Humic acid effect on pyrene degradation: finding an optimal range for pyrene solubility and mineralization enhancement

Characterization of fluoranthene degradation by the novel isolated Pseudomonas xizangensis S4 and its application potential immobilized in potassium humate-modified biochar

Enhanced microbial remediation represents a promising technique for the removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). However, high-efficiency remediation agents remain limited, including microbial resources and remediation materials. In this study, a novel strain of Pseudomonas xizangensis S4 was isolated from plateau lake sediment, exhibiting a fluoranthene degradation rate of 41.90 % at 50 ppm within 7 d. The key degradation genes identified through genomic and transcriptomic analyses included ndmC, dmpK, dmpB, and dmpH. The metabolites detected via GC-MS analysis were biphenyls, parabens, and phthalate esters. Based on the above results, the degradation mechanisms of fluoranthene were deduced. Furthermore, an efficient remediation agent was developed, utilizing potassium humate-modified biochar to immobilize bacterial cells. The developed remediation agent enhanced the removal efficiency by 16.71 % compared to the single strain. Thus, the application of potassium humate-modified biochar for the immobilization of P. xizangensis S4 represents a promising method for the remediation of PAH-contaminated soil.

Interactions between Humic Substances and Microorganisms and Their Implications for Nature-like Bioremediation Technologies

The state of the art of the reported data on interactions between microorganisms and HSs is presented herein. The properties of HSs are discussed in terms of microbial utilization, degradation, and transformation. The data on biologically active individual compounds found in HSs are summarized. Bacteria of the phylum Proteobacteria and fungi of the phyla Basidiomycota and Ascomycota were found to be the main HS degraders, while Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes were found to be the predominant phyla in humic-reducing microorganisms (HRMs). Some promising aspects of interactions between microorganisms and HSs are discussed as a feasible basis for nature-like biotechnologies, including the production of enzymes capable of catalyzing the oxidative binding of organic pollutants to HSs, while electron shuttling through the utilization of HSs by HRMs as electron shuttles may be used for the enhancement of organic pollutant biodegradation or lowering bioavailability of some metals. Utilization of HSs by HRMs as terminal electron acceptors may suppress electron transfer to CO2, reducing the formation of CH4 in temporarily anoxic systems. The data reported so far are mostly related to the use of HSs as redox compounds. HSs are capable of altering the composition of the microbial community, and there are environmental conditions that determine the efficiency of HSs. To facilitate the development of HS-based technologies, complex studies addressing these factors are in demand.

Aerobic composting remediation of petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil. Current and future perspectives

This article provides a comprehensive review on aerobic composting remediation of soil contaminated with total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs). The studies reviewed have demonstrated that composting technology can be applied to treat TPH contamination (as high as 380,000 mg kg^-1) in clay, silt, and sandy soils successfully. Most of these studies reported more than 70% removal efficiency, with a maximum of 99%. During the composting process, the bacteria use TPHs as carbon and energy sources, whereas the fungi produce enzymes that can catalyze oxidation reactions of TPHs. The mutualistic and competitive interactions between the bacteria and fungi are believed to sustain a robust biodegradation system. The highest biodegradation rate is observed during the thermophilic phase. However, the presence of a diverse and dynamic microbial community ensures that TPH degradation occurs in the entire composting process. Initial concentration, soil type, soil/compost ratio, aeration rate, moisture content, C/N ratio, pH, and temperature affect the composting process and should be monitored and controlled to ensure successful degradation. Nevertheless, there is insufficient research on optimizing these operational parameters, especially for large-scale composting. Also, toxic and odorous gas emissions during degradation of TPHs, usually unaddressed, can be potential air pollution sources and need further insightful characterization and mitigation/control research.

