogenase is the only enzyme capable of catalyzing nitrogen fixation, the reduction of dinitrogen gas (N2) to ammonia (NH3). Nitrogenase is tightly inhibited by the environmental gas carbon monoxide (CO). Nitrogen-fixing bacteria rely on the protein CowN to grow in the presence of CO. However, the mechanism by which CowN operates is unknown. Here, we present the biochemical characterization of CowN and examine how CowN protects nitrogenase from CO. We determine that CowN interacts directly with nitrogenase and that CowN protection observes hyperbolic kinetics with respect to CowN concentration. At a CO concentration of 0.001 atm, CowN restores nearly full nitrogenase activity. Our results further indicate that CowN's protection mechanism involves decreasing the binding affinity of CO to nitrogenase's active site approximately tenfold without interrupting substrate turnover. Taken together, our work suggests CowN is an important auxiliary protein in nitrogen fixation that engenders CO tolerance to nitrogenase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Medina
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
| | - Kevin O Bretzing
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
| | - Richard A Aviles
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
| | - Kiersten M Chong
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
| | - Alejandro Espinoza
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
| | - Chloe Nicole G Garcia
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
| | - Benjamin B Katz
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Ruchita N Kharwa
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
| | - Andrea Hernandez
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
| | - Justin L Lee
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Terrence M Lee
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
| | - Christine Lo Verde
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
| | - Max W Strul
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
| | - Emily Y Wong
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
| | - Cedric P Owens
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA.
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Almeida Benalcázar E, Noorman H, Maciel Filho R, Posada JA. Modeling ethanol production through gas fermentation: a biothermodynamics and mass transfer-based hybrid model for microbial growth in a large-scale bubble column bioreactor. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2020; 13:59. [PMID: 32231709 PMCID: PMC7102449 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-020-01695-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ethanol production through fermentation of gas mixtures containing CO, CO2 and H2 has just started operating at commercial scale. However, quantitative schemes for understanding and predicting productivities, yields, mass transfer rates, gas flow profiles and detailed energy requirements have been lacking in literature; such are invaluable tools for process improvements and better systems design. The present study describes the construction of a hybrid model for simulating ethanol production inside a 700 m3 bubble column bioreactor fed with gas of two possible compositions, i.e., pure CO and a 3:1 mixture of H2 and CO2. RESULTS Estimations made using the thermodynamics-based black-box model of microbial reactions on substrate threshold concentrations, biomass yields, as well as CO and H2 maximum specific uptake rates agreed reasonably well with data and observations reported in literature. According to the bioreactor simulation, there is a strong dependency of process performance on mass transfer rates. When mass transfer coefficients were estimated using a model developed from oxygen transfer to water, ethanol productivity reached 5.1 g L-1 h-1; when the H2/CO2 mixture is fed to the bioreactor, productivity of CO fermentation was 19% lower. Gas utilization reached 23 and 17% for H2/CO2 and CO fermentations, respectively. If mass transfer coefficients were 100% higher than those estimated, ethanol productivity and gas utilization may reach 9.4 g L-1 h-1 and 38% when feeding the H2/CO2 mixture at the same process conditions. The largest energetic requirements for a complete manufacturing plant were identified for gas compression and ethanol distillation, being higher for CO fermentation due to the production of CO2. CONCLUSIONS The thermodynamics-based black-box model of microbial reactions may be used to quantitatively assess and consolidate the diversity of reported data on CO, CO2 and H2 threshold concentrations, biomass yields, maximum substrate uptake rates, and half-saturation constants for CO and H2 for syngas fermentations by acetogenic bacteria. The maximization of ethanol productivity in the bioreactor may come with a cost: low gas utilization. Exploiting the model flexibility, multi-objective optimizations of bioreactor performance might reveal how process conditions and configurations could be adjusted to guide further process development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Almeida Benalcázar
- Department of Product and Process Development, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, State University of Campinas, Av. Albert Einstein 500, Cidade Universitária, Campinas, SP 13083-852 Brazil
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Henk Noorman
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
- DSM Biotechnology Center, A. Fleminglaan 1, 2613 AX Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Rubens Maciel Filho
