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PubMedDate not supplied

[Gastrointestinal bacteriology of the earthworm Eisenia foetida grown in composted broiler litter].

The high animal concentration in intensive production brings about problems due to the volume of excreta and environmental pollution with the consequent risk for animal and human health. Therefore, previous to the application of any strategy of organic wastes recycling it is necessary to know possible sanitary risks. Farm organic wastes can be recycled through the intensive breeding of earthworms from species Eisenia foetida (Annelida, Oligochaeta) which can break down the consumed organic substance into humus. E. foetida is able to accelerate biodegrading wastes decomposition. It has been selected for recycling because its self productivity, its capacity to live in high concentrations, its feeding habits as well as its resistance to stress. The aim of this work is to study the microbial flora potentially pathogenic and their survival in the intestinal tract in sexually mature earthworms cultivated in composted broiler litter. Total coliforms, faecal coliforms, Salmonella, Pseudomonas and other enteric bacteria were sought in accordance with the recommended methodology. In E. foetida no positive results were obtained in the MPN/g (most probable number) of total coliforms, faecal coliforms, Salmonella, Pseudomonas and other Enterobacteriaceae family bacteria. These results suggest an antimicrobial response upon Gram negative bacteria from the gizzard and through the intestinal tract.

Animal Husbandry↗

PubMed1996

Influence of environmental adaptation on the sensitivity of micromycetes to pentachlorophenol toxicity in microcosms.

The search for fungal strains capable of pentachlorophenol degradation led to the isolation and identification of 98 different micromycetes. When these strains were submitted to toxicity tests in aquatic microcosms at concentrations of 10 mgL-1 and 100 mgL-1 PCP, inhibition of growth was 57% and 36% respectively of the total isolated and identified strains. Among the strains inhibited at 10 mgL-1, 6 can serve as bioindicators of PCP pollution while the strains resistant can be regarded as potential PCP biodegraders. It was confirmed that fungal strains isolated from sites contaminated by chemically different products manifest different levels of sensitivity to PCP toxicity and probably different biodegradation potentials.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed2002

Phytoremediation to increase the degradation of PCBs and PCDD/Fs. Potential and limitations.

Phytoremediation is already regarded as an efficient technique to remove or degrade various pollutants in soils, water and sediments. However, hydrophobic organic molecules such as PAHs, PCBs and PCDD/Fs are much less responsive to bioremediation strategies than, for example, BTEX or LAS. PCDD/Fs and PCBs represent 3 prominent groups of persistent organic pollutants that share common chemical, toxicological and environmental properties. Their widespread presence in the environment may be explained by their chemical and biological stability. This review considers their fate and dissipation mechanisms. It is then possible to identify major sinks and to understand biological activities useful for remediation. Public health and economic priorities lead to the conclusion that alternative techniques to physical treatments are required. This review focuses on particular problems encountered in biodegradation and bioavailability of PCDD/Fs and PCBs. It highlights the potential and limitations of plants and micro-organisms as bioremediation agents and summarises how plants can be used to augment bacterial activity. Phytoremediation is shown to provide some new possibilities in reducing risks associated with dioxins and PCBs.

Benzofurans↗

PubMed1998

Improved application of ion chromatographic determination of carboxylic acids in ozonated drinking water.

A direct ion chromatographic method of measuring carboxylic acids was modified and expanded to include measurement of eight components at parts-per-billion levels. These components, listed by eluting order, were acetate, propionate, formate, pyruvate, glyoxalate, dichloroacetate, oxalate and ketomalonate. The calculated method detection limits were 2-6 micrograms/l. Preliminary data were obtained by using California state project water from the filter influent of the Oxidation Demonstration Plant of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Oxalate was measured at levels above 200 micrograms/l, formate above 100 micrograms/l, acetate above 50 micrograms/l, pyruvate and glyoxalate at approximately 30 micrograms/l and propionate and ketomalonate at trace levels near the detection limits. This method utilizes a new preservative, benzalkonium chloride, as a substitute for the environmentally unsafe mercuric chloride that had previously been used. Preservation studies indicate that all eight compounds are stable for a testing period of 30 days when benzalkonium chloride is maintained at or above 30 mg/l in the water sample.

