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Irianni-Renno M, Rico JL, Key TA, De Long SK. Evaluating Natural Source Zone Depletion and Enhanced Source Zone Depletion in laboratory columns via soil redox continuous sensing and microbiome characterization. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 477:135059. [PMID: 39053064 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
To optimally employ Natural Source Zone Depletion (NSZD) and Enhanced Source Zone Depletion (ESZD) at sites impacted by light non-aqueous phase liquids (LNAPL), monitoring strategies are required. Emerging use of subsurface oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) sensors shows promise for tracking redox evolution, which reflects ongoing biogeochemical processes. However, further understanding of how soil redox dynamics relate to subsurface microbial activity and LNAPL degradation pathways is needed. In this work, soil ORP sensors and DNA and RNA sequencing-based microbiome analysis were combined to elucidate NSZD and ESZD (biostimulation via periodic sulfate addition and biosparging) processes in columns containing LNAPL-impacted soils from a former petroleum refinery. Results show expected relationships between continuous soil redox and active microbial communities. Continuous data revealed spatial and temporal detail that informed interpretation of the hydrocarbon biodegradation data. Redox increases were transient for sulfate addition, and sequencing revealed how hydrocarbon concentration and composition impacted microbiome structure and naphthalene degradation. Periodic biosparging did not result in fully aerobic conditions suggesting observed biodegradation improvements could be explained by alternative anaerobic metabolisms (e.g., iron reduction due to air oxidizing reduced iron). Collectively, data suggest combining continuous redox sensing with microbiome analysis provides insights beyond those possible with either monitoring tool alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Irianni-Renno
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Jorge L Rico
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Trent A Key
- ExxonMobil Environmental and Property Solutions Company, 22777 Springwoods Village Pkwy, Spring, TX 77389, USA
| | - Susan K De Long
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
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Wang L, Nie Y, Chen X, Xu J, Ji Z, Song W, Wei X, Song X, Wu XL. Biodegradation of Crude Oil by Nitrate-Reducing, Sulfate-Reducing, and Methanogenic Microbial Communities under High-Pressure Conditions. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1543. [PMID: 39203385 PMCID: PMC11356252 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12081543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2024] [Revised: 07/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) is an important component in many national net-zero strategies, and ensuring that CO2 can be safely and economically stored in geological systems is critical. Recent discoveries have shown that microbial processes (e.g., methanogenesis) can modify fluid composition and fluid dynamics within the storage reservoir. Oil reservoirs are under high pressure, but the influence of pressure on the petroleum microbial community has been previously overlooked. To better understand microbial community dynamics in deep oil reservoirs, we designed an experiment to examine the effect of high pressure (12 megapascals [MPa], 60 °C) on nitrate-reducing, sulfate-reducing, and methanogenic enrichment cultures. Cultures were exposed to these conditions for 90 d and compared with a control exposed to atmospheric pressure (0.1 MPa, 60 °C). The degradation characteristic oil compounds were confirmed by thin-layer analysis of oil SARA (saturates, aromatics, resins, and asphaltenes) family component rods. We found that the asphaltene component in crude oil was biodegraded under high pressure, but the concentration of asphaltenes increased under atmospheric pressure. Gas chromatography analyses of saturates showed that short-chain saturates (C8-C12) were biodegraded under high and atmospheric pressure, especially in the methanogenic enrichment culture under high pressure (the ratio of change was -81%), resulting in an increased relative abundance of medium- and long-chain saturates. In the nitrate-reducing and sulfate-reducing enrichment cultures, long-chain saturates (C22-C32) were biodegraded in cultures exposed to high-pressure and anaerobic conditions, with a ratio of change of -8.0% and -2.3%, respectively. However, the relative proportion of long-chain saturates (C22-C32) increased under atmospheric pressure. Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry analyses of aromatics showed that several naphthalene series compounds (naphthalene, C1-naphthalene, and C2-naphthalene) were biodegraded in the sulfate-reducing enrichment under both atmospheric pressure and high pressure. Our study has discerned the linkages between the biodegradation characteristics of crude oil and pressures, which is important for the future application of bioenergy with CCUS (bio-CCUS).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Enhanced Oil & Gas Recovery, Beijing 100083, China; (L.W.); (X.C.); (Z.J.); (X.W.)
- Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, Beijing 100083, China;
| | - Yong Nie
- College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100083, China; (Y.N.); (J.X.)
| | - Xinglong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Enhanced Oil & Gas Recovery, Beijing 100083, China; (L.W.); (X.C.); (Z.J.); (X.W.)
- Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, Beijing 100083, China;
| | - Jinbo Xu
- College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100083, China; (Y.N.); (J.X.)
| | - Zemin Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Enhanced Oil & Gas Recovery, Beijing 100083, China; (L.W.); (X.C.); (Z.J.); (X.W.)
- Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, Beijing 100083, China;
| | - Wenfeng Song
- Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, Beijing 100083, China;
| | - Xiaofang Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Enhanced Oil & Gas Recovery, Beijing 100083, China; (L.W.); (X.C.); (Z.J.); (X.W.)
- Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, Beijing 100083, China;
| | - Xinmin Song
- State Key Laboratory of Enhanced Oil & Gas Recovery, Beijing 100083, China; (L.W.); (X.C.); (Z.J.); (X.W.)
- Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, Beijing 100083, China;
| | - Xiao-Lei Wu
- College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100083, China; (Y.N.); (J.X.)
- Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing 100083, China
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Dornelles HS, Sabatini CA, Adorno MAT, Silva EL, Lee PH, Varesche MBA. Microbial synergies drive simultaneous biodegradation of ethoxy and alkyl chains of Nonylphenol Ethoxylate in fluidized bed reactors. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 358:142084. [PMID: 38642772 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
The widely-used surfactant Nonylphenol Ethoxylate (NPEO) produces endocrine-disrupting compounds during biodegradation, with these byproducts being more harmful than untreated NPEO. This study investigates the effectiveness of a Fluidized Bed Reactor (FBR) in reducing the production of 4-Nonylphenol (4-NP) during the biodegradation of NPEO. Two identical FBR filled with sand were used to assess the NPEO degradation and to enhance the microbial consortia capable of breaking down the complex byproducts, ethanol and fumarate were introduced as co-substrates. Our findings demonstrate the significant potential of the FBR, especially when coupled with fumarate, for enhancing the surfactant degradation. It outperforms the efficiency achieved with ethanol as the primary electron donor, albeit with a higher rate of byproduct production. Microbial community taxonomy and metabolic prediction revealed the high abundance of Geobacter (1.51-31.71%) and Methanobacterium (1.08-13.81%) in non-conductive sand. This may hint a new metabolic interaction and expand our understanding of Direct Interspecies Electron Transfer (DIET) in bioreactors applied to micropollutants degradation. Such an intricate relationship between facultative and anaerobes working together to simultaneously biodegrade the ethoxy and alkyl chains presents a new perspective on NPEO degradation and can potentially be extended to other micropollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrique S Dornelles
- Department of Hydraulics and Sanitation, School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. João Dagnone - 1100, 13563-120, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College Road, SW7 2BU, London, England, United Kingdom
| | - Carolina A Sabatini
- Department of Hydraulics and Sanitation, School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. João Dagnone - 1100, 13563-120, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria A T Adorno
- Department of Hydraulics and Sanitation, School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. João Dagnone - 1100, 13563-120, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Edson L Silva
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rod. Washington Luiz, Km 235, SP 310, 13565-905, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Po-Heng Lee
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College Road, SW7 2BU, London, England, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Bernadete A Varesche
