Mechanisms Prevalent during Bioremediation of Wastewaters from the Pulp and Paper Industry

Bioremediation of wastewaters represents an important treatment methodology, especially when examined against the backdrop of ever-stricter legislation that is evolving in order to regulate effluent release into the environment. It has been reported that bioremediation specifically holds promise in solving environmental problems. Crucial questions surrounding the treatment of effluents include: efficiency of the process, economic feasibility, legal requirements, and the mechanisms involved in the remediation process. Of all these issues mentioned, the last requires special attention. This paper investigates these matters and focuses on techniques that are currently employed to determine the efficiency of bioremediation and mechanisms involved therein. The physiological significance of biosorption is also examined, as this subject has not been fully addressed in previous publications.     

2020污染土壤的生物修复专刊序言

生物修复技术,作为可持续发展的重要方向,因其环境友好、高效且无二次污染并能从根本上解决土壤污染问题而受到关注,已经在土壤污染治理中得到了广泛的应用。为了梳理和凝练生物修复技术的发展状况,本专刊收录了该研究领域的16篇论文,分别从植物修复、微生物修复、联合修复、重金属吸收积累的相关分子机制、资源化再利用等方面,详细阐述生物修复技术的发展动态,展望未来的发展趋势,为促进生物修复技术的发展提供参考。     

Endophytic microorganisms—promising applications in bioremediation of greenhouse gases

Bioremediation is a technique that uses microbial metabolism to remove pollutants. Various techniques and strategies of bioremediation (e.g., phytoremediation enhanced by endophytic microorganisms, rhizoremediation) can mainly be used to remove hazardous waste from the biosphere. During the last decade, this specific technique has emerged as a potential cleanup tool only for metal pollutants. This situation has changed recently as a possibility has appeared for bioremediation of other pollutants, for instance, volatile organic compounds, crude oils, and radionuclides. The mechanisms of bioremediation depend on the mobility, solubility, degradability, and bioavailability of contaminants. Biodegradation of pollutions is associated with microbial growth and metabolism, i.e., factors that have an impact on the process. Moreover, these factors have a great influence on degradation. As a result, recognition of natural microbial processes is indispensable for understanding the mechanisms of effective bioremediation. In this review, we have emphasized the occurrence of endophytic microorganisms and colonization of plants by endophytes. In addition, the role of enhanced bioremediation by endophytic bacteria and especially of phytoremediation is presented.     

Photobrightening in Lead Halide Perovskites: Observations,Mechanisms, and Future Potential

There has been a meteoric rise in the commercial potential of lead halide perovskite optoelectronic devices since photovoltaic cells and light‐emitting diodes based on these materials were first demonstrated. One key challenge common to each of these optoelectronic devices is the need to suppress nonradiative recombination, a process that limits the maximum achievable efficiency in photovoltaic cells and light‐emitting diodes. In this Progress Report, recent studies that seek to minimize this loss pathway in perovskites through a photobrightening treatment, whereby the luminescence efficiency is enhanced through a light illumination passivation process are examined. The sensitivity of this effect to various experimental considerations is examined, including atmosphere, photon energy, photon dose, and also the role of perovskite composition and morphology; under certain conditions there can even be photodarkening effects. Consideration of these factors is critical to resolve seemingly conflicting literature reports. Proposed mechanisms are scrutinized, revealing that there is now some consensus but further work is needed to identify the specific defects being passivated and elucidate universal mechanisms. Finally, the prospects for these treatments to minimize halide migration and push the properties of polycrystalline films towards those of their single‐crystal counterparts are discussed.     

Effect of temperature and aeration rate on co-composting of olive mill wastewater with olive stone wooden residues

Co-composting of the solid residues and wastewater from the olive oil production process was examined as a potential bioremediation treatment for these wastes. Experimental results from a semi batch laboratory pilot plant were reported. Composting was performed for 20 days under constant moisture 40% and the temperature ranged from 55 to 72°C and the oxygen partial pressure from 10 to 17%. An operational region of temperature and oxygen partial pressure was defined in order to achieve a ratio of total olive mill wastewater consumption to olive stone wooden residue stabilization equal or greater than 2.5, the typical ratio for an olive mill plant. Another critical parameter for the optimisation of the 20-day co-composting process that was examined was the biological efficiency of the process, as the carbon dioxide produced to the total carbon available to biomass. A strong sigmoid correlation of co-composting efficiency with temperature derived, reaching a maximum plateau of 0.50 at 68°C. The optimum conditions for a 20-day semi batch co-composting proved to be 68°C and 16–17% oxygen partial pressure, indicating that this process could be an integrated treatment scheme for olive mills.     