Benzalkonium Compounds↗

PubMed1998

Ethylene glycol ethers: an environmental risk assessment.

Ethylene glycol ethers and acetates are used as intermediates, solvents, and plasticizers. They primarily enter the environment from manufacturing effluents and emissions and during their use in commercial products. Therefore, an examination of their ultimate fate and toxicity, as well as their potential for exposure, was performed. Overall, these data show that ethylene glycol ethers and acetates are not persistent in the environment, are not bioaccumulative, are generally classified by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) procedures as "practically non-toxic" to aquatic organisms based on acute toxicity, and that conservatively calculated exposures are mostly below concentrations of concern for chronic risks to aquatic life.

Acetates↗

PubMed2000

16S rDNA-based characterization of BTX-catabolizing microbial associations isolated from a South African sandy soil.

In the presence of different selection pressures, particularly pH and electron donor concentration, indigenous microbial associations which catabolize selected petroleum hydrocarbon components (benzene, toluene and o-, m- and p-xylene (BTX)) were enriched and isolated from a petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated KwaZulu-Natal sandy soil. Electron microscopy revealed that, numerically, rods constituted the majority of the populations responsible for BTX catabolism. Molecular techniques (polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and 16S rDNA fingerprinting by denaturing-gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE)) were employed to explore the diversities and analyze the structures of the isolated microbial associations. Pearson product-moment correlation indicated that the different, but chemically similar, petroleum hydrocarbon molecules, effected the isolation of different associations. However, some similar numerically-dominant bands characterized the associations. A 30% similarity was evident between the m- and o-xylene-catabolizing associations regardless of the molecule concentration and the enrichment pH. PCR-DGGE was also used to complement conventional culture-based microbiological procedures for environmental parameter optimization. Band pattern differences indicated profile variations of the isolated associations which possibly accounted for the growth rate changes recorded in response to pH and temperature perturbations.

Benzene↗

PubMed2003

Croceibacter atlanticus gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel marine bacterium in the family Flavobacteriaceae.

A bright, saffron-colored marine bacterium HTCC2559T was isolated from the Bermuda Atlantic Time Series station in the western Sargasso Sea, Atlantic Ocean by high throughput culturing methods and characterized by polyphasic approaches. Phenotypic data and phylogenetic analyses showed that the strain is a member of the family Flavobacteriaceae. The strain was gram-negative, non-motile, chemoheterotrophic, strictly aerobic, NaCl-requiring, rod-shaped cells that contain carotenoid pigments but not flexirubin. Several kinds of macromolecules (gelatin, DNA, starch, casein, and elastin) were degraded and carbohydrates, sugar alcohols, organic acids, and amino acids were utilized as sole carbon sources. The dominant fatty acids were branched or hydroxy acids, and 3-OH i17:0, i15:0, i15:1, and i17:1 omega9c were abundant. The DNA G+C content of the strain is 34.8 mol%. Phylogenetic analyses using three treeing algorithms based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the strain formed a very distinct lineage that is allied closely with several seawater environmental clones in the family Flavobacteriaceae. Therefore, it is proposed from the polyphasic studies that strain HTCC2559T (=ATCC BAA-628T = KCTC 12090T) belongs to a new genus and species named Croceibacter atlanticus gen. nov., sp. nov.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗

PubMed1986

Response of the microflora in outdoor experimental streams to pentachlorophenol: environmental factors.