- Department of Hydraulics and Sanitation, School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. João Dagnone - 1100, 13563-120, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Mohamad Shahimin MF, Siddique T. Uncovering Anaerobic Hydrocarbon Biodegradation Pathways in Oil Sands Tailings from Two Different Tailings Ponds via Metabolite and Functional Gene Analyses. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2024:10.1007/s12010-024-04855-0. [PMID: 38376742 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-024-04855-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Oil sands tailings, a slurry of alkaline water, silt, clay, unrecovered bitumen, and residual hydrocarbons generated during bitumen extraction, are contained in ponds. Indigenous microbes metabolize hydrocarbons and emit greenhouse gases from the tailings. Metabolism of hydrocarbons in tailings ponds of two operators, namely, Canadian Natural Upgrading Limited (CNUL) and Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL), has not been comprehensively investigated. Previous reports have revealed sequential and preferential hydrocarbon degradation of alkanes in primary cultures established from CNUL and CNRL tailings amended separately with mixtures of hydrocarbons (n-alkanes, iso-alkanes, paraffinic solvent, or naphtha). In this study, activation pathway of hydrocarbon biodegradation in these primary cultures was investigated. The functional gene analysis revealed that fumarate addition was potentially the primary activation pathway of alkanes in all cultures. However, the metabolite analysis only detected transient succinylated 2-methylpentane and 2-methylbutane metabolites during initial methanogenic biodegradation of iso-alkanes and paraffinic solvent in all CNUL and CNRL cultures amended with iso-alkanes and paraffinic solvent. Under sulfidogenic conditions (prepared only with CNUL tailings amended with iso-alkanes), succinylated 2-methylpentane persisted throughout incubation period of ~ 1100 days, implying dead-end nature of the metabolite. Though no metabolite was detected in n-alkanes- and naphtha-amended cultures during incubation, assA/masD genes related to Peptococcaceae were amplified in all CNUL and CNRL primary cultures. The findings of this present study suggest that microbial communities in different tailings ponds can biodegrade hydrocarbons through fumarate addition as activation pathway under methanogenic and sulfidogenic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd Faidz Mohamad Shahimin
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2G7, Canada.
- Faculty of Chemical Engineering & Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Aras 2, Blok S2, UniCITI Alam Campus, 02100, Padang Besar, Perlis, Malaysia.
| | - Tariq Siddique
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2G7, Canada
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Morita AKM, Sakamoto IK, Varesche MBA, Wendland E. Effects of capping on microbial populations and contaminant immobilization in an old unlined landfill. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:68548-68562. [PMID: 37126164 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-27311-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
This research aimed at evaluating the effects of capping on the mitigation of impacts generated by a closed unlined landfill in São Carlos, SP, Brazil. Physicochemical and microbiological analyses (16S rRNA sequencing) of buried solid waste samples were performed, in capped and uncapped areas. Even though leachate pockets could still be encountered in capped areas, the capping construction reduced oxygen availability and created more reducing conditions, propitiating the development of sulfate-reducing bacteria and possibly contributing to the precipitation of the metals Pb, Cd, Ni, Co, As, and Zn as metal sulfides, causing their immobilization. The microbial populations adapted to the anaerobic conditions created under capped zones belonged to the phyla Firmicutes, Chloroflexi, and Euryarchaeota and the genera Methanosaeta, Hydrogenispora, Smithella, and Gelria. Differently, the phyla Acidobacteria, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria were more abundant in samples from the uncapped zones, in which the abundance of different genera varied homogeneously. Methanogenic activity was not impaired by the intervention measure, as assessed by the specific methanogenic activity (SMA). Capping of old unlined landfills brings benefits to the immobilization of metals and does not impair microbial degradation, being effective for the mitigation of impacts on soils and water resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Kimie Martins Morita
- São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo (EESC-USP), São Carlos, Brazil.
- Technological University of Uruguay (UTEC), ITR CS, Francisco Maciel s/n esquina Luis Morquio, 97000, Durazno, CP, Uruguay.
