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Asiedu E, Zhao K, Anwar MN, Ross M, Balaberda AL, Ulrich AC. Biodegradation in oil sands process-affected water: A comprehensive laboratory analysis of the in situ biodegradation of dissolved organic acids. Chemosphere 2024; 349:141018. [PMID: 38141671 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.141018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) is a by-product of the extraction of bitumen, and volumes of OSPW have accumulated across the Alberta oil sands region due to the governments zero-discharge policy. Some dissolved organics in OSPW, including toxic naphthenic acids (NAs), can be biodegraded in oxic conditions, thereby reducing the toxicity of OSPW. While there has been much focus on degradation of NAs, the biodegradation of other dissolved organic chemicals by endogenous organisms remains understudied. Here, using the HPLC-ultrahigh resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry, we examined the microbial biodegradation of dissolved organic acids in OSPW. Non-targeted analysis enabled the estimation of biodegradation rates for unique heteroatomic chemical classes detected in negative ion mode. The microcosm experiments were conducted with and without nutrient supplementation, and the changes in the microbial community over time were investigated. Without added nutrients, internal standard-adjusted intensities of all organics, including NAs, were largely unchanged. The addition of nutrients increased the biodegradation rate of O2- and SO2- chemical classes. While anoxic biodegradation can occur in tailings ponds and end pit lakes, microbial community analyses confirmed that the presence of oxygen stimulated biodegradation of the OSPW samples studied. We detected several aerobic hydrocarbon-degrading microbes (e.g., Pseudomonas and Brevundimonas), and microbes capable of degrading sulfur-containing hydrocarbons (e.g., Microbacterium). Microbial community diversity decreased over time with nutrient addition. Overall, the results from this study indicate that toxic dissolved organics beyond NAs can be biodegraded by endogenous organisms in OSPW, but reaffirms that biological treatment strategies require careful consideration of how nutrients and dissolved oxygen may impact efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn Asiedu
- Division of Analytical & Environmental Toxicology, Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2G3, Canada
| | - Kankan Zhao
- Institute of Soil and Water Resources and Environmental Science, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Mian Nabeel Anwar
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2G3, Canada
| | - Matthew Ross
- Department of Physical Sciences, MacEwan University, Edmonton, Alberta, T5J 2P2, Canada
| | - Amy-Lynne Balaberda
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2G3, Canada
| | - Ania C Ulrich
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2G3, Canada.
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Lillico DME, Hussain NAS, Choo-Yin YY, Qin R, How ZT, El-Din MG, Stafford JL. Using immune cell-based bioactivity assays to compare the inflammatory activities of oil sands process-affected waters from a pilot scale demonstration pit lake. J Environ Sci (China) 2023; 128:55-70. [PMID: 36801042 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2022.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we provide evidence that oil sands process-affected waters (OSPW) contain factors that activate the antimicrobial and proinflammatory responses of immune cells. Specifically, using the murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cell line, we establish the bioactivity of two different OSPW samples and their isolated fractions. Here, we directly compared the bioactivity of two pilot scale demonstration pit lake (DPL) water samples, which included expressed water from treated tailings (termed the before water capping sample; BWC) as well as an after water capping (AWC) sample consisting of a mixture of expressed water, precipitation, upland runoff, coagulated OSPW and added freshwater. Significant inflammatory (i.e. macrophage activating) bioactivity was associated with the AWC sample and its organic fraction (OF), whereas the BWC sample had reduced bioactivity that was primarily associated with its inorganic fraction (IF). Overall, these results indicate that at non-toxic exposure doses, the RAW 264.7 cell line serves as an acute, sensitive and reliable biosensor for the screening of inflammatory constituents within and among discrete OSPW samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin M E Lillico
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Nora A S Hussain
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Yemaya Y Choo-Yin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Rui Qin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Zuo Tong How
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - James L Stafford
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada.
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Hussain NAS, Stafford JL. Abiotic and biotic constituents of oil sands process-affected waters. J Environ Sci (China) 2023; 127:169-186. [PMID: 36522051 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2022.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The oil sands in Northern Alberta are the largest oil sands in the world, providing an important economic resource for the Canadian energy industry. The extraction of petroleum in the oil sands begins with the addition of hot water to the bituminous sediment, generating oil sands process-affected water (OSPW), which is acutely toxic to organisms. Trillions of litres of OSPW are stored on oil sands mining leased sites in man-made reservoirs called tailings ponds. As the volume of OSPW increases, concerns arise regarding the reclamation and eventual release of this water back into the environment. OSPW is composed of a complex and heterogeneous mix of components that vary based on factors such as company extraction techniques, age of the water, location, and bitumen ore quality. Therefore, the effective remediation of OSPW requires the consideration of abiotic and biotic constituents within it to understand short and long term effects of treatments used. This review summarizes selected chemicals and organisms in these waters and their interactions to provide a holistic perspective on the physiochemical and microbial dynamics underpinning OSPW .
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora A S Hussain
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2N8, Canada
| | - James L Stafford
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2N8, Canada.
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Chung TH, Zakaria BS, Meshref MNA, Dhar BR. Enhancing quorum sensing in biofilm anode to improve biosensing of naphthenic acids. Biosens Bioelectron 2022; 210:114275. [PMID: 35447397 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.114275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The feasibility of enhancing quorum sensing (QS) in anode biofilm to improve the quantifications of commercial naphthenic acid concentrations (9.4-94 mg/L) in a microbial electrochemical cell (MXC) based biosensor was demonstrated in this study. First, three calibration methods were systematically compared, and the charging-discharging operation was selected for further experiments due to its 71-227 folds higher electrical signal outputs than the continuous closed-circuit operation and cyclic voltammetry modes. Then, the addition of acylase (5 μg/L) as an exogenous QS autoinducer (acylase) was investigated, which further improved the biosensor's electrical signal output by ∼70%, as compared to the control (without acylase). The addition of acylase increased the relative expression of QS-associated genes (lasR, lasI, rhlR, rhlI, lasA, and luxR) by 7-100%, along with increased abundances of known electroactive bacterial genera, such as Geobacter (from 42% to 47%) and Desulfovibrio (from 6% to 11%). Furthermore, toxicities of different NAs concentrations measured with the Microtox bioassay test were correlated with corresponding electrical signals, indicating that MXC-biosensor can provide a dual platform for rapid assessment of both NA concentrations and NA-associated toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Hyun Chung
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, 9211-116, Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Basem S Zakaria
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, 9211-116, Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Mohamed N A Meshref
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, 9211-116, Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1H9, Canada; Public Works Department, Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University, 1 El Sarayat St., Abbassia, Cairo, 11517, Egypt
| | - Bipro Ranjan Dhar
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, 9211-116, Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1H9, Canada.
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Simair MC, Parrott JL, le Roux M, Gupta V, Frank RA, Peru KM, Ajaero C, McMartin DW, Headley JV. Treatment of oil sands process affected waters by constructed wetlands: Evaluation of designs and plant types. Sci Total Environ 2021; 772:145508. [PMID: 33581517 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Constructed wetland treatment systems (CWTS)s can be used to treat various wastewaters. The main constituent in oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) with uncertain treatment by CWTS are naphthenic acid fraction compounds (NAFC)s. The NAFCs are also among the primary contributors of toxicity to aquatic organisms. While there is preliminary evidence that some CWTSs are capable of treating OSPW for future potential discharge, there is little information comparing the effectiveness and efficiencies of different CWTS designs. Obtaining large volumes of OSPW for testing can be difficult, and while it is known that synthetic NAFCs are simpler and have different toxicity than OSPW-NAFCs, it is unknown whether they could serve as a proxy for optimization of CWTS design and operation. This study presents a comprehensive comparison of CWTS performance operated with both synthetic OSPW and OSPW for four CWTS designs differing in plant type, aeration, flow path, water depth, and substrate type. This study evaluated the potential biodegradation of NAFCs including: (1) decrease in total NAFC concentration, (2) shifts in Ox-NAFC fractions from O2- to O3-, O4-, and O5-NAFC, (3) decrease in carbon number, (4) decrease of the double bond equivalencies (DBE), and (5) change in toxicity of the waters to test organisms. CWTS planted with Sedge achieved the greatest extent of NAFC treatment and detoxification regardless of design. Although CWTSs planted with Cattail and Bulrush also degraded NAFCs and decreased toxicity, a greater hydraulic retention time was required, and the total extent of treatment was less than the CWTSs planted with Sedge. While synthetic OSPW was more toxic and experienced faster degradation rates, it showed similar trends to OSPW in terms of CWTS design efficiencies and function. Although synthetic OSPW would not be appropriate for modelling or scaling of CWTSs, it can be useful for testing designs and operating conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monique C Simair
- Maven Water & Environment, 103-303 Wellman Crescent, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7T 0J1, Canada; Department of Civil, Geological and Environmental Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A9, Canada.
| | - Joanne L Parrott
- Water Science and Technology Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7S 1A1, Canada.
| | - Mignon le Roux
- Maven Water & Environment, 103-303 Wellman Crescent, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7T 0J1, Canada; Department of Civil, Geological and Environmental Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A9, Canada
| | - Varun Gupta
- Maven Water & Environment, 103-303 Wellman Crescent, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7T 0J1, Canada
| | - Richard A Frank
- Water Science and Technology Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Kerry M Peru
- Watershed Hydrology & Ecology Research Division, Water Science & Technology Directorate, Environment & Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada
| | - Chukwuemeka Ajaero
- Watershed Hydrology & Ecology Research Division, Water Science & Technology Directorate, Environment & Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada; Environmental Systems Engineering, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Dena W McMartin
- Department of Civil, Geological and Environmental Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A9, Canada; Environmental Systems Engineering, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - John V Headley
- Watershed Hydrology & Ecology Research Division, Water Science & Technology Directorate, Environment & Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada
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Miles SM, Asiedu E, Balaberda AL, Ulrich AC. Oil sands process affected water sourced Trichoderma harzianum demonstrates capacity for mycoremediation of naphthenic acid fraction compounds. Chemosphere 2020; 258:127281. [PMID: 32540545 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Development of Alberta's oil sands requires large volumes of water, leading to the abundance of oil sands process affected water (OSPW) that must be remediated prior to discharge or reuse. OSPW contains a variety of dissolved organic compounds, however naphthenic acids (NAs) have been found to contribute significantly to the toxicity of OSPW. A fungus, Trichoderma harzianum, isolated directly from OSPW, has previously demonstrated a high tolerance and capacity for growth in the presence of commercial NAs. This study conducted microcosm experiments to elucidate and characterize the capacity of T. harzianum to degrade labile commercial NAs (Merichem), and OSPW-sourced naphthenic acid fraction compounds (NAFCs). Additionally, two model NA compounds, the simple single ring cyclohexane carboxylic acid (CHCA) and complex diamondoid 1-adamanatane carboxylic acid (ADA), were utilized to determine the influence of NA structure on degradation. T. harzianum degraded 14% of CHCA, 13% of ADA, and 23-47% of Merichem NAs. Additionally, Orbitrap mass spectrometry revealed a large change in Z-series within NAFCs. This removal and shift in composition correlated to a 59% and 52% drop in toxicity as per Microtox, for Merichem NAs and NAFCs respectively. This proof of concept experiment confirms that the fungal species T. harzianum can contribute to the biodegradation of complex dissolved organics found in OSPW, including cyclic and diamondoid structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Miles
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Evelyn Asiedu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Division of Analytical and Environmental Toxicology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Amy-Lynne Balaberda
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ania C Ulrich
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
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