Batch-batch stable microbial community in the traditional fermentation process of huyumei broad bean pastes.

PubMed

Zhu, Linjiang; Fan, Zihao; Kuai, Hui; Li, Qi

2017-09-01

During natural fermentation processes, a characteristic microbial community structure (MCS) is naturally formed, and it is interesting to know about its batch-batch stability. This issue was explored in a traditional semi-solid-state fermentation process of huyumei, a Chinese broad bean paste product. The results showed that this MCS mainly contained four aerobic Bacillus species (8 log CFU per g), including B. subtilis, B. amyloliquefaciens, B. methylotrophicus, and B. tequilensis, and the facultative anaerobe B. cereus with a low concentration (4 log CFU per g), besides a very small amount of the yeast Zygosaccharomyces rouxii (2 log CFU per g). The dynamic change of the MCS in the brine fermentation process showed that the abundance of dominant species varied within a small range, and in the beginning of process the growth of lactic acid bacteria was inhibited and Staphylococcus spp. lost its viability. Also, the MCS and its dynamic change were proved to be highly reproducible among seven batches of fermentation. Therefore, the MCS naturally and stably forms between different batches of the traditional semi-solid-state fermentation of huyumei. Revealing microbial community structure and its batch-batch stability is helpful for understanding the mechanisms of community formation and flavour production in a traditional fermentation. This issue in a traditional semi-solid-state fermentation of huyumei broad bean paste was firstly explored. This fermentation process was revealed to be dominated by a high concentration of four aerobic species of Bacillus, a low concentration of B. cereus and a small amount of Zygosaccharomyces rouxii. Lactic acid bacteria and Staphylococcus spp. lost its viability at the beginning of fermentation. Such the community structure was proved to be highly reproducible among seven batches. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Effects of carbon brush anode size and loading on microbial fuel cell performance in batch and continuous mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lanas, Vanessa; Ahn, Yongtae; Logan, Bruce E.

2014-02-01

Larger scale microbial fuel cells (MFCs) require compact architectures to efficiently treat wastewater. We examined how anode-brush diameter, number of anodes, and electrode spacing affected the performance of the MFCs operated in fed-batch and continuous flow mode. All anodes were initially tested with the brush core set at the same distance from the cathode. In fed-batch mode, the configuration with three larger brushes (25 mm diameter) produced 80% more power (1240 mW m-2) than reactors with eight smaller brushes (8 mm) (690 mW m-2). The higher power production by the larger brushes was due to more negative and stable anode potentials than the smaller brushes. The same general result was obtained in continuous flow operation, although power densities were reduced. However, by moving the center of the smaller brushes closer to the cathode (from 16.5 to 8 mm), power substantially increased from 690 to 1030 mW m-2 in fed batch mode. In continuous flow mode, power increased from 280 to 1020 mW m-2, resulting in more power production from the smaller brushes than the larger brushes (540 mW m-2). These results show that multi-electrode MFCs can be optimized by selecting smaller anodes, placed as close as possible to the cathode.

Electrochemical study of multi-electrode microbial fuel cells under fed-batch and continuous flow conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Lijiao; Ahn, Yongtae; Hou, Huijie; Zhang, Fang; Logan, Bruce E.

2014-07-01

Power production of four hydraulically connected microbial fuel cells (MFCs) was compared with the reactors operated using individual electrical circuits (individual), and when four anodes were wired together and connected to four cathodes all wired together (combined), in fed-batch or continuous flow conditions. Power production under these different conditions could not be made based on a single resistance, but instead required polarization tests to assess individual performance relative to the combined MFCs. Based on the power curves, power produced by the combined MFCs (2.12 ± 0.03 mW, 200 Ω) was the same as the summed power (2.13 mW, 50 Ω) produced by the four individual reactors in fed-batch mode. With continuous flow through the four MFCs, the maximum power (0.59 ± 0.01 mW) produced by the combined MFCs was slightly lower than the summed maximum power of the four individual reactors (0.68 ± 0.02 mW). There was a small parasitic current flow from adjacent anodes and cathodes, but overall performance was relatively unaffected. These findings demonstrate that optimal power production by reactors hydraulically and electrically connected can be predicted from performance by individual reactors.

A novel process-based model of microbial growth: self-inhibition in Saccharomyces cerevisiae aerobic fed-batch cultures.

PubMed

Mazzoleni, Stefano; Landi, Carmine; Cartenì, Fabrizio; de Alteriis, Elisabetta; Giannino, Francesco; Paciello, Lucia; Parascandola, Palma

2015-07-30

Microbial population dynamics in bioreactors depend on both nutrients availability and changes in the growth environment. Research is still ongoing on the optimization of bioreactor yields focusing on the increase of the maximum achievable cell density. A new process-based model is proposed to describe the aerobic growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cultured on glucose as carbon and energy source. The model considers the main metabolic routes of glucose assimilation (fermentation to ethanol and respiration) and the occurrence of inhibition due to the accumulation of both ethanol and other self-produced toxic compounds in the medium. Model simulations reproduced data from classic and new experiments of yeast growth in batch and fed-batch cultures. Model and experimental results showed that the growth decline observed in prolonged fed-batch cultures had to be ascribed to self-produced inhibitory compounds other than ethanol. The presented results clarify the dynamics of microbial growth under different feeding conditions and highlight the relevance of the negative feedback by self-produced inhibitory compounds on the maximum cell densities achieved in a bioreactor.

Effect of different salt adaptation strategies on the microbial diversity, activity, and settling of nitrifying sludge in sequencing batch reactors.

PubMed

Bassin, João Paulo; Kleerebezem, Robbert; Muyzer, Gerard; Rosado, Alexandre Soares; van Loosdrecht, Mark C M; Dezotti, Marcia

2012-02-01

The effect of salinity on the activity of nitrifying bacteria, floc characteristics, and microbial community structure accessed by fluorescent in situ hybridization and polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis techniques was investigated. Two sequencing batch reactors (SRB₁ and SBR₂) treating synthetic wastewater were subjected to increasing salt concentrations. In SBR₁, four salt concentrations (5, 10, 15, and 20 g NaCl/L) were tested, while in SBR₂, only two salt concentrations (10 and 20 g NaCl/L) were applied in a more shock-wise manner. The two different salt adaptation strategies caused different changes in microbial community structure, but did not change the nitrification performance, suggesting that regardless of the different nitrifying bacterial community present in the reactor, the nitrification process can be maintained stable within the salt range tested. Specific ammonium oxidation rates were more affected when salt increase was performed more rapidly and dropped 50% and 60% at 20 g NaCl/L for SBR₁ and SBR₂, respectively. A gradual increase in NaCl concentration had a positive effect on the settling properties (i.e., reduction of sludge volume index), although it caused a higher amount of suspended solids in the effluent. Higher organisms (e.g., protozoa, nematodes, and rotifers) as well as filamentous bacteria could not withstand the high salt concentrations.

Role of bacterial adhesion in the microbial ecology of biofilms in cooling tower systems.

PubMed

Liu, Yang; Zhang, Wei; Sileika, Tadas; Warta, Richard; Cianciotto, Nicholas P; Packman, Aaron

2009-01-01

The fate of the three heterotrophic biofilm forming bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Flavobacterium sp. in pilot scale cooling towers was evaluated both by observing the persistence of each species in the recirculating water and the formation of biofilms on steel coupons placed in each cooling tower water reservoir. Two different cooling tower experiments were performed: a short-term study (6 days) to observe the initial bacterial colonization of the cooling tower, and a long-term study (3 months) to observe the ecological dynamics with repeated introduction of the test strains. An additional set of batch experiments (6 days) was carried out to evaluate the adhesion of each strain to steel surfaces under similar conditions to those found in the cooling tower experiments. Substantial differences were observed in the microbial communities that developed in the batch systems and cooling towers. P. aeruginosa showed a low degree of adherence to steel surfaces both in batch and in the cooling towers, but grew much faster than K. pneumoniae and Flavobacterium in mixed-species biofilms and ultimately became the dominant organism in the closed batch systems. However, the low degree of adherence caused P. aeruginosa to be rapidly washed out of the open cooling tower systems, and Flavobacterium became the dominant microorganism in the cooling towers in both the short-term and long-term experiments. These results indicate that adhesion, retention and growth on solid surfaces play important roles in the bacterial community that develops in cooling tower systems.

Role of bacterial adhesion in the microbial ecology of biofilms in cooling tower systems

PubMed Central

Liu, Yang; Zhang, Wei; Sileika, Tadas; Warta, Richard; Cianciotto, Nicholas P.; Packman, Aaron

2009-01-01

The fate of the three heterotrophic biofilm forming bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Flavobacterium sp. in pilot scale cooling towers was evaluated both by observing the persistence of each species in the recirculating water and the formation of biofilms on steel coupons placed in each cooling tower water reservoir. Two different cooling tower experiments were performed: a short-term study (6 days) to observe the initial bacterial colonization of the cooling tower, and a long-term study (3 months) to observe the ecological dynamics with repeated introduction of the test strains. An additional set of batch experiments (6 days) was carried out to evaluate the adhesion of each strain to steel surfaces under similar conditions to those found in the cooling tower experiments. Substantial differences were observed in the microbial communities that developed in the batch systems and cooling towers. P. aeruginosa showed a low degree of adherence to steel surfaces both in batch and in the cooling towers, but grew much faster than K. pneumoniae and Flavobacterium in mixed-species biofilms and ultimately became the dominant organism in the closed batch systems. However, the low degree of adherence caused P. aeruginosa to be rapidly washed out of the open cooling tower systems, and Flavobacterium became the dominant microorganism in the cooling towers in both the short-term and long-term experiments. These results indicate that adhesion, retention and growth on solid surfaces play important roles in the bacterial community that develops in cooling tower systems. PMID:19177226

Residual organic matter and microbial respiration in bottom ash: Effects on metal leaching and eco-toxicity.

PubMed

Ilyas, A; Persson, K M; Persson, M

2015-09-01

A common assumption regarding the residual organic matter, in bottom ash, is that it does not represent a significant pool of organic carbon and, beyond metal-ion complexation process, it is of little consequence to evolution of ash/leachate chemistry. This article evaluates the effect of residual organic matter and associated microbial respiratory processes on leaching of toxic metals (i.e. arsenic, copper, chromium, molybdenum, nickel, lead, antimony and zinc), eco-toxicity of ash leachates. Microbial respiration was quantified with help of a respirometric test equipment OXITOP control system. The effect of microbial respiration on metal/residual organic matter leaching and eco-toxicity was quantified with the help of batch leaching tests and an eco-toxicity assay - Daphnia magna. In general, the microbial respiration process decreased the leachate pH and eco-toxicity, indicating modification of bioavailability of metal species. Furthermore, the leaching of critical metals, such as copper and chromium, decreased after the respiration in both ash types (fresh and weathered). It was concluded that microbial respiration, if harnessed properly, could enhance the stability of fresh bottom ash and may promote its reuse. © The Author(s) 2015.

Comparison of different liquid anaerobic digestion effluents as inocula and nitrogen sources for solid-state batch anaerobic digestion of corn stover.

PubMed

Xu, Fuqing; Shi, Jian; Lv, Wen; Yu, Zhongtang; Li, Yebo

2013-01-01

Effluents from three liquid anaerobic digesters, fed with municipal sewage sludge, food waste, or dairy waste, were evaluated as inocula and nitrogen sources for solid-state batch anaerobic digestion of corn stover in mesophilic reactors. Three feedstock-to-effluent (F/E) ratios (i.e., 2, 4, and 6) were tested for each effluent. At an F/E ratio of 2, the reactor inoculated by dairy waste effluent achieved the highest methane yield of 238.5L/kg VS(feed), while at an F/E ratio of 4, the reactor inoculated by food waste effluent achieved the highest methane yield of 199.6L/kg VS(feed). The microbial population and chemical composition of the three effluents were substantially different. Food waste effluent had the largest population of acetoclastic methanogens, while dairy waste effluent had the largest populations of cellulolytic and xylanolytic bacteria. Dairy waste also had the highest C/N ratio of 8.5 and the highest alkalinity of 19.3g CaCO(3)/kg. The performance of solid-state batch anaerobic digestion reactors was closely related to the microbial status in the liquid anaerobic digestion effluents. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study of the diversity of microbial communities in a sequencing batch reactor oxic-settling-anaerobic process and its modified process.

PubMed

Sun, Lianpeng; Chen, Jianfan; Wei, Xiange; Guo, Wuzhen; Lin, Meishan; Yu, Xiaoyu

2016-05-01

To further reveal the mechanism of sludge reduction in the oxic-settling-anaerobic (OSA) process, the polymerase chain reaction - denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis protocol was used to study the possible difference in the microbial communities between a sequencing batch reactor (SBR)-OSA process and its modified process, by analyzing the change in the diversity of the microbial communities in each reactor of both systems. The results indicated that the structure of the microbial communities in aerobic reactors of the 2 processes was very different, but the predominant microbial populations in anaerobic reactors were similar. The predominant microbial population in the aerobic reactor of the SBR-OSA belonged to Burkholderia cepacia, class Betaproteobacteria, while those of the modified process belonged to the classes Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria. These 3 types of microbes had a cryptic growth characteristic, which was the main cause of a greater sludge reduction efficiency achieved by the modified process.

NIGHTHAWK - A Program for Modeling Saturated Batch and Column Experiments Incorporating Equilibrium and Kinetic Biogeochemistry

EPA Science Inventory

NIGHTHAWK simulates the fate and transport of biogeochemically reactive contaminants in the saturated subsurface. Version 1.2 supports batch and one- dimensional advective-dispersive-reactive transport involving a number of biogeochemical processes, including: microbially-mediate...

Development and evaluation of a 16S ribosomal DNA array-based approach for describing complex microbial communities in ready-to-eat vegetable salads packed in a modified atmosphere.

PubMed

Rudi, Knut; Flateland, Signe L; Hanssen, Jon Fredrik; Bengtsson, Gunnar; Nissen, Hilde

2002-03-01

There is a clear need for new approaches in the field of microbial community analyses, since the methods used can be severely biased. We have developed a DNA array-based method that targets 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA), enabling the direct detection and quantification of microorganisms from complex communities without cultivation. The approach is based on the construction of specific probes from the 16S rDNA sequence data retrieved directly from the communities. The specificity of the assay is obtained through a combination of DNA array hybridization and enzymatic labeling of the constructed probes. Cultivation-dependent assays (enrichment and plating) and cultivation-independent assays (direct fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy) were used as reference methods in the development and evaluation of the method. The description of microbial communities in ready-to-eat vegetable salads in a modified atmosphere was used as the experimental model. Comparisons were made with respect to the effect of storage at different temperatures for up to 12 days and with respect to the geographic origin of the crisphead lettuce (Spanish or Norwegian), the main salad component. The conclusion drawn from the method comparison was that the DNA array-based method gave an accurate description of the microbial communities. Pseudomonas spp. dominated both of the salad batches, containing either Norwegian or Spanish lettuce, before storage and after storage at 4 degrees C. The Pseudomonas population also dominated the batch containing Norwegian lettuce after storage at 10 degrees C. On the contrary, Enterobacteriaceae and lactic acid bacteria dominated the microbial community of the batch containing Spanish lettuce after storage at 10 degrees C. In that batch, the Enterobacteriaceae also were abundant after storage at 4 degrees C as well as before storage. The practical implications of these results are that microbial communities in ready-to-eat vegetable salads can be diverse and that microbial composition is dependent both on the origin of the raw material and on the storage conditions.

Development and Evaluation of a 16S Ribosomal DNA Array-Based Approach for Describing Complex Microbial Communities in Ready-To-Eat Vegetable Salads Packed in a Modified Atmosphere

PubMed Central

Rudi, Knut; Flateland, Signe L.; Hanssen, Jon Fredrik; Bengtsson, Gunnar; Nissen, Hilde

2002-01-01

There is a clear need for new approaches in the field of microbial community analyses, since the methods used can be severely biased. We have developed a DNA array-based method that targets16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA), enabling the direct detection and quantification of microorganisms from complex communities without cultivation. The approach is based on the construction of specific probes from the 16S rDNA sequence data retrieved directly from the communities. The specificity of the assay is obtained through a combination of DNA array hybridization and enzymatic labeling of the constructed probes. Cultivation-dependent assays (enrichment and plating) and cultivation-independent assays (direct fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy) were used as reference methods in the development and evaluation of the method. The description of microbial communities in ready-to-eat vegetable salads in a modified atmosphere was used as the experimental model. Comparisons were made with respect to the effect of storage at different temperatures for up to 12 days and with respect to the geographic origin of the crisphead lettuce (Spanish or Norwegian), the main salad component. The conclusion drawn from the method comparison was that the DNA array-based method gave an accurate description of the microbial communities. Pseudomonas spp. dominated both of the salad batches, containing either Norwegian or Spanish lettuce, before storage and after storage at 4°C. The Pseudomonas population also dominated the batch containing Norwegian lettuce after storage at 10°C. On the contrary, Enterobacteriaceae and lactic acid bacteria dominated the microbial community of the batch containing Spanish lettuce after storage at 10°C. In that batch, the Enterobacteriaceae also were abundant after storage at 4°C as well as before storage. The practical implications of these results are that microbial communities in ready-to-eat vegetable salads can be diverse and that microbial composition is dependent both on the origin of the raw material and on the storage conditions. PMID:11872462

Mathematical modeling and assessment of microbial migration during the sprouting of alfalfa in trays in a nonuniformly contaminated seed batch using Enterobacter aerogenes as a surrogate for Salmonella Stanley.

PubMed

Liu, Bin; Schaffner, Donald W

2007-11-01

Raw seed sprouts have been implicated in several food poisoning outbreaks in the past 10 years. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that sprout growers use interventions (such as testing of spent irrigation water) to control the presence of pathogens in the finished product. During the sprouting process, initially low concentrations of pathogen may increase, and contamination may spread within a batch of sprouting seeds. A model of pathogen growth as a function of time and distance from the contamination spot during the sprouting of alfalfa in trays has been developed with Enterobacter aerogenes. The probability of detecting contamination was assessed by logistic regression at various time points and distances by sampling from sprouts or irrigation water. Our results demonstrate that microbial populations and possibility of detection were greatly reduced at distances of > or = 20 cm from the point of contamination in a seed batch during tray sprouting; however, the probability of detecting microbial contamination at distances less than 10 cm from the point of inoculation was almost 100% at the end of the sprouting process. Our results also show that sampling irrigation water, especially large volumes of water, is highly effective at detecting contamination: by collecting 100 ml of irrigation water for membrane filtration, the probability of detection was increased by three to four times during the first 6 h of seed germination. Our findings have quantified the degree to which a small level of contamination will spread throughout a tray of sprouting alfalfa seeds and subsequently be detected by either sprout or irrigation water sampling.

Functionally Stable and Phylogenetically Diverse Microbial Enrichments from Microbial Fuel Cells during Wastewater Treatment

PubMed Central

Ishii, Shun'ichi; Suzuki, Shino; Norden-Krichmar, Trina M.; Nealson, Kenneth H.; Sekiguchi, Yuji; Gorby, Yuri A.; Bretschger, Orianna

2012-01-01

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are devices that exploit microorganisms as biocatalysts to recover energy from organic matter in the form of electricity. One of the goals of MFC research is to develop the technology for cost-effective wastewater treatment. However, before practical MFC applications are implemented it is important to gain fundamental knowledge about long-term system performance, reproducibility, and the formation and maintenance of functionally-stable microbial communities. Here we report findings from a MFC operated for over 300 days using only primary clarifier effluent collected from a municipal wastewater treatment plant as the microbial resource and substrate. The system was operated in a repeat-batch mode, where the reactor solution was replaced once every two weeks with new primary effluent that consisted of different microbial and chemical compositions with every batch exchange. The turbidity of the primary clarifier effluent solution notably decreased, and 97% of biological oxygen demand (BOD) was removed after an 8–13 day residence time for each batch cycle. On average, the limiting current density was 1000 mA/m2, the maximum power density was 13 mW/m2, and coulombic efficiency was 25%. Interestingly, the electrochemical performance and BOD removal rates were very reproducible throughout MFC operation regardless of the sample variability associated with each wastewater exchange. While MFC performance was very reproducible, the phylogenetic analyses of anode-associated electricity-generating biofilms showed that the microbial populations temporally fluctuated and maintained a high biodiversity throughout the year-long experiment. These results suggest that MFC communities are both self-selecting and self-optimizing, thereby able to develop and maintain functional stability regardless of fluctuations in carbon source(s) and regular introduction of microbial competitors. These results contribute significantly toward the practical application of MFC systems for long-term wastewater treatment as well as demonstrating MFC technology as a useful device to enrich for functionally stable microbial populations. PMID:22347379

Indigenous microbial capability in solid manure residues to start-up solid-phase anaerobic digesters.

PubMed

Yap, S D; Astals, S; Jensen, P D; Batstone, D J; Tait, S

2017-06-01

Batch solid-phase anaerobic digestion is a technology for sustainable on-farm treatment of solid residues, but is an emerging technology that is yet to be optimised with respect to start-up and inoculation. In the present study, spent bedding from two piggeries (site A and B) were batch digested at total solids (TS) concentration of 5, 10 and 20% at mesophilic (37°C) and thermophilic (55°C) temperatures, without adding an external inoculum. The results showed that the indigenous microbial community present in spent bedding was able to recover the full methane potential of the bedding (140±5 and 227±6L CH 4 kgVS fed -1 for site A and B, respectively), but longer treatment times were required than for digestion with an added external inoculum. Nonetheless, at high solid loadings (i.e. TS level>10%), the digestion performance was affected by chemical inhibition due to ammonia and/or humic acid. Thermophilic temperatures did not influence digestion performance but did increase start-up failure risk. Further, inoculation of residues from the batch digestion to subsequent batch enhanced start-up and achieved full methane potential recovery of the bedding. Inoculation with liquid residue (leachate) was preferred over a solid residue, to preserve treatment capacity for fresh substrate. Overall, the study highlighted that indigenous microbial community in the solid manure residue was capable of recovering full methane potential and that solid-phase digestion was ultimately limited by chemical inhibition rather than lack of suitable microbial community. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biodegradation of diesel by mixed bacteria immobilized onto a hybrid support of peat moss and additives: a batch experiment.

PubMed

Lee, Young-Chul; Shin, Hyun-Jae; Ahn, Yeonghee; Shin, Min-Chul; Lee, Myungjin; Yang, Ji-Won

2010-11-15

We report microbial cell immobilization onto a hybrid support of peat moss for diesel biodegradation. Three strains isolated from a site contaminated with diesel oil were used in this study: Acinetobacter sp., Gordonia sp., and Rhodococcus sp. To increase not only diesel adsorption but also diesel biodegradation, additives such as zeolite, bentonite, chitosan, and alginate were tested. In this study, a peat moss, bentonite, and alginate (2/2.9/0.1 g, w/w/w) hybrid support (PBA) was the best support matrix, considering both diesel physical adsorption capacity and mixed microbial immobilization. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Continuous Cellulosic Bioethanol Fermentation by Cyclic Fed-Batch Cocultivation

PubMed Central

Jiang, He-Long; He, Qiang; He, Zhili; Hemme, Christopher L.; Wu, Liyou

2013-01-01

Cocultivation of cellulolytic and saccharolytic microbial populations is a promising strategy to improve bioethanol production from the fermentation of recalcitrant cellulosic materials. Earlier studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of cocultivation in enhancing ethanolic fermentation of cellulose in batch fermentation. To further enhance process efficiency, a semicontinuous cyclic fed-batch fermentor configuration was evaluated for its potential in enhancing the efficiency of cellulose fermentation using cocultivation. Cocultures of cellulolytic Clostridium thermocellum LQRI and saccharolytic Thermoanaerobacter pseudethanolicus strain X514 were tested in the semicontinuous fermentor as a model system. Initial cellulose concentration and pH were identified as the key process parameters controlling cellulose fermentation performance in the fixed-volume cyclic fed-batch coculture system. At an initial cellulose concentration of 40 g liter−1, the concentration of ethanol produced with pH control was 4.5-fold higher than that without pH control. It was also found that efficient cellulosic bioethanol production by cocultivation was sustained in the semicontinuous configuration, with bioethanol production reaching 474 mM in 96 h with an initial cellulose concentration of 80 g liter−1 and pH controlled at 6.5 to 6.8. These results suggested the advantages of the cyclic fed-batch process for cellulosic bioethanol fermentation by the cocultures. PMID:23275517

A comparison of process performance during the anaerobic mono- and co-digestion of slaughterhouse waste through different operational modes.

PubMed

Pagés-Díaz, Jhosané; Pereda-Reyes, Ileana; Sanz, Jose Luis; Lundin, Magnus; Taherzadeh, Mohammad J; Horváth, Ilona Sárvári

2018-02-01

The use of consecutive feeding was applied to investigate the response of the microbial biomass to a second addition of substrates in terms of biodegradation using batch tests as a promising alternative to predict the behavior of the process. Anaerobic digestion (AD) of the slaughterhouse waste (SB) and its co-digestion with manure (M), various crops (VC), and municipal solid waste were evaluated. The results were then correlated to previous findings obtained by the authors for similar mixtures in batch and semi-continuous operation modes. AD of the SB failed showing total inhibition after a second feeding. Co-digestion of the SB+M showed a significant improvement for all of the response variables investigated after the second feeding, while co-digestion of the SB+VC resulted in a decline in all of these response variables. Similar patterns were previously detected, during both the batch and the semi-continuous modes. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Effects of anti-foaming agents on biohydrogen production.

PubMed

Sivagurunathan, Periyasamy; Anburajan, Parthiban; Kumar, Gopalakrishnan; Bakonyi, Péter; Nemestóthy, Nándor; Bélafi-Bakó, Katalin; Kim, Sang-Hyoun

2016-08-01

The effects of antifoaming agents on fermentative hydrogen production using galactose in batch and continuous operations were investigated. Batch hydrogen production assays with LS-303 (dimethylpolysiloxane), LG-109 (polyalkylene), LG-126 (polyoxyethylenealkylene), and LG-299 (polyether) showed that the doses and types of antifoaming agents played a significant role in hydrogen production. During batch tests, LS-303 at 100μL/L resulted in the maximum hydrogen production rate (HPR) and hydrogen yield (HY) of 2.5L/L-d and 1.08mol H2/mol galactoseadded, respectively. The following continuously stirred tank reactor operated at 12h HRT with LS-303 at 100μL/L showed a stable HPR and HY of 4.9L/L-d and 1.17mol H2/mol galactoseadded, respectively, which were higher than those found for the control reactor. Microbial community analysis supported the alterations in H2 generation under different operating conditions and the stimulatory impact of certain antifoaming chemicals on H2 production was demonstrated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Brewery and liquid manure wastewaters as potential feedstocks for microbial fuel cells: a performance study.

PubMed

Angosto, J M; Fernández-López, J A; Godínez, C

2015-01-01

This work aims at the comparison of the electrical and chemical performance of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) fed with several types of brewery and manure industrial wastewaters. Experiments were conducted in a single-cell MFC with the cathode exposed to air operated in batch and fed-batch modes. In fed-batch mode, after 4 days of operation, a standard MFC was refilled with crude wastewater to regenerate the biofilm and recreate initial feeding conditions. Brewery wastewater (CV1) mixed with pig-farm liquid manure (PU sample) gave the highest voltage (199.8 mV) and power density (340 mW/m3) outputs than non-mixed brewery waste water. Also, coulombic efficiency is much larger in the mixture (11%) than in the others (2-3%). However, in terms of chemical oxygen demand removal, the performance showed to be poorer (53%) for the mixed sample than in the pure brewery sample (93%). Fed-batch operation showed to be a good alternate for quasi-continuous operation, with equivalent electrical and chemical yields as compared with normal batchwise operation.

Contribution of the microbial and meat endogenous enzymes to the free amino acid and amine contents of dry fermented sausages.

PubMed

Hierro, E; de La Hoz, L; Ordóñez, J A

1999-03-01

The role of the starter culture and meat endogenous enzymes on the free amino acid and amine contents of dry fermented sausages was studied. Five batches of sausages were prepared. The control batch was manufactured with aseptic ingredients without microbial inoculation. The other four experimental batches were manufactured with aseptic ingredients inoculated with Lactobacillus plantarum 4045 or Micrococcus-12 or L. plantarum 4045 and Micrococcus-12 or L. plantarum 4045 and Staphylococcus sp. Their effects on pH, a(w), myofibrillar proteins, and free amino acid and amine contents were studied. Sausages inoculated only with L. plantarum 4045 or with this starter combined with a Micrococcaceae had the lowest pH as a result of carbohydrate fermentation. In all batches similar patterns were observed for myofibrillar proteins and free amino acids which could indicate that meat endogenous proteases play an important role in proteolytic phenomena. No changes were observed in the amine fraction, indicating that the strains used as starter cultures did not show amino acid decarboxylase activity.

Fed-batch anaerobic valorization of slaughterhouse by-products with mesophilic microbial consortia without methane production.

PubMed

Pessiot, J; Nouaille, R; Jobard, M; Singhania, R R; Bournilhas, A; Christophe, G; Fontanille, P; Peyret, P; Fonty, G; Larroche, C

2012-07-01

This work aimed at setting up a fully instrumented, laboratory-scale bioreactor enabling anaerobic valorization of solid substrates through hydrogen and/or volatile fatty acid (VFA) production using mixed microbial populations (consortia). The substrate used was made of meat-based wastes, especially from slaughterhouses, which are becoming available in large amounts as a consequence of the growing constraints for waste disposal from meat industry. A reconstituted microbial mesophilic consortium without Archaebacteria (methanogens), named PBr, was cultivated in a 5-L anaerobic bioreactor on slaughterhouse wastes. The experiments were carried out with sequential fed-batch operations, including liquid medium removal from the bioreactor and addition of fresh substrate. VFAs and nitrogen were the main metabolites observed, while hydrogen accumulation was very low and no methane production was evidenced. After 1,300 h of culture, yields obtained for VFAs reached 0.38 g/g dry matter. Strain composition of the microbial consortium was also characterized using molecular tools (temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis and gene sequencing).

Contribution of selected fungi to the reduction of cyanogen levels during solid substrate fermentation of cassava.

PubMed

Essers, A J; Jurgens, C M; Nout, M J

1995-07-01

The effect of six individual strains of the dominant microflora in solid substrate fermenting cassava on cyanogen levels was examined. Six out of eight batches of disinfected cassava root pieces were incubated for 72 h after inoculation with either of the fungi Geotrichum candidum, Mucor racemosus, Neurospora sitophila, Rhizopus oryzae and Rhizopus stolonifer, or a Bacillus sp., isolated from on-farm fermented cassava flours from Uganda. One non-inoculated batch was incubated as a reference. Levels of initial and final moisture and cyanogens were assayed. The experiment was done in quadruplicate. Incubation of disinfected root pieces reduced cyanogenic glucoside levels significantly to 62.7% (SD 2.8) of the initial value. Microbial growth resulted in significant additional reduction of the cyanogenic glucoside levels to 29.8% (SD 18.9) of the levels which were obtained after non-inoculated incubation. Among the tested strains, N. sitophila reduced cyanogenic glucoside levels most effectively, followed by R. stolonifer and R. oryzae. Of all fermented samples, both Rhizopus spp. showed highest proportion of residual cyanogens in the cyanohydrin form. Flours showed similar patterns of cyanogens as the batches they were prepared from. Cyanogenic glucoside level reduction was significantly correlated (r = 0.86) with the extent of root softening. It is concluded that both incubation and microbial activity are instrumental in reducing the potential toxicity of cassava during the solid substrate fermentation and that effectiveness varies considerably between the species of microorganisms applied.

Perfluoroalkyl Acids Shift Microbial Community Structure Across Experimental Scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weathers, T. S.; Sharp, J.

2016-12-01

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are contaminants of emerging concern that have increasingly been found in groundwater and drinking water systems. Previously, we demonstrated that PFAAs significantly alter the abundance of specific microbial clades in batch reductive dechlorinating systems, resulting in decreased chlorinated solvent attenuation capabilities. To further understand the impacts of PFAA exposure on subsurface microbial processes and PFAA transport, we investigated changes in microbial community structure as a function of PFAA presence in flow-through columns simulating aquifer transport. Phylogenetic analysis using high throughput, next generation sequencing performed after exposure to 250 pore volumes of source zone concentrations of PFAAs (10 mg/L each of 11 analytes including PFOS and PFOA) resulted in patterns that mirrored those observed in batch systems, demonstrating a conservation of community dynamics across experimental scales. Of the nine clades observed in both batch and flow-through systems, six were similarly impacted as a function of PFAA exposure, regardless of the experimental differences in transport and redox state. Specifically, the presence of PFAAs enhanced the relative abundance of Archaea, Bacteroidetes (phylum), and the family Veillonellaceae in both systems. Repressed clades include the genus Sedimentibacter, Ruminococcaceae (family), and the Anaerolineales, which contains Dehalococcoides, a genus known for its ability to fully dechlorinate TCE. As PFAAs are often co-located with TCE and BTEX, changes in microbial community structure can result in hindered bioremediation of these co-contaminants. Consideration of community shifts and corresponding changes in behavior, such as repressed reductive dechlorination or increased biofilm formation, will aid in the development of conceptual site models that account for co-contaminant bioremediation potential and PFAA transport.

Metagenomic Investigation of Plasma in Individuals with ME/CFS Highlights the Importance of Technical Controls to Elucidate Contamination and Batch Effects.

PubMed

Miller, Ruth R; Uyaguari-Diaz, Miguel; McCabe, Mark N; Montoya, Vincent; Gardy, Jennifer L; Parker, Shoshana; Steiner, Theodore; Hsiao, William; Nesbitt, Matthew J; Tang, Patrick; Patrick, David M

2016-01-01

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a debilitating disease causing indefinite fatigue. ME/CFS has long been hypothesised to have an infectious cause; however, no specific infectious agent has been identified. We used metagenomics to analyse the RNA from plasma samples from 25 individuals with ME/CFS and compare their microbial content to technical controls as well as three control groups: individuals with alternatively diagnosed chronic Lyme syndrome (N = 13), systemic lupus erythematosus (N = 11), and healthy controls (N = 25). We found that the majority of sequencing reads were removed during host subtraction, thus there was very low microbial RNA content in the plasma. The effects of sample batching and contamination during sample processing proved to outweigh the effects of study group on microbial RNA content, as the few differences in bacterial or viral RNA abundance we did observe between study groups were most likely caused by contamination and batch effects. Our results highlight the importance of including negative controls in all metagenomic analyses, since there was considerable overlap between bacterial content identified in study samples and control samples. For example, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteriodes were found in both study samples and plasma-free negative controls. Many of the taxonomic groups we saw in our plasma-free negative control samples have previously been associated with diseases, including ME/CFS, demonstrating how incorrect conclusions may arise if controls are not used and batch effects not accounted for.

Long-term effects of nickel oxide nanoparticles on performance, microbial enzymatic activity, and microbial community of a sequencing batch reactor.

PubMed

Wang, Sen; Li, Zhiwei; Gao, Mengchun; She, Zonglian; Guo, Liang; Zheng, Dong; Zhao, Yangguo; Ma, Bingrui; Gao, Feng; Wang, Xuejiao

2017-02-01

The nitrogen and phosphorus removal, microbial enzymatic activity, and microbial community of a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) were evaluated under long-term exposure to nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs). High NiO NP concentration (over 5 mg L -1 ) affected the removal of chemical oxygen demand, nitrogen, and phosphorus. The presence of NiO NP inhibited the microbial enzymatic activities and reduced the nitrogen and phosphorus removal rates of activated sludge. The microbial enzymatic activities of the activated sludge showed a similar variation trend to the nitrogen and phosphorus removal rates with the increase in NiO NP concentration from 0 to 60 mg L -1 . The Ni content in the effluent and activated sludge showed an increasing trend with the increase in NiO NP concentration. Some NiO NPs were absorbed on the sludge surface or penetrate the cell membrane into the interior of microbial cells in the activated sludge. NiO NP facilitated the increase in reactive oxygen species by disturbing the balance between the oxidation and anti-oxidation processes, and the variation in lactate dehydrogenase demonstrated that NiO NP could destroy the cytomembrane and cause variations in the microbial morphology and physiological function. High-throughput sequencing demonstrated that the microbial community of SBR had some obvious changes at 0-60 mg L -1 NiO NPs at the phyla, class and genus levels. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbial lipid production from SPORL-pretreated Douglas fir by Mortierella isabellina

Treesearch

S.M. Harde; Z. Wang; M. Horne; Junyong Zhu; X. Pan

2016-01-01

The solid substrate and spent liquo robtained after SPORL pretreatment of Douglas fir residues were evaluated as substrates for the production of intracellular microbial lipid by Mortierella isabellina NRRL 1757. The production of lipid was investigated in a batch fermentation using different strategies viz. separate hydrolysis...

Effects of livestock wastewater variety and disinfectants on the performance of constructed wetlands in organic matters and nitrogen removal.

PubMed

Hu, Y S; Kumar, J L G; Akintunde, A O; Zhao, X H; Zhao, Y Q

2011-09-01

Treatment performance of constructed wetlands (CWs) is largely dependent on the characteristics of the wastewater. Although livestock wastewater is readily biodegradable in general, its variety in biodegradability can still be significant in practice. In addition, it is a common practice to periodically use disinfectants in livestock activities for health concerns. Obviously, the residual of the disinfectants in livestock wastewater may have serious inhibitory effect on the microbial activities during wastewater treatment. Thus, the main objective of this study was to examine the variety of livestock wastewater in biodegradability and its effect on the performance of a pilot scale tidal flow CWs (TFCWs) in organic matter and nitrogen removal. Furthermore, investigation of the potential inhibition of the chosen disinfectants on organic matter biodegradation and nitrification was another aim of this study. The TFCWs system consisted of four-stage downflow reed beds with a hydraulic loading rate of 0.29 m(3)/m(2)·per day. Long-term stored livestock wastewater and fresh livestock wastewater were used, respectively, as feed to the system in different periods. Meanwhile, batch aeration tests were carried out to investigate the difference in biodegradation of the two types of wastewaters. Inhibitions of two types of disinfectants, namely UNIPRED and HYPROCLOR ED, on microbial activities were investigated in laboratory batch tests, with dosage of from 0.05% to 0.5%. With fresh livestock wastewater, removal efficiencies of up to 93% and 94% could be achieved with average of 73% and 64% for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and TN, respectively. The performance deteriorated when the system was fed with long-term stored wastewater. In the batch tests, the long-time stored wastewater was characterized as non-biodegradable or at least very slowly biodegradable, while the fresh wastewater was readily biodegradable. UNIPRED showed very strong inhibition on both heterotrophic organisms and nitrifiers. Tested inhibition started from content of 0.05%, which is 1/10 of the recommended usage rate. Inhibitory effect of HYPROCLOR ED on COD degradation started from 0.1% and complete inhibition occurred from content of 0.3%, while significant inhibition on nitrification started from 0.1%. Livestock wastewater could vary significantly in biodegradability and it may turn to be non-biodegradable after a long-term storage. The variety of the livestock wastewater has a decisive influence on the performance of the CWs system, especially in TN elimination. In addition, the application of disinfectants UNIPRED and HYPROCLOR ED may cause serious inhibition on microbial activities and subsequent system failure.

Determination of volumetric gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient of carbon monoxide in a batch cultivation system using kinetic simulations.

PubMed

Jang, Nulee; Yasin, Muhammad; Park, Shinyoung; Lovitt, Robert W; Chang, In Seop

2017-09-01

A mathematical model of microbial kinetics was introduced to predict the overall volumetric gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient (k L a) of carbon monoxide (CO) in a batch cultivation system. The cell concentration (X), acetate concentration (C ace ), headspace gas (N co and [Formula: see text] ), dissolved CO concentration in the fermentation medium (C co ), and mass transfer rate (R) were simulated using a variety of k L a values. The simulated results showed excellent agreement with the experimental data for a k L a of 13/hr. The C co values decreased with increase in cultivation times, whereas the maximum mass transfer rate was achieved at the mid-log phase due to vigorous microbial CO consumption rate higher than R. The model suggested in this study may be applied to a variety of microbial systems involving gaseous substrates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of magnesium oxide nanoparticles on microbial diversity and removal performance of sequencing batch reactor.

PubMed

Ma, Bingrui; Yu, Naling; Han, Yuetong; Gao, Mengchun; Wang, Sen; Li, Shanshan; Guo, Liang; She, Zonglian; Zhao, Yangguo; Jin, Chunji; Gao, Feng

2018-06-13

The performance, microbial enzymatic activity and microbial community of a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) have been explored under magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs) stress. The NH 4 + -N removal efficiency kept relatively stable during the whole operational process. The MgO NPs at 30-60 mg/L slightly restrained the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), and the presence of MgO NPs also affected the denitrification and phosphorus removal. The specific oxygen uptake rate, nitrifying and denitrifying rates, phosphorus removal rate, and microbial enzymatic activities distinctly varied with the increase of MgO NPs concentration. The appearance of MgO NPs promoted more reactive oxygen species generation and lactate dehydrogenase leakage from activated sludge, suggesting that MgO NPs had obvious toxicity to activated sludge in the SBR. The protein and polysaccharide contents of extracellular polymeric substances from activated sludge increased with the increase of MgO NPs concentration. The microbial richness and diversity at different MgO NPs concentrations obviously varied at the phylum, class and genus levels due to the biological toxicity of MgO NPs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Addition of acetate improves stability of power generation using microbial fuel cells treating domestic wastewater.

PubMed

Stager, Jennifer L; Zhang, Xiaoyuan; Logan, Bruce E

2017-12-01

Power generation using microbial fuel cells (MFCs) must provide stable, continuous conversion of organic matter in wastewaters into electricity. However, when relatively small diameter (0.8cm) graphite fiber brush anodes were placed close to the cathodes in MFCs, power generation was unstable during treatment of low strength domestic wastewater. One reactor produced 149mW/m 2 before power generation failed, while the other reactor produced 257mW/m 2 , with both reactors exhibiting severe power overshoot in polarization tests. Using separators or activated carbon cathodes did not result in stable operation as the reactors continued to exhibit power overshoot based on polarization tests. However, adding acetate (1g/L) to the wastewater produced stable performance during fed batch and continuous flow operation, and there was no power overshoot in polarization tests. These results highlight the importance of wastewater strength and brush anode size for producing stable and continuous power in compact MFCs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Formulation of fermentation media from flour-rich waste streams for microbial lipid production by Lipomyces starkeyi.

PubMed

Tsakona, Sofia; Kopsahelis, Nikolaos; Chatzifragkou, Afroditi; Papanikolaou, Seraphim; Kookos, Ioannis K; Koutinas, Apostolis A

2014-11-10

Flour-rich waste (FRW) and by-product streams generated by bakery, confectionery and wheat milling plants could be employed as the sole raw materials for generic fermentation media production, suitable for microbial oil synthesis. Wheat milling by-products were used in solid state fermentations (SSF) of Aspergillus awamori for the production of crude enzymes, mainly glucoamylase and protease. Enzyme-rich SSF solids were subsequently employed for hydrolysis of FRW streams into nutrient-rich fermentation media. Batch hydrolytic experiments using FRW concentrations up to 205 g/L resulted in higher than 90% (w/w) starch to glucose conversion yields and 40% (w/w) total Kjeldahl nitrogen to free amino nitrogen conversion yields. Starch to glucose conversion yields of 98.2, 86.1 and 73.4% (w/w) were achieved when initial FRW concentrations of 235, 300 and 350 g/L were employed in fed-batch hydrolytic experiments, respectively. Crude hydrolysates were used as fermentation media in shake flask cultures with the oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi DSM 70296 reaching a total dry weight of 30.5 g/L with a microbial oil content of 40.4% (w/w), higher than that achieved in synthetic media. Fed-batch bioreactor cultures led to a total dry weight of 109.8 g/L with a microbial oil content of 57.8% (w/w) and productivity of 0.4 g/L/h. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of biomass from integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS), moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) and membrane bioreactor (MBR) treating recalcitrant organics: Importance of attached biomass.

PubMed

Huang, Chunkai; Shi, Yijing; Xue, Jinkai; Zhang, Yanyan; Gamal El-Din, Mohamed; Liu, Yang

2017-03-15

This study compared microbial characteristics and oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) treatment performance of five types of microbial biomass (MBBR-biofilm, IFAS-biofilm, IFAS-floc, MBR-aerobic-floc, and MBR-anoxic-floc) cultivated from three types of bioreactors (MBBR, IFAS, and MBR) in batch experiments. Chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium, acid extractable fraction (AEF), and naphthenic acids (NAs) removals efficiencies were distinctly different between suspended and attached bacterial aggregates and between aerobic and anoxic suspended flocs. MBR-aerobic-floc and MBR-anoxic-floc demonstrated COD removal efficiencies higher than microbial aggregates obtained from MBBR and IFAS, MBBR and IFAS biofilm had higher AEF removal efficiencies than those obtained using flocs. MBBR-biofilm demonstrated the most efficient NAs removal from OSPW. NAs degradation efficiency was highly dependent on the carbon number and NA cyclization number according to UPLC/HRMS analysis. Mono- and di-oxidized NAs were the dominant oxy-NA species in OSPW samples. Microbial analysis with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) indicated that the bacterial 16S rRNA gene abundance was significantly higher in the batch bioreactors with suspended flocs than in those with biofilm, the NSR gene abundance in the MBR-anoxic bioreactor was significantly lower than that in aerobic batch bioreactors, and denitrifiers were more abundant in the suspended phase of the activated sludge flocs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Regime Shift and Microbial Dynamics in a Sequencing Batch Reactor for Nitrification and Anammox Treatment of Urine ▿†

PubMed Central

Bürgmann, Helmut; Jenni, Sarina; Vazquez, Francisco; Udert, Kai M.

2011-01-01

The microbial population and physicochemical process parameters of a sequencing batch reactor for nitrogen removal from urine were monitored over a 1.5-year period. Microbial community fingerprinting (automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis), 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and quantitative PCR on nitrogen cycle functional groups were used to characterize the microbial population. The reactor combined nitrification (ammonium oxidation)/anammox with organoheterotrophic denitrification. The nitrogen elimination rate initially increased by 400%, followed by an extended period of performance degradation. This phase was characterized by accumulation of nitrite and nitrous oxide, reduced anammox activity, and a different but stable microbial community. Outwashing of anammox bacteria or their inhibition by oxygen or nitrite was insufficient to explain reactor behavior. Multiple lines of evidence, e.g., regime-shift analysis of chemical and physical parameters and cluster and ordination analysis of the microbial community, indicated that the system had experienced a rapid transition to a new stable state that led to the observed inferior process rates. The events in the reactor can thus be interpreted to be an ecological regime shift. Constrained ordination indicated that the pH set point controlling cycle duration, temperature, airflow rate, and the release of nitric and nitrous oxides controlled the primarily heterotrophic microbial community. We show that by combining chemical and physical measurements, microbial community analysis and ecological theory allowed extraction of useful information about the causes and dynamics of the observed process instability. PMID:21724875

Community proteomics provides functional insight into polyhydroxyalkanoate production by a mixed microbial culture cultivated on fermented dairy manure.

PubMed

Hanson, Andrea J; Guho, Nicholas M; Paszczynski, Andrzej J; Coats, Erik R

2016-09-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are bio-based, biodegradable polyesters that can be produced from organic-rich waste streams using mixed microbial cultures (MMCs). To maximize PHA production, MMCs are enriched for bacteria with a high polymer storage capacity through the application of aerobic dynamic feeding (ADF) in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR), which consequently induces a feast-famine metabolic response. Though the feast-famine response is generally understood empirically at a macro-level, the molecular level is less refined. The objective of this study was to investigate the microbial community composition and proteome profile of an enriched MMC cultivated on fermented dairy manure. The enriched MMC exhibited a feast-famine response and was capable of producing up to 40 % (wt. basis) PHA in a fed-batch reactor. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed a microbial community dominated by Meganema, a known PHA-producing genus not often observed in high abundance in enrichment SBRs. The application of the proteomic methods two-dimensional electrophoresis and LC-MS/MS revealed PHA synthesis, energy generation, and protein synthesis prominently occurring during the feast phase, corroborating bulk solution variable observations and theoretical expectations. During the famine phase, nutrient transport, acyl-CoA metabolism, additional energy generation, and housekeeping functions were more pronounced, informing previously under-determined MMC functionality under famine conditions. During fed-batch PHA production, acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase and PHA granule-bound phasin proteins were in increased abundance relative to the SBR, supporting the higher PHA content observed. Collectively, the results provide unique microbial community structural and functional insight into feast-famine PHA production from waste feedstocks using MMCs.

Effect of florfenicol on performance and microbial community of a sequencing batch biofilm reactor treating mariculture wastewater.

PubMed

Gao, Feng; Li, Zhiwei; Chang, Qingbo; Gao, Mengchun; She, Zonglian; Wu, Juan; Jin, Chunji; Zheng, Dong; Guo, Liang; Zhao, Yangguo; Wang, Sen

2018-02-01

The effects of florfenicol (FF) on the performance, microbial activity and microbial community of a sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) were evaluated in treating mariculture wastewater. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) and nitrogen removal were inhibited at high FF concentrations. The specific oxygen utilization rate (SOUR), specific ammonium oxidation rate (SAOR), specific nitrite oxidation rate (SNOR) and specific nitrate reduction rate (SNRR) were decreased with an increase in the FF concentration from 0 to 35 mg/L. The chemical compositions of loosely bound extracellular polymeric substances (LB-EPS) and tightly bound EPS (TB-EPS) could be affected with an increase in the FF concentration. The high-throughput sequencing indicated some obvious variations in the microbial community at different FF concentrations. The relative abundance of Nitrosomonas and Nitrospira showed a decreasing tendency with an increase in the FF concentration, suggesting that FF could affect the nitrification process of SBBR. Some genera capable of reducing nitrate to nitrogen gas could be inhibited by the addition of FF in the influent, such as Azospirillum and Hyphomicrobium.

Comparison of Different Strategies for Selection/Adaptation of Mixed Microbial Cultures Able to Ferment Crude Glycerol Derived from Second-Generation Biodiesel.

PubMed

Varrone, C; Heggeset, T M B; Le, S B; Haugen, T; Markussen, S; Skiadas, I V; Gavala, H N

2015-01-01

Objective of this study was the selection and adaptation of mixed microbial cultures (MMCs), able to ferment crude glycerol generated from animal fat-based biodiesel and produce building-blocks and green chemicals. Various adaptation strategies have been investigated for the enrichment of suitable and stable MMC, trying to overcome inhibition problems and enhance substrate degradation efficiency, as well as generation of soluble fermentation products. Repeated transfers in small batches and fed-batch conditions have been applied, comparing the use of different inoculum, growth media, and Kinetic Control. The adaptation of activated sludge inoculum was performed successfully and continued unhindered for several months. The best results showed a substrate degradation efficiency of almost 100% (about 10 g/L glycerol in 21 h) and different dominant metabolic products were obtained, depending on the selection strategy (mainly 1,3-propanediol, ethanol, or butyrate). On the other hand, anaerobic sludge exhibited inactivation after a few transfers. To circumvent this problem, fed-batch mode was used as an alternative adaptation strategy, which led to effective substrate degradation and high 1,3-propanediol and butyrate production. Changes in microbial composition were monitored by means of Next Generation Sequencing, revealing a dominance of glycerol consuming species, such as Clostridium, Klebsiella, and Escherichia.

Enrichment of denitrifying methane-oxidizing microorganisms using up-flow continuous reactors and batch cultures.

PubMed

Hatamoto, Masashi; Kimura, Masafumi; Sato, Takafumi; Koizumi, Masato; Takahashi, Masanobu; Kawakami, Shuji; Araki, Nobuo; Yamaguchi, Takashi

2014-01-01

Denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidizing (DAMO) microorganisms were enriched from paddy field soils using continuous-flow and batch cultures fed with nitrate or nitrite as a sole electron acceptor. After several months of cultivation, the continuous-flow cultures using nitrite showed remarkable simultaneous methane oxidation and nitrite reduction and DAMO bacteria belonging to phylum NC10 were enriched. A maximum volumetric nitrite consumption rate of 70.4±3.4 mg-N·L(-1)·day(-1) was achieved with very short hydraulic retention time of 2.1 hour. In the culture, about 68% of total microbial cells were bacteria and no archaeal cells were detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization. In the nitrate-fed continuous-flow cultures, 58% of total microbial cells were bacteria while archaeal cells accounted for 7% of total cell numbers. Phylogenetic analysis of pmoA gene sequence showed that enriched DAMO bacteria in the continuous-flow cultivation had over 98% sequence similarity to DAMO bacteria in the inoculum. In contrast, for batch culture, the enriched pmoA gene sequences had 89-91% sequence similarity to DAMO bacteria in the inoculum. These results indicate that electron acceptor and cultivation method strongly affect the microbial community structures of DAMO consortia.

Effects of the feeding ratio of food waste on fed-batch aerobic composting and its microbial community.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaojun; Pan, Songqing; Zhang, Zhaoji; Lin, Xiangyu; Zhang, Yuzhen; Chen, Shaohua

2017-01-01

To determine the suitable feeding ratio for fed-batch aerobic composting, four fermenters were operated by adding 0%, 5%, 10% or 15% of food waste every day. The results showed that the 5% and 10% treatments were able to maintain continuous thermophilic conditions, while the 15% treatment performed badly in regard to composting temperature, which was probably due to the negative effects of excessive moisture on microbial activity. As composting proceeded, both the 5% and the 10% treatments reached maturity and achieved weight losses of approximately 65%. High-throughput sequencing results indicated that Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria were the dominant phyla of the community structure. The communities sampled at the thermophilic phases had high similarity and relatively low diversity, while species diversity increased in the maturity phase. This study was devoted to optimizing the fed-batch composting process and assessing bacterial communities, both of which were supplied as a reference for practical application. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioaugmentation with hydrolytic microbes to improve the anaerobic biodegradability of lignocellulosic agricultural residues.

PubMed

Tsapekos, P; Kougias, P G; Vasileiou, S A; Treu, L; Campanaro, S; Lyberatos, G; Angelidaki, I

2017-06-01

Bioaugmentation with hydrolytic microbes was applied to improve the methane yield of bioreactors fed with agricultural wastes. The efficiency of Clostridium thermocellum and Melioribacter roseus to degrade lignocellulosic matter was evaluated in batch and continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTRs). Results from batch assays showed that C. thermocellum enhanced the methane yield by 34%. A similar increase was recorded in CSTR during the bioaugmentation period; however, at steady-state the effect was noticeably lower (7.5%). In contrast, the bioaugmentation with M. roseus did not promote markedly the anaerobic biodegradability, as the methane yield was increased up to 10% in batch and no effect was shown in CSTR. High-throughput 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was used to assess the effect of bioaugmentation strategies on bacterial and archaeal populations. The microbial analysis revealed that both strains were not markedly resided into biogas microbiome. Additionally, the applied strategies did not alter significantly the microbial communities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pilot scale biodiesel production from microbial oil of Rhodosporidium toruloides DEBB 5533 using sugarcane juice: Performance in diesel engine and preliminary economic study.

PubMed

Soccol, Carlos Ricardo; Dalmas Neto, Carlos José; Soccol, Vanete Thomaz; Sydney, Eduardo Bittencourt; da Costa, Eduardo Scopel Ferreira; Medeiros, Adriane Bianchi Pedroni; Vandenberghe, Luciana Porto de Souza

2017-01-01

A successful pilot-scale process for biodiesel production from microbial oil (Biooil) produced by Rhodosporidium toruloides DEBB 5533 is presented. Using fed-batch strategy (1000L working volume), a lipid productivity of 0.44g/L.h was obtained using a low-cost medium composed by sugarcane juice and urea. The microbial oil was used for biodiesel production and its performance was evaluated in diesel engine tests, showing very good performance, especially for the blend B20 SCO, when operating at 2500rpm with lower pollutant emissions (CO 2 - 220% less; CO - 7-fold less; NO X 50% less and no detectable HC emissions (<0.11ppm)) when compared with the blends of standard biofuel from soybean oil. A preliminary analysis showed that microbial biodiesel is economically competitive (US$ 0.76/L) when compared to the vegetable biodiesel (US$ 0.81/L). Besides, the yield of biodiesel from microbial oil is higher (4172L/ha of cultivated sugarcane) that represents 6.3-fold the yield of standard biodiesel (661L/ha of cultivated soybean). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of residual H2O2 from advanced oxidation processes on subsequent biological water treatment: A laboratory batch study.

PubMed

Wang, Feifei; van Halem, Doris; Liu, Gang; Lekkerkerker-Teunissen, Karin; van der Hoek, Jan Peter

2017-10-01

H 2 O 2 residuals from advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) may have critical impacts on the microbial ecology and performance of subsequent biological treatment processes, but little is known. The objective of this study was to evaluate how H 2 O 2 residuals influence sand systems with an emphasis on dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal, microbial activity change and bacterial community evolution. The results from laboratory batch studies showed that 0.25 mg/L H 2 O 2 lowered DOC removal by 10% while higher H 2 O 2 concentrations at 3 and 5 mg/L promoted DOC removal by 8% and 28%. A H 2 O 2 dosage of 0.25 mg/L did not impact microbial activity (as measured by ATP) while high H 2 O 2 dosages, 1, 3 and 5 mg/L, resulted in reduced microbial activity of 23%, 37% and 37% respectively. Therefore, DOC removal was promoted by the increase of H 2 O 2 dosage while microbial activity was reduced. The pyrosequencing results illustrated that bacterial communities were dominated by Proteobacteria. The presence of H 2 O 2 showed clear influence on the diversity and composition of bacterial communities, which became more diverse under 0.25 mg/L H 2 O 2 but conversely less diverse when the dosage increased to 5 mg/L H 2 O 2 . Anaerobic bacteria were found to be most sensitive to H 2 O 2 as their growth in batch reactors was limited by both 0.25 and 5 mg/L H 2 O 2 (17-88% reduction). In conclusion, special attention should be given to effects of AOPs residuals on microbial ecology before introducing AOPs as a pre-treatment to biological (sand) processes. Additionally, the guideline on the maximum allowable H 2 O 2 concentration should be properly evaluated. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Visualization and statistical comparisons of microbial communities using R packages on Phylochip data.

PubMed

Holmes, Susan; Alekseyenko, Alexander; Timme, Alden; Nelson, Tyrrell; Pasricha, Pankaj Jay; Spormann, Alfred

2011-01-01

This article explains the statistical and computational methodology used to analyze species abundances collected using the LNBL Phylochip in a study of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) in rats. Some tools already available for the analysis of ordinary microarray data are useful in this type of statistical analysis. For instance in correcting for multiple testing we use Family Wise Error rate control and step-down tests (available in the multtest package). Once the most significant species are chosen we use the hypergeometric tests familiar for testing GO categories to test specific phyla and families. We provide examples of normalization, multivariate projections, batch effect detection and integration of phylogenetic covariation, as well as tree equalization and robustification methods.

Rumen bacteria at work: bioaugmentation strategies to enhance biogas production from cow manure.

PubMed

Ozbayram, E G; Akyol, Ç; Ince, B; Karakoç, C; Ince, O

2018-02-01

To investigate the effects of different bioaugmentation strategies for enhancing the biogas production from cow manure and evaluate microbial community patterns. Co-inoculation with cow rumen fluid and cow rumen-derived enriched microbial consortia was evaluated in anaerobic batch tests at 36°C and 41°C. Singular addition of both rumen fluid and enriched bioaugmentation culture had a promising enhancement on methane yields; however, the highest methane yield (311 ml CH 4 per gram VS at 41°C) was achieved when the anaerobic seed sludge was co-inoculated together with rumen fluid and enriched bioaugmentation culture. Bacterial community profiles were investigated by Ion PGM Platform, and specific lignocellulolytic bacteria dynamics in batch tests were assessed by qPCR. The temperature had minor effects on the abundance of bacterial community; in which Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the most abundant phyla in all digesters. Furthermore, Rikenellaceae, Clostridiaceae, Porphyromonadaceae, Bacteroidaceae and Ruminococcaceae played a crucial role during the anaerobic degradation of cow manure. There was an important impact of Firmicutes flavefaciens and Ruminococcus albus at 41°C, which in turn positively affected the methane production. The degree of enhancement in biogas production can be upgraded by the co-inoculation of rumen-derived bioaugmentation culture with anaerobic seed sludge with high methanogenic activity. A close look at the biotic interactions and their associations with abiotic factors might be valuable for evaluating rumen-related bioaugmentation applications. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

An investigation into the preservation of microbial cell banks for α-amylase production during 5 l fed-batch Bacillus licheniformis fermentations.

PubMed

Hancocks, Nichola H; Thomas, Colin R; Stocks, Stuart M; Hewitt, Christopher J

2010-10-01

Fluorescent staining techniques were used for a systematic examination of methods used to cryopreserve microbial cell banks. The aim of cryopreservation here is to ensure subsequent reproducible fermentation performance rather than just post thaw viability. Bacillus licheniformis cell physiology post-thaw is dependent on the cryopreservant (either Tween 80, glycerol or dimethyl sulphoxide) and whilst this had a profound effect on the length of the lag phase, during subsequent 5 l fed-batch fermentations, it had little effect on maximum specific growth rate, final biomass concentration or α-amylase activity. Tween 80 not only protected the cells during freezing but also helped them recover post-thaw resulting in shorter process times.

The effect of toxic carbon source on the reaction of activated sludge in the batch reactor.