Development and assessment of a preliminary kinetic model for in situ pah bioremediation

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of organic nonaqueous‐phase liquid (NAPL) contaminants of critical environmental concern. The treatment method used for a contaminated soil depends primarily on the nature and extent of the contamination as well as the cost effectiveness of the method. Current research has shown that bioremediation is perhaps the simplest and most economic process for the treatment of large contaminated areas. Although bioremediation feasibility and effectiveness has been well documented, additional information is required to fully understand subsurface kinetics. Specifically, the importance and effect of interactions between bacteria, supplemental nutrients, oxygen source, contaminant, and soil type must be understood. Preliminary respirometer experiments have been conducted to address these factors for the development of a kinetic model for both steady‐state and unsteady‐state conditions.     

Bioremediation technologies for treatment of PAH-contaminated soil and strategies to enhance process efficiency

The complex and diverse structural configurations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), combined with their low bioavailability, hydrophobic nature, strong sorption phenomena, and high persistence in soil makes the design of effective bioremediation methodologies a challenge. The multi-phasic nature of the bioremediation process, restricted mass transfer and non-availability of degrading soil microflora further compound the problem. In this direction, this communication presents a focused review of bioremediation technologies used recently for the treatment of PAH-contaminated soils. The specific roles of important factors affecting bioremediation process efficiency are discussed. Finally some of the recently used strategies to enhance bioremediation process efficiency, including bioaugmentation, biostimulation, rhizoremediation, the use of chemotaxins, the biomimetic catalytic system approach, and integrated techniques, are reviewed.     

Microbial nitrogen cycles: physiology, genomics and applications

Genes and pathways involved in inorganic nitrogen cycles have been found in traditional as well as unusual microorganisms. These pathways or enzymes play a very important role in the adaptation or survival of these microorganisms under a variety of environmental conditions. Microbial nitrogen metabolism has industrial applications ranging from wastewater treatment to bioremediation and potential future use in biocatalysis for chemical production.     

有机磷生物修复研究进展

目前,有机磷的生物修复还主要是微生物修复。但是植物修复更具优越性,因其花费更少、对环境更安全。然而植物对生长条件的要求相对较高,修复效率较低,应用还非常有限。本文综述了有机磷微生物修复和植物修复的研究进展,总结了已知的有机磷降解酶及其生物来源。结果表明,植物材料的筛选、土壤与OPs作用机理的研究、植物耐受和消除OPs的基因组学研究、植物-微生物联合降解体系的建立以及降解酶的植物根系分泌系统的利用是提高有机磷植物修复效率的重要途径。     

Contributions of biosurfactants to natural or induced bioremediation

The number of studies dedicated to evaluating the influence of biosurfactants on bioremediation efficiency is constantly growing. Although significant progress regarding the explanation of mechanisms behind biosurfactant-induced effects could be observed, there are still many factors which are not sufficiently elucidated. This corresponds to the fact that although positive influence of biosurfactants is often reported, there are also numerous cases where no or negative effect was observed. This review summarizes the recent finding in the field of biosurfactant-amended bioremediation, focusing mainly on a critical approach towards potential limitations and causes of failure while investigating the effects of biosurfactants on the efficiency of biodegradation and phytoextraction processes. It also provides a summary of successive steps, which should be taken into consideration when designing biosurfactant-related treatment processes.     