The 2nd year of a 2-year study of the fate of pentachlorophenol in outdoor artificial streams focused on details of microbial degradation by a combination of in situ and laboratory measurements. Replicate streams were dosed continuously at pentachlorophenol concentrations of 0, 48, and 144 micrograms/L, respectively, for an 88-d period during the summer of 1983. Pentachlorophenol was degraded both aerobically and anaerobically. Aerobic degradation was more rapid than anaerobic degradation. Mineralization of pentachlorophenol was concommitant with pentachlorophenol disappearance under aerobic conditions, but lagged behind loss of the parent molecule under anaerobic conditions. Biodegradation in the streams, or in specific stream compartments such as the sediment or water column, was characterized by an adaptation period (3-5 weeks for the stream as a whole, and reproducible from the previous year), which was inversely dependent on the concentration of pentachlorophenol and microbial biomass. The adaptation in the streams could be attributed to the time necessary for selective enrichment of an initially low population of pentachlorophenol degraders on surface compartments. The extent of biodegradation in the streams (percent loss of initial concentration of pentachlorophenol) increased with increasing pentachlorophenol input, which was explicable by an increase in the pentachlorophenol degrader population with increasing pentachlorophenol concentration. The sediment zone most significant to overall pentachlorophenol biodegradation was the top 0.5- to 1-cm layer as shown by pentachlorophenol migration rates and depth profiles of degrader density within the sediment. Pentachlorophenol profiles in sediment cores taken during and after the adaptation period for degradation showed that diffusion of pentachlorophenol into the sediment was rate limiting to degradation in this compartment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aerobiosis↗

PubMed2006

Evaluation of gas removal and bacterial community diversity in a biofilter developed to treat composting exhaust gases.

The performance of a new, but simply constructed, biofilter system, developed to purify composting exhaust air, was evaluated. The biofilter was packed with mature compost mixed with activated carbon and sludge sourced from a wastewater treatment plant. An alternating air flow system and a bioaerosol reduction device were designed to prevent pressure drop and reduce bioaerosol release. Experimental results demonstrated that satisfactory removal efficiencies of nitrogen-containing compounds, sulfur-containing compounds, fatty acids, total hydrocarbon and odor were achieved at an empty bed retention time (EBRT) of 30s. No significant acidification or alkalinity in the biofilter was observed, and the system was characterized by a small pressure drop and a low level of bioaerosol emission. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques were used to uncover the changes in the bacterial community of the biofilter during the deodorization processes. A minimum of 16 bands were observed in the DGGE profile. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the phylum of Proteobacteria to be predominant, followed by Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes, in descending order. However, the occurrence and predominance of specific bacterial species varied with the environmental conditions of the biofilter. Our results demonstrate - from both an engineering and biological point of view - the feasibility of the biofilter system described herein in purifying the gases derived from composting food waste.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Rhamnolipid surfactants: an update on the general aspects of these remarkable biomolecules.

Pseudomonas strains are able to biosynthesize rhamnose-containing surfactants also known as rhamnolipids. These surface-active compounds are reviewed with respect to chemical structure, properties, biosynthesis, and physiological role, focusing on their production and the use of low-cost substrates such as wastes from food industries as alternative carbon sources. The use of inexpensive raw materials such as agroindustrial wastes is an attractive strategy to reduce the production costs associated with biosurfactant production and, at same time, contribute to the reduction of environmental impact generated by the discard of residues, and the treatment costs. Carbohydrate-rich substrates generated low rhamnolipid levels, whereas oils and lipid-rich wastes have shown excellent potential as alternative carbon sources.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗

PubMed2006

Degradation of naphthenic acids by sediment micro-organisms.