PubMed

Wu, Changyong; Zhou, Yuexi; Zhang, Siyu; Xu, Min; Song, Jiamei

2018-03-01

The toxic carbon source can cause higher residual effluent dissolved organic carbon than easily biodegraded carbon source in activated sludge process. In this study, an integrated activated sludge model is developed as the tool to understand the mechanism of toxic carbon source (phenol) on the reaction, regarding the carbon flows during the aeration period in the batch reactor. To estimate the toxic function of phenol, the microbial cells death rate (k death ) is introduced into the model. The integrated model was calibrated and validated by the experimental data and it was found the model simulations matched the all experimental measurements. In the steady state, the toxicity of phenol can result in higher microbial cells death rate (0.1637 h -1 vs 0.0028 h -1 ) and decay rate coefficient of biomass (0.0115 h -1 vs 0.0107 h -1 ) than acetate. In addition, the utilization-associated products (UAP) and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) formation coefficients of phenol are higher than that of acetate, indicating that more carbon flows into the extracellular components, such as soluble microbial products (SMP), when degrading toxic organics. In the non-steady state of feeding phenol, the yield coefficient for growth and maximum specific growth rate are very low in the first few days (1-10 d), while the decay rate coefficient of biomass and microbial cells death rate are relatively high. The model provides insights into the difference of the dynamic reaction with different carbon sources in the batch reactor. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gaining electricity from in situ oxidation of hydrogen produced by fermentative cellulose degradation.

PubMed

Niessen, J; Schröder, U; Harnisch, F; Scholz, F

2005-01-01

To exploit the fermentative hydrogen generation and direct hydrogen oxidation for the generation of electric current from the degradation of cellulose. Utilizing the metabolic activity of the mesophilic anaerobe Clostridium cellulolyticum and the thermophilic Clostridium thermocellum we show that electricity generation is possible from cellulose fermentation. The current generation is based on an in situ oxidation of microbially synthesized hydrogen at platinum-poly(tetrafluoroaniline) (Pt-PTFA) composite electrodes. Current densities of 130 mA l(-1) (with 3 g cellulose per litre medium) were achieved in poised potential experiments under batch and semi-batch conditions. The presented results show that electricity generation is possible by the in situ oxidation of hydrogen, product of the anaerobic degradation of cellulose by cellulolytic bacteria. For the first time, it is shown that an insoluble complex carbohydrate like cellulose can be used for electricity generation in a microbial fuel cell. The concept represents a first step to the utilization of macromolecular biomass components for microbial electricity generation.

Coproduction of acetic acid and electricity by application of microbial fuel cell technology to vinegar fermentation.

PubMed

Tanino, Takanori; Nara, Youhei; Tsujiguchi, Takuya; Ohshima, Takayuki

2013-08-01

The coproduction of a useful material and electricity via a novel application of microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology to oxidative fermentation was investigated. We focused on vinegar production, i.e., acetic acid fermentation, as an initial and model useful material that can be produced by oxidative fermentation in combination with MFC technology. The coproduction of acetic acid and electricity by applying MFC technology was successfully demonstrated by the simultaneous progress of acetic acid fermentation and electricity generation through a series of repeated batch fermentations. Although the production rate of acetic acid was very small, it increased with the number of repeated batch fermentations that were conducted. We obtained nearly identical (73.1%) or larger (89.9%) acetic acid yields than that typically achieved by aerated fermentation (75.8%). The open-cycle voltages measured before and after fermentation increased with the total fermentation time and reached a maximum value of 0.521 V prior to the third batch fermentation. The maximum current and power densities measured in this study (19.1 μA/cm² and 2.47 μW/cm², respectively) were obtained after the second batch fermentation. Copyright © 2013 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pressurized fluidized-bed hydroretorting of Eastern oil shales -- Sulfur control. Topical report for Subtask 3.1, In-bed sulfur capture tests; Subtask 3.2, Electrostatic desulfurization; Subtask 3.3, Microbial desulfurization and denitrification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberts, M.J.; Abbasian, J.; Akin, C.

1992-05-01

This topical report on ``Sulfur Control`` presents the results of work conducted by the Institute of Gas Technology (IGT), the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), and the Ohio State University (OSU) to develop three novel approaches for desulfurization that have shown good potential with coal and could be cost-effective for oil shales. These are (1) In-Bed Sulfur Capture using different sorbents (IGT), (2) Electrostatic Desulfurization (IIT), and (3) Microbial Desulfurization and Denitrification (OSU and IGT). The objective of the task on In-Bed Sulfur Capture was to determine the effectiveness of different sorbents (that is, limestone, calcined limestone, dolomite, and siderite)more » for capturing sulfur (as H{sub 2}S) in the reactor during hydroretorting. The objective of the task on Electrostatic Desulfurization was to determine the operating conditions necessary to achieve a high degree of sulfur removal and kerogen recovery in IIT`s electrostatic separator. The objectives of the task on Microbial Desulfurization and Denitrification were to (1) isolate microbial cultures and evaluate their ability to desulfurize and denitrify shale, (2) conduct laboratory-scale batch and continuous tests to improve and enhance microbial removal of these components, and (3) determine the effects of processing parameters, such as shale slurry concentration, solids settling characteristics, agitation rate, and pH on the process.« less

Metataxonomic profiling and prediction of functional behaviour of wheat straw degrading microbial consortia

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Mixed microbial cultures, in which bacteria and fungi interact, have been proposed as an efficient way to deconstruct plant waste. The characterization of specific microbial consortia could be the starting point for novel biotechnological applications related to the efficient conversion of lignocellulose to cello-oligosaccharides, plastics and/or biofuels. Here, the diversity, composition and predicted functional profiles of novel bacterial-fungal consortia are reported, on the basis of replicated aerobic wheat straw enrichment cultures. Results In order to set up biodegradative microcosms, microbial communities were retrieved from a forest soil and introduced into a mineral salt medium containing 1% of (un)treated wheat straw. Following each incubation step, sequential transfers were carried out using 1 to 1,000 dilutions. The microbial source next to three sequential batch cultures (transfers 1, 3 and 10) were analyzed by bacterial 16S rRNA gene and fungal ITS1 pyrosequencing. Faith’s phylogenetic diversity values became progressively smaller from the inoculum to the sequential batch cultures. Moreover, increases in the relative abundances of Enterobacteriales, Pseudomonadales, Flavobacteriales and Sphingobacteriales were noted along the enrichment process. Operational taxonomic units affiliated with Acinetobacter johnsonii, Pseudomonas putida and Sphingobacterium faecium were abundant and the underlying strains were successfully isolated. Interestingly, Klebsiella variicola (OTU1062) was found to dominate in both consortia, whereas K. variicola-affiliated strains retrieved from untreated wheat straw consortia showed endoglucanase/xylanase activities. Among the fungal players with high biotechnological relevance, we recovered members of the genera Penicillium, Acremonium, Coniochaeta and Trichosporon. Remarkably, the presence of peroxidases, alpha-L-fucosidases, beta-xylosidases, beta-mannases and beta-glucosidases, involved in lignocellulose degradation, was indicated by predictive bacterial metagenome reconstruction. Reassuringly, tests for specific (hemi)cellulolytic enzymatic activities, performed on the consortial secretomes, confirmed the presence of such gene functions. Conclusion In an in-depth characterization of two wheat straw degrading microbial consortia, we revealed the enrichment and selection of specific bacterial and fungal taxa that were presumably involved in (hemi) cellulose degradation. Interestingly, the microbial community composition was strongly influenced by the wheat straw pretreatment. Finally, the functional bacterial-metagenome prediction and the evaluation of enzymatic activities (at the consortial secretomes) revealed the presence and enrichment of proteins involved in the deconstruction of plant biomass. PMID:24955113

Comparison of different liquid anaerobic digestion effluents as inocula and nitrogen sources for solid-state batch anaerobic digestion of corn stover

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu Fuqing; Shi Jian; Lv Wen

2013-01-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Compared methane production of solid AD inoculated with different effluents. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Food waste effluent (FWE) had the largest population of acetoclastic methanogens. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Solid AD inoculated with FWE produced the highest methane yield at F/E ratio of 4. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Dairy waste effluent (DWE) was rich of cellulolytic and xylanolytic bacteria. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Solid AD inoculated with DWE produced the highest methane yield at F/E ratio of 2. - Abstract: Effluents from three liquid anaerobic digesters, fed with municipal sewage sludge, food waste, or dairy waste, were evaluated as inocula and nitrogen sources for solid-state batch anaerobic digestion of cornmore » stover in mesophilic reactors. Three feedstock-to-effluent (F/E) ratios (i.e., 2, 4, and 6) were tested for each effluent. At an F/E ratio of 2, the reactor inoculated by dairy waste effluent achieved the highest methane yield of 238.5 L/kgVS{sub feed}, while at an F/E ratio of 4, the reactor inoculated by food waste effluent achieved the highest methane yield of 199.6 L/kgVS{sub feed}. The microbial population and chemical composition of the three effluents were substantially different. Food waste effluent had the largest population of acetoclastic methanogens, while dairy waste effluent had the largest populations of cellulolytic and xylanolytic bacteria. Dairy waste also had the highest C/N ratio of 8.5 and the highest alkalinity of 19.3 g CaCO{sub 3}/kg. The performance of solid-state batch anaerobic digestion reactors was closely related to the microbial status in the liquid anaerobic digestion effluents.« less

Microbial ureolysis in the seawater-catalysed urine phosphorus recovery system: Kinetic study and reactor verification.

PubMed

Tang, Wen-Tao; Dai, Ji; Liu, Rulong; Chen, Guang-Hao

2015-12-15

Our previous study has confirmed the feasibility of using seawater as an economical precipitant for urine phosphorus (P) precipitation. However, we still understand very little about the ureolysis in the Seawater-based Urine Phosphorus Recovery (SUPR) system despite its being a crucial step for urine P recovery. In this study, batch experiments were conducted to investigate the kinetics of microbial ureolysis in the seawater-urine system. Indigenous bacteria from urine and seawater exhibited relatively low ureolytic activity, but they adapted quickly to the urine-seawater mixture during batch cultivation. During cultivation, both the abundance and specific ureolysis rate of the indigenous bacteria were greatly enhanced as confirmed by a biomass-dependent Michaelis-Menten model. The period for fully ureolysis was decreased from 180 h to 2.5 h after four cycles of cultivation. Based on the successful cultivation, a lab-scale SUPR reactor was set up to verify the fast ureolysis and efficient P recovery in the SUPR system. Nearly complete urine P removal was achieved in the reactor in 6 h without adding any chemicals. Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (TRFLP) analysis revealed that the predominant groups of bacteria in the SUPR reactor likely originated from seawater rather than urine. Moreover, batch tests confirmed the high ureolysis rates and high phosphorus removal efficiency induced by cultivated bacteria in the SUPR reactor under seawater-to-urine mixing ratios ranging from 1:1 to 9:1. This study has proved that the enrichment of indigenous bacteria in the SUPR system can lead to sufficient ureolytic activity for phosphate precipitation, thus providing an efficient and economical method for urine P recovery. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anolyte recirculation effects in buffered and unbuffered single-chamber air-cathode microbial fuel cells.

PubMed

Zhang, Liang; Zhu, Xun; Kashima, Hiroyuki; Li, Jun; Ye, Ding-Ding; Liao, Qiang; Regan, John M

2015-03-01

Two identical microbial fuel cells (MFCs) with a floating air-cathode were operated under either buffered (MFC-B) or bufferless (MFC-BL) conditions to investigate anolyte recirculation effects on enhancing proton transfer. With an external resistance of 50 Ω and recirculation rate of 1.0 ml/min, MFC-BL had a 27% lower voltage (9.7% lower maximal power density) but a 64% higher Coulombic efficiency (CE) than MFC-B. MFC-B had a decreased voltage output, batch time, and CE with increasing recirculation rate resulting from more oxygen transfer into the anode. However, increasing the recirculation rate within a low range significantly enhanced proton transfer in MFC-BL, resulting in a higher voltage output, a longer batch time, and a higher CE. A further increase in recirculation rate decreased the batch time and CE of MFC-BL due to excess oxygen transfer into anode outweighing the proton-transfer benefits. The unbuffered MFC had an optimal recirculation rate of 0.35 ml/min. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhanced bioelectricity harvesting in microbial fuel cells treating food waste leachate produced from biohydrogen fermentation.

PubMed

Choi, Jeongdong; Ahn, Youngho

2015-05-01

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) treating the food waste leachate produced from biohydrogen fermentation were examined to enhance power generation and energy recovery. In batch mode, the maximum voltage production was 0.56 V and the power density reached 1540 mW/m(2). The maximum Coulombic efficiency (CEmax) and energy efficiency (EE) in the batch mode were calculated to be 88.8% and 18.8%, respectively. When the organic loading rate in sequencing batch mode varied from 0.75 to 6.2 g COD/L-d (under CEmax), the maximum power density reached 769.2 mW/m(2) in OLR of 3.1 g COD/L-d, whereas higher energy recovery (CE=52.6%, 0.346 Wh/g CODrem) was achieved at 1.51 g COD/L-d. The results demonstrate that readily biodegradable substrates in biohydrogen fermentation can be effectively used for the enhanced bioelectricity harvesting of MFCs and a MFC coupled with biohydrogen fermentation is of great benefit on higher electricity generation and energy efficiency. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Microbial Diversity of Traditional Spontaneously Fermented Lambic Beer

PubMed Central

Spitaels, Freek; Wieme, Anneleen D.; Janssens, Maarten; Aerts, Maarten; Daniel, Heide-Marie; Van Landschoot, Anita; De Vuyst, Luc; Vandamme, Peter

2014-01-01

Lambic sour beers are the products of a spontaneous fermentation that lasts for one to three years before bottling. The present study determined the microbiota involved in the fermentation of lambic beers by sampling two fermentation batches during two years in the most traditional lambic brewery of Belgium, using culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. From 14 samples per fermentation, over 2000 bacterial and yeast isolates were obtained and identified. Although minor variations in the microbiota between casks and batches and a considerable species diversity were found, a characteristic microbial succession was identified. This succession started with a dominance of Enterobacteriaceae in the first month, which were replaced at 2 months by Pediococcus damnosus and Saccharomyces spp., the latter being replaced by Dekkera bruxellensis at 6 months fermentation duration. PMID:24748344

The microbial diversity of traditional spontaneously fermented lambic beer.

PubMed

Spitaels, Freek; Wieme, Anneleen D; Janssens, Maarten; Aerts, Maarten; Daniel, Heide-Marie; Van Landschoot, Anita; De Vuyst, Luc; Vandamme, Peter

2014-01-01

Lambic sour beers are the products of a spontaneous fermentation that lasts for one to three years before bottling. The present study determined the microbiota involved in the fermentation of lambic beers by sampling two fermentation batches during two years in the most traditional lambic brewery of Belgium, using culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. From 14 samples per fermentation, over 2000 bacterial and yeast isolates were obtained and identified. Although minor variations in the microbiota between casks and batches and a considerable species diversity were found, a characteristic microbial succession was identified. This succession started with a dominance of Enterobacteriaceae in the first month, which were replaced at 2 months by Pediococcus damnosus and Saccharomyces spp., the latter being replaced by Dekkera bruxellensis at 6 months fermentation duration.

A flat microbial fuel cell for decentralized wastewater valorization: process performance and optimization potential.

PubMed

Peixoto, Luciana; Rodrigues, Alexandrina L; Martins, Gilberto; Nicolau, Ana; Brito, António G; Silva, M Manuela; Parpot, Pier; Nogueira, Regina

2013-01-01

A very compact flat microbial fuel cell (MFC), with 64 cm2 each for the anode surface and the cathode surface and 1 cm3 each for the anode and cathode chambers, was tested for wastewater treatment with simultaneous electricity production with the ultimate goal of implementing an autonomous service in decentralized wastewater treatment systems. The MFC was operated with municipal wastewater in sequencing batch reactor mode with re-circulation. Current densities up to 407 W/m3 and a carbon removal of 83% were obtained. Interruption in the operation slightly decreased power density, while the re-circulation ratio did not influence power generation. The anode biofilm presented high conductivity, activity and diversity. The denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis band-pattern of the DNA showed the presence of several ribotypes with different species of Shewanellaceae and Geobacteraceae families.

Final Scientific/Technical Report, DE-FG02-06ER64171, Integrated Nucleic Acid System for In-Field Monitoring of Microbial Community Dynamics and Metabolic Activity – Subproject to Co-PI Eric E. Roden

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eric E. Roden

2009-07-08

This report summarizes research conducted in conjunction with a project entitled “Integrated Nucleic Acid System for In-Field Monitoring of Microbial Community Dynamics and Metabolic Activity”, which was funded through the Integrative Studies Element of the former NABIR Program (now the Environmental Remediation Sciences Program) within the Office of Biological and Environmental Research. Dr. Darrell Chandler (originally at Argonne National Laboratory, now with Akonni Biosystems) was the overall PI/PD for the project. The overall project goals were to (1) apply a model iron-reducer and sulfate-reducer microarray and instrumentation systems to sediment and groundwater samples from the Scheibe et al. FRC Areamore » 2 field site, UMTRA sediments, and other DOE contaminated sites; (2) continue development and expansion of a 16S rRNA/rDNA¬-targeted probe suite for microbial community dynamics as new sequences are obtained from DOE-relevant sites; and (3) address the fundamental molecular biology and analytical chemistry associated with the extraction, purification and analysis of functional genes and mRNA in environmental samples. Work on the UW subproject focused on conducting detailed batch and semicontinuous culture reactor experiments with uranium-contaminated FRC Area 2 sediment. The reactor experiments were designed to provide coherent geochemical and microbiological data in support of microarray analyses of microbial communities in Area 2 sediments undergoing biostimulation with ethanol. A total of four major experiments were conducted (one batch and three semicontinuous culture), three of which (the batch and two semicontinuous culture) provided samples for DNA microarray analysis. A variety of other molecular analyses (clone libraries, 16S PhyloChip, RT-PCR, and T-RFLP) were conducted on parallel samples from the various experiments in order to provide independent information on microbial community response to biostimulation.« less

A protocol for assessing the biotreatability of hydrocarbon contaminated exploration and production site soils

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tezak, J.; Miller, J.A.; Lawrence, A.W.

1995-12-01

It is estimated that there are over 260,000 natural gas production wells in the continental United States. Production or reserve pits exist which ma require remediation depending on several conditions such as: the manner in which they were initially closed; whether or not they were lined; and the local climate, soil type, and depth to groundwater. As part of the Gas Research Institute (GRI) research program on exploration and production (E&P) site remediation, a treatability Protocol is being developed to facilitate the rapid assessment of the amenability of the contaminated soils to remediation by biological processes. This paper describes themore » treatability protocol and the results of a series of treatability tests on a spectrum of hydrocarbon contaminated E&P soils collected from various operating locations throughout the United States. The soils are subjected to physical and chemical characterization prior to treatability testing. Potential biotoxic characteristics of the soils are determined by a respirometry screening technique. Presuming that the soils are not toxic to aerobic soil microorganisms, 20 percent by weight aqueous slurries of the soils are prepared and subjected to continuous batch aeration for a six week period. Conditions favorable to microbial growth are maintained in the reactors by monitoring and augmentation is needed of pH, microbial nutrients and oxygen for microbial respiration. The extent of microbial degradation of the contaminant hydrocarbons is monitored by periodic measurement of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), oil and grease, and individual hydrocarbon compounds as determined by gas chromatography. Microbial plate counts are prepared to document the biological viability of the treatment process. The factors influencing the amenability of these soils to bioremediation as determined from the test results are discussed.« less

Mineralization and Detoxification of the Carcinogenic Azo Dye Congo Red and Real Textile Effluent by a Polyurethane Foam Immobilized Microbial Consortium in an Upflow Column Bioreactor.

PubMed

Lade, Harshad; Govindwar, Sanjay; Paul, Diby

2015-06-16

A microbial consortium that is able to grow in wheat bran (WB) medium and decolorize the carcinogenic azo dye Congo red (CR) was developed. The microbial consortium was immobilized on polyurethane foam (PUF). Batch studies with the PUF-immobilized microbial consortium showed complete removal of CR dye (100 mg·L-1) within 12 h at pH 7.5 and temperature 30 ± 0.2 °C under microaerophilic conditions. Additionally, 92% American Dye Manufactureing Institute (ADMI) removal for real textile effluent (RTE, 50%) was also observed within 20 h under the same conditions. An upflow column reactor containing PUF-immobilized microbial consortium achieved 99% CR dye (100 mg·L-1) and 92% ADMI removal of RTE (50%) at 35 and 20 mL·h-l flow rates, respectively. Consequent reduction in TOC (83 and 79%), COD (85 and 83%) and BOD (79 and 78%) of CR dye and RTE were also observed, which suggested mineralization. The decolorization process was traced to be enzymatic as treated samples showed significant induction of oxidoreductive enzymes. The proposed biodegradation pathway of the dye revealed the formation of lower molecular weight compounds. Toxicity studies with a plant bioassay and acute tests indicated that the PUF-immobilized microbial consortium favors detoxification of the dye and textile effluents.

Mineralization and Detoxification of the Carcinogenic Azo Dye Congo Red and Real Textile Effluent by a Polyurethane Foam Immobilized Microbial Consortium in an Upflow Column Bioreactor

PubMed Central

Lade, Harshad; Govindwar, Sanjay; Paul, Diby

2015-01-01

A microbial consortium that is able to grow in wheat bran (WB) medium and decolorize the carcinogenic azo dye Congo red (CR) was developed. The microbial consortium was immobilized on polyurethane foam (PUF). Batch studies with the PUF-immobilized microbial consortium showed complete removal of CR dye (100 mg·L−1) within 12 h at pH 7.5 and temperature 30 ± 0.2 °C under microaerophilic conditions. Additionally, 92% American Dye Manufactureing Institute (ADMI) removal for real textile effluent (RTE, 50%) was also observed within 20 h under the same conditions. An upflow column reactor containing PUF-immobilized microbial consortium achieved 99% CR dye (100 mg·L−1) and 92% ADMI removal of RTE (50%) at 35 and 20 mL·h−l flow rates, respectively. Consequent reduction in TOC (83 and 79%), COD (85 and 83%) and BOD (79 and 78%) of CR dye and RTE were also observed, which suggested mineralization. The decolorization process was traced to be enzymatic as treated samples showed significant induction of oxidoreductive enzymes. The proposed biodegradation pathway of the dye revealed the formation of lower molecular weight compounds. Toxicity studies with a plant bioassay and acute tests indicated that the PUF-immobilized microbial consortium favors detoxification of the dye and textile effluents. PMID:26086710

Stochastic growth logistic model with aftereffect for batch fermentation process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosli, Norhayati; Ayoubi, Tawfiqullah; Bahar, Arifah

2014-06-19

In this paper, the stochastic growth logistic model with aftereffect for the cell growth of C. acetobutylicum P262 and Luedeking-Piret equations for solvent production in batch fermentation system is introduced. The parameters values of the mathematical models are estimated via Levenberg-Marquardt optimization method of non-linear least squares. We apply Milstein scheme for solving the stochastic models numerically. The effciency of mathematical models is measured by comparing the simulated result and the experimental data of the microbial growth and solvent production in batch system. Low values of Root Mean-Square Error (RMSE) of stochastic models with aftereffect indicate good fits.

Stochastic growth logistic model with aftereffect for batch fermentation process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosli, Norhayati; Ayoubi, Tawfiqullah; Bahar, Arifah; Rahman, Haliza Abdul; Salleh, Madihah Md

2014-06-01

In this paper, the stochastic growth logistic model with aftereffect for the cell growth of C. acetobutylicum P262 and Luedeking-Piret equations for solvent production in batch fermentation system is introduced. The parameters values of the mathematical models are estimated via Levenberg-Marquardt optimization method of non-linear least squares. We apply Milstein scheme for solving the stochastic models numerically. The effciency of mathematical models is measured by comparing the simulated result and the experimental data of the microbial growth and solvent production in batch system. Low values of Root Mean-Square Error (RMSE) of stochastic models with aftereffect indicate good fits.

Performance evaluation and microbial community of a sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) treating mariculture wastewater at different chlortetracycline concentrations.

PubMed

Zheng, Dong; Chang, Qingbo; Gao, Mengchun; She, Zonglian; Jin, Chunji; Guo, Liang; Zhao, Yangguo; Wang, Sen; Wang, Xuejiao

2016-11-01

The effects of chlortetracycline (CTC) on the performance, microbial activity, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and microbial community of a sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) were investigated in treating mariculture wastewater. Low CTC concentration (less than 6 mg/L) had no obvious effect on the SBBR performance, whereas high CTC concentration could inhibit the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and nitrogen removal of the SBBR. The microbial activity of the biofilm in the SBBR decreased with the increase of CTC concentration from 0 to 35 mg/L. The protein (PN) contents were always higher than the PS contents in both loosely bound EPS (LB-EPS) and tightly bound EPS (TB-EPS) at different CTC concentrations. The chemical compositions of LB-EPS and TB-EPS had obvious variations with the increase of CTC concentration from 0 to 35 mg/L. The high-throughput sequencing revealed the effects of CTC on the microbial communities of the biofilm at phylum, class and genus level. The relative abundances of some genera displayed a decreasing tendency with the increase of CTC concentration from 0 to 35 mg/L, such as Nitrospira, Paracoccus, Hyphomicrobium, Azospirillum. However, the relative abundances of the genera Flavobacterium, Aequorivita, Buchnera, Azonexus and Thioalbus increased with the increase of CTC concentration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Protocol for quantitative tracing of surface water with synthetic DNA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foppen, J. W.; Bogaard, T. A.

2012-04-01

Based on experiments we carried out in 2010 with various synthetic single stranded DNA markers with a size of 80 nucleotides (ssDNA; Foppen et al., 2011), we concluded that ssDNA can be used to carry out spatially distributed multi-tracer experiments in the environment. Main advantages are in principle unlimited amount of tracers, environmental friendly and tracer recovery at very high dilution rates (detection limit is very low). However, when ssDNA was injected in headwater streams, we found that at selected downstream locations, the total mass recovery was less than 100%. The exact reason for low mass recovery was unknown. In order to start identifying the cause of the loss of mass in these surface waters, and to increase our knowledge of the behaviour of synthetic ssDNA in the environment, we examined the effect of laboratory and field protocols working with artificial DNA by performing numerous batch experiments. Then, we carried out several field tests in different headwater streams in the Netherlands and in Luxembourg. The laboratory experiments consisted of a batch of water in a vessel with in the order of 10^10 ssDNA molecules injected into the batch. The total duration of each experiment was 10 hour, and, at regular time intervals, 100 µl samples were collected in a 1.5 ml Eppendorf vial for qPCR analyses. The waters we used ranged from milliQ water to river water with an Electrical Conductivity of around 400 μS/cm. The batch experiments were performed in different vessel types: polyethylene bottles, polypropylene copolymer bottles , and glass bottles. In addition, two filter types were tested: 1 µm pore size glass fibre filters and 0.2 µm pore size cellulose acetate filters. Lastly, stream bed sediment was added to the batch experiments to quantify interaction of the DNA with sediment. For each field experiment around 10^15 ssDNA molecules were injected, and water samples were collected 100 - 600 m downstream of the point of injection. Additionally, the field tests were performed with salt and deuterium as tracer. To study possible decay by sunlight and/or microbial activity for synthetic DNA, immediately in the field and for the duration of the entire experiment, we carried out batch experiments. All samples were stored in a 1.5 ml Eppendorf vial in a cool-box in dry ice (-80°C). Quantitative PCR on a Mini Opticon (Bio Rad, Hercules, CA, USA) was carried out to determine DNA concentrations in the samples. Results showed the importance of a strict protocol for working with ssDNA as a tracer for quantitative tracing, since ssDNA interacts with surface areas of glass and plastic, depending on water quality and ionic strength. Interaction with the sediment and decay due to sunlight and/or microbial activity was negligible in most cases. The ssDNA protocol was then tested in natural streams. Promising results were obtained using ssDNA as quantitative tracer. The breakthrough curves using ssDNA were similar to the ones of salt or deuterium. We will present the revised protocol to use ssDNA for multi-tracing experiments in natural streams and discuss the opportunities and limitations.

Contaminant concentration versus flow velocity: drivers of biodegradation and microbial growth in groundwater model systems.

PubMed

Grösbacher, Michael; Eckert, Dominik; Cirpka, Olaf A; Griebler, Christian

2018-06-01

Aromatic hydrocarbons belong to the most abundant contaminants in groundwater systems. They can serve as carbon and energy source for a multitude of indigenous microorganisms. Predictions of contaminant biodegradation and microbial growth in contaminated aquifers are often vague because the parameters of microbial activity in the mathematical models used for predictions are typically derived from batch experiments, which don't represent conditions in the field. In order to improve our understanding of key drivers of natural attenuation and the accuracy of predictive models, we conducted comparative experiments in batch and sediment flow-through systems with varying concentrations of contaminant in the inflow and flow velocities applying the aerobic Pseudomonas putida strain F1 and the denitrifying Aromatoleum aromaticum strain EbN1. We followed toluene degradation and bacterial growth by measuring toluene and oxygen concentrations and by direct cell counts. In the sediment columns, the total amount of toluene degraded by P. putida F1 increased with increasing source concentration and flow velocity, while toluene removal efficiency gradually decreased. Results point at mass transfer limitation being an important process controlling toluene biodegradation that cannot be assessed with batch experiments. We also observed a decrease in the maximum specific growth rate with increasing source concentration and flow velocity. At low toluene concentrations, the efficiencies in carbon assimilation within the flow-through systems exceeded those in the batch systems. In all column experiments the number of attached cells plateaued after an initial growth phase indicating a specific "carrying capacity" depending on contaminant concentration and flow velocity. Moreover, in all cases, cells attached to the sediment dominated over those in suspension, and toluene degradation was performed practically by attached cells only. The observed effects of varying contaminant inflow concentration and flow velocity on biodegradation could be captured by a reactive-transport model. By monitoring both attached and suspended cells we could quantify the release of new-grown cells from the sediments to the mobile aqueous phase. Studying flow velocity and contaminant concentrations as key drivers of contaminant transformation in sediment flow-through microcosms improves our system understanding and eventually the prediction of microbial biodegradation at contaminated sites.

Detection of biogenic amines and microbial safety assessment of novel Meju fermented with addition of Nelumbo nucifera, Ginkgo biloba, and Allium sativum.

PubMed

Shukla, Shruti; Lee, Jong Suk; Bajpai, Vivek K; Nile, Shivraj Hariram; Huh, Yun Suk; Han, Young-Kyu; Kim, Myunghee

2018-04-10

Meju, a cooked and fermented soy bean based food product, is used as a major ingredient in Korean traditional fermented foods such as Doenjang. We developed a novel type of Meju using single and combined extracts of Allium sativum (garlic clove), Nelumbo nucifera (lotus leaves), and Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo leaves) at 1% and 10% concentrations to improve the safety of Meju-based fermented products. Biogenic amines (BAs) in protein-rich fermented food products pose considerable toxical risks. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of adding selected plant extracts in Meju samples during fermentation. Nine BAs, including tryptamine, 2-phenylethylamine, putrescine, cadaverine, agmatine, histamine, tyramine, spermidine and spermine, were isolated from Meju samples after sample derivatization with dansyl chloride and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. As a result, all tested Meju samples with added plant extracts showed total BAs levels in the range of 20.12 ± 2.03 to 118.42 ± 10.68 mg/100 g, which were below the safety limit set by various regulatory authorities (USFDA/KFDA/EFSA). However, among all tested Meju samples, LOM10 (Meju fermented with Nelumbo nucifera at 10% concentration) showed higher levels of BAs content than others either due to batch-to-batch variability or reduced beneficial microorganisms and/or due to increase in BA forming microorganisms. Also, none of the samples showed the aflatoxin level above the detection limit. Furthermore, all the tested Meju samples improved microbial safety as confirmed by the complete absence of Salmonella species and Staphylococcus aureus. However, some of the Meju samples showed the presence of coliforms (in range of 1.6 × 10 0 -1.1 × 10 3  CFU/g), which is under regulatory limits. These results suggested that the use of plant extracts in Meju during fermentation have potential to improve microbial and toxicological safety of Meju products. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Kinetics of nitrification in a fixed biofilm reactor using dewatered sludge-fly ash composite ceramic particle as a supporting medium.

PubMed

Lee, Mong-Chuan; Lin, Yen-Hui; Yu, Huang-Wei

2014-11-01

A mathematical model system was derived to describe the kinetics of ammonium nitrification in a fixed biofilm reactor using dewatered sludge-fly ash composite ceramic particle as a supporting medium. The model incorporates diffusive mass transport and Monod kinetics. The model was solved using a combination of the orthogonal collocation method and Gear's method. A batch test was conducted to observe the nitrification of ammonium-nitrogen ([Formula: see text]-N) and the growth of nitrifying biomass. The compositions of nitrifying bacterial community in the batch kinetic test were analyzed using PCR-DGGE method. The experimental results show that the most staining intensity abundance of bands occurred on day 2.75 with the highest biomass concentration of 46.5 mg/L. Chemostat kinetic tests were performed independently to evaluate the biokinetic parameters used in the model prediction. In the column test, the removal efficiency of [Formula: see text]-N was approximately 96 % while the concentration of suspended nitrifying biomass was approximately 16 mg VSS/L and model-predicted biofilm thickness reached up to 0.21 cm in the steady state. The profiles of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of different microbial communities demonstrated that indigenous nitrifying bacteria (Nitrospira and Nitrobacter) existed and were the dominant species in the fixed biofilm process.

Microbial quantification in activated sludge: the hits and misses.

PubMed

Hall, S J; Keller, J; Blackall, L L

2003-01-01

Since the implementation of the activated sludge process for treating wastewater, there has been a reliance on chemical and physical parameters to monitor the system. However, in biological nutrient removal (BNR) processes, the microorganisms responsible for some of the transformations should be used to monitor the processes with the overall goal to achieve better treatment performance. The development of in situ identification and rapid quantification techniques for key microorganisms involved in BNR are required to achieve this goal. This study explored the quantification of Nitrospira, a key organism in the oxidation of nitrite to nitrate in BNR. Two molecular genetic microbial quantification techniques were evaluated: real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) followed by digital image analysis. A correlation between the Nitrospira quantitative data and the nitrate production rate, determined in batch tests, was attempted. The disadvantages and advantages of both methods will be discussed.

Dual utilization of NADPH and NADH cofactors enhances xylitol production in engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Jo, Jung-Hyun; Oh, Sun-Young; Lee, Hyeun-Soo; Park, Yong-Cheol; Seo, Jin-Ho

2015-12-01

Xylitol, a natural sweetener, can be produced by hydrogenation of xylose in hemicelluloses. In microbial processes, utilization of only NADPH cofactor limited commercialization of xylitol biosynthesis. To overcome this drawback, Saccharomyces cerevisiae D452-2 was engineered to express two types of xylose reductase (XR) with either NADPH-dependence or NADH-preference. Engineered S. cerevisiae DWM expressing both the XRs exhibited higher xylitol productivity than the yeast strain expressing NADPH-dependent XR only (DWW) in both batch and glucose-limited fed-batch cultures. Furthermore, the coexpression of S. cerevisiae ZWF1 and ACS1 genes in the DWM strain increased intracellular concentrations of NADPH and NADH and improved maximum xylitol productivity by 17%, relative to that for the DWM strain. Finally, the optimized fed-batch fermentation of S. cerevisiae DWM-ZWF1-ACS1 resulted in 196.2 g/L xylitol concentration, 4.27 g/L h productivity and almost the theoretical yield. Expression of the two types of XR utilizing both NADPH and NADH is a promising strategy to meet the industrial demands for microbial xylitol production. Copyright © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A batch assay to measure microbial hydrogen sulfide production from sulfur-containing solid wastes.

PubMed

Sun, Mei; Sun, Wenjie; Barlaz, Morton A

2016-05-01

Large volumes of sulfur-containing wastes enter municipal solid waste landfills each year. Under the anaerobic conditions that prevail in landfills, oxidized forms of sulfur, primarily sulfate, are converted to sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is corrosive to landfill gas collection and treatment systems, and its presence in landfill gas often necessitates the installation of expensive removal systems. For landfill operators to understand the cost of managing sulfur-containing wastes, an estimate of the H2S production potential is needed. The objective of this study was to develop and demonstrate a biochemical sulfide potential (BSP) test to measure the amount of H2S produced by different types of sulfur-containing wastes in a relatively fast (30days) and inexpensive (125mL serum bottles) batch assay. This study confirmed the toxic effect of H2S on both sulfate reduction and methane production in batch systems, and demonstrated that removing accumulated H2S by base adsorption was effective for mitigating inhibition. H2S production potentials of coal combustion fly ash, flue gas desulfurization residual, municipal solid waste combustion ash, and construction and demolition waste were determined in BSP assays. After 30days of incubation, most of the sulfate in the wastes was converted to gaseous or aqueous phase sulfide, with BSPs ranging from 0.8 to 58.8mLH2S/g waste, depending on the chemical composition of the samples. Selected samples contained solid phase sulfide which contributed to the measured H2S yield. A 60day incubation in selected samples resulted in 39-86% additional sulfide production. H2S production measured in BSP assays was compared with that measured in simulated landfill reactors and that calculated from chemical analyses. H2S production in BSP assays and in reactors was lower than the stoichiometric values calculated from chemical composition for all wastes tested, demonstrating the importance of assays to estimate the microbial sulfide production potential of sulfur-containing wastes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the release of constituents from granular materials under batch and column testing.

PubMed

Lopez Meza, Sarynna; Garrabrants, Andrew C; van der Sloot, Hans; Kosson, David S

2008-01-01

Column leaching testing can be considered a better basis for assessing field impact data than any other available batch test method and thus provides a fundamental basis from which to estimate constituent release under a variety of field conditions. However, column testing is time-intensive compared to the more simplified batch testing, and may not always be a viable option when making decisions for material reuse. Batch tests are used most frequently as a simple tool for compliance or quality control reasons. Therefore, it is important to compare the release that occurs under batch and column testing, and establish conservative interpretation protocols for extrapolation from batch data when column data are not available. Five different materials (concrete, construction debris, aluminum recycling residue, coal fly ash and bottom ash) were evaluated via batch and column testing, including different column flow regimes (continuously saturated and intermittent unsaturated flow). Constituent release data from batch and column tests were compared. Results showed no significant difference between the column flow regimes when constituent release data from batch and column tests were compared. In most cases batch and column testing agreed when presented in the form of cumulative release. For arsenic in carbonated materials, however, batch testing underestimates the column constituent release for most LS ratios and also on a cumulative basis. For cases when As is a constituent of concern, column testing may be required.

Kinetics of styrene biodegradation by Pseudomonas sp. E-93486.

PubMed

Gąszczak, Agnieszka; Bartelmus, Grażyna; Greń, Izabela

2012-01-01

The research into kinetics of styrene biodegradation by bacterial strain Pseudomonas sp. E-93486 coming from VTT Culture Collection (Finland) was presented in this work. Microbial growth tests in the presence of styrene as the sole carbon and energy source were performed both in batch and continuous cultures. Batch experiments were conducted for initial concentration of styrene in the liquid phase changed in the range of 5-90 g m(-3). The Haldane model was found to be the best to fit the kinetic data, and the estimated constants of the equation were: μ (m) = 0.1188 h(-1), K(S) = 5.984 mg l(-1), and K (i) = 156.6 mg l(-1). The yield coefficient mean value [Formula in text] for the batch culture was 0.72 g(dry cells weight) (g(substrate))(-1). The experiments conducted in a chemostat at various dilution rates (D = 0.035-0.1 h(-1)) made it possible to determine the value of the coefficient for maintenance metabolism m (d) = 0.0165 h(-1) and the maximum yield coefficient value [Formula in text]. Chemostat experiments confirmed the high value of yield coefficient [Formula in text] observed in the batch culture. The conducted experiments showed high activity of the examined strain in the styrene biodegradation process and a relatively low sensitivity to inhibition of its growth at higher concentrations of styrene in the solution. Such exceptional features of Pseudomonas sp. E-93486 make this bacterial strain the perfect candidate for technical applications.

Study of the lactic acid bacteria throughout the manufacture of dry-cured lacón (a Spanish traditional meat product). Effect of some additives.

PubMed

Lorenzo, José M; García Fontán, María C; Cachaldora, Aida; Franco, Inmaculada; Carballo, Javier

2010-04-01

Total aerobic mesophilic microflora (on SPC agar), lactic acid bacteria (on MRS agar) and lactobacilli (on Rogosa agar) were enumerated in samples from the surface and the interior of the pieces throughout the manufacture of six batches of lacón. Three of the batches were made without additives and three with additives (glucose (2 g/kg), sodium nitrite (E(250)) (125 mg/kg), sodium nitrate (E(251)) (175 mg/kg), sodium ascorbate (E(301)) (500 mg/kg), and sodium citrate (E(331)) (100 mg/kg)). The counts decreased throughout the manufacturing process, particularly after the salting stage. The use of additives did not affect the counts or the evolution of the microbial groups, except for the lactobacilli, which were present in higher numbers in the batches with additives. In four batches (two without and two with additives), from MRS agar and from Rogosa agar plates, 10 colonies were randomly taken from each sampling point of each batch (five from the surface sample and five from the interior sample) and from each culture medium; a total of 224 strains from MRS agar, and 176 strains from Rogosa agar that were identified by classical methods. The MRS agar displayed moderate selectivity for the isolation of lactic acid bacteria, and only 59% of the isolated strains belonged to this microbial group. Homofermentative and facultative heterofermentative lactobacilli (particularly Lactobacillus curvatus and Lactobacillus sakei) were the most abundant species isolated on this medium. The selectivity of the Rogosa agar for lactobacilli was extremely high. The species of lactobacilli isolated on this medium at different stages of manufacture of the four batches of lacón were consistent with those isolated from MRS agar. The use of additives in the lacón did not appreciably affect the kinds and proportions of species isolated on either MRS agar or Rogosa agar.

An Experiment in Autotrophic Fermentation: Microbial Oxidation of Hydrogen Sulfide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sublette, Kerry L.

1989-01-01

Described is an experiment which uses an autotrophic bacterium to anaerobically oxidize hydrogen sulfide to sulfate in a batch-stirred tank reactor. Discusses background information, experimental procedure, and sample results of this activity. (CW)

Increased bacterial cell density and recombinant protein yield using a commercial microbial cultivation system.

PubMed

Peck, Grantley R; Bowden, Timothy R; Shiell, Brian J; Michalski, Wojtek P

2014-01-01

EnBase (BioSilta, Finland) is a microbial cultivation system that replicates fed-batch systems through sustained release of glucose by enzymatic degradation of a polymeric substrate. Achievable bacterial cell densities and recombinant capripoxvirus protein expression levels, solubility, and antigenicity using the EnBase system were assessed. BL21-AI Escherichia coli expressing capripoxvirus proteins achieved up to eightfold higher cell densities when grown in EnBase media compared with standard media. Greater yields of capripoxvirus proteins were attained using EnBase media, either through increases in the amount of expressed protein per cell in conjunction with higher cell density or through the increase in cell density alone. Addition of EnBase booster enhanced protein yield for one of the proteins tested but reduced yield for the other. However, the amount of soluble forms of the capripoxvirus proteins tested was not different from that observed from cultures grown under standard conditions. Purified capripoxvirus proteins expressed using EnBase or standard media were assessed for their performance by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and were shown to be equally capable of specifically binding capripoxvirus antibodies.

Sorption and degradation of wastewater-associated pharmaceuticals and personal care products in agricultural soils and sediment.

PubMed

Zhang, Ting; Wu, Bo; Sun, Na; Ye, Yong; Chen, Huaixia

2013-01-01

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have drawn popular concerns recently as an emerging class of aquatic contaminants. In this study, adsorption and degradation of four selected PPCPs, metronidazole, tinidazole, caffeine and chloramphenicol, have been investigated in the laboratory using two agricultural soils in China and sediment from Changjiang River. Adsorption tests using a batch equilibrium method demonstrated that adsorption of all tested chemicals in soils could be well described with Freundlich equation, and their adsorption affinity on soil followed the order of chloramphenicol > caffeine > tinidazole > metronidazole. Generally, higher Kf value was associated with soils which had higher organic matter contents (except for caffeine acid in this study). Degradation of selected PPCPs in soils generally followed first-order exponential decay kinetics, and half-lives ranging from 0.97 to 10.21 d. Sterilization generally decreased the degradation rates, indicating that microbial activity played a significant role in the degradation in soils. The degradation rate constant decreased with increasing initial chemical concentrations in soil, implying that the microbial activity was inhibited with high chemical loading levels.

Effect of fed-batch vs. continuous mode of operation on microbial fuel cell performance treating biorefinery wastewater

DOE PAGES

Pannell, Tyler C.; Goud, R. Kannaiah; Schell, Daniel J.; ...

2016-05-01

Bioelectrochemical systems have been shown to treat low-value biorefinery streams while recovering energy, however, low current densities and anode conversion efficiencies (ACE) limit their application. A bioanode was developed via enrichment of electroactive biofilm under fed-batch and continuous feeding conditions using corn stover-derived waste stream. The continuously-fed MFC exhibited a current density of 5.8±0.06 A/m 2 and an ACE of 39%±4. The fed-batch MFC achieved a similar current density and an ACE of 19.2%, however, its performance dropped after 36 days of operation to 1.1 A/m 2 and 0.5%, respectively. In comparison, the ACE of the continuously-fed MFC remained stablemore » achieving an ACE of 30% ± 3 after 48 days of operation. An MFC treating a biorefinery stream post fuel separation achieved a current density of 10.7±0.1 A/m 2 and an ACE of 57% ± 9 at an organic loading of 12.5 g COD/L-day. Characterization of the microbial communities indicate higher abundance of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria and lower abundance of Bacteriodetes and a higher level of Geobacter spp. (1.4% vs. 0.2%) in continuously-fed MFC vs. fed-batch MFC. Finally, the results demonstrate that limiting substrate to the equivalent maximum current that the anode can generate, maintains MFC performance over a long term for high strength wastewaters, such as those generated in the biorefinery.« less

Effect of fed-batch vs. continuous mode of operation on microbial fuel cell performance treating biorefinery wastewater

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pannell, Tyler C.; Goud, R. Kannaiah; Schell, Daniel J.

Bioelectrochemical systems have been shown to treat low-value biorefinery streams while recovering energy, however, low current densities and anode conversion efficiencies (ACE) limit their application. A bioanode was developed via enrichment of electroactive biofilm under fed-batch and continuous feeding conditions using corn stover-derived waste stream. The continuously-fed MFC exhibited a current density of 5.8±0.06 A/m 2 and an ACE of 39%±4. The fed-batch MFC achieved a similar current density and an ACE of 19.2%, however, its performance dropped after 36 days of operation to 1.1 A/m 2 and 0.5%, respectively. In comparison, the ACE of the continuously-fed MFC remained stablemore » achieving an ACE of 30% ± 3 after 48 days of operation. An MFC treating a biorefinery stream post fuel separation achieved a current density of 10.7±0.1 A/m 2 and an ACE of 57% ± 9 at an organic loading of 12.5 g COD/L-day. Characterization of the microbial communities indicate higher abundance of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria and lower abundance of Bacteriodetes and a higher level of Geobacter spp. (1.4% vs. 0.2%) in continuously-fed MFC vs. fed-batch MFC. Finally, the results demonstrate that limiting substrate to the equivalent maximum current that the anode can generate, maintains MFC performance over a long term for high strength wastewaters, such as those generated in the biorefinery.« less

Effects of storage in ozonised slurry ice on the sensory and microbial quality of sardine (Sardina pilchardus).

PubMed

Campos, Carmen A; Rodríguez, Oscar; Losada, Vanesa; Aubourg, Santiago P; Barros-Velázquez, Jorge

2005-08-25

The use of slurry ice, both alone and in combination with ozone, as compared with traditional flake ice was investigated as a new refrigeration system for the storage of sardine (Sardina pilchardus). Microbiological, chemical and sensory analyses were carried out throughout a storage period of 22 days. According to sensory analyses, sardine specimens stored in ozonised slurry ice had a shelf life of 19 days, while counterpart batches stored in slurry ice or flake ice had shelf lives of 15 and 8 days, respectively. Storage in ozonised slurry ice led to significantly lower counts of aerobic mesophiles, psychrotrophic bacteria, anaerobes, coliforms, and both lipolytic and proteolytic microorganisms in sardine muscle, and of surface counts of mesophiles and psychrotrophic bacteria in sardine skin as compared with the slurry ice and the flake ice batches. In all cases, the slurry ice batch also exhibited significantly lower microbial counts, both in muscle and skin, than the flake ice batch. Chemical parameters revealed that the use of slurry ice slowed down the formation of TVB-N and TMA-N to a significant extent in comparison with storage in flake ice. A combination of slurry ice with ozone also allowed a better control of pH and TMA-N formation as compared with slurry ice alone. This work demonstrates that the combined use of slurry ice and ozone for the storage of sardine can be recommended to improve the quality and extend the shelf life of this fish species.

Energy-positive wastewater treatment and desalination in an integrated microbial desalination cell (MDC)-microbial electrolysis cell (MEC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yan; Styczynski, Jordyn; Huang, Yuankai; Xu, Zhiheng; McCutcheon, Jeffrey; Li, Baikun

2017-07-01

Simultaneous removal of nitrogen in municipal wastewater, metal in industrial wastewater and saline in seawater was achieved in an integrated microbial desalination cell-microbial electrolysis cell (MDC-MEC) system. Batch tests showed that more than 95.1% of nitrogen was oxidized by nitrification in the cathode of MDC and reduced by heterotrophic denitrification in the anode of MDC within 48 h, leading to the total nitrogen removal rate of 4.07 mg L-1 h-1. Combining of nitrogen removal and desalination in MDC effectively solved the problem of pH fluctuation in anode and cathode, and led to 63.7% of desalination. Power generation of MDC (293.7 mW m-2) was 2.9 times higher than the one without salt solution. The electric power of MDC was harvested by a capacitor circuit to supply metal reduction in a MEC, and 99.5% of lead (II) was removed within 48 h. A kinetic MDC model was developed to elucidate the correlation of voltage output and desalination efficiency. Ratio of wastewater and sea water was calculated for MDC optimal operation. Energy balance of nutrient removal, metal removal and desalination in the MDC-MEC system was positive (0.0267 kW h m-3), demonstrating the promise of utilizing low power output of MDCs.

Pressurized fluidized-bed hydroretorting of Eastern oil shales -- Sulfur control

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberts, M.J.; Abbasian, J.; Akin, C.

1992-05-01

This topical report on Sulfur Control'' presents the results of work conducted by the Institute of Gas Technology (IGT), the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), and the Ohio State University (OSU) to develop three novel approaches for desulfurization that have shown good potential with coal and could be cost-effective for oil shales. These are (1) In-Bed Sulfur Capture using different sorbents (IGT), (2) Electrostatic Desulfurization (IIT), and (3) Microbial Desulfurization and Denitrification (OSU and IGT). The objective of the task on In-Bed Sulfur Capture was to determine the effectiveness of different sorbents (that is, limestone, calcined limestone, dolomite, and siderite)more » for capturing sulfur (as H{sub 2}S) in the reactor during hydroretorting. The objective of the task on Electrostatic Desulfurization was to determine the operating conditions necessary to achieve a high degree of sulfur removal and kerogen recovery in IIT's electrostatic separator. The objectives of the task on Microbial Desulfurization and Denitrification were to (1) isolate microbial cultures and evaluate their ability to desulfurize and denitrify shale, (2) conduct laboratory-scale batch and continuous tests to improve and enhance microbial removal of these components, and (3) determine the effects of processing parameters, such as shale slurry concentration, solids settling characteristics, agitation rate, and pH on the process.« less

Effect of the polarity reversal frequency in the electrokinetic-biological remediation of oxyfluorfen polluted soil.

PubMed

Barba, Silvia; Villaseñor, José; Rodrigo, Manuel A; Cañizares, Pablo

2017-06-01

This work studies the feasibility of the periodic polarity reversal strategy (PRS) in a combined electrokinetic-biological process for the remediation of clayey soil polluted with a herbicide. Five two-weeks duration electrobioremediation batch experiments were performed in a bench scale set-up using spiked clay soil polluted with oxyfluorfen (20 mg kg -1 ) under potentiostatic conditions applying an electric field between the electrodes of 1.0 V cm -1 (20.0 V) and using PRS with five frequencies (f) ranging from 0 to 6 d -1 . Additionally, two complementary reference tests were done: single bioremediation and single electrokinetic. The microbial consortium used was obtained from an oil refinery wastewater treatment plant and acclimated to oxyfluorfen degradation. Main soil conditions (temperature, pH, moisture and conductivity) were correctly controlled using PRS. On the contrary, the electroosmotic flow clearly decreased as f increased. The uniform soil microbial distribution at the end of the experiments indicated that the microbial activity remained in every parts of the soil after two weeks when applying PRS. Despite the adapted microbial culture was capable of degrade 100% of oxyfluorfen in water, the remediation efficiency in soil in a reference test, without the application of electric current, was negligible. However, under the low voltage gradients and polarity reversal, removal efficiencies between 5% and 15% were obtained, and it suggested that oxyfluorfen had difficulties to interact with the microbial culture or nutrients and that PRS promoted transport of species, which caused a positive influence on remediation. An optimal f value was observed between 2 and 3 d -1 . Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of microbial physiology and microbial community structure on pharmaceutical fate driven by dissolved oxygen concentration in nitrifying bioreactors.

PubMed

Stadler, Lauren B; Love, Nancy G

2016-11-01

Operation at low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations (<1 mg/L) in wastewater treatment could save utilities significantly by reducing aeration energy costs. However, few studies have evaluated the impact of low DO on pharmaceutical biotransformations during treatment. DO concentration can impact pharmaceutical biotransformation rates during wastewater treatment both directly and indirectly: directly by acting as a limiting substrate that slows the activity of the microorganisms involved in biotransformation; and indirectly by shaping the microbial community and selecting for a community that performs pharmaceutical biotransformation faster (or slower). In this study, nitrifying bioreactors were operated at low (∼0.3 mg/L) and high (>4 mg/L) DO concentrations to understand how DO growth conditions impacted microbial community structure. Short-term batch experiments using the biomass from the parent reactors were performed under low and high DO conditions to understand how DO concentration impacts microbial physiology. Although the low DO parent biomass had a lower specific activity with respect to ammonia oxidation than the high DO parent reactor biomass, it had faster biotransformation rates of ibuprofen, sulfamethoxazole, 17α-ethinylestradiol, acetaminophen, and atenolol in high DO batch conditions. This was likely because the low DO reactor had a 2x higher biomass concentration, was enriched for ammonia oxidizers (4x higher concentration), and harbored a more diverse microbial community (3x more unique taxa) as compared to the high DO parent reactor. Overall, the results show that there can be indirect benefits from low DO operation over high DO operation that support pharmaceutical biotransformation during wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Leaching of cadmium and tellurium from cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film solar panels under simulated landfill conditions

PubMed Central

Ramos-Ruiz, Adriana; Wilkening, Jean V.; Field, James A.; Sierra-Alvarez, Reyes

2017-01-01

A crushed non-encapsulated CdTe thin-film solar cell was subjected to two standardized batch leaching tests (i.e., Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) and California Waste Extraction Test (WET)) and to a continuous-flow column test to assess cadmium (Cd) and tellurium (Te) dissolution under conditions simulating the acidic- and the methanogenic phases of municipal solid waste landfills. Low levels of Cd and Te were solubilized in both batch leaching tests (<8.2% and <3.6% of added Cd and Te, respectively). On the other hand, over the course of 30 days, 73% of the Cd and 21% of the Te were released to the synthetic leachate of a continuous-flow column simulating the acidic landfill phase. The dissolved Cd concentration was 3.24-fold higher than the TCLP limit (1 mg L-1), and 650-fold higher than the maximum contaminant level established by the US-EPA for this metal in drinking water (0.005 mg L-1). In contrast, the release of Cd and Te to the effluent of the continuous-flow column simulating the methanogenic phase of a landfill was negligible. The remarkable difference in the leaching behavior of CdTe in the columns is related to different aqueous pH and redox conditions promoted by the microbial communities in the columns, and is in agreement with thermodynamic predictions. PMID:28472709

Time delay and noise explaining the behaviour of the cell growth in fermentation process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ayuobi, Tawfiqullah; Rosli, Norhayati; Bahar, Arifah

2015-02-03

This paper proposes to investigate the interplay between time delay and external noise in explaining the behaviour of the microbial growth in batch fermentation process. Time delay and noise are modelled jointly via stochastic delay differential equations (SDDEs). The typical behaviour of cell concentration in batch fermentation process under this model is investigated. Milstein scheme is applied for solving this model numerically. Simulation results illustrate the effects of time delay and external noise in explaining the lag and stationary phases, respectively for the cell growth of fermentation process.

Time delay and noise explaining the behaviour of the cell growth in fermentation process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayuobi, Tawfiqullah; Rosli, Norhayati; Bahar, Arifah; Salleh, Madihah Md

2015-02-01

This paper proposes to investigate the interplay between time delay and external noise in explaining the behaviour of the microbial growth in batch fermentation process. Time delay and noise are modelled jointly via stochastic delay differential equations (SDDEs). The typical behaviour of cell concentration in batch fermentation process under this model is investigated. Milstein scheme is applied for solving this model numerically. Simulation results illustrate the effects of time delay and external noise in explaining the lag and stationary phases, respectively for the cell growth of fermentation process.

Assessment of microbial products in the biosorption process of Cu(II) onto aerobic granular sludge: Extracellular polymeric substances contribution and soluble microbial products release.

PubMed

Huang, Linxian; Li, Meilin; Si, Guangchao; Wei, Jinglin; Ngo, Huu Hao; Guo, Wenshan; Xu, Weiying; Du, Bin; Wei, Qin; Wei, Dong

2018-05-18

In the present study, the responses of microbial products in the biosorption process of Cu(II) onto aerobic granular sludge were evaluated by using batch and spectroscopic approaches. Batch experimental data showed that extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) contributed to Cu(II) removal from an aqueous solution, especially when treating low metal concentrations, whereas soluble microbial products (SMPs) were released under the metal stress during biosorption process. A three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix (3D-EEM) identified four main fluorescence peaks in the EPS, i.e., tryptophan protein-like, aromatic protein-like, humic-like and fulvic acid-like substances, and their fluorescence intensities decreased gradually in the presence of Cu(II) during the sorption process. Particularly, tryptophan protein-like substances quenched the Cu(II) binding to a much higher extent through a static quenching process with less than one class of binding sites. According to the synchronous fluorescence spectra, the whole fluorescence intensity of released SMP samples expressed an increased trend with different degrees along with contact time. Two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) suggested that the fulvic-like fluorescence fraction might be more susceptible to metal exposure than other fractions. The result of molecular weight distribution demonstrated that the SMPs released from the biosorption process differed significantly according to contact time. The result obtained could provide new insights into the responses of microbial products from aerobic granular sludge with heavy metal treatment. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Comprehensive Microbial Resource.

PubMed

Peterson, J D; Umayam, L A; Dickinson, T; Hickey, E K; White, O

2001-01-01

One challenge presented by large-scale genome sequencing efforts is effective display of uniform information to the scientific community. The Comprehensive Microbial Resource (CMR) contains robust annotation of all complete microbial genomes and allows for a wide variety of data retrievals. The bacterial information has been placed on the Web at http://www.tigr.org/CMR for retrieval using standard web browsing technology. Retrievals can be based on protein properties such as molecular weight or hydrophobicity, GC-content, functional role assignments and taxonomy. The CMR also has special web-based tools to allow data mining using pre-run homology searches, whole genome dot-plots, batch downloading and traversal across genomes using a variety of datatypes.

Denitrifying capability and community dynamics of glycogen accumulating organisms during sludge granulation in an anaerobic-aerobic sequencing batch reactor

PubMed Central

Bin, Zhang; Bin, Xue; Zhigang, Qiu; Zhiqiang, Chen; Junwen, Li; Taishi, Gong; Wenci, Zou; Jingfeng, Wang

2015-01-01

Denitrifying capability of glycogen accumulating organisms (GAOs) has received great attention in environmental science and microbial ecology. Combining this ability with granule processes would be an interesting attempt. Here, a laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was operated to enrich GAOs and enable sludge granulation. The results showed that the GAO granules were cultivated successfully and the granules had denitrifying capability. The batch experiments demonstrated that all NO3−-N could be removed or reduced, some amount of NO2−-N were accumulated in the reactor, and N2 was the main gaseous product. SEM analysis suggested that the granules were tightly packed with a large amount of tetrad-forming organisms (TFOs); filamentous bacteria served as the supporting structures for the granules. The microbial community structure of GAO granules was differed substantially from the inoculant conventional activated sludge. Most of the bacteria in the seed sludge grouped with members of Proteobacterium. FISH analysis confirmed that GAOs were the predominant members in the granules and were distributed evenly throughout the granular space. In contrast, PAOs were severely inhibited. Overall, cultivation of the GAO granules and utilizing their denitrifying capability can provide us with a new approach of nitrogen removal and saving more energy. PMID:26257096

Denitrifying capability and community dynamics of glycogen accumulating organisms during sludge granulation in an anaerobic-aerobic sequencing batch reactor.

PubMed

Bin, Zhang; Bin, Xue; Zhigang, Qiu; Zhiqiang, Chen; Junwen, Li; Taishi, Gong; Wenci, Zou; Jingfeng, Wang

2015-08-10

Denitrifying capability of glycogen accumulating organisms (GAOs) has received great attention in environmental science and microbial ecology. Combining this ability with granule processes would be an interesting attempt. Here, a laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was operated to enrich GAOs and enable sludge granulation. The results showed that the GAO granules were cultivated successfully and the granules had denitrifying capability. The batch experiments demonstrated that all NO3(-)-N could be removed or reduced, some amount of NO2(-)-N were accumulated in the reactor, and N2 was the main gaseous product. SEM analysis suggested that the granules were tightly packed with a large amount of tetrad-forming organisms (TFOs); filamentous bacteria served as the supporting structures for the granules. The microbial community structure of GAO granules was differed substantially from the inoculant conventional activated sludge. Most of the bacteria in the seed sludge grouped with members of Proteobacterium. FISH analysis confirmed that GAOs were the predominant members in the granules and were distributed evenly throughout the granular space. In contrast, PAOs were severely inhibited. Overall, cultivation of the GAO granules and utilizing their denitrifying capability can provide us with a new approach of nitrogen removal and saving more energy.