Basic studies and applications on bioremediation of DDT: A review

The persistent insecticide DDT (1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis (4-chlorophenyl) ethane) has been widely used for pest control in the management of mosquito-borne malaria and is still used for that purpose in some tropical countries. Considering the potential for negative effects due to DDT contamination, it is necessary to determine effective methods of remediation. Several methods have been used to degrade or transform DDT into less toxic compounds. Bacteria and white-rot fungi (WRF) have been shown to enhance the degradation process in soil using both pure and mixed cultures. Recently, a biological approach has been used as an environmentally-friendly treatment, using new biological sources to degrade DDT, e.g. brown-rot fungi (BRF), cattle manure compost (CMC) and spent mushroom waste (SMW). In this review, the abilities of BRF, CMC and SMW to degrade DDT are discussed, including the mechanisms and degradation pathways. Furthermore, application of these sources to contaminated soil is also described. The review discusses which is the best source for bioremediation of DDT.     

Biodegradation of phenol and its derivatives by engineered bacteria: current knowledge and perspectives

Biodegradation of phenolic compounds is a promising alternative to physical and chemical methods used to remove these toxic pollutants from the environment. The ability of various microorganisms to metabolize phenol and its derivatives (alkylphenols, nitrophenols and halogenated derivatives) has therefore been intensively studied. Knowledge of the enzymes catalyzing the individual reactions, the genes encoding these enzymes and the regulatory mechanisms involved in the expression of the respective genes in bacteria serves as a basis for the development of more efficient degraders of phenols via genetic engineering methods. Engineered bacteria which efficiently degrade phenolic compounds were constructed in laboratories using various approaches such as cloning the catabolic genes in multicopy plasmids, the introduction of heterologous genes or broadening the substrate range of key enzymes by mutagenesis. Efforts to apply the engineered strains in in situ bioremediation are problematic, since engineered strains often do not compete successfully with indigenous microorganisms. New efficient degraders of phenolic compounds may be obtained by complex approaches at the organism level, such as genome shuffling or adaptive evolution. The application of these engineered bacteria for bioremediation will require even more complex analysis of both the biological characteristics of the degraders and the physico-chemical conditions at the polluted sites.     

Bacterial community dynamics and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degradation during bioremediation of heavily creosote-contaminated soil

Bacterial community dynamics and biodegradation processes were examined in a highly creosote-contaminated soil undergoing a range of laboratory-based bioremediation treatments. The dynamics of the eubacterial community, the number of heterotrophs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) degraders, and the total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) and PAH concentrations were monitored during the bioremediation process. TPH and PAHs were significantly degraded in all treatments (72 to 79% and 83 to 87%, respectively), and the biodegradation values were higher when nutrients were not added, especially for benzo(a)anthracene and chrysene. The moisture content and aeration were determined to be the key factors associated with PAH bioremediation. Neither biosurfactant addition, bioaugmentation, nor ferric octate addition led to differences in PAH or TPH biodegradation compared to biodegradation with nutrient treatment. All treatments resulted in a high first-order degradation rate during the first 45 days, which was markedly reduced after 90 days. A sharp increase in the size of the heterotrophic and PAH-degrading microbial populations was observed, which coincided with the highest rates of TPH and PAH biodegradation. At the end of the incubation period, PAH degraders were more prevalent in samples to which nutrients had not been added. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis and principal-component analysis confirmed that there was a remarkable shift in the composition of the bacterial community due to both the biodegradation process and the addition of nutrients. At early stages of biodegradation, the alpha-Proteobacteria group (genera Sphingomonas and Azospirillum) was the dominant group in all treatments. At later stages, the gamma-Proteobacteria group (genus Xanthomonas), the alpha-Proteobacteria group (genus Sphingomonas), and the Cytophaga-Flexibacter-Bacteroides group (Bacteroidetes) were the dominant groups in the nonnutrient treatment, while the gamma-Proteobacteria group (genus Xathomonas), the beta-Proteobacteria group (genera Alcaligenes and Achromobacter), and the alpha-Proteobacteria group (genus Sphingomonas) were the dominant groups in the nutrient treatment. This study shows that specific bacterial phylotypes are associated both with different phases of PAH degradation and with nutrient addition in a preadapted PAH-contaminated soil. Our findings also suggest that there are complex interactions between bacterial species and medium conditions that influence the biodegradation capacity of the microbial communities involved in bioremediation processes.     