- Department of Product and Process Development, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, State University of Campinas, Av. Albert Einstein 500, Cidade Universitária, Campinas, SP 13083-852 Brazil
| | - John A. Posada
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
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Stegenta-Dąbrowska S, Drabczyński G, Sobieraj K, Koziel JA, Białowiec A. The Biotic and Abiotic Carbon Monoxide Formation During Aerobic Co-digestion of Dairy Cattle Manure With Green Waste and Sawdust. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2019; 7:283. [PMID: 31737615 PMCID: PMC6828980 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Carbon monoxide (CO), an air pollutant and a toxic gas to humans, can be generated during aerobic digestion of organic waste. CO is produced due to thermochemical processes, and also produced or consumed by cohorts of methanogenic, acetogenic, or sulfate-reducing bacteria. The exact mechanisms of biotic and abiotic formation of CO in aerobic digestion (particularly the effects of process temperature) are still not known. This study aimed to determine the temporal variation in CO concentrations during the aerobic digestion as a function of process temperature and activity of microorganisms. All experiments were conducted in controlled temperature reactors using homogeneous materials. The lab-scale tests with sterilized and non-sterilized mix of green waste, dairy cattle manure, sawdust (1:1:1 mass ratio) were carried out for 1 week at 10, 25, 30, 37, 40, 50, 60, 70°C to elucidate the biotic vs. abiotic effect. Gas concentrations of CO, O2, and CO2 inside the reactor were measured every 12 h. The CO concentrations observed for up to 30°C did not exceed 100 ppm v/v. For 50 and 60°C, significantly (p < 0.05) higher CO concentrations, reaching almost 600 ppm v/v, were observed. The regression analyses showed in both cases (sterile and non-sterile) a statistically significant effect (p < 0.05) of temperature on CO concentration, confirming that the increase in temperature causes an increase in CO concentration. The remaining factors (time, O2, and CO2 content) were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). A new polynomial model describing the effect of temperature, O2, and CO2 concentration on CO production during aerobic digestion of organic waste was formulated. It has been found that the proposed model for sterile variant had a better fit (R2 = 0.86) compared with non-sterile (R2 = 0.71). The model predicts CO emissions and could be considered for composting process optimization. The developed model could be further developed and useful for ambient air quality and occupational exposure to CO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylwia Stegenta-Dąbrowska
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Drabczyński
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Karolina Sobieraj
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Jacek A Koziel
- Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Andrzej Białowiec
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland.,Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
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Abstract
Composting is generally accepted as the sustainable recycling of biowaste into a useful and beneficial product for soil. However, composting processes can produce gases that are considered air pollutants. In this dataset, we summarized the spatial and temporal distribution of process gases (including rarely reported carbon monoxide, CO) generated inside full-scale composting piles. In total 1375 cross-sections were made and presented in 230 figures. The research aimed to investigate the phenomenon of gas evolution during the composting of biowaste depending on the pile turning regime (no turning, turning once a week, and turning twice a week) and pile location (outdoors, and indoors in a composting hall). The analyzed biowaste (a mixture of tree leaves and branches, grass clippings, and sewage sludge) were composted in six piles with passive aeration including additional turning at a municipal composting plant. The chemical composition and temperature of process gases within each pile were analyzed weekly for ~49–56 days. The variations in the degree of pile aeration (O2 content), temperature, and the spatial distribution of CO, CO2 and NO concentration during the subsequent measurement cycles were summarized and visualized. The lowest O2 concentrations were associated with the central (core) part of the pile. Similarly, an increase in CO content in the pile core sections was found, which may indicate that CO is oxidized in the upper layer of composting piles. Higher CO and CO2 concentrations and temperature were also observed in the summer season, especially on the south side of piles located outdoors. The most varied results were for the NO concentrations that occurred in all conditions. The dataset was used by the composting plant operator for more sustainable management. Specifically, the dataset allowed us to make recommendations to minimize the environmental impact of composting operations and to lower the risk of worker exposure to CO. The new procedure is as follows: turning of biowaste twice a week for the first two weeks, followed by turning once a week for the next two weeks. Turning is not necessary after four weeks of the process. The recommended surface-to-volume ratio of a compost pile should not exceed 2.5. Compost piles should be constructed with a surface-to-volume ratio of less than 2 in autumn and early spring when low ambient temperatures are common.