Denitrifying capability and community dynamics of glycogen accumulating organisms during sludge granulation in an anaerobic-aerobic sequencing batch reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bin, Zhang; Bin, Xue; Zhigang, Qiu; Zhiqiang, Chen; Junwen, Li; Taishi, Gong; Wenci, Zou; Jingfeng, Wang

2015-08-01

Denitrifying capability of glycogen accumulating organisms (GAOs) has received great attention in environmental science and microbial ecology. Combining this ability with granule processes would be an interesting attempt. Here, a laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was operated to enrich GAOs and enable sludge granulation. The results showed that the GAO granules were cultivated successfully and the granules had denitrifying capability. The batch experiments demonstrated that all NO3--N could be removed or reduced, some amount of NO2--N were accumulated in the reactor, and N2 was the main gaseous product. SEM analysis suggested that the granules were tightly packed with a large amount of tetrad-forming organisms (TFOs); filamentous bacteria served as the supporting structures for the granules. The microbial community structure of GAO granules was differed substantially from the inoculant conventional activated sludge. Most of the bacteria in the seed sludge grouped with members of Proteobacterium. FISH analysis confirmed that GAOs were the predominant members in the granules and were distributed evenly throughout the granular space. In contrast, PAOs were severely inhibited. Overall, cultivation of the GAO granules and utilizing their denitrifying capability can provide us with a new approach of nitrogen removal and saving more energy.

Transformation of PVP coated silver nanoparticles in a simulated wastewater treatment process and the effect on microbial communities

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Manufactured silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are one of the most commonly used nanomaterials in consumer goods and consequently their concentrations in wastewater and hence wastewater treatment plants are predicted to increase. We investigated the fate of AgNPs in sludge that was subjected to aerobic and anaerobic treatment and the impact of AgNPs on microbial processes and communities. The initial identification of AgNPs in sludge was carried out using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. The solid phase speciation of silver in sludge and wastewater influent was then examined using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The effects of transformed AgNPs (mainly Ag-S phases) on nitrification, wastewater microbial populations and, for the first time, methanogenesis was investigated. Results Sequencing batch reactor experiments and anaerobic batch tests, both demonstrated that nitrification rate and methane production were not affected by the addition of AgNPs [at 2.5 mg Ag L-1 (4.9 g L-1 total suspended solids, TSS) and 183.6 mg Ag kg -1 (2.9 g kg-1 total solids, TS), respectively]. The low toxicity is most likely due to AgNP sulfidation. XAS analysis showed that sulfur bonded Ag was the dominant Ag species in both aerobic (activated sludge) and anaerobic sludge. In AgNP and AgNO3 spiked aerobic sludge, metallic Ag was detected (~15%). However, after anaerobic digestion, Ag(0) was not detected by XAS analysis. Dominant wastewater microbial populations were not affected by AgNPs as determined by DNA extraction and pyrotag sequencing. However, there was a shift in niche populations in both aerobic and anaerobic sludge, with a shift in AgNP treated sludge compared with controls. This is the first time that the impact of transformed AgNPs (mainly Ag-S phases) on anaerobic digestion has been reported. Conclusions Silver NPs were transformed to Ag-S phases during activated sludge treatment (prior to anaerobic digestion). Transformed AgNPs, at predicted future Ag wastewater concentrations, did not affect nitrification or methanogenesis. Consequently, AgNPs are very unlikely to affect the efficient functioning of wastewater treatment plants. However, AgNPs may negatively affect sub-dominant wastewater microbial communities. PMID:23497481

ENVIRONMENTAL BENIGN MITIGATION OF MICROBIOLOGICALLY INFLUENCED CORROSION (MIC)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J.R. Paterek; G. Husmillo; V. Trbovic

The overall program objective is to develop and evaluate environmental benign agents or products that are effective in the prevention, inhibition, and mitigation of microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) in the internal surfaces of metallic natural gas pipelines. The goal is one or more environmental benign, a.k.a. ''green'' products that can be applied to maintain the structure and dependability of the natural gas infrastructure. The technical approach for this quarter were isolation and cultivation of MIC-causing microorganisms from corroded pipeline samples, optimizing parameters in the laboratory-scale corrosion test loop system and testing the effective concentrations of Capsicum sp. extracts to verifymore » the extent of corrosion on metal coupons by batch culture method. A total of 22 strains from the group of heterotrophic, acid producing, denitrifying and sulfate reducing bacteria were isolated from the gas pipeline samples obtained from Northern Indiana Public Service Company in Trenton, Indiana. They were purified and will be sent out for identification. Bacterial strains of interest were used in antimicrobial screenings and test loop experiments. Parameters for the laboratory-scale test loop system such as gas and culture medium flow rate; temperature; inoculation period; and length of incubation were established. Batch culture corrosion study against Desulfovibrio vulgaris showed that one (S{sub 1}M) out of the four Capsicum sp. extracts tested was effective in controlling the corrosion rate in metal coupons by 33.33% when compared to the untreated group.« less

Inhibition of residual n-hexane in anaerobic digestion of lipid-extracted microalgal wastes and microbial community shift.

PubMed

Yun, Yeo-Myeong; Shin, Hang-Sik; Lee, Chang-Kyu; Oh, You-Kwan; Kim, Hyun-Woo

2016-04-01

Converting lipid-extracted microalgal wastes to methane (CH4) via anaerobic digestion (AD) has the potential to make microalgae-based biodiesel platform more sustainable. However, it is apparent that remaining n-hexane (C6H14) from lipid extraction could inhibit metabolic pathway of methanogens. To test an inhibitory influence of residual n-hexane, this study conducted a series of batch AD by mixing lipid-extracted Chlorella vulgaris with a wide range of n-hexane concentration (∼10 g chemical oxygen demand (COD)/L). Experimental results show that the inhibition of n-hexane on CH4 yield was negligible up to 2 g COD/L and inhibition to methanogenesis became significant when it was higher than 4 g COD/L based on quantitative mass balance. Inhibition threshold was about 4 g COD/L of n-hexane. Analytical result of microbial community profile revealed that dominance of alkane-degrading sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and syntrophic bacteria increased, while that of methanogens sharply dropped as n-hexane concentration increased. These findings offer a useful guideline of threshold n-hexane concentration and microbial community shift for the AD of lipid-extracted microalgal wastes.

Effects of inoculation of commercial starter cultures on the quality and histamine accumulation in fermented sausages.

PubMed

Wang, Xinhui; Ren, Hongyang; Wang, Wei; Zhang, Yin; Bai, Ting; Li, Junxia; Zhu, Wenyou

2015-02-01

To meet the requirements of high-quality safe products, starter cultures are used to produce fermented sausages. The effects of 3 commercial starter cultures, namely SM-194, T-SPX, and SM-181, on histamine accumulation and quality parameters including microbial quality, pH, water activity, and total volatile base nitrogen, as well as the color and texture properties, were evaluated during the fermentation and ripening of fermented sausages. Although initial counts of Escherichia coli, Enterobacteriaceae, and Pseudomonas were similar in the 4 batches, the growth of these microorganisms was significantly inhibited (P < 0.05) in batches SM-194, T-SPX, and SM-181 throughout the fermentation and ripening period. The counts of E. coli, Enterobacteriaceae, and Pseudomonas increased to maximum levels of 3.89, 4.41, and 5.15 log10 colony forming units/g in the control sausages, respectively. At the end of ripening, the levels of histamine were 8.85, 0.32, 7.82, and 3.18 mg/kg for batches C, SM-194, T-SPX, and SM-181, respectively. The results revealed that commercial starter cultures, particularly starter cultures SM-194 and SM-181, made a great contribution to histamine reduction. In addition, batches inoculated with starter cultures showed a stronger acidification and lower level of total volatile base nitrogen than the control sample during production (P < 0.05). In conclusion, it seems that the inoculation of commercial starter cultures, particularly starter cultures SM-194 and SM-181, contributes to improving microbial quality, hygienic quality and food safety of fermented sausages. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

Characterization of EPS compositions and microbial community in an Anammox SBBR system treating landfill leachate.

PubMed

Miao, Lei; Zhang, Qiong; Wang, Shuying; Li, Baikun; Wang, Zhong; Zhang, Sujian; Zhang, Man; Peng, Yongzhen

2018-02-01

The biofilm system is beneficial for Anammox process designed to treat landfill leachate. In this study, the composition of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and the microbial community in an Anammox biofilm system were analyzed to determine the functions driving the biofilm's ability to treat landfill leachate. The results demonstrated that increasing influent carbon oxygen demand (COD) could stimulate EPS production. EPS helped enrich Anammox bacteria and supplied them with nutrients and enzymes, facilitating effective nitrogen removal (approximately 95%). The variation in Anammox bacteria was similar to the variation in EPS composition. In the tested Anammox Sequencing Biofilm Batch Reactor (SBBR) system, Candidatus Kuenenia was dominant among known Anammox genus, because of its high substrate affinity and because it adapts better to landfill leachate. The relative abundance of Candidatus Kuenenia in the biofilm rose from 3.26% to 12.38%, illustrating the protection and enrichment offered by the biofilm in carrying out Anammox. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improvement and modeling of culture parameters to enhance biomass and lipid production by the oleaginous yeast Cryptococcus curvatus grown on acetate.

PubMed

Béligon, Vanessa; Poughon, Laurent; Christophe, Gwendoline; Lebert, André; Larroche, Christian; Fontanille, Pierre

2015-09-01

The improvement of culture parameters for lipid production from acetate as carbon source was investigated using the oleaginous yeast Cryptococcus curvatus. A new pH regulation system dispensing acetate was developed for fed-batch culture and allowed obtaining nearly 80 g/L biomass within 60 h with a maximal growth rate of 0.28 h(-1). A biological model was developed from experimental data. The influence of three C/N ratios of 300, 500 and 900 were tested during a multi-phases process on lipid accumulation. The C/N ratio of 300 was reported to be the most suitable for lipid storage. No significant increase of lipids content was obtained with higher value. A maximal content of 60% DCW of lipid was obtained. The determination of fatty acids profiles of the microbial oils has confirmed that the valorization of acetate by microbial oils production was a promising perspective. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbial Kinetic Model for the Degradation of Poorly Soluble Organic Materials

EPA Science Inventory

A novel mechanistic model is presented that describes the aerobic biodegradation kinetics of soybean biodiesel and petroleum diesel in batch experiments. The model was built on the assumptions that biodegradation takes place in the aqueous phase according to Monod kinetics, and ...

Addition of granular activated carbon and trace elements to favor volatile fatty acid consumption during anaerobic digestion of food waste.

PubMed

Capson-Tojo, Gabriel; Moscoviz, Roman; Ruiz, Diane; Santa-Catalina, Gaëlle; Trably, Eric; Rouez, Maxime; Crest, Marion; Steyer, Jean-Philippe; Bernet, Nicolas; Delgenès, Jean-Philippe; Escudié, Renaud

2018-07-01

The effect of supplementing granular activated carbon and trace elements on the anaerobic digestion performance of consecutive batch reactors treating food waste was investigated. The results from the first batch suggest that addition of activated carbon favored biomass acclimation, improving acetic acid consumption and enhancing methane production. Adding trace elements allowed a faster consumption of propionic acid. A second batch proved that a synergy existed when activated carbon and trace elements were supplemented simultaneously. The degradation kinetics of propionate oxidation were particularly improved, reducing significantly the batch duration and improving the average methane productivities. Addition of activated carbon favored the growth of archaea and syntrophic bacteria, suggesting that interactions between these microorganisms were enhanced. Interestingly, microbial analyses showed that hydrogenotrophic methanogens were predominant. This study shows for the first time that addition of granular activated carbon and trace elements may be a feasible solution to stabilize food waste anaerobic digestion. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ethanol prefermentation of food waste in sequencing batch methane fermentation for improved buffering capacity and microbial community analysis.

PubMed

Yu, Miao; Wu, Chuanfu; Wang, Qunhui; Sun, Xiaohong; Ren, Yuanyuan; Li, Yu-You

2018-01-01

This study investigates the effects of ethanol prefermentation (EP) on methane fermentation. Yeast was added to the substrate for EP in the sequencing batch methane fermentation of food waste. An Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing system was used to analyze changes in the microbial community. Methane production in the EP group (254mL/g VS) was higher than in the control group (35mL/g VS) because EP not only increased the buffering capacity of the system, but also increased hydrolytic acidification. More carbon source was converted to ethanol in the EP group than in the control group, and neutral ethanol could be converted continuously to acetic acid, which promoted the growth of Methanobacterium and Methanosarcina. As a result, the relative abundance of methane-producing bacteria was significantly higher than that of the control group. Kinetic modeling indicated that the EP group had a higher hydrolysis efficiency and shorter lag phase. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Feasibility of bioengineered two-stages sequential batch reactor and filtration-adsorption process for complex agrochemical effluent.

PubMed

Manekar, Pravin; Biswas, Rima; Urewar, Chaitali; Pal, Sukdeb; Nandy, Tapas

2013-11-01

In the present study, the feasibility of a bioengineered two-stages sequential batch reactor (BTSSBR) followed by filtration-adsorption process was investigated to treat the agrochemical effluent by overcoming factor affecting process stability such as microbial imbalance and substrate sensitivity. An air stripper stripped 90% of toxic ammonia, and combined with other streams for bio-oxidation and filtration-adsorption. The BTSSBR system achieved bio-oxidation at 6 days hydraulic retention time by fending off microbial imbalance and substrate sensitivity. The maximum reduction in COD and BOD by heterotrophic bacteria in the first reactor was 87% and 90%, respectively. Removal of toxic ammoniacal-nitrogen by autotrophic bacteria in a post-second stage bio-oxidation was 97%. The optimum filtration and adsorption of pollutants were achieved at a filtration rate of 10 and 9 m(3)m(-2)h(-1), respectively. The treatment scheme comprising air stripper, BTSSBR and filtration-adsorption process showed a great promise for treating the agrochemical effluent. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electron harvest and treatment of amendment free municipal wastewater using microbial anodes: A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosa, Luis F. M.; Koch, Christin; Korth, Benjamin; Harnisch, Falk

2017-07-01

Microbial electrochemical technologies (METs) and especially microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are considered to allow energy harvest from the fuel wastewater during its treatment. However, the majority of studies use either "artificial" wastewater, amended wastewater, (i.e. with addition of chemicals), or pre-enriched microbial anodes. As these strategies might not be transferable to large scale, this study uses exclusively amendment free municipal wastewater as inoculum and sole carbon and energy source. It is shown that electrons can be harvested, at maximum current densities of 0.01 mA cm-2. In weekly cycles using batch systems (with 90 cm2 L-1 anode surface) only a minor fraction (<10%) of the available charge from COD-removal was turned into electricity by a highly diverse anodic microbial community. This performance is below those achieved by pre-enriched anodes or in amended wastewater studies, illustrating the need for more fundamental, application relevant studies.

Spotsizer: High-throughput quantitative analysis of microbial growth.

PubMed

Bischof, Leanne; Převorovský, Martin; Rallis, Charalampos; Jeffares, Daniel C; Arzhaeva, Yulia; Bähler, Jürg

2016-10-01

Microbial colony growth can serve as a useful readout in assays for studying complex genetic interactions or the effects of chemical compounds. Although computational tools for acquiring quantitative measurements of microbial colonies have been developed, their utility can be compromised by inflexible input image requirements, non-trivial installation procedures, or complicated operation. Here, we present the Spotsizer software tool for automated colony size measurements in images of robotically arrayed microbial colonies. Spotsizer features a convenient graphical user interface (GUI), has both single-image and batch-processing capabilities, and works with multiple input image formats and different colony grid types. We demonstrate how Spotsizer can be used for high-throughput quantitative analysis of fission yeast growth. The user-friendly Spotsizer tool provides rapid, accurate, and robust quantitative analyses of microbial growth in a high-throughput format. Spotsizer is freely available at https://data.csiro.au/dap/landingpage?pid=csiro:15330 under a proprietary CSIRO license.

Microbial community structure of different electrode materials in constructed wetland incorporating microbial fuel cell.

PubMed

Wang, Junfeng; Song, Xinshan; Wang, Yuhui; Abayneh, Befkadu; Ding, Yi; Yan, Denghua; Bai, Junhong

2016-12-01

The microbial fuel cell coupled with constructed wetland (CW-MFC) microcosms were operated under fed-batch mode for evaluating the effect of electrode materials on bioelectricity generation and microbial community composition. Experimental results indicated that the bioenergy output in CW-MFC increased with the substrate concentration; maximum average voltage (177mV) was observed in CW-MFC with carbon fiber felt (CFF). In addition, the four different materials resulted in the formation of significantly different microbial community distribution around the anode electrode. The relative abundance of Proteobacteria in CFF and foamed nickel (FN) was significantly higher than that in stainless steel mesh (SSM) and graphite rod (GR) samples. Notably, the findings indicate that CW-MFC utilizing FN anode electrode could apparently improve relative abundance of Dechloromonas, which has been regarded as a denitrifying and phosphate accumulating microorganism. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The microbiological safety of duckweed fed chickens: a risk assessment of using duckweed reared on domestic wastewater as a protein source in broiler chickens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moyo, S.; Dalu, J. M.; Ndamba, J.

The possibility of transmission of pathogens from duckweed supplemented feed to chickens and consequently to the human consumer necessitated the microbiological testing of duckweed fed chickens. This assessment was thus done to determine whether there is transmission of pathogens from the duckweed supplemented feed to the chickens; determine whether such infection would be systemic or be confined to the gastro-intestinal tract of the birds; and to investigate the microbial load and distribution of the microbes with age. The study birds were sacrificed at 3, 6, 8 and 10 weeks of age and examined for the indicator organisms Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. There was no discernible pattern in the microbial load of both the duckweed fed chickens and control birds with age although the control birds sampled clearly had a lower microbial load than the experimental flock. Some Salmonella and two enteropathogenic E. coli strains were isolated from control and experimental sub-samples at 3 weeks. There were no Salmonellae isolated in the subsequent batches of birds and feed although a number of E. coli were isolated. More isolates were obtained from the three weeks’ sub-samples (collected during wet weather) than from all the other sub-samples. The use of duckweed at this inclusion rate under the processing conditions at Nemanwa was thus concluded to be microbiologically safe as long as due caution is exercised during the processing of the duckweed and handling of the birds. There are indications that the chickens may get contaminated especially during wet weather as evidenced by the isolation of E. coli and Salmonella spp from the first batch sub-samples. This was attributed to poor environmental sanitation at the plant particularly in view of the prevailing wet conditions at the time.

Improving performance of MFC by design alteration and adding cathodic electrolytes.

PubMed

Jadhav, G S; Ghangrekar, M M

2008-12-01

Performance of two microbial fuel cells (MFCs) was investigated under batch and continuous mode of operation using different cathodic electrolyte. The wastewater was supplied from the bottom port provided to the anode chamber in both the MFCs and the effluent left the anode chamber from the top port in MFC-1, whereas in MFC-2, the effluent exit was provided close to membrane. Stainless steel (SS) mesh anode was used in both the MFCs with surface area of 167 and 100 cm(2) in MFC-1 and MFC-2, respectively. Under batch mode and continuous mode of operation, these MFCs gave chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency more than 85% and about 68%, respectively. Under batch mode of operation, maximum power density of 39.95 and 56.87 mW/m(2) and maximum current density of 180.83 and 295 mA/m(2) were obtained in MFC-1 and MFC-2, respectively. Under continuous mode of operation, a reduction in power and current density was observed. Even with less surface area of the anode, MFC-2 produced more current (1.77 mA) than MFC-1 (1.40 mA). Among the cathodic electrolyte tested, these can be listed in decreasing order of power density as aerated KMnO(4) solution > KMnO(4) solution without aeration > aerated tap water > aerated tap water with NaCl.

Syringe test screening of microbial gas production activity: Cases denitrification and biogas formation.

PubMed

Østgaard, Kjetill; Kowarz, Viktoria; Shuai, Wang; Henry, Ingrid A; Sposob, Michal; Haugen, Hildegunn Hegna; Bakke, Rune

2017-01-01

Mass produced plastic syringes may be applied as vessels for cheap, simple and large scale batch culture testing. As illustrated for the cases of denitrification and of biogas formation, metabolic activity was monitored by direct reading of the piston movement due to the gas volume formed. Pressure buildup due to friction was shown to be moderate. A piston pull and slide back routine can be applied before recording gas volume to minimize experimental errors due to friction. Inoculum handling and activity may be conveniently standardized as illustrated by applying biofilm carriers. A robust set of positive as well as negative controls ("blanks") should be included to ensure quality of the actual testing. The denitrification test showed saturation response at increasing amounts of inoculum in the form of adapted moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) carriers, with well correlated nitrate consumption vs. gas volume formed. As shown, the denitrification test efficiently screened different inocula at standardized substrates. Also, different substrates were successfully screened and compared at standardized inocula. The biogas potential test showed efficient screening of different substrates with effects of relative amounts of carbohydrate, protein, fat. A second case with CO 2 capture reclaimer waste as substrate demonstrated successful use of co-feeding to support waste treatment and how temperature effects on kinetics and stoichiometry can be observed. In total, syringe test screening of microbial gas production seems highly efficient at a low cost when properly applied. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Entrapment of anaerobic thermophilic and hyperthermophilic marine micro-organisms in a gellan/xanthan matrix.

PubMed

Landreau, M; Duthoit, F; Claeys-Bruno, M; Vandenabeele-Trambouze, O; Aubry, T; Godfroy, A; Le Blay, G

2016-06-01

The aims of this study were (i) to develop a protocol for the entrapment of anaerobic (hyper)thermophilic marine micro-organisms; (ii) to test the use of the chosen polymers in a range of physical and chemical conditions and (iii) to validate the method with batch cultures. The best conditions for immobilization were obtained at 80°C with gellan and xanthan gums. After 5-week incubation, beads showed a good resistance to all tested conditions except those simultaneously including high temperature (100°C), low NaCl (<0∙5 mol l(-1) ) and extreme pH (4/8). To confirm the method efficiency, batch cultures with immobilized Thermosipho sp. strain AT1272 and Thermococcus kodakarensis strain KOD1 showed an absence of detrimental effect on cell viability and a good growth within and outside the beads. This suggests that entrapment in a gellan-xanthan matrix could be employed for the culture of anaerobic (hyper)thermophilic marine micro-organisms. (Hyper)thermophilic marine micro-organisms possess a high biotechnological potential. Generally microbial cells are grown as free-cell cultures. The use of immobilized cells may offer several advantages such as protection against phage attack, high cell biomass and better production rate of desired metabolites. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Effect of temperature and cycle length on microbial competition in PHB-producing sequencing batch reactor.

PubMed

Jiang, Yang; Marang, Leonie; Kleerebezem, Robbert; Muyzer, Gerard; van Loosdrecht, Mark C M

2011-05-01

The impact of temperature and cycle length on microbial competition between polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)-producing populations enriched in feast-famine sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) was investigated at temperatures of 20 °C and 30 °C, and in a cycle length range of 1-18 h. In this study, the microbial community structure of the PHB-producing enrichments was found to be strongly dependent on temperature, but not on cycle length. Zoogloea and Plasticicumulans acidivorans dominated the SBRs operated at 20 °C and 30 °C, respectively. Both enrichments accumulated PHB more than 75% of cell dry weight. Short-term temperature change experiments revealed that P. acidivorans was more temperature sensitive as compared with Zoogloea. This is particularly true for the PHB degradation, resulting in incomplete PHB degradation in P. acidivorans at 20 °C. Incomplete PHB degradation limited biomass growth and allowed Zoogloea to outcompete P. acidivorans. The PHB content at the end of the feast phase correlated well with the cycle length at a constant solid retention time (SRT). These results suggest that to establish enrichment with the capacity to store a high fraction of PHB, the number of cycles per SRT should be minimized independent of the temperature.

Functional Stability of a Mixed Microbial Consortium Producing PHA From Waste Carbon Sources

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

David N. Thompson; Erik R. Coats; William A. Smith

2006-04-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) represent an environmentally-effective alternative to synthetic thermoplastics; however, current production practices are not sustainable. In this study, PHA production was accomplished in sequencing batch bioreactors utilizing real wastewaters and mixed microbial consortia from municipal activated sludge as inoculum. Polymer production reached 85%, 53%, and 10% of the cell dry weight from methanol-enriched pulp-and-paper mill foul condensate, fermented municipal primary solids, and biodiesel wastewater, respectively. Employing denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of 16S-rDNA from PCR-amplified DNA extracts, distinctly different communities were observed between and within wastewaters following enrichment. Most importantly, functional stability was maintained despite differing and contrasting microbial populations.

Functional Stability of a Mixed Microbial Consortium Producing PHA From Waste Carbon Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coats, Erik R.; Loge, Frank J.; Smith, William A.; Thompson, David N.; Wolcott, Michael P.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) represent an environmentally effective alternative to synthetic thermoplastics; however, current production practices are not sustainable. In this study, PHA production was accomplished in sequencing batch bioreactors utilizing real wastewaters and mixed microbial consortia from municipal activated sludge as inoculum. Polymer production reached 85, 53, and 10% of the cell dry weight from methanol-enriched pulp and paper mill foul condensate, fermented municipal primary solids, and biodiesel wastewater, respectively. Using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of 16S-rDNA from polymerase chain reaction-amplified DNA extracts, distinctly different communities were observed between and within wastewaters following enrichment. Most importantly, functional stability was maintained despite differing and contrasting microbial populations.

The Comprehensive Microbial Resource

PubMed Central

Peterson, Jeremy D.; Umayam, Lowell A.; Dickinson, Tanja; Hickey, Erin K.; White, Owen

2001-01-01

One challenge presented by large-scale genome sequencing efforts is effective display of uniform information to the scientific community. The Comprehensive Microbial Resource (CMR) contains robust annotation of all complete microbial genomes and allows for a wide variety of data retrievals. The bacterial information has been placed on the Web at http://www.tigr.org/CMR for retrieval using standard web browsing technology. Retrievals can be based on protein properties such as molecular weight or hydrophobicity, GC-content, functional role assignments and taxonomy. The CMR also has special web-based tools to allow data mining using pre-run homology searches, whole genome dot-plots, batch downloading and traversal across genomes using a variety of datatypes. PMID:11125067

Microbial Activity in Aquatic Environments Measured by Dimethyl Sulfoxide Reduction and Intercomparison with Commonly Used Methods

PubMed Central

Griebler, Christian; Slezak, Doris

2001-01-01

A new method to determine microbial (bacterial and fungal) activity in various freshwater habitats is described. Based on microbial reduction of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to dimethyl sulfide (DMS), our DMSO reduction method allows measurement of the respiratory activity in interstitial water, as well as in the water column. DMSO is added to water samples at a concentration (0.75% [vol/vol] or 106 mM) high enough to compete with other naturally occurring electron acceptors, as determined with oxygen and nitrate, without stimulating or inhibiting microbial activity. Addition of NaN3, KCN, and formaldehyde, as well as autoclaving, inhibited the production of DMS, which proves that the reduction of DMSO is a biotic process. DMSO reduction is readily detectable via the formation of DMS even at low microbial activities. All water samples showed significant DMSO reduction over several hours. Microbially reduced DMSO is recovered in the form of DMS from water samples by a purge and trap system and is quantified by gas chromatography and detection with a flame photometric detector. The DMSO reduction method was compared with other methods commonly used for assessment of microbial activity. DMSO reduction activity correlated well with bacterial production in predator-free batch cultures. Cell-production-specific DMSO reduction rates did not differ significantly in batch cultures with different nutrient regimes but were different in different growth phases. Overall, a cell-production-specific DMSO reduction rate of 1.26 × 10−17 ± 0.12 × 10−17 mol of DMS per produced cell (mean ± standard error; R2 = 0.78) was calculated. We suggest that the relationship of DMSO reduction rates to thymidine and leucine incorporation is linear (the R2 values ranged from 0.783 to 0.944), whereas there is an exponential relationship between DMSO reduction rates and glucose uptake, as well as incorporation (the R2 values ranged from 0.821 to 0.931). Based on our results, we conclude that the DMSO reduction method is a nonradioactive alternative to other methods commonly used to assess microbial activity. PMID:11133433

Microbial activity in aquatic environments measured by dimethyl sulfoxide reduction and intercomparison with commonly used methods.

PubMed

Griebler, C; Slezak, D

2001-01-01

A new method to determine microbial (bacterial and fungal) activity in various freshwater habitats is described. Based on microbial reduction of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to dimethyl sulfide (DMS), our DMSO reduction method allows measurement of the respiratory activity in interstitial water, as well as in the water column. DMSO is added to water samples at a concentration (0.75% [vol/vol] or 106 mM) high enough to compete with other naturally occurring electron acceptors, as determined with oxygen and nitrate, without stimulating or inhibiting microbial activity. Addition of NaN(3), KCN, and formaldehyde, as well as autoclaving, inhibited the production of DMS, which proves that the reduction of DMSO is a biotic process. DMSO reduction is readily detectable via the formation of DMS even at low microbial activities. All water samples showed significant DMSO reduction over several hours. Microbially reduced DMSO is recovered in the form of DMS from water samples by a purge and trap system and is quantified by gas chromatography and detection with a flame photometric detector. The DMSO reduction method was compared with other methods commonly used for assessment of microbial activity. DMSO reduction activity correlated well with bacterial production in predator-free batch cultures. Cell-production-specific DMSO reduction rates did not differ significantly in batch cultures with different nutrient regimes but were different in different growth phases. Overall, a cell-production-specific DMSO reduction rate of 1.26 x 10(-17) +/- 0. 12 x 10(-17) mol of DMS per produced cell (mean +/- standard error; R(2) = 0.78) was calculated. We suggest that the relationship of DMSO reduction rates to thymidine and leucine incorporation is linear (the R(2) values ranged from 0.783 to 0.944), whereas there is an exponential relationship between DMSO reduction rates and glucose uptake, as well as incorporation (the R(2) values ranged from 0.821 to 0.931). Based on our results, we conclude that the DMSO reduction method is a nonradioactive alternative to other methods commonly used to assess microbial activity.

Leaching of cadmium and tellurium from cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film solar panels under simulated landfill conditions.

PubMed

Ramos-Ruiz, Adriana; Wilkening, Jean V; Field, James A; Sierra-Alvarez, Reyes

2017-08-15

A crushed non-encapsulated CdTe thin-film solar cell was subjected to two standardized batch leaching tests (i.e., Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) and California Waste Extraction Test (WET)) and to a continuous-flow column test to assess cadmium (Cd) and tellurium (Te) dissolution under conditions simulating the acidic- and the methanogenic phases of municipal solid waste landfills. Low levels of Cd and Te were solubilized in both batch leaching tests (<8.2% and <3.6% of added Cd and Te, respectively). On the other hand, over the course of 30days, 73% of the Cd and 21% of the Te were released to the synthetic leachate of a continuous-flow column simulating the acidic landfill phase. The dissolved Cd concentration was 3.24-fold higher than the TCLP limit (1mgL -1 ), and 650-fold higher than the maximum contaminant level established by the US-EPA for this metal in drinking water (0.005mgL -1 ). In contrast, the release of Cd and Te to the effluent of the continuous-flow column simulating the methanogenic phase of a landfill was negligible. The remarkable difference in the leaching behavior of CdTe in the columns is related to different aqueous pH and redox conditions promoted by the microbial communities in the columns, and is in agreement with thermodynamic predictions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of cloacal plugging on microbial recovery from partially processed broilers.

PubMed

Musgrove, M T; Cason, J A; Fletcher, D L; Stern, N J; Cox, N A; Bailey, J S

1997-03-01

Experiments were performed to test the contribution of bacteria contained in the intestinal tract of broilers at the beginning of processing to counts on the exterior of modified New York-dressed carcasses. Thirty-two birds were processed for each of seven replications. Within each replication, batches of four birds were electrocuted, scalded, and picked, with batches alternating between treatment and control groups. Treated birds were cloacally plugged with rayon fiber tampons prior to electrocution to prevent escape of intestinal contents during scalding and picking. Control birds were processed in the same manner, except that cloacal plugs were inserted immediately after defeathering to reduce escape of intestinal contents during sampling. Gram-negative enteric bacteria and Campylobacter spp. were enumerated on carcasses by whole carcass rinse procedure and in cecal contents. Counts were converted to log10 and subjected to analysis of variance. Cecal levels of Gram-negative enterics were significantly higher for plugged birds, but there was not a significant difference between levels of cecal Campylobacter spp. between treatment groups. Plugging before electrocution resulted in significantly lower levels (2.5 vs 3.0 log10 cfu/mL) of Campylobacter spp. and Gram-negative enteric bacteria (3.0 vs 3.4 log10 cfu/mL) in carcass rinses of treatment birds than in those of controls. All carcasses were positive for Gram-negative enterics. Cloacal plugging resulted in significantly lower incidence of Campylobacter spp. carcass contamination as determined by chi-square. Intestinal carriage of both campylobacters and Gram-negative enteric bacteria appears to influence the microbial quality of the carcass during processing.

Biodegradation of bilge water: Batch test under anaerobic and aerobic conditions and performance of three pilot aerobic Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors (MBBRs) at different filling fractions.

PubMed

Vyrides, Ioannis; Drakou, Efi-Maria; Ioannou, Stavros; Michael, Fotoula; Gatidou, Georgia; Stasinakis, Athanasios S

2018-07-01

The bilge water that is stored at the bottom of the ships is saline and greasy wastewater with a high Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) fluctuations (2-12 g COD L -1 ). The aim of this study was to examine at a laboratory scale the biodegradation of bilge water using first anaerobic granular sludge followed by aerobic microbial consortium (consisted of 5 strains) and vice versa and then based on this to implement a pilot scale study. Batch results showed that granular sludge and aerobic consortium can remove up to 28% of COD in 13 days and 65% of COD removal in 4 days, respectively. The post treatment of anaerobic and aerobic effluent with aerobic consortium and granular sludge resulted in further 35% and 5% COD removal, respectively. The addition of glycine betaine or nitrates to the aerobic consortium did not enhance significantly its ability to remove COD from bilge water. The aerobic microbial consortium was inoculated in 3 pilot (200 L) Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors (MBBRs) under filling fractions of 10%, 20% and 40% and treated real bilge water for 165 days under 36 h HRT. The MBBR with a filling fraction of 40% resulted in the highest COD decrease (60%) compared to the operation of the MBBRs with a filling fraction of 10% and 20%. GC-MS analysis on 165 day pointed out the main organic compounds presence in the influent and in the MBBR (10% filling fraction) effluent. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

10 CFR 430.70 - Enforcement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...), the Secretary may conduct testing of that covered product under this subpart by means of a test notice... be selected for testing, the method of selecting the test sample, the time at which testing shall be... shall select a batch, a batch sample, and test units from the batch sample in accordance with the...

Gut-Bioreactor and Human Health in Future.

PubMed

Purohit, Hemant J

2018-03-01

Gut-microbiome provides the complementary metabolic potential to the human system. To understand the active participation and the performance of the microbial community in human health, the concept of gut as a plug-flow reactor with the fed-batch mode of operation can provide better insight. The concept suggests the virtual compartmentalized gut with sequential stratification of the microbial community in response to a typical host genotype. It also provides the analysis plan for gut microbiome; and its relevance in developing health management options under the identified clinical conditions.

Effects of plastic film residues on occurrence of phthalates and microbial activity in soils.

PubMed

Wang, Jun; Lv, Shenghong; Zhang, Manyun; Chen, Gangcai; Zhu, Tongbin; Zhang, Shen; Teng, Ying; Christie, Peter; Luo, Yongming

2016-05-01

Plastic film mulching has played an important role in Chinese agriculture, especially in vegetable production, but large amounts of film residues can accumulate in the soil. The present study investigated the effects of plastic film residues on the occurrence of soil PAEs and microbial activities using a batch pot experiment. PAE concentrations increased with increasing plastic film residues but the soil microbial carbon and nitrogen, enzyme activities and microbial diversity decreased significantly. At the end of the experiment the PAE concentrations were 0-2.02 mg kg(-1) in the different treatments. Soil microbial C and N, enzyme activities, AWCD value, and Shannon-Weaver and Simpson indices declined by about 28.9-76.2%, 14.9-59.0%, 4.9-22.7%, 23.0-42.0% and 1.8-18.7%, respectively. Soil microbial activity was positively correlated with soil PAE concentration, and soil PAE concentrations were impacted by plastic color and residue volume. Correlations among, and molecular mechanisms of, plastic film residues, PAE occurrence and microbial activity require further study. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Conversion of H2 and CO2 to CH4 and acetate in fed-batch biogas reactors by mixed biogas community: a novel route for the power-to-gas concept.

PubMed

Szuhaj, Márk; Ács, Norbert; Tengölics, Roland; Bodor, Attila; Rákhely, Gábor; Kovács, Kornél L; Bagi, Zoltán

2016-01-01

Applications of the power-to-gas principle for the handling of surplus renewable electricity have been proposed. The feasibility of using hydrogenotrophic methanogens as CH4 generating catalysts has been demonstrated. Laboratory and scale-up experiments have corroborated the benefits of the CO2 mitigation via biotechnological conversion of H2 and CO2 to CH4. A major bottleneck in the process is the gas-liquid mass transfer of H2. Fed-batch reactor configuration was tested at mesophilic temperature in laboratory experiments in order to improve the contact time and H2 mass transfer between the gas and liquid phases. Effluent from an industrial biogas facility served as biocatalyst. The bicarbonate content of the effluent was depleted after some time, but the addition of stoichiometric CO2 sustained H2 conversion for an extended period of time and prevented a pH shift. The microbial community generated biogas from the added α-cellulose substrate with concomitant H2 conversion, but the organic substrate did not facilitate H2 consumption. Fed-batch operational mode allowed a fourfold increase in volumetric H2 load and a 6.5-fold augmentation of the CH4 formation rate relative to the CSTR reactor configuration. Acetate was the major by-product of the reaction. Fed-batch reactors significantly improve the efficiency of the biological power-to-gas process. Besides their storage function, biogas fermentation effluent reservoirs can serve as large-scale bio CH4 reactors. On the basis of this recognition, a novel concept is proposed, which merges biogas technology with other means of renewable electricity production for improved efficiency and sustainability.

Work flow analysis of around-the-clock processing of blood culture samples and integrated MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry analysis for the diagnosis of bloodstream infections.

PubMed

Schneiderhan, Wilhelm; Grundt, Alexander; Wörner, Stefan; Findeisen, Peter; Neumaier, Michael

2013-11-01

Because sepsis has a high mortality rate, rapid microbiological diagnosis is required to enable efficient therapy. The effectiveness of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis in reducing turnaround times (TATs) for blood culture (BC) pathogen identification when available in a 24-h hospital setting has not been determined. On the basis of data from a total number of 912 positive BCs collected within 140 consecutive days and work flow analyses of laboratory diagnostics, we evaluated different models to assess the TATs for batch-wise and for immediate response (real-time) MALDI-TOF MS pathogen identification of positive BC results during the night shifts. The results were compared to TATs from routine BC processing and biochemical identification performed during regular working hours. Continuous BC incubation together with batch-wise MALDI-TOF MS analysis enabled significant reductions of up to 58.7 h in the mean TATs for the reporting of the bacterial species. The TAT of batch-wise MALDI-TOF MS analysis was inferior by a mean of 4.9 h when compared to the model of the immediate work flow under ideal conditions with no constraints in staff availability. Together with continuous cultivation of BC, the 24-h availability of MALDI-TOF MS can reduce the TAT for microbial pathogen identification within a routine clinical laboratory setting. Batch-wise testing of positive BC loses a few hours compared to real-time identification but is still far superior to classical BC processing. Larger prospective studies are required to evaluate the contribution of rapid around-the-clock pathogen identification to medical decision-making for septicemic patients.

[Improvement of municipal sewage sludge dewaterability by bioleaching: a pilot-scale study with sequence batch reaction model].

PubMed

Liu, Fen-Wu; Zhou, Li-Xiang; Zhou, Jun; Jiang, Feng; Wang, Dian-Zhan

2011-07-01

To observe the bioleaching effect on sewage sludge dewaterability, three consecutive batch bioleaching experiments were conducted through a bioleaching bio-reactor with 700 L of working volume. Subsequently, the bioleached sludge was dewatered by using chamber filter press. The results show that the 1st batch bioleaching process can be finished within 90 hours if the aeration amount was 1.2 m3/h with the 1: 15 mixing ratio of bioleached sludge to raw sludge. The pH of sludge declines from initial 6.11 to 2.33 while ORP increased from initial -134 mV to finial 507 mV. The specific resistance to filtration (SRF) of the tested sludge was decreased from original 1.00 x 10(13) m/kg to final 0.09 x 10(13) m/kg after bioleaching. For the subsequent two batch trials, the bioleaching process can be finished in 40 hours and 46 hours, respectively. Likewise, sludge SRF is also significantly decreased to 0.19 x 10(13) m/kg and 0.36 x 10(13) m/kg if the mixing ratio of bioleached sludge to fresh sludge is 1:1 although the microbial nutrient substance dosage is reduced by 25% and 50% for 2nd, and 3rd batch experiments, respectively. The harvested bioleached sludge from three batch trails is dewatered by chamber filter press with 0.3-0.4 MPa working pressure for 2 hours. It is found that the moisture of dewatered sludge cake can be reduced to 58%, and that the dewatered sludge cake is of khaki appearance and didn't emit any offensive odor. In addition, it is also observes that sludge organic matter only changed a bit from 52.9% to 48.0%, but 58% of sludge-borne Cu and 88% of sludge-borne Zn can be removed from sludge by bioleaching process. Therefore, dual goals for sludge-borne heavy metal removal and sludge dewatering of high efficiency can be achieved simultaneously through the approach mentioned above. Therefore, bioleaching technique is of great engineering application for the treatment of sewage sludge.

Power management systems for sediment microbial fuel cells in high power and continuous power applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donovan, Conrad Koble

The objective of this dissertation was to develop power management systems (PMS) for sediment microbial fuel cells (SFMCs) for high power and continuous applications. The first part of this dissertation covers a new method for testing the performance of SMFCs. This device called the microbial fuel cell tester was developed to automatically test power generation of PMS. The second part focuses on a PMS capable of delivering high power in burst mode. This means that for a small amount of time a large amount of power up to 2.5 Watts can be delivered from a SMFC only generating mW level power. The third part is aimed at developing a multi-potentiostat laboratory tool that measures the performance at fixed cell potentials of microbial fuel cells so that I can optimize them for use with the PMS. This tool is capable of controlling the anode potential or cathode potential and measuring current of six separate SMFCs simultaneously. By operating multiple potentiostats, I was able to run experiments that find ideal operating conditions for the sediment microbial fuel cells, and also I can optimize the power management system for these conditions. The fourth part of the dissertation is targeting a PMS that was able to operate a sensor continuously which was powered by an SMFC. In pervious applications involving SMFCs, the PMS operated in batch mode. In this PMS, the firmware on the submersible ultrasonic receiver (SUR) was modified for use with my PMS. This integration of PMS and SUR allowed for the continuous operation of the SUR without using a battery. Finally, the last part of the dissertation recommends a scale-up power management system to overcome the linearity scale up issue of SMFCs as future work. Concluding remarks are also added to summarize the goal and focus of this dissertation.

Are allergen batch differences and the use of double skin prick test important?

PubMed

Thomsen, Gert F; Schlünssen, Vivi; Skadhauge, Lars R; Malling, Tine Halsen; Sherson, David L; Omland, Øyvind; Sigsgaard, Torben

2015-04-09

Skin prick tests (SPT) are widely used both in clinical diagnostics and in research. The standardization of allergen extracts is well documented to be crucial for the validity of SPT, whereas less emphasis has been placed on reproducibility and the SPT procedure itself. The objectives of this study are to clarify how the double skin prick test procedure influence the sensitivity and specificity of the test and to analyse the differences in weal size in skin prick tests between two batches of allergen extracts from the same vendor. The association between rhinitis and SPT was assessed among 1135 persons from a general population sample. SPT was performed twice with 10 common aeroallergens. In a subsample of 90 persons SPT was performed simultaneously with five of the allergens using different batches. Thirty percent had at least one positive SPT. Among asthmatics this number was 62%. Only minor differences were seen between the sizes of two weals from the same batch. A second SPT with the same batch did not change the association between rhinitis and sensitization. When performing SPT with two different batches disagreement was observed in 2% (Birch) to 11% (Cat) of the subjects. Performing SPT twice with the same allergen batch does not enhance the validity of the test, and value of double testing can be questioned. Considerable differences in SPT response with different batches from the same manufacturer were observed. Thus inter batch differences in allergen extracts might be a source of variability.

40 CFR 204.51 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... tests. (m) Test sample means the collection of compressors from the same category or configuration which is randomly drawn from the batch sample and which will receive emissions tests. (n) Batch size means... category or configuration in a batch. (o) Test sample size means the number of compressors of the same...

Application of enzymatic apple pomace hydrolysate to production of 2,3-butanediol by alkaliphilic Bacillus licheniformis NCIMB 8059.

PubMed

Białkowska, Aneta M; Gromek, Ewa; Krysiak, Joanna; Sikora, Barbara; Kalinowska, Halina; Jędrzejczak-Krzepkowska, Marzena; Kubik, Celina; Lang, Siegmund; Schütt, Fokko; Turkiewicz, Marianna

2015-12-01

2,3-Butanediol (2,3-BD) synthesis by a nonpathogenic bacterium Bacillus licheniformis NCIMB 8059 from enzymatic hydrolysate of depectinized apple pomace and its blend with glucose was studied. In shake flasks, the maximum diol concentration in fed-batch fermentations was 113 g/L (in 163 h, from the hydrolysate, feedings with glucose) while in batch processes it was around 27 g/L (in 32 h, from the hydrolysate and glucose blend). Fed-batch fermentations in the 0.75 and 30 L fermenters yielded 87.71 g/L 2,3-BD in 160 h, and 72.39 g/L 2,3-BD in 94 h, respectively (from the hydrolysate and glucose blend, feedings with glucose). The hydrolysate of apple pomace, which was for the first time used for microbial 2,3-BD production is not only a source of sugars but also essential minerals.

Analytical solution of Luedeking-Piret equation for a batch fermentation obeying Monod growth kinetics.

PubMed

Garnier, Alain; Gaillet, Bruno

2015-12-01

Not so many fermentation mathematical models allow analytical solutions of batch process dynamics. The most widely used is the combination of the logistic microbial growth kinetics with Luedeking-Piret bioproduct synthesis relation. However, the logistic equation is principally based on formalistic similarities and only fits a limited range of fermentation types. In this article, we have developed an analytical solution for the combination of Monod growth kinetics with Luedeking-Piret relation, which can be identified by linear regression and used to simulate batch fermentation evolution. Two classical examples are used to show the quality of fit and the simplicity of the method proposed. A solution for the combination of Haldane substrate-limited growth model combined with Luedeking-Piret relation is also provided. These models could prove useful for the analysis of fermentation data in industry as well as academia. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Microbial conversion of synthetic and food waste-derived volatile fatty acids to lipids.

PubMed

Vajpeyi, Shashwat; Chandran, Kartik

2015-01-01

Lipid accumulation in the oleaginous yeast Cryptococcus albidus was evaluated using mixtures of volatile fatty acids (VFA) as substrates. In general, batch growth under nitrogen limitation led to higher lipid accumulation using synthetic VFA. During batch growth, an initial COD:N ratio of 25:1mg COD:mg N led to maximum intracellular lipid accumulation (28.3 ± 0.7% g/g dry cell weight), which is the maximum reported for C. albidus using VFA as the carbon source, without compromising growth kinetics. At this feed COD:N ratio, chemostat cultures fed with synthetic VFA yielded statistically similar intracellular lipid content as batch cultures (29.9 ± 1.9%, g/g). However, batch cultures fed with VFA produced from the fermentation of food waste, yielded a lower lipid content (14.9 ± 0.1%, g/g). The lipid composition obtained with synthetic and food-waste-derived VFA was similar to commercial biodiesel feedstock. We therefore demonstrate the feasibility of linking biochemical waste treatment and biofuel production using VFA as key intermediates. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative performances of microbial capacitive deionization cell and microbial fuel cell fed with produced water from the Bakken shale.

PubMed

Shrestha, Namita; Chilkoor, Govinda; Wilder, Joseph; Ren, Zhiyong Jason; Gadhamshetty, Venkataramana

2018-06-01

This study evaluates and compares the performance of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and microbial capacitive deionization cells (MCDCs) fed with wastewater produced from the Bakken shale. The produced water was characterized by high levels of dissolved solids and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Two-compartment MFCs and three-compartment MCDCs were evaluated under batch-fed mode using mixed microbial consortia in the anode, ferricyanide in the cathode, and produced water as the electrolyte in the anode and capacitive deionization units. COD removal in the MFCs was 88%, while that in the MCDCs was limited to 76%. The lower performance of the MCDCs was due to the large impedance (6600 Ω cm 2 ) compared with the MFCs (870 Ω cm 2 ). However, the MCDCs achieved two-fold higher removal of dissolved solids. Both the MFCs and MCDCs suffered from a higher impedance induced by fouling in the latter stages of the operation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microbial community related to lysozyme digestion process for boosting waste activated sludge biodegradability.

PubMed

Xin, Xiao-Dong; He, Jun-Guo; Qiu, Wei; Tang, Jian; Liu, Tian-Tian

2015-01-01

Waste activated sludge from a lab-scale sequencing batch reactor was used to investigate the potential relation of microbial community with lysozyme digestion process for sludge solubilization. The results showed the microbial community shifted conspicuously as sludge suffered lysozyme digestion. Soluble protein and polysaccharide kept an increasing trend in solution followed with succession of microbial community. The rise of lysozyme dosage augmented the dissimilarity among communities in various digested sludge. A negative relationship presented between community diversity and lysozyme digestion process under various lysozyme/TS from 0 to 240min (correlation coefficient R(2) exceeded 0.9). Pareto-Lorenz curves demonstrated that microbial community tended to be even with sludge disintegration process by lysozyme. Finally, with diversity (H) decrease and community distribution getting even, the SCOD/TCOD increased steadily in solution which suggested the sludge with high community diversity and uneven population distribution might have tremendous potential for improving their biodegradability by lysozyme digestion. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrogen production from switchgrass via a hybrid pyrolysis-microbial electrolysis process

DOE PAGES

Lewis, Alex J.; Ren, Shoujie; Ye, Philip; ...

2015-06-30

A new approach to hydrogen production using a hybrid pyrolysis-microbial electrolysis process is described. The aqueous stream generated during pyrolysis of switchgrass was used as a substrate for hydrogen production in a microbial electrolysis cell, achieving a maximum hydrogen production rate of 4.3 L H2/L-day at a loading of 10 g COD/L-anode-day. Hydrogen yields ranged from 50 3.2% to76 0.5% while anode coulombic efficiency ranged from 54 6.5% to 96 0.21%, respectively. Significant conversion of furfural, organic acids and phenolic molecules was observed under both batch and continuous conditions. The electrical and overall energy efficiency ranged from 149-175% and 48-63%,more » respectively. The results demonstrate the potential of the pyrolysis-microbial electrolysis process as a sustainable and efficient route for production of renewable hydrogen with significant implications for hydrocarbon production from biomass.« less

Microbial production of polyhydroxybutyrate with tailor-made properties: an integrated modelling approach and experimental validation.

PubMed

Penloglou, Giannis; Chatzidoukas, Christos; Kiparissides, Costas

2012-01-01

The microbial production of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a complex process in which the final quantity and quality of the PHB depend on a large number of process operating variables. Consequently, the design and optimal dynamic operation of a microbial process for the efficient production of PHB with tailor-made molecular properties is an extremely interesting problem. The present study investigates how key process operating variables (i.e., nutritional and aeration conditions) affect the biomass production rate and the PHB accumulation in the cells and its associated molecular weight distribution. A combined metabolic/polymerization/macroscopic modelling approach, relating the process performance and product quality with the process variables, was developed and validated using an extensive series of experiments and measurements. The model predicts the dynamic evolution of the biomass growth, the polymer accumulation, the consumption of carbon and nitrogen sources and the average molecular weights of the PHB in a bioreactor, under batch and fed-batch operating conditions. The proposed integrated model was used for the model-based optimization of the production of PHB with tailor-made molecular properties in Azohydromonas lata bacteria. The process optimization led to a high intracellular PHB accumulation (up to 95% g of PHB per g of DCW) and the production of different grades (i.e., different molecular weight distributions) of PHB. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the influence of process parameters on soluble microbial products formation using response surface methodology coupled with grey relational analysis.

PubMed

Xu, Juan; Sheng, Guo-Ping; Luo, Hong-Wei; Fang, Fang; Li, Wen-Wei; Zeng, Raymond J; Tong, Zhong-Hua; Yu, Han-Qing

2011-01-01

Soluble microbial products (SMPs) present a major part of residual chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the effluents from biological wastewater treatment systems, and the SMP formation is greatly influenced by a variety of process parameters. In this study, response surface methodology (RSM) coupled with grey relational analysis (GRA) method was used to evaluate the effects of substrate concentration, temperature, NH(4)(+)-N concentration and aeration rate on the SMP production in batch activated sludge reactors. Carbohydrates were found to be the major component of SMP, and the influential priorities of these factors were: temperature>substrate concentration > aeration rate > NH(4)(+)-N concentration. On the basis of the RSM results, the interactive effects of these factors on the SMP formation were evaluated, and the optimal operating conditions for a minimum SMP production in such a batch activated sludge system also were identified. These results provide useful information about how to control the SMP formation of activated sludge and ensure the bioreactor high-quality effluent. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High-performance recombinant protein production with Escherichia coli in continuously operated cascades of stirred-tank reactors.

PubMed

Schmideder, Andreas; Weuster-Botz, Dirk

2017-07-01

The microbial expression of intracellular, recombinant proteins in continuous bioprocesses suffers from low product concentrations. Hence, a process for the intracellular production of photoactivatable mCherry with Escherichia coli in a continuously operated cascade of two stirred-tank reactors was established to separate biomass formation (first reactor) and protein expression (second reactor) spatially. Cascades of miniaturized stirred-tank reactors were implemented, which enable the 24-fold parallel characterization of cascade processes and the direct scale-up of results to the liter scale. With PAmCherry concentrations of 1.15 g L -1 cascades of stirred-tank reactors improved the process performance significantly compared to production processes in chemostats. In addition, an optimized fed-batch process was outperformed regarding space-time yield (149 mg L -1  h -1 ). This study implicates continuous cascade processes to be a promising alternative to fed-batch processes for microbial protein production and demonstrates that miniaturized stirred-tank reactors can reduce the timeline and costs for cascade process characterization.

Acid azo dye remediation in anoxic-aerobic-anoxic microenvironment under periodic discontinuous batch operation: bio-electro kinetics and microbial inventory.

PubMed

Venkata Mohan, S; Suresh Babu, P; Naresh, K; Velvizhi, G; Madamwar, Datta

2012-09-01

Functional behavior of anoxic-aerobic-anoxic microenvironment on azo dye (C.I. Acid black 10B) degradation was evaluated in a periodic discontinuous batch mode operation for 26 cycles. Dye removal efficiency and azo-reductase activity (30.50 ± 1 U) increased with each feeding event until 13th cycle and further stabilized. Dehydrogenase activity also increased gradually and stabilized (2.0 ± 0.2 μg/ml) indicating the stable proton shuttling between metabolic intermediates providing higher number of reducing equivalents towards dye degradation. Voltammetric profiles showed drop in redox catalytic currents during stabilized phase also supports the consumption of reducing equivalents towards dye removal. Change in Tafel slopes, polarization resistance and other bioprocess parameters correlated well with the observed dye removal and biocatalyst behavior. Microbial community analysis documented the involvement of specific organism pertaining to aerobic and facultative functions with heterotrophic and autotrophic metabolism. Integrating anoxic microenvironment with aerobic operation might have facilitated effective dye mineralization due to the possibility of combining redox functions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Respirometric response and microbial succession of nitrifying sludge to m-cresol pulses in a sequencing batch reactor.

PubMed

Ordaz, Alberto; Sánchez, Mariana; Rivera, Rodrigo; Rojas, Rafael; Zepeda, Alejandro

2017-02-01

A nitrifying consortium was kinetically, stoichiometrically and molecularly characterized via the in situ pulse respirometric method and pyrosequencing analysis before and after the addition of m-cresol (25 mg C L -1 ) in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). Five important kinetic and stoichiometric parameters were determined: the maximum oxygen uptake rate, the maximum nitrification rate, the oxidation yield, the biomass growth yield, and the substrate affinity constant. An inhibitory effect was observed in the nitrification process with a recovery of this by up to eight SBR cycles after m-cresol was added to the system. However, full recovery of the nitrification process was not observed, as the maximum oxygen uptake rate was 25% lower than that of the previous operation without m-cresol addition. Furthermore, the pyrosequencing analyses of the nitrifying consortium after the addition of only two pulses of 25 mg C L -1 m-cresol showed an important microbial community change represented by a decrease in the nitrifying populations and an increase in the populations degrading phenolic compounds.

Impact of temperature and substrate concentration on degradation rates of acetate, propionate and hydrogen and their links to microbial community structure.

PubMed

Zhao, Jing; Westerholm, Maria; Qiao, Wei; Yin, Dongmin; Bi, Shaojie; Jiang, Mengmeng; Dong, Renjie

2018-05-01

The present study investigates the conversion of acetate, propionate and hydrogen consumption linked to the microbial community structure and related to temperature and substrate concentration. Biogas reactors were continuously fed with coffee powder (20 g-COD/L) or acetate (20, 40, and 60 g-COD/L) and operated for 193 days at 37 °C or 55 °C conditions. Starting HRT was 23 days which was then reduced to 7 days. The kinetics of acetate and propionate degradation and hydrogen consumption rates were measured in batch assays. At HRT 7 days, the degradation rate of propionate was higher in thermophilic batches, while acetate degradation rate was higher at mesophilic conditions. The gaseous hydrogen consumption in acetate reactors increased proportionally with temperature and substrate concentration, while the dissolved hydrogen was not affected. The relative high abundance of hydrogentrophic methanogens indicated that the methanogenesis was directed towards the syntrophic acetate oxidation pathway at high acetate concentration and high temperature. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Operation optimization of a photo-sequencing batch reactor for wastewater treatment: Study on influencing factors and impact on symbiotic microbial ecology.

PubMed

Ye, Jianfeng; Liang, Junyu; Wang, Liang; Markou, Giorgos; Jia, Qilong

2018-03-01

Wastewater treatment technology with better energy efficiency and recyclability is in urgent demand. Photo-Sequencing batch reactor (SBR), which introduces microalgae into conventional SBR, is considered to have more potential for resource recycling. In this study, a photo-SBR was evaluated through the manipulation of several key operational parameters, i.e., aeration strength, light supply intensity and time per cycle, and solid retention time (SRT). The algal-bacterial symbiotic system had the potential of removing COD, NH 4 + -N and TN with limited aeration, representing the advantage of energy-saving by low aeration requirement. Maintaining appropriate proportion of microalgae in the symbiotic system is critical for good system performance. Introducing microalgae into conventional SBR has obvious impact on the original microbial ecology. When the concentration of microalgae is too high (>4.60 mg Chl/L), the inhibition on certain phyla of bacteria, e.g., Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria, would become prominent and not conducive to the stable operation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Utilization of microbial oil obtained from crude glycerol for the production of polyol and its subsequent conversion to polyurethane foams.

PubMed

Uprety, Bijaya K; Reddy, Jayanth Venkatarama; Dalli, Sai Swaroop; Rakshit, Sudip K

2017-07-01

We have demonstrated possible use of microbial oil in biopolymer industries. Microbial oil was produced from biodiesel based crude glycerol and subsequently converted into polyol. Fermentation of crude glycerol in a batch bioreactor using Rhodosporidium toruloides ATCC 10788 produced 18.69g/L of lipid at the end of 7days. The microbial oil was then chemically converted to polyol and characterized using FT-IR and 1 H NMR. For comparison, canola oil and palm oil were also converted into their respective polyols. The hydroxyl numbers of polyols from canola, palm and microbial oil were found to be 266.86, 222.32 and 230.30 (mgKOH/g of sample) respectively. All the polyols were further converted into rigid and semi-rigid polyurethanes (maintaining the molar -NCO/-OH ratio of 1.1) to examine their suitability in polymer applications. Conversion of microbial lipid to polyurethane foam also provides a new route for the production of polymers using biodiesel based crude glycerol. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combination of bioremediation and electrokinetics for the in-situ treatment of diesel polluted soil: A comparison of strategies.

PubMed

Mena Ramírez, Esperanza; Villaseñor Camacho, José; Rodrigo, Manuel A; Cañizares, Pablo

2015-11-15

The aim of this work is to compare different strategies based on electrokinetic soil flushing and bioremediation for the remediation of diesel-polluted soil. Four options were tested at the laboratory scale: single bioremediation (Bio), performed as a control test; a direct combination of electrokinetic soil flushing and biological technologies (EKSF-Bio); EKSF-Bio with daily polarity reversal of the electric field (PR-EKSF-Bio); and a combination of electrokinetic soil flushing and a permeable reactive biological barrier (EKSF-BioPRB). Four batch experiments of 14 days duration were carried out for comparing technologies at room temperature with an electric field of 1.0 V cm(-1) (in EKSF). A diesel degrading microbial consortium was used. The experimental procedure and some specific details, such as the flushing fluids used, varied depending on the strategy. When using the EKSF-Bio option, a high buffer concentration was required to control the pH, causing soil heating, which negatively affected the biological growth and thus the diesel removal. The PR-EKSF-Bio and the EKSF-BioPRB options attained suitable operating conditions and improved the transport processes for biological growth. Polarity reversal was an efficient option for pH, moisture and temperature control. Homogeneous microbial growth was observed, and approximately 20% of the diesel was removed. The BioPRB option was not as efficient as PR-EKSF-Bio in controlling the operating conditions, but the central biobarrier protected the biological activity. Microbial growth was observed not only in the biobarrier but also in a large portion of the soil, and 29% of the diesel was removed in the short remediation test. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Culture-Independent Metagenomic Surveillance of Commercially Available Probiotics with High-Throughput Next-Generation Sequencing.

