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Zhang D, Chu B, Yang Q, Zhang X, Fang Y, Liu G, Liang L, Guo Y, Yin Y, Cai Y, Jiang G. Degradation of organic mercury in high salt environments by a marine aerobic bacterium Alteromonas macleodii KD01. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2024; 402:130831. [PMID: 38734262 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.130831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg), particularly organic mercury, poses a global concern due to its pronounced toxicity and bioaccumulation. Bioremediation of organic mercury in high-salt wastewater faces challenges due to the growth limitations imposed by elevated Cl- and Na+ concentrations on microorganisms. In this study, an isolated marine bacterium Alteromonas macleodii KD01 was demonstrated to degrade methylmercury (MeHg) efficiently in seawater and then was applied to degrade organic mercury (MeHg, ethylmercury, and thimerosal) in simulated high-salt wastewater. Results showed that A. macleodii KD01 can rapidly degrade organic mercury (within 20 min) even at high concentrations (>10 ng/mL), volatilizing a portion of Hg from the wastewater. Further analysis revealed an increased transcription of organomercury lyase (merB) with rising organic mercury concentrations during the exposure process, suggesting the involvement of mer operon (merA and merB). These findings highlight A. macleodii KD01 as a promising candidate for addressing organic mercury pollution in high-salt wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dingxi Zhang
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Bowei Chu
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qingqing Yang
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhang
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yingying Fang
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guangliang Liu
- Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Lina Liang
- Beijing Zhongke PUYAN Science and Technology Co., Ltd, Beijing 100096, China
| | - Yingying Guo
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
| | - Yongguang Yin
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Institute of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Yong Cai
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Guibin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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Qiu X, Su Z, Gao J, Cui Y, Dong K, Chen K, Zhao RJ, Wang S, Wu T, Shi Y. Sex-specific impacts of thimerosal on the behaviors and brain monoaminergic systems in zebrafish (Danio rerio). AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2024; 271:106921. [PMID: 38615580 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2024.106921] [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: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Thimerosal (THI) is the most widely used form of organic mercury in pharmaceutical and personal care products, and has become a major source of ethylmercury pollution in aquatic ecosystems. However, knowledge about its potential risk to aquatic species is limited. In this study, zebrafish were exposed to THI for 7 days, and variations in their behavioral traits, brain monoaminergic neurotransmitter contents, and related gene expression were investigated. After the 7-day exposure, THI reduced locomotor activity and thigmotaxis in males but not females. Exposure to THI increased the social interaction between females but decreased that between males. The THI exposure also significantly reduced the serotonin (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, dopamine (DA), and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid contents in the brain of males, but only significantly decreased the DA content in females. Correlation analysis revealed that the neurochemical alterations in the brain of zebrafish play critical roles in the behavioral abnormalities induced by THI exposure. Moreover, THI also significantly altered the expression of some genes associated with the synthesis, metabolism, and receptor binding of 5-HT and DA in the brain of zebrafish. The differences in these gene expressions between female and male zebrafish exposed to THI seem to be an important mechanism underlying their sex-specific responses to this chemical. This is the first report on the sex-specific effects of THI on behaviors and brain monoaminergic neurotransmitter contents in zebrafish, which can further improve our understanding of its toxic effects on teleost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuchun Qiu
- Institute of Environmental Health and Ecological Security, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Technology and Material of Water Treatment, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China.
| | - Zhen Su
- Institute of Environmental Health and Ecological Security, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Jiarui Gao
- Institute of Environmental Health and Ecological Security, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Yiming Cui
- Institute of Environmental Health and Ecological Security, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Kejun Dong
- Institute of Environmental Health and Ecological Security, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Kun Chen
- Institute of Environmental Health and Ecological Security, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Ru-Jin Zhao
- Institute of Environmental Health and Ecological Security, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Songmei Wang
- Institute of Environmental Health and Ecological Security, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Tao Wu
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yanhong Shi
- Institute of Environmental Health and Ecological Security, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China.