AIMS: Naphthenic acids (NAs) are naturally occurring, linear and cyclic carboxylic surfactants associated with the acidic fraction of petroleum. NAs account for most of the acute aquatic toxicity of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW). The toxicity of OSPW can be reduced by microbial degradation. The aim of this research was to determine the extent of NA degradation by sediment microbial communities exposed to varying amounts of OSPW. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eleven wetlands, both natural and process-affected, and one tailings settling pond in Northern Alberta were studied. The natural wetlands and process-affected sites fell into two distinct groups based on their water chemistry. The extent of degradation of a 14C-labelled monocyclic NA surrogate [14C-cyclohexane carboxylic acid (CCA)] was relatively uniform in all sediments (approximately 30%) after 14 days. In contrast, degradation of a bicyclic NA surrogate [14C-decahydronaphthoic acid (DHNA)] was significantly lower in non process-affected sediments. Enrichment cultures, obtained from an active tailings settling pond, using commercially available NAs as the sole carbon source, resulted in the isolation of a co-culture containing Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas fluorescens. Quantitative GC-MS analysis showed that the co-culture removed >95% of the commercial NAs, and partially degraded the process NAs from OSPW with a resulting NA profile similar to that from 'aged wetlands'. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to NAs induced and/or selected micro-organisms capable of more effectively degrading bicyclic NAs. Native Pseudomonas spp. extensively degraded fresh, commercial NA. The recalcitrant NAs resembled those found in process-affected wetlands. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: These results suggest that it may be possible to manipulate the existing environmental conditions to select for a microbial community exhibiting higher rates of NA degradation. This will have significant impact on the design of artificial wetlands for water treatment.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗

PubMed2000

Anaerobic waste digestion in Germany--status and recent developments.

Anaerobic treatment processes are especially suited for the utilization of wet organic wastes from agriculture and industry as well as for the organic part of source-separated household wastes. Anaerobic degradation is a very cost-effective method for treating biogenic wastes because the formed biogas can be used for heat and electricity production and the digester residues can be recycled to agriculture as a secondary fertilizer. Anaerobic technology will also be used for the common treatment of wastes together with renewable energy crops in order to reduce the CO2-emissions according the Kyoto protocol. Various process types are applied in Germany which differ in material, reaction conditions and in the form of the used reactor systems. The widespread introduction of anaerobic digestion in Germany has shown that biogenic organic wastes are a valuable source for energy and nutrients. Anaerobic waste treatment is done today in approx. 850 biogas plants on small farm scale as well as on large industrial scale with the best beneficial and economic outcome. Due to some new environmental protection acts which promote the recycling of wastes and their utilization for renewable energy formation it can be expected that several hundreds new biogas plants will be built per year in Germany. In order to use the synergetic effects of a combined fermentation of wastes and energy crops new process types must be developed in order to optimize the substrate combinations and the process conditions for maximum biodegradation.

Anaerobiosis↗

PubMed2000

Engineering radiation-resistant bacteria for environmental biotechnology.

Seventy million cubic meters of ground and three trillion liters of groundwater have been contaminated by leaking radioactive waste generated in the United States during the Cold War. A cleanup technology is being developed based on the radiation-resistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans, which is being engineered to express bioremediating functions.

Bacteria↗

PubMed1997

Rubber tire leachates in the aquatic environment.

Tires have a deleterious effect on the environment. This review discusses the background of scrap tires discarded in the environment, including tire composition, adverse environmental effects, threats to public health and safety, and solid waste management. Despite the widespread use of scrap tires in environmental applications, both land-based and aquatic, data on the indicators of environmental degradation are extremely scarce. Indicators of environmental degradation include analysis of chemicals within the water and sediment, analysis of contaminants within organisms, and analysis of the biological effects of these compounds on plants, animals, microbes, and organelles. Although these indicators are most useful when used in parallel, a review of the available information on chemical characterization of tire leachate from tire storage facilities, manufacturing, usage in recycling applications, and toxicity exposure studies, of vegetation surveys from waste tire areas and reviews of mammalian tire product toxicity, and of toxicity, mutagenicity, and carcinogenicity of tire exposure in experimental aquatic animals, microbes, and organelles is presented. The major characteristics of these studies are discussed in specific sections. The "Discussion and Conclusions" section discusses and summarizes the biological effects and chemical characterization of tire leachates. A global environmental perspective is included to improve our understanding of the deficiency of the current knowledge of tire leachate toxicity from various sources and to encourage interdisciplinary studies to establish the pattern of pollution associated with waste tire management.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Ecotoxicological characterisation and classification of existing chemicals. Examples from the ICCA HPV initiative and comparison with other existing chemicals.