PubMed

Patro, Jennifer N; Ramachandran, Padmini; Barnaba, Tammy; Mammel, Mark K; Lewis, Jada L; Elkins, Christopher A

2016-01-01

Millions of people consume dietary supplements either following a doctor's recommendation or at their own discretion to improve their overall health and well-being. This is a rapidly growing trend, with an associated and expanding manufacturing industry to meet the demand for new health-related products. In this study, we examined the contents and microbial viability of several popular probiotic products on the United States market. Culture-independent methods are proving ideal for fast and efficient analysis of foodborne pathogens and their associated microbial communities but may also be relevant for analyzing probiotics containing mixed microbial constituents. These products were subjected to next-generation whole-genome sequencing and analyzed by a custom in-house-developed k-mer counting method to validate manufacturer label information. In addition, the batch variability of respective products was examined to determine if any changes in their formulations and/or the manufacturing process occurred. Overall, the products we tested adhered to the ingredient claims and lot-to-lot differences were minimal. However, there were a few discrepancies in the naming of closely related Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species, whereas one product contained an apparent Enterococcus contaminant in two of its three lots. With the microbial contents of the products identified, we used traditional PCR and colony counting methods to comparatively assess our results and verify the viability of the microbes in these products with regard to the labeling claims. Of all the supplements examined, only one was found to be inaccurate in viability. Our use of next-generation sequencing as an analytical tool clearly demonstrated its utility for quickly analyzing commercially available products containing multiple microbes to ensure consumer safety. IMPORTANCE The rapidly growing supplement industry operates without a formal premarket approval process. Consumers rely on product labels to be accurate and true. Those products containing live microbials report both identity and viability on most product labels. This study used next-generation sequencing technology as an analytical tool in conjunction with classic culture methods to examine the validity of the labels on supplement products containing live microbials found in the United States marketplace. Our results show the importance of testing these products for identity, viability, and potential contaminants, as well as introduce a new culture-independent diagnostic approach for testing these products. Podcast: A podcast concerning this article is available.

Culture-Independent Metagenomic Surveillance of Commercially Available Probiotics with High-Throughput Next-Generation Sequencing

PubMed Central

Patro, Jennifer N.; Ramachandran, Padmini; Barnaba, Tammy; Mammel, Mark K.; Lewis, Jada L.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Millions of people consume dietary supplements either following a doctor’s recommendation or at their own discretion to improve their overall health and well-being. This is a rapidly growing trend, with an associated and expanding manufacturing industry to meet the demand for new health-related products. In this study, we examined the contents and microbial viability of several popular probiotic products on the United States market. Culture-independent methods are proving ideal for fast and efficient analysis of foodborne pathogens and their associated microbial communities but may also be relevant for analyzing probiotics containing mixed microbial constituents. These products were subjected to next-generation whole-genome sequencing and analyzed by a custom in-house-developed k-mer counting method to validate manufacturer label information. In addition, the batch variability of respective products was examined to determine if any changes in their formulations and/or the manufacturing process occurred. Overall, the products we tested adhered to the ingredient claims and lot-to-lot differences were minimal. However, there were a few discrepancies in the naming of closely related Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species, whereas one product contained an apparent Enterococcus contaminant in two of its three lots. With the microbial contents of the products identified, we used traditional PCR and colony counting methods to comparatively assess our results and verify the viability of the microbes in these products with regard to the labeling claims. Of all the supplements examined, only one was found to be inaccurate in viability. Our use of next-generation sequencing as an analytical tool clearly demonstrated its utility for quickly analyzing commercially available products containing multiple microbes to ensure consumer safety. IMPORTANCE The rapidly growing supplement industry operates without a formal premarket approval process. Consumers rely on product labels to be accurate and true. Those products containing live microbials report both identity and viability on most product labels. This study used next-generation sequencing technology as an analytical tool in conjunction with classic culture methods to examine the validity of the labels on supplement products containing live microbials found in the United States marketplace. Our results show the importance of testing these products for identity, viability, and potential contaminants, as well as introduce a new culture-independent diagnostic approach for testing these products. Podcast: A podcast concerning this article is available. PMID:27303722

Influence of Calcium on Microbial Reduction of Solid Phase Uranium (VI)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Chongxuan; Jeon, Byong-Hun; Zachara, John M.

2007-06-27

The effect of calcium on microbial reduction of a solid phase U(VI), sodium boltwoodite (NaUO2SiO3OH ∙1.5H2O), was evaluated in a culture of a dissimilatory metal-reducing bacterium (DMRB), Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1. Batch experiments were performed in a non-growth bicarbonate medium with lactate as electron donor at pH 7 buffered with PIPES. Calcium increased both the rate and extent of Na-boltwoodite dissolution by increasing its solubility through the formation of a ternary aqueous calcium-uranyl-carbonate species. The ternary species, however, decreased the rates of microbial reduction of aqueous U(VI). Laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (LIFS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that microbial reductionmore » of solid phase U(VI) is a sequentially coupled process of Na-boltwoodite dissolution, U(VI) aqueous speciation, and microbial reduction of dissolved U(VI) to U(IV) that accumulated on bacterial surfaces/periplasm. The overall rates of microbial reduction of solid phase U(VI) can be described by the coupled rates of dissolution and microbial reduction that were both influenced by calcium. The results demonstrated that dissolved U(VI) concentration during microbial reduction was a complex function of solid phase U(VI) dissolution kinetics, aqueous U(VI) speciation, and microbial activity.« less

[Electricity generation from corn steepwater using microbial fuel cell technology].

PubMed

Lu, Na; Zhou, Shun-Gui; Zhang, Jin-Tao; Ni, Jin-Ren

2009-02-15

Corn steepwater containing 49,732.2 mg/L of chemical oxygen demand (COD) was used as fuel for a membrane electrode assembly microbial fuel cell (MEA-MFC), which could generate electricity and treat the wastewater at the same time. During a batch experiment of 94 days with a fixed 1,000 Omega external resistance, the maximum voltage output of 525.0 mV and power density of 169.6 mW/m2 were obtained after 17 days, corresponding to the current density, internal resistance and open voltage of 440.2 mA/m2, 350 Omega and 619.5 mV, respectively. However, data showed that the coulombic efficiency was only 1.6%, suggesting very limited COD was utilized for electricity generation. At the conclusion of the test, the removals of COD and ammonia-nitrogen were achieved 51.6% and 25.8%, respectively. This study demonstrates that corn steepwater can be used for power generation in MFC with simultaneous accomplishments of wastewater treatment, providing a novel approach for the safe disposal and recycle of corn steepwater.

Fermentation pre-treatment of landfill leachate for enhanced electron recovery in a microbial electrolysis cell.

PubMed

Mahmoud, Mohamed; Parameswaran, Prathap; Torres, César I; Rittmann, Bruce E

2014-01-01

Pre-fermentation of poorly biodegradable landfill leachate (BOD5/COD ratio of 0.32) was evaluated for enhanced current density (j), Coulombic efficiency (CE), Coulombic recovery (CR), and removal of organics (BOD5 and COD) in a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC). During fermentation, the complex organic matter in the leachate was transformed to simple volatile fatty acids, particularly succinate and acetate in batch tests, but mostly acetate in semi-continuous fermentation. Carbohydrate had the highest degree of fermentation, followed by protein and lipids. j, CE, CR, and BOD5 removal were much greater for an MEC fed with fermented leachate (23 A/m(3) or 16 mA/m(2), 68%, 17.3%, and 83%, respectively) compared to raw leachate (2.5 A/m(3) or 1.7 mA/m(2), 56%, 2.1%, and 5.6%, respectively). All differences support the value of pre-fermentation before an MEC for stabilization of BOD5 and enhanced electron recovery as current when treating a recalcitrant wastewater like landfill leachate. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of hydrogen production and internal resistance in forward osmosis membrane integrated microbial electrolysis cells.

PubMed

Lee, Mi-Young; Kim, Kyoung-Yeol; Yang, Euntae; Kim, In S

2015-01-01

In order to enhance hydrogen production by facilitated proton transport through a forward osmosis (FO) membrane, the FO membrane was integrated into microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). An improved hydrogen production rate was obtained in the FO-MEC (12.5±1.84×10(-3)m(3)H2/m(3)/d) compared to that of the cation exchange membrane (CEM) - MEC (4.42±0.04×10(-3)m(3)H2/m(3)/d) during batch tests (72h). After an internal resistance analysis, it was confirmed that the enhanced hydrogen production in FO-MEC was attributed to the smaller charge transfer resistance than in the CEM-MEC (90.3Ω and 133.4Ω respectively). The calculation of partial internal resistance concluded that the transport resistance can be substantially reduced by replacing a CEM with a FO membrane; decrease of the resistance from 0.069Ωm(2) to 5.99×10(-4)Ωm(2). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fouling potential evaluation of soluble microbial products (SMP) with different membrane surfaces in a hybrid membrane bioreactor using worm reactor for sludge reduction.

PubMed

Li, Zhipeng; Tian, Yu; Ding, Yi; Chen, Lin; Wang, Haoyu

2013-07-01

The fouling characteristics of soluble microbial products (SMP) in the membrane bioreactor coupled with Static Sequencing Batch Worm Reactor (SSBWR-MBR) were tested with different types of membranes. It was noted that the flux decrements of S-SMP (SMP in SSBWR-MBR) with cellulose acetate (CA), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polyether sulfones (PES) membranes were respectively 6.7%, 8.5% and 9.5% lower compared to those of C-SMP (SMP in Control-MBR) with corresponding membranes. However, for both the filtration of the C-SMP and S-SMP, the CA membrane exhibited the fastest diminishing rate of flux among the three types of membranes. The surface morphology analysis showed that the CA membrane exhibited more but smaller protuberances compared to the PVDF and PES. The second minimums surrounding each protruding asperity on CA membrane were more than those on the PVDF and PES membranes, enhancing the attachment of SMP onto the membrane surface. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

21 CFR 320.35 - Requirements for in vitro testing of each batch.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 5 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Requirements for in vitro testing of each batch... Determining the Bioavailability or Bioequivalence of Drug Products § 320.35 Requirements for in vitro testing of each batch. If a bioequivalence requirement specifies a currently available in vitro test or an in...

21 CFR 320.35 - Requirements for in vitro testing of each batch.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Requirements for in vitro testing of each batch... Determining the Bioavailability or Bioequivalence of Drug Products § 320.35 Requirements for in vitro testing of each batch. If a bioequivalence requirement specifies a currently available in vitro test or an in...

Anaerobic treatment of palm oil mill effluent in batch reactor with digested biodiesel waste as starter and natural zeolite for microbial immobilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setyowati, Paulina Adina Hari; Halim, Lenny; Mellyanawaty, Melly; Sudibyo, Hanifrahmawan; Budhijanto, Wiratni

2017-05-01

Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is the wastewater discharged from sludge separation, sterilization, and clarification process of palm oil industries. Each ton of palm oil produces about half ton of high organic load wastewater. Up to now, POME treatment is done in lagoon, leaving major problems in land requirement and greenhouse gasses release. The increasing of palm oil production provokes the urgency of appropriate technology application in treating POME to prevent the greenhouse gasses emission while exploit POME as renewable energy source. The purposes of this study were firstly to test the effectiveness of using the digested biodiesel waste as the inoculum and secondly to evaluate the effectiveness of natural zeolite addition in minimizing the inhibitory effect in digesting POME. It was expected that the oil-degrading bacteria in the inoculum would shorten the adaptation period in digesting POME. Furthermore, the consortium formation of anaerobic bacteria accelerated by natural zeolite powder addition would increase the microbial resistance to the inhibitors contained in the POME. The batch digesters, containing 0 (control); 17; 38; and 63 g natural zeolite/g sCOD substrate were observed for 43 days. The result showed that zeolite addition did not give significant effect on sCOD reduction (97.3-98.6% of initial sCOD). Moreover, addition of immobilization media up to 17 g natural zeolite/g stimulated the acidification and biogas production up to 10% higher than control. The purity of methane produced with various amount of immobilization media did not differ for each variation, i.e. 50-54% v/v methane. The increasing amount of natural zeolite up to 63 g/g sCOD did not significantly enhance biogas product rate nor methane content.

Biodegradable metal adsorbent synthesized by graft polymerization onto nonwoven cotton fabric

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sekine, Ayako; Seko, Noriaki; Tamada, Masao; Suzuki, Yoshio

2010-01-01

A fibrous adsorbent for Hg ions was synthesized by radiation-induced emulsion graft polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) onto a nonwoven cotton fabric and subsequent chemical modification. The optimal pre-irradiation dose for initiation of the graft polymerization of GMA, which minimized the effects of radiation damage on the mechanical strength of the nonwoven cotton fabric, was found to be 10 kGy. The GMA-grafted nonwoven cotton fabric was subsequently modified with ethylenediamine (EDA) or diethylenetriamine (DETA) to obtain a Hg adsorbent. The resulting amine-type adsorbents were evaluated for batch and continuous adsorption of Hg. In batch adsorption, the distribution coefficients of Hg reached 1.9×10 5 and 1.0×10 5 for EDA- and DETA-type adsorbents, respectively. A column packed with EDA-type adsorbent removed Hg from 1.8 ppm Hg solution at a space velocity of 100 h -1, which corresponds to 16,000 times the volume of the packed adsorbent. The adsorbed Hg on the EDA-type adsorbent could be completely eluted by 1 M HCl solution. A microbial oxidative degradation test revealed that the EDA-type adsorbent is biodegradable.

Combined carbon mesh and small graphite fiber brush anodes to enhance and stabilize power generation in microbial fuel cells treating domestic wastewater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Shijia; He, Weihua; Yang, Wulin; Ye, Yaoli; Huang, Xia; Logan, Bruce E.

2017-07-01

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) need to have a compact architecture, but power generation using low strength domestic wastewater is unstable for closely-spaced electrode designs using thin anodes (flat mesh or small diameter graphite fiber brushes) due to oxygen crossover from the cathode. A composite anode configuration was developed to improve performance, by joining the mesh and brushes together, with the mesh used to block oxygen crossover to the brushes, and the brushes used to stabilize mesh potentials. In small, fed-batch MFCs (28 mL), the composite anode produced 20% higher power densities than MFCs using only brushes, and 150% power densities compared to carbon mesh anodes. In continuous flow tests at short hydraulic retention times (HRTs, 2 or 4 h) using larger MFCs (100 mL), composite anodes had stable performance, while brush anode MFCs exhibited power overshoot in polarization tests. Both configurations exhibited power overshoot at a longer HRT of 8 h due to lower effluent CODs. The use of composite anodes reduced biomass growth on the cathode (1.9 ± 0.2 mg) compared to only brushes (3.1 ± 0.3 mg), and increased coulombic efficiencies, demonstrating that they successfully reduced oxygen contamination of the anode and the bio-fouling of cathode.

Enhancement of methanogenesis via direct interspecies electron transfer between Geobacteraceae and Methanosaetaceae conducted by granular activated carbon.

PubMed

Zhang, Shuo; Chang, Jiali; Lin, Chao; Pan, Yiran; Cui, Kangping; Zhang, Xiaoyuan; Liang, Peng; Huang, Xia

2017-12-01

To understand how granular activated carbon (GAC) promotes methanogenesis, batch tests of CH 4 production potential in anaerobic serum bottles with addition of GAC or not were conducted. Tests showed that GAC promoted methanogenesis remarkably, but the non-conductive zeolite did not. The qPCR demonstrated that the biomass on GAC contributed little to the promotion. High-throughput sequencing data implied that promotion was related with direct interspecies electron transfer between Geobacteraceae and Methanosaetaceae. According to the c-type cytochromes (c-Cyts) response to the supplement of GAC, it was speculated that GAC may play the role of c-Cyts' substitution. In the undefined cultures, the phenomenon that c-Cyts were repressed by GAC was first observed. This research provided new evidence to microbial mechanism of promoting methanogenesis via GAC. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of microbial community variation during the mixed culture fermentation of agricultural peel wastes to produce lactic acid.

PubMed

Liang, Shaobo; Gliniewicz, Karol; Gerritsen, Alida T; McDonald, Armando G

2016-05-01

Mixed cultures fermentation can be used to convert organic wastes into various chemicals and fuels. This study examined the fermentation performance of four batch reactors fed with different agricultural (orange, banana, and potato (mechanical and steam)) peel wastes using mixed cultures, and monitored the interval variation of reactor microbial communities with 16S rRNA genes using Illumina sequencing. All four reactors produced similar chemical profile with lactic acid (LA) as dominant compound. Acetic acid and ethanol were also observed with small fractions. The Illumina sequencing results revealed the diversity of microbial community decreased during fermentation and a community of largely lactic acid producing bacteria dominated by species of Lactobacillus developed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New insights into the effects of support matrix on the removal of organic micro-pollutants and the microbial community in constructed wetlands.

PubMed

Zhang, Liang; Lyu, Tao; Ramírez Vargas, Carlos Andrés; Arias, Carlos A; Carvalho, Pedro N; Brix, Hans

2018-09-01

Constructed wetlands (CWs) are an eco-friendly and cost-effective technology to remove organic micro-pollutants (OMPs) from wastewater. The support matrix is an important component in CWs as it has a primary role in the growth and development of plants and microbes. However, the roles of the support matrix in CWs in removing OMPs have not been systematically studied. Therefore, in this study, six common materials (sand, zeolite, blast iron slag, petcoke, polonite and crushed autoclaved aerated concrete (CAAC)) as support matrixes were firstly investigated by batch tests to explore their adsorption capacities to selected OMPs (ibuprofen, iohexol, tebuconazole and imazalil). Results showed that the adsorption capacities of the materials were low (at the level of μg/g) compared to well-known sorbents (at the level of mg/g), such as activated carbon and carbon nanotubes. Columns packed with the six materials, respectively, were then built up to study the effects of different materials on microbial community. In the medium-term study (66 days), the removal of four OMPs in all the columns increased by 2-58% from day 25 to day 66, and was mainly attributed to microbial degradation. Furthermore, Community-level physiological profiling (CLPP) analysis indicates that material presence shaped the microbial community metabolic function not only in the interstitial water but also in the biofilm. Overall, all the findings demonstrate that although the adsorption capacities of the common materials are low, they may be a driver to improve the removal of OMPs by altering microbial community function in CWs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The renaissance of continuous culture in the post-genomics age.

PubMed

Bull, Alan T

2010-10-01

The development of continuous culture techniques 60 years ago and the subsequent formulation of theory and the diversification of experimental systems revolutionised microbiology and heralded a unique period of innovative research. Then, progressively, molecular biology and thence genomics and related high-information-density omics technologies took centre stage and microbial growth physiology in general faded from educational programmes and research funding priorities alike. However, there has been a gathering appreciation over the past decade that if the claims of systems biology are going to be realised, they will have to be based on rigorously controlled and reproducible microbial and cell growth platforms. This revival of continuous culture will be long lasting because its recognition as the growth system of choice is firmly established. The purpose of this review, therefore, is to remind microbiologists, particularly those new to continuous culture approaches, of the legacy of what I call the first age of continuous culture, and to explore a selection of researches that are using these techniques in this post-genomics age. The review looks at the impact of continuous culture across a comprehensive range of microbiological research and development. The ability to establish (quasi-) steady state conditions is a frequently stated advantage of continuous cultures thereby allowing environmental parameters to be manipulated without causing concomitant changes in the specific growth rate. However, the use of continuous cultures also enables the critical study of specified transition states and chemical, physical or biological perturbations. Such dynamic analyses enhance our understanding of microbial ecology and microbial pathology for example, and offer a wider scope for innovative drug discovery; they also can inform the optimization of batch and fed-batch operations that are characterized by sequential transitions states.

Arsenic release from shallow aquifers of the Hetao basin, Inner Mongolia: evidence from bacterial community in aquifer sediments and groundwater.

PubMed

Li, Yuan; Guo, Huaming; Hao, Chunbo

2014-12-01

Indigenous microbes play crucial roles in arsenic mobilization in high arsenic groundwater systems. Databases concerning the presence and the activity of microbial communities are very useful in evaluating the potential of microbe-mediated arsenic mobilization in shallow aquifers hosting high arsenic groundwater. This study characterized microbial communities in groundwaters at different depths with different arsenic concentrations by DGGE and one sediment by 16S rRNA gene clone library, and evaluated arsenic mobilization in microcosm batches with the presence of indigenous bacteria. DGGE fingerprints revealed that the community structure changed substantially with depth at the same location. It indicated that a relatively higher bacterial diversity was present in the groundwater sample with lower arsenic concentration. Sequence analysis of 16S rRNA gene demonstrated that the sediment bacteria mainly belonged to Pseudomonas, Dietzia and Rhodococcus, which have been widely found in aquifer systems. Additionally, NO3(-)-reducing bacteria Pseudomonas sp. was the largest group, followed by Fe(III)-reducing, SO4(2-)-reducing and As(V)-reducing bacteria in the sediment sample. These anaerobic bacteria used the specific oxyanions as electron acceptor and played a significant role in reductive dissolution of Fe oxide minerals, reduction of As(V), and release of arsenic from sediments into groundwater. Microcosm experiments, using intact aquifer sediments, showed that arsenic release and Fe(III) reduction were microbially mediated in the presence of indigenous bacteria. High arsenic concentration was also observed in the batch without amendment of organic carbon, demonstrating that the natural organic matter in sediments was the potential electron donor for microbially mediated arsenic release from these aquifer sediments.

Laboratory studies to characterize the efficacy of sand capping a coal tar-contaminated sediment.

PubMed

Hyun, Seunghun; Jafvert, Chad T; Lee, Linda S; Rao, P Suresh C

2006-06-01

Placement of a microbial active sand cap on a coal tar-contaminated river sediment has been suggested as a cost effective remediation strategy. This approach assumes that the flux of contaminants from the sediment is sufficiently balanced by oxygen and nutrient fluxes into the sand layer such that microbial activity will reduce contaminant concentrations within the new benthic zone and reduce the contaminant flux to the water column. The dynamics of such a system were evaluated using batch and column studies with microbial communities from tar-contaminated sediment under different aeration and nutrient inputs. In a 30-d batch degradation study on aqueous extracts of coal tar sediment, oxygen and nutrient concentrations were found to be key parameters controlling the degradation rates of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). For the five PAHs monitored (naphthalene, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, and pyrene), degradation rates were inversely proportional to molecular size. For the column studies, where three columns were packed with a 20-cm sand layer on the top of a 5 cm of sediment layer, flow was established to sand layers with (1) aerated water, (2) N(2) sparged water, or (3) HgCl(2)-sterilized N(2) sparged water. After steady-state conditions, PAH concentrations in effluents were the lowest in the aerated column, except for pyrene, whose concentration was invariant with all effluents. These laboratory scale studies support that if sufficient aeration can be achieved in the field through either active and passive means, the resulting microbially active sand layer can improve the water quality of the benthic zone and reduce the flux of many, but not all, PAHs to the water column.

Big data analytics in hyperspectral imaging for detection of microbial colonies on agar plates (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Seung-Chul; Park, Bosoon; Lawrence, Kurt C.

2017-05-01

Various types of optical imaging techniques measuring light reflectivity and scattering can detect microbial colonies of foodborne pathogens on agar plates. Until recently, these techniques were developed to provide solutions for hypothesis-driven studies, which focused on developing tools and batch/offline machine learning methods with well defined sets of data. These have relatively high accuracy and rapid response time because the tools and methods are often optimized for the collected data. However, they often need to be retrained or recalibrated when new untrained data and/or features are added. A big-data driven technique is more suitable for online learning of new/ambiguous samples and for mining unknown or hidden features. Although big data research in hyperspectral imaging is emerging in remote sensing and many tools and methods have been developed so far in many other applications such as bioinformatics, the tools and methods still need to be evaluated and adjusted in applications where the conventional batch machine learning algorithms were dominant. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate appropriate big data analytic tools and methods for online learning and mining of foodborne pathogens on agar plates. After the tools and methods are successfully identified, they will be applied to rapidly search big color and hyperspectral image data of microbial colonies collected over the past 5 years in house and find the most probable colony or a group of colonies in the collected big data. The meta-data, such as collection time and any unstructured data (e.g. comments), will also be analyzed and presented with output results. The expected results will be novel, big data-driven technology to correctly detect and recognize microbial colonies of various foodborne pathogens on agar plates.

Comparison of batch and column tests for the elution of artificial turf system components.

PubMed

Krüger, O; Kalbe, U; Berger, W; Nordhauβ, K; Christoph, G; Walzel, H-P

2012-12-18

Synthetic athletic tracks and turf areas for outdoor sporting grounds may release contaminants due to the chemical composition of some components. A primary example is that of zinc from reused scrap tires (main constituent, styrene butadiene rubber, SBR), which might be harmful to the environment. Thus, methods for the risk assessment of those materials are required. Laboratory leaching methods like batch and column tests are widely used to examine the soil-groundwater pathway. We tested several components for artificial sporting grounds with batch tests at a liquid to solid (LS) ratio of 2 L/kg and column tests with an LS up to 26.5 L/kg. We found a higher zinc release in the batch test eluates for all granules, ranging from 15% higher to 687% higher versus data from column tests for SBR granules. Accompanying parameters, especially the very high turbidity of one ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM) or thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) eluates, reflect the stronger mechanical stress of batch testing. This indicates that batch test procedures might not be suitable for the risk assessment of synthetic sporting ground components. Column tests, on the other hand, represent field conditions more closely and allow for determination of time-dependent contaminants release.

Impact of Nisin-Activated Packaging on Microbiota of Beef Burgers during Storage

PubMed Central

Ferrocino, Ilario; Greppi, Anna; La Storia, Antonietta; Rantsiou, Kalliopi; Ercolini, Danilo

2015-01-01

Beef burgers were stored at 4°C in a vacuum in nisin-activated antimicrobial packaging. Microbial ecology analyses were performed on samples collected between days 0 and 21 of storage to discover the population diversity. Two batches were analyzed using RNA-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and pyrosequencing. The active packaging retarded the growth of the total viable bacteria and lactic acid bacteria. Culture-independent analysis by pyrosequencing of RNA extracted directly from meat showed that Photobacterium phosphoreum, Lactococcus piscium, Lactobacillus sakei, and Leuconostoc carnosum were the major operational taxonomic units (OTUs) shared between control and treated samples. Beta diversity analysis of the 16S rRNA sequence data and RNA-DGGE showed a clear separation between two batches based on the microbiota. Control samples from batch B showed a significant high abundance of some taxa sensitive to nisin, such as Kocuria rhizophila, Staphylococcus xylosus, Leuconostoc carnosum, and Carnobacterium divergens, compared to control samples from batch A. However, only from batch B was it possible to find a significant difference between controls and treated samples during storage due to the active packaging. Predicted metagenomes confirmed differences between the two batches and indicated that the use of nisin-based antimicrobial packaging can determine a reduction in the abundance of specific metabolic pathways related to spoilage. The present study aimed to assess the viable bacterial communities in beef burgers stored in nisin-based antimicrobial packaging, and it highlights the efficacy of this strategy to prolong beef burger shelf life. PMID:26546424

Sensitivity of Deep Soil Organic Carbon Age to Sorption, Transport and Microbial Interactions - Insights from a Calibrated Process Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahrens, B.; Schrumpf, M.; Reichstein, M.

2013-12-01

Subsoil soil organic carbon (SOC) is characterized by conventional radiocarbon ages on the order of centuries to millennia. Most vertically explicit SOC turnover models represent this persistence of deep SOC by one pool that has millennial turnover times. This approach lumps different stabilizing mechanisms such as chemical recalcitrance, sorptive stabilization and energy limitation into a single rate constant. As an alternative, we present a continuous, vertically explicit SOC decomposition model that allows for stabilization via sorption and microbial interactions (COMISSION model). We compare the COMISSION model with the SOC profile of a Haplic Podzol under a Norway spruce forest. In the COMISSION model two pools receive aboveground litter input and vertically distributed root litter input. The readily leachable and soluble fraction of litter input enters a dissolved organic carbon pool (DOC), while the rest enters the residue pool which represents polymeric, non-soluble SOC. The residue pool is depolymerized with extracellular enzymes produced by a microbial pool to enter the DOC pool which represents SOC potentially available for assimilation by microbes. The adsorption/desorption of DOC from/to mineral surfaces controls the availability of carbon in the DOC pool for assimilatory uptake by microbes. The sorption of DOC is modeled with dynamic Langmuir equations. The desorbed part of the DOC pool not only constitutes the substrate for the microbial pool, but is also transported via advection. Interactions of microbes with the residue and DOC pool are modeled with Michaelis-Menten kinetics - this not only allows representing ';priming', but also the retardation of decomposition via energy limitation in the deep soil where substrate is scarce. Further, soil organic matter is recycled within the soil profile through microbial processing - dead microbes either enter the DOC or the residue pool, and thereby also contribute to longer residence times with soil depth. First results of a calibration against SOC, SO14C, MOC and MO14C profiles (mineral associated organic carbon, density fraction >1.6 g cm-3) of a Haplic Podzol of the Waldstein site (Germany) show that we can use the maximum sorption capacity (qmax) estimated from batch sorption experiments to parameterize the dynamic Langmuir sorption equation. qmax could potentially be extrapolated to other soil profiles based on relations to iron and aluminum oxide contents. Although we are able to capture the secondary maximum of SOC contents in the Bh horizon with qmax from batch sorption experiments, our results indicate that the adsorption and desorption rates retrieved from batch sorption experiments are too fast to explain the low Δ14C values of the MOC. This could point to other processes apart from DOC sorption that trigger stabilization by organo-mineral associations with a stronger apparent irreversibility (e.g. inclusion in small pores). Alternatively, the conditions of batch sorption experiments (constant shaking in centrifuge tubes) might not be representative for in situ sorption conditions. Overall, we show how effective decomposition rates and 14C ages readily emerge from a combination of known stabilizing and destabilizing mechanisms and we discuss how to identify these processes with a model-data fusion framework.

Simultaneous Transformation of Commingled Trichloroethylene, Tetrachloroethylene, and 1,4-Dioxane by a Microbially Driven Fenton Reaction in Batch Liquid Cultures.

PubMed

Sekar, Ramanan; Taillefert, Martial; DiChristina, Thomas J

2016-11-01

Improper disposal of 1,4-dioxane and the chlorinated organic solvents trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (also known as perchloroethylene [PCE]) has resulted in widespread contamination of soil and groundwater. In the present study, a previously designed microbially driven Fenton reaction system was reconfigured to generate hydroxyl (HO˙) radicals for simultaneous transformation of source zone levels of single, binary, and ternary mixtures of TCE, PCE, and 1,4-dioxane. The reconfigured Fenton reaction system was driven by fed batch cultures of the Fe(III)-reducing facultative anaerobe Shewanella oneidensis amended with lactate, Fe(III), and contaminants and exposed to alternating anaerobic and aerobic conditions. To avoid contaminant loss due to volatility, the Fe(II)-generating, hydrogen peroxide-generating, and contaminant transformation phases of the microbially driven Fenton reaction system were separated. The reconfigured Fenton reaction system transformed TCE, PCE, and 1,4-dioxane either as single contaminants or as binary and ternary mixtures. In the presence of equimolar concentrations of PCE and TCE, the ratio of the experimentally derived rates of PCE and TCE transformation was nearly identical to the ratio of the corresponding HO˙ radical reaction rate constants. The reconfigured Fenton reaction system may be applied as an ex situ platform for simultaneous degradation of commingled TCE, PCE, and 1,4-dioxane and provides valuable information for future development of in situ remediation technologies. A microbially driven Fenton reaction system [driven by the Fe(III)-reducing facultative anaerobe S. oneidensis] was reconfigured to transform source zone levels of TCE, PCE, and 1,4-dioxane as single contaminants or as binary and ternary mixtures. The microbially driven Fenton reaction may thus be applied as an ex situ platform for simultaneous degradation of at least three (and potentially more) commingled contaminants. Additional targets for ex situ and in situ degradation by the microbially driven Fenton reaction developed in the present study include multiple combinations of environmental contaminants susceptible to attack by Fenton reaction-generated HO˙ radicals, including commingled plumes of 1,4-dioxane, pentachlorophenol (PCP), PCE, TCE, 1,1,2-trichloroethane (TCA), and perfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS). Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Simultaneous Transformation of Commingled Trichloroethylene, Tetrachloroethylene, and 1,4-Dioxane by a Microbially Driven Fenton Reaction in Batch Liquid Cultures

PubMed Central

Sekar, Ramanan; Taillefert, Martial

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Improper disposal of 1,4-dioxane and the chlorinated organic solvents trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (also known as perchloroethylene [PCE]) has resulted in widespread contamination of soil and groundwater. In the present study, a previously designed microbially driven Fenton reaction system was reconfigured to generate hydroxyl (HO˙) radicals for simultaneous transformation of source zone levels of single, binary, and ternary mixtures of TCE, PCE, and 1,4-dioxane. The reconfigured Fenton reaction system was driven by fed batch cultures of the Fe(III)-reducing facultative anaerobe Shewanella oneidensis amended with lactate, Fe(III), and contaminants and exposed to alternating anaerobic and aerobic conditions. To avoid contaminant loss due to volatility, the Fe(II)-generating, hydrogen peroxide-generating, and contaminant transformation phases of the microbially driven Fenton reaction system were separated. The reconfigured Fenton reaction system transformed TCE, PCE, and 1,4-dioxane either as single contaminants or as binary and ternary mixtures. In the presence of equimolar concentrations of PCE and TCE, the ratio of the experimentally derived rates of PCE and TCE transformation was nearly identical to the ratio of the corresponding HO˙ radical reaction rate constants. The reconfigured Fenton reaction system may be applied as an ex situ platform for simultaneous degradation of commingled TCE, PCE, and 1,4-dioxane and provides valuable information for future development of in situ remediation technologies. IMPORTANCE A microbially driven Fenton reaction system [driven by the Fe(III)-reducing facultative anaerobe S. oneidensis] was reconfigured to transform source zone levels of TCE, PCE, and 1,4-dioxane as single contaminants or as binary and ternary mixtures. The microbially driven Fenton reaction may thus be applied as an ex situ platform for simultaneous degradation of at least three (and potentially more) commingled contaminants. Additional targets for ex situ and in situ degradation by the microbially driven Fenton reaction developed in the present study include multiple combinations of environmental contaminants susceptible to attack by Fenton reaction-generated HO˙ radicals, including commingled plumes of 1,4-dioxane, pentachlorophenol (PCP), PCE, TCE, 1,1,2-trichloroethane (TCA), and perfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS). PMID:27542932

The bacterial biota of laboratory-reared edible mealworms (Tenebrio molitor L.): From feed to frass.

PubMed

Osimani, Andrea; Milanović, Vesna; Cardinali, Federica; Garofalo, Cristiana; Clementi, Francesca; Pasquini, Marina; Riolo, Paola; Ruschioni, Sara; Isidoro, Nunzio; Loreto, Nino; Franciosi, Elena; Tuohy, Kieran; Petruzzelli, Annalisa; Foglini, Martina; Gabucci, Claudia; Tonucci, Franco; Aquilanti, Lucia

2018-05-02

Tenebrio molitor represents one of the most popular species used for the large-scale conversion of plant biomass into protein and is characterized by high nutritional value. In the present laboratory study, the bacterial biota characterizing a pilot production chain of fresh T. molitor larvae was investigated. To this end, different batches of fresh mealworm larvae, their feeding substrate (wheatmeal) and frass were analyzed by viable microbial counts, PCR-DGGE and Illumina sequencing. Moreover, the occurrence of Coxiella burnetii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) was assessed through qualitative real-time PCR assays. Microbial viable counts highlighted low microbial contamination of the wheatmeal, whereas larvae and frass were characterized by high loads of Enterobacteriaceae, lactic acid bacteria, and several species of mesophilic aerobes. Spore-forming bacteria were detected to a lesser extent in all the samples. The combined molecular approach used to profile the microbiota confirmed the low microbial contamination of wheatmeal and allowed the detection of Enterobacter spp., Erwinia spp., Enterococcus spp. and Lactococcus spp. as dominant genera in both larvae and frass. Moreover, Klebsiella spp., Pantoea spp., and Xenorhabdus spp. were found to be in the minority. Entomoplasmatales (including Spiroplasma spp.) constituted a major fraction of the microbiota of one batch of larvae. From the real-time PCR assays, no sample was positive for either C. burnetii or STEC, whereas P. aeruginosa was detected in one sample of frass. Based on the overall results, two sources of microbial contamination were hypothesized, namely feeding with wheatmeal and vertical transmission of microorganisms from mother to offspring. Since mealworms are expected to be eaten as a whole, the overall outcomes collected in this laboratory study discourage the consumption of fresh mealworm larvae. Moreover, microbial loads and the absence of potential pathogens known to be associated with this insect species should be carefully assessed in order to reduce the minimum risk for consumers, by identifying the most opportune processing methods (e.g., boiling, frying, drying, etc.). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

21 CFR 320.34 - Requirements for batch testing and certification by the Food and Drug Administration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... necessary to assure that all batches of the same drug product meet an appropriate in vitro test, he shall include in the bioequivalence requirement a requirement for manufacturers to submit samples of each batch...

21 CFR 320.34 - Requirements for batch testing and certification by the Food and Drug Administration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... necessary to assure that all batches of the same drug product meet an appropriate in vitro test, he shall include in the bioequivalence requirement a requirement for manufacturers to submit samples of each batch...

Biodegradation kinetics of 1,4-benzoquinone in batch and continuous systems.

PubMed

Kumar, Pardeep; Nemati, Mehdi; Hill, Gordon A

2011-11-01

Combining chemical and biological treatments is a potentially economic approach to remove high concentration of recalcitrant compounds from wastewaters. In the present study, the biodegradation of 1,4-benzoquinone, an intermediate compound formed during phenol oxidation by chlorine dioxide, was investigated using Pseudomonas putida (ATCC 17484) in batch and continuous bioreactors. Batch experiments were conducted to determine the effects of 1,4-benzoquinone concentration and temperature on the microbial activity and biodegradation kinetics. Using the generated data, the maximum specific growth rate and biodegradation rate were determined as 0.94 h(-1) and 6.71 mg of 1,4-benzoquinone l(-1) h(-1). Biodegradation in a continuous bioreactor indicated a linear relationship between substrate loading and biodegradation rates prior to wash out of the cells, with a maximum biodegradation rate of 246 mg l(-1) h(-1) observed at a loading rate of 275 mg l(-1) h(-1) (residence time: 1.82 h). Biokinetic parameters were also determined using the steady state substrate and biomass concentrations at various dilution rates and compared to those obtained in batch cultures.

Cathodic reduction of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] coupled with electricity generation in microbial fuel cells.

PubMed

Wang, Gang; Huang, Liping; Zhang, Yifeng

2008-11-01

A novel approach to Cr(VI)-contaminated wastewater treatment was investigated using microbial fuel cell technologies in fed-batch mode. By using synthetic Cr(VI)-containing wastewater as catholyte and anaerobic microorganisms as anodic biocatalyst, Cr(VI) at 100 mg/l was completely removed during 150 h (initial pH 2). The maximum power density of 150 mW/m(2) (0.04 mA/cm(2)) and the maximum open circuit voltage of 0.91 V were generated with Cr(VI) at 200 mg/l as electron acceptor. This work verifies the possibility of simultaneous electricity production and cathodic Cr(VI) reduction.

Effect of nitrate and nitrite curing salts on microbial changes and sensory quality of non-fermented sausages.

PubMed

Sanz, Y; Vila, R; Toldrá, F; Flores, J

1998-07-21

The effects of nitrate and nitrite curing salts on microbial changes and sensory quality of non-fermented sausages of small diameter were investigated. During pre-ripening (day 5), levels of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts were slightly higher in nitrite-made sausages than in those made with nitrate. In contrast, nitrite discouraged the growth of psychrotrophs as occurs in fermented sausages. By the end of ripening (day 26), levels of microorganisms were similar in both batches of sausages except for psychrotrophs being higher in those made with nitrite. Nitrate-made sausages showed higher aroma and taste intensity.

Microbial Degradation of Propylene Glycol - Modelling Approach of a Batch Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dathe, Annette; Fernandez, Perrine; Bakken, Lars; Bloem, Esther; French, Helen

2016-04-01

De-icing chemicals are applied in large amounts at airports during winter conditions to keep the runways and aircrafts ice-free. At Gardermoen airport, Norway, most of the applied chemicals can be captured, but about 10 to 20 % infiltrate into the soil along the runways and during take-off. While the commonly used propylene glycol (PG) is easily degradable by local microbial communities, its biological oxygen demand is high, anoxic zones can develop and soluble Fe+2 and Mn+2 ions eventually can reach the groundwater. The objectives of the presented study are to quantify the mechanisms, which control the order of reduction processes in an unsaturated sandy soil, and to test whether measured redox potentials can help to determine underlying biogeochemical reactions. To investigate the mechanisms of microbial degradation, the water phase of soil samples from Gardermoen Airport was replaced by deionized water with 10 mMol PG or 10 mMol glutamate and the samples were incubated at 10°C for about two weeks. The gas phase was sampled and analyzed automatically every three hours. Microbial degradation of the substrate (PG or glutamate) was modelled following a Monod kinetics using the FME (Flexible Modelling Environment) package of R (Project for Statistical Computing). The model was calibrated against measurements of O2 depletion and CO2 production. The initial concentrations of O2, CO2 and PG or glutamate are known and microbial yields and stoichiometric constants can be calculated from the measurements. Parameter values for the initial microbial population size, maximum microbial growth rate, the half saturation constant, and microbial degradation and respiration rates were fitted using the FME package. The model accounts for carbon from the substrate (PG or glutamate) incorporated into the biomass. Results are promising, but because of the large number of parameters needed to fit a Monod kinetics it is challenging to accurately model a whole redox sequence. The ultimate goal of implementing PG degrading processes into a soil water transport model is still a challenge, and simpler approaches like a first- and second order kinetic are investigated and compared to the behavior of the Monod kinetic.

Role of the microbial population on the flavor of the soft-bodied cheese Torta del Casar.

PubMed

Ordiales, Elena; Martín, Alberto; Benito, María José; Hernández, Alejandro; Ruiz-Moyano, Santiago; Córdoba, María de Guía

2013-09-01

The purpose of this work was to investigate the influence of the spontaneous microbial population on the flavor of Torta del Casar cheese. A total of 16 batches of cheeses with different microbial qualities were used. Their physicochemical and microbial characteristics were evaluated during ripening and then related with the volatile compounds, taste, and flavor properties of the finished cheeses. Acids were the most abundant volatile compounds, followed by alcohols and carbonyls. The amount of acetic acid and several alcohols were linked to cheeses with higher counts of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), whereas Enterobacteriaceae counts were associated with semivolatile fatty acids. The gram-positive catalase-positive cocci counts were correlated with esters and methyl ketones. Although the role of the LAB in the flavor development of Torta del Casar is the most relevant, other microbial groups are necessary to impart the flavor of the cheese and to minimize the possible off-flavor derived from excessive concentrations of LAB metabolites, such as acetic acid. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles on nitrogen removal, microbial activity and microbial community of CANON process in a membrane bioreactor.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaojing; Zhang, Nan; Fu, Haoqiang; Chen, Tao; Liu, Sa; Zheng, Shuhua; Zhang, Jie

2017-11-01

In this study, a membrane bioreactor (MBR) was adopted for completely autotrophic nitrogen removal over nitrite (CANON) process. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) was step-wise increased to analyze the influence on nitrogen removal, microbial activity and microbial communities. Finally ZnO NPs was removed to study its recovery capability. The bioactivities of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AAOB) and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) were detected by batch experiments. Results showed that the ZnO NPs with low concentration (≤5mgL -1 ) was profitable for nitrogen removal while the high concentration performed inhibition, and it lowered the abundance of both AOB and NOB while enhanced that of AAOB. ZnO NPs with high concentration (≥10mgL -1 ) suppressed both AOB and AAOB, and long-term exposure within ZnO NPs led to microbial diversity decrease. The inhibition threshold of ZnO NPs on CANON process was 10mgL -1 , and the profitable concentration was 1mgL -1 . Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mineral solubility and free energy controls on microbial reaction kinetics: Application to contaminant transport in the subsurface

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taillefert, Martial; Van Cappellen, Philippe

Recent developments in the theoretical treatment of geomicrobial reaction processes have resulted in the formulation of kinetic models that directly link the rates of microbial respiration and growth to the corresponding thermodynamic driving forces. The overall objective of this project was to verify and calibrate these kinetic models for the microbial reduction of uranium(VI) in geochemical conditions that mimic as much as possible field conditions. The approach combined modeling of bacterial processes using new bioenergetic rate laws, laboratory experiments to determine the bioavailability of uranium during uranium bioreduction, evaluation of microbial growth yield under energy-limited conditions using bioreactor experiments, competitionmore » experiments between metabolic processes in environmentally relevant conditions, and model applications at the field scale. The new kinetic descriptions of microbial U(VI) and Fe(III) reduction should replace those currently used in reactive transport models that couple catabolic energy generation and growth of microbial populations to the rates of biogeochemical redox processes. The above work was carried out in collaboration between the groups of Taillefert (batch reactor experiments and reaction modeling) at Georgia Tech and Van Cappellen (retentostat experiments and reactive transport modeling) at University of Waterloo (Canada).« less

Sol-gel immobilization as a suitable technique for enhancement of α-amylase activity of Aspergillus oryzae PP.

PubMed

Evstatieva, Yana; Yordanova, Mariya; Chernev, Georgi; Ruseva, Yanislava; Nikolova, Dilyana

2014-07-04

Bioencapsulation of microbial cells in silica-based matrices has proved to be a good strategy to enhance the biosynthetic capabilities and viability of bioproducers. In the present study, mycelium and pellet cultures of strain Aspergillus oryzae PP were successfully immobilized in sol-gel hybrid matrices composed of tetraethylorthosilicate as an inorganic precursor, 5% (w/v) starch and 10 or 15% (w/v) polyethylene oxide, or 10% (w/v) calcium alginate as organic compounds. Biosynthetic activity of immobilized cultures was investigated by batch and fed-batch cultivation and the obtained results of 3042.04 IU cm -3 were comparable with the enzyme activity of the free cell culture. Immobilized cultures retained their viability and biosynthetic capabilities up to the 744th h during fed-batch fermentation processes. Consequently, sol-gel encapsulation in hybrid matrices could be considered as a promising technique for immobilization of Aspergillus oryzae PP in order to increase the α-amylase production.

Bioaugmentation of Hydrogenispora ethanolica LX-B affects hydrogen production through altering indigenous bacterial community structure.

PubMed

Yang, Zhiman; Guo, Rongbo; Shi, Xiaoshuang; He, Shuai; Wang, Lin; Dai, Meng; Qiu, Yanling; Dang, Xiaoxiao

2016-07-01

Bioaugmentation can facilitate hydrogen production from complex organic substrates, but it still is unknown how indigenous microbial communities respond to the added bacteria. Here, using a Hydrogenispora ethanolica LX-B (named as LX-B) bioaugmentation experiments, the distribution of metabolites and the responses of indigenous bacterial communities were investigated via batch cultivation (BC) and repeated batch cultivation (RBC). In BC the LX-B/sludge ratio of 0.12 achieved substantial high hydrogen yield, which was over twice that of control. In RBC one-time bioaugmentation and repeated batch bioaugmentation of LX-B resulted in the hydrogen yield that was average 1.2-fold and 0.8-fold higher than that in control, respectively. This improved hydrogen production performance mainly benefited from a shift in composition of the indigenous bacterial community caused by LX-B bioaugmentation. The findings represented an important step in understanding the relationship between bioaugmentation, a shift in bacterial communities, and altered bioreactor performance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methanogenic community shifts during the transition from sewage mono-digestion to co-digestion of grass biomass.

PubMed

Hardegen, Justus; Latorre-Pérez, Adriel; Vilanova, Cristina; Günther, Thomas; Porcar, Manuel; Luschnig, Olaf; Simeonov, Claudia; Abendroth, Christian

2018-06-06

In this work, liquid and solid fractions of grass biomass were used as co-substrates for anaerobic co-digestion of sewage sludge. The input of grass biomass was increased gradually, and the underlying methanogenic microbiome was assessed by means of microscopy-based cell counting and full-length 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing, proving for the first time the suitability of nanopore-based portable sequencers as a monitoring tool for anaerobic digestion systems. In both cases co-fermentation resulted in an increased number of bacteria and methanogenic archaea. Interestingly, the microbial communities were highly different between solid and liquid-fed batches. Liquid-fed batches developed a more stable microbiome, enriched in Methanosarcina spp., and resulted in higher methanogenic yield. In contrast, solid-fed batches were highly unstable at higher substrate concentrations, and kept Methanosaeta spp. - typically associated to sewage sludge - as the majoritary methanogenic archaea. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of dissolved oxygen level on cell growth and total lipid accumulation in the cultivation of Rhodotorula glutinis.

PubMed

Yen, Hong-Wei; Zhang, Zhiyong

2011-07-01

The total amount of lipids produced in Rhodotorula glutinis is a subject which has attracted increasing attention due to the potential biodiesel conversion from these microbial oils. The effects of the dissolved oxygen (DO) level in lipid accumulation were examined in this study. Variations of different medium volumes (30, 40 and 50ml) and shaking speed (60, 150 and 210rpm) in the flask trials were adopted to explore the DO effects on lipid production. All of the results revealed that a low DO could retard cell growth, while enhancing lipid accumulation. The 5l-fermentor results also confirm that a low DO (25 ± 10%) batch could have higher lipid content than that of high DO batch (60 ± 10%). Nevertheless, the DO level would not obviously affect the lipid composition profile. Oleic acid (C18:1) was the primary fatty acid in both batches. Due to the slow biomass growth rate resulting from the low DO, a two-stage DO controlled strategy (consisting of a high DO stage and following a low DO stage) was performed to improve the cell growth and lipid accumulation simultaneously. However, the strategy was not successful on the enhancement of total lipid production as compared to other batches. Conclusively, even a low DO could retard cell growth; the total production of lipids in the batch with low DO was higher that of the high DO batch due to the enhancement of lipid accumulation. Therefore, the batch operation of R. glutinis at the low DO was suggested for the purpose of lipid production. Copyright © 2011 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modeling of the pyruvate production with Escherichia coli: comparison of mechanistic and neural networks-based models.

PubMed

Zelić, B; Bolf, N; Vasić-Racki, D

2006-06-01

Three different models: the unstructured mechanistic black-box model, the input-output neural network-based model and the externally recurrent neural network model were used to describe the pyruvate production process from glucose and acetate using the genetically modified Escherichia coli YYC202 ldhA::Kan strain. The experimental data were used from the recently described batch and fed-batch experiments [ Zelić B, Study of the process development for Escherichia coli-based pyruvate production. PhD Thesis, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Zagreb, Croatia, July 2003. (In English); Zelić et al. Bioproc Biosyst Eng 26:249-258 (2004); Zelić et al. Eng Life Sci 3:299-305 (2003); Zelić et al Biotechnol Bioeng 85:638-646 (2004)]. The neural networks were built out of the experimental data obtained in the fed-batch pyruvate production experiments with the constant glucose feed rate. The model validation was performed using the experimental results obtained from the batch and fed-batch pyruvate production experiments with the constant acetate feed rate. Dynamics of the substrate and product concentration changes was estimated using two neural network-based models for biomass and pyruvate. It was shown that neural networks could be used for the modeling of complex microbial fermentation processes, even in conditions in which mechanistic unstructured models cannot be applied.

[Testing of medicinal products produced from pooled plasma].

PubMed

Unkelbach, U; Hunfeld, A; Breitner-Ruddock, S

2014-10-01

Medicinal products produced from human plasma fall under the administrative batch release procedure of the competent authority. In Germany, this has been carried out since 1995 by the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI), the responsible state control agency for blood products. Medicinal products released for the European and national market are tested for quality, efficacy and safety. Experimental testing of the final product and the starting materials, the plasma pools, as well as control of the production documentation guarantee a constantly high product safety. In the 28,000 batches tested since the beginning of the state controlled batch release testing of these blood products at the PEI, there has been no transmission of infectious viruses (HIV, HBV and HCV) to any patient. The batch release has made a contribution to the improvement of product quality. This procedure is still an important tool to ensure safety of blood products. The PEI is integrated in the batch release network of the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Health Care (EDQM) in Strasbourg. Regulations and guidelines for official control authority batch release (OCABR) ensure harmonized procedures for mutual recognition of batch release on the European level. The EU certificates and German national certificates are requested and accepted in over 70 countries worldwide. Experimental testing in the EU and the requisite certificates have developed into a seal of quality for the world market.

Investigation of extractive microbial transformation in nonionic surfactant micelle aqueous solution using response surface methodology.

PubMed

Xue, Yingying; Qian, Chen; Wang, Zhilong; Xu, Jian-He; Yang, Rude; Qi, Hanshi

2010-01-01

Extractive microbial transformation of L-phenylacetylcarbinol (L-PAC) in nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 micelle aqueous solution was investigated by response surface methodology. Based on the Box-Behnken design, a mathematical model was developed for the predication of mutual interactions between benzaldehyde, Triton X-100, and glucose on L-PAC production. It indicated that the negative or positive effect of nonionic surfactant strongly depended on the substrate concentration. The model predicted that the optimal concentration of benzaldehyde, Triton X-100, and glucose was 1.2 ml, 15 g, and 2.76 g per 100 ml, respectively. Under the optimal condition, the maximum L-PAC production was 27.6 mM, which was verified by a time course of extractive microbial transformation. A discrete fed-batch process for verification of cell activity was also presented.

40 CFR 1065.545 - Verification of proportional flow control for batch sampling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... control for batch sampling. 1065.545 Section 1065.545 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS ENGINE-TESTING PROCEDURES Performing an Emission Test Over Specified Duty Cycles § 1065.545 Verification of proportional flow control for batch sampling. For any...

Biodegradation of individual and multiple chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons by methane-oxidizing cultures.

PubMed Central

Chang, H L; Alvarez-Cohen, L

1996-01-01

The microbial degradation of chlorinated and nonchlorinated methanes, ethanes, and ethanes by a mixed methane-oxidizing culture grown under chemostat and batch conditions is evaluated and compared with that by two pure methanotrophic strains: CAC1 (isolated from the mixed culture) and Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b. With the exception of 1,1-dichloroethylene, the transformation capacity (Tc) for each chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbon was generally found to be in inverse proportion to its chlorine content within each aliphatic group (i.e., methanes, ethanes, and ethenes), whereas similar trends were not observed for degradation rate constants. Tc trends were similar for all methane-oxidizing cultures tested. None of the cultures were able to degrade the fully chlorinated aliphatics such as perchloroethylene and carbon tetrachloride. Of the four cultures tested, the chemostat-grown mixed culture exhibited the highest Tc for trichloroethylene, cis-1,2-dichloroethylene, tetrachloroethane, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, and 1,2-dichloroethane, whereas the pure batch-grown OB3b culture exhibited the highest Tc for all other compounds tested. The product toxicity of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons in a mixture containing multiple compounds was cumulative and predictable when using parameters measured from the degradation of individual compounds. The Tc for each chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbon in a mixture (Tcmix) and the total Tc for the mixture (sigma Tcmix) are functions of the individual Tc, the initial substrate concentration (S0), and the first-order rate constant (k/Ks) of each compound in the mixture, indicating the importance of identifying the properties and compositions of all potentially degradable compounds in a contaminant mixture. PMID:8795228

Digester performance and microbial community changes in thermophilic and mesophilic sequencing batch reactors fed with the fine sieved fraction of municipal sewage.

PubMed

Ghasimi, Dara S M; Tao, Yu; de Kreuk, Merle; Abbas, Ben; Zandvoort, Marcel H; van Lier, Jules B

2015-12-15

This study investigates the start-up and operation of bench-scale mesophilic (35 °C) and thermophilic (55 °C) anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (SBR) digesters treating the fine sieved fraction (FSF) from raw municipal sewage. FSF was sequestered from raw municipal wastewater, in the Netherlands, using a rotating belt filter equipped with a 350 micron mesh. For the given wastewater, the major component of FSF was toilet paper, which is estimated to be 10-14 kg per year per average person in the western European countries. A seven months adaptation time was allowed for the thermophilic and mesophilic digesters in order to adapt to FSF as the sole substrate with varying dry solids content of 10-25%. Different SBR cycle durations (14, 9 and 2 days) were applied for both temperature conditions to study methane production rates, volatile fatty acids (VFAs) dynamics, lag phases, as well as changes in microbial communities. The prevailing sludge in the two digesters consisted of very different bacterial and archaeal communities, with OP9 lineage and Methanothermobacter being pre-dominant in the thermophilic digester and Bacteroides and Methanosaeta dominating the mesophilic one. Eventually, decreasing the SBR cycle period, thus increasing the FSF load, resulted in improved digester performances, particularly with regard to the thermophilic digester, i.e. shortened lag phases following the batch feedings, and reduced VFA peaks. Over time, the thermophilic digester outperformed the mesophilic one with 15% increased volatile solids (VS) destruction, irrespective to lower species diversity found at high temperature. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of real-time PCR to determination of combined effect of antibiotics on Bacteria, Methanogenic Archaea, Archaea in anaerobic sequencing batch reactors.

PubMed

Aydin, Sevcan; Ince, Bahar; Ince, Orhan

2015-06-01

This study evaluated the long-term effects of erythromycin-tetracycline-sulfamethoxazole (ETS) and sulfamethoxazole-tetracycline (ST) antibiotic combinations on the microbial community and examined the ways in which these antimicrobials impact the performance of anaerobic reactors. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to determine the effect that different antibiotic combinations had on the total and active Bacteria, Archae and Methanogenic Archae. Three primer sets that targeted metabolic genes encoding formylterahydrofolate synthetase, methyl-coenzyme M reductase and acetyl-coA synthetase were also used to determine the inhibition level on the mRNA expression of the homoacetogens, methanogens and specifically acetoclastic methanogens, respectively. These microorganisms play a vital role in the anaerobic degradation of organic waste and targeting these gene expressions offers operators or someone at a treatment plant the potential to control and the improve the anaerobic system. The results of the investigation revealed that acetogens have a competitive advantage over Archaea in the presence of ETS and ST combinations. Although the efficiency with which methane production takes place and the quantification of microbial populations in both the ETS and ST reactors decreased as antibiotic concentrations increased, the ETS batch reactor performed better than the ST batch reactor. According to the expression of genes results, the syntrophic interaction of acetogens and methanogens is critical to the performance of the ETS and ST reactors. Failure to maintain the stability of these microorganisms resulted in a decrease in the performance and stability of the anaerobic reactors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Arsenic mobilization and immobilization in paddy soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kappler, A.; Hohmann, C.; Zhu, Y. G.; Morin, G.

2010-05-01

Arsenic is oftentimes of geogenic origin and in many cases bound to iron(III) minerals. Iron(III)-reducing bacteria can harvest energy by coupling the oxidation of organic or inorganic electron donors to the reduction of Fe(III). This process leads either to dissolution of Fe(III)-containing minerals and thus to a release of the arsenic into the environment or to secondary Fe-mineral formation and immobilisation of arsenic. Additionally, aerobic and anaerobic iron(II)-oxidizing bacteria have the potential to co-precipitate or sorb arsenic during iron(II) oxidation at neutral pH that is usually followed by iron(III) mineral precipitation. We are currently investigating arsenic immobilization by Fe(III)-reducing bacteria and arsenic co-precipitation and immobilization by anaerobic iron(II)-oxidizing bacteria in batch, microcosm and rice pot experiments. Co-precipitation batch experiments with pure cultures of nitrate-dependent Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria are used to quantify the amount of arsenic that can be immobilized during microbial iron mineral precipitation, to identify the minerals formed and to analyze the arsenic binding environment in the precipitates. Microcosm and rice pot experiments are set-up with arsenic-contaminated rice paddy soil. The microorganisms (either the native microbial population or the soil amended with the nitrate-dependent iron(II)-oxidizing Acidovorax sp. strain BoFeN1) are stimulated either with iron(II), nitrate, or oxygen. Dissolved and solid-phase arsenic and iron are quantified. Iron and arsenic speciation and redox state in batch and microcosm experiments are determined by LC-ICP-MS and synchrotron-based methods (EXAFS, XANES).

Biodegradation of phenol in batch and continuous flow microbial fuel cells with rod and granular graphite electrodes.

PubMed

Moreno, Lyman; Nemati, Mehdi; Predicala, Bernardo

2018-01-01

Phenol biodegradation was evaluated in batch and continuous flow microbial fuel cells (MFCs). In batch-operated MFCs, biodegradation of 100-1000 mg L -1 phenol was four to six times faster when graphite granules were used instead of rods (3.5-4.8 mg L -1  h -1 vs 0.5-0.9 mg L -1  h -1 ). Similarly maximum phenol biodegradation rates in continuous MFCs with granular and single-rod electrodes were 11.5 and 0.8 mg L -1  h -1 , respectively. This superior performance was also evident in terms of electrochemical outputs, whereby continuous flow MFCs with granular graphite electrodes achieved maximum current and power densities (3444.4 mA m -3 and 777.8 mW m -3 ) that were markedly higher than those with single-rod electrodes (37.3 mA m -3 and 0.8 mW m -3 ). Addition of neutral red enhanced the electrochemical outputs to 5714.3 mA m -3 and 1428.6 mW m -3 . Using the data generated in the continuous flow MFC, biokinetic parameters including μ m , K S , Y and K e were determined as 0.03 h -1 , 24.2 mg L -1 , 0.25 mg cell (mg phenol) -1 and 3.7 × 10 -4  h -1 , respectively. Access to detailed kinetic information generated in MFC environmental conditions is critical in the design, operation and control of large-scale treatment systems utilizing MFC technology.

Immobilization of Cr(VI) and Its Reduction to Cr(III) Phosphate by Granular Biofilms Comprising a Mixture of Microbes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nancharaiah, Y.V.; Francis, A.; Dodge, C.