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Yoneda Y, Kano SI, Yoshida T, Ikeda E, Fukuyama Y, Omae K, Kimura-Sakai S, Daifuku T, Watanabe T, Sako Y. Detection of anaerobic carbon monoxide-oxidizing thermophiles in hydrothermal environments. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2015. [PMID: 26223231 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiv093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Carboxydotrophic anaerobic thermophiles have been isolated from various hydrothermal environments and are considered to be important carbon monoxide (CO) scavengers or primary producers. However, the ecological factors that influence the distribution, abundance and CO-oxidizing activities of these bacteria are poorly understood. A previous study detected the carboxydotrophic bacteria Carboxydothermus spp. in a hot spring sample and found that they constituted up to 10% of the total bacterial cells. In this study, we investigated environmental features, potential microbial CO-oxidation activities and the abundance of Carboxydothermus spp. in various hot springs to determine environmental factors that affect CO oxidizers and to see whether Carboxydothermus spp. are common in these environments. We detected potential microbial CO-oxidation activities in samples that showed relatively high values of total organic carbon, total nitrogen, oxidation-reduction potential and soil-water content. The abundance of Carboxydothermus spp. did not correlate with the presence of potential microbial CO-oxidation activities; however, Carboxydothermus spp. were detected in a wide range of environments, suggesting that these bacteria are widely distributed in spite of the relatively low population size. This study implies that thermophilic CO oxidizers occur in a wide range of environments and oxidize CO in somewhat oxidative environments rich in organic matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuko Yoneda
- Laboratory of Marine Microbiology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Sanae I Kano
- Laboratory of Marine Microbiology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Takashi Yoshida
- Laboratory of Marine Microbiology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Eitaro Ikeda
- Laboratory of Marine Microbiology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Yuto Fukuyama
- Laboratory of Marine Microbiology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Kimiho Omae
- Laboratory of Marine Microbiology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Shigeko Kimura-Sakai
- Laboratory of Marine Microbiology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Takashi Daifuku
- Laboratory of Marine Microbiology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Tetsuhiro Watanabe
- Laboratory of Soil Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Yoshihiko Sako
- Laboratory of Marine Microbiology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
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Trimmer M, Grey J, Heppell CM, Hildrew AG, Lansdown K, Stahl H, Yvon-Durocher G. River bed carbon and nitrogen cycling: state of play and some new directions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2012; 434:143-158. [PMID: 22682557 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.10.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2011] [Revised: 09/30/2011] [Accepted: 10/21/2011] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The significance of freshwaters as key players in the global budget of both carbon dioxide and methane has recently been highlighted. In particular, rivers clearly do not act simply as inert conduits merely piping carbon from catchment to coast, but, on the whole, their metabolic activity transforms a considerable fraction of the carbon that they convey. In addition, nitrogen is cycled, sometimes in tight unison with carbon, with appreciable amounts being 'denitrified' between catchment and coast. However, shortfalls in our knowledge about the significance of exchange and interaction between rivers and their catchments, particularly the significance of interactions mediated through hyporheic sediments, are still apparent. From humble beginnings of quantifying the consumption of oxygen by small samples of gravel, to an integrated measurement of reach scale transformations of carbon and nitrogen, our understanding of the cycling of these two macro elements in rivers has improved markedly in the past few decades. However, recent discoveries of novel metabolic pathways in both the nitrogen and carbon cycle across a spectrum of aquatic ecosystems, highlights the need for new directions and a truly multidisciplinary approach to quantifying the flux of carbon and nitrogen through rivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Trimmer
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
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10
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Nigro LM, King GM. Disparate distributions of chemolithotrophs containing form IA or IC large subunit genes for ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase in intertidal marine and littoral lake sediments. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2007; 60:113-25. [PMID: 17381527 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2007.00272.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The distributions of bacterial form IA and form IC ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) were investigated using Lowes Cove intertidal mudflat and Damariscotta Lake littoral sediments by PCR amplification of 492-495 bp fragments of the large subunit RuBisCO gene, cbbL. Genomic extracts for amplification were obtained from lake surface (upper 2 mm), mudflat surface (upper 2 mm), subsurface (5-7 cm), and soft-shell clam (Mya arenaria) burrow-wall sediments, as well as from a sulfide-oxidizing mat. Phylogenetic analyses of cbbL clone libraries revealed that Lowes Cove sediments were dominated by form IA cbbL-containing sequences most closely related to cbbL genes of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria or sulfide-oxidizing mats. In contrast, Damariscotta Lake cbbL clones contained primarily form IC cbbL sequences, which typify aerobic CO- and hydrogen-oxidizing facultative chemolithotrophs. Statistical analyses supported clear differentiation of intertidal and lake chemolithotroph communities, and provided evidence for some differentiation among intertidal communities. amova and libshuff analyses of Lowes Cove libraries suggested that M. arenaria burrow-wall sediments did not harbour distinct communities compared with surface and subsurface sediments, but that surface and subsurface libraries displayed moderate differences. The results collectively support a conceptual model in which the relative distribution of form IA- and IC-containing bacterial chemolithotrophs depends on sulfide availability, which could reflect the role of sulfate reduction in sediment organic matter metabolism, or the presence of geothermal sulfide sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Nigro
- University of Maine, 193 Clarks Cove Road, Walpole, ME 04573, USA
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11
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Chapelle FH, Bradley PM. Hydrologic significance of carbon monoxide concentrations in ground water. GROUND WATER 2007; 45:272-80. [PMID: 17470116 DOI: 10.1111/j.1745-6584.2007.00284.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Dissolved carbon monoxide (CO) is present in ground water produced from a variety of aquifer systems at concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 20 nanomoles per liter (0.0056 to 0.56 microg/L). In two shallow aquifers, one an unconsolidated coastal plain aquifer in Kings Bay, Georgia, and the other a fractured-bedrock aquifer in West Trenton, New Jersey, long-term monitoring showed that CO concentrations varied over time by as much as a factor of 10. Field and laboratory evidence suggests that the delivery of dissolved oxygen to the soil zone and underlying aquifers by periodic recharge events stimulates oxic metabolism and produces transiently high CO concentrations. In between recharge events, the aquifers become anoxic and more substrate limited, CO is consumed as a carbon source, and CO concentrations decrease. According to this model, CO concentrations provide a transient record of oxic metabolism affecting ground water systems after dissolved oxygen has been fully consumed. Because the delivery of oxygen affects the fate and transport of natural and anthropogenic contaminants in ground water, CO concentration changes may be useful for identifying predominantly anoxic ground water systems subject to periodic oxic or microaerophilic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis H Chapelle
- U.S. Geological Survey, 720 Gracern Road, Suite 129, Columbia, SC 29210, USA.
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12
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Dunfield KE, King GM. Molecular analysis of carbon monoxide-oxidizing bacteria associated with recent Hawaiian volcanic deposits. Appl Environ Microbiol 2004; 70:4242-8. [PMID: 15240307 PMCID: PMC444802 DOI: 10.1128/aem.70.7.4242-4248.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Genomic DNA extracts from four sites at Kilauea Volcano were used as templates for PCR amplification of the large subunit (coxL) of aerobic carbon monoxide dehydrogenase. The sites included a 42-year-old tephra deposit, a 108-year-old lava flow, a 212-year-old partially vegetated ash-and-tephra deposit, and an approximately 300-year-old forest. PCR primers amplified coxL sequences from the OMP clade of CO oxidizers, which includes isolates such as Oligotropha carboxidovorans, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Pseudomonas thermocarboxydovorans. PCR products were used to create clone libraries that provide the first insights into the diversity and phylogenetic affiliations of CO oxidizers in situ. On the basis of phylogenetic and statistical analyses, clone libraries for each site were distinct. Although some clone sequences were similar to coxL sequences from known organisms, many sequences appeared to represent phylogenetic lineages not previously known to harbor CO oxidizers. On the basis of average nucleotide diversity and average pairwise difference, a forested site supported the most diverse CO-oxidizing populations, while an 1894 lava flow supported the least diverse populations. Neither parameter correlated with previous estimates of atmospheric CO uptake rates, but both parameters correlated positively with estimates of microbial biomass and respiration. Collectively, the results indicate that the CO oxidizer functional group associated with recent volcanic deposits of the remote Hawaiian Islands contains substantial and previously unsuspected diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kari E Dunfield
- Darling Marine Center, University of Maine, Walpole, ME 04573, USA
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