Polyaniline-Coated TiO2 Nanorods for Photocatalytic Degradation of Bisphenol A in Water

Polyaniline (PANI)-wrapped TiO₂ nanorods (PANI/TiO₂), obtained through the oxidative polymerization of aniline at the surface of hydrothermally presynthesized TiO₂ nanorods, were evaluated as photocatalysts for the degradation of Bisphenol A (BPA). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis revealed the successful incorporation of PANI into TiO₂ by the appearance of peaks at 1577 and 1502 cm^-1 that are due to the C=C and C-N stretch of the benzenoid or quinoid ring in PANI. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis revealed that PANI/TiO₂ had almost double the surface area of TiO₂ (44.8999 m²/g vs 28.2179 m²/g). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis showed that TiO₂ nanorods with different diameters were synthesized. The TEM analysis showed that a thin layer of PANI wrapped the TiO₂ nanorods. X-ray photon spectroscopy survey scan of the PANI/TiO₂ nanocomposite revealed the presence of C, O, Ti, and N. Photocatalytic activity evaluation under UV radiation through the effect of key parameters, including pH, contact time, dosage, and initial concentration of BPA, was carried out in batch studies. Within 80 min, 99.7% of 5 ppm BPA was attained using the 0.2 g/L PANI/TiO₂ photocatalyst at pH 10. The quantum yield (QY) of these photocatalysts was evaluated to be 9.86 × 10^-5 molecules/photon and 2.82 × 10^-5 molecules/photon for PANI/TiO₂ and TiO₂, respectively. PANI/TiO₂ showed better performance than as-synthesized TiO₂ with a rate constant of 4.46 × 10^-2 min^-1 compared to 2.18 × 10^-2 min^-1. The rate of degradation of PANI/TiO₂ was also superior to that of TiO₂ (150 mmol/g/h vs 74.89 mmol/g/h). Nitrate ions increased the rate of degradation of BPA, while humic acid consistently inhibited the degradation of BPA. LC-MS analysis identified degradation products with m/z 213.1, 135.1, and 93.1. The PANI/TiO₂ nanocomposite was reused up to five cycles with a removal of at least 80% in the fifth cycle. LC-MS results revealed three possible BPA degradation intermediates. LC-MS analysis identified degradation products which included protonated BPA, [C₁₄H₁₃O₂ ⁺], and [C₉H₁₁O⁺]. The PANI/TiO₂ nanocomposite demonstrated superior photocatalytic activity with respect to improved QY and figure of merit and lower energy consumption.

Removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during anaerobic biostimulation of marine sediments

This study proposes the supplementation of digestate, fresh organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) and a nutrient solution during the anaerobic biostimulation of marine sediments contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The experimental activity was conducted with four PAHs (i.e. phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene and pyrene) under controlled mesophilic conditions (37 ± 1 °C) in 100 mL serum bottles maintained at 130 rpm. After 120 days of incubation, the highest total PAH degradation of 53 and 55% was observed in the experiments with digestate + nutrients and OFMSW + nutrients, respectively. Phenanthrene was the most degraded PAH and the highest removal of 69% was achieved with OFMSW + nutrients. The anaerobic PAH degradation proceeded through the accumulation of volatile fatty acids and the production of hydrogen and methane as biogas constituents. The highest cumulative biohydrogen production of 80 mL H₂·g VS^-1 was obtained when OFMSW was used as the sole amendment, whereas the highest biomethane yield of 140 mL CH₄·g VS^-1 was obtained with OFMSW + nutrients. The evolution of PAH removal during anaerobic digestion revealed a higher impact of the methanogenic phase rather than acidogenic phase on PAH degradation.

Effect of digestate application on microbial respiration and bacterial communities' diversity during bioremediation of weathered petroleum hydrocarbons contaminated soils

Digestate is an organic by-product of biogas production via anaerobic digestion processes and has a great potential as soil fertilizer due to concentrated nutrients. In this study, we examined digestate as a potential nutrient and microbial seeding for bioremediation of weathered (aged) petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soils. We analysed 6 different treatments in microcosm using two industrial soils having different textures: a clay rich soil and a sandy soil. After 30 days of incubation, the highest total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) removal was observed in microcosms containing digestate together with bulking agent (17.8% and 12.7% higher than control in clay rich soil and sandy soil, respectively) or digestate together with immobilized bacteria (13.4% and 9% higher than control in clay rich soil and sandy soil, respectively). After digestate application microbial respiration was enhanced in sandy soil and inhibited in clay rich soil due to aggregates formation. After bulking agent addition to clay rich soil aggregates size was reduced and oxygen uptake was improved. Application of digestate to soil resulted in the development of distinct microbial groups in amended and non-amended soils. Genera containing species able to degrade TPH like Acinetobacter and Mycobacterium were abundant in digestate and in soil amended with digestate. Quantification of alkB genes, encoding alkane monoxygenase, revealed high concentration of these genes in digestate bacterial community. After application of digestate, the level of alkB genes significantly increased in soils and remained high until the end of the treatment. The study revealed great potential of digestate as a nutrient and bacteria source for soil bioremediation.