2010-04-01

We assessed the potential of mixed microbial consortia, in the form of granular biofilms, to reduce chromate and remove it from synthetic minimal medium. In batch experiments, acetate-fed granular biofilms incubated aerobically reduced 0.2 mM Cr(VI) from a minimal medium at 0.15 mM day-1 g-1, with reduction of 0.17 mM day-1 g-1 under anaerobic conditions. There was negligible removal of Cr(VI) (i) without granular biofilms, (ii) with lyophilized granular biofilms, and (iii) with granules in the absence of an electron donor. Analyses by X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) of the granular biofilms revealed the conversion of soluble Cr(VI) tomore » Cr(III). Extended X-ray absorption fine-structure (EXAFS) analysis of the Cr-laden granular biofilms demonstrated similarity to Cr(III) phosphate, indicating that Cr(III) was immobilized with phosphate on the biomass subsequent to microbial reduction. The sustained reduction of Cr(VI) by granular biofilms was confirmed in fed-batch experiments. Our study demonstrates the promise of granular-biofilm-based systems in treating Cr(VI)-containing effluents and wastewater.« less

Hybrid modeling of microbial exopolysaccharide (EPS) production: The case of Enterobacter A47.

PubMed

Marques, Rodolfo; von Stosch, Moritz; Portela, Rui M C; Torres, Cristiana A V; Antunes, Sílvia; Freitas, Filomena; Reis, Maria A M; Oliveira, Rui

2017-03-20

Enterobacter A47 is a bacterium that produces high amounts of a fucose-rich exopolysaccharide (EPS) from glycerol residue of the biodiesel industry. The fed-batch process is characterized by complex non-linear dynamics with highly viscous pseudo-plastic rheology due to the accumulation of EPS in the culture medium. In this paper, we study hybrid modeling as a methodology to increase the predictive power of models for EPS production optimization. We compare six hybrid structures that explore different levels of knowledge-based and machine-learning model components. Knowledge-based components consist of macroscopic material balances, Monod type kinetics, cardinal temperature and pH (CTP) dependency and power-law viscosity models. Unknown dependencies are set to be identified by a feedforward artificial neural network (ANN). A semiparametric identification schema is applied resorting to a data set of 13 independent fed-batch experiments. A parsimonious hybrid model was identified that describes the dynamics of the 13 experiments with the same parameterization. The final model is specific to Enterobacter A47 but can be easily extended to other microbial EPS processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hydrogen production from switchgrass via an integrated pyrolysis-microbial electrolysis process.

PubMed

Lewis, A J; Ren, S; Ye, X; Kim, P; Labbe, N; Borole, A P

2015-11-01

A new approach to hydrogen production using an integrated pyrolysis-microbial electrolysis process is described. The aqueous stream generated during pyrolysis of switchgrass was used as a substrate for hydrogen production in a microbial electrolysis cell, achieving a maximum hydrogen production rate of 4.3 L H2/L anode-day at a loading of 10 g COD/L-anode-day. Hydrogen yields ranged from 50±3.2% to 76±0.5% while anode Coulombic efficiency ranged from 54±6.5% to 96±0.21%, respectively. Significant conversion of furfural, organic acids and phenolic molecules was observed under both batch and continuous conditions. The electrical and overall energy efficiency ranged from 149-175% and 48-63%, respectively. The results demonstrate the potential of the pyrolysis-microbial electrolysis process as a sustainable and efficient route for production of renewable hydrogen with significant implications for hydrocarbon production from biomass. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative analysis of microbial community of novel lactic acid fermentation inoculated with different undefined mixed cultures.

PubMed

Liang, Shaobo; Gliniewicz, Karol; Mendes-Soares, Helena; Settles, Matthew L; Forney, Larry J; Coats, Erik R; McDonald, Armando G

2015-03-01

Three undefined mixed cultures (activated sludge) from different municipal wastewater treatment plants were used as seeds in a novel lactic acid fermentation process fed with potato peel waste (PPW). Anaerobic sequencing batch fermenters were run under identical conditions to produce predominantly lactic acid. Illumina sequencing was used to examine the 16S rRNA genes of bacteria in the three seeds and fermenters. Results showed that the structure of microbial communities of three seeds were different. All three fermentation products had unique community structures that were dominated (>96%) by species of the genus Lactobacillus, while members of this genus constituted <0.1% in seeds. The species of Lactobacillus sp. differed among the three fermentations. Results of this study suggest the structure of microbial communities in lactic acid fermentation of PPW with undefined mixed cultures were robust and resilient, which provided engineering prospects for the microbial utilization of carbohydrate wastes to produce lactic acid. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Degradation of oxytetracycline and its impacts on biogas-producing microbial community structure.

PubMed

Coban, Halil; Ertekin, Emine; Ince, Orhan; Turker, Gokhan; Akyol, Çağrı; Ince, Bahar

2016-07-01

The effect of veterinary antibiotics in anaerobic digesters is a concern where methane production efficiency is highly dependent on microbial community structure. In this study, both anaerobic degradation of a common veterinary antibiotic, oxytetracycline (OTC), and its effects on an anaerobic digester microbial community were investigated. Qualitative and quantitative molecular tools were used to monitor changes in microbial community structure during a 60-day batch incubation period of cow manure with the addition of different concentrations of the antibiotic. Molecular data were interpreted by a further redundancy analysis as a multivariate statistics approach. At the end of the experiment, approximately 48, 33, and 17 % of the initially added 50, 100, and 200 mg l(-1) of OTC was still present in the serum bottles which reduced the biogas production via accumulation of some of the volatile fatty acids (VFAs). Biogas production was highly correlated with Methanobacteriales and Methanosarcinales gene copy numbers, and those parameters were negatively affected with oxytetracycline and VFA concentrations.

Analysis of key microbial community during the start-up of anaerobic ammonium oxidation process with paddy soil as inoculated sludge.

PubMed

Xu, Xianglong; Liu, Guohua; Wang, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Yuankai; Wang, Hao; Qi, Lu; Wang, Hongchen

2018-02-01

A sequencing batch reactor (SBR)-anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) system was started up with the paddy soil as inoculated sludge. The key microbial community structure in the system along with the enrichment time was investigated by using molecular biology methods (e.g., high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing and quantitative PCR). Meanwhile, the influent and effluent water quality was continuously monitored during the whole start-up stage. The results showed that the microbial diversity decreased as the operation time initially and increased afterwards, and the microbial niches in the system were redistributed. The anammox bacterial community structure in the SBR-anammox system shifted during the enrichment, the most dominant anammox bacteria were CandidatusJettenia. The maximum biomass of anammox bacteria achieved 1.68×10 9 copies/g dry sludge during the enrichment period, and the highest removal rate of TN achieved around 75%. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Acceptance Test Data for BWXT Coated Particle Batches 93172B and 93173B—Defective IPyC and Pyrocarbon Anisotropy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hunn, John D.; Helmreich, Grant W.; Dyer, John A.

Coated particle batches J52O-16-93172B and J52O-16-93173B were produced by Babcock and Wilcox Technologies (BWXT) as part of the production campaign for the Advanced Gas Reactor Fuel Development and Qualification (AGR) Program’s AGR-5/6/7 irradiation test in the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), but were not used in the final fuel composite. However, these batches may be used as demonstration production-scale coated particle fuel for other experiments. Each batch was coated in a 150-mm-diameter production-scale fluidized-bed chemical vapor deposition (CVD) furnace. Tristructural isotropic (TRISO) coatings were deposited on 425-μm-nominal-diameter spherical kernels from BWXT lot J52R-16-69317 containing a mixture ofmore » 15.5%-enriched uranium carbide and uranium oxide (UCO). The TRISO coatings consisted of four consecutive CVD layers: a ~50% dense carbon buffer layer with 100-μm-nominal thickness, a dense inner pyrolytic carbon (IPyC) layer with 40-μm-nominal thickness, a silicon carbide (SiC) layer with 35-μm-nominal thickness, and a dense outer pyrolytic carbon (OPyC) layer with 40-μm-nominal thickness. The TRISO-coated particle batches were sieved to upgrade the particles by removing over-sized and under-sized material, and the upgraded batches were designated by appending the letter A to the end of the batch number (e.g., 93172A). Secondary upgrading by sieving was performed on the A-designated batches to remove particles with missing or very-thin buffer layers that were identified during previous analysis of the individual batches for defective IPyC, as reported in the acceptance test data report for the AGR-5/6/7 production batches [Hunn et al. 2017b]. The additionally-upgraded batches were designated by appending the letter B to the end of the batch number (e.g., 93172B).« less

Impact of Nisin-Activated Packaging on Microbiota of Beef Burgers during Storage.

PubMed

Ferrocino, Ilario; Greppi, Anna; La Storia, Antonietta; Rantsiou, Kalliopi; Ercolini, Danilo; Cocolin, Luca

2016-01-15

Beef burgers were stored at 4°C in a vacuum in nisin-activated antimicrobial packaging. Microbial ecology analyses were performed on samples collected between days 0 and 21 of storage to discover the population diversity. Two batches were analyzed using RNA-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and pyrosequencing. The active packaging retarded the growth of the total viable bacteria and lactic acid bacteria. Culture-independent analysis by pyrosequencing of RNA extracted directly from meat showed that Photobacterium phosphoreum, Lactococcus piscium, Lactobacillus sakei, and Leuconostoc carnosum were the major operational taxonomic units (OTUs) shared between control and treated samples. Beta diversity analysis of the 16S rRNA sequence data and RNA-DGGE showed a clear separation between two batches based on the microbiota. Control samples from batch B showed a significant high abundance of some taxa sensitive to nisin, such as Kocuria rhizophila, Staphylococcus xylosus, Leuconostoc carnosum, and Carnobacterium divergens, compared to control samples from batch A. However, only from batch B was it possible to find a significant difference between controls and treated samples during storage due to the active packaging. Predicted metagenomes confirmed differences between the two batches and indicated that the use of nisin-based antimicrobial packaging can determine a reduction in the abundance of specific metabolic pathways related to spoilage. The present study aimed to assess the viable bacterial communities in beef burgers stored in nisin-based antimicrobial packaging, and it highlights the efficacy of this strategy to prolong beef burger shelf life. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Evaluation of pharmaceuticals removal by sewage sludge-derived adsorbents with rapid small-scale column tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, P.; Ding, R.; Wallace, R.; Bandosz, T.

2015-12-01

New composite adsorbents were developed by pyrolyzing sewage sludge and fish waste (75:25 or 90:10 dry mass ratio) at 650 oC and 950 oC. Batch adsorption experiments demonstrated that the composite adsorbents were able to adsorb a wide range of organic contaminants (volatile organic compounds, pharmaceuticals and endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), and nitrosamine disinfection byproducts) with high capacities. Here we further examine the performance of the adsorbents for the simultaneous removal of 8 pharmaceuticals and EDCs with rapid small-scale column tests (RSSCT). Results show that the order of breakthrough in RSSCT is in general consistent with the affinity determined via batch tests. As expected, the maximum amount of adsorption for each compound obtained from RSSCT is identical to or less than that obtained from batch tests (with only one exception), due to adsorption kinetics. However, despite the very different input concentration (1 mg/L vs. 100 mg/L) and contact time (2 min empty bed contact time vs. 16 hour equilibrium time) used in RSSCT and batch tests, the maximum amount of pharmaceuticals and EDCs adsorbed under RSSCT is still about one half of that under equilibrium batch tests, validating the approach of using batch tests with much higher input concentrations to determine adsorption capacities. Results of a pilot-scale column test in a drinking water treatment plant for pharmaceuticals removal will also be presented.

Explore various co-substrates for simultaneous electricity generation and Congo red degradation in air-cathode single-chamber microbial fuel cell.

PubMed

Cao, Yunqing; Hu, Yongyou; Sun, Jian; Hou, Bin

2010-08-01

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) holds a great promise to harvest electricity directly from a wide range of ready degradable organic matters and enhance degradation of some recalcitrant contaminants. Glucose, acetate sodium and ethanol were separately examined as co-substrates for simultaneous bioelectricity generation and Congo red degradation in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) air-cathode single-chamber MFC. The batch test results showed that more than 98% decolorization at the dye concentration of 300 mg/L were achieved within 36 h for all tested co-substrates during electricity generation. The decolorization rate was different with the co-substrates used. The fastest decolorization rate was achieved with glucose followed by ethanol and sodium acetate. Accumulated intermediates were observed during Congo red degradation which was demonstrated by UV-Visible spectra and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Electricity generation was sustained and not significantly affected by the Congo red degradation. Glucose, acetate sodium and ethanol produced maximum power densities of 103 mW/m(2), 85.9 mW/m(2) and 63.2 mW/m(2), respectively, and the maximum voltage output decreased by only 7% to 15%. Our results demonstrated the feasibility of using various co-substrates for simultaneous decolorization of Congo red and bioelectricity generation in the MFC and showed that glucose was the preferred co-substrate. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The link between the microbial ecology, gene expression, and biokinetics of denitrifying polyphosphate-accumulating systems under different electron acceptor combinations.

PubMed

Vieira, A; Ribera-Guardia, A; Marques, R; Barreto Crespo, M T; Oehmen, A; Carvalho, G

2018-06-02

The emission of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N 2 O) can occur during biological nutrient removal. Denitrifying enhanced biological phosphorus removal (d-EBPR) systems are an efficient means of removing phosphate and nitrogen, performed by denitrifying polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (d-PAOs). The aim of this work was to study the effect of various combinations of electron acceptors, nitrate (NO 3 - ), nitrite (NO 2 - ), and N 2 O, on the denitrification pathway of a d-EBPR system. Batch tests were performed with different electron acceptor combinations, to explore the denitrification pathway. Reverse transcriptase-qPCR (RT-qPCR) and high-throughput sequencing, combined with chemical analysis, were used to study gene expression, microbial diversity, and denitrification kinetics. The potential for N 2 O production was greater than the potential for its reduction in most tests. A strong correlation was observed between the N 2 O reduction rate and the relative gene expression of nitrous oxide reductase per nitrite reductase (nosZ/(nirS + nirK)), suggesting that the expression of denitrifying marker genes is a strong predictor of the N 2 O reduction rate. The d-EBPR community maintained a core population with low variations throughout the study. Furthermore, phylogenetic analyses of the studied marker genes revealed that the organisms actively involved in denitrification were closely related to Thauera sp., Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis, and Candidatus Competibacter denitrificans. Moreover, Competibacter-related OTUs seem to be important contributors to the N 2 O reduction capacity of the system, likely scavenging the N 2 O produced by other organisms. Overall, this study contributes to a better understanding of the microbial biochemistry and the genetics involving biological denitrification removal, important to minimize N 2 O emissions in wastewater treatment plants.

Methane production from formate, acetate and H2/CO2; focusing on kinetics and microbial characterization.

PubMed

Pan, Xiaofang; Angelidaki, Irini; Alvarado-Morales, Merlin; Liu, Houguang; Liu, Yuhong; Huang, Xu; Zhu, Gefu

2016-10-01

For evaluating the methanogenesis from typical methanogenic precursors (formate, acetate and H2/CO2), CH4 production kinetics were investigated at 37±1°C in batch anaerobic digestion tests and stimulated by modified Gompertz model. The results showed that maximum methanation rate from formate, acetate and H2/CO2 were 19.58±0.49, 42.65±1.17 and 314.64±3.58NmL/gVS/d in digested manure system and 6.53±0.31, 132.04±3.96 and 640.16±19.92NmL/gVS/d in sewage sludge system during second generation incubation. Meanwhile the model could not fit well in granular sludge system, while the rate of formate methanation was faster than from H2/CO2 and acetate. Considering both the kinetic results and microbial assay we could conclude that H2/CO2 methanation was the fastest methanogenic step in digested manure and sewage sludge system with Methanomicrobiales as dominant methanogens, while granular sludge with Methanobacteriales as dominant methanogens contributed to the fastest formate methanation. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Simultaneous Congo red decolorization and electricity generation in air-cathode single-chamber microbial fuel cell with different microfiltration, ultrafiltration and proton exchange membranes.

PubMed

Hou, Bin; Sun, Jian; Hu, Yong-you

2011-03-01

Different microfiltration membrane (MFM), proton exchange membrane (PEM) and ultrafiltration membranes (UFMs) with different molecular cutoff weights of 1K (UFM-1K), 5K (UFM-5K) and 10K (UFM-10K) were incorporated into air-cathode single-chamber microbial fuel cells (MFCs) which were explored for simultaneous azo dye decolorization and electricity generation to investigate the effect of membrane on the performance of the MFC. Batch test results showed that the MFC with an UFM-1K produced the highest power density of 324 mW/m(2) coupled with an enhanced coulombic efficiency compared to MFM. The MFC with UMF-10K achieved the fastest decolorization rate (4.77 mg/L h), followed by MFM (3.61 mg/L h), UFM-5K (2.38 mg/L h), UFM-1K (2.02 mg/Lh) and PEM (1.72 mg/Lh). These results demonstrated the possibility of using various membranes in the system described here, and showed that UFM-1K was the best one based on the consideration of both cost and performance. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhancement of volatile fatty acid production and biogas yield from food waste following sonication pretreatment.

PubMed

Liu, Nuo; Jiang, Jianguo; Yan, Feng; Gao, Yuchen; Meng, Yuan; Aihemaiti, Aikelaimu; Ju, Tongyao

2018-07-01

The positive effect of sonication on volatile fatty acid (VFA) and hydrogen production was investigated by batch experiments. Several sonication densities (2, 1.6, and 1.2 W/mL) and times (5, 10, and 15 min) were tested. The optimal sonication condition was ultrasonic density 2 W/mL and ultrasonic time 15 min (2-U15). The FW particle size larger than 50 μm (d > 50 μm) were more susceptible to the sonication treatment than the smaller particle size (d ≤ 50 μm). The SCOD increased and VS reduction accelerated under sonication treatment. The maximum VFA production and the highest proportion of hydrogen in the biogas increased 65.3% and 59.1%, respectively, under the optimal sonication conditions compared to the unsonicated batch. Moreover, a reduction of over 50% in the time required to reach its maximum production was also observed. Butyric acid fermentation type was obtained whether following sonication treatment or not. The composition of key microbial community differed under the various sonication conditions. The genera Clostridium and Parabacteroides are predominantly responsible for VFA generation and both were found to be abundant under the optimal condition. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stochastic models to study the impact of mixing on a fed-batch culture of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Delvigne, F; Lejeune, A; Destain, J; Thonart, P

2006-01-01

The mechanisms of interaction between microorganisms and their environment in a stirred bioreactor can be modeled by a stochastic approach. The procedure comprises two submodels: a classical stochastic model for the microbial cell circulation and a Markov chain model for the concentration gradient calculus. The advantage lies in the fact that the core of each submodel, i.e., the transition matrix (which contains the probabilities to shift from a perfectly mixed compartment to another in the bioreactor representation), is identical for the two cases. That means that both the particle circulation and fluid mixing process can be analyzed by use of the same modeling basis. This assumption has been validated by performing inert tracer (NaCl) and stained yeast cells dispersion experiments that have shown good agreement with simulation results. The stochastic model has been used to define a characteristic concentration profile experienced by the microorganisms during a fermentation test performed in a scale-down reactor. The concentration profiles obtained in this way can explain the scale-down effect in the case of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fed-batch process. The simulation results are analyzed in order to give some explanations about the effect of the substrate fluctuation dynamics on S. cerevisiae.

A need for a standardization in anaerobic digestion experiments? Let's get some insight from meta-analysis and multivariate analysis.

PubMed

Lavergne, Céline; Jeison, David; Ortega, Valentina; Chamy, Rolando; Donoso-Bravo, Andrés

2018-09-15

An important variability in the experimental results in anaerobic digestion lab test has been reported. This study presents a meta-analysis coupled with multivariate analysis aiming to assess the impact of this experimental variability in batch and continuous operation at mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge. An analysis of variance showed that there was no significant difference between mesophilic and thermophilic conditions in both continuous and batch conditions. Concerning the operation mode, the values of methane yield were significantly higher in batch experiment than in continuous reactors. According to the PCA, for both cases, the methane yield is positive correlated to the temperature rises. Interestingly, in the batch experiments, the higher the volatile solids in the substrate was, the lowest was the methane production, which is correlated to experimental flaws when setting up those tests. In continuous mode, unlike the batch test, the methane yield is strongly (positively) correlated to the organic content of the substrate. Experimental standardization, above all, in batch conditions are urgently necessary or move to continuous experiments for reporting results. The modeling can also be a source of disturbance in batch test. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efficient estimation of the maximum metabolic productivity of batch systems.

PubMed

St John, Peter C; Crowley, Michael F; Bomble, Yannick J

2017-01-01

Production of chemicals from engineered organisms in a batch culture involves an inherent trade-off between productivity, yield, and titer. Existing strategies for strain design typically focus on designing mutations that achieve the highest yield possible while maintaining growth viability. While these methods are computationally tractable, an optimum productivity could be achieved by a dynamic strategy in which the intracellular division of resources is permitted to change with time. New methods for the design and implementation of dynamic microbial processes, both computational and experimental, have therefore been explored to maximize productivity. However, solving for the optimal metabolic behavior under the assumption that all fluxes in the cell are free to vary is a challenging numerical task. Previous studies have therefore typically focused on simpler strategies that are more feasible to implement in practice, such as the time-dependent control of a single flux or control variable. This work presents an efficient method for the calculation of a maximum theoretical productivity of a batch culture system using a dynamic optimization framework. The proposed method follows traditional assumptions of dynamic flux balance analysis: first, that internal metabolite fluxes are governed by a pseudo-steady state, and secondly that external metabolite fluxes are dynamically bounded. The optimization is achieved via collocation on finite elements, and accounts explicitly for an arbitrary number of flux changes. The method can be further extended to calculate the complete Pareto surface of productivity as a function of yield. We apply this method to succinate production in two engineered microbial hosts, Escherichia coli and Actinobacillus succinogenes , and demonstrate that maximum productivities can be more than doubled under dynamic control regimes. The maximum theoretical yield is a measure that is well established in the metabolic engineering literature and whose use helps guide strain and pathway selection. We present a robust, efficient method to calculate the maximum theoretical productivity: a metric that will similarly help guide and evaluate the development of dynamic microbial bioconversions. Our results demonstrate that nearly optimal yields and productivities can be achieved with only two discrete flux stages, indicating that near-theoretical productivities might be achievable in practice.

Acceptance Test Data for the AGR-5/6/7 Irradiation Test Fuel Composite Defective IPyC Fraction and Pyrocarbon Anisotropy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Helmreich, Grant W.; Hunn, John D.; Skitt, Darren J.

Coated particle composite J52R-16-98005 was produced by Babcock and Wilcox Technologies (BWXT) as fuel for the Advanced Gas Reactor Fuel Development and Qualification (AGR) Program’s AGR-5/6/7 irradiation test in the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). This composite was comprised of four coated particle fuel batches J52O-16-93165B (26%), 93168B (26%), 93169B (24%), and 93170B (24%), chosen based on the Quality Control (QC) data acquired for each individual candidate AGR-5/6/7 batch. Each batch was coated in a 150-mm-diameter production-scale fluidized-bed chemical vapor deposition (CVD) furnace. Tristructural isotropic (TRISO) coatings were deposited on 425-μm-nominal-diameter spherical kernels from BWXT Lot J52R-16-69317more » containing a mixture of 15.5%-enriched uranium carbide and uranium oxide (UCO). The TRISO coatings consisted of four consecutive CVD layers: a ~50% dense carbon buffer layer with 100-μm-nominal thickness, a dense inner pyrolytic carbon (IPyC) layer with 40-μm-nominal thickness, a silicon carbide (SiC) layer with 35-μm-nominal thickness, and a dense outer pyrolytic carbon (OPyC) layer with 40-μm-nominal thickness. The TRISO-coated particle batches were sieved to upgrade the particles by removing over-sized and under-sized material, and the upgraded batches were designated by appending the letter A to the end of the batch number (e.g., 93165A). Secondary upgrading by sieving was performed on the A-designated batches to remove particles with missing or very-thin buffer layers that were identified during previous analysis of the individual batches for defective IPyC, as reported in the acceptance test data report for the AGR-5/6/7 production batches [Hunn et al. 2017]. The additionally-upgraded batches were designated by appending the letter B to the end of the batch number (e.g., 93165B).« less

Efficient anaerobic transformation of raw wheat straw by a robust cow rumen-derived microbial consortium.

PubMed

Lazuka, Adèle; Auer, Lucas; Bozonnet, Sophie; Morgavi, Diego P; O'Donohue, Michael; Hernandez-Raquet, Guillermina

2015-11-01

A rumen-derived microbial consortium was enriched on raw wheat straw as sole carbon source in a sequential batch-reactor (SBR) process under strict mesophilic anaerobic conditions. After five cycles of enrichment the procedure enabled to select a stable and efficient lignocellulolytic microbial consortium, mainly constituted by members of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes phyla. The enriched community, designed rumen-wheat straw-derived consortium (RWS) efficiently hydrolyzed lignocellulosic biomass, degrading 55.5% w/w of raw wheat straw over 15days at 35°C and accumulating carboxylates as main products. Cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic activities, mainly detected on the cell bound fraction, were produced in the earlier steps of degradation, their production being correlated with the maximal lignocellulose degradation rates. Overall, these results demonstrate the potential of RWS to convert unpretreated lignocellulosic substrates into useful chemicals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Removal of mercury from coal via a microbial pretreatment process

DOEpatents

Borole, Abhijeet P [Knoxville, TN; Hamilton, Choo Y [Knoxville, TN

2011-08-16

A process for the removal of mercury from coal prior to combustion is disclosed. The process is based on use of microorganisms to oxidize iron, sulfur and other species binding mercury within the coal, followed by volatilization of mercury by the microorganisms. The microorganisms are from a class of iron and/or sulfur oxidizing bacteria. The process involves contacting coal with the bacteria in a batch or continuous manner. The mercury is first solubilized from the coal, followed by microbial reduction to elemental mercury, which is stripped off by sparging gas and captured by a mercury recovery unit, giving mercury-free coal. The mercury can be recovered in pure form from the sorbents via additional processing.

Cultivation of oleaginous Rhodotorula mucilaginosa in airlift bioreactor by using seawater.

PubMed

Yen, Hong-Wei; Liao, Yu-Ting; Liu, Yi Xian

2016-02-01

The enormous water resource consumption is a concern to the scale-up fermentation process, especially for those cheap fermentation commodities, such as microbial oils as the feedstock for biodiesel production. The direct cultivation of oleaginous Rhodotorula mucilaginosa in a 5-L airlift bioreactor using seawater instead of pure water led to a slightly lower biomass being achieved, at 17.2 compared to 18.1 g/L, respectively. Nevertheless, a higher lipid content of 65 ± 5% was measured in the batch using seawater as compared to the pure water batch. Both the salinity and osmotic pressure decreased as the cultivation time increased in the seawater batch, and these effects may contribute to the high tolerance for salinity. No effects were observed for the seawater on the fatty acid profiles. The major components for both batches using seawater and pure water were C16:0 (palmitic acid), C18:1 (oleic acid) and C18:2 (linoleic acid), which together accounted for over 85% of total lipids. The results of this study indicated that seawater could be a suitable option for scaling up the growth of oleaginous R. mucilaginosa, especially from the perspective of water resource utilization. Copyright © 2015 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Performance and microbial community dynamics of electricity-assisted sequencing batch reactor (SBR) for treatment of saline petrochemical wastewater.

PubMed

Liu, Jiaxin; Shi, Shengnan; Ji, Xiangyu; Jiang, Bei; Xue, Lanlan; Li, Meidi; Tan, Liang

2017-07-01

High-salinity wastewater is often difficult to treat by common biological technologies due to salinity stress on the bacterial community. Electricity-assisted anaerobic technologies have significantly enhanced the treatment performance by alleviating the impact of salinity stress on the bacterial community, but electricity-assisted aerobic technologies have less been reported. Herein, a novel bio-electrochemistry system has been designed and operated in which a pair of stainless iron mesh-graphite plate electrodes were installed into a sequencing batch reactor (SBR, designated as S1) to strengthen the performance of saline petrochemical wastewater under aerobic conditions. The removal efficiency of phenol and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in S1 were 94.1 and 91.2%, respectively, on day 45, which was clearly higher than the removal efficiency of a single SBR (S2) and an electrochemical reactor (S3), indicating that a coupling effect existed between the electrochemical process and biodegradation. A certain amount of salinity (≤8000 mg/L) could enhance the treatment performance in S1 but weaken that in S2. Illumina sequencing revealed that microbial communities in S1 on days 45 and 91 were richer and more diverse than in S2, which suggests that electrical stimulation could enhance the diversity and richness of the microbial community, and reduce the negative effect of salinity on the microorganisms and enrich some salt-adapted microorganisms, thus improve the ability of S1 to respond to salinity stress. This novel bio-electrochemistry system was shown to be an alternative technology for the high saline petrochemical wastewater.

Structures of microbial communities found in anaerobic batch runs that produce methane from propionic acid--Seeded from full-scale anaerobic digesters above a certain threshold.

PubMed

Kim, Woong; Shin, Seung Gu; Han, Gyuseong; Cho, Kyungjin; Hwang, Seokhwan

2015-11-20

The volatile fatty acid propionate inhibits anaerobic digestion during organic waste treatments. To examine potential microbial interactions that accelerate propionate oxidation, anaerobic digestion systems seeded with various types of anaerobic sludge were analyzed. Seed samples were collected from 10 different full-scale anaerobic reactors in South Korea. Propionate oxidation was estimated as the methane production rate per gram of propionate used per day. Two domestic sewage sludge showed the highest methane production rate values, 109.1 ± 4.2 and 74.5 ± 8.6 mL CH4/(g propionate ∙ d). A food waste recycling wastewater source exhibited the lowest methane production rate, 33.2 ± 2.6 mL CH4/(g propionate ∙ d). To investigate how the microbial community structure affected propionate oxidation, qualitative molecular analyses were carried out using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Methanosaeta concilii, an aceticlastic methanogen, was detected in most batch runs. Smithella propionica, a unique propionate oxidizer and simultaneous producer of acetate, was found in domestic sewage sludge sources showing the highest methane production rate; in contrast, Desulfobulbus rhabdoformis, a sulfate reducer coupled with the consumption of acetate to be used as a precursor of methane, was observed in food waste recycling wastewater sludge source showing the lowest methane production rate. Thus, we propose that S. propionica, a syntrophic acetate producer using propionate, might cooperate with aceticlastic methanogens for high methane production during anaerobic digestion that included propionate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Long-term exposure of bacterial and protozoan communities to TiO2 nanoparticles in an aerobic-sequencing batch reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Supha, Chitpisud; Boonto, Yuphada; Jindakaraked, Manee; Ananpattarachai, Jirapat; Kajitvichyanukul, Puangrat

2015-06-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanopowders at different concentrations (0-50 mg L-1) were injected into an aerobic-sequencing batch reactor (SBR) to investigate the effects of long-term exposure to nanoparticles on bacterial and protozoan communities. The detection of nanoparticles in the bioflocs was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The SBR wastewater experiments were conducted under the influence of ultraviolet light with photocatalytic TiO2. The intrusion of TiO2 nanoparticles was found both on the surface and inside of the bioflocs. The change of microbial population in terms of mixed liquor-suspended solids and the sludge volume index was monitored. The TiO2 nanoparticles tentatively exerted an adverse effect on the microbial population, causing the reduction of microorganisms (both bacteria and protozoa) in the SBR. The respiration inhibition rate of the bacteria was increased, and the viability of the microbial population was reduced at the high concentration (50 mg L-1) of TiO2. The decreasing number of protozoa in the presence of TiO2 nanoparticles during 20 days of treatment with 0.5 and 1.0 mg L-1 TiO2 is clearly demonstrated. The measured chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the effluent tends to increase with a long-term operation. The increase of COD in the system suggests a decrease in the efficiency of the wastewater treatment plant. However, the SBR can effectively remove the TiO2 nanoparticles (up to 50 mg L-1) from the effluent.

Biogenic nanopalladium production by self-immobilized granular biomass: application for contaminant remediation.

PubMed

Suja, E; Nancharaiah, Y V; Venugopalan, V P

2014-11-15

Microbial granules cultivated in an aerobic bubble column sequencing batch reactor were used for reduction of Pd(II) and formation of biomass associated Pd(0) nanoparticles (Bio-Pd) for reductive transformation of organic and inorganic contaminants. Addition of Pd(II) to microbial granules incubated under fermentative conditions resulted in rapid formation of Bio-Pd. The reduction of soluble Pd(II) to biomass associated Pd(0) was predominantly mediated by H2 produced through fermentation. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope analysis revealed that the produced Pd nanoparticles were associated with the microbial granules. The catalytic activity of Bio-Pd was determined using p-nitrophenol and Cr(VI) as model compounds. Reductive transformation of p-nitrophenol by Bio-Pd was ∼20 times higher in comparison to microbial granules without Pd. Complete reduction of up to 0.25 mM of Cr(VI) by Bio-Pd was achieved in 24 h. Bio-Pd synthesis using self-immobilized microbial granules is advantageous and obviates the need for nanoparticle encapsulation or use of barrier membranes for retaining Bio-Pd in practical applications. In short, microbial granules offer a dual purpose system for Bio-Pd production and retention, wherein in situ generated H2 serves as electron donor powering biotransformations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Functional Stability Of A Mixed Microbial Consortia Producing PHA From Waste Carbon Sources

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

David N. Thompson; Erik R. Coats; William A. Smith

2006-04-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), naturally-occurring biological polyesters that are microbially synthesized from a myriad of carbon sources, can be utilized as biodegradable substitutes for petroleum-derived thermoplastics. However, current PHA commercialization schemes are limited by high feedstock costs, the requirement for aseptic reactors, and high separation and purification costs. Bacteria indigenous to municipal waste streams can accumulate large quantities of PHA under environmentally controlled conditions; hence, a potentially more environmentally-effective method of production would utilize these consortia to produce PHAs from inexpensive waste carbon sources. In this study, PHA production was accomplished in sequencing batch bioreactors utilizing mixed microbial consortia from municipal activatedmore » sludge as inoculum, in cultures grown on real wastewaters. PHA production averaged 85%, 53%, and 10% of the cell dry weight from methanol-enriched pulp-and-paper mill foul condensate, fermented municipal primary solids, and biodiesel wastewater, respectively. The PHA-producing microbial consortia were examined to explore the microbial community changes that occurred during reactor operations, employing denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of 16S-rDNA from PCR-amplified DNA extracts. Distinctly different communities were observed both between and within wastewaters following enrichment. More importantly, stable functions were maintained despite the differing and contrasting microbial populations.« less

Lactobacillus plantarum IFPL935 favors the initial metabolism of red wine polyphenols when added to a colonic microbiota.

PubMed

Barroso, Elvira; Sánchez-Patán, Fernando; Martín-Alvarez, Pedro J; Bartolomé, Begoña; Moreno-Arribas, María Victoria; Peláez, Carmen; Requena, Teresa; van de Wiele, Tom; Martínez-Cuesta, M Carmen

2013-10-23

This work aimed to unravel the role of Lactobacillus plantarum IFPL935 strain in the colonic metabolism of a polyphenolic red wine extract, when added to a complex human colonic microbiota from the dynamic simulator of the human intestinal microbial ecosystem (SHIME). The concentration of microbial-derived phenolic metabolites and microbial community changes along with fermentative and proteolytic activities were monitored. The results showed that L. plantarum IFPL935 significantly increased the concentration of the initial microbial ring-fission catabolite of catechins and procyanidins, diphenylpropanol, and, similarly, 4-hydroxy-5-(3'-hydroxyphenyl)valeric acid production. Overall, the addition of L. plantarum IFPL935 did not have an impact on the total concentration of phenolic metabolites, except for batches inoculated with colonic microbiota from the effluent compartment (EC), where the figures were significantly higher when L. plantarum IFPL935 was added (24 h). In summary, the data highlighted that L. plantarum IFPL935 may have an impact on the bioavailability of these dietary polyphenols. Some of the microbial-derived metabolites may play a key role in the protective effects that have been linked to a polyphenol-rich diet.

An experimental-computational platform for investigating microbial interactions and dynamics in communities with two codependent species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuentes-Cabrera, Miguel; Anderson, John D.; Wilmoth, Jared; Ginovart, Marta; Prats, Clara; Portell-Canal, Xavier; Retterer, Scott

Microbial interactions are critical for governing community behavior and structure in natural environments. Examination of microbial interactions in the lab involves growth under ideal conditions in batch culture; conditions that occur in nature are, however, characterized by disequilibrium. Of particular interest is the role that system variables play in shaping cell-to-cell interactions and organization at ultrafine spatial scales. We seek to use experiments and agent-based modeling to help discover mechanisms relevant to microbial dynamics and interactions in the environment. Currently, we are using an agent-based model to simulate microbial growth, dynamics and interactions that occur on a microwell-array device developed in our lab. Bacterial cells growing in the microwells of this platform can be studied with high-throughput and high-content image analyses using brightfield and fluorescence microscopy. The agent-based model is written in the language Netlogo, which in turn is ''plugged into'' a computational framework that allows submitting many calculations in parallel for different initial parameters; visualizing the outcomes in an interactive phase-like diagram; and searching, with a genetic algorithm, for the parameters that lead to the most optimal simulation outcome.

Analysis of microbial community adaptation in mesophilic hydrogen fermentation from food waste by tagged 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing.

PubMed

Laothanachareon, Thanaporn; Kanchanasuta, Suwimon; Mhuanthong, Wuttichai; Phalakornkule, Chantaraporn; Pisutpaisal, Nipon; Champreda, Verawat

2014-11-01

Dark fermentation is an attractive process for generation of biohydrogen, which involves complex microbial processes on decomposition of organic wastes and subsequent conversion of metabolic intermediates to hydrogen. The microbes present in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor for waste water treatment were tested for application in batch dark fermentation of food waste at varying ratios of feedstock to heat-treated microbial inoculum (F/M) of 1-8 (g TVS/g TVS). Biohydrogen yields between 0.39 and 2.68 mol H2/mol hexose were obtained, indicating that the yields were highly dependent on the starting F/M ratio. The highest H2 purity of 66% was obtained from the first 8 h of fermentation at the F/M ratio of 2, whereas the highest H2 production was obtained after 35 h of fermentation at the F/M ratio of 5. Tagged 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing showed that the seed culture comprised largely of uncultured bacteria with various Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes, while the starting food waste contained mainly lactic acid bacteria. Enrichment of Firmicutes, particularly Clostridia and lactic acid bacteria occurred within 8 h of the dark fermentation and the H2 producing microcosm at 35 h was dominated >80% by Clostridium spp. The major H2 producer was identified as a Clostridial strain related to Clostridium frigidicarnis. This work demonstrated the adaption of the microbial community during the dark fermentation of complex food waste and revealed the major roles of Clostridia in both substrate degradation and biohydrogen production. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Role of soil sorption and microbial degradation on dissipation of mesotrione in plant-available soil water.

PubMed

Shaner, Dale; Brunk, Galen; Nissen, Scott; Westra, Phil; Chen, Wenlin

2012-01-01

Mesotrione is a carotenoid biosynthesis-inhibiting herbicide labeled for pre-emergence and postemergence weed control in corn production. Understanding the factors that influence the dissipation of mesotrione in soil and in the plant-available water (PAW) is important for the environmental fate assessment and optimal weed management practices. The present research investigated the role of soil properties and microbial activities on the interrelated sorption and degradation processes of mesotrione in four soils by direct measurements of PAW. We found that mesotrione bound to the soils time dependently, with approximately 14 d to reach equilibrium. The 24-h batch-slurry equilibrium experiments provided the sorption partition coefficient ranging from 0.26 to 3.53 L kg(-1), depending on soil organic carbon and pH. The dissipation of mesotrione in the soil-bound phase was primarily attributed to desorption to the PAW. Degradation in the PAW was rapid and primarily dependent on microbial actions, with half-degradation time (DT(50)) <3 d in all four soils tested. The rapid degradation in the PAW became rate limited by sorption as more available molecules were depleted in the soil pore water, resulting in a more slowed overall process for the total soil-water system (DT(50) <26 d). The dissipation of mesotrione in the PAW was due to microbial metabolism and time-dependent sorption to the soils. A coupled kinetics model calibrated with the data from the laboratory centrifugation technique provided an effective approach to investigate the interrelated processes of sorption and degradation in realistic soil moisture conditions. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Batch Tests To Determine Activity Distribution and Kinetic Parameters for Acetate Utilization in Expanded-Bed Anaerobic Reactors

PubMed Central

Fox, Peter; Suidan, Makram T.

1990-01-01

Batch tests to measure maximum acetate utilization rates were used to determine the distribution of acetate utilizers in expanded-bed sand and expanded-bed granular activated carbon (GAC) reactors. The reactors were fed a mixture of acetate and 3-ethylphenol, and they contained the same predominant aceticlastic methanogen, Methanothrix sp. Batch tests were performed both on the entire reactor contents and with media removed from the reactors. Results indicated that activity was evenly distributed within the GAC reactors, whereas in the sand reactor a sludge blanket on top of the sand bed contained approximately 50% of the activity. The Monod half-velocity constant (Ks) for the acetate-utilizing methanogens in two expanded-bed GAC reactors was searched for by combining steady-state results with batch test data. All parameters necessary to develop a model with Monod kinetics were experimentally determined except for Ks. However, Ks was a function of the effluent 3-ethylphenol concentration, and batch test results demonstrated that maximum acetate utilization rates were not a function of the effluent 3-ethylphenol concentration. Addition of a competitive inhibition term into the Monod expression predicted the dependence of Ks on the effluent 3-ethylphenol concentration. A two-parameter search determined a Ks of 8.99 mg of acetate per liter and a Ki of 2.41 mg of 3-ethylphenol per liter. Model predictions were in agreement with experimental observations for all effluent 3-ethylphenol concentrations. Batch tests measured the activity for a specific substrate and determined the distribution of activity in the reactor. The use of steady-state data in conjunction with batch test results reduced the number of unknown kinetic parameters and thereby reduced the uncertainty in the results and the assumptions made. PMID:16348175

Batch tests to determine activity distribution and kinetic parameters for acetate utilization in expanded-bed anaerobic reactors.

PubMed

Fox, P; Suidan, M T

1990-04-01

Batch tests to measure maximum acetate utilization rates were used to determine the distribution of acetate utilizers in expanded-bed sand and expanded-bed granular activated carbon (GAC) reactors. The reactors were fed a mixture of acetate and 3-ethylphenol, and they contained the same predominant aceticlastic methanogen, Methanothrix sp. Batch tests were performed both on the entire reactor contents and with media removed from the reactors. Results indicated that activity was evenly distributed within the GAC reactors, whereas in the sand reactor a sludge blanket on top of the sand bed contained approximately 50% of the activity. The Monod half-velocity constant (K(s)) for the acetate-utilizing methanogens in two expanded-bed GAC reactors was searched for by combining steady-state results with batch test data. All parameters necessary to develop a model with Monod kinetics were experimentally determined except for K(s). However, K(s) was a function of the effluent 3-ethylphenol concentration, and batch test results demonstrated that maximum acetate utilization rates were not a function of the effluent 3-ethylphenol concentration. Addition of a competitive inhibition term into the Monod expression predicted the dependence of K(s) on the effluent 3-ethylphenol concentration. A two-parameter search determined a K(s) of 8.99 mg of acetate per liter and a K(i) of 2.41 mg of 3-ethylphenol per liter. Model predictions were in agreement with experimental observations for all effluent 3-ethylphenol concentrations. Batch tests measured the activity for a specific substrate and determined the distribution of activity in the reactor. The use of steady-state data in conjunction with batch test results reduced the number of unknown kinetic parameters and thereby reduced the uncertainty in the results and the assumptions made.

Evaluating the potential of three Fe- and Mn-(nano)oxides for the stabilization of Cd, Cu and Pb in contaminated soils.

PubMed

Michálková, Zuzana; Komárek, Michael; Šillerová, Hana; Della Puppa, Loïc; Joussein, Emmanuel; Bordas, François; Vaněk, Aleš; Vaněk, Ondřej; Ettler, Vojtěch

2014-12-15

The potential of three Fe- and Mn-(nano)oxides for stabilizing Cd, Cu and Pb in contaminated soils was investigated using batch and column experiments, adsorption tests and tests of soil microbial activity. A novel synthetic amorphous Mn oxide (AMO), which was recently proposed as a stabilizing amendment, proved to be the most efficient in decreasing the mobility of the studied metals compared to nano-maghemite and nano-magnetite. Its application resulted in significant decreases of exchangeable metal fractions (92%, 92% and 93% decreases of Cd, Cu and Pb concentrations, respectively). The adsorption capacity of the AMO was an order of magnitude higher than those recorded for the other amendments. It was also the most efficient treatment for reducing Cu concentrations in the soil solution. No negative effects on soil microorganisms were recorded. On the other hand, the AMO was able to dissolve soil organic matter to some extent. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 205.57-2 - Test vehicle sample selection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Test vehicle sample selection. 205.57... vehicle sample selection. (a) Vehicles comprising the batch sample which are required to be tested... test request from a batch of vehicles of the category or configuration specified in the test request...

High throughput automated microbial bioreactor system used for clone selection and rapid scale‐down process optimization

PubMed Central

Velez‐Suberbie, M. Lourdes; Betts, John P. J.; Walker, Kelly L.; Robinson, Colin; Zoro, Barney

2017-01-01

High throughput automated fermentation systems have become a useful tool in early bioprocess development. In this study, we investigated a 24 x 15 mL single use microbioreactor system, ambr 15f, designed for microbial culture. We compared the fed‐batch growth and production capabilities of this system for two Escherichia coli strains, BL21 (DE3) and MC4100, and two industrially relevant molecules, hGH and scFv. In addition, different carbon sources were tested using bolus, linear or exponential feeding strategies, showing the capacity of the ambr 15f system to handle automated feeding. We used power per unit volume (P/V) as a scale criterion to compare the ambr 15f with 1 L stirred bioreactors which were previously scaled‐up to 20 L with a different biological system, thus showing a potential 1,300 fold scale comparability in terms of both growth and product yield. By exposing the cells grown in the ambr 15f system to a level of shear expected in an industrial centrifuge, we determined that the cells are as robust as those from a bench scale bioreactor. These results provide evidence that the ambr 15f system is an efficient high throughput microbial system that can be used for strain and molecule selection as well as rapid scale‐up. © 2017 The Authors Biotechnology Progress published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 34:58–68, 2018 PMID:28748655

Impact of influent COD/N ratio on disintegration of aerobic granular sludge.

PubMed

Luo, Jinghai; Hao, Tianwei; Wei, Li; Mackey, Hamish R; Lin, Ziqiao; Chen, Guang-Hao

2014-10-01

Disintegration of aerobic granular sludge (AGS) is a challenging issue in the long-term operation of an AGS system. Chemical oxygen demand (COD)-to-nitrogen (N) ratio (COD/N), often variable in industrial wastewaters, could be a destabilizing factor causing granule disintegration. This study investigates the impact of this ratio on AGS disintegration and identifies the key causes, through close monitoring of AGS changes in its physical and chemical characteristics, microbial community and treatment performance. For specific comparison, two lab-scale air-lift type sequencing batch reactors, one for aerobic granular and the other for flocculent sludge, were operated in parallel with three COD/N ratios (4, 2, 1) applied in the influent of each reactor. The decreased COD/N ratios of 2 and 1 strongly influenced the stability of AGS with regard to physical properties and nitrification efficiency, leading to AGS disintegration when the ratio was decreased to 1. Comparatively the flocculent sludge maintained relatively stable structure and nitrification efficiency under all tested COD/N ratios. The lowest COD/N ratio resulted in a large microbial community shift and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) reduction in both flocculent and granular sludges. The disintegration of AGS was associated with two possible causes: 1) reduction in net tyrosine production in the EPS and 2) a major microbial community shift including reduction in filamentous bacteria leading to the collapse of granule structure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In Vitro Continuous Fermentation Model (PolyFermS) of the Swine Proximal Colon for Simultaneous Testing on the Same Gut Microbiota

PubMed Central

Tanner, Sabine A.; Zihler Berner, Annina; Rigozzi, Eugenia; Grattepanche, Franck; Chassard, Christophe; Lacroix, Christophe

2014-01-01

In vitro gut modeling provides a useful platform for a fast and reproducible assessment of treatment-related changes. Currently, pig intestinal fermentation models are mainly batch models with important inherent limitations. In this study we developed a novel in vitro continuous fermentation model, mimicking the porcine proximal colon, which we validated during 54 days of fermentation. This model, based on our recent PolyFermS design, allows comparing different treatment effects on the same microbiota. It is composed of a first-stage inoculum reactor seeded with immobilized fecal swine microbiota and used to constantly inoculate (10% v/v) five second-stage reactors, with all reactors fed with fresh nutritive chyme medium and set to mimic the swine proximal colon. Reactor effluents were analyzed for metabolite concentrations and bacterial composition by HPLC and quantitative PCR, and microbial diversity was assessed by 454 pyrosequencing. The novel PolyFermS featured stable microbial composition, diversity and metabolite production, consistent with bacterial activity reported for swine proximal colon in vivo. The constant inoculation provided by the inoculum reactor generated reproducible microbial ecosystems in all second-stage reactors, allowing the simultaneous investigation and direct comparison of different treatments on the same porcine gut microbiota. Our data demonstrate the unique features of this novel PolyFermS design for the swine proximal colon. The model provides a tool for efficient, reproducible and cost-effective screening of environmental factors, such as dietary additives, on pig colonic fermentation. PMID:24709947

In vitro continuous fermentation model (PolyFermS) of the swine proximal colon for simultaneous testing on the same gut microbiota.

PubMed

Tanner, Sabine A; Zihler Berner, Annina; Rigozzi, Eugenia; Grattepanche, Franck; Chassard, Christophe; Lacroix, Christophe

2014-01-01

In vitro gut modeling provides a useful platform for a fast and reproducible assessment of treatment-related changes. Currently, pig intestinal fermentation models are mainly batch models with important inherent limitations. In this study we developed a novel in vitro continuous fermentation model, mimicking the porcine proximal colon, which we validated during 54 days of fermentation. This model, based on our recent PolyFermS design, allows comparing different treatment effects on the same microbiota. It is composed of a first-stage inoculum reactor seeded with immobilized fecal swine microbiota and used to constantly inoculate (10% v/v) five second-stage reactors, with all reactors fed with fresh nutritive chyme medium and set to mimic the swine proximal colon. Reactor effluents were analyzed for metabolite concentrations and bacterial composition by HPLC and quantitative PCR, and microbial diversity was assessed by 454 pyrosequencing. The novel PolyFermS featured stable microbial composition, diversity and metabolite production, consistent with bacterial activity reported for swine proximal colon in vivo. The constant inoculation provided by the inoculum reactor generated reproducible microbial ecosystems in all second-stage reactors, allowing the simultaneous investigation and direct comparison of different treatments on the same porcine gut microbiota. Our data demonstrate the unique features of this novel PolyFermS design for the swine proximal colon. The model provides a tool for efficient, reproducible and cost-effective screening of environmental factors, such as dietary additives, on pig colonic fermentation.

Biogas Production from Protein-Rich Biomass: Fed-Batch Anaerobic Fermentation of Casein and of Pig Blood and Associated Changes in Microbial Community Composition

PubMed Central

Kovács, Etelka; Wirth, Roland; Maróti, Gergely; Bagi, Zoltán; Rákhely, Gábor; Kovács, Kornél L.

2013-01-01

It is generally accepted as a fact in the biogas technology that protein-rich biomass substrates should be avoided due to inevitable process inhibition. Substrate compositions with a low C/N ratio are considered difficult to handle and may lead to process failure, though protein-rich industrial waste products have outstanding biogas generation potential. This common belief has been challenged by using protein-rich substrates, i.e. casein and precipitated pig blood protein in laboratory scale continuously stirred mesophilic fed-batch biogas fermenters. Both substrates proved suitable for sustained biogas production (0.447 L CH4/g protein oDM, i.e. organic total solids) in high yield without any additives, following a period of adaptation of the microbial community. The apparent key limiting factors in the anaerobic degradation of these proteinaceous materials were the accumulation of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide. Changes in time in the composition of the microbiological community were determined by next-generation sequencing-based metagenomic analyses. Characteristic rearrangements of the biogas-producing community upon protein feeding and specific differences due to the individual protein substrates were recognized. The results clearly demonstrate that sustained biogas production is readily achievable, provided the system is well-characterized, understood and controlled. Biogas yields (0.45 L CH4/g oDM) significantly exceeding those of the commonly used agricultural substrates (0.25-0.28 L CH4/g oDM) were routinely obtained. The results amply reveal that these high-energy-content waste products can be converted to biogas, a renewable energy carrier with flexible uses that can replace fossil natural gas in its applications. Process control, with appropriate acclimation of the microbial community to the unusual substrate, is necessary. Metagenomic analysis of the microbial community by next-generation sequencing allows a precise determination of the alterations in the community composition in the course of the process. PMID:24146974

Biotransformation of furanic and phenolic compounds with hydrogen gas production in a microbial electrolysis cell

DOE PAGES

Zeng, Xiaofei; Borole, Abhijeet P.; Pavlostathis, Spyros G.

2015-10-27

In this study, furanic and phenolic compounds are problematic byproducts resulting from the decomposition of lignocellulosic biomass during biofuel production. This study assessed the capacity of a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) to produce hydrogen gas (H 2) using a mixture of two furanic (furfural, FF; 5-hydroxymethyl furfural, HMF) and three phenolic (syringic acid, SA; vanillic acid, VA; and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, HBA) compounds as the sole carbon and energy source in the bioanode. The rate and extent of biotransformation of the five compounds, efficiency of H 2 production, as well as the anode microbial community structure were investigated. The five compoundsmore » were completely transformed within 7-day batch runs and their biotransformation rate increased with increasing initial concentration. At an initial concentration of 1,200 mg/L (8.7 mM) of the mixture of the five compounds, their biotransformation rate ranged from 0.85 to 2.34 mM/d. The anode coulombic efficiency was 44-69%, which is comparable to wastewater-fed MECs. The H 2 yield varied from 0.26 to 0.42 g H 2-COD/g COD removed in the anode, and the bioanode volume-normalized H 2 production rate was 0.07-0.1 L/L-d. The major identified fermentation products that did not transform further were catechol and phenol. Acetate was the direct substrate for exoelectrogenesis. Current and H 2 production were inhibited at an initial substrate concentration of 1,200 mg/L, resulting in acetate accumulation at a much higher level than that measured in other batch runs conducted with a lower initial concentration of the five compounds. The anode microbial community consisted of exoelectrogens, putative degraders of the five compounds, and syntrophic partners of exoelectrogens. The H 2 production route demonstrated in this study has proven to be an alternative to the currently used process of reforming natural gas to supply H 2 needed to upgrade bio-oils to stable hydrocarbon fuels.« less

Biotransformation of Furanic and Phenolic Compounds with Hydrogen Gas Production in a Microbial Electrolysis Cell.

PubMed

Zeng, Xiaofei; Borole, Abhijeet P; Pavlostathis, Spyros G

2015-11-17

Furanic and phenolic compounds are problematic byproducts resulting from the breakdown of lignocellulosic biomass during biofuel production. The capacity of a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) to produce hydrogen gas (H2) using a mixture of two furanic (furfural, FF; 5-hydroxymethyl furfural, HMF) and three phenolic (syringic acid, SA; vanillic acid, VA; and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, HBA) compounds as the substrate in the bioanode was assessed. The rate and extent of biotransformation of the five compounds and efficiency of H2 production, as well as the structure of the anode microbial community, were investigated. The five compounds were completely transformed within 7-day batch runs and their biotransformation rate increased with increasing initial concentration. At an initial concentration of 1200 mg/L (8.7 mM) of the mixture of the five compounds, their biotransformation rate ranged from 0.85 to 2.34 mM/d. The anode Coulombic efficiency was 44-69%, which is comparable to that of wastewater-fed MECs. The H2 yield varied from 0.26 to 0.42 g H2-COD/g COD removed in the anode, and the bioanode volume-normalized H2 production rate was 0.07-0.1 L/L-d. The biotransformation of the five compounds took place via fermentation followed by exoelectrogenesis. The major identified fermentation products that did not transform further were catechol and phenol. Acetate was the direct substrate for exoelectrogenesis. Current and H2 production were inhibited at an initial substrate concentration of 1200 mg/L, resulting in acetate accumulation at a much higher level than that measured in other batch runs conducted with a lower initial concentration of the five compounds. The anode microbial community consisted of exoelectrogens, putative degraders of the five compounds, and syntrophic partners of exoelectrogens. The MEC H2 production demonstrated in this study is an alternative to the currently used process of reforming natural gas to supply H2 needed to upgrade bio-oils to stable hydrocarbon fuels.

Novel integration strategy for enhancing chalcopyrite bioleaching by Acidithiobacillus sp. in a 7-L fermenter.

PubMed

Feng, Shoushuai; Yang, Hailin; Zhan, Xiao; Wang, Wu

2014-06-01

An integrated strategy (additional energy substrate-three stage pH control-fed batch) was firstly proposed for efficiently improving chalcopyrite bioleaching by Acidithiobacillus sp. in a 7-L fermenter. The strain adaptive-growing phase was greatly shortened from 8days into 4days with the supplement of additional 2g/L Fe(2+)+2g/L S(0). Jarosite passivation was effectively weakened basing on higher biomass via the three-stage pH-stat control (pH 1.3-1.0-0.7). The mineral substrate inhibition was attenuated by fed-batch fermentation. With the integrated strategy, the biochemical reaction was promoted and achieved a better balance. Meanwhile, the domination course of A. thiooxidans in the microbial community was shortened from 14days to 8days. As the results of integrated strategy, the final copper ion and productivity reached 89.1mg/L and 2.23mg/(Ld), respectively, which was improved by 52.8% compared to the uncontrolled batch bioleaching. The integrated strategy could be further exploited for industrial chalcopyrite bioleaching. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of Bioremediation Technologies: Focus on Technologies Suitable for Field-Level Demonstrations and Applicable to DoD Contaminants.

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-06-01

include leachate collection systems and some form of aeration. The reactor is set up on an impermeable liner to prevent contaminant migration. Treatment...Bioremediation Microbial Mats Phytoremediation /construc- ted wetlands White Rot Fungus Full scale commercial technology for treatment of hydro...validation Phytoremediation / Constructed Wetlands Some scaled up batch demonstrations. Primarily laboratory scale. White Rot Fungus Pilot scale

Treatment and desalination of domestic wastewater for water reuse in a four-chamber microbial desalination cell.

PubMed

Lu, Yaobin; Abu-Reesh, Ibrahim M; He, Zhen

2016-09-01

Microbial desalination cells (MDCs) have been studied for contaminant removal from wastewater and salinity reduction in saline water. However, in an MDC wastewater treatment and desalination occurs in different streams, and high salinity of the treated wastewater creates challenges for wastewater reuse. Herein, a single-stream MDC (SMDC) with four chambers was developed for simultaneous organic removal and desalination in the same synthetic wastewater. This SMDC could achieve a desalination rate of 12.2-31.5 mg L(-1) h(-1) and remove more than 90 % of the organics and 75 % of NH4 (+)-N; the pH imbalance between the anode and cathode chambers was also reduced. Several strategies such as controlling catholyte pH, increasing influent COD concentration, adopting the batch mode, applying external voltage, and increasing the alkalinity of wastewater were investigated for improving the SMDC performance. Under a condition of 0.4 V external voltage, anolyte pH adjustment, and a batch mode, the SMDC decreased the wastewater salinity from 1.45 to below 0.75 mS cm(-1), which met the salinity standard of wastewater for irrigation. Those results encourage further development of the SMDC technology for sustainable wastewater treatment and reuse.

Influence of platinum group metal-free catalyst synthesis on microbial fuel cell performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santoro, Carlo; Rojas-Carbonell, Santiago; Awais, Roxanne; Gokhale, Rohan; Kodali, Mounika; Serov, Alexey; Artyushkova, Kateryna; Atanassov, Plamen

2018-01-01

Platinum group metal-free (PGM-free) ORR catalysts from the Fe-N-C family were synthesized using sacrificial support method (SSM) technique. Six experimental steps were used during the synthesis: 1) mixing the precursor, the metal salt, and the silica template; 2) first pyrolysis in hydrogen rich atmosphere; 3) ball milling; 4) etching the silica template using harsh acids environment; 5) the second pyrolysis in ammonia rich atmosphere; 6) final ball milling. Three independent batches were fabricated following the same procedure. The effect of each synthetic parameters on the surface chemistry and the electrocatalytic performance in neutral media was studied. Rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) experiment showed an increase in half wave potential and limiting current after the pyrolysis steps. The additional improvement was observed after etching and performing the second pyrolysis. A similar trend was seen in microbial fuel cells (MFCs), in which the power output increased from 167 ± 2 μW cm-2 to 214 ± 5 μW cm-2. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) was used to evaluate surface chemistry of catalysts obtained after each synthetic step. The changes in chemical composition were directly correlated with the improvements in performance. We report outstanding reproducibility in both composition and performance among the three different batches.

A Novel Bioinformatics Strategy to Analyze Microbial Big Sequence Data for Efficient Knowledge Discovery: Batch-Learning Self-Organizing Map (BLSOM).