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Pereira-García C, Del Amo EH, Vigués N, Rey-Velasco X, Rincón-Tomás B, Pérez-Cruz C, Sanz-Sáez I, Hu H, Bertilsson S, Pannier A, Soltmann U, Sánchez P, Acinas SG, Bravo AG, Alonso-Sáez L, Sánchez O. Unmasking the physiology of mercury detoxifying bacteria from polluted sediments. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 467:133685. [PMID: 38335604 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133685] [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: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Marine sediments polluted from anthropogenic activities can be major reservoirs of toxic mercury species. Some microorganisms in these environments have the capacity to detoxify these pollutants, by using the mer operon. In this study, we characterized microbial cultures isolated from polluted marine sediments growing under diverse environmental conditions of salinity, oxygen availability and mercury tolerance. Specific growth rates and percentage of mercury removal were measured in batch cultures for a selection of isolates. A culture affiliated with Pseudomonas putida (MERCC_1942), which contained a mer operon as well as other genes related to metal resistances, was selected as the best candidate for mercury elimination. In order to optimize mercury detoxification conditions for strain MERCC_1942 in continuous culture, three different dilution rates were tested in bioreactors until the cultures achieved steady state, and they were subsequently exposed to a mercury spike; after 24 h, strain MERCC_1942 removed up to 76% of the total mercury. Moreover, when adapted to high growth rates in bioreactors, this strain exhibited the highest specific mercury detoxification rates. Finally, an immobilization protocol using the sol-gel technology was optimized. These results highlight that some sediment bacteria show capacity to detoxify mercury and could be used for bioremediation applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Pereira-García
- Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain; Departament de Biologia Marina i Oceanografia, Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elena H Del Amo
- Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain; Institut d'Ecologia Aquàtica, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat de Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Núria Vigués
- Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Xavier Rey-Velasco
- Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain; Departament de Biologia Marina i Oceanografia, Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Blanca Rincón-Tomás
- AZTI, Marine Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Txatxarramendi ugartea z/g, 48395 Sukarrieta, Spain
| | - Carla Pérez-Cruz
- AZTI, Marine Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Txatxarramendi ugartea z/g, 48395 Sukarrieta, Spain
| | - Isabel Sanz-Sáez
- Departament de Biologia Marina i Oceanografia, Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Instituto de Diagnóstico Ambiental y Estudios del Agua (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Haiyan Hu
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, China
| | - Stefan Bertilsson
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Angela Pannier
- GMBU e.V., Department of Functional Coatings, D-01454 Radeberg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Soltmann
- GMBU e.V., Department of Functional Coatings, D-01454 Radeberg, Germany
| | - Pablo Sánchez
- Departament de Biologia Marina i Oceanografia, Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Silvia G Acinas
- Departament de Biologia Marina i Oceanografia, Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andrea G Bravo
- Departament de Biologia Marina i Oceanografia, Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Alonso-Sáez
- AZTI, Marine Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Txatxarramendi ugartea z/g, 48395 Sukarrieta, Spain
| | - Olga Sánchez
- Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
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Yang Q, Guo Y, Xiang Y, Chen L, Liu G, Liu Y, Shi J, Hu L, Liang Y, Yin Y, Cai Y, Jiang G. Toward efficient bioremediation of methylmercury in sediment using merB overexpressed Escherichia coli. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 229:119502. [PMID: 36549184 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119502] [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: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Sediment is the primary hotspot for microbial production of toxic and bio-accumulative methylmercury (MeHg). Common remediation strategies such as sediment dredging and capping can be too expensive and cannot degrade MeHg efficiently. Here, we constructed an Escherichia coli strain overexpressing merB gene (DH5α J23106) and assessed the effectiveness of this recombinant strain in degradation of MeHg in culture medium and sediment. DH5α J23106 can efficiently degrade MeHg (with initial concentration from 0.01 to 50 ng/mL) to more than 81.6% in a culture medium under anoxic and oxic conditions. Enriched isotope addition (199HgCl2) revealed that this recombinant strain can degrade 78.6% of newly produced Me199Hg in actual sediment, however the biodegradation decreased to 36.3% for intrinsic MeHg. Degradation of spiked MeHg after aging in anoxic and oxic sediments further demonstrated DH5α J23106 can efficiently degrade newly produced MeHg and the degradation decreased with aging significantly, especially for oxic sediment. Eight sediments were further assessed for the biodegradation of aged MeHg by DH5α J23106 under oxic conditions, with degradation ratios ranging from 9.0% to 66.9%. When combined with (NH4)2S2O3 leaching, the degradation of MeHg increased by 15.8-38.8% in on-site and off-site modes through enhanced MeHg bioavailability in some of these sediments. Thus, this recombinant strain DH5α J23106 can degrade MeHg efficiently and have the potential for remediating bioavailable MeHg in contaminated sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingqing Yang
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental and Health Effects of Persistent Toxic Substances, Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China; School of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Yingying Guo
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yuping Xiang
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Lufeng Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental and Health Effects of Persistent Toxic Substances, Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China; School of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Guangliang Liu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, United States
| | - Yanwei Liu
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Jianbo Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Ligang Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yong Liang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental and Health Effects of Persistent Toxic Substances, Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China; School of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Yongguang Yin
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental and Health Effects of Persistent Toxic Substances, Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Yong Cai
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, United States
| | - Guibin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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Acosta G, Torres S, Kaplan M, Fernández LP, Pacheco PH, Gil RA. Liquid chromatography coupled to molecular fluorescence with postcolumn UV sensitization for thimerosal and derivative compounds monitoring in environmental samples. Electrophoresis 2016; 37:2531-2537. [DOI: 10.1002/elps.201600147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Revised: 07/16/2016] [Accepted: 07/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gimena Acosta
- Instituto de Química de San Luis; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET, CCT-San Luis); San Luis Argentina
- Área de Gestión en Calidad y Salud, Facultad de Química Bioquímica y Farmacia; Universidad Nacional de San Luis; Chacabuco y Pedernera San Luis Argentina
| | - Sabier Torres
- Instituto de Química de San Luis; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET, CCT-San Luis); San Luis Argentina
- Área de Química Analítica, Facultad de Química Bioquímica y Farmacia; Universidad Nacional de San Luis; Chacabuco y Pedernera San Luis Argentina
| | - Marcos Kaplan
- Instituto de Química de San Luis; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET, CCT-San Luis); San Luis Argentina
- Área de Química Analítica, Facultad de Química Bioquímica y Farmacia; Universidad Nacional de San Luis; Chacabuco y Pedernera San Luis Argentina
| | - Liliana P. Fernández
- Instituto de Química de San Luis; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET, CCT-San Luis); San Luis Argentina
- Área de Química Analítica, Facultad de Química Bioquímica y Farmacia; Universidad Nacional de San Luis; Chacabuco y Pedernera San Luis Argentina
| | - Pablo H. Pacheco
- Instituto de Química de San Luis; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET, CCT-San Luis); San Luis Argentina
- Área de Farmacología y Toxicología, Facultad de Química Bioquímica y Farmacia; Universidad Nacional de San Luis; Chacabuco y Pedernera San Luis Argentina
| | - Raúl A. Gil
- Instituto de Química de San Luis; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET, CCT-San Luis); San Luis Argentina
- Área de Química Analítica, Facultad de Química Bioquímica y Farmacia; Universidad Nacional de San Luis; Chacabuco y Pedernera San Luis Argentina
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Mercury (II) removal by resistant bacterial isolates and mercuric (II) reductase activity in a new strain of Pseudomonas sp. B50A. N Biotechnol 2016; 33:216-23. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2015.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2014] [Revised: 05/17/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Oehmen A, Vergel D, Fradinho J, Reis MAM, Crespo JG, Velizarov S. Mercury removal from water streams through the ion exchange membrane bioreactor concept. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2014; 264:65-70. [PMID: 24275472 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2013.10.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2013] [Revised: 10/03/2013] [Accepted: 10/28/2013] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Mercury is a highly toxic heavy metal that causes human health problems and environmental contamination. In this study, an ion exchange membrane bioreactor (IEMB) process was developed to achieve Hg(II) removal from drinking water and industrial effluents. Hg(II) transport through a cation exchange membrane was coupled with its bioreduction to Hg(0) in order to achieve Hg removal from concentrated streams, with minimal production of contaminated by-products observed. This study involves (1) membrane selection, (2) demonstration of process effectiveness for removing Hg from drinking water to below the 1ppb recommended limit, and (3) process application for treatment of concentrated water streams, where >98% of the Hg was removed, and the throughput of contaminated water was optimised through membrane pre-treatment. The IEMB process represents a novel mercury treatment technology with minimal generation of contaminated waste, thereby reducing the overall environmental impact of the process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Oehmen
- REQUIMTE/CQFB, Chemistry Dept., FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal.
| | - Dario Vergel
- REQUIMTE/CQFB, Chemistry Dept., FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - Joana Fradinho
- REQUIMTE/CQFB, Chemistry Dept., FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - Maria A M Reis
- REQUIMTE/CQFB, Chemistry Dept., FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - João G Crespo
- REQUIMTE/CQFB, Chemistry Dept., FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - Svetlozar Velizarov
- REQUIMTE/CQFB, Chemistry Dept., FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
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Cabral L, Giovanella P, Gianello C, Bento FM, Andreazza R, Camargo FAO. Isolation and characterization of bacteria from mercury contaminated sites in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and assessment of methylmercury removal capability of a Pseudomonas putida V1 strain. Biodegradation 2012; 24:319-31. [DOI: 10.1007/s10532-012-9588-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2012] [Accepted: 08/30/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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9
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Carvalho G, Almeida B, Fradinho J, Oehmen A, Reis MAM, Crespo MTB. Microbial characterization of mercury-reducing mixed cultures enriched with different carbon sources. Microbes Environ 2011; 26:293-300. [PMID: 21685715 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.me11112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of mixed microbial cultures enriched for biological mercury removal is explored in this paper, focusing on the ecological shifts occurring throughout acclimatization to mercury and on the long-term stability of four microbial enrichments. The 16S rRNA genetic profiles obtained by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) revealed that the glucose and ethanol cultures had similar profiles, whereas the acetate cultures diverged into a totally dissimilar cluster. Quantification of the merA gene copies in each enrichment showed higher values for the glucose culture, followed by the ethanol and then the acetate cultures, which was consistent with the mercury removal performance throughout the study. Isolates were obtained from the four cultures and analyzed with respect to their genetic (16S rRNA) and functional (merA) phylogenies in order to identify mercury-resistant species enriched with different carbon sources. All mercury-resistant isolates obtained from the glucose and ethanol cultures belonged to the Gammaproteobacteria, whereas acetate cultures also contained members of other phyla, with differences in merA sequences. Higher phylogenetic than functional diversity of the isolates, together with increasing merA copies even after culture stabilisation, highlight the role of horizontal gene transfer in the acclimatization process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilda Carvalho
- Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal.
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Dórea JG, Bezerra VLVA, Fajon V, Horvat M. Speciation of methyl- and ethyl-mercury in hair of breastfed infants acutely exposed to thimerosal-containing vaccines. Clin Chim Acta 2011; 412:1563-6. [PMID: 21575620 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2011.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2011] [Revised: 05/02/2011] [Accepted: 05/02/2011] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Different chemical forms of mercury occur naturally in human milk. The most controversial aspect of early post-natal exposure to organic mercury is ethylmercury (EtHg) in thimerosal-containing vaccines (TCV) still being used in many countries. Thus exclusively breastfed infants can be exposed to both, fish derived methylmercury (MeHg) in maternal diets and to EtHg from TCV. The aim of the study is to evaluate a new analytical method for ethyl and methyl mercury in hair samples of breastfed infants who had received the recommended schedule of TCV. METHODS The hair of infants (<12 months) that had been exposed to TCV (Hepatitis B and DTaP) was analysed. A method coupling isothermal gas chromatography with cold-vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry was used for MeHg which can also speciate EtHg in biological matrices. RESULTS In 20 samples of infants' hair, all but two samples showed variable amounts of MeHg (10.3 to 668 ng/g), while precise and reliable concentrations of EtHg (3.7 to 65.0 ng/g) were found in 15 of the 20 samples. A statistically significant inverse association (r=-05572; p=0.0384) was found between hair-EtHg concentrations and the time elapsed after the last TCV shot. CONCLUSIONS The analytical method proved sensitive enough to quantify EtHg in babies' hair after acute exposure to thimerosal in vaccine shots. Provided that the mass of hair was above 10mg, organic-mercury exposure during early life can be speciated, and quantified in babies' first hair, thus opening opportunities for clinical and forensic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- José G Dórea
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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Ragan GA, Alvord WG. Assessing mercury levels in the wastewater of an aging research laboratory building. ACS CHEMICAL HEALTH & SAFETY 2007; 14:4-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jchas.2006.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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12
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Leonhäuser J, Röhricht M, Wagner-Döbler I, Deckwer WD. Reaction Engineering Aspects of Microbial Mercury Removal. Eng Life Sci 2006. [DOI: 10.1002/elsc.200620904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
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