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Zhang W, Mo Q, Huang Z, Sabar MA, Medunić G, Ivošević T, He H, Urynowicz M, Liu FJ, Guo H, Haider R, Ali MI, Jamal A. Contaminants from a former Croatian coal sludge dictate the structure of microbiota in the estuarine (Raša Bay) sediment and soil. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1126612. [PMID: 36846805 PMCID: PMC9947854 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1126612] [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: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Croatian superhigh-organic-sulfur Raša coal had been mined for nearly 400 years. The release of hazardous trace elements (HTEs) and toxic organic pollutants (TOPs) into the local environment by coal mining, preparation, and combustion activities has resulted in pollution. Methods In this study, the diversity and composition of microbial communities in estuarine sediment and soil samples as well as community function responses to the pollutants were investigated. Results The results showed that PAH degradation does occur following 60 years of natural attenuation, the location is still heavily polluted by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and HTEs. Microbial analyses have shown that high concentrations of PAHs have reduced the diversity and abundance of microbial communities. The pollution exerted an adverse, long-term impact on the microbial community structure and function in the brackish aquatic ecosystem. Microorganisms associated with the degradation of PAHs and sulfur-containing compounds have been enriched although the diversity and abundance of the microbial community have reduced. Fungi which are believed to be the main PAH degrader may play an important role initially, but the activity remains lower thereafter. It is the high concentrations of coal-derived PAHs, rather than HTEs, that have reduced the diversity and abundance of microbial communities and shaped the structure of the local microbiota. Discussion This study could provide a basis for the monitoring and restoration of ecosystems impacted by coal mining activities considering the expected decommission of a large number of coal plants on a global scale in the coming years due to growing global climate change concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiting Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Coal Processing and Efficient Utilization of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, China
| | - Qianyun Mo
- Key Laboratory of Coal Processing and Efficient Utilization of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, China
| | - Zaixing Huang
- Key Laboratory of Coal Processing and Efficient Utilization of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, China
- Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Muhammad Adnan Sabar
- Environmental Risk Control Engineering Laboratory, Division of Environmental Design, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Gordana Medunić
- Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Tatjana Ivošević
- Faculty of Maritime Studies, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Huan He
- Key Laboratory of Coal Processing and Efficient Utilization of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, China
| | - Michael Urynowicz
- Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Fang-Jing Liu
- Key Laboratory of Coal Processing and Efficient Utilization of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, China
| | - Hongguang Guo
- College of Safety and Emergency Management and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan, China
| | - Rizwan Haider
- Institute of Energy & Environmental Engineering, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | - Asif Jamal
- Department of Microbiology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
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Villegas-Plazas M, Sanabria J, Arbeli Z, Vasquez Y, Roldan F, Junca H. Metagenomic Analysis of Biochemical Passive Reactors During Acid Mine Drainage Bioremediation Reveals Key Co-selected Metabolic Functions. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022; 84:465-472. [PMID: 34591135 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01872-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Acid mine drainage (AMD) is the major pollutant generated by the mining industry, and it is characterized by low pH and high concentration of metals and sulfate. The use of biochemical passive reactors (BPRs) is a promising strategy for its bioremediation. To date, there are various studies describing the taxonomical composition of BPR microbial communities, generally consisting of an assemblage of sulfate-reducing organisms inside Deltaproteobacteria, and a diverse set of anaerobic (ligno)cellulolytic bacteria; however, insights about its functional metagenomic content are still scarce. In previous studies, a laboratory-scale AMD bioremediation using biochemical passive reactors was designed and performed, tracking operation parameters, chemical composition, and changes, together with taxonomic composition of the microbiomes harbored in these systems. In order to reveal the main functional content of these communities, we used shotgun metagenomics analyses to explore genes of higher relative frequencies and their inferred functions during the AMD bioremediation from three BPRs representing the main microbiome compositions detected in the system. Remarkably, genes encoding for two-component regulatory systems and ABC transporters related to metal and inorganic ions, cellulose degradation enzymes, dicarboxylic acid production, and sulfite reduction complex were all detected at increased frequency. Our results evidenced that higher taxonomic diversity of the microbiome was arising together with a functional redundancy of the specific metabolic roles, indicating its co-selection and suggesting that its enrichment on BPRs may be implicated in the cumulative efficiency of these systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Villegas-Plazas
- Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Engineering School of Environmental & Natural Resources, Engineering Faculty, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia
- RG Microbial Ecology: Metabolism, Genomics & Evolution, Div. Ecogenomics & Holobionts, Microbiomas Foundation, LT11A, 250008, Chia, Colombia
| | - Janeth Sanabria
- Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Engineering School of Environmental & Natural Resources, Engineering Faculty, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia
| | - Ziv Arbeli
- Departamento de Biología, Unidad de Saneamiento y Biotecnología Ambiental USBA, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Yaneth Vasquez
- Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Central, Carrera 5 No. 21-38, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Fabio Roldan
- Departamento de Biología, Unidad de Saneamiento y Biotecnología Ambiental USBA, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Howard Junca
- RG Microbial Ecology: Metabolism, Genomics & Evolution, Div. Ecogenomics & Holobionts, Microbiomas Foundation, LT11A, 250008, Chia, Colombia.
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Indigenous microbial populations of abandoned mining sites and their role in natural attenuation. Arch Microbiol 2022; 204:251. [PMID: 35411412 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-022-02861-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Environmental contamination by toxic effluents discharged by anthropogenic activities including the mining industries has increased extensively in the recent past. Microbial communities and their biofilms inhabiting these extreme habitats have developed different adaptive strategies in metabolizing and transforming the persistent pollutants. They also play a crucial role in natural attenuation of these abandoned mining sites and act as a major driver of many biogeochemical processes, which helps in ecological rehabilitation and is a viable approach for restoration of wide stretches of land. In this review, the types of mine wastes including the overburden and mine drainage and the types of microbial communities thriving in such environments were probed in detail. The types of biofilms formed along with their possible role in metal bioremediation were also reviewed. This review also provides an overview of the shift in microbial communities in natural reclamation process and also provides an insight into the restoration of the enzyme activities of the soils which may help in further revegetation of abundant mining areas in a sustainable manner. Moreover, the role of indigenous microbiota in bioremediation of heavy metals and their plant growth-promoting activity weres discussed to assess their role in phytoremedial processes.
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Aguinaga OE, White KN, Dean AP, Pittman JK. Addition of organic acids to acid mine drainage polluted wetland sediment leads to microbial community structure and functional changes and improved water quality. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 290:118064. [PMID: 34481302 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a serious environmental problem worldwide that requires efficient and sustainable remediation technologies including the use of biological mechanisms. A key challenge for AMD bioremediation is to provide optimal conditions for microbial-mediated immobilisation of trace metals. Although organic carbon and oxygen can enhance treatment efficiency, the effect on microbial communities is unclear. In this study, surface sediments from a natural wetland with proven efficiency for AMD bioremediation were artificially exposed to oxygen (by aeration) and/or organic carbon (in the form of mixed organic acids) and incubated under laboratory conditions. In addition to measuring changes in water chemistry, a metagenomics approach was used to determine changes in sediment bacterial, archaeal and fungal community structure, and functional gene abundance. The addition of organic carbon produced major changes in the abundance of microorganisms related to iron and sulfur metabolism (including Geobacter and Pelobacter) and increased levels of particulate metals via sulfate reduction. Aeration resulted in an increase in Sideroxydans abundance but no significant changes in metal chemistry were observed. The study concludes that the utilisation of organic carbon by microorganisms is more important for achieving efficient AMD treatment than the availability of oxygen, yet the combination of oxygen with organic carbon addition did not inhibit the improvements to water quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar E Aguinaga
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, The University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK; Departamento de Ingeniería, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Keith N White
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, The University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Andrew P Dean
- Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Oxford Road, Manchester, M1 5GD, UK
| | - Jon K Pittman
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, The University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.
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Munyai R, Ogola HJO, Modise DM. Microbial Community Diversity Dynamics in Acid Mine Drainage and Acid Mine Drainage-Polluted Soils: Implication on Mining Water Irrigation Agricultural Sustainability. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2021.701870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental degradation related to mining-generated acid mine drainage (AMD) is a major global concern, contaminating surface and groundwater sources, including agricultural land. In the last two decades, many developing countries are expanding agricultural productivity in mine-impacted soils to meet food demand for their rapidly growing population. Further, the practice of AMD water (treated or untreated) irrigated agriculture is on the increase, particularly in water-stressed nations around the world. For sustainable agricultural production systems, optimal microbial diversity, and functioning is critical for soil health and plant productivity. Thus, this review presents up-to-date knowledge on the microbial structure and functional dynamics of AMD habitats and AMD-impacted agricultural soils. The long-term effects of AMD water such as soil acidification, heavy metals (HM), iron and sulfate pollution, greatly reduces microbial biomass, richness, and diversity, impairing soil health plant growth and productivity, and impacts food safety negatively. Despite these drawbacks, AMD-impacted habitats are unique ecological niches for novel acidophilic, HM, and sulfate-adapted microbial phylotypes that might be beneficial to optimal plant growth and productivity and bioremediation of polluted agricultural soils. This review has also highlighted the impact active and passive treatment technologies on AMD microbial diversity, further extending the discussion on the interrelated microbial diversity, and beneficial functions such as metal bioremediation, acidity neutralization, symbiotic rhizomicrobiome assembly, and plant growth promotion, sulfates/iron reduction, and biogeochemical N and C recycling under AMD-impacted environment. The significance of sulfur-reducing bacteria (SRB), iron-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB), and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) as key players in many passive and active systems dedicated to bioremediation and microbe-assisted phytoremediation is also elucidated and discussed. Finally, new perspectives on the need for future studies, integrating meta-omics and process engineering on AMD-impacted microbiomes, key to designing and optimizing of robust active and passive bioremediation of AMD-water before application to agricultural production is proposed.
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Viadero RC, Zhang S, Hu X, Wei X. Mine drainage: Remediation technology and resource recovery. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH : A RESEARCH PUBLICATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION 2020; 92:1533-1540. [PMID: 32671879 DOI: 10.1002/wer.1401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Drainage from current and historic mining operations remains a persistent environmental problem. Numerous research and development efforts were made in 2019 with a goal to minimize the impact of mine drainage on the environment, while other research endeavors addressed the mine drainage issue from a different perspective, where mine drainage was considered a resource for water and valuable products, such as metals, sulfuric acid, and rare earth elements. Thus, this review has two main sections: (a) focusing on research efforts in mine drainage remediation technology, and (b) emphasizing advances in resource recovery from mine drainage. The first section covers traditional and emerging passive and active treatment technologies. The second section summarizes resource recovery efforts using various technologies, such as selective precipitation, membrane process, and biological systems. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Significant progress continued to be made in the management of mine drainage and related issues. Recent remediation technology advances in mine drainage were presented. Technologies focusing on resource recovery from mine drainage were reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger C Viadero
- Institute for Environmental Studies, Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois
| | - Shicheng Zhang
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaomin Hu
- School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xinchao Wei
- School of Engineering, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
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