GOAL, SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: In 1998, the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) launched a global initiative to investigate more than 1,000 HPV chemicals (High Production Volume, > or = 1,000 t/a) within the refocused OECD HPV Chemicals Programme. Up to the OECD SIDS Initial Assessment Meeting in April 2004 (SIAM 18) 147 ICCA dossiers (ca. 230 CAS-No) have been assessed based on a harmonised data set. The environmental profile and an ecotoxicological characterisation of these chemicals are presented here. Data for acute aquatic toxicity were correlated among each other, as well as data for fish (LC50, LD50) and rodents (LD50). The data for acute aquatic toxicity are compared with other existing chemicals. METHODS: Data of the ICCA HPV chemicals from the OECD SIAM 11-18 are presented for: log Kow (as an indicator for bioaccumulation potential), biodegradation, acute aquatic toxicity and availability of long-term toxicity data. Correlation analysis was performed with log transformed data and a linear regression model was fitted to the data, if a significant correlation was found. Acute toxicity for fish and acute oral toxicity for rodents were correlated on a molar basis. Acute aquatic toxicity of the chemicals is compared with data from BUA reports 1-234 and a random EINECS sample (Knacker et al. 1995). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: According to the dossier information, 71 of the 147 ICCA chemicals are not 'readily biodegradable', 21 have a log Kow > or = 3, and 44 are 'toxic' (LC/EC50 < or = 10 mg/L) or 'very toxic' (LC/EC50 < or = 1 mg/L) to aquatic organisms. For 77, only the base set (acute fish, Daphnia and algae) is available, for the rest at least one long-term test (fish or Daphnia) is available and three tests for a mere 14 others. Based on the data presented, the SIAM gives recommendations for Environment and Human Health. 22 chemicals have been identified as a 'candidate for further work' for Environment and 16 for Human Health. The highest correlation coefficient was obtained correlating fish and Daphnia (r2 = 0.79). LC50 (fish) is significantly correlated with LD50 (rodent), but data are widely scattered. The correlation is not improved after transforming LC50 (fish) to LD50 (fish), using BCF QSAR. Based on acute aquatic toxicity, 25.1% of the chemicals from the BUA reports 1-234 are classified as 'very toxic' (LC/EC50 < or = 1 mg/L). This proportion is 2.5-fold higher than the ICCA HPV chemicals and 1.4-fold higher than the random EINECS sample. CONCLUSIONS: Correlation coefficients for aquatic toxicity data are rather uniform (0.57-0.79) compared with literature data, but also the best correlation was observed between fish and Daphnia. Because the scatter around the regression lines is still considerable, simple predictions of ecotoxicity between species are not possible. Correlation of LC50 (fish) and LD50 (rodent) indicates that toxicity is different. Surprisingly, the correlation of fish and rodent toxicity is not improved by transforming LC50 values to internal LD50s. The selection of ICCA chemicals by market significance (production volume) leads to a classification of toxicity, which is more comparable to a random sample of EINECS chemicals than to German BUA chemicals. The latter were chosen for concern (for Environment or Human Health). RECOMMENDATIONS AND OUTLOOK: Of 147 dossiers assessed between SIAM 11-18, ca. 75% were sponsored by the three following countries: Germany (42), USA (37) and Japan (33). The current output is about 50 dossiers per year (70-100 CAS-No), but a trend for an increase of output is noticeable. Industry, national authorities, and OECD work on a further development to speed up the output. The number of chemicals with 'low priority for further work' and the work recommended for the 'candidates' (mainly exposure assessment) indicate that the data presented were adequate for an initial hazard assessment according to OECD requirements. From the ICCA HPV list (n = 880, state of 1999) 44% of the chemicals have data available to cover all SIDS endpoints for Environment and only 33% for Human Health (Allanou et al. 1999). This indicates the importance of the Initiative to provide information on existing chemicals. The authors agree with the expectation "...that the scientific information provided by this global initiative will be considered as an internationally accepted and harmonised basis for further steps of chemicals management." (ICCA 2002 b).

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Phytoremediation of toxic aromatic pollutants from soil.

The enormous growth of industrialization, and the use of numerous aromatic compounds in dyestuffs, explosives, pesticides and pharmaceuticals has resulted in serious environmental pollution and has attracted considerable attention continuously over the last two decades. Many aromatic hydrocarbons, nitroaromatic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, diauxins and their derivatives are highly toxic, mutagenic and/or carcinogenic to natural microflora as well as to higher systems including humans. The increasing costs and limited efficiency of traditional physicochemical treatments of soil have spurred the development of new remediation technologies. Phytoremediation is emerging as an efficient treatment technology that uses plants to bioremediate pollutants from soil environments. Various modern tools and analytical devices have provided insight into the selection and optimization of remediation processes by various plant species. Sites heavily polluted with organic contaminants require hyperaccumulators, which could be developed by genetic engineering approaches. However, efficient hyperaccumulation by naturally occurring plants is also feasible and can be made practical by improving their nutritional and environmental requirements. Thus, phytoremediation of organics appears a very promising technology for the removal of contaminants from polluted soil. In this review, certain aspects of plant metabolism associated with phytoremediation of organic contaminants and their relevant phytoremediation efforts are discussed.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗

PubMed2005

Bound residues: environmental solution or future problem?

The paper examines the issue of bound residues from the viewpoint of the risk assessment procedures employed for environmental protection. It considers, on one hand, the evidence that such residues are so tightly bound to soil organic matter as to be essentially unavailable; and on the other, the perspective that we should not be loading up the environment with compounds whose future behaviour and release we cannot predict. Existing knowledge of the mechanisms by which residues bind to soil organic matter suggests that release will be closely dependent on soil organic matter breakdown. Simple models of organic matter turnover suggest that the release following single applications of individual compounds will be very slow; but the significance of releases following repeated application over many years of a number of compounds needs to be investigated further. Applying environmental risk assessment techniques is complicated by the difficulty in identifying parent molecules and potential metabolites in the bound residue fraction. The paper concludes that for single additions of individual compounds, bound residues probably do represent an environmental solution. But the long-term significance of bound residues formed from multiple additions of a number of compounds is less clear. The paper recommends that future work should emphasise the biological significance of such residues and their release.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗

PubMed2000

Relationship between electron donor and microorganism on the dechlorination of carbon tetrachloride by an anaerobic enrichment culture.

An investigation involving the supplement of different concentrations of substrates and microorganisms was carried out under anaerobic condition to assess the feasibility of bioremediation of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) with the amendment of low concentrations of auxiliary substrate and microorganisms. The concentrations of substrate and microorganisms ranged from 10 to 100 mg/l and from 3.7 x 10(4) to 3.7 x 10(6) cell/ml, respectively. The biotransformation rate of CCl4 increased progressively with the increase in the concentrations of the substrate and microorganisms. In the low biomass-amended system (3.7 x 10(4) cells/ml), 28-71% and 57-96% of CCl4 removals were exhibited when 10-100 mg/l of acetate or glucose was supplemented, respectively, whereas nearly complete degradation of CCl4 was observed in the heavily inoculated systems (3.7 x 10(6) cells/ml). An addition of electron donor in the low microbial activity batches enhanced greater efficiency in dechlorination than in the high microbial activity batches. The second-order rate constants ranged from 0.0059 to 0.0092 l/mg/day in high biomass input system, while a two- to four-fold increase in rate constant was obtained in the low microbial activity system. This study indicates that biomass was the more important environmental parameter than substrate affecting the fate of CCl4. The addition of auxiliary substrates was effective only in low biomass-amended batches (0.56 mg-VSS/l) and diminished inversely with the increase of microbial concentration.

Acetates↗