PD-1/PD-L1-dependent immune response in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is still considered as the third most frequent cancer in the world. Microsatellite instability (MSI), inflammation, and microRNAs have been demonstrated as the main contributing factors in CRC. Subtype 1 CRC is defined by NK cells infiltration, induction of Th1 lymphocyte and cytotoxic T cell responses as well as upregulation of immune checkpoint proteins including programmed cell death-1 (PD-1). Based on the diverse features of CRC, such as the stage and localization of the tumor, several treatment approaches are available. However, the efficiency of these treatments may be decreased due to the development of diverse resistance mechanisms. It has been proven that monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) can increase the effectiveness of CRC treatments. Nowadays, several mAbs including nivolumab and pembrolizumab have been approved for the treatment of CRC. Immune checkpoint receptors including PD-1 can be inhibited by these antibodies. Combination therapy gives an opportunity for advanced treatment for CRC patients. In this review, an update has been provided on the molecular mechanisms involved in MSI colorectal cancer immune microenvironment by focusing on PD-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and treatment of patients with advanced immunotherapy, which were examined in the different clinical trial phases. Considering induced expression of PD-L1 by conventional chemotherapeutics, we have summarized the role of PD-L1 in CRC, the chemotherapy effects on the PD-1/PD-L1 axis and novel combined approaches to enhance immunotherapy of CRC by focusing on PD-L1.     

金属结合蛋白(肽)与环境重金属生物修复

重金属污染是全球关注的重要环境问题。针对重金属的生物修复技术 ,因其特有的优势 ,越来越受到重视 ,其中一个重要的研究领域是利用金属离子和金属结合蛋白或结合肽之间存在的强亲和能力特性进行的生物修复研究。就金属结合蛋白 (肽 )的种类、结构特点、以及金属结合的作用机理进行了总结 ,同时综述了展示或表达有不同金属结合蛋白或结合肽的微生物和植物对重金属污染进行生物修复的最新研究进展 ,对基于金属结合蛋白 (肽 )的环境重金属生物修复的进一步研究 (如肽库的构建和筛选 ,金属与蛋白 (肽 )的相互作用 )进行了讨论。     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Irpex lacteus</Emphasis>, a white-rot fungus with biotechnological potential — <Emphasis Type="Italic">review</Emphasis>

White-rot fungi that are efficient lignin degraders responsible for its turnover in nature have appeared twice in the center of biotechnological research — first, when the lignin degradation process started being systematically investigated and major enzyme activities and mechanisms involved were described, and second, when the huge remediation potential of these organisms was established. Originally, Phanerochaete chrysosporium became a model organism, characterized by a secondary metabolism regulatory pattern triggered by nutrient (mostly nitrogen) limitation. Last decade brought evidence of more varied regulatory patterns in white-rot fungi when ligninolytic enzymes were also abundantly synthesized under conditions of nitrogen sufficiency. Gradually, research was focused on other species, among them Irpex lacteus showing a remarkable pollutant toxicity resistance and biodegradation efficiency. Systematic research has built up knowledge of biochemistry and biotechnological applicability of this fungus, stressing the need to critically summarize and estimate these scattered data. The review attempts to evaluate the information on I. lacteus focusing on various enzyme activities and bioremediation of organopollutants in water and soil environments, with the aim of mediating this knowledge to a broader microbiological audience.     

AM真菌对重金属污染土壤生物修复的应用与机理

土壤重金属污染威胁人类健康和整个生态系统,而高效、低耗、安全的生物修复技术显示出了极大的应用潜力,特别是利用植物-微生物共生体增强生物修复效应的应用.丛枝菌根(Arbuscular Mycorrhizae,AM)真菌是一类广泛分布于土壤生态系统中的有益微生物,能与90％以上的陆生高等植物形成共生体.研究发现,AM真菌能够增强宿主植物对土壤中重金属胁迫的耐受性.当前,利用AM真菌开展重金属污染土壤的生物修复已经引起环境学家和生态学家的广泛关注.基于此,围绕AM真菌在重金属污染土壤生物修复作用中的最新研究进展,从物理性防御体系的形成、对植物生理代谢的调控、生化拮抗物质的产生、基因表达的调控等角度探究AM真菌在重金属污染土壤生物修复中的作用机理,以期为利用AM真菌开展重金属污染的生物修复提供理论依据,并对本领域未来的发展和应用前景进行了展望.