The potential impact on the biodegradation of organic pollutants from composting technology for soil remediation

Large numbers of organic pollutants (OPs), such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides and petroleum, are discharged into soil, posing a huge threat to natural environment. Traditional chemical and physical remediation technologies are either incompetent or expensive, and may cause secondary pollution. The technology of soil composting or use of compost as soil amendment can utilize quantities of active microbes to degrade OPs with the help of available nutrients in the compost matrix. It is highly cost-effective for soil remediation. On the one hand, compost incorporated into contaminated soil is capable of increasing the organic matter content, which improves the soil environment and stimulates the metabolically activity of microbial community. On the other hand, the organic matter in composts would increase the adsorption of OPs and affect their bioavailability, leading to decreased fraction available for microorganism-mediated degradation. Some advanced instrumental analytical approaches developed in recent years may be adopted to expound this process. Therefore, the study on bioavailability of OPs in soil is extremely important for the application of composting technology. This work will discuss the changes of physical and chemical properties of contaminated soils and the bioavailability of OPs by the adsorption of composting matrix. The characteristics of OPs, types and compositions of compost amendments, soil/compost ratio and compost distribution influence the bioavailability of OPs. In addition, the impact of composting factors (composting temperature, co-substrates and exogenous microorganisms) on the removal and bioavailability of OPs is also studied.

Investigation of adsorptive fractionation of humic acid on graphene oxide using fluorescence EEM-PARAFAC

In this study, the adsorptive fractionation of a humic acid (HA, Elliott soil humic acid) on graphene oxide (GO) was examined at pH 4 and 6 using absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM)-parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). The extent of the adsorption was greater at pH 4.0 than at pH 6.0. Aromatic molecules within the HA were preferentially adsorbed onto the GO surface, and the preferential adsorption was more pronounced at pH 6, which is above the zero point of charge of GO. A relative ratio of two PARAFAC humic-like components (ex/em maxima at 270/510 nm and at (250, 265)/440 nm) presented an increasing trend with larger sizes of ultrafiltered humic acid fractions, suggesting the potential for using fluorescence EEM-PARAFAC for tracking the changes in molecular sizes of aromatic HA molecules. The individual adsorption behaviors of the two humic-like components revealed that larger sized aromatic components within HA had a higher adsorption affinity and more nonlinear isotherms compared to smaller sized fractions. Our results demonstrated that adsorptive fractionation of HA occurred on the GO surface with respect to their aromaticity and the sizes, but the degree was highly dependent on solution pH as well as the amount of adsorbed HS (or available surface sites). The observed adsorption behaviors were reasonably explained by a combination of different mechanisms previously suggested.

Accelerated removal of pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene in freshwater sediments with amendment of cyanobacteria-derived organic matter

The removal of pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) were investigated in freshwater sediments with amendment of seven different organic matters including cyanobacteria-derived organic matter (COM), plant-derived organic matter (POM), and humic substances (HS). During the 210 days of experiments, the amendment of COM or HS enhanced significantly the removal of pyrene and BaP in sediments, especially with fresh COM (FCOM) treatment much superior to HS. On the contrary, degradation of these polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was not significantly improved and even inhibited in POM-amended sediments. The first-order rate constants of pyrene and BaP degradation in the FCOM-amended sediments reached 0.00540±0.00017d(-1) and 0.00517±0.00057d(-1), respectively, and were about three and five folds of those in the control treatment. The enhanced PAHs degradation in FCOM-amended sediments was related to higher PAH-degrading bacteria number and bioavailability with a result of biostimulation and priming effect by labile carbon and high-value nutrition in FCOM. Thus, this study improved our understanding about effects of settled biomass from cyanobacterial blooms, which occurred frequently in eutrophic aquatic ecosystems, on the natural attenuation of PAHs in sediments. Furthermore, this study would also help develop a new promising approach to remediate PAH-contaminated sediments through utilization of cyanobacterial bloom biomass.

Is it possible to increase bioavailability but not environmental risk of PAHs in bioremediation?

The current poor predictability of end points associated with the bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is a large limitation when evaluating its viability for treating contaminated soils and sediments. However, we have seen a wide range of innovations in recent years, such as an the improved use of surfactants, the chemotactic mobilization of bacterial inoculants, the selective biostimulation at pollutant interfaces, rhizoremediation and electrobioremediation, which increase the bioavailability of PAHs but do not necessarily increase the risk to the environment. The integration of these strategies into practical remediation protocols would be beneficial to the bioremediation industry, as well as improve the quality of the environment.

Effect of organic wastes on the plant-microbe remediation for removal of aged PAHs in soils

The effectiveness of in-situ bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) may be inhibited by low nutrients and organic carbon. To evaluate the effect of organic wastes on the PAHs removal efficiency of a plant-microbe remediation system, contaminated agricultural soils were amended with different dosages of sewage sludge (SS) and cattle manure (CM) in the presence of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and PAHs-degraders (Bacillus sp. and Flavobacterium sp.). The results indicated that the alfalfa mean biomasses varied from 0.56 to 2.23 g/pot in root dry weight and from 1.80 to 4.88 g/pot in shoot dry weight. Low dose amendments, with rates of SS at 0.1% and CM at 1%, had prominent effects on plant growth and soil PAHs degradation. After 60-day incubation, compared with about 5.6% in the control, 25.8% PAHs removal was observed for treatments in the presence of alfalfa and PAHs-degraders; furthermore, when amended with different dosages of SS and CM, the removed PAHs from soils increased by 35.5%-44.9% and 25.5%-42.3%, respectively. In particular, the degradation of high-molecular-weight PAHs was up to 42.4%. Dehydrogenase activities (DH) ranged between 0.41 and 1.83 microg triphenylformazan/(g dry soil x hr) and the numbers of PAHs-degrading microbes (PDM) ranged from 1.14 x 10(6) to 16.6 x 10(6) most-probable-number/g dry soil. Further investigation of the underlying microbial mechanism revealed that both DH and PDM were stimulated by the addition of organic wastes and significantly correlated with the removal ratio of PAHs. In conclusion, the effect of organic waste application on soil PAHs removal to a great extent is dependent on the interactional effect of nutrients and dissolved organic matter in organic waste and soil microorganisms.

Bacteria-mediated PAH degradation in soil and sediment

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous in the natural environment and easily accumulate in soil and sediment due to their low solubility and high hydrophobicity, rendering them less available for biological degradation. However, microbial degradation is a promising mechanism which is responsible for the ecological recovery of PAH-contaminated soil and sediment for removing these recalcitrant compounds compared with chemical degradation of PAHs. The goal of this review is to provide an outline of the current knowledge of biodegradation of PAHs in related aspects. Over 102 publications related to PAH biodegradation in soil and sediment are compiled, discussed, and analyzed. This review aims to discuss PAH degradation under various redox potential conditions, the factors affecting the biodegradation rates, degrading bacteria, the relevant genes in molecular monitoring methods, and some recent-year bioremediation field studies. The comprehensive understanding of the bioremediation kinetics and molecular means will be helpful for optimizing and monitoring the process, and overcoming its limitations in practical projects.

Advances in the field of high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon biodegradation by bacteria

Interest in understanding prokaryotic biotransformation of high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (HMW PAHs) has continued to grow and the scientific literature shows that studies in this field are originating from research groups from many different locations throughout the world. In the last 10 years, research in regard to HMW PAH biodegradation by bacteria has been further advanced through the documentation of new isolates that represent diverse bacterial types that have been isolated from different environments and that possess different metabolic capabilities. This has occurred in addition to the continuation of in-depth comprehensive characterizations of previously isolated organisms, such as Mycobacterium vanbaalenii PYR-1. New metabolites derived from prokaryotic biodegradation of four- and five-ring PAHs have been characterized, our knowledge of the enzymes involved in these transformations has been advanced and HMW PAH biodegradation pathways have been further developed, expanded upon and refined. At the same time, investigation of prokaryotic consortia has furthered our understanding of the capabilities of microorganisms functioning as communities during HMW PAH biodegradation.

Biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by Sphingomonas sp. enhanced by water-extractable organic matter from manure compost

The effectiveness of in-situ bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) may be inhibited by their low aqueous solubility and strong absorption to soil constituents. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) from manure compost on the biodegradation of various PAHs. The aqueous solubilities of PAHs including phenanthrene, pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene under different concentrations of WEOM from cow manure compost were initially evaluated. The contribution of WEOM on the degradation of PAHs by Sphingomonas sp. was then investigated. Dissolution results confirmed the ability of WEOM to increase the apparent solubility of the 3PAHs. Time course of biodegradation also revealed its positive contribution to their removal. For example, the degradation of pyrene was 118% higher in the presence of 1000 mg-C L(-1) WEOM as compared to the mineral salt medium (MSM) alone after 48 h incubation. In addition, degradation was 12% higher with WEOM than with Glucose-Ammonium nitrate despite the more than 6 times higher cell concentration in the latter. WEOM from other manure composts such as chicken and pig were found to have the same effect. Finally, additional tests confirmed that high molecular weight WEOM (>1000 Da) contributed mainly to solubility and biodegradation enhancements. On the basis of these results, the increase in apparent solubility of PAHs in WEOM solutions may have a significant impact on their biodegradation. It is postulated that the application of WEOM-rich manure composts may be extended in the in-situ bioremediation of PAHs-polluted soil.

Effects of humic acid on solubility and biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in liquid media and mangrove sediment slurries

The effects of humic acid (HA) on the solubility and biodegradability of mixed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (phenanthrene (PHE), pyrene (PYR), and benzo[a]pyrene (BAP)) in liquid media and mangrove sediment slurries were investigated. The addition of HA to the liquid media (0-1.6%, w/v) significantly enhanced the solubility of all mixed three PAHs and the biodegradation of PHE and PYR (but not BAP) by MP-PYR1, a PYR-degrading bacterium isolated from mangrove sediment. Amendment with 0.2% HA to the sediment slurries exhibited little enhancement in either PAH solubility or degradation. Although amendment with 1.6% HA increased the aqueous phase PAHs in the sediment slurries, it did not have any significant enhancement effect on biodegradation. Natural attenuation of PHE in sediment was evident, with 91% degraded after 7 d. The highest biodegradation of PHE and PYR was found in the sediment slurries inoculated with MP-PYR1, and the degradation efficiency was even higher than that in the liquid media (99% vs. 85% for PHE and 97% vs. 63% for PYR). The degradation capacity of MP-PYR1 for both PHE and PYR was comparable when it was inoculated to the sterile and non-sterile sediment slurries, implying that the inoculum was able to compete with the indigenous microorganisms. The reason why BAP was not degraded in either liquid media or mangrove sediment slurries was more likely due to the lack of degraders than its low solubility. These results suggested that the success of PAH degradation did not rely solely on the amounts of soluble PAHs which could be enhanced by the HA amendment; the presence of a suitable degrader was also important.

Pyrene fate affected by humic acid amendment in soil slurry systems

Background

Humic acid (HA) has been found to affect the solubility, mineralization, and bound residue formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). However, most of the studies on the interaction between HA and PAH concentrated on one or two of the three phases. Few studies have provided a simple protocol to demonstrate the overall effects of HA on PAH distribution in soil systems for all three phases.

Methods

In this study, three doses of standard Elliott soil HA (ESHA), 15, 187.5, and 1,875 μg ESHA/g soil slurry, were amended to soil slurry systems. ¹⁴C-pyrene was added to the systems along with non-radiolabeled pyrene; ¹⁴C and ¹⁴CO₂ were monitored for each system for a period of 120 days.

Results

The highest amendment dose significantly increased the ¹⁴C fraction in the aqueous phase within 24 h, but not after that time. Pyrene mineralization was significantly inhibited by the highest dose over the 120-day study. While organic solvent extractable ¹⁴C decreased with time in all systems, non-extractable or bound ¹⁴C was significantly enhanced with the highest dose of ESHA addition.

Conclusion

Amendment of the highest dose of ESHA to pyrene contaminated soil was observed to have two major functions. The first was to mitigate CO₂ production significantly by reducing ¹⁴CO₂ from ¹⁴C pyrene mineralization. The second was to significantly increase stable bound ¹⁴C formation, which may serve as a remediation end point. Overall, this study demonstrated a practical approach for decontamination of PAH contaminated soil. This approach may be applicable to other organic contaminated environments where active bioremediation is taking place.