| | - Isabel Kimiko Sakamoto
- São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo (EESC-USP), São Carlos, Brazil
| | | | - Edson Wendland
- São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo (EESC-USP), São Carlos, Brazil
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Wegener G, Laso-Pérez R, Orphan VJ, Boetius A. Anaerobic Degradation of Alkanes by Marine Archaea. Annu Rev Microbiol 2022; 76:553-577. [PMID: 35917471 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-111021-045911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Alkanes are saturated apolar hydrocarbons that range from its simplest form, methane, to high-molecular-weight compounds. Although alkanes were once considered biologically recalcitrant under anaerobic conditions, microbiological investigations have now identified several microbial taxa that can anaerobically degrade alkanes. Here we review recent discoveries in the anaerobic oxidation of alkanes with a specific focus on archaea that use specific methyl coenzyme M reductases to activate their substrates. Our understanding of the diversity of uncultured alkane-oxidizing archaea has expanded through the use of environmental metagenomics and enrichment cultures of syntrophic methane-, ethane-, propane-, and butane-oxidizing marine archaea with sulfate-reducing bacteria. A recently cultured group of archaea directly couples long-chain alkane degradation with methane formation, expanding the range of substrates used for methanogenesis. This article summarizes the rapidly growing knowledge of the diversity, physiology, and habitat distribution of alkane-degrading archaea. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Microbiology, Volume 76 is September 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunter Wegener
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University Bremen, Bremen, Germany; , .,Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Rafael Laso-Pérez
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University Bremen, Bremen, Germany; , .,Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany.,Current affiliation: Systems Biology Department, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Victoria J Orphan
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University Bremen, Bremen, Germany; , .,Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences and Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA;
| | - Antje Boetius
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University Bremen, Bremen, Germany; , .,Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany.,Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany;
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Benthic Microbial Communities in a Seasonally Ice-Covered Sub-Arctic River (Pasvik River, Norway) Are Shaped by Site-Specific Environmental Conditions. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10051022. [PMID: 35630464 PMCID: PMC9147904 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10051022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The Pasvik River experiences chemical, physical, and biological stressors due to the direct discharges of domestic sewage from settlements located within the catchment and runoff from smelter and mine wastes. Sediments, as a natural repository of organic matter and associated contaminants, are of global concern for the possible release of pollutants in the water column, with detrimental effects on aquatic organisms. The present study was aimed at characterizing the riverine benthic microbial community and evaluating its ecological role in relation to the contamination level. Sediments were sampled along the river during two contrasting environmental periods (i.e., beginning and ongoing phases of ice melting). Microbial enzymatic activities, cell abundance, and morphological traits were evaluated, along with the phylogenetic community composition. Amplified 16S rRNA genes from bacteria were sequenced using a next-generation approach. Sediments were also analyzed for a variety of chemical features, namely particulate material characteristics and concentration of polychlorobiphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and pesticides. Riverine and brackish sites did not affect the microbial community in terms of main phylogenetic diversity (at phylum level), morphometry, enzymatic activities, and abundance. Instead, bacterial diversity in the river sediments appeared to be influenced by the micro-niche conditions, with differences in the relative abundance of selected taxa. In particular, our results highlighted the occurrence of bacterial taxa directly involved in the C, Fe, and N cycles, as well as in the degradation of organic pollutants and toxic compounds.
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Ding Q, Song X, Yuan M, Sun R, Zhang J, Yin L, Pu Y. Multiple pathways for the anaerobic biodegradation of microcystin-LR in the enriched microbial communities from Lake Taihu. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 297:118787. [PMID: 34995687 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118787] [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: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Anaerobic biodegradation is a non-negligible elimination approach for microcystin (MC) pollution and exhibits important bioremediation potential for environmental problems. However, the specific anaerobic MC-degrading mechanism remains unclear and few functional bacteria have been found. In this study, three microbial communities of sludges from different locations in Lake Taihu were collected and further enriched by microcystin-LR (MC-LR) under anaerobic conditions. MC-LR (1 mg/L) could be completely degraded by these enriched microbial communities under anaerobic conditions, but their degradation rates were significantly different. In addition, two different ring-opening sites of MC-LR in Ala-Leu and Arg-Adda were observed, and three new anaerobic degradation products were first identified, including two hexapeptides (MeAsp-Arg-Adda-Glu-Mdha-Ala and Adda-Glu-Mdha-Ala-Leu-MeAsp) and one end-product pentapeptide (Glu-Mdha-Ala-Leu-MeAsp). Based on the chemical structures and temporal trends of all detected degradation products, two novel anaerobic biodegradation pathways of MC-LR were proposed. Moreover, the MC-degrading genes mlrABC were not detected among all microbial communities, which suggested that some new MC-degrading mechanisms might exist under anaerobic conditions. Finally, through the comparison of microbial community structure, Gemmatimonas and Smithella were deduced as possible anaerobic MC-degrading bacteria. These findings strongly indicate that anaerobic biodegradation is an important method of self-repair in the natural environment and provides a potential removal strategy for MC pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Ding
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Xiaolei Song
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Mengxuan Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Rongli Sun
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Lihong Yin
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yuepu Pu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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Sengupta K, Pal S. A review on microbial diversity and genetic markers involved in methanogenic degradation of hydrocarbons: futuristic prospects of biofuel recovery from contaminated regions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:40288-40307. [PMID: 33844144 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-13666-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Microbial activities within oil reservoirs have adversely impacted the world's majority of oil by lowering its quality, thereby increasing its recovery and refining cost. Moreover, conventional method of extraction leaves behind nearly two-thirds of the fossil fuels in the oil fields. This huge potential can be extracted if engineered methanogenic consortium is adapted to convert the hydrocarbons into natural gas. This process involves conversion of crude oil hydrocarbons into methanogenic substrates by syntrophic and fermentative bacteria, which are subsequently utilized by methanogens to produce methane. Microbial diversity of such environments supports the viability of this process. This review illuminates the potentials of abundant microbial groups such as Syntrophaceae, Anaerolineaceae, Clostridiales and Euryarchaeota in petroleum hydrocarbon-related environment, their genetic markers, biochemical process and omics-based bioengineering methods involved in methane generation. Increase in the copy numbers of catabolic genes during methanogenesis highlights the prospect of developing engineered biofuel recovery technology. Several lab-based methanogenic consortia from depleted petroleum reservoirs and microcosm studies so far would not be enough for field application without the advent of multi-omics-based technologies to trawl out the bottleneck parameters of the enhanced fuel recovery process. The adaptability of efficient consortium of versatile hydrocarbonoclastic and methanogenic microorganisms under environmental stress conditions is further needed to be investigated. The improved process might hold the potential of methane extraction from petroleum waste like oil tank and refinery sludge, oil field deposits, etc. What sounds as biodegradation could be a beginning of converting waste into wealth by recovery of stranded energy assets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kriti Sengupta
- Bioenergy Group, Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, 411004, India
| | - Siddhartha Pal
- National Centre for Cell Science, Ganeshkhind, Pune, 411007, India.
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A Deep Look into the Microbiology and Chemistry of Froth Treatment Tailings: A Review. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9051091. [PMID: 34069522 PMCID: PMC8161226 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9051091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In Alberta’s Athabasca oil sands region (AOSR), over 1.25 billion m3 of tailings waste from the bitumen extraction process are stored in tailings ponds. Fugitive emissions associated with residual hydrocarbons in tailings ponds pose an environmental concern and include greenhouse gases (GHGs), reduced sulphur compounds (RSCs), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Froth treatment tailings (FTT) are a specific type of tailings waste stream from the bitumen froth treatment process that contains bioavailable diluent: either naphtha or paraffins. Tailings ponds that receive FTT are associated with the highest levels of biogenic gas production, as diverse microbial communities biodegrade the residual diluent. In this review, current literature regarding the composition, chemical analysis, and microbial degradation of FTT and its constituents is presented in order to provide a more complete understanding of the complex chemistry and biological processes related to fugitive emissions from tailings ponds receiving FTT. Characterizing the composition and biodegradation of FTT is important from an environmental perspective to better predict emissions from tailings ponds and guide tailings pond management decisions.
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Shakeri Yekta S, Liu T, Mendes Anacleto T, Axelsson Bjerg M, Šafarič L, Goux X, Karlsson A, Björn A, Schnürer A. Effluent solids recirculation to municipal sludge digesters enhances long-chain fatty acids degradation capacity. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2021; 14:56. [PMID: 33663594 PMCID: PMC7934545 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-021-01913-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Slow degradation kinetics of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) and their accumulation in anaerobic digesters disrupt methanogenic activity and biogas production at high loads of waste lipids. In this study, we evaluated the effect of effluent solids recirculation on microbial LCFA (oleate) degradation capacity in continuous stirred-tank sludge digesters, with the overall aim of providing operating conditions for efficient co-digestion of waste lipids. Furthermore, the impacts of LCFA feeding frequency and sulfide on process performance and microbial community dynamics were investigated, as parameters that were previously shown to be influential on LCFA conversion to biogas. RESULTS Effluent solids recirculation to municipal sludge digesters enabled biogas production of up to 78% of the theoretical potential from 1.0 g oleate l-1 day-1. In digesters without effluent recirculation, comparable conversion efficiency could only be reached at oleate loading rates up to 0.5 g l-1 day-1. Pulse feeding of oleate (supplementation of 2.0 g oleate l-1 every second day instead of 1.0 g oleate l-1 every day) did not have a substantial impact on the degree of oleate conversion to biogas in the digesters that operated with effluent recirculation, while it marginally enhanced oleate conversion to biogas in the digesters without effluent recirculation. Next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons of bacteria and archaea revealed that pulse feeding resulted in prevalence of fatty acid-degrading Smithella when effluent recirculation was applied, whereas Candidatus Cloacimonas prevailed after pulse feeding of oleate in the digesters without effluent recirculation. Combined oleate pulse feeding and elevated sulfide level contributed to increased relative abundance of LCFA-degrading Syntrophomonas and enhanced conversion efficiency of oleate, but only in the digesters without effluent recirculation. CONCLUSIONS Effluent solids recirculation improves microbial LCFA degradation capacity, providing possibilities for co-digestion of larger amounts of waste lipids with municipal sludge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sepehr Shakeri Yekta
- Department of Thematic Studies-Environmental Change, Linköping University, 58183, Linköping, Sweden.