PubMed

Iwasaki, Yuki; Abe, Takashi; Wada, Kennosuke; Wada, Yoshiko; Ikemura, Toshimichi

2013-11-20

With the remarkable increase of genomic sequence data of microorganisms, novel tools are needed for comprehensive analyses of the big sequence data available. The self-organizing map (SOM) is an effective tool for clustering and visualizing high-dimensional data, such as oligonucleotide composition on one map. By modifying the conventional SOM, we developed batch-learning SOM (BLSOM), which allowed classification of sequence fragments (e.g., 1 kb) according to phylotypes, solely depending on oligonucleotide composition. Metagenomics studies of uncultivable microorganisms in clinical and environmental samples should allow extensive surveys of genes important in life sciences. BLSOM is most suitable for phylogenetic assignment of metagenomic sequences, because fragmental sequences can be clustered according to phylotypes, solely depending on oligonucleotide composition. We first constructed oligonucleotide BLSOMs for all available sequences from genomes of known species, and by mapping metagenomic sequences on these large-scale BLSOMs, we can predict phylotypes of individual metagenomic sequences, revealing a microbial community structure of uncultured microorganisms, including viruses. BLSOM has shown that influenza viruses isolated from humans and birds clearly differ in oligonucleotide composition. Based on this host-dependent oligonucleotide composition, we have proposed strategies for predicting directional changes of virus sequences and for surveilling potentially hazardous strains when introduced into humans from non-human sources.

Stimulation of electro-fermentation in single-chamber microbial electrolysis cells driven by genetically engineered anode biofilms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Awate, Bhushan; Steidl, Rebecca J.; Hamlischer, Thilo; Reguera, Gemma

2017-07-01

Unwanted metabolites produced during fermentations reduce titers and productivity and increase the cost of downstream purification of the targeted product. As a result, the economic feasibility of otherwise attractive fermentations is low. Using ethanol fermentation by the consolidated bioprocessing cellulolytic bacterium Cellulomonas uda, we demonstrate the effectiveness of anodic electro-fermentations at maximizing titers and productivity in a single-chamber microbial electrolysis cell (SCMEC) without the need for metabolic engineering of the fermentative microbe. The performance of the SCMEC platform relied on the genetic improvements of anode biofilms of the exoelectrogen Geobacter sulfurreducens that prevented the oxidation of cathodic hydrogen and improved lactate oxidation. Furthermore, a hybrid bioanode was designed that maximized the removal of organic acids in the fermentation broth. The targeted approach increased cellobiose consumption rates and ethanol titers, yields, and productivity three-fold or more, prevented pH imbalances and reduced batch-to-batch variability. In addition, the sugar substrate was fully consumed and ethanol was enriched in the broth during the electro-fermentation, simplifying its downstream purification. Such improvements and the possibility of scaling up SCMEC configurations highlight the potential of anodic electro-fermentations to stimulate fermentative bacteria beyond their natural capacity and to levels required for industrial implementation.

Self-sustained reduction of multiple metals in a microbial fuel cell-microbial electrolysis cell hybrid system.

PubMed

Li, Yan; Wu, Yining; Liu, Bingchuan; Luan, Hongwei; Vadas, Timothy; Guo, Wanqian; Ding, Jie; Li, Baikun

2015-09-01

A self-sustained hybrid bioelectrochemical system consisting of microbial fuel cell (MFC) and microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) was developed to reduce multiple metals simultaneously by utilizing different reaction potentials. Three heavy metals representing spontaneous reaction (chromium, Cr) and unspontaneous reaction (lead, Pb and nickel, Ni) were selected in this batch-mode study. The maximum power density of the MFC achieved 189.4 mW m(-2), and the energy recovery relative to the energy storage circuit (ESC) was ∼ 450%. At the initial concentration of 100 mg L(-1), the average reduction rate of Cr(VI) was 30.0 mg L(-1) d(-1), Pb(II) 32.7 mg L(-1) d(-1), and Ni(II) 8.9 mg L(-1) d(-1). An electrochemical model was developed to predict the change of metal concentration over time. The power output of the MFC was sufficient to meet the requirement of the ESC and MEC, and the "self-sustained metal reduction" was achieved in this hybrid system. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Density and composition of microorganisms during long-term (418 day) growth of potato using biologically reclaimed nutrients from inedible plant biomass

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garland, J. L.; Cook, K. L.; Johnson, M.; Sumner, R.; Fields, N.; Sager, J. C. (Principal Investigator)

1997-01-01

A study evaluating alternative methods for long term operation of biomass production systems was recently completed at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The 418-day study evaluated repeated batch versus mixed-aged production of potato grown on either standard 1/2-strength Hoagland's nutrient solution or solutions including nutrients recycled from inedible plant material. The long term effects of closure and recycling on microbial dynamics were evaluated by monitoring the microbial communities associated with various habitats within the plant growth system (i.e., plant roots, nutrient solution, biofilms within the hydroponic systems, atmosphere, and atmospheric condensate). Plate count methods were used to enumerate and characterize microorganisms. Microscopic staining methods were used to estunate total cell densities. The primary finding was that the density and composition of microbial communities associated with controlled environmental plant growth systems are stable during long term operation. Continuous production resulted in slightly greater stability. Nutrient recycling, despite the addition of soluble organic material from the waste processing system, did not significantly increase microbial density in any of the habitats.

Influence of redox mediators and salinity level on the (bio)transformation of Direct Blue 71: kinetics aspects.

PubMed

Alvarez, Luis H; Meza-Escalante, Edna R; Gortáres-Moroyoqui, Pablo; Morales, Luz; Rosas, Krystal; García-Reyes, Bernardo; García-González, Alicone

2016-12-01

The rate-limiting step of azo dye decolorization was elucidated by exploring the microbial reduction of a model quinone and the chemical decolorization by previously reduced quinone at different salinity conditions (2-8%). Microbial experiments were performed in batch with a marine consortium. The decolorization of Direct Blue 71 (DB71) by the marine consortium at 2% salinity, mediated with anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS), showed the highest rate of decolorization as compared with those obtained with riboflavin, and two samples of humic acids. Moreover, the incubations at different salinity conditions (0-8%) performed with AQDS showed that the highest rate of decolorization of DB71 by the marine consortium occurred at 2% and 4% salinity. In addition, the highest microbial reduction rate of AQDS occurred in incubations at 0%, 2%, and 4% of salinity. The chemical reduction of DB71 by reduced AQDS occurred in two stages and proceeded faster at 4% and 6% salinity. The results indicate that the rate-limiting step during azo decolorization was the microbial reduction of AQDS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Density and composition of microorganisms during long-term (418 day) growth of potato using biologically reclaimed nutrients from inedible plant biomass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garland, J. L.; Cook, K. L.; Johnson, M.; Sumner, R.; Fields, N.

1997-01-01

A study evaluating alternative methods for long term operation of biomass production systems was recently completed at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The 418-day study evaluated repeated batch versus mixed-aged production of potato grown on either standard 1/2-strength Hoagland's nutrient solution or solutions including nutrients recycled from inedible plant material. The long term effects of closure and recycling on microbial dynamics were evaluated by monitoring the microbial communities associated with various habitats within the plant growth system (i.e., plant roots, nutrient solution, biofilms within the hydroponic systems, atmosphere, and atmospheric condensate). Plate count methods were used to enumerate and characterize microorganisms. Microscopic staining methods were used to estimate total cell densities. The primary finding was that the density and composition of microbial communities associated with controlled environmental plant growth systems are stable during long term operation. Continuous production resulted in slightly greater stability. Nutrient recycling, despite the addition of soluble organic material from the waste processing system, did not significantly increase microbial density in any of the habitats.

Density and composition of microorganisms during long-term (418 day) growth of potato using biologically reclaimed nutrients from inedible plant biomass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1997-01-01

A study evaluating alternative methods for long term operation of biomass production systems was recently completed at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The 418-day study evaluated repeated batch versus mixed-aged production of potato grown on either standard 12-strength Hoagland's nutrient solution or solutions including nutrients recycled from inedible plant material. The long term effects of closure and recycling on microbial dynamics were evaluated by monitoring the microbial communities associated with various habitats within the plant growth system (i.e., plant roots, nutrient solution, biofilms within the hydroponic systems, atmosphere, and atmospheric condensate). Plate count methods were used to enumerate and characterize microorganisms. Microscopic staining methods were used to estimate total cell densities. The primary finding was that the density and composition of microbial communities associated with controlled environmental plant growth systems are stable during long term operation. Continuous production resulted in slightly greater stability. Nutrient recycling, despite the addition of soluble organic material from the waste processing system, did not significantly increase microbial density in any of the habitats.

Effect of separator and inoculum type on electricity generation and microbial community in single-chamber microbial fuel cells.

PubMed

Yu, Jaecheul; Park, Younghyun; Lee, Taeho

2014-04-01

Single-chamber microbial fuel cell (SMFC)-I consisted of 4 separator-electrode assemblies (SEAs) with two types of cation exchange membrane (CEM: Nafion and CMI 7000) and an anion exchange membrane (AEM: AMI 7001). SMFC-II consisted of 4 SEAs with Nafion and three types of nonwoven fabric. SMFC-I and -II were inoculated with anaerobic digested and activated sludge, respectively, and operated under fed-batch mode. In SMFC I, AEM-SEA showed a maximum power density (PDmax). Nafion-SEA showed a PDmax in SMFC II, which was similar to that of Nafion-SEA of SMFC I. Although different bacteria were developed in SMFC-I (Deltaproteobacteria and Firmicutes) and SMFC-II (Gammaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes), the inoculum type little affects electricity generation. Variations of pH and oxygen in biofilm have influenced microbial community structure and electricity generation according to the electrode and separator material. Although the electricity generation of non-woven fabric-SEA was less than that of Nafion-SEA, the use of non-woven fabrics is expected to reduce the construction and operating costs of MFCs.

Effect of red blood cells on the growth of Porphyromonas endodontalis and microbial community development.

PubMed

Zerr, M A; Cox, C D; Johnson, W T; Drake, D R

1998-04-01

Establishment of a microbial community in the root canal system depends on numerous factors, of which nutrient availability may be one of the most important. We hypothesized that the presence of red blood cells or hemoglobin in this environment could cause shifts in microbial composition of communities, resulting in organisms such as Porphyromonas endodontalis becoming more dominant. An in vitro model system using mixed, batch cultures was performed with the bacteria P. endodontalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Peptostreptococcus micros and Campylobacter rectus. Bacteria were cultured in media with or without the addition of washed red blood cells, hemoglobin, or serum. Cyclic growth studies revealed that P. endodontalis was lost from the community of organisms after three cycles. However, inclusion of red blood cells resulted in establishment of this organism. Moreover, red blood cells added to pure cultures of P. endodontalis substantially enhanced growth and protected the organisms from oxygen. We conclude that the presence of red blood cells could result in shifts of microbial communities of organisms within the root canal system.

The mechanisms of granulation of activated sludge in wastewater treatment, its optimization, and impact on effluent quality.

PubMed

Wilén, Britt-Marie; Liébana, Raquel; Persson, Frank; Modin, Oskar; Hermansson, Malte

2018-06-01

Granular activated sludge has gained increasing interest due to its potential in treating wastewater in a compact and efficient way. It is well-established that activated sludge can form granules under certain environmental conditions such as batch-wise operation with feast-famine feeding, high hydrodynamic shear forces, and short settling time which select for dense microbial aggregates. Aerobic granules with stable structure and functionality have been obtained with a range of different wastewaters seeded with different sources of sludge at different operational conditions, but the microbial communities developed differed substantially. In spite of this, granule instability occurs. In this review, the available literature on the mechanisms involved in granulation and how it affects the effluent quality is assessed with special attention given to the microbial interactions involved. To be able to optimize the process further, more knowledge is needed regarding the influence of microbial communities and their metabolism on granule stability and functionality. Studies performed at conditions similar to full-scale such as fluctuation in organic loading rate, hydrodynamic conditions, temperature, incoming particles, and feed water microorganisms need further investigations.

System Vaccinology for the Evaluation of Influenza Vaccine Safety by Multiplex Gene Detection of Novel Biomarkers in a Preclinical Study and Batch Release Test

PubMed Central

Mizukami, Takuo; Momose, Haruka; Kuramitsu, Madoka; Takizawa, Kazuya; Araki, Kumiko; Furuhata, Keiko; Ishii, Ken J.; Hamaguchi, Isao; Yamaguchi, Kazunari

2014-01-01

Vaccines are beneficial and universal tools to prevent infectious disease. Thus, safety of vaccines is strictly evaluated in the preclinical phase of trials and every vaccine batch must be tested by the National Control Laboratories according to the guidelines published by each country. Despite many vaccine production platforms and methods, animal testing for safety evaluation is unchanged thus far. We recently developed a systems biological approach to vaccine safety evaluation where identification of specific biomarkers in a rat pre-clinical study evaluated the safety of vaccines for pandemic H5N1 influenza including Irf7, Lgals9, Lgalsbp3, Cxcl11, Timp1, Tap2, Psmb9, Psme1, Tapbp, C2, Csf1, Mx2, Zbp1, Ifrd1, Trafd1, Cxcl9, β2m, Npc1, Ngfr and Ifi47. The current study evaluated whether these 20 biomarkers could evaluate the safety, batch-to-batch and manufacturer-to-manufacturer consistency of seasonal trivalent influenza vaccine using a multiplex gene detection system. When we evaluated the influenza HA vaccine (HAv) from four different manufactures, the biomarker analysis correlated to findings from conventional animal use tests, such as abnormal toxicity test. In addition, sensitivity of toxicity detection and differences in HAvs were higher and more accurate than with conventional methods. Despite a slight decrease in body weight caused by HAv from manufacturer B that was not statistically significant, our results suggest that HAv from manufacturer B is significantly different than the other HAvs tested with regard to Lgals3bp, Tapbp, Lgals9, Irf7 and C2 gene expression in rat lungs. Using the biomarkers confirmed in this study, we predicted batch-to-batch consistency and safety of influenza vaccines within 2 days compared with the conventional safety test, which takes longer. These biomarkers will facilitate the future development of new influenza vaccines and provide an opportunity to develop in vitro methods of evaluating batch-to-batch consistency and vaccine safety as an alternative to animal testing. PMID:25010690

Bioelectrochemical conversion of CO2 to chemicals: CO2 as a next generation feedstock for electricity-driven bioproduction in batch and continuous modes.

PubMed

Bajracharya, Suman; Vanbroekhoven, Karolien; Buisman, Cees J N; Strik, David P B T B; Pant, Deepak

2017-09-21

The recent concept of microbial electrosynthesis (MES) has evolved as an electricity-driven production technology for chemicals from low-value carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) using micro-organisms as biocatalysts. MES from CO 2 comprises bioelectrochemical reduction of CO 2 to multi-carbon organic compounds using the reducing equivalents produced at the electrically-polarized cathode. The use of CO 2 as a feedstock for chemicals is gaining much attention, since CO 2 is abundantly available and its use is independent of the food supply chain. MES based on CO 2 reduction produces acetate as a primary product. In order to elucidate the performance of the bioelectrochemical CO 2 reduction process using different operation modes (batch vs. continuous), an investigation was carried out using a MES system with a flow-through biocathode supplied with 20 : 80 (v/v) or 80 : 20 (v/v) CO 2  : N 2 gas. The highest acetate production rate of 149 mg L -1 d -1 was observed with a 3.1 V applied cell-voltage under batch mode. While running in continuous mode, high acetate production was achieved with a maximum rate of 100 mg L -1 d -1 . In the continuous mode, the acetate production was not sustained over long-term operation, likely due to insufficient microbial biocatalyst retention within the biocathode compartment (i.e. suspended micro-organisms were washed out of the system). Restarting batch mode operations resulted in a renewed production of acetate. This showed an apparent domination of suspended biocatalysts over the attached (biofilm forming) biocatalysts. Long term CO 2 reduction at the biocathode resulted in the accumulation of acetate, and more reduced compounds like ethanol and butyrate were also formed. Improvements in the production rate and different biomass retention strategies (e.g. selecting for biofilm forming micro-organisms) should be investigated to enable continuous biochemical production from CO 2 using MES. Certainly, other process optimizations will be required to establish MES as an innovative sustainable technology for manufacturing biochemicals from CO 2 as a next generation feedstock.

Power enhancement of a μl-scale microbial fuel cells by surface roughness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jihoon; Hwan Ko, Jin; Lee, Jaehyun; Jun Kim, Min; Byun, Doyoung

2014-06-01

In recent years, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have gained much attention due to their potential to generate energy in a sustainable manner from living microorganisms. Research has shown that electrode design is a critical factor for MFCs power enhancement. In this study, we designed and fabricated MFCs energy-harvesting devices with living bacteria, and we investigated the effect of the surface roughness of the electrodes on power generation. In batch experiments of our MFCs, we found that the total power delivered could be enhanced using electrodes having rough surfaces with protruded micro-structures relative to that of electrodes with a flat surface. This was due to the delayed acidification resulting from the changes in bio-film formation between them.

Bio-Heat Is a Key Environmental Driver Shaping the Microbial Community of Medium-Temperature Daqu.

PubMed

Xiao, Chen; Lu, Zhen-Ming; Zhang, Xiao-Juan; Wang, Song-Tao; Ao, Ling; Shen, Cai-Hong; Shi, Jin-Song; Xu, Zheng-Hong

2017-12-01

"Daqu" is a saccharifying and fermenting agent commonly used in the traditional solid-state fermentation industry (e.g., baijiu and vinegar). The patterns of microbial community succession and flavor formation are highly similar among batches, yet the mechanisms promoting temporal succession in the Daqu microbial ecology remain unclear. Here, we first correlated temporal profiles of microbial community succession with environmental variables (temperature, moisture, and titratable acidity) in medium temperature Daqu (MT-Daqu) throughout fermentation. Temperature dynamics significantly correlated ( P < 0.05) with the quick succession of MT-Daqu microbiota in the first 12 d of fermentation, while the community structure was relatively stable after 12 d. Then, we explored the effect of temperature on the MT-Daqu community assembly. In the first 4 d of fermentation, the rapid propagation of most bacterial taxa and several fungal taxa, including Candida , Wickerhamomyces , and unclassified Dipodascaceae and Saccharomycetales species, significantly increased MT-Daqu temperature to 55°C. Subsequently, sustained bio-heat generated by microbial metabolism (53 to 56°C) within MT-Daqu inhibited the growth of most microbes from day 4 to day 12, while thermotolerant taxa, including Bacillus , unclassified Streptophyta , Weissella , Thermoactinomyces , Thermoascus , and Thermomyces survived or kept on growing. Furthermore, temperature as a major driving force on the shaping of MT-Daqu microbiota was validated. Lowering the fermentation temperature by placing the MT-Daqu in a 37°C incubator resulted in decreased relative abundances of thermotolerant taxa, including Bacillus , Thermoactinomyces , and Thermoascus , in the MT-Daqu microbiota. This study revealed that bio-heat functioned as a primary endogenous driver promoting the formation of functional MT-Daqu microbiota. IMPORTANCE Humans have mastered the Daqu preparation technique of cultivating functional microbiota on starchy grains over thousands of years, and it is well known that the metabolic activity of these microbes is key to the flavor production of Chinese baijiu. The pattern of microbial community succession and flavor formation remains highly similar between batches, yet mechanistic insight into these patterns and into microbial population fidelity to specific environmental conditions remains unclear. Our study revealed that bio-heat was generated within Daqu bricks in the first 4 d of fermentation, concomitant with rapid microbial propagation and metabolism. The sustained bio-heat may then function as a major endogenous driving force promoting the formation of the MT-Daqu microbiota from day 4 to day 12. The bio-heat-driven growth of thermotolerant microorganisms might contribute to the formation of flavor metabolites. This study provides useful information for the temperature-based modulation of microbiota function during the fermentation of Daqu. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

The relationship between pH and concentrations of antioxidants and vasoconstrictors in local anesthetic solutions.

PubMed

Hondrum, S O; Ezell, J H

1996-01-01

pH affects the efficacy of local anesthetics by determining the percentage of the lipid-soluble base form of the anesthetic available for diffusion and penetration of the nerve sheath. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between pH and the concentrations of antioxidant and vasoconstrictor in dental local anesthetic solutions over real-time and after accelerated aging. Several batches of lidocaine and mepivacaine with vasoconstrictors were tested. Results showed that, immediately upon receipt from the manufacturers, three batches were below the USP pH limit (pH 3.3), and two batches contained less than the minimum limit of vasoconstrictors (90%). Real-time tests on batches that were within normal limits revealed that solutions were stable past 4 yr. Accelerated aging tests revealed a strong correlation between a decrease in pH and loss of antioxidants and vasoconstrictors. In conclusion, a quality batch of local anesthetic should remain efficacious long past the manufacturer's stated shelf life; a batch that is less than optimal, or one that is exposed to environmental stresses, will degrade rapidly, and efficacy may be affected by decreases in pH and loss of vasoconstrictor. pH may be an inexpensive, readily available screening test for efficacy of local anesthetics.

The relationship between pH and concentrations of antioxidants and vasoconstrictors in local anesthetic solutions.

PubMed Central

Hondrum, S. O.; Ezell, J. H.

1996-01-01

pH affects the efficacy of local anesthetics by determining the percentage of the lipid-soluble base form of the anesthetic available for diffusion and penetration of the nerve sheath. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between pH and the concentrations of antioxidant and vasoconstrictor in dental local anesthetic solutions over real-time and after accelerated aging. Several batches of lidocaine and mepivacaine with vasoconstrictors were tested. Results showed that, immediately upon receipt from the manufacturers, three batches were below the USP pH limit (pH 3.3), and two batches contained less than the minimum limit of vasoconstrictors (90%). Real-time tests on batches that were within normal limits revealed that solutions were stable past 4 yr. Accelerated aging tests revealed a strong correlation between a decrease in pH and loss of antioxidants and vasoconstrictors. In conclusion, a quality batch of local anesthetic should remain efficacious long past the manufacturer's stated shelf life; a batch that is less than optimal, or one that is exposed to environmental stresses, will degrade rapidly, and efficacy may be affected by decreases in pH and loss of vasoconstrictor. pH may be an inexpensive, readily available screening test for efficacy of local anesthetics. PMID:10323112

[Batch release of immunoglobulin and monoclonal antibody products].

PubMed

Gross, S

2014-10-01

The Paul-Ehrlich Institute (PEI) is an independent institution of the Federal Republic of Germany responsible for performing official experimental batch testing of sera. The institute decides about the release of each batch and performs experimental research in the field. The experimental quality control ensures the potency of the product and also the absence of harmful impurities. For release of an immunoglobulin batch the marketing authorization holder has to submit the documentation of the manufacture and the results of quality control measures together with samples of the batch to the PEI. Experimental testing is performed according to the approved specifications regarding the efficacy and safety. Since implementation of the 15th German drug law amendment, the source of antibody is not defined anymore. According to § 32 German drug law, all batches of sera need to be released by an official control laboratory. Sera are medicinal products, which contain antibodies, antibody fragments or fusion proteins with a functional antibody portion. Therefore, all batches of monoclonal antibodies and derivatives must also be released by the PEI and the marketing authorization holder has to submit a batch release application. Under certain circumstances a waiver for certain products can be issued with regard to batch release. The conditions for such a waiver apply to the majority of monoclonal antibodies.

Bacterial Adhesion under Static and Dynamic Conditions

PubMed Central

Rijnaarts, Huub H. M.; Norde, Willem; Bouwer, Edward J.; Lyklema, Johannes; Zehnder, Alexander J. B.

1993-01-01

The deposition of various pseudomonads and coryneform bacteria with different hydrophobicities (water contact angles) and negative cell surface charges on negatively charged Teflon and glass surfaces was investigated. The levels of deposition varied between 5.0 × 104 and 1.6 × 107 cells cm-2 and between 5.0 × 104 and 3.6 × 107 cells cm-2 for dynamic column and static batch systems, respectively, indicating that there was a wide variation in physicochemical interactions. Batch and column results were compared in order to better distinguish between hydrodynamic and other system-dependent influences and method-independent physicochemical interactions. Despite the shorter suspension-solid contact time in columns (1 h) than in batch systems (4 h), the level of deposition (expressed as the number of cells that adhered) divided by the applied ambient cell concentration was 4.12 ± 1.63 times higher in columns than in batch sytems for 15 of 22 strain-surface combinations studied. This demonstrates that transport of microbial particles from bulk liquid to surfaces is more efficient in dynamic columns (transport dominated by convection and diffusion) than in static batch systems (transport by diffusion only). The relative constancy of this ratio for the 15 combinations shows that physicochemical interactions affect adhesion similarly in the two systems. The deviating deposition behavior of the other seven strain-surface combinations could be attributed to method-dependent effects resulting from specific cell characteristics (e.g., to the presence of capsular polymers, to an ability to aggregate, to large cell sizes, or to a tendency to desorb after passage through an air-liquid interface). Images PMID:16349063

Exploitation of algal-bacterial associations in a two-stage biohydrogen and biogas generation process.

PubMed

Wirth, Roland; Lakatos, Gergely; Maróti, Gergely; Bagi, Zoltán; Minárovics, János; Nagy, Katalin; Kondorosi, Éva; Rákhely, Gábor; Kovács, Kornél L

2015-01-01

The growing concern regarding the use of agricultural land for the production of biomass for food/feed or energy is dictating the search for alternative biomass sources. Photosynthetic microorganisms grown on marginal or deserted land present a promising alternative to the cultivation of energy plants and thereby may dampen the 'food or fuel' dispute. Microalgae offer diverse utilization routes. A two-stage energetic utilization, using a natural mixed population of algae (Chlamydomonas sp. and Scenedesmus sp.) and mutualistic bacteria (primarily Rhizobium sp.), was tested for coupled biohydrogen and biogas production. The microalgal-bacterial biomass generated hydrogen without sulfur deprivation. Algal hydrogen production in the mixed population started earlier but lasted for a shorter period relative to the benchmark approach. The residual biomass after hydrogen production was used for biogas generation and was compared with the biogas production from maize silage. The gas evolved from the microbial biomass was enriched in methane, but the specific gas production was lower than that of maize silage. Sustainable biogas production from the microbial biomass proceeded without noticeable difficulties in continuously stirred fed-batch laboratory-size reactors for an extended period of time. Co-fermentation of the microbial biomass and maize silage improved the biogas production: The metagenomic results indicated that pronounced changes took place in the domain Bacteria, primarily due to the introduction of a considerable bacterial biomass into the system with the substrate; this effect was partially compensated in the case of co-fermentation. The bacteria living in syntrophy with the algae apparently persisted in the anaerobic reactor and predominated in the bacterial population. The Archaea community remained virtually unaffected by the changes in the substrate biomass composition. Through elimination of cost- and labor-demanding sulfur deprivation, sustainable biohydrogen production can be carried out by using microalgae and their mutualistic bacterial partners. The beneficial effect of the mutualistic mixed bacteria in O2 quenching is that the spent algal-bacterial biomass can be further exploited for biogas production. Anaerobic fermentation of the microbial biomass depends on the composition of the biogas-producing microbial community. Co-fermentation of the mixed microbial biomass with maize silage improved the biogas productivity.

Between-Batch Pharmacokinetic Variability Inflates Type I Error Rate in Conventional Bioequivalence Trials: A Randomized Advair Diskus Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Burmeister Getz, E; Carroll, K J; Mielke, J; Benet, L Z; Jones, B

2017-03-01

We previously demonstrated pharmacokinetic differences among manufacturing batches of a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved dry powder inhalation product (Advair Diskus 100/50) large enough to establish between-batch bio-inequivalence. Here, we provide independent confirmation of pharmacokinetic bio-inequivalence among Advair Diskus 100/50 batches, and quantify residual and between-batch variance component magnitudes. These variance estimates are used to consider the type I error rate of the FDA's current two-way crossover design recommendation. When between-batch pharmacokinetic variability is substantial, the conventional two-way crossover design cannot accomplish the objectives of FDA's statistical bioequivalence test (i.e., cannot accurately estimate the test/reference ratio and associated confidence interval). The two-way crossover, which ignores between-batch pharmacokinetic variability, yields an artificially narrow confidence interval on the product comparison. The unavoidable consequence is type I error rate inflation, to ∼25%, when between-batch pharmacokinetic variability is nonzero. This risk of a false bioequivalence conclusion is substantially higher than asserted by regulators as acceptable consumer risk (5%). © 2016 The Authors Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

Batch statistical process control of a fluid bed granulation process using in-line spatial filter velocimetry and product temperature measurements.

PubMed

Burggraeve, A; Van den Kerkhof, T; Hellings, M; Remon, J P; Vervaet, C; De Beer, T

2011-04-18

Fluid bed granulation is a batch process, which is characterized by the processing of raw materials for a predefined period of time, consisting of a fixed spraying phase and a subsequent drying period. The present study shows the multivariate statistical modeling and control of a fluid bed granulation process based on in-line particle size distribution (PSD) measurements (using spatial filter velocimetry) combined with continuous product temperature registration using a partial least squares (PLS) approach. Via the continuous in-line monitoring of the PSD and product temperature during granulation of various reference batches, a statistical batch model was developed allowing the real-time evaluation and acceptance or rejection of future batches. Continuously monitored PSD and product temperature process data of 10 reference batches (X-data) were used to develop a reference batch PLS model, regressing the X-data versus the batch process time (Y-data). Two PLS components captured 98.8% of the variation in the X-data block. Score control charts in which the average batch trajectory and upper and lower control limits are displayed were developed. Next, these control charts were used to monitor 4 new test batches in real-time and to immediately detect any deviations from the expected batch trajectory. By real-time evaluation of new batches using the developed control charts and by computation of contribution plots of deviating process behavior at a certain time point, batch losses or reprocessing can be prevented. Immediately after batch completion, all PSD and product temperature information (i.e., a batch progress fingerprint) was used to estimate some granule properties (density and flowability) at an early stage, which can improve batch release time. Individual PLS models relating the computed scores (X) of the reference PLS model (based on the 10 reference batches) and the density, respectively, flowabililty as Y-matrix, were developed. The scores of the 4 test batches were used to examine the predictive ability of the model. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of the length of the cycle on biodegradable polymer production and microbial community selection in a sequencing batch reactor.

PubMed

Dionisi, Davide; Majone, Mauro; Vallini, Giovanni; Gregorio, Simona Di; Beccari, Mario

2007-01-01

The effect of the length of the cycle on the enrichment and selection of mixed cultures in sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) has been studied, with the aim of biodegradable polymers (namely, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs)) production from organic wastes. At a fixed feed concentration (20 gCOD/L) and organic loading rate (20 gCOD/L/day), the SBR was operated at different lengths of the cycle, in the range 1-8 h. Process performance was measured by considering the rates and yields of polymer storage and of the competing phenomenon of growth. The selected biomass was enriched with microorganisms that were able to store PHAs at high rates and yields only when the length of the cycle was 2 or 4 h, even though in these conditions the process was unstable. On the other hand, when the length of the cycle was 1 or 8 h, the dynamic response of the selected microorganisms was dominated by growth. The best process performance was characterized by storage rates in the range 500-600 mgCOD/gCOD/h and storage yields of 0.45-0.55 COD/COD. The corresponding productivity of the process was in the range 0.25-0.30 gPHA/L/h, the highest values obtained until now for mixed cultures. The microbial composition of the selected biomasses was analyzed through denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and reverse-transcriptase denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (RT-DGGE). The instability of the runs characterized by high storage rate was associated with a higher microbial heterogeneity compared to the runs with a stable growth response.

Complete and simultaneous removal of ammonium and m-cresol in a nitrifying sequencing batch reactor.

PubMed

Zepeda, Alejandro; Ben-Youssef, Chérif; Rincón, Susana; Cuervo-López, Flor; Gómez, Jorge

2013-06-01

The kinetic behavior, oxidizing ability and tolerance to m-cresol of a nitrifying sludge exposed to different initial concentrations of m-cresol (0-150 mg C L(-1)) were evaluated in a sequencing batch reactor fed with 50 mg NH4 (+)-N L(-1) and operated during 4 months. Complete removal of ammonium and m-cresol was achieved independently of the initial concentration of aromatic compound in all the assays. Up to 25 mg m-cresol-C L(-1) (C/N ratio of 0.5), the nitrifying yield (Y-NO3 (-)) was 0.86 ± 0.05, indicating that the nitrate was the main product of the process; no biomass growth was detected. From 50 to 150 mg m-cresol-C L(-1) (1.0 ≤ C/N ≤ 3.0), simultaneous microbial growth and partial ammonium-to-nitrate conversion were obtained, reaching a maximum microbial total protein concentration of 0.763 g L(-1) (247 % of its initial value) and the lowest Y-NO3 (-) 0.53 ± 0.01 at 150 mg m-cresol-C L(-1). m-Cresol induced a significant decrease in the values of both specific rates of ammonium and nitrite oxidation, being the ammonium oxidation pathway the mainly inhibited. The nitrifying sludge was able to completely oxidize up to 150 mg m-cresol-C L(-1) by SBR cycle, reaching a maximum specific removal rate of 6.45 g m-cresol g(-1) microbial protein-N h(-1). The number of SBR cycles allowed a metabolic adaptation of the nitrifying consortium since nitrification inhibition decreased and faster oxidation of m-cresol took place throughout the cycles.

Biosolids accumulation and biodegradation of domestic wastewater treatment plant sludge by developed liquid state bioconversion process using a batch fermenter.

PubMed

Alam, Md Zahangir; Fakhru'l-Razi, A; Molla, Abul H

2003-09-01

The biosolids accumulation and biodegradation of domestic wastewater treatment plant (DWTP) sludge by filamentous fungi have been investigated in a batch fermenter. The filamentous fungi Aspergillus niger and Penicillium corylophilum isolated from wastewater and DWTP sludge was used to evaluate the treatment performance. The optimized mixed inoculum (A. niger and P. corylophilum) and developed process conditions (co-substrate and its concentration, temperature, initial pH, inoculum size, and aeration and agitation rate) were incorporated to accelerate the DWTP sludge treatment process. The results showed that microbial treatment of higher strength of DWTP sludge (4% w/w of TSS) was highly influenced by the liquid state bioconversion (LSB) process. In developed bioconversion processes, 93.8 g/kg of biosolids was enriched with fungal biomass protein of 30 g/kg. Enrichment of nutrients such as nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), potassium (K) in biosolids was recorded in 6.2% (w/w), 3.1% (w/w) and 0.15% (w/w) from its initial values of 4.8% (w/w), 2.0% (w/w) and 0.08% (w/w) respectively after 10 days of fungal treatment. The biodegradation results revealed that 98.8% of TSS, 98.2% of TDS, 97.3% of turbidity, 80.2% of soluble protein, 98.8% of reducing sugar and 92.7% of COD in treated DWTP sludge supernatant were removed after 8 days of microbial treatment. The specific resistance to filtration (SRF) in treated sludge (1.4x10(12) m/kg) was decreased tremendously by the microbial treatment of DWTP sludge after 6 days of fermentation compared to untreated sample (85x10(12) m/kg).

Degradation and adsorption of selected pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in agricultural soils.

PubMed

Xu, Jian; Wu, Laosheng; Chang, Andrew C

2009-11-01

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are emerging contaminants in the environment, which have drawn popular concerns recently. Most studies on the environmental fate of PPCPs have focused on their behaviors during wastewater treatment processes, in aquatic environments, and in the sludge, however, little is known about their behavior in agricultural soils. In this study, adsorption and degradation of six selected PPCPs, including clofibric acid, ibuprofen, naproxen, triclosan, diclofenac and bisphenol A have been investigated in the laboratory using four US agricultural soils associated with reclaimed wastewater reuse. Adsorption test using a batch equilibrium method demonstrated that adsorption of all tested chemicals in soils could be well described with Freundlich equation, and their adsorption affinity on soil followed the order of triclosan>bisphenol A>clofibric acid>naproxen>diclofenac>ibuprofen. Retardation factor (R(F)) suggested that ibuprofen had potential to move downward with percolating water, while triclosan and bisphenol A were readily retarded in soils. Degradation of selected PPCPs in soils generally followed first-order exponential decay kinetics, with half-lives ranging from 0.81 to 20.44 d. Degradation of PPCPs in soils appeared to be influenced by the soil organic matter and clay contents. Sterilization generally decreased the degradation rates, indicating microbial activity played a significant role in the degradation in soils. The degradation rate constant decreased with increasing initial chemical concentrations in soil, implying that the microbial activity was inhibited with high chemical loading levels.

Space Station Freedom ECLSS: A step toward autonomous regenerative life support systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dewberry, Brandon S.

1990-01-01

The Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) is a Freedom Station distributed system with inherent applicability to extensive automation primarily due to its comparatively long control system latencies. These allow longer contemplation times in which to form a more intelligent control strategy and to prevent and diagnose faults. The regenerative nature of the Space Station Freedom ECLSS will contribute closed loop complexities never before encountered in life support systems. A study to determine ECLSS automation approaches has been completed. The ECLSS baseline software and system processes could be augmented with more advanced fault management and regenerative control systems for a more autonomous evolutionary system, as well as serving as a firm foundation for future regenerative life support systems. Emerging advanced software technology and tools can be successfully applied to fault management, but a fully automated life support system will require research and development of regenerative control systems and models. The baseline Environmental Control and Life Support System utilizes ground tests in development of batch chemical and microbial control processes. Long duration regenerative life support systems will require more active chemical and microbial feedback control systems which, in turn, will require advancements in regenerative life support models and tools. These models can be verified using ground and on orbit life support test and operational data, and used in the engineering analysis of proposed intelligent instrumentation feedback and flexible process control technologies for future autonomous regenerative life support systems, including the evolutionary Space Station Freedom ECLSS.

Acceptance Test Data for Candidate AGR-5/6/7 TRISO Particle Batches BWXT Coater Batches 93165 93172 Defective IPyC Fraction and Pyrocarbon Anisotropy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Helmreich, Grant W.; Hunn, John D.; Skitt, Darren J.

2017-03-01

Coated particle fuel batches J52O-16-93165, 93166, 93168, 93169, 93170, and 93172 were produced by Babcock and Wilcox Technologies (BWXT) for possible selection as fuel for the Advanced Gas Reactor Fuel Development and Qualification (AGR) Program’s AGR-5/6/7 irradiation test in the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). Some of these batches may alternately be used as demonstration coated particle fuel for other experiments. Each batch was coated in a 150-mm-diameter production-scale fluidized-bed chemical vapor deposition (CVD) furnace. Tristructural isotropic (TRISO) coatings were deposited on 425-μm-nominal-diameter spherical kernels from BWXT lot J52R-16-69317 containing a mixture of 15.5%-enriched uranium carbide andmore » uranium oxide (UCO). The TRISO coatings consisted of four consecutive CVD layers: a ~50% dense carbon buffer layer with 100-μm-nominal thickness, a dense inner pyrolytic carbon (IPyC) layer with 40-μm-nominal thickness, a silicon carbide (SiC) layer with 35-μm-nominal thickness, and a dense outer pyrolytic carbon (OPyC) layer with 40-μmnominal thickness. The TRISO-coated particle batches were sieved to upgrade the particles by removing over-sized and under-sized material, and the upgraded batches were designated by appending the letter A to the end of the batch number (e.g., 93165A).« less

Secondary mineral formation associated with respiration of nontronite, NAu-1 by iron reducing bacteria

PubMed Central

O'Reilly, S Erin; Watkins, Janet; Furukawa, Yoko

2005-01-01

Experimental batch and miscible-flow cultures were studied in order to determine the mechanistic pathways of microbial Fe(III) respiration in ferruginous smectite clay, NAu-1. The primary purpose was to resolve if alteration of smectite and release of Fe precedes microbial respiration. Alteration of NAu-1, represented by the morphological and mineralogical changes, occurred regardless of the extent of microbial Fe(III) reduction in all of our experimental systems, including those that contained heat-killed bacteria and those in which O2, rather than Fe(III), was the primary terminal electron acceptor. The solid alteration products observed under transmission electron microscopy included poorly crystalline smectite with diffuse electron diffraction signals, discrete grains of Fe-free amorphous aluminosilicate with increased Al/Si ratio, Fe-rich grains, and amorphous Si globules in the immediate vicinity of bacterial cells and extracellular polymeric substances. In reducing systems, Fe was also found as siderite. The small amount of Fe partitioned to the aqueous phase was primarily in the form of dissolved Fe(III) species even in the systems in which Fe(III) was the primary terminal electron acceptor for microbial respiration. From these observations, we conclude that microbial respiration of Fe(III) in our laboratory systems proceeded through the following: (1) alteration of NAu-1 and concurrent release of Fe(III) from the octahedral sheets of NAu-1; and (2) subsequent microbial respiration of Fe(III).

Effects of carbon-to-sulfur (C/S) ratio and nitrate (N) dosage on Denitrifying Sulfur cycle-associated Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal (DS-EBPR)

PubMed Central

Yu, Mei; Lu, Hui; Wu, Di; Zhao, Qing; Meng, Fangang; Wang, Yudan; Hao, Xiaodi; Chen, Guang-Hao

2016-01-01

In this study, the Denitrifying Sulfur cycle-associated Enhanced Biological Phosphorous Removal (DS-EBPR) with 20 mg P/L/d of the volumetric P removal rate was successfully achieved in a Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR). The effects of carbon-to-sulfur (C/S) mass ratio and nitrate (N) dosage were investigated through two batch tests to reveal the role of wastewater compositions in DS-EBPR performance. The optimal specific P release and uptake rates (0.4 and 2.4 mg P/g VSS/h, respectively) were achieved at C/S/P/N mass ratio of 150/200/20/20, and poly-S is supplied as a potential electron and energy storage. The nitrate dosage in a range of 10–50 mg N/L had no significant influence on P uptake rates (2.1 ~ 2.4 mg P/g VSS/h), but significantly affected the storage of inclusion poly-S, the poly-S oxidation rate was increased about 16% while dosing nitrate from 20 to 30 mg N/L. It implies that nitrate is denitrified in the P uptake phase, and excess nitrate is further consumed by poly-S. Moreover, the microbial analysis showed that the functional bacteria should mostly belong to denitrifying bacteria or Unclassified genera. PMID:26983801

Design of neural network model-based controller in a fed-batch microbial electrolysis cell reactor for bio-hydrogen gas production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azwar; Hussain, M. A.; Abdul-Wahab, A. K.; Zanil, M. F.; Mukhlishien

2018-03-01

One of major challenge in bio-hydrogen production process by using MEC process is nonlinear and highly complex system. This is mainly due to the presence of microbial interactions and highly complex phenomena in the system. Its complexity makes MEC system difficult to operate and control under optimal conditions. Thus, precise control is required for the MEC reactor, so that the amount of current required to produce hydrogen gas can be controlled according to the composition of the substrate in the reactor. In this work, two schemes for controlling the current and voltage of MEC were evaluated. The controllers evaluated are PID and Inverse neural network (NN) controller. The comparative study has been carried out under optimal condition for the production of bio-hydrogen gas wherein the controller output is based on the correlation of optimal current and voltage to the MEC. Various simulation tests involving multiple set-point changes and disturbances rejection have been evaluated and the performances of both controllers are discussed. The neural network-based controller results in fast response time and less overshoots while the offset effects are minimal. In conclusion, the Inverse neural network (NN)-based controllers provide better control performance for the MEC system compared to the PID controller.

The effect of malathion on the activity, performance, and microbial ecology of activated sludge

PubMed Central

Rauglas, Erik; Martin, Seth; Bailey, Kandace; Magnuson, Matthew; Phillips, Rebecca; Harper, Willie F.

2018-01-01

This study evaluated the effect of a VX (O-ethyl S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl] methylphosphonothioate) surrogate (malathion) on the activity, performance, and ecology of activated sludge bioreactors. In the presence of malathion, the maximum observed respiration rates varied between 43 and 53 μg/O2 min, generally similar to the 49 μg O2/min rates observed in controls. Malathion did not alter the respiration ratio of O2 consumed-to-CO2 produced nor did it impact the shape of the oxygen consumption curves during respirometry. Shorter term (12 h) batch tests showed that both chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia removal were not negatively impacted by the presence of 0.1–3 mg/L malathion. Longer term continuous addition (i.e. 40 days) of 0.1 mg/L of malathion also had no effect on COD and ammonia removal. In contrast to shorter term exposures, longer term continuous addition of 3 mg/L of malathion negatively impacted both COD and nitrogen removal and was associated with shifts in the abundance of species that are common to activated sludge. These results illustrate the impact that chemicals like malathion may have on COD removal, and nitrification, as well as the robustness of activated sludge microbial communities. PMID:27594690

In vitro characterisation of the fermentation profile and prebiotic capacity of gold-fleshed kiwifruit.

PubMed

Blatchford, P; Bentley-Hewitt, K L; Stoklosinski, H; McGhie, T; Gearry, R; Gibson, G; Ansell, J

2015-01-01

A new Actinidia chinensis gold-fleshed kiwifruit cultivar 'Zesy002' was tested to investigate whether it could positively modulate the composition of the human colonic microbiota. Digested Zesy002 kiwifruit was added to in vitro pH-controlled anaerobic batch fermenters that were inoculated with representative human faecal microbiota. Alterations to the gut microbial ecology were determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metabolic end products were measured using gas chromatography and liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry. Results indicated a substantial shift in the composition of bacteria within the gut models caused by kiwifruit supplementation. Zesy002 supplemented microbiota had a significantly higher abundance of Bacteroides spp., Parabacteroides spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. after 48 h of fermentation compared with the start of the fermentation. Organic acids from kiwifruit were able to endure simulated gastrointestinal digestion and were detectable in the first 10 h of fermentation. The fermentable carbohydrates were converted to beneficial organic acids with a particular predilection for propionate production, corresponding with the rise in Bacteroides spp. and Parabacteroides spp. These results support the claim that Zesy002 kiwifruit non-digestible fractions can effect favourable changes to the human colonic microbial community and primary metabolites, and demonstrate a hitherto unknown effect of Zesy002 on colonic microbiota under in vitro conditions.

Electrokinetic transport of aerobic microorganisms under low-strength electric fields.

PubMed

Maillacheruvu, Krishnanand Y; Chinchoud, Preethi R

2011-01-01

To investigate the feasibility of utilizing low strength electric fields to transport commonly available mixed cultures such as those from an activated sludge process, bench scale batch reactor studies were conducted in sand and sandy loam soils. A readily biodegradable substrate, dextrose, was used to test the activity of the transported microorganisms. Electric field strengths of 7V, 10.5V, and 14V were used. Results from this investigation showed that an electric field strength of 0.46 Volts per cm was sufficient to transport activated sludge microorganisms across a sandy loam soil across a distance of about 8 cm in 72 h. More importantly, the electrokinetically transported microbial culture remained active and viable after the transport process and was biodegrade 44% of the dextrose in the soil medium. Electrokinetic treatment without microorganisms resulted in removal of 37% and the absence of any treatment yielded a removal of about 15%.

A new dual-collimation batch reactor for determination of ultraviolet inactivation rate constants for microorganisms in aqueous suspensions

PubMed Central

Martin, Stephen B.; Schauer, Elizabeth S.; Blum, David H.; Kremer, Paul A.; Bahnfleth, William P.; Freihaut, James D.

2017-01-01

We developed, characterized, and tested a new dual-collimation aqueous UV reactor to improve the accuracy and consistency of aqueous k-value determinations. This new system is unique because it collimates UV energy from a single lamp in two opposite directions. The design provides two distinct advantages over traditional single-collimation systems: 1) real-time UV dose (fluence) determination; and 2) simple actinometric determination of a reactor factor that relates measured irradiance levels to actual irradiance levels experienced by the microbial suspension. This reactor factor replaces three of the four typical correction factors required for single-collimation reactors. Using this dual-collimation reactor, Bacillus subtilis spores demonstrated inactivation following the classic multi-hit model with k = 0.1471 cm2/mJ (with 95% confidence bounds of 0.1426 to 0.1516). PMID:27498232

Exploring the potential of fungi for methane abatement: Performance evaluation of a fungal-bacterial biofilter.

PubMed

Lebrero, Raquel; López, Juan Carlos; Lehtinen, Iiro; Pérez, Rebeca; Quijano, Guillermo; Muñoz, Raúl

2016-02-01

Despite several fungal strains have been retrieved from methane-containing environments, the actual capacity and role of fungi on methane abatement is still unclear. The batch biodegradation tests here performed demonstrated the capacity of Graphium sp. to co-metabolically biodegrade methane and methanol. Moreover, the performance and microbiology of a fungal-bacterial compost biofilter treating methane at concentrations of ∼2% was evaluated at empty bed residence times of 40 and 20 min under different irrigation rates. The daily addition of 200 mL of mineral medium resulted in elimination capacities of 36.6 ± 0.7 g m(-3) h(-1) and removal efficiencies of ≈90% at the lowest residence time. The indigenous fungal community of the compost was predominant in the final microbial population and outcompeted the inoculated Graphium sp. during biofilter operation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of remediation amendments on vadose zone microorganisms

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, Hannah M.; Tilton, Fred A.

2012-08-10

Surfactant-based foam delivery technology has been studied to remediate Hanford 200 area deep vadose zone sediment. However, the surfactants and remediation amendments have an unknown effect on indigenous subsurface microorganisms. Microbial populations are important factors to consider in remediation efforts due to their potential to alter soil geochemistry. This project focuses on measuring microbial metabolic responses to remediation amendments in batch and column studies using Deep Vadose Zone Sediments. Initial studies of the microbes from Hanford 200 area deep vadose zone sediment showed surfactants sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) and remediation amendment calcium polysulfide (CPS) had nomore » affect on microbial growth using BiologTM Ecoplates. To move towards a more realistic field analog, soil columns were packed with Hanford 200 Area sediment. Once microbial growth in the column was verified by observing growth of the effluent solution on tryptic soy agar plates, remedial surfactants were injected into the columns, and the resulting metabolic diversity was measured. Results suggest surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) stimulates microbial growth. The soil columns were also visualized using X-ray microtomography to inspect soil packing and possibly probe for evidence of biofilms. Overall, BiologTM Ecoplates provide a rapid assay to predict effects of remediation amendments on Hanford 200 area deep vadose zone microorganisms.« less

Microbial anodic consortia fed with fermentable substrates in microbial electrolysis cells: Significance of microbial structures.

PubMed

Flayac, Clément; Trably, Eric; Bernet, Nicolas

2018-05-28

Microbial community structure of anodic biofilms plays a key role in bioelectrochemical systems (BESs). When ecosystems are used as inocula, many bacterial species having interconnected ecological interactions are present. The aim of the present study was to identify these interactions for the conversion of single substrates into electrical current. Dual-chamber reactors were inoculated with activated sludge and fed in batch mode with acetate, lactate, butyrate and propionate at 80 mMe - equivalents in quadruplicate. Analyses of biofilms and planktonic microbial communities showed that the anodic biofilms were mainly dominated by the Geobacter genus (62.4% of the total sequences). At the species level, Geobacter sulfurreducens was dominant in presence of lactate and acetate, while Geobacter toluenoxydans and Geobacter pelophilus were dominant with butyrate and propionate as substrates. These results indicate for the first time a specificity within the Geobacter genus towards the electron donor, suggesting a competitive process for electrode colonization and the implementations of syntrophic interactions for complete oxidation of substrates such as propionate and butyrate. All together, these results provide a new insight into the ecological relationships within electroactive biofilms and suggest eco-engineering perspectives to improve the performances of BESs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Link between microbial composition and carbon substrate-uptake preferences in a PHA-storing community

PubMed Central

Albuquerque, Maria G E; Carvalho, Gilda; Kragelund, Caroline; Silva, Ana F; Barreto Crespo, Maria T; Reis, Maria A M; Nielsen, Per H

2013-01-01

The microbial community of a fermented molasses-fed sequencing batch reactor (SBR) operated under feast and famine conditions for production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) was identified and quantified through a 16 S rRNA gene clone library and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The microbial enrichment was found to be composed of PHA-storing populations (84% of the microbial community), comprising members of the genera Azoarcus, Thauera and Paracoccus. The dominant PHA-storing populations ensured the high functional stability of the system (characterized by high PHA-storage efficiency, up to 60% PHA content). The fermented molasses contained primarily acetate, propionate, butyrate and valerate. The substrate preferences were determined by microautoradiography-FISH and differences in the substrate-uptake capabilities for the various probe-defined populations were found. The results showed that in the presence of multiple substrates, microbial populations specialized in different substrates were selected, thereby co-existing in the SBR by adapting to different niches. Azoarcus and Thauera, primarily consumed acetate and butyrate, respectively. Paracoccus consumed a broader range of substrates and had a higher cell-specific substrate uptake. The relative species composition and their substrate specialization were reflected in the substrate removal rates of different volatile fatty acids in the SBR reactor. PMID:22810062

Experimentally simulated global warming and nitrogen enrichment effects on microbial litter decomposers in a marsh.

PubMed

Flury, Sabine; Gessner, Mark O

2011-02-01

Atmospheric warming and increased nitrogen deposition can lead to changes of microbial communities with possible consequences for biogeochemical processes. We used an enclosure facility in a freshwater marsh to assess the effects on microbes associated with decomposing plant litter under conditions of simulated climate warming and pulsed nitrogen supply. Standard batches of litter were placed in coarse-mesh and fine-mesh bags and submerged in a series of heated, nitrogen-enriched, and control enclosures. They were retrieved later and analyzed for a range of microbial parameters. Fingerprinting profiles obtained by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) indicated that simulated global warming induced a shift in bacterial community structure. In addition, warming reduced fungal biomass, whereas bacterial biomass was unaffected. The mesh size of the litter bags and sampling date also had an influence on bacterial community structure, with the apparent number of dominant genotypes increasing from spring to summer. Microbial respiration was unaffected by any treatment, and nitrogen enrichment had no clear effect on any of the microbial parameters considered. Overall, these results suggest that microbes associated with decomposing plant litter in nutrient-rich freshwater marshes are resistant to extra nitrogen supplies but are likely to respond to temperature increases projected for this century.

A new statistic for identifying batch effects in high-throughput genomic data that uses guided principal component analysis.

PubMed

Reese, Sarah E; Archer, Kellie J; Therneau, Terry M; Atkinson, Elizabeth J; Vachon, Celine M; de Andrade, Mariza; Kocher, Jean-Pierre A; Eckel-Passow, Jeanette E

2013-11-15

Batch effects are due to probe-specific systematic variation between groups of samples (batches) resulting from experimental features that are not of biological interest. Principal component analysis (PCA) is commonly used as a visual tool to determine whether batch effects exist after applying a global normalization method. However, PCA yields linear combinations of the variables that contribute maximum variance and thus will not necessarily detect batch effects if they are not the largest source of variability in the data. We present an extension of PCA to quantify the existence of batch effects, called guided PCA (gPCA). We describe a test statistic that uses gPCA to test whether a batch effect exists. We apply our proposed test statistic derived using gPCA to simulated data and to two copy number variation case studies: the first study consisted of 614 samples from a breast cancer family study using Illumina Human 660 bead-chip arrays, whereas the second case study consisted of 703 samples from a family blood pressure study that used Affymetrix SNP Array 6.0. We demonstrate that our statistic has good statistical properties and is able to identify significant batch effects in two copy number variation case studies. We developed a new statistic that uses gPCA to identify whether batch effects exist in high-throughput genomic data. Although our examples pertain to copy number data, gPCA is general and can be used on other data types as well. The gPCA R package (Available via CRAN) provides functionality and data to perform the methods in this article. reesese@vcu.edu

Arabinoxylo-Oligosaccharides and Inulin Impact Inter-Individual Variation on Microbial Metabolism and Composition, Which Immunomodulates Human Cells.

PubMed

Van den Abbeele, Pieter; Taminiau, Bernard; Pinheiro, Iris; Duysburgh, Cindy; Jacobs, Heidi; Pijls, Loek; Marzorati, Massimo

2018-02-07

Fecal batch fermentations coupled to cocultures of epithelial cells and macrophages were used to compare how arabinoxylo-oligosaccharides (AXOS) and inulin modulate gut microbial activity and composition of three different human donors and subsequently the epithelial permeability and immune response. Both inulin and AXOS decreased the pH during incubation (-1.5 pH units), leading to increased productions of acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Differences in terms of metabolites production could be linked to specific microbial alterations at genus level upon inulin/AXOS supplementation (i.e., Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, Prevotella and unclassified Erysipelotrichaceae), as shown by 16S-targeted Illumina sequencing. Both products stimulated gut barrier and immune function with increases in TEER, NF-KB, IL-10, and IL-6. Ingredients with different structures selectively modulate the microbiota of a specific donor leading to differential changes at metabolic level. The extent of this effect is donor specific and is linked to a final specific modulation of the host's immune system.

Evaluation of Laminaria-based microbial fuel cells (LbMs) for electricity production.

PubMed

Gadhamshetty, Venkataramana; Belanger, Derek; Gardiner, Carly-Jeanne; Cummings, Anasha; Hynes, Anne

2013-01-01

Marine algae represents a sustainable feedstock in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) due to its low water and energy requirements for cultivation, higher capacity to sequester carbondioxide, and high carbohydrate content. Two-compartment MFCs were evaluated under batch-fed mode using Laminaria saccharina as the model for algae-based electron donor, and mixed microbial consortia as the biocatalyst, in the anode compartment. The Laminaria-based MFCs (LBMs) were studied with three different pretreatment conditions for the L. saccharina: (i) autoclaving (Auto), (ii) microwave irradiation (Micro), and (iii) as received treatment (No-Treat). A control was setup to establish base line performance for two-compartment MFCs using glucose as the electron donor in the anode. The performance of LBMs (250 mW/m(2) and 900 mA/m(2)) was on par with glucose-based MFCs. AC impedance analysis revealed that the charge transfer resistance was at least 50-fold higher than the corresponding ohmic losses in both LBMs and glucose-based MFCs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of phenol on the nitrogen removal performance and microbial community structure and composition of an anammox reactor.

PubMed

Pereira, Alyne Duarte; Leal, Cíntia Dutra; Dias, Marcela França; Etchebehere, Claudia; Chernicharo, Carlos Augusto L; de Araújo, Juliana Calabria

2014-08-01

The effects of phenol on the nitrogen removal performance of a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) with anammox activity and on the microbial community within the reactor were evaluated. A phenol concentration of 300 mg L(-1) reduced the ammonium-nitrogen removal efficiency of the SBR from 96.5% to 47%. The addition of phenol changed the microbial community structure and composition considerably, as shown by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and 454 pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes. Some phyla, such as Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, and Firmicutes, increased in abundance, whereas others, such as Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Planctomycetes, GN04, WS3, and NKB19, decreased. The diversity of the anammox bacteria was also affected by phenol: sequences related to Candidatus Brocadia fulgida were no longer detected, whereas sequences related to Ca. Brocadia sp. 40 and Ca. Jettenia asiatica persisted. These results indicate that phenol adversely affects anammox metabolism and changes the bacterial community within the anammox reactor. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical and microbial changes during autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion (ATAD) of sewage sludge.

PubMed

Liu, Shugen; Song, Fanyong; Zhu, Nanwen; Yuan, Haiping; Cheng, Jiehong

2010-12-01

Autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion (ATAD) is a promising process for sewage sludge stabilization. Batch experiments were conducted on sewage sludge collected from a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Shanghai, China, to evaluate the effectiveness of the ATAD system by determining changes in volatile suspended solids (VSSs) and to study its microbial diversity by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of 16S rRNA gene sequences amplified by PCR. The digestion system achieved rapid degradation of the organic substrate at 55 degrees C. The VSS was removed by up to 45.3% and 50.4% at 216 h and 264 h, respectively, while NH(4)(+)-N, chemical oxidation demand and total organic carbon of supernatant as well as total nitrogen did not exhibit obvious declines after 168 h. The microbial diversity changed during the thermophilic process as thermophiles belonging to the Hydrogenophilaceae, Thermotogaceae, Clostridiaceae and the genus Ureibacillus replaced less temperature-tolerant microorganisms such as Sphingobacteriaceae and the genus Trichococcus. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High throughput automated microbial bioreactor system used for clone selection and rapid scale-down process optimization.

PubMed

Velez-Suberbie, M Lourdes; Betts, John P J; Walker, Kelly L; Robinson, Colin; Zoro, Barney; Keshavarz-Moore, Eli

2018-01-01

High throughput automated fermentation systems have become a useful tool in early bioprocess development. In this study, we investigated a 24 x 15 mL single use microbioreactor system, ambr 15f, designed for microbial culture. We compared the fed-batch growth and production capabilities of this system for two Escherichia coli strains, BL21 (DE3) and MC4100, and two industrially relevant molecules, hGH and scFv. In addition, different carbon sources were tested using bolus, linear or exponential feeding strategies, showing the capacity of the ambr 15f system to handle automated feeding. We used power per unit volume (P/V) as a scale criterion to compare the ambr 15f with 1 L stirred bioreactors which were previously scaled-up to 20 L with a different biological system, thus showing a potential 1,300 fold scale comparability in terms of both growth and product yield. By exposing the cells grown in the ambr 15f system to a level of shear expected in an industrial centrifuge, we determined that the cells are as robust as those from a bench scale bioreactor. These results provide evidence that the ambr 15f system is an efficient high throughput microbial system that can be used for strain and molecule selection as well as rapid scale-up. © 2017 The Authors Biotechnology Progress published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 34:58-68, 2018. © 2017 The Authors Biotechnology Progress published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

"RCL-Pooling Assay": A Simplified Method for the Detection of Replication-Competent Lentiviruses in Vector Batches Using Sequential Pooling.

PubMed

Corre, Guillaume; Dessainte, Michel; Marteau, Jean-Brice; Dalle, Bruno; Fenard, David; Galy, Anne

2016-02-01

Nonreplicative recombinant HIV-1-derived lentiviral vectors (LV) are increasingly used in gene therapy of various genetic diseases, infectious diseases, and cancer. Before they are used in humans, preparations of LV must undergo extensive quality control testing. In particular, testing of LV must demonstrate the absence of replication-competent lentiviruses (RCL) with suitable methods, on representative fractions of vector batches. Current methods based on cell culture are challenging because high titers of vector batches translate into high volumes of cell culture to be tested in RCL assays. As vector batch size and titers are continuously increasing because of the improvement of production and purification methods, it became necessary for us to modify the current RCL assay based on the detection of p24 in cultures of indicator cells. Here, we propose a practical optimization of this method using a pairwise pooling strategy enabling easier testing of higher vector inoculum volumes. These modifications significantly decrease material handling and operator time, leading to a cost-effective method, while maintaining optimal sensibility of the RCL testing. This optimized "RCL-pooling assay" ameliorates the feasibility of the quality control of large-scale batches of clinical-grade LV while maintaining the same sensitivity.