- Biogas Research Center, Linköping University, 58183, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Tong Liu
- Biogas Research Center, Linköping University, 58183, Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala BioCenter, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Thuane Mendes Anacleto
- Post Graduate Program in Plant Biotechnology and Bioprocesses, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-901, Brazil
| | - Mette Axelsson Bjerg
- Department of Thematic Studies-Environmental Change, Linköping University, 58183, Linköping, Sweden
- Biogas Research Center, Linköping University, 58183, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Luka Šafarič
- Department of Thematic Studies-Environmental Change, Linköping University, 58183, Linköping, Sweden
- Biogas Research Center, Linköping University, 58183, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Xavier Goux
- Environmental Research and Innovation Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 4422, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Anna Karlsson
- Biogas Research Center, Linköping University, 58183, Linköping, Sweden
- Scandinavian Biogas Fuels AB, 11160, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Annika Björn
- Department of Thematic Studies-Environmental Change, Linköping University, 58183, Linköping, Sweden
- Biogas Research Center, Linköping University, 58183, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anna Schnürer
- Biogas Research Center, Linköping University, 58183, Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala BioCenter, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden
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Zamanpour MK, Kaliappan RS, Rockne KJ. Gas ebullition from petroleum hydrocarbons in aquatic sediments: A review. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 271:110997. [PMID: 32778285 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Gas ebullition in sediment results from biogenic gas production by mixtures of bacteria and archaea. It often occurs in organic-rich sediments that have been impacted by petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) and other anthropogenic pollution. Ebullition occurs under a relatively narrow set of biological, chemical, and sediment geomechanical conditions. This process occurs in three phases: I) biogenic production of primarily methane and dissolved phase transport of the gases in the pore water to a bubble nucleation site, II) bubble growth and sediment fracture, and III) bubble rise to the surface. The rate of biogenic gas production in phase I and the resistance of the sediment to gas fracture in phase II play the most significant roles in ebullition kinetics. What is less understood is the role that substrate structure plays in the rate of methanogenesis that drives gas ebullition. It is well established that methanogens have a very restricted set of compounds that can serve as substrates, so any complex organic molecule must first be broken down to fermentable compounds. Given that most ebullition-active sediments are completely anaerobic, the well-known difficulty in degrading PHCs under anaerobic conditions suggests potential limitations on PHC-derived gas ebullition. To date, there are no studies that conclusively demonstrate that weathered PHCs can alone drive gas ebullition. This review consists of an overview of the factors affecting gas ebullition and the biochemistry of anaerobic PHC biodegradation and methanogenesis in sediment systems. We next compile results from the scholarly literature on PHCs serving as a source of methanogenesis. We combine these results to assess the potential for PHC-driven gas ebullition using energetics, kinetics, and sediment geomechanics analyses. The results suggest that short chain <C10 alkanes are the only PHC class that alone may have the potential to drive ebullition, and that PHC-derived methanogenesis likely plays a minor part in driving gas ebullition in contaminated sediments compared to natural organic matter.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Raja Shankar Kaliappan
- Department of Civil and Materials Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA
| | - Karl John Rockne
- Department of Civil and Materials Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA.
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