Leaching Behavior Of Mineral Processing Waste: Comparison Of Batch And Column Investigations

EPA Science Inventory

In this study, a comparison of laboratory batch and column experiments on metal release profile from a mineral processing waste (MPW) is presented. Batch (equilibrium) and column (dynamic) leaching tests were conducted on ground MPW at different liquid–solid ratios (LS) to determ...

Continuous flow operation with appropriately adjusting composites in influent for recovery of Cr(VI), Cu(II) and Cd(II) in self-driven MFC-MEC system.

PubMed

Li, Ming; Pan, Yuzhen; Huang, Liping; Zhang, Yong; Yang, Jinhui

2017-03-01

A self-driven microbial fuel cell (MFC) - microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) system, where electricity generated from MFCs is in situ utilized for powering MECs, has been previously reported for recovering Cr(VI), Cu(II) and Cd(II) with individual metals fed in different units of the system in batch operation. Here it was advanced with treating synthetic mixed metals' solution at appropriately adjusting composites in fed-batch and continuous flow operations for complete separation of Cr(VI), Cu(II) and Cd(II) from each other. Under an optimal condition of hydraulic residence time of 4 h, matching of two serially connected MFCs with one MEC, and fed with a composite of either 5 mg L -1 Cr(VI), 1 mg L -1 Cu(II) and 5 mg L -1 Cd(II), or 1 mg L -1 Cr(VI), 5 mg L -1 Cu(II) and 5 mg L -1 Cd(II), the self-driven MFC-MEC system can completely and sequentially recover Cu(II), Cr(VI) and Cd(II) from mixed metals. This study provides a true sustainable and zero-energy-consumed approach of using bioelectrochemical systems for completely recovering and separating Cr(VI), Cu(II) and Cd(II) from each other or from wastes or contaminated sites.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate accumulation ability and associated microbial community in activated sludge-derived acetate-fed microbial cultures enriched under different temperature and pH conditions.

PubMed

Inoue, Daisuke; Suzuki, Yuta; Sawada, Kazuko; Sei, Kazunari

2018-03-01

The influence of temperature and pH during enrichment on the polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) accumulation ability and composition of PHA-accumulating microorganisms (PHAAMOs) in enrichment cultures was investigated. Enrichment of PHAAMOs from activated sludge was conducted in acetate-fed sequencing batch reactors using a feast-famine regime under different temperature (20°C, 28°C, and 36°C) and pH (controlled at 7.2 or not) conditions. PHA accumulation ability, which was evaluated in nitrogen- and phosphorus-deficient 24-h single-batch cultures, was greatly enhanced by enrichment, irrespective of the temperature and pH. Enrichment at 20°C or 28°C and without pH control seemed most appropriate for strong PHA accumulation. Analyses of the PHAAMO composition by the clone library method targeting phaC genes, which encode the class I and II PHA synthases, revealed that Burkholderiales were the dominant PHAAMOs in the seed sludge, while Rhodocyclales, specifically Azoarcus spp. and Thauera spp., were dominant after enrichment without pH control, showing a strong ability to accumulate PHA. The results indicated that Azoarcus spp. and Thauera spp. are key PHAAMOs in an enrichment culture based on the feast-famine method, with high PHA accumulation ability. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Breeding Strategy To Generate Robust Yeast Starter Cultures for Cocoa Pulp Fermentations

PubMed Central

Meersman, Esther; Steensels, Jan; Paulus, Tinneke; Struyf, Nore; Saels, Veerle; Mathawan, Melissa; Koffi, Jean; Vrancken, Gino

2015-01-01

Cocoa pulp fermentation is a spontaneous process during which the natural microbiota present at cocoa farms is allowed to ferment the pulp surrounding cocoa beans. Because such spontaneous fermentations are inconsistent and contribute to product variability, there is growing interest in a microbial starter culture that could be used to inoculate cocoa pulp fermentations. Previous studies have revealed that many different fungi are recovered from different batches of spontaneous cocoa pulp fermentations, whereas the variation in the prokaryotic microbiome is much more limited. In this study, therefore, we aimed to develop a suitable yeast starter culture that is able to outcompete wild contaminants and consistently produce high-quality chocolate. Starting from specifically selected Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, we developed robust hybrids with characteristics that allow them to efficiently ferment cocoa pulp, including improved temperature tolerance and fermentation capacity. We conducted several laboratory and field trials to show that these new hybrids often outperform their parental strains and are able to dominate spontaneous pilot scale fermentations, which results in much more consistent microbial profiles. Moreover, analysis of the resulting chocolate showed that some of the cocoa batches that were fermented with specific starter cultures yielded superior chocolate. Taken together, these results describe the development of robust yeast starter cultures for cocoa pulp fermentations that can contribute to improving the consistency and quality of commercial chocolate production. PMID:26150457

Effects of selected pharmaceutically active compounds on treatment performance in sequencing batch reactors mimicking wastewater treatment plants operations.

PubMed

Wang, Shuyi; Gunsch, Claudia K

2011-05-01

The impact of four pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) introduced both individually and in mixtures was ascertained on the performance of laboratory-scale wastewater treatment sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). When introduced individually at concentrations of 0.1, 1 and 10 μM, no significant differences were observed with respect to chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia removal. Microbial community analyses reveal that although similarity index values generally decreased over time with an increase in PhAC concentrations as compared to the controls, no major microbial community shifts were observed for total bacteria and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) communities. However, when some PhACs were introduced in mixtures, they were found to both inhibit nitrification and alter AOB community structure. Ammonia removal decreased by up to 45% in the presence of 0.25 μM gemfibrozil and 0.75 μM naproxen. PhAC mixtures did not however affect COD removal performance suggesting that heterotrophic bacteria are more robust to PhACs than AOB. These results highlight that the joint action of PhACs in mixtures may have significantly different effects on nitrification than the individual PhACs. This phenomenon should be further investigated with a wider range of PhACs so that toxicity effects can more accurately be predicted. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Breeding Strategy To Generate Robust Yeast Starter Cultures for Cocoa Pulp Fermentations.

PubMed

Meersman, Esther; Steensels, Jan; Paulus, Tinneke; Struyf, Nore; Saels, Veerle; Mathawan, Melissa; Koffi, Jean; Vrancken, Gino; Verstrepen, Kevin J

2015-09-01

Cocoa pulp fermentation is a spontaneous process during which the natural microbiota present at cocoa farms is allowed to ferment the pulp surrounding cocoa beans. Because such spontaneous fermentations are inconsistent and contribute to product variability, there is growing interest in a microbial starter culture that could be used to inoculate cocoa pulp fermentations. Previous studies have revealed that many different fungi are recovered from different batches of spontaneous cocoa pulp fermentations, whereas the variation in the prokaryotic microbiome is much more limited. In this study, therefore, we aimed to develop a suitable yeast starter culture that is able to outcompete wild contaminants and consistently produce high-quality chocolate. Starting from specifically selected Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, we developed robust hybrids with characteristics that allow them to efficiently ferment cocoa pulp, including improved temperature tolerance and fermentation capacity. We conducted several laboratory and field trials to show that these new hybrids often outperform their parental strains and are able to dominate spontaneous pilot scale fermentations, which results in much more consistent microbial profiles. Moreover, analysis of the resulting chocolate showed that some of the cocoa batches that were fermented with specific starter cultures yielded superior chocolate. Taken together, these results describe the development of robust yeast starter cultures for cocoa pulp fermentations that can contribute to improving the consistency and quality of commercial chocolate production. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Comparison of some characteristics of aerobic granules and sludge flocs from sequencing batch reactors.

PubMed

Li, J; Garny, K; Neu, T; He, M; Lindenblatt, C; Horn, H

2007-01-01

Physical, chemical and biological characteristics were investigated for aerobic granules and sludge flocs from three laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). One reactor was operated as normal SBR (N-SBR) and two reactors were operated as granular SBRs (G-SBR1 and G-SBR2). G-SBR1 was inoculated with activated sludge and G-SBR2 with granules from the municipal wastewater plant in Garching (Germany). The following major parameters and functions were measured and compared between the three reactors: morphology, settling velocity, specific gravity (SG), sludge volume index (SVI), specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR), distribution of the volume fraction of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and bacteria, organic carbon and nitrogen removal. Compared with sludge flocs, granular sludge had excellent settling properties, good solid-liquid separation, high biomass concentration, simultaneous nitrification and denitrification. Aerobic granular sludge does not have a higher microbial activity and there are some problems including higher effluent suspended solids, lower ratio of VSS/SS and no nitrification at the beginning of cultivation. Measurement with CLSM and additional image analysis showed that EPS glycoconjugates build one main fraction inside the granules. The aerobic granules from G-SBR1 prove to be heavier, smaller and have a higher microbial activity compared with G-SBR2. Furthermore, the granules were more compact, with lower SVI and less filamentous bacteria.

Proliferation of antibiotic resistance genes in microbial consortia of sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) upon exposure to trace erythromycin or erythromycin-H2O.

PubMed

Fan, Caian; He, Jianzhong

2011-05-01

A variety of antibiotics and their metabolites at sub-inhibitory level concentrations are suspected to expand resistance genes in the environment. However, knowledge is limited on the causal correlation of trace antibiotics or their metabolites with resistance proliferation. In this study, erythromycin (ERY) resistance genes were screened on microbial consortia of sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) after one year acclimation to ERY (100 μg/L) or dehydrated erythromycin (ERY-H(2)O, 50 μg/L). The identified esterase gene ereA explains that ERY could be degraded to six products by microbes acclimated to ERY (100 μg/L). However, ERY could not be degraded by microbes acclimated to ERY-H(2)O (50 μg/L), which may be due to the less proliferated ereA gene. Biodegradation of ERY required the presence of exogenous carbon source (e.g., glucose) and nutrients (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus) for assimilation, but overdosed ammonium-N (>40 mg/L) inhibited degradation of ERY. Zoogloea, a kind of biofilm formation bacteria, became predominant in the ERY degradation consortia, suggesting that the input of ERY could induce biofilm resistance to antibiotics. Our study highlights that lower μg/L level of ERY or ERY-H(2)O in the environment encourages expansion of resistance genes in microbes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Temperature and nutrients as drivers of microbially mediated arsenic oxidation and removal from acid mine drainage.

PubMed

Tardy, Vincent; Casiot, Corinne; Fernandez-Rojo, Lidia; Resongles, Eléonore; Desoeuvre, Angélique; Joulian, Catherine; Battaglia-Brunet, Fabienne; Héry, Marina

2018-03-01

Microbial oxidation of iron (Fe) and arsenic (As) followed by their co-precipitation leads to the natural attenuation of these elements in As-rich acid mine drainage (AMD). The parameters driving the activity and diversity of bacterial communities responsible for this mitigation remain poorly understood. We conducted batch experiments to investigate the effect of temperature (20 vs 35 °C) and nutrient supply on the rate of Fe and As oxidation and precipitation, the bacterial diversity (high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene), and the As oxidation potential (quantification of aioA gene) in AMD from the Carnoulès mine (France). In batch incubated at 20 °C, the dominance of iron-oxidizing bacteria related to Gallionella spp. was associated with almost complete iron oxidation (98%). However, negligible As oxidation led to the formation of As(III)-rich precipitates. Incubation at 35 °C and nutrient supply both stimulated As oxidation (71-75%), linked to a higher abundance of aioA gene and the dominance of As-oxidizing bacteria related to Thiomonas spp. As a consequence, As(V)-rich precipitates (70-98% of total As) were produced. Our results highlight strong links between indigenous bacterial community composition and iron and arsenic removal efficiency within AMD and provide new insights for the future development of a biological treatment of As-rich AMD.

Biohydrogen production from enzymatic hydrolysis of food waste in batch and continuous systems

PubMed Central

Han, Wei; Yan, Yingting; Shi, Yiwen; Gu, Jingjing; Tang, Junhong; Zhao, Hongting

2016-01-01

In this study, the feasibility of biohydrogen production from enzymatic hydrolysis of food waste was investigated. Food waste (solid-to-liquid ratio of 10%, w/v) was first hydrolyzed by commercial glucoamylase to release glucose (24.35 g/L) in the food waste hydrolysate. Then, the obtained food waste hydrolysate was used as substrate for biohydrogen production in the batch and continuous (continuous stirred tank reactor, CSTR) systems. It was observed that the maximum cumulative hydrogen production of 5850 mL was achieved with a yield of 245.7 mL hydrogen/g glucose (1.97 mol hydrogen/mol glucose) in the batch system. In the continuous system, the effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT) on biohydrogen production from food waste hydrolysate was investigated. The optimal HRT obtained from this study was 6 h with the highest hydrogen production rate of 8.02 mmol/(h·L). Ethanol and acetate were the major soluble microbial products with low propionate production at all HRTs. Enzymatic hydrolysis of food waste could effectively accelerate hydrolysis speed, improve substrate utilization rate and increase hydrogen yield. PMID:27910937

Ready-to-eat vegetables production with low-level water chlorination. An evaluation of water quality, and of its impact on end products.

PubMed

D'Acunzo, Francesca; Del Cimmuto, Angela; Marinelli, Lucia; Aurigemma, Caterina; De Giusti, Maria

2012-01-01

We evaluated the microbiological impact of low-level chlorination (1 ppm free chlorine) on the production of ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetables by monitoring the microbiological quality of irrigation and processing water in two production plants over a 4-season period, as well as the microbiological quality of unprocessed vegetables and RTE product. Water samples were also characterized in terms of some chemical and physico-chemical parameters of relevance in chlorination management. Both producers use water with maximum 1 ppm free chlorine for vegetables rinsing, while the two processes differ by the number of washing cycles. Salmonella spp and Campylobacter spp were detected once in two different irrigation water samples out of nine from one producer. No pathogens were found in the vegetable samples. As expected, the procedure encompassing more washing cycles performed slightly better in terms of total mesophilic count (TMC) when comparing unprocessed and RTE vegetables of the same batch. However, data suggest that low-level chlorination may be insufficient in preventing microbial build-up in the washing equipment and/or batch-to batch cross-contamination.

Deletion of lactate dehydrogenase in Enterobacter aerogenes to enhance 2,3-butanediol production.

PubMed

Jung, Moo-Young; Ng, Chiam Yu; Song, Hyohak; Lee, Jinwon; Oh, Min-Kyu

2012-07-01

2,3-Butanediol is an important bio-based chemical product, because it can be converted into several C4 industrial chemicals. In this study, a lactate dehydrogenase-deleted mutant was constructed to improve 2,3-butanediol productivity in Enterobacter aerogenes. To delete the gene encoding lactate dehydrogenase, λ Red recombination method was successfully adapted for E. aerogenes. The resulting strain produced a very small amount of lactate and 16.7% more 2,3-butanediol than that of the wild-type strain in batch fermentation. The mutant and its parental strain were then cultured with six different carbon sources, and the mutant showed higher carbon source consumption and microbial growth rates in all media. The 2,3-butanediol titer reached 69.5 g/l in 54 h during fed-batch fermentation with the mutant,which was 27.4% higher than that with the parental strain.With further optimization of the medium and aeration conditions,118.05 g/l 2,3-butanediol was produced in 54 h during fed-batch fermentation with the mutant. This is by far the highest titer of 2,3-butanediol with E. aerogenes achieved by metabolic pathway engineering.

A Thermal Stability Test for Primary Explosive Stab Sensitizers: Study of the Thermal and Hydrolytic Stability of 2-Picryl-5-Nitrotetrazole,

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-02-01

have been described previously (2]. The actual batch used was designated Batch D and was identical to that referred to as Batch C in Reference [2...Tetrazene was type RD1357 prepared at Materials Research Laboratories. The batch used was designated Batch 10/83(A). Lead Azide was type RD1343 and was...Preparation of Experimental Detonators Eperimental detonators were prepared in mild steel tubes, 6 mm o.d., 3.2 mm i.d., length 6 mm, prepared from

Effects of fatty acid oxidation products (green odor) on rumen bacterial populations and lipid metabolism in vitro.

PubMed

Lee, M R F; Huws, S A; Scollan, N D; Dewhurst, R J

2007-08-01

This study investigated the effects of green odor fatty acid oxidation products (FAOP) from cut grass on lipid metabolism and microbial ecology using in vitro incubations of rumen microorganisms. These compounds have antimicrobial roles in plant defense, and we hypothesized that they may influence rumen lipid metabolism. Further, they may partially explain the higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid cis-9, trans-11 in milk from cows grazing pasture. The first of 2 batch culture experiments screened 6 FAOP (1 hydroperoxide, 3 aldehydes, 1 ketone, and 1 alcohol) for effects on lipid profile, and in particular C(18) polyunsaturated fatty acid biohydrogenation. Experiment 2 used the most potent FAOP to determine effects of varying concentrations and identify relationships with effects on microbial ecology. Batch cultures contained anaerobic buffer, rumen liquor, and FAOP to a final concentration of 100 microM for experiment 1. Triplicates for each compound and controls (water addition) were incubated at 39 degrees C for 6 h. The hydroperoxide (1,2-dimethylethyl hydroperoxide, 1,2-DMEH) and the long chain aldehyde (trans-2 decenal) had the largest effects on lipid metabolism with significant increases in C(18:0) and C(18:1) trans and reductions in C(12:0), C(14:0), C(16:0), C(18:1) cis, C(18:2n-6), C(18:3n-3), C(20:0) and total branch and odd chain fatty acids compared with the control. This was associated with significantly higher biohydrogenation of C(18) polyunsaturated fatty acid. In experiment 2, 1,2-DMEH was incubated at 50, 100, and 200 microM for 2, 6, and 24 h. Increasing 1,2-DMEH concentration resulted in a significant linear increase in C(18:1) trans-10, trans-11, conjugated linoleic acid, and C(18:0) and a linear decrease in C(18:2n-6) and C(18:3n-3), although the scale of this response declined with time. Microbial profiling techniques showed that 1,2-DMEH at concentrations of 100 and 200 microM changed the microbial community from as early as 2 h after addition, though microbial biomass remained similar. These preliminary studies have shown that FAOP can alter fatty acid biohydrogenation in the rumen. This change was associated with changes in the microbial population that were detected through DNA and branched- and odd-chain fatty acid profiling approaches.

Biorefining of by-product streams from sunflower-based biodiesel production plants for integrated synthesis of microbial oil and value-added co-products.

PubMed

Leiva-Candia, D E; Tsakona, S; Kopsahelis, N; García, I L; Papanikolaou, S; Dorado, M P; Koutinas, A A

2015-08-01

This study focuses on the valorisation of crude glycerol and sunflower meal (SFM) from conventional biodiesel production plants for the separation of value-added co-products (antioxidant-rich extracts and protein isolate) and for enhancing biodiesel production through microbial oil synthesis. Microbial oil production was evaluated using three oleaginous yeast strains (Rhodosporidium toruloides, Lipomyces starkeyi and Cryptococcus curvatus) cultivated on crude glycerol and nutrient-rich hydrolysates derived from either whole SFM or SFM fractions that remained after separation of value-added co-products. Fed-batch bioreactor cultures with R. toruloides led to the production of 37.4gL(-1) of total dry weight with a microbial oil content of 51.3% (ww(-1)) when a biorefinery concept based on SFM fractionation was employed. The estimated biodiesel properties conformed with the limits set by the EN 14214 and ASTM D 6751 standards. The estimated cold filter plugging point (7.3-8.6°C) of the lipids produced by R. toruloides is closer to that of biodiesel derived from palm oil. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Different substrates and starter inocula govern microbial community structures in biogas reactors.

PubMed

Satpathy, Preseela; Steinigeweg, Sven; Cypionka, Heribert; Engelen, Bert

2016-01-01

The influence of different starter inocula on the microbial communities in biogas batch reactors fed with fresh maize and maize silage as substrates was investigated. Molecular biological analysis by Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) of 16S rRNA gene fragments showed that each inoculum bore specific microbial communities with varying predominant phylotypes. Both, bacterial and archaeal DGGE profiles displayed three distinct communities that developed depending on the type of inoculum. Although maize and silage are similar substrates, different communities dominated the lactate-rich silage compared to lactate-free fresh maize. Cluster analysis of DGGE gels showed the communities of the same substrates to be stable with their respective inoculum. Bacteria-specific DGGE analysis revealed a rich diversity with Firmicutes being predominant. The other abundant phylotypes were Bacteroidetes and Synergistetes. Archaea-specific DGGE analysis displayed less diverse community structures, identifying members of the Methanosarcinales as the dominant methanogens present in all the three biogas digesters. In general, the source of inoculum played a significant role in shaping microbial communities. Adaptability of the inoculum to the substrates fed also influenced community compositions which further impacted the rates of biogas production.

Quantification of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and soluble microbial product (SMP) production by a modified AOB-NOB-N2O-SMP model.

PubMed

Kim, MinJeong; Wu, Guangxue; Yoo, ChangKyoo

2017-03-01

A modified AOB-NOB-N 2 O-SMP model able to quantify nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions and soluble microbial product (SMP) production during wastewater treatment is proposed. The modified AOB-NOB-N 2 O-SMP model takes into account: (1) two-step nitrification by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB), (2) N 2 O production by AOB denitrification under oxygen-limited conditions and (3) SMP production by microbial growth and endogenous respiration. Validity of the modified model is demonstrated by comparing the simulation results with experimental data from lab-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). To reliably implement the modified model, a model calibration that adjusts model parameters to fit the model outputs to the experimental data is conducted. The results of this study showed that the modeling accuracy of the modified AOB-NOB-N 2 O-SMP model increases by 19.7% (NH 4 ), 51.0% (NO 2 ), 57.8% (N 2 O) and 16.7% (SMP) compared to the conventional model which does not consider the two-step nitrification and SMP production by microbial endogenous respiration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbial physiology-based model of ethanol metabolism in subsurface sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Qusheng; Roden, Eric E.

2011-07-01

A biogeochemical reaction model was developed based on microbial physiology to simulate ethanol metabolism and its influence on the chemistry of anoxic subsurface environments. The model accounts for potential microbial metabolisms that degrade ethanol, including those that oxidize ethanol directly or syntrophically by reducing different electron acceptors. Out of the potential metabolisms, those that are active in the environment can be inferred by fitting the model to experimental observations. This approach was applied to a batch sediment slurry experiment that examined ethanol metabolism in uranium-contaminated aquifer sediments from Area 2 at the U.S. Department of Energy Field Research Center in Oak Ridge, TN. According to the simulation results, complete ethanol oxidation by denitrification, incomplete ethanol oxidation by ferric iron reduction, ethanol fermentation to acetate and H 2, hydrogenotrophic sulfate reduction, and acetoclastic methanogenesis: all contributed significantly to the degradation of ethanol in the aquifer sediments. The assemblage of the active metabolisms provides a frame work to explore how ethanol amendment impacts the chemistry of the environment, including the occurrence and levels of uranium. The results can also be applied to explore how diverse microbial metabolisms impact the progress and efficacy of bioremediation strategies.

Groundwater arsenic remediation using zerovalent iron: Batch and column tests

EPA Science Inventory

Recently, increasing efforts have been made to explore the applicability and limitations of zerovalent iron (Fe0) for the treatment of arsenicbearing groundwater and wastewater. The experimental batch and column tests have demonstrated that arsenate and arsenite are removed effec...

Inactivation of Bacteria in Oil Field Injected Water by a Pulsed Plasma Discharge Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xin, Qing; Li, Zhongjian; Lei, Lecheng; Yang, Bin

2016-09-01

Pulsed plasma discharge was employed to inactivate bacteria in the injection water for an oil field. The effects of water conductivity and initial concentration of bacteria on elimination efficiency were investigated in the batch and continuous flow modes. It was demonstrated that Fe2+ contained in injection water could enhance the elimination efficiency greatly. The addition of reducing agent glutathione (GSH) indicated that active radicals generated by pulsed plasma discharges played an important role in the inactivation of bacteria. Moreover, it was found that the microbial inactivation process for both batch and continuous flow mode well fitted the model based on the Weibull's survival function. supported by Zhejiang Province Welfare Technology Applied Research Project of China (No. 2014C31137), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21436007 and U1462201), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China (No. 2015QNA4032)

Efficient estimation of the maximum metabolic productivity of batch systems

DOE PAGES

St. John, Peter C.; Crowley, Michael F.; Bomble, Yannick J.

2017-01-31

Production of chemicals from engineered organisms in a batch culture involves an inherent trade-off between productivity, yield, and titer. Existing strategies for strain design typically focus on designing mutations that achieve the highest yield possible while maintaining growth viability. While these methods are computationally tractable, an optimum productivity could be achieved by a dynamic strategy in which the intracellular division of resources is permitted to change with time. New methods for the design and implementation of dynamic microbial processes, both computational and experimental, have therefore been explored to maximize productivity. However, solving for the optimal metabolic behavior under the assumptionmore » that all fluxes in the cell are free to vary is a challenging numerical task. Here, previous studies have therefore typically focused on simpler strategies that are more feasible to implement in practice, such as the time-dependent control of a single flux or control variable.« less

Microfluidic biolector-microfluidic bioprocess control in microtiter plates.

PubMed

Funke, Matthias; Buchenauer, Andreas; Schnakenberg, Uwe; Mokwa, Wilfried; Diederichs, Sylvia; Mertens, Alan; Müller, Carsten; Kensy, Frank; Büchs, Jochen

2010-10-15

In industrial-scale biotechnological processes, the active control of the pH-value combined with the controlled feeding of substrate solutions (fed-batch) is the standard strategy to cultivate both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. On the contrary, for small-scale cultivations, much simpler batch experiments with no process control are performed. This lack of process control often hinders researchers to scale-up and scale-down fermentation experiments, because the microbial metabolism and thereby the growth and production kinetics drastically changes depending on the cultivation strategy applied. While small-scale batches are typically performed highly parallel and in high throughput, large-scale cultivations demand sophisticated equipment for process control which is in most cases costly and difficult to handle. Currently, there is no technical system on the market that realizes simple process control in high throughput. The novel concept of a microfermentation system described in this work combines a fiber-optic online-monitoring device for microtiter plates (MTPs)--the BioLector technology--together with microfluidic control of cultivation processes in volumes below 1 mL. In the microfluidic chip, a micropump is integrated to realize distinct substrate flow rates during fed-batch cultivation in microscale. Hence, a cultivation system with several distinct advantages could be established: (1) high information output on a microscale; (2) many experiments can be performed in parallel and be automated using MTPs; (3) this system is user-friendly and can easily be transferred to a disposable single-use system. This article elucidates this new concept and illustrates applications in fermentations of Escherichia coli under pH-controlled and fed-batch conditions in shaken MTPs. Copyright 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Production of 2,3-butanediol by a low-acid producing Klebsiella oxytoca NBRF4.

PubMed

Han, Sung-Hyuk; Lee, Jung-Eun; Park, Kyungmoon; Park, Yong-Cheol

2013-01-25

2,3-Butanediol (2,3-BDO) is a value-added chemical with great potential for the industrial production of synthetic rubber, plastic and solvent. For microbial production of 2,3-BDO, in this study, Klebsiella oxytoca NBRF4 was constructed by chemical mutation and screening against NaBr, NaBrO(3) and fluoroacetate. Among metabolic enzymes involved in the production of lactate, acetate and 2,3-BDO, K. oxytoca NBRF4 possessed 1.2 times lower specific activities of lactate dehydrogenase and phosphotransacetylase, and 22% higher specific acetoin reductase activity than the K. oxytoca ATCC43863 control strain. A series of batch fermentations in a defined medium and application of a statistical tool of response surface method led to the determination of optimal culture conditions: 10% dissolved oxygen level, pH 4.3 and 38°C. The actual results of batch fermentation at the optimal conditions using 44 g/L glucose were coincident with the predetermined values: 14.4 g/L 2,3-BDO concentration, 0.32 g/g yield. To increase 2,3-BDO titer, fed-batch fermentation of K. oxytoca NBRF4 was performed by an intermittent feeding of 800 g/L glucose to control its concentration around 5-20 g/L in the culture broth. Finally, 34.2g/L 2,3-BDO concentration and 0.35 g/g yield were obtained without organic acid production in 70 hours of the fed-batch culture, which were 2.4 and 1.2 times higher than those of the batch fermentation using 44 g/L glucose. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

RELATIVE LEACHING AND AQUATIC TOXICITY OF PRESSURE-TREATED WOOD PRODUCTS USING BATCH LEACHING TESTS

EPA Science Inventory

Samples of southern yellow pine dimensional lumber, each treated with one of five different waterborne chemical preservatives, were leached using 18-hour batch leaching tests. The wood preservatives included chromated copper arsenate (CCA), alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ), coppe...

Support vector regression model of wastewater bioreactor performance using microbial community diversity indices: effect of stress and bioaugmentation.

PubMed

Seshan, Hari; Goyal, Manish K; Falk, Michael W; Wuertz, Stefan

2014-04-15

The relationship between microbial community structure and function has been examined in detail in natural and engineered environments, but little work has been done on using microbial community information to predict function. We processed microbial community and operational data from controlled experiments with bench-scale bioreactor systems to predict reactor process performance. Four membrane-operated sequencing batch reactors treating synthetic wastewater were operated in two experiments to test the effects of (i) the toxic compound 3-chloroaniline (3-CA) and (ii) bioaugmentation targeting 3-CA degradation, on the sludge microbial community in the reactors. In the first experiment, two reactors were treated with 3-CA and two reactors were operated as controls without 3-CA input. In the second experiment, all four reactors were additionally bioaugmented with a Pseudomonas putida strain carrying a plasmid with a portion of the pathway for 3-CA degradation. Molecular data were generated from terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis targeting the 16S rRNA and amoA genes from the sludge community. The electropherograms resulting from these T-RFs were used to calculate diversity indices - community richness, dynamics and evenness - for the domain Bacteria as well as for ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in each reactor over time. These diversity indices were then used to train and test a support vector regression (SVR) model to predict reactor performance based on input microbial community indices and operational data. Considering the diversity indices over time and across replicate reactors as discrete values, it was found that, although bioaugmentation with a bacterial strain harboring a subset of genes involved in the degradation of 3-CA did not bring about 3-CA degradation, it significantly affected the community as measured through all three diversity indices in both the general bacterial community and the ammonia-oxidizer community (α = 0.5). The impact of bioaugmentation was also seen qualitatively in the variation of community richness and evenness over time in each reactor, with overall community richness falling in the case of bioaugmented reactors subjected to 3-CA and community evenness remaining lower and more stable in the bioaugmented reactors as opposed to the unbioaugmented reactors. Using diversity indices, 3-CA input, bioaugmentation and time as input variables, the SVR model successfully predicted reactor performance in terms of the removal of broad-range contaminants like COD, ammonia and nitrate as well as specific contaminants like 3-CA. This work was the first to demonstrate that (i) bioaugmentation, even when unsuccessful, can produce a change in community structure and (ii) microbial community information can be used to reliably predict process performance. However, T-RFLP may not result in the most accurate representation of the microbial community itself, and a much more powerful prediction tool can potentially be developed using more sophisticated molecular methods. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

X-ray Analysis of Defects and Anomalies in AGR-5/6/7 TRISO Particles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Helmreich, Grant W.; Hunn, John D.; Skitt, Darren J.

2017-06-01

Coated particle fuel batches J52O-16-93164, 93165, 93166, 93168, 93169, 93170, and 93172 were produced by Babcock and Wilcox Technologies (BWXT) for possible selection as fuel for the Advanced Gas Reactor Fuel Development and Qualification (AGR) Program’s AGR-5/6/7 irradiation test in the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), or may be used for other tests. Each batch was coated in a 150-mm-diameter production-scale fluidized-bed chemical vapor deposition (CVD) furnace. Tristructural isotropic (TRISO) coatings were deposited on 425-μm-nominal-diameter spherical kernels from BWXT lot J52R-16-69317 containing a mixture of 15.4%-enriched uranium carbide and uranium oxide (UCO), with the exception of Batchmore » 93164, which used similar kernels from BWXT lot J52L-16-69316. The TRISO-coatings consisted of a ~50% dense carbon buffer layer with 100-μmnominal thickness, a dense inner pyrolytic carbon (IPyC) layer with 40-μm-nominal thickness, a silicon carbide (SiC) layer with 35-μm-nominal thickness, and a dense outer pyrolytic carbon (OPyC) layer with 40-μm-nominal thickness. Each coated particle batch was sieved to upgrade the particles by removing over-sized and under-sized material, and the upgraded batch was designated by appending the letter A to the end of the batch number (e.g., 93164A). Secondary upgrading by sieving was performed on the upgraded batches to remove specific anomalies identified during analysis for Defective IPyC, and the upgraded batches were designated by appending the letter B to the end of the batch number (e.g., 93165B). Following this secondary upgrading, coated particle composite J52R-16-98005 was produced by BWXT as fuel for the AGR Program’s AGR-5/6/7 irradiation test in the INL ATR. This composite was comprised of coated particle fuel batches J52O-16-93165B, 93168B, 93169B, and 93170B.« less

Combined bioaugmentation with anaerobic ruminal fungi and fermentative bacteria to enhance biogas production from wheat straw and mushroom spent straw.

PubMed

Ferraro, Alberto; Dottorini, Giulia; Massini, Giulia; Mazzurco Miritana, Valentina; Signorini, Antonella; Lembo, Giuseppe; Fabbricino, Massimiliano

2018-07-01

Bioaugmentation with anaerobic ruminal fungi and a pool of hydrogen-producing fermenting bacteria was tested on wheat straw (WS) and mushroom spent straw (MSS) with the aim of improving anaerobic digestion performance. Batch tests were set up to simulate a Bioaugmentation Anaerobic Digestion (BAD) treatment comparing single- (I-BAD) and two-stage (II-BAD) process configurations, at two reactor scales, 120 and 1200 ml (×10). In both cases, higher CH 4 cumulative production was obtained in the II-BAD configuration on WS (65.1 ± 8.9 Nml and 922 ± 73.8 Nml respectively). The II-BADx10 tests allowed increasing CH 4 production (≃290% and ≃330% on WS and MSS, respectively) when compared to the unaugmented condition. Final results highlighted the achievable advantages of the two stage configuration in terms of CH 4 production enhancement. Microbial community investigations confirmed the efficiency of the bioaugmentation treatment and revealed that such a result was mainly related to the Methanosarcinales increase, mostly composed by Methanosaeta. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Coexistence of nitrifying, anammox and denitrifying bacteria in a sequencing batch reactor

PubMed Central

Langone, Michela; Yan, Jia; Haaijer, Suzanne C. M.; Op den Camp, Huub J. M.; Jetten, Mike S. M.; Andreottola, Gianni

2014-01-01

Elevated nitrogen removal efficiencies from ammonium-rich wastewaters have been demonstrated by several applications, that combine nitritation and anammox processes. Denitrification will occur simultaneously when organic carbon is also present. In this study, the activity of aerobic ammonia oxidizing, anammox and denitrifying bacteria in a full scale sequencing batch reactor, treating digester supernatants, was studied by means of batch-assays. AOB and anammox activities were maximum at pH of 8.0 and 7.8–8.0, respectively. Short term effect of nitrite on anammox activity was studied, showing nitrite up to 42 mg/L did not result in inhibition. Both denitrification via nitrate and nitrite were measured. To reduce nitrite-oxidizing activity, high NH3-N (1.9–10 mg NH3-N/L) and low nitrite (3–8 mg TNN/L) are required conditions during the whole SBR cycle. Molecular analysis showed the nitritation-anammox sludge harbored a high microbial diversity, where each microorganism has a specific role. Using ammonia monooxygenase α–subunit (amoA) gene as a marker, our analyses suggested different macro- and micro-environments in the reactor strongly affect the AOB community, allowing the development of different AOB species, such as N. europaea/eutropha and N. oligotropha groups, which improve the stability of nitritation process. A specific PCR primer set, used to target the 16S rRNA gene of anammox bacteria, confirmed the presence of the “Ca. Brocadia fulgida” type, able to grow in presence of organic matter and to tolerate high nitrite concentrations. The diversity of denitrifiers was assessed by using dissimilatory nitrite reductase (nirS) gene-based analyses, who showed denitifiers were related to different betaproteobacterial genera, such as Thauera, Pseudomonas, Dechloromonas and Aromatoleum, able to assist in forming microbial aggregates. Concerning possible secondary processes, no n-damo bacteria were found while NOB from the genus Nitrobacter was detected. PMID:24550899

Transport and retention of bacteria and viruses in biochar-amended sand.

PubMed

Sasidharan, Salini; Torkzaban, Saeed; Bradford, Scott A; Kookana, Rai; Page, Declan; Cook, Peter G

2016-04-01

The transport and retention of Escherichia coli and bacteriophages (PRD1, MS2 and ФX174), as surrogates for human pathogenic bacteria and viruses, respectively, were studied in the sand that was amended with several types of biochar produced from various feedstocks. Batch and column studies were conducted to distinguish between the role of attachment and straining in microbe retention during transport. Batch experiments conducted at various solution chemistries showed negligible attachment of viruses and bacteria to biochar before or after chemical activation. At any given solution ionic strength, the attachment of viruses to sand was significantly higher than that of biochar, whereas bacteria showed no attachment to either sand or biochar. Consistent with batch results, biochar addition (10% w/w) to sand reduced virus retention in the column experiments, suggesting a potential negative impact of biochar application to soil on virus removal. In contrast, the retention of bacteria was enhanced in biochar-amended sand columns. However, elimination of the fine fraction (<60μm) of biochar particles in biochar-amended sand columns significantly reduced bacteria retention. Results from batch and column experiments suggest that land application of biochar may only play a role in microbe retention via straining, by alteration of pore size distribution, and not via attachment. Consequently, the particle size distribution of biochar and sediments is a more important factor than type of biochar in determining whether land application of biochar enhances or diminishes microbial retention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Single-kernel analysis of fumonisins and other fungal metabolites in maize from South African subsistence farmers.

PubMed

Mogensen, J M; Sørensen, S M; Sulyok, M; van der Westhuizen, L; Shephard, G S; Frisvad, J C; Thrane, U; Krska, R; Nielsen, K F

2011-12-01

Fumonisins are important Fusarium mycotoxins mainly found in maize and derived products. This study analysed maize from five subsistence farmers in the former Transkei region of South Africa. Farmers had sorted kernels into good and mouldy quality. A total of 400 kernels from 10 batches were analysed; of these 100 were visually characterised as uninfected and 300 as infected. Of the 400 kernels, 15% were contaminated with 1.84-1428 mg kg(-1) fumonisins, and 4% (n=15) had a fumonisin content above 100 mg kg(-1). None of the visually uninfected maize had detectable amounts of fumonisins. The total fumonisin concentration was 0.28-1.1 mg kg(-1) for good-quality batches and 0.03-6.2 mg kg(-1) for mouldy-quality batches. The high fumonisin content in the batches was apparently caused by a small number (4%) of highly contaminated kernels, and removal of these reduced the average fumonisin content by 71%. Of the 400 kernels, 80 were screened for 186 microbial metabolites by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, detecting 17 other fungal metabolites, including fusaric acid, equisetin, fusaproliferin, beauvericin, cyclosporins, agroclavine, chanoclavine, rugulosin and emodin. Fusaric acid in samples without fumonisins indicated the possibility of using non-toxinogenic Fusaria as biocontrol agents to reduce fumonisin exposure, as done for Aspergillus flavus. This is the first report of mycotoxin profiling in single naturally infected maize kernels. © 2011 Taylor & Francis

40 CFR 1066.425 - Performing emission tests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... as described in paragraph (g)(5) of this section and zero and span all batch gas analyzers as soon as practical before any batch sample analysis. You may perform this batch analyzer zero and span before the end... value after stabilizing a zero gas to the analyzer. Stabilization may include time to purge the analyzer...

Use of microorganisms in enhanced oil recovery. First annual report, October 1, 1980-September 30, 1982

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McInerney, M.J.; Menzie, D.E.; Jenneman, G.E.

1983-09-01

Twenty-two isolates were obtained that produced bioemulsifiers or biopolymers when grown in a sucrose, 5% NaCl mineral salts medium at 50 C. Biopolymers were produced aerobically and anaerobically. Bacillus licheniformis, strain JF-2 cultures had the lowest surface tensions of the eleven bioemulsifer-producing isolates tested. Growth of strain JF-2 was not affected by NaCl concentrations up to 10%, pH values of 4.6 to 9.0, temperatures up to 50 C or the presence of crude oil. The surfactant produced by strain JF-2 was not affected by the pH, temperature, NaCl or calcium concentrations found in many oil reservoirs. These properties indicate thatmore » the surfactant produced by strain JF-2 has many properties suitable for enhanced oil recovery processes. The success of in situ microbial plugging process depends on the ability to transport the microbes throughout the reservoir, to transport the nutrients required for growth, and to selectively reduce the apparent permeability of the reservoir as a result of microbial growth and metabolism. Nutrients such as glucose, ammonia, nitrogen and phosphate were transported through Berea sandstone cores in amounts sufficient to support microbial growth. Viable bacterial cells in brine solution were transported through sandstone cores with permeabilities as low as 196 md. Continuous nutrient injection resulted in almost complete blockage of fluid flow while batch addition of nutrients resulted in permeability reductions of 60 to 80% of the initial value. Indigenous microbial populations accounted for 50 to 70% of these permeability reductions. Effluent of cores that received nutrients had large numbers of viable cells indicating that growth may be a mechanism to transport the cells through the rock. Electron microscopy indicates that the plugging by bacteria may involve the aggregation of clays and other insoluble materials with the bacterial biomass. 45 references, 16 figures, 7 tables.« less

Impact of long-term salinity exposure in anaerobic membrane bioreactors treating phenolic wastewater: Performance robustness and endured microbial community.

PubMed

Muñoz Sierra, Julian D; Oosterkamp, Margreet J; Wang, Wei; Spanjers, Henri; van Lier, Jules B

2018-05-07

Industrial wastewaters are becoming increasingly associated with extreme conditions such as the presence of refractory compounds and high salinity that adversely affect biomass retention or reduce biological activity. Hence, this study evaluated the impact of long-term salinity increase to 20 gNa + .L -1 on the bioconversion performance and microbial community composition in anaerobic membrane bioreactors treating phenolic wastewater. Phenol removal efficiency of up to 99.9% was achieved at 14 gNa + .L -1 . Phenol conversion rates of 5.1 mgPh.gVSS -1 .d -1 , 4.7 mgPh.gVSS -1 .d -1 , and 11.7 mgPh.gVSS -1 .d -1 were obtained at 16 gNa + .L -1 ,18 gNa + .L -1 and 20 gNa + .L -1 , respectively. The AnMBR's performance was not affected by short-term step-wise salinity fluctuations of 2 gNa + .L -1 in the last phase of the experiment. It was also demonstrated in batch tests that the COD removal and methane production rate were higher at a K + :Na + ratio of 0.05, indicating the importance of potassium to maintain the methanogenic activity. The salinity increase adversely affected the transmembrane pressure likely due to a particle size decrease from 185 μm at 14 gNa + .L -1 to 16 μm at 20 gNa + .L -1 . Microbial community was dominated by bacteria belonging to the Clostridium genus and archaea by Methanobacterium and Methanosaeta genus. Syntrophic phenol degraders, such as Pelotomaculum genus were found to be increased when the maximum phenol conversion rate was attained at 20 gNa + .L -1 . Overall, the observed robustness of the AnMBR performance indicated an endured microbial community to salinity changes in the range of the sodium concentrations applied. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Batch test screening of industrial product/byproduct filter materials for agricultural drainage water treatment

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Filter treatment may be a viable means for removing the nitrate, phosphate, and pesticides discharged with agricultural drainage waters that cause adverse environmental impacts within the U.S. on local, regional, and national scales. Laboratory batch test screening for agricultural drainage water ...

Cadmium removal using Cladophora in batch, semi-batch and flow reactors.

PubMed

Sternberg, Steven P K; Dorn, Ryan W

2002-02-01

This study presents the results of using viable algae to remove cadmium from a synthetic wastewater. In batch and semi-batch tests, a local strain of Cladophora algae removed 80-94% of the cadmium introduced. The flow experiments that followed were conducted using non-local Cladophora parriaudii. Results showed that the alga removed only 12.7(+/-6.4)% of the cadmium introduced into the reactor. Limited removal was the result of insufficient algal quantities and poor contact between the algae and cadmium solution.

Sensor systems for bacterial reactors: A new flavin-phenol composite film for the in situ voltammetric measurement of pH.

PubMed

Casimero, Charnete; McConville, Aaron; Fearon, John-Joe; Lawrence, Clare L; Taylor, Charlotte M; Smith, Robert B; Davis, James

2018-10-16

Monitoring pH within microbial reactors has become an important requirement across a host of applications ranging from the production of functional foods (probiotics) to biofuel cell systems. An inexpensive and scalable composite sensor capable of monitoring the pH within the demanding environments posed by microbial reactors has been developed. A custom designed flavin derivative bearing an electropolymerisable phenol monomer was used to create a redox film sensitive to pH but free from the interferences that can impede conventional pH systems. The film was integrated within a composite carbon-fibre-polymer laminate and was shown to exhibit Nernstian behaviour (55 mV/pH) with minimal drift and robust enough to operate within batch reactors. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exploring the controls of soil biogeochemistry in a restored coastal wetland using object-oriented computer simulations of uptake kinetics and thermodynamic optimization in batch reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Payn, R. A.; Helton, A. M.; Poole, G.; Izurieta, C.; Bernhardt, E. S.; Burgin, A. J.

2012-12-01

Many hypotheses have been proposed to predict patterns of biogeochemical redox reactions based on the availability of electron donors and acceptors and the thermodynamic theory of chemistry. Our objective was to develop a computer model that would allow us to test various alternatives of these hypotheses against data gathered from soil slurry batch reactors, experimental soil perfusion cores, and in situ soil profile observations from the restored Timberlake Wetland in coastal North Carolina, USA. Software requirements to meet this objective included the ability to rapidly develop and compare different hypothetical formulations of kinetic and thermodynamic theory, and the ability to easily change the list of potential biogeochemical reactions used in the optimization scheme. For future work, we also required an object pattern that could easily be coupled with an existing soil hydrologic model. These requirements were met using Network Exchange Objects (NEO), our recently developed object-oriented distributed modeling framework that facilitates simulations of multiple interacting currencies moving through network-based systems. An initial implementation of the object pattern was developed in NEO based on maximizing growth of the microbial community from available dissolved organic carbon. We then used this implementation to build a modeling system for comparing results across multiple simulated batch reactors with varied initial solute concentrations, varied biogeochemical parameters, or varied optimization schemes. Among heterotrophic aerobic and anaerobic reactions, we have found that this model reasonably predicts the use of terminal electron acceptors in simulated batch reactors, where reactions with higher energy yields occur before reactions with lower energy yields. However, among the aerobic reactions, we have also found this model predicts dominance of chemoautotrophs (e.g., nitrifiers) when their electron donor (e.g., ammonium) is abundant, despite the fact that aerobic respiration produces a higher energy yield from the available dissolved oxygen. This suggests that incorporation of an alternative hypothesis, such as a maximum efficiency model, may be necessary to explain an observation of substantial aerobic respiration occurring in the presence of high ammonium and oxygen concentrations. We are parameterizing and testing this model based on results from batch reactor experiments that have treated soil slurries with a full factorial combination of various levels of reactive solutes found in freshwater (e.g., nitrate) and seawater (e.g., sulfate). Initial comparisons suggest that the model may need to account for the biogeochemical reactivity of iron and the potential physical influence of salt to properly describe variability in the biogeochemistry of Timberlake soils. Comparisons of these evolving models with field-derived data from soils will ultimately reveal how thermodynamic theory may be used to explain the evolution of nutrient retention and greenhouse gas emission in the Timberlake Wetland, where nutrient behavior is changing after restoration from agricultural land use and where inputs of brackish water are expected to increase due to sea level rise.

40 CFR 63.1325 - Batch process vents-performance test methods and procedures to determine compliance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... either total organic HAP or TOC. For purposes of this paragraph (c), the term “batch emission episode... ensure the measurement of total organic HAP or TOC (minus methane and ethane) concentrations in all batch... organic HAP or TOC, as appropriate. Alternatively, any other method or data that has been validated...

A short term quality control tool for biodegradable microspheres.

PubMed

D'Souza, Susan; Faraj, Jabar A; Dorati, Rossella; DeLuca, Patrick P

2014-06-01

Accelerated in vitro release testing methodology has been developed as an indicator of product performance to be used as a discriminatory quality control (QC) technique for the release of clinical and commercial batches of biodegradable microspheres. While product performance of biodegradable microspheres can be verified by in vivo and/or in vitro experiments, such evaluation can be particularly challenging because of slow polymer degradation, resulting in extended study times, labor, and expense. Three batches of Leuprolide poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres having varying morphology (process variants having different particle size and specific surface area) were manufactured by the solvent extraction/evaporation technique. Tests involving in vitro release, polymer degradation and hydration of the microspheres were performed on the three batches at 55°C. In vitro peptide release at 55°C was analyzed using a previously derived modification of the Weibull function termed the modified Weibull equation (MWE). Experimental observations and data analysis confirm excellent reproducibility studies within and between batches of the microsphere formulations demonstrating the predictability of the accelerated experiments at 55°C. The accelerated test method was also successfully able to distinguish the in vitro product performance between the three batches having varying morphology (process variants), indicating that it is a suitable QC tool to discriminate product or process variants in clinical or commercial batches of microspheres. Additionally, data analysis utilized the MWE to further quantify the differences obtained from the accelerated in vitro product performance test between process variants, thereby enhancing the discriminatory power of the accelerated methodology at 55°C.

Complete Non-Radioactive Operability Tests for Cladding Hull Chlorination

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Collins, Emory D; Johnson, Jared A.; Hylton, Tom D.

2016-04-01

Non-radioactive operability tests were made to test the metal chlorination reactor and condenser and their accessories using batch chlorinations of non-radioactive cladding samples and to identify optimum operating practices and components that need further modifications prior to installation of the equipment into the hot cell for tests on actual used nuclear fuel (UNF) cladding. The operability tests included (1) modifications to provide the desired heating and reactor temperature profile; and (2) three batch chlorination tests using, respectively, 100, 250, and 500 g of cladding. During the batch chlorinations, metal corrosion of the equipment was assessed, pressurization of the gas inletmore » was examined and the best method for maintaining solid salt product transfer through the condenser was determined. Also, additional accessing equipment for collection of residual ash and positioning of the unit within the hot cell were identified, designed, and are being fabricated.« less

Biogas production from spent rose hips (Rosa canina L.): fraction separation, organic loading and co-digestion with N-rich microbial biomass.

PubMed

Osojnik Črnivec, Ilja Gasan; Muri, Petra; Djinović, Petar; Pintar, Albin

2014-11-01

Complex waste streams originating from extraction processes containing residual organic solvents and increased C/N ratios have not yet been considered as feedstock for biogas production to a great extent. In this study, spent rosehip (Rosa canina L.) solid residue (64%VS, 22 MJ/kg HHV, 30C/1N) was obtained from an industrial ethanol aided extraction process, and extensively examined in an automated batch bioreactor system for biogas production. Fraction separation of the compact lignocellulosic seeds increased the available sugar and ethanol content, resulting in high biogas potential of the sieved residue (516 NL/kg VS'). In co-digestion of spent rosehip substrate with non-deactivated nitrogen rich microbial co-substrates, methanogenesis was favored (Y(m) > 68%(CH4)). In individual digestion of microbial co-substrates, this was not the case, as biogas with 28 vol.% N2 was produced from activated sludge supplement. Therefore, effective inhibition of exogenous microbiota was achieved in the presence of carbonaceous spent rose hip. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biodiesel production from microbial granules in sequencing batch reactor.

PubMed

Liu, Lin; Hong, Yuling; Ye, Xin; Wei, Lili; Liao, Jie; Huang, Xu; Liu, Chaoxiang

2018-02-01

Effect of reaction variables of in situ transesterification on the biodiesel production, and the characteristic differences of biodiesel obtained from aerobic granular sludge (AG) and algae-bacteria granular consortia (AAG) were investigated. The results indicated that the effect of variables on the biodiesel yield decreased in the order of methanol quantity > catalyst concentration > reaction time, yet the parameters change will not significantly affect biodiesel properties. The maximum biodiesel yield of AAG was 66.21 ± 1.08 mg/g SS, what is significant higher than that of AG (35.44 ± 0.92 mg/g SS). Although methyl palmitate was the dominated composition of biodiesel obtained from both granules, poly-unsaturated fatty acid in the AAG showed a higher percentage (21.86%) than AG (1.2%) due to Scenedesmus addition. Further, microbial analysis confirmed that the composition of biodiesel obtained from microbial granules was also determined by bacterial community, and Xanthomonadaceae and Rhodobacteraceae were the dominant bacteria of AG and AAG, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electro-peroxone pretreatment for enhanced simulated hospital wastewater treatment and antibiotic resistance genes reduction.

PubMed

Zheng, He-Shan; Guo, Wan-Qian; Wu, Qu-Li; Ren, Nan-Qi; Chang, Jo-Shu

2018-06-01

Hospital wastewater is one of the possible sources responsible for antibiotic resistant bacteria spread into the environment. This study proposed a promising strategy, electro-peroxone (E-peroxone) pretreatment followed by a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) for simulated hospital wastewater treatment, aiming to enhance the wastewater treatment performance and to reduce antibiotic resistance genes production simultaneously. The highest chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiency of 94.3% and 92.8% were obtained using the E-peroxone-SBR process. The microbial community analysis through high-throughput sequencing showed that E-peroxone pretreatment could guarantee microbial richness and diversity in SBR, as well as reduce the microbial inhibitions caused by antibiotic and raise the amount of nitrification and denitrification genera. Specially, quantitative real-time PCRs revealed that E-peroxone pretreatment could largely reduce the numbers and contents of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) production in the following biological treatment unit. It was indicated that E-peroxone-SBR process may provide an effective way for hospital wastewater treatment and possible ARGs reduction. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sequential batch thermophilic solid-state anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic biomass via recirculating digestate as inoculum - Part II: Microbial diversity and succession.

PubMed

Lin, Long; Yu, Zhongtang; Li, Yebo

2017-10-01

This study aimed to investigate the effect of recirculation of digestate as inoculum on the microbial communities in thermophilic solid-state anaerobic digestion (SS-AD) of yard trimmings. The SS-AD consisted of 4 consecutive runs (30days/run), with digestate from the previous run being used as the inoculum of the subsequent run. Bacterial and archaeal communities (day 0, 4, 8, 12, 20, and 30) were examined using Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. The results revealed substantial microbial succession toward increased diversity until run 3. The proportions of Firmicutes that contained cellulolytic bacteria doubled, which might explain the concomitantly increased cellulose degradation and volatile fatty acids (VFAs). Clostridia and Thermotogae appeared to correlate with VFAs. The VFA accumulation likely induced dynamic shifts of methanogens, particularly to hydrogenotrophic Methanothermobacter, implying that non-acetoclastic oxidative pathway dominated during the steady-state thermophilic SS-AD. This study suggested that recirculating SS-AD digestate might be an effective way for inoculation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of inoculum sources on biotransformation of pharmaceuticals and personal care products.

PubMed

Kim, Sunah; Rossmassler, Karen; Broeckling, Corey D; Galloway, Sarah; Prenni, Jessica; De Long, Susan K

2017-11-15

Limited knowledge of optimal microbial community composition for PPCP biotreatment, and of the microbial phylotypes that drive biotransformation within mixed microbial communities, has hindered the rational design and operation of effective and reliable biological PPCP treatment technologies. Herein, bacterial community composition was investigated as an isolated variable within batch biofilm reactors via comparison of PPCP removals for three distinct inocula. Inocula pre-acclimated to model PPCPs were derived from activated sludge (AS), ditch sediment historically-impacted by wastewater treatment plant effluent (Sd), and material from laboratory-scale soil aquifer treatment (SAT) columns. PPCP removals were found to be substantially higher for AS- and Sd-derived inocula compared to the SAT-derived inocula despite comparable biomass. Removal patterns differed among the 6 model compounds examined (diclofenac, 5-fluorouracil, gabapentin, gemfibrozil, ibuprofen, and triclosan) indicating differences in biotransformation mechanisms. Sphingomonas, Beijerinckia, Methylophilus, and unknown Cytophagaceae were linked with successful PPCP biodegradation via next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA genes over time. Results indicate the criticality of applying engineering approaches to control bacterial community compositions in biotreatment systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acute and persistent toxicity of Cd(II) to the microbial community of Anammox process.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaojing; Chen, Zhao; Ma, Yongpeng; Zhao, Jianguo; Chen, Tao; Fu, Haoqiang; Zhai, Hanfei

2018-08-01

In this study, the short- and long-term effects of Cd(II) on the bioactivity, nitrogen removal and microbial community of the anaerobic ammonia oxidation (Anammox) process were investigated by step-wise increasing Cd(II). The self-recovery ability of Anammox was also studied after long-term exposure in Cd(II). The bioactivity of anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AAOB) within short-term exposure of Cd(II) were detected by batch experiments. Results showed that Cd(II) had both acute and persistent toxicity to Anammox, the IC 50 in short-term exposure was calculated as 5.43 mg L -1 . Long-term exposure led to the microbial diversity increase, as well as the relative abundance decrease of AAOB in Anammox system. AAOB was continuously suppressed by Cd(II) in 1-20 mg L -1 , while it had self-adaption to Cd(II) in 1-10 mg L -1 . Anammox biofilm showed prominent adsorbing ability for cadmium, and the cadmium in biofilm was the key factor affecting Anammox. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of composites based nickel foam anode in microbial fuel cell using Acetobacter aceti and Gluconobacter roseus as a biocatalysts.

PubMed

Karthikeyan, Rengasamy; Krishnaraj, Navanietha; Selvam, Ammaiyappan; Wong, Jonathan Woon-Chung; Lee, Patrick K H; Leung, Michael K H; Berchmans, Sheela

2016-10-01

This study explores the use of materials such as chitosan (chit), polyaniline (PANI) and titanium carbide (TC) as anode materials for microbial fuel cells. Nickel foam (NF) was used as the base anode substrate. Four different types of anodes (NF, NF/PANI, NF/PANI/TC, NF/PANI/TC/Chit) are thus prepared and used in batch type microbial fuel cells operated with a mixed consortium of Acetobacter aceti and Gluconobacter roseus as the biocatalysts and bad wine as a feedstock. A maximum power density of 18.8Wm(-3) (≈2.3 times higher than NF) was obtained in the case of the anode modified with a composite of PANI/TC/Chit. The MFCs running under a constant external resistance of (50Ω) yielded 14.7% coulombic efficiency with a maximum chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal of 87-93%. The overall results suggest that the catalytic materials embedded in the chitosan matrix show the best performance and have potentials for further development. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biofilm formation and control in a simulated spacecraft water system - Three year results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schultz, John R.; Flanagan, David T.; Bruce, Rebekah J.; Mudgett, Paul D.; Carr, Sandra E.; Rutz, Jeffrey A.; Huls, M. H.; Sauer, Richard L.; Pierson, Duane L.

1992-01-01

Two simulated spacecraft water systems are being used to evaluate the effectiveness of iodine for controlling microbial contamination within such systems. An iodine concentration of about 2.0 mg/L is maintained in one system by passing ultrapure water through an iodinated ion exchange resin. Stainless steel coupons with electropolished and mechanically-polished sides are being used to monitor biofilm formation. Results after three years of operation show a single episode of significant bacterial growth in the iodinated system when the iodine level dropped to 1.9 mg/L. This growth was apparently controlled by replacing the iodinated ion exchange resin, thereby increasing the iodine level. The second batch of resin has remained effective in controlling microbial growth down to an iodine level of 1.0 mg/L. SEM indicates that the iodine has impeded but may have not completely eliminated the formation of biofilm. Metals analyses reveal some corrosion in the iodinated system after 3 years of continuous exposure. Significant microbial contamination has been present continuously in a parallel noniodinated system since the third week of operation.

Heavy metal immobilization via microbially induced carbonate precipitation and co-precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lauchnor, E. G.; Stoick, E.

2017-12-01

Microbially induced CaCO3 precipitation (MICP) has been successfully used in applications such as porous media consolidation and sealing of leakage pathways in the subsurface, and it has the potential to be used for remediation of metal and radionuclide contaminants in surface and groundwater. In this work, MICP is investigated for removal of dissolved heavy metals from contaminated mine discharge water via co-precipitation in CaCO3 or formation of other metal carbonates. The bacterially catalyzed hydrolysis of urea produces inorganic carbon and ammonium and increases pH and the saturation index of carbonate minerals to promote precipitation of CaCO3. Other heavy metal cations can be co-precipitated in CaCO3 as impurities or by replacing Ca2+ in the crystal lattice. We performed laboratory batch experiments of MICP in alkaline mine drainage sampled from an abandoned mine site in Montana and containing a mixture of heavy metals at near neutral pH. Both a model bacterium, Sporosarcina pasteurii, and a ureolytic bacterium isolated from sediments on the mine site were used to promote MICP. Removal of dissolved metals from the aqueous phase was determined via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and resulting precipitates were analyzed via electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Both S. pasteurii and the native ureolytic isolate demonstrated ureolysis, increased the pH and promoted precipitation of CaCO3 in batch tests. MICP by the native bacterium reduced concentrations of the heavy metals zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel and manganese in the water. S. pasteurii was also able to promote MICP, but with less removal of dissolved metals. Analysis of precipitates revealed calcium carbonate and phosphate minerals were likely present. The native isolate is undergoing identification via 16S DNA sequencing. Ongoing work will evaluate biofilm formation and MICP by the isolate in continuous flow, gravel-filled laboratory columns. This research demonstrates that MICP can be promoted in natural, contaminated water containing a mixture of potentially toxic heavy metals and native bacteria adapted to the environment may be more successful in driving removal of heavy metals via MICP.

Gaseous oxygen uptake in porous media at different moisture contents and airflow velocities.

PubMed

Sharma, Prabhakar; Poulsen, Tjalfe G; Kalluri, Prasad N V

2009-06-01

The presence and distribution of water in the pore space is a critical factor for flow and transport of gases through unsaturated porous media. The water content also affects the biological activity necessary for treatment of polluted gas streams in biofilters. In this research, microbial activity and quantity of inactive volume in a porous medium as a function of moisture content and gas flow rate were investigated. Yard waste compost was used as a test medium, and oxygen uptake rate measurements were used to quantify microbial activity and effective active compost volume using batch and column flow-through systems. Compost water contents were varied from air-dry to field capacity and gas flows ranged from 0.2 to 2 L x min(-1). The results showed that overall microbial activity and the relative fraction of active compost medium volume increased with airflow velocity for all levels of water content up to a certain flow rate above which the oxygen uptake rate assumed a constant value independent of gas flow. The actual value of the maximum oxygen uptake rate was controlled by the water content. The oxygen uptake rate also increased with increasing water content and reached a maximum between 42 and 48% volumetric water content, above which it decreased, again likely because of formation of inactive zones in the compost medium. Overall, maximum possible oxygen uptake rate as a function of gas flow rate across all water contents and gas flows could be approximated by a linear expression. The relative fraction of active volume also increased with gas flow rate and reached approximately 80% for the highest gas flows used.

A Modified Edge Crack Torsion Test for Measurement of Mode III Fracture Toughness of Laminated Tape Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Czabaj, Michael W.; Davidson, Barry D.; Ratcliffe, James G.

2016-01-01

Modifications to the edge crack torsion (ECT) test are studied to improve the reliability of this test for measuring the mode-III fracture toughness, G (sub IIIc), of laminated tape fiber-reinforced polymeric (FRP) composites. First, the data reduction methods currently used in the ECT test are evaluated and deficiencies in their accuracy are discussed. An alternative data reduction technique, which uses a polynomial form to represent ECT specimen compliance solution, is evaluated and compared to FEA (finite element analysis) results. Second, seven batches of ECT specimens are tested, each batch containing specimens with a preimplanted midplane edge delamination and midplane plies with orientations of plus theta divided by minus theta, with theta ranging from 0 degrees to 90 degrees in 15-degree increments. Tests on these specimens show that intralaminar cracking occurs in specimens from all batches except for which theta = 15 degrees and 30 degrees. Tests on specimens of these two batches are shown to result in mode-III delamination growth at the intended ply interface. The findings from this study are encouraging steps towards the use of the ECT test as a standardized method for measuring G (sub IIIc), although further modification to the data reduction method is required to make it suitable for use as part of a standardized test method.

Improved bio-hydrogen production from glucose by adding a specific methane inhibitor to microbial electrolysis cells with a double anode arrangement.

PubMed

Zhang, Jingnan; Bai, Yanxia; Fan, Yaoting; Hou, Hongwei

2016-10-01

Improved hydrogen production from glucose was achieved by adding a specific methane inhibitor (such as chloroform) to repress the activity of methanogens in a single-chamber microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) with a double anode arrangement. A maximum hydrogen production of 8.4±0.2 mol H2/mol-G (G represents glucose), a hydrogen production rate of 2.39±0.3 m(3) H2/m3/d and a high energy efficiency (relative to the electrical input) of ηE=165±5% had been recorded from 1 g/L glucose at a low dosage of chloroform (5‰, v:v) and an applied voltage of 0.8 V. Almost all of the glucose was removed within 4 h, with 66% of the electrons in intermediates (mainly including acetate and ethanol), and methane gas was not detected in the MECs through 11 batch cycles. The experimental results confirmed that chloroform was an effective methane inhibitor that improved hydrogen production from glucose in the MECs. In addition, the cyclic voltammetry tests demonstrated that the electron transfer in the MECs was mainly due to the biofilm-bound redox compounds rather than soluble electron shuttles. Copyright © 2016 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

New icing media for quality enhancement of chilled hake (Merluccius merluccius) using a jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas) skin extract.

PubMed

Ezquerra-Brauer, Josafat Marina; Miranda, José M; Chan-Higuera, Jesús Enrique; Barros-Velázquez, Jorge; Aubourg, Santiago P

2017-08-01

An advanced strategy for chilled fish preservation, based on the inclusion in ice of an extract of jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas) skin (JSS), is proposed. Aqueous solutions including acetic acid-ethanol extracts of JSS were tested at two different concentrations as icing media, with the effects on the quality evolution of chilled hake (Merluccius merluccius) being monitored. A significant inhibition (P < 0.05) of microbial activity (aerobes, psychrotrophs, Enterobacteriaceae, proteolytic bacteria; pH, trimethylamine) was obtained in hake corresponding to the icing batch including the highest JSS concentration. Additionally, fish specimens from such icing conditions showed an inhibitory effect (P < 0.05) on lipid hydrolysis development, while no effect (P > 0.05) was depicted for lipid oxidation. Sensory analysis (skin and mucus development; eyes; gills; texture; external odour; raw and cooked flesh odour; flesh taste) indicated a shelf life extension of chilled hake stored in ice including the highest JSS concentration. A profitable use of JSS, an industrial by-product during jumbo squid commercialisation, has been developed in the present work, which leads to a remarkable microbial inhibition and a significant shelf life extension of chilled hake. In agreement with previous research, ommochrome pigments (i.e. lipophilic-type compounds) would be considered responsible for this preservative effect. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Preozonation of primary-treated municipal wastewater for reuse in biofuel feedstock generation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mondala, Andro H.; Hernandez, Rafael; French, W. Todd

2010-11-09

The results of a laboratory scale investigation on ozone pretreatment of primary-treated municipal wastewater for potential reuse in fermentation processes for the production of biofuels and bio-based feedstock chemicals were presented. Semi-batch preozonation with 3.0% (w/w) ozone at 1 L min -1 resulted into a considerable inactivation of the indigenous heterotrophic bacteria in the wastewater with less than 0.0002% comprising the ozone-resistant fraction of the microbial population. The disinfection process was modeled using first-order inactivation kinetics with a rate constant of 4.39 10 -3 s -1. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) levels were reduced by 30% in 1-h experiments. COD depletionmore » was also modeled using a pseudo-first-order kinetics at a rate constant of 9.50 10 -5 s -1. Biological oxygen demand (BOD 5) values were reduced by 60% up to 20 min of ozonation followed by a plateau and some slight increases attributed to partial oxidation of recalcitrant materials. Ozone also had no substantial effect on the concentration of ammonium and phosphate ions, which are essential for microbial growth and metabolism. Preliminary tests indicated that oleaginous microorganisms could be cultivated in the ozonated wastewater, resulting in relatively higher cell densities than in raw wastewater and comparable results with autoclave-sterilized wastewater. This process could potentially produce significant quantities of oil for biofuel production from municipal wastewater streams.« less

The effect of malathion on the activity, performance, and microbial ecology of activated sludge.

PubMed

Rauglas, Erik; Martin, Seth; Bailey, Kandace; Magnuson, Matthew; Phillips, Rebecca; Harper, Willie F

2016-12-01

This study evaluated the effect of a VX (O-ethyl S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl] methylphosphonothioate) surrogate (malathion) on the activity, performance, and ecology of activated sludge bioreactors. In the presence of malathion, the maximum observed respiration rates varied between 43 and 53 μg/O2 min, generally similar to the 49 μg O2/min rates observed in controls. Malathion did not alter the respiration ratio of O2 consumed-to-CO2 produced nor did it impact the shape of the oxygen consumption curves during respirometry. Shorter term (12 h) batch tests showed that both chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia removal were not negatively impacted by the presence of 0.1-3 mg/L malathion. Longer term continuous addition (i.e. 40 days) of 0.1 mg/L of malathion also had no effect on COD and ammonia removal. In contrast to shorter term exposures, longer term continuous addition of 3 mg/L of malathion negatively impacted both COD and nitrogen removal and was associated with shifts in the abundance of species that are common to activated sludge. These results illustrate the impact that chemicals like malathion may have on COD removal, and nitrification, as well as the robustness of activated sludge microbial communities. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

40 CFR 80.1644 - Sampling and testing requirements for producers and importers of certified ethanol denaturant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... producers and importers of certified ethanol denaturant. 80.1644 Section 80.1644 Protection of Environment... ethanol denaturant. (a) Sample and test each batch of certified ethanol denaturant. (1) Producers and importers of certified ethanol denaturant shall collect a representative sample from each batch of certified...

Sludge batch 9 follow-on actual-waste testing for the nitric-glycolic flowsheet

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Martino, C. J.; Newell, J. D.; Crawford, C. L.

An actual-waste Sludge Batch 9 qualification run with the nitric-glycolic flowsheet (SC-18) was performed in FY16. In order to supplement the knowledge base for the nitric-glycolic flowsheet, additional testing was performed on the product slurries, condensates, and intermediate samples from run SC-18.

40 CFR 1065.245 - Sample flow meter for batch sampling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... rates or total flow sampled into a batch sampling system over a test interval. You may use the... rates or total raw exhaust flow over a test interval. (b) Component requirements. We recommend that you... averaging Pitot tube, or a hot-wire anemometer. Note that your overall system for measuring sample flow must...

Update on EPA Stove Testing, Focus on Batch-Fueled Stoves

EPA Science Inventory

A webinar, entitled Update on EPA Stove Testing, Focus on Batch-Fueled Stoves, will be presented by Jim Jetter, EPA, and will be hosted by the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves on August 20, 2013. The purpose of this webinar is to (1) provide an update on the EPA cookstove te...

Study of twenty preparations of human albumin solution which failed in quality control testing due to elevated sodium content, a poor internal quality control at manufacturing unit.

PubMed

Prasad, J P; Madhu, Y; Singh, Surinder; Soni, G R; Agnihotri, N; Singh, Varsha; Kumar, Pradeep; Jain, Nidhi; Prakash, Anu; Singh, Varun

2016-11-01

Current study is conducted in our laboratory due to failure in quality control testing of twenty batches of Human Albumin solution in which sodium content is higher than the prescribed limit. These batches are received in short duration from indigenous manufacturer and is the first incident of failure of Human albumin preparation in sodium content of manufacturer. On request of manufacturer, study is conducted to rule out the cause. Repeat testing of each out of specification batch is conducted and a trend analysis is drawn between our findings and manufacturer's results, also study of trend analysis of manufacturer for the last one year. Trend analysis data indicated towards poor consistency of batches with major shift at various time intervals in sodium content of human albumin preparation. Further analysis rule out that non-traceable quality of standard used in the internal quality control testing by manufacturer is the root cause of the problem. Copyright © 2016 International Alliance for Biological Standardization. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anaerobic co-digestion of Tunisian green macroalgae Ulva rigida with sugar industry wastewater for biogas and methane production enhancement.

PubMed

Karray, Raida; Karray, Fatma; Loukil, Slim; Mhiri, Najla; Sayadi, Sami

2017-03-01

Ulva rigida is a green macroalgae, abundantly available in the Mediterranean which offers a promising source for the production of valuable biomaterials, including methane. In this study, anaerobic digestion assays in a batch mode was performed to investigate the effects of various inocula as a mixture of fresh algae, bacteria, fungi and sediment collected from the coast of Sfax, on biogas production from Ulva rigida. The results revealed that the best inoculum to produce biogas and feed an anaerobic reactor is obtained through mixing decomposed macroalgae with anaerobic sludge and water, yielding into 408mL of biogas. The process was then investigated in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) which led to an overall biogas production of 375mL with 40% of methane. Further co-digestion studies were performed in an anaerobic up-flow bioreactor using sugar wastewater as a co-substrate. A high biogas production yield of 114mL g -1 VS added was obtained with 75% of methane. The co-digestion proposed in this work allowed the recovery of natural methane, providing a promising alternative to conventional anaerobic microbial fermentation using Tunisian green macroalgae. Finally, in order to identify the microbial diversity present in the reactor during anaerobic digestion of Ulva rigida, the prokaryotic diversity was investigated in this bioreactor by the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) method targeting the 16S rRNA gene. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bacteriophage lytic to Desulfovibrio aespoeensis isolated from deep groundwater.

PubMed

Eydal, Hallgerd S C; Jägevall, Sara; Hermansson, Malte; Pedersen, Karsten

2009-10-01

Viruses were earlier found to be 10-fold more abundant than prokaryotes in deep granitic groundwater at the Aspö Hard Rock Laboratory (HRL). Using a most probable number (MPN) method, 8-30 000 cells of sulphate-reducing bacteria per ml were found in groundwater from seven boreholes at the Aspö HRL. The content of lytic phages infecting the indigenous bacterium Desulfovibrio aespoeensis in Aspö groundwater was analysed using the MPN technique for phages. In four of 10 boreholes, 0.2-80 phages per ml were found at depths of 342-450 m. Isolates of lytic phages were made from five cultures. Using transmission electron microscopy, these were characterized and found to be in the Podoviridae morphology group. The isolated phages were further analysed regarding host range and were found not to infect five other species of Desulfovibrio or 10 Desulfovibrio isolates with up to 99.9% 16S rRNA gene sequence identity to D. aespoeensis. To further analyse phage-host interactions, using a direct count method, growth of the phages and their host was followed in batch cultures, and the viral burst size was calculated to be approximately 170 phages per lytic event, after a latent period of approximately 70 h. When surviving cells from infected D. aespoeensis batch cultures were inoculated into new cultures and reinfected, immunity to the phages was found. The parasite-prey system found implies that viruses are important for microbial ecosystem diversity and activity, and for microbial numbers in deep subsurface groundwater.

Stability of sotalol hydrochloride in extemporaneously prepared oral suspension formulations.

PubMed

Sidhom, Madiha B; Rivera, Nadya; Almoazen, Hassan; Taft, David R; Kirschenbaum, Harold L

2005-01-01

The physical, chemical, and microbial stabilities of extemporaneously compounded oral liquid formulations of sotalol hydrochloride were studied. Sotalol hydrochloride oral liquid suspensions (5mg/mL) were prepared from commercially available tablets (Betapace) in a 1:1 mixture of Ora-Plus: Ora-Sweet, a 1:1 mixture of Ora-Plus:Ora-Sweet SF, and a 1:2.4 mixture of simple syrup:methylcellulose vehicle. Six batches of each formulation were prepared; three were stored at refrigerated temperature (2 deg to 8 deg C) and three at room temperature (20 deg to 25 deg C). Samples were collected from each batch weekly for 6 weeks, and again at 12 weeks. Samples were analyzed by means of a high-performance liquid chromatographic method, and the concentrations obtained were compared to the theoretical time zero value. Samples were examined for pH, odor, color, and consistency changes. The suspensions also were evaluated for their microbial stability. Sotalol hydrochloride oral liquid suspensions (5mg/mL) were chemically stable for 12 weeks regardless of storage conditions (room temperature or refrigerated). Bacterial growth was not supported by any of the formulations. Suspensions stored at refrigerated temperature retained better physical quality (e.g., odor, color, and consistency) than suspensions stored at room temperature. Overall, this study demonstrates that oral formulations of sotalol hydrochloride can be readily prepared with commercially available vehicles. The method of preparation is relatively simple, the materials are relatively inexpensive, and the products have a shelf-life of at least 12 weeks.

Sulfamethoxazole and COD increase abundance of sulfonamide resistance genes and change bacterial community structures within sequencing batch reactors.

PubMed

Guo, Xueping; Pang, Weihai; Dou, Chunling; Yin, Daqiang

2017-05-01

The abundant microbial community in biological treatment processes in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) may potentially enhance the horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance genes with the presence of antibiotics. A lab-scale sequencing batch reactor was designed to investigate response of sulfonamide resistance genes (sulI, sulII) and bacterial communities to various concentrations of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) of wastewater. The SMX concentrations (0.001 mg/L, 0.1 mg/L and 10 mg/L) decreased with treatment time and higher SMX level was more difficult to remove. The presence of SMX also significantly reduced the removal efficiency of ammonia nitrogen, affecting the normal function of WWTPs. All three concentrations of SMX raised both sulI and sulII genes with higher concentrations exhibiting greater increases. The abundance of sul genes was positive correlated with treatment time and followed the second-order reaction kinetic model. Interestingly, these two genes have rather similar activity. SulI and sulII gene abundance also performed similar response to COD. Simpson index and Shannon-Weiner index did not show changes in the microbial community diversity. However, the 16S rRNA gene cloning and sequencing results showed the bacterial community structures varied during different stages. The results demonstrated that influent antibiotics into WWTPs may facilitate selection of ARGs and affect the wastewater conventional treatment as well as the bacteria community structures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance and microbial community composition dynamics of aerobic granular sludge from sequencing batch bubble column reactors operated at 20 degrees C, 30 degrees C, and 35 degrees C.

PubMed

Ebrahimi, Sirous; Gabus, Sébastien; Rohrbach-Brandt, Emmanuelle; Hosseini, Maryam; Rossi, Pierre; Maillard, Julien; Holliger, Christof

2010-07-01

Two bubble column sequencing batch reactors fed with an artificial wastewater were operated at 20 degrees C, 30 degrees C, and 35 degrees C. In a first stage, stable granules were obtained at 20 degrees C, whereas fluffy structures were observed at 30 degrees C. Molecular analysis revealed high abundance of the operational taxonomic unit 208 (OTU 208) affiliating with filamentous bacteria Leptothrix spp. at 30 degrees C, an OTU much less abundant at 20 degrees C. The granular sludge obtained at 20 degrees C was used for the second stage during which one reactor was maintained at 20 degrees C and the second operated at 30 degrees C and 35 degrees C after prior gradual increase of temperature. Aerobic granular sludge with similar physical properties developed in both reactors but it had different nutrient elimination performances and microbial communities. At 20 degrees C, acetate was consumed during anaerobic feeding, and biological phosphorous removal was observed when Rhodocyclaceae-affiliating OTU 214 was present. At 30 degrees C and 35 degrees C, acetate was mainly consumed during aeration and phosphorous removal was insignificant. OTU 214 was almost absent but the Gammaproteobacteria-affiliating OTU 239 was more abundant than at 20 degrees C. Aerobic granular sludge at all temperatures contained abundantly the OTUs 224 and 289 affiliating with Sphingomonadaceae indicating that this bacterial family played an important role in maintaining stable granular structures.

Acidification of In-Storage-Psychrophilic-Anaerobic-Digestion (ISPAD) process to reduce ammonia volatilization: Model development and validation.

PubMed

Madani-Hosseini, Mahsa; Mulligan, Catherine N; Barrington, Suzelle

2016-06-01

In-Storage-Psychrophilic-Anaerobic-Digestion (ISPAD) is an ambient temperature treatment system for wastewaters stored for over 100days under temperate climates, which produces a nitrogen rich digestate susceptible to ammonia (NH3) volatilization. Present acidification techniques reducing NH3 volatilization are not only expensive and with secondary environmental effects, but do not apply to ISPAD relying on batch-to-batch inoculation. The objectives of this study were to identify and validate sequential organic loading (OL) strategies producing imbalances in acidogen and methanogen growth, acidifying ISPAD content one week before emptying to a pH of 6, while also preserving the inoculation potential. This acidification process is challenging as wastewaters often offer a high buffering capacity and ISPAD operational practices foster low microbial populations. A model simulating the ISPAD pH regime was used to optimize 3 different sequential OLs to decrease the ISPAD pH to 6.0. All 3 strategies were compared in terms of biogas production, volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration, microbial activity, glucose consumption, and pH decrease. Laboratory validation of the model outputs confirmed that a sequential OL of 13kg glucose/m(3) of ISPAD content over 4days could indeed reduce the pH to 6.0. Such OL competes feasibly with present acidification techniques. Nevertheless, more research is required to explain the 3-day lag between the model results and the experimental data. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Medication Waste Reduction in Pediatric Pharmacy Batch Processes

PubMed Central

Veltri, Michael A.; Hamrock, Eric; Mollenkopf, Nicole L.; Holt, Kristen; Levin, Scott

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To inform pediatric cart-fill batch scheduling for reductions in pharmaceutical waste using a case study and simulation analysis. METHODS: A pre and post intervention and simulation analysis was conducted during 3 months at a 205-bed children's center. An algorithm was developed to detect wasted medication based on time-stamped computerized provider order entry information. The algorithm was used to quantify pharmaceutical waste and associated costs for both preintervention (1 batch per day) and postintervention (3 batches per day) schedules. Further, simulation was used to systematically test 108 batch schedules outlining general characteristics that have an impact on the likelihood for waste. RESULTS: Switching from a 1-batch-per-day to a 3-batch-per-day schedule resulted in a 31.3% decrease in pharmaceutical waste (28.7% to 19.7%) and annual cost savings of $183,380. Simulation results demonstrate how increasing batch frequency facilitates a more just-in-time process that reduces waste. The most substantial gains are realized by shifting from a schedule of 1 batch per day to at least 2 batches per day. The simulation exhibits how waste reduction is also achievable by avoiding batch preparation during daily time periods where medication administration or medication discontinuations are frequent. Last, the simulation was used to show how reducing batch preparation time per batch provides some, albeit minimal, opportunity to decrease waste. CONCLUSIONS: The case study and simulation analysis demonstrate characteristics of batch scheduling that may support pediatric pharmacy managers in redesign toward minimizing pharmaceutical waste. PMID:25024671

Medication waste reduction in pediatric pharmacy batch processes.

PubMed

Toerper, Matthew F; Veltri, Michael A; Hamrock, Eric; Mollenkopf, Nicole L; Holt, Kristen; Levin, Scott

2014-04-01

To inform pediatric cart-fill batch scheduling for reductions in pharmaceutical waste using a case study and simulation analysis. A pre and post intervention and simulation analysis was conducted during 3 months at a 205-bed children's center. An algorithm was developed to detect wasted medication based on time-stamped computerized provider order entry information. The algorithm was used to quantify pharmaceutical waste and associated costs for both preintervention (1 batch per day) and postintervention (3 batches per day) schedules. Further, simulation was used to systematically test 108 batch schedules outlining general characteristics that have an impact on the likelihood for waste. Switching from a 1-batch-per-day to a 3-batch-per-day schedule resulted in a 31.3% decrease in pharmaceutical waste (28.7% to 19.7%) and annual cost savings of $183,380. Simulation results demonstrate how increasing batch frequency facilitates a more just-in-time process that reduces waste. The most substantial gains are realized by shifting from a schedule of 1 batch per day to at least 2 batches per day. The simulation exhibits how waste reduction is also achievable by avoiding batch preparation during daily time periods where medication administration or medication discontinuations are frequent. Last, the simulation was used to show how reducing batch preparation time per batch provides some, albeit minimal, opportunity to decrease waste. The case study and simulation analysis demonstrate characteristics of batch scheduling that may support pediatric pharmacy managers in redesign toward minimizing pharmaceutical waste.

Successful treatment of high azo dye concentration wastewater using combined anaerobic/aerobic granular activated carbon-sequencing batch biofilm reactor (GAC-SBBR): simultaneous adsorption and biodegradation processes.

PubMed

Hosseini Koupaie, E; Alavi Moghaddam, M R; Hashemi, S H

2013-01-01

The application of a granular activated carbon-sequencing batch biofilm reactor (GAC-SBBR) for treatment of wastewater containing 1,000 mg/L Acid Red 18 (AR18) was investigated in this research. The treatment system consisted of a sequencing batch reactor equipped with moving GAC as biofilm support. Each treatment cycle consisted of two successive anaerobic (14 h) and aerobic (8 h) reaction phases. Removal of more than 91% chemical oxygen demand (COD) and 97% AR18 was achieved in this study. Investigation of dye decolorization kinetics showed that the dye removal was stimulated by the adsorption capacity of the GAC at the beginning of the anaerobic phase and then progressed following a first-order reaction. Based on COD analysis results, at least 77.8% of the dye total metabolites were mineralized during the applied treatment system. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed that more than 97% of 1-naphthyalamine-4-sulfonate as one of the main sulfonated aromatic constituents of AR18 was removed during the aerobic reaction phase. According to the scanning electron microscopic analysis, the microbial biofilms grew in most cavities and pores of the GAC, but not on the external surfaces of the GAC.

Phenotypic responses to interspecies competition and commensalism in a naturally-derived microbial co-culture.

PubMed

Khan, Nymul; Maezato, Yukari; McClure, Ryan S; Brislawn, Colin J; Mobberley, Jennifer M; Isern, Nancy; Chrisler, William B; Markillie, Lye Meng; Barney, Brett M; Song, Hyun-Seob; Nelson, William C; Bernstein, Hans C

2018-01-10

The fundamental question of whether different microbial species will co-exist or compete in a given environment depends on context, composition and environmental constraints. Model microbial systems can yield some general principles related to this question. In this study we employed a naturally occurring co-culture composed of heterotrophic bacteria, Halomonas sp. HL-48 and Marinobacter sp. HL-58, to ask two fundamental scientific questions: 1) how do the phenotypes of two naturally co-existing species respond to partnership as compared to axenic growth? and 2) how do growth and molecular phenotypes of these species change with respect to competitive and commensal interactions? We hypothesized - and confirmed - that co-cultivation under glucose as the sole carbon source would result in competitive interactions. Similarly, when glucose was swapped with xylose, the interactions became commensal because Marinobacter HL-58 was supported by metabolites derived from Halomonas HL-48. Each species responded to partnership by changing both its growth and molecular phenotype as assayed via batch growth kinetics and global transcriptomics. These phenotypic responses depended on nutrient availability and so the environment ultimately controlled how they responded to each other. This simplified model community revealed that microbial interactions are context-specific and different environmental conditions dictate how interspecies partnerships will unfold.

Phenotypic responses to interspecies competition and commensalism in a naturally-derived microbial co-culture

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Khan, Nymul; Maezato, Yukari; McClure, Ryan S.

The fundamental question of whether different microbial species will co-exist or compete in a given environment depends on context, composition and environmental constraints. Model microbial systems can yield some general principles related to this question. In this study we employed a naturally occurring co-culture composed of heterotrophic bacteria, Halomonas sp. HL-48 and Marinobacter sp. HL-58, to ask two fundamental scientific questions: 1) how do the phenotypes of two naturally co-existing species respond to partnership as compared to axenic growth? and 2) how do growth and molecular phenotypes of these species change with respect to competitive and commensal interactions? We hypothesizedmore » – and confirmed – that co-cultivation under glucose as the sole carbon source would result in a competitive interactions. Similarly, when glucose was swapped with xylose, the interactions became commensal because Marinobacter HL-58 was supported by metabolites derived from Halomonas HL-48. Each species responded to partnership by changing both its growth and molecular phenotype as assayed via batch growth kinetics and global transcriptomics. These phenotypic responses depended nutrient availability and so the environment ultimately controlled how they responded to each other. This simplified model community revealed that microbial interactions are context-specific and different environmental conditions dictate how interspecies partnerships will unfold.« less

Kinetics of Microbial Reduction of Solid Phase U(VI)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Chongxuan; Jeon, Byong Hun; Zachara, John M.

2006-10-01

Sodium boltwoodite (NaUO2SiO3OH ?1.5H2O) was used to assess the kinetics of microbial reduction of solid phase U(VI) by a dissimilatory metal-reducing bacterium (DMRB), Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1. The bioreduction kinetics was studied with Na-boltwoodite in suspension or within alginate beads. Concentrations of U(VI)tot and cell number were varied to evaluate the coupling of U(VI) dissolution, diffusion, and microbial activity. Batch experiments were performed in a non-growth medium with lactate as electron donor at pH 6.8 buffered with PIPES. Microscopic and spectroscopic analyses with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (LIFS) collectively indicated that solidmore » phase U(VI) was first dissolved and diffused out of grain interiors before it was reduced on bacterial surfaces and/or within the periplasm. The kinetics of solid phase U(VI) bioreduction was well described by a coupled model of bicarbonate-promoted dissolution of Na-boltwoodite, intraparticle uranyl diffusion, and Monod type bioreduction kinetics with respect to dissolved U(VI) concentration. The results demonstrated the intimate coupling of biological, chemical, and physical processes in microbial reduction of solid phase U(VI).« less

Effects of co-inoculating rice straw with ruminal microbiota and anaerobic sludge: digestion performance and spatial distribution of microbial communities.

PubMed

Deng, Yuying; Huang, Zhenxing; Zhao, Mingxing; Ruan, Wenquan; Miao, Hengfeng; Ren, Hongyan

2017-07-01

Ruminal microbiota (RM) were co-inoculated with anaerobic sludge (AS) at different ratios to study the digestion of rice straw in batch experiments. The CH 4 yield reached 273.64 mL/g volatile solid (VS) at a co-inoculum ratio of 1:1. The xylanase and cellulase activities were 198.88-212.88 and 24.51-29.08 U/mL in co-inoculated samples, respectively, and were significantly different compared to the results for single inoculum (p < 0.05). Higher ratios of AS enhanced acetoclastic methanogenesis, and propionate accumulation could be the main reason for the longer lag phase observed in samples with a higher RM ratio. The microbial compositions were clearly altered after digestion. Fibrobacter, Ruminococcus and Butyrivibrio from the rumen did not settle in the co-inoculated system, whereas Clostridiales members became the main polysaccharide degraders. Microbial interactions involving hydrolytic bacteria and acetoclastic methanogens in the residue were considered to be significant for hydrolysis activities and methane production. Syntrophy involving propionate oxidizers with associated methanogens occurred in the liquid phase. Our findings provide a better understanding of the anaerobic digestion of rice straw that is driven by specific microbial populations.

Bacterial community dynamics in aerated cow manure slurry at different aeration intensities.

PubMed

Hanajima, D; Fukumoto, Y; Yasuda, T; Suzuki, K; Maeda, K; Morioka, R

2011-12-01

This study aimed to characterize microbial community dynamics in aerated cow manure slurry at different aeration intensities. Batch aerobic treatments were set up in 5-l jar fermentor, each containing 3 l of manure slurry; the slurries were subjected to low, medium and high (50, 150 and 250 ml min(-1), respectively) aeration for 9 days. Microbial community composition was determined using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and a clone library targeting 16S rRNA genes. High and medium aeration accelerated organic carbon degradation in parallel with the degree of aeration intensity; however, 90% of the initial total organic carbon was retained during low-aeration treatment. During the active stages of organic carbon decomposition, clones belonging to the class Bacilli accumulated. Moreover, Bacilli accumulation occurred earlier under high aeration than under medium aeration. Organic matter degradation was mainly governed by a common microbial assemblage consisting of many lineages belonging to the class Bacilli. The timing of community development differed depending on aeration intensity. This study reports on changes in several environmentally important parameters and the principal microbial assemblage during the pollution-reducing phase of cattle manure aeration treatment. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2011 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Microbial community analysis in a combined anaerobic and aerobic digestion system for treatment of cellulosic ethanol production wastewater.

PubMed

Shan, Lili; Yu, Yanling; Zhu, Zebing; Zhao, Wei; Wang, Haiman; Ambuchi, John J; Feng, Yujie

2015-11-01

This study investigated the microbial diversity established in a combined system composed of a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR), expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactor, and sequencing batch reactor (SBR) for treatment of cellulosic ethanol production wastewater. Excellent wastewater treatment performance was obtained in the combined system, which showed a high chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency of 95.8% and completely eliminated most complex organics revealed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis revealed differences in the microbial community structures of the three reactors. Further identification of the microbial populations suggested that the presence of Lactobacillus and Prevotella in CSTR played an active role in the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs). The most diverse microorganisms with analogous distribution patterns of different layers were observed in the EGSB reactor, and bacteria affiliated with Firmicutes, Synergistetes, and Thermotogae were associated with production of acetate and carbon dioxide/hydrogen, while all acetoclastic methanogens identified belonged to Methanosaetaceae. Overall, microorganisms associated with the ability to degrade cellulose, hemicellulose, and other biomass-derived organic carbons were observed in the combined system. The results presented herein will facilitate the development of an improved cellulosic ethanol production wastewater treatment system.

Unveiling the metabolic potential of two soil-derived microbial consortia selected on wheat straw

PubMed Central

Jiménez, Diego Javier; Chaves-Moreno, Diego; van Elsas, Jan Dirk

2015-01-01

Based on the premise that plant biomass can be efficiently degraded by mixed microbial cultures and/or enzymes, we here applied a targeted metagenomics-based approach to explore the metabolic potential of two forest soil-derived lignocellulolytic microbial consortia, denoted RWS and TWS (bred on wheat straw). Using the metagenomes of three selected batches of two experimental systems, about 1.2 Gb of sequence was generated. Comparative analyses revealed an overrepresentation of predicted carbohydrate transporters (ABC, TonB and phosphotransferases), two-component sensing systems and β-glucosidases/galactosidases in the two consortia as compared to the forest soil inoculum. Additionally, “profiling” of carbohydrate-active enzymes showed significant enrichments of several genes encoding glycosyl hydrolases of families GH2, GH43, GH92 and GH95. Sequence analyses revealed these to be most strongly affiliated to genes present on the genomes of Sphingobacterium, Bacteroides, Flavobacterium and Pedobacter spp. Assembly of the RWS and TWS metagenomes generated 16,536 and 15,902 contigs of ≥10 Kb, respectively. Thirteen contigs, containing 39 glycosyl hydrolase genes, constitute novel (hemi)cellulose utilization loci with affiliation to sequences primarily found in the Bacteroidetes. Overall, this study provides deep insight in the plant polysaccharide degrading capabilities of microbial consortia bred from forest soil, highlighting their biotechnological potential. PMID:26343383

Microbial community assessment of mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor) and grasshoppers (Locusta migratoria migratorioides) sold for human consumption.

PubMed

Stoops, J; Crauwels, S; Waud, M; Claes, J; Lievens, B; Van Campenhout, L

2016-02-01

In Western countries, the popularity of edible insects as an alternative animal protein source is increasing. Nevertheless, there is a lack of profound insight into the microbial safety and shelf life of living insects sold for human consumption. The purpose of this study was to characterise the microflora of fresh edible mealworm larvae and grasshoppers in a quantitative and qualitative way. Therefore, culture-dependent analyses (the total viable aerobic count, Enterobacteriaceae, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and moulds, and bacterial endospores) and next-generation sequencing (454amplicon pyrosequencing) were performed. High microbial counts were obtained for both insect species. Different insect batches resulted in quite similar microbial numbers, except for bacterial endospores. However, the bacterial community composition differed between both insect species. The most abundant operational taxonomic unit in mealworm larvae was Propionibacterium. Also members of the genera Haemophilus, Staphylococcus and Clostridium were found. Grasshoppers were mainly dominated by Weissella, Lactococcus and Yersinia/Rahnella. Overall, a variety of potential spoilage bacteria and food pathogens were characterised. The results of this study suggest that a processing step with a microbiocidal effect is required to avoid or minimize risks involved with the consumption of edible insects. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Microbial Transglutaminase on Physicochemical, Microbial and Sensorial Properties of Kefir Produced by Using Mixture Cow’s and Soymilk

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The objective of this research was to investigate the effects microbial transglutaminase (m-TGs) on the physicochemical, microbial and sensory properties of kefir produced by using mix cow and soymilk. Kefir batches were prepared using 0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 Units m-TGs for per g of milk protein. Adding m-TGs to milk caused an increase in the pH and viscosity and caused a decrease in titratable acidity and syneresis in the kefir samples. Total bacteria, lactobacilli and streptococci counts decreased, while yeast counts increased in all the samples during storage. Alcohols and acids compounds have increased in all the samples except in the control samples, while carbonyl compounds have decreased in all the samples during storage (1-30 d). The differences in the percentage of alcohols, carbonyl compounds and acids in total volatiles on the 1st and the 30th d of storage were observed at 8.47-23.52%, 6.94-25.46% and 59.64-63.69%, respectively. The consumer evaluation of the kefir samples showed that greater levels of acceptability were found for samples which had been added 1.5 U m-TGs for per g of milk protein. PMID:28943774

Effects of Microbial Transglutaminase on Physicochemical, Microbial and Sensorial Properties of Kefir Produced by Using Mixture Cow's and Soymilk.

PubMed

Temiz, Hasan; Dağyıldız, Kübra

2017-01-01

The objective of this research was to investigate the effects microbial transglutaminase (m-TGs) on the physicochemical, microbial and sensory properties of kefir produced by using mix cow and soymilk. Kefir batches were prepared using 0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 Units m-TGs for per g of milk protein. Adding m-TGs to milk caused an increase in the pH and viscosity and caused a decrease in titratable acidity and syneresis in the kefir samples. Total bacteria, lactobacilli and streptococci counts decreased, while yeast counts increased in all the samples during storage. Alcohols and acids compounds have increased in all the samples except in the control samples, while carbonyl compounds have decreased in all the samples during storage (1-30 d). The differences in the percentage of alcohols, carbonyl compounds and acids in total volatiles on the 1st and the 30th d of storage were observed at 8.47-23.52%, 6.94-25.46% and 59.64-63.69%, respectively. The consumer evaluation of the kefir samples showed that greater levels of acceptability were found for samples which had been added 1.5 U m-TGs for per g of milk protein.

Land application of tylosin and chlortetracycline swine manure: Impacts to soil nutrients and soil microbial community structure.

PubMed

Stone, James J; Dreis, Erin K; Lupo, Christopher D; Clay, Sharon A

2011-01-01

The land application of aged chortetracycle (CTC) and tylosin-containing swine manure was investigated to determine associated impacts to soil microbial respiration, nutrient (phosphorus, ammonium, nitrate) cycling, and soil microbial community structure under laboratory conditions. Two silty clay loam soils common to southeastern South Dakota were used. Aerobic soil respiration results using batch reactors containing a soil-manure mixture showed that interactions between soil, native soil microbial populations, and antimicrobials influenced CO(2) generation. The aged tylosin treatment resulted in the greatest degree of CO(2) inhibition, while the aged CTC treatment was similar to the no-antimicrobial treatment. For soil columns in which manure was applied at a one-time agronomic loading rate, there was no significant difference in soil-P behavior between either aged CTC or tylosin and the no-antimicrobial treatment. For soil-nitrogen (ammonium and nitrate), the aged CTC treatment resulted in rapid ammonium accumulation at the deeper 40cm soil column depth, while nitrate production was minimal. The aged CTC treatment microbial community structure was different than the no-antimicrobial treatment, where amines/amide and carbohydrate chemical guilds utilization profile were low. The aged tylosin treatment also resulted in ammonium accumulation at 40 cm column depth, however nitrate accumulation also occurred concurrently at 10 cm. The microbial community structure for the aged tylosin was also significantly different than the no-antimicrobial treatment, with a higher degree of amines/amides and carbohydrate chemical guild utilization compared to the no-antimicrobial treatment. Study results suggest that land application of CTC and tylosin-containing manure appears to fundamentally change microbial-mediated nitrogen behavior within soil A horizons.

Investigation of vinegar production using a novel shaken repeated batch culture system.

PubMed

Schlepütz, Tino; Büchs, Jochen

2013-01-01

Nowadays, bioprocesses are developed or optimized on small scale. Also, vinegar industry is motivated to reinvestigate the established repeated batch fermentation process. As yet, there is no small-scale culture system for optimizing fermentation conditions for repeated batch bioprocesses. Thus, the aim of this study is to propose a new shaken culture system for parallel repeated batch vinegar fermentation. A new operation mode - the flushing repeated batch - was developed. Parallel repeated batch vinegar production could be established in shaken overflow vessels in a completely automated operation with only one pump per vessel. This flushing repeated batch was first theoretically investigated and then empirically tested. The ethanol concentration was online monitored during repeated batch fermentation by semiconductor gas sensors. It was shown that the switch from one ethanol substrate quality to different ethanol substrate qualities resulted in prolonged lag phases and durations of the first batches. In the subsequent batches the length of the fermentations decreased considerably. This decrease in the respective lag phases indicates an adaptation of the acetic acid bacteria mixed culture to the specific ethanol substrate quality. Consequently, flushing repeated batch fermentations on small scale are valuable for screening fermentation conditions and, thereby, improving industrial-scale bioprocesses such as vinegar production in terms of process robustness, stability, and productivity. Copyright © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Microbial diversity and dynamics during the production of May bryndza cheese.

PubMed

Pangallo, Domenico; Saková, Nikoleta; Koreňová, Janka; Puškárová, Andrea; Kraková, Lucia; Valík, Lubomír; Kuchta, Tomáš

2014-01-17

Diversity and dynamics of microbial cultures were studied during the production of May bryndza cheese, a traditional Slovak cheese produced from unpasteurized ewes' milk. Quantitative culture-based data were obtained for lactobacilli, lactococci, total mesophilic aerobic counts, coliforms, E. coli, staphylococci, coagulase-positive staphylococci, yeasts, fungi and Geotrichum spp. in ewes' milk, curd produced from it and ripened for 0 - 10 days, and in bryndza cheese produced from the curd, in three consecutive batches. Diversity of prokaryotes and eukaryotes in selected stages of the production was studied by non-culture approach based on amplification of 16S rDNA and internal transcribed spacer region, coupled to denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and sequencing. The culture-based data demonstrated an overall trend of growth of the microbial population contributing to lactic acid production and to ripening of the cheese, lactobacilli, lactococci and Geotrichum spp. growing up to densities of 10(8) CFU/g, 10(9) CFU/g and 10(5) CFU/g, respectively, in all three consecutive batches of bryndza cheese. The diversity of bacteria encompassed Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Acinetobacter guillouiae, Acinetobacter sp., Acinetobacter johnsonii, Citrobacter braakii, Clostridium bartlettii, Corynebacterium callunae, Corynebacterium maris, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter asburiae, Enterobacter hormaechei, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus pallens, Escherichia coli, Haemophilus haemolyticus, Hafnia alvei, Kluyvera cryocrescens, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactococcus garvieae, Lc. lactis subsp. cremoris, Lc. lactis subsp. lactis, "Leuconostoc garlicum", Mannheimia glucosida, Mannheimia haemolytica, Pseudomonas sp., Ps. fluorescens, "Ps. reactans", Raoultella ornithinolytica, R. terrigena, "Rothia arfidiae", Staphylococcus aureus, Staph. epidermidis, Staph. felis, Staph. pasteuri, Staph. sciuri, Staph. xylosus, Streptococcus parauberis, Str. thermophilus and Variovorax paradoxus. The diversity of yeasts and fungi encompassed Alternaria alternata, "Ascomycete sp.", Aspergillus fumigatus, Beauveria brongniartii, Candida xylopsoci, C. inconspicua, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Debaromyces hansenii, Fomes fomentarius, Galactomyces candidus, Gymnoascus reesii, Chaetomium globosum, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Metarhizium anisopliae, Penicillium aurantiogriseum, P. camemberti, P. freii, P. polonicum, P. viridicatum, Pichia kudriavzevii, Sordaria alcina, Trichosporon lactis and Yarrowia lipolytica. © 2013.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zeng, Xiaofei; Borole, Abhijeet P.; Pavlostathis, Spyros G.

In this study, furanic and phenolic compounds are problematic byproducts resulting from the decomposition of lignocellulosic biomass during biofuel production. This study assessed the capacity of a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) to produce hydrogen gas (H 2) using a mixture of two furanic (furfural, FF; 5-hydroxymethyl furfural, HMF) and three phenolic (syringic acid, SA; vanillic acid, VA; and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, HBA) compounds as the sole carbon and energy source in the bioanode. The rate and extent of biotransformation of the five compounds, efficiency of H 2 production, as well as the anode microbial community structure were investigated. The five compoundsmore » were completely transformed within 7-day batch runs and their biotransformation rate increased with increasing initial concentration. At an initial concentration of 1,200 mg/L (8.7 mM) of the mixture of the five compounds, their biotransformation rate ranged from 0.85 to 2.34 mM/d. The anode coulombic efficiency was 44-69%, which is comparable to wastewater-fed MECs. The H 2 yield varied from 0.26 to 0.42 g H 2-COD/g COD removed in the anode, and the bioanode volume-normalized H 2 production rate was 0.07-0.1 L/L-d. The major identified fermentation products that did not transform further were catechol and phenol. Acetate was the direct substrate for exoelectrogenesis. Current and H 2 production were inhibited at an initial substrate concentration of 1,200 mg/L, resulting in acetate accumulation at a much higher level than that measured in other batch runs conducted with a lower initial concentration of the five compounds. The anode microbial community consisted of exoelectrogens, putative degraders of the five compounds, and syntrophic partners of exoelectrogens. The H 2 production route demonstrated in this study has proven to be an alternative to the currently used process of reforming natural gas to supply H 2 needed to upgrade bio-oils to stable hydrocarbon fuels.« less

Performance and membrane fouling of a step-fed submerged membrane sequencing batch reactor treating swine biogas digestion slurry.

PubMed

Han, Zhiying; Chen, Shixia; Lin, Xiaochang; Yu, Hongjun; Duan, Li'an; Ye, Zhangying; Jia, Yanbo; Zhu, Songming; Liu, Dezhao

2018-01-02

To identify the performance of step-fed submerged membrane sequencing batch reactor (SMSBR) treating swine biogas digestion slurry and to explore the correlation between microbial metabolites and membrane fouling within this novel reactor, a lab-scale step-fed SMSBR was operated under nitrogen loading rate of 0.026, 0.052 and 0.062 g NH 4 + -N (gVSS·d) -1 . Results show that the total removal efficiencies for NH 4 + -N, total nitrogen and chemical oxygen demand in the reactor (>94%, >89% and >97%, respectively) were high during the whole experiment. However, the cycle removal efficiency of NH 4 + -N decreased significantly when the nitrogen loading rate was increased to 0.062 g NH 4 + -N (gVSS·d) -1 . The total removal efficiency of total phosphorus in the step-fed SMSBR was generally higher than 75%, though large fluctuations were observed during the experiments. In addition, the concentrations of microbial metabolites, i.e., soluble microbial products (SMP) and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from activated sludge increased as nitrogen loading rate increased, both showing quadratic equation correlations with viscosity of the mixed liquid in the step-fed SMSBR (both R 2 > 0.90). EPS content was higher than SMP content, while protein (PN) was detected as the main component in both SMP and EPS. EPS PN was found to be well correlated with transmembrane pressure, membrane flux and the total membrane fouling resistance. Furthermore, the three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy results suggested the tryptophan-like protein as one of the main contributors to the membrane fouling. Overall, this study showed that the step-fed SMSBR could be used to treat swine digestion slurry at nitrogen loading rate of 0.052 g NH 4 + -N (gVSS·d) -1 , and the control strategy of membrane fouling should be developed based on reducing the tryptophan-like PN in EPS.

Sorption of radioiodide in an acidic, nutrient-poor boreal bog: insights into the microbial impact.

PubMed

Lusa, M; Bomberg, M; Aromaa, H; Knuutinen, J; Lehto, J

2015-05-01

Batch sorption experiments were conducted to evaluate the sorption behaviour of iodide and the microbial impact on iodide sorption in the surface moss, subsurface peat, gyttja, and clay layers of a nutrient-poor boreal bog. The batch distribution coefficient (Kd) values of iodide decreased as a function of sampling depth. The highest Kd values, 4800 L/Kg dry weight (DW) (geometric mean), were observed in the fresh surface moss and the lowest in the bottom clay (geometric mean 90 mL/g DW). In the surface moss, peat and gyttja layers, which have a high organic matter content (on average 97%), maximum sorption was observed at a pH between ∼ 4 and 5 and in the clay layer at pH 2. The Kd values were significantly lower in sterilized samples, being 20-fold lower than the values found for the unsterilized samples. In addition, the recolonization of sterilized samples with a microbial population from the fresh samples restored the sorption capacity of surface moss, peat and gyttja samples, indicating that the decrease in the sorption was due to the destruction of microbes and supporting the hypothesis that microbes are necessary for the incorporation of iodide into the organic matter. Anoxic conditions reduced the sorption of iodide in fresh, untreated samples, similarly to the effect of sterilization, which supports the hypothesis that iodide is oxidized into I2/HIO before incorporation into the organic matter. Furthermore, the Kd values positively correlated with peroxidase activity in surface moss, subsurface peat and gyttja layers at +20 °C, and with the bacterial cell counts obtained from plate count agar at +4 °C. Our results demonstrate the importance of viable microbes for the sorption of iodide in the bog environment, having a high organic matter content and a low pH. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Representation of Dormant and Active Microbial Dynamics for Ecosystem Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, G.; Mayes, M. A.; Gu, L.; Schadt, C. W.

2013-12-01

Experimental observations and modeling efforts have shown that dormancy is likely a common strategy for microorganisms to contend with environmental stress. We review the state-of-the-art in modeling approaches for microbial dormancy and discuss the rationales of these models. We proved that the physiological state index model is not appropriate for describing transformation between active and dormant states. Based on the generally accepted assumptions summarized from ten existing models, we postulated a new synthetic microbial physiology component within the Microbial-ENzyme-mediated Decomposition (MEND) model. Both the steady state active fraction (rss) and substrate saturation level (Øss) positively depend on two physiological indices: α and β. The index α = mR /(μG+ mR), where μG and mR represent the maximum specific growth and maintenance rates, respectively, for active microbes. β denotes the ratio of dormant to active maintenance rate. The rss equals to Øss only under the condition of β→0, and they are identical to α. When substrate availability is the only limiting factor, the maximum rss is ca. 0.5 with α≤0.5 and β ≤0.01. This threshold value (0.5) of rss (not dynamic r) can explain the low active microbial fractions observed in undisturbed soils. The applications of the improved model to a 14C-labeled glucose induced respiration dataset and a batch experimental dataset show satisfactory model performance. We found that the exponential growth respiration rates can only be used to determine μG and initial active microbial biomass (Ba0), thus we suggest using respiration data representing both exponential growth and non-accelerating phases to robustly determine other important parameters such as initial total live microbial biomass (B0), initial active fraction (r0), μG, α, and the half-saturation constant (Ks). Similar improved representations of microbial physiology should be incorporated into existing ecosystem models in order to account for the significance of dormancy in microbially-mediated processes.

Granule Formation Mechanisms within an Aerobic Wastewater System for Phosphorus Removal▿ †

PubMed Central

Barr, Jeremy J.; Cook, Andrew E.; Bond, Phillip L.

2010-01-01

Granular sludge is a novel alternative for the treatment of wastewater and offers numerous operational and economic advantages over conventional floccular-sludge systems. The majority of research on granular sludge has focused on optimization of engineering aspects relating to reactor operation with little emphasis on the fundamental microbiology. In this study, we hypothesize two novel mechanisms for granule formation as observed in three laboratory scale sequencing batch reactors operating for biological phosphorus removal and treating two different types of wastewater. During the initial stages of granulation, two distinct granule types (white and yellow) were distinguished within the mixed microbial population. White granules appeared as compact, smooth, dense aggregates dominated by 97.5% “Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis,” and yellow granules appeared as loose, rough, irregular aggregates with a mixed microbial population of 12.3% “Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis” and 57.9% “Candidatus Competibacter phosphatis,” among other bacteria. Microscopy showed white granules as homogeneous microbial aggregates and yellow granules as segregated, microcolony-like aggregates, with phylogenetic analysis suggesting that the granule types are likely not a result of strain-associated differences. The microbial community composition and arrangement suggest different formation mechanisms occur for each granule type. White granules are hypothesized to form by outgrowth from a single microcolony into a granule dominated by one bacterial type, while yellow granules are hypothesized to form via multiple microcolony aggregation into a microcolony-segregated granule with a mixed microbial population. Further understanding and application of these mechanisms and the associated microbial ecology may provide conceptual information benefiting start-up procedures for full-scale granular-sludge reactors. PMID:20851963

Mechanistic Understanding of Microbial Plugging for Improved Sweep Efficiency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steven Bryant; Larry Britton

2008-09-30

Microbial plugging has been proposed as an effective low cost method of permeability reduction. Yet there is a dearth of information on the fundamental processes of microbial growth in porous media, and there are no suitable data to model the process of microbial plugging as it relates to sweep efficiency. To optimize the field implementation, better mechanistic and volumetric understanding of biofilm growth within a porous medium is needed. In particular, the engineering design hinges upon a quantitative relationship between amount of nutrient consumption, amount of growth, and degree of permeability reduction. In this project experiments were conducted to obtainmore » new data to elucidate this relationship. Experiments in heterogeneous (layered) beadpacks showed that microbes could grow preferentially in the high permeability layer. Ultimately this caused flow to be equally divided between high and low permeability layers, precisely the behavior needed for MEOR. Remarkably, classical models of microbial nutrient uptake in batch experiments do not explain the nutrient consumption by the same microbes in flow experiments. We propose a simple extension of classical kinetics to account for the self-limiting consumption of nutrient observed in our experiments, and we outline a modeling approach based on architecture and behavior of biofilms. Such a model would account for the changing trend of nutrient consumption by bacteria with the increasing biomass and the onset of biofilm formation. However no existing model can explain the microbial preference for growth in high permeability regions, nor is there any obvious extension of the model for this observation. An attractive conjecture is that quorum sensing is involved in the heterogeneous bead packs.« less

Cultivation of methanogenic community from subseafloor sediments using a continuous-flow bioreactor

PubMed Central

Imachi, Hiroyuki; Aoi, Ken; Tasumi, Eiji; Saito, Yumi; Yamanaka, Yuko; Saito, Yayoi; Yamaguchi, Takashi; Tomaru, Hitoshi; Takeuchi, Rika; Morono, Yuki; Inagaki, Fumio; Takai, Ken

2011-01-01

Microbial methanogenesis in subseafloor sediments is a key process in the carbon cycle on the Earth. However, the cultivation-dependent evidences have been poorly demonstrated. Here we report the cultivation of a methanogenic microbial consortium from subseafloor sediments using a continuous-flow-type bioreactor with polyurethane sponges as microbial habitats, called down-flow hanging sponge (DHS) reactor. We anaerobically incubated methane-rich core sediments collected from off Shimokita Peninsula, Japan, for 826 days in the reactor at 10 °C. Synthetic seawater supplemented with glucose, yeast extract, acetate and propionate as potential energy sources was provided into the reactor. After 289 days of operation, microbiological methane production became evident. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis revealed the presence of metabolically active microbial cells with various morphologies in the reactor. DNA- and RNA-based phylogenetic analyses targeting 16S rRNA indicated the successful growth of phylogenetically diverse microbial components during cultivation in the reactor. Most of the phylotypes in the reactor, once it made methane, were more closely related to culture sequences than to the subsurface environmental sequence. Potentially methanogenic phylotypes related to the genera Methanobacterium, Methanococcoides and Methanosarcina were predominantly detected concomitantly with methane production, while uncultured archaeal phylotypes were also detected. Using the methanogenic community enrichment as subsequent inocula, traditional batch-type cultivations led to the successful isolation of several anaerobic microbes including those methanogens. Our results substantiate that the DHS bioreactor is a useful system for the enrichment of numerous fastidious microbes from subseafloor sediments and will enable the physiological and ecological characterization of pure cultures of previously uncultivated subseafloor microbial life. PMID:21654849

Cultivation of methanogenic community from subseafloor sediments using a continuous-flow bioreactor.

PubMed

Imachi, Hiroyuki; Aoi, Ken; Tasumi, Eiji; Saito, Yumi; Yamanaka, Yuko; Saito, Yayoi; Yamaguchi, Takashi; Tomaru, Hitoshi; Takeuchi, Rika; Morono, Yuki; Inagaki, Fumio; Takai, Ken

2011-12-01

Microbial methanogenesis in subseafloor sediments is a key process in the carbon cycle on the Earth. However, the cultivation-dependent evidences have been poorly demonstrated. Here we report the cultivation of a methanogenic microbial consortium from subseafloor sediments using a continuous-flow-type bioreactor with polyurethane sponges as microbial habitats, called down-flow hanging sponge (DHS) reactor. We anaerobically incubated methane-rich core sediments collected from off Shimokita Peninsula, Japan, for 826 days in the reactor at 10 °C. Synthetic seawater supplemented with glucose, yeast extract, acetate and propionate as potential energy sources was provided into the reactor. After 289 days of operation, microbiological methane production became evident. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis revealed the presence of metabolically active microbial cells with various morphologies in the reactor. DNA- and RNA-based phylogenetic analyses targeting 16S rRNA indicated the successful growth of phylogenetically diverse microbial components during cultivation in the reactor. Most of the phylotypes in the reactor, once it made methane, were more closely related to culture sequences than to the subsurface environmental sequence. Potentially methanogenic phylotypes related to the genera Methanobacterium, Methanococcoides and Methanosarcina were predominantly detected concomitantly with methane production, while uncultured archaeal phylotypes were also detected. Using the methanogenic community enrichment as subsequent inocula, traditional batch-type cultivations led to the successful isolation of several anaerobic microbes including those methanogens. Our results substantiate that the DHS bioreactor is a useful system for the enrichment of numerous fastidious microbes from subseafloor sediments and will enable the physiological and ecological characterization of pure cultures of previously uncultivated subseafloor microbial life.

Effects of feedstock and co-culture of Lactobacillus fermentum and wild Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain during fuel ethanol fermentation by the industrial yeast strain PE-2.

PubMed

Reis, Vanda R; Bassi, Ana Paula G; Cerri, Bianca C; Almeida, Amanda R; Carvalho, Isis G B; Bastos, Reinaldo G; Ceccato-Antonini, Sandra R

2018-02-16

Even though contamination by bacteria and wild yeasts are frequently observed during fuel ethanol fermentation, our knowledge regarding the effects of both contaminants together is very limited, especially considering that the must composition can vary from exclusively sugarcane juice to a mixture of molasses and juice, affecting the microbial development. Here we studied the effects of the feedstock (sugarcane juice and molasses) and the co-culture of Lactobacillus fermentum and a wild Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain (rough colony and pseudohyphae) in single and multiple-batch fermentation trials with an industrial strain of S. cerevisiae (PE-2) as starter yeast. The results indicate that in multiple-cycle batch system, the feedstock had a minor impact on the fermentation than in single-cycle batch system, however the rough yeast contamination was more harmful than the bacterial contamination in multiple-cycle batch fermentation. The inoculation of both contaminants did not potentiate the detrimental effect in any substrate. The residual sugar concentration in the fermented broth had a higher concentration of fructose than glucose for all fermentations, but in the presence of the rough yeast, the discrepancy between fructose and glucose concentrations were markedly higher, especially in molasses. The biggest problem associated with incomplete fermentation seemed to be the lower consumption rate of sugar and the reduced fructose preference of the rough yeast rather than the lower invertase activity. Lower ethanol production, acetate production and higher residual sugar concentration are characteristics strongly associated with the rough yeast strain and they were not potentiated with the inoculation of L. fermentum.

Simultaneous saccharification and extractive fermentation of lignocellulosic materials into lactic acid in a two-zone fermentor-extractor system.

PubMed

Iyer, P V; Lee, Y Y

1999-01-01

Simultaneous saccharification and extractive fermentation of lignocellulosic materials into lactic acid was investigated using a two-zone bioreactor. The system is composed of an immobilized cell reactor, a separate column reactor containing the lignocellulosic substrate and a hollow-fiber membrane. It is operated by recirculating the cell free enzyme (cellulase) solution from the immobilized cell reactor to the column reactor through the membrane. The enzyme and microbial reactions thus occur at separate locations, yet simultaneously. This design provides flexibility in reactor operation as it allows easy separation of the solid substrate from the microorganism, in situ removal of the product and, if desired, different temperatures in the two reactor sections. This reactor system was tested using pretreated switchgrass as the substrate. It was operated under a fed-batch mode with continuous removal of lactic acid by solvent extraction. The overall lactic acid yield obtainable from this bioreactor system is 77% of the theoretical.

Mesophilic co-digestion of palm oil mill effluent and empty fruit bunches.

PubMed

Kim, Sang-Hyoun; Choi, Seon-Mi; Ju, Hyun-Jun; Jung, Jin-Young

2013-01-01

The palm oil mill industry generates palm oil mill effluent (POME) and empty fruit bunches (EFB) as by-products. This study reports the mesophilic co-digestion of POME with EFB. The biochemical methane potential (BMP) of POME and EFB was 0.397 L CH4/g volatile solids (VS) and 0.264 L CH4/g VS, respectively. In a series of batch tests at various EFB to POME ratios, the maximum methane production rate was achieved at an EFB:POME ratio of 0.25-0.31:1. Performance data from lab-scale digesters confirmed the positive synergism by the addition of EFB to POME, which was attributed to the balanced chemical composition, for example the chemical oxygen demand (COD) to total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) ratio. The EFB addition enhanced the acceptable organic loading rate, methane production, COD removal, and microbial activity. The mesophilic co-digestion of POME and EFB promises to be a viable recycling method to alleviate pollution problems and recover renewable energy in the palm oil mill industry.

PHA production by mixed cultures: a way to valorize wastes from pulp industry.

PubMed

Queirós, Diogo; Rossetti, Simona; Serafim, Luísa S

2014-04-01

In this work, hardwood spent sulfite liquor (HSSL), a complex feedstock originating from the pulp industry, was tested for the first time as a substrate for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production by a mixed microbial culture (MMC) under aerobic dynamic feeding (ADF) conditions. A sequencing batch reactor (SBR) fed with HSSL was operated for 67days and the selected MMC reached a maximum PHA content of 67.6%. The MMC demonstrated a differential utilization of the carbon sources present in HSSL. Acetic acid was fully consumed, while xylose and lignosulphonates were partially consumed (30% and 14%, respectively). The selected culture was characterized by Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization (FISH). Bacteria belonging to the three main classes were identified: Alpha- (72.7±4.0%), Beta- (11.1±0.37%) and Gammaproteobacteria (10.3±0.3%). Within Alphaproteobacteria, a small amount of Paracoccus (4.2±0.51%) and Defluvicoccus related to Tetrad Forming Organisms (9.0±0.28%) were detected. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbial community composition is consistent across anaerobic digesters processing wheat-based fuel ethanol waste streams.

PubMed

Town, Jennifer; Annand, Holly; Pratt, Dyan; Dumonceaux, Tim; Fonstad, Terrance

2014-04-01

Biochemical methane potential (BMP) assays were conducted on byproducts from dry-grind wheat-based ethanol plants amended with feedlot manure at two input ratios. Whole stillage (WST), thin stillage (TST) and wet cake (WCK) were tested alone and with 1:1 and 2:1 ratios (VS basis) of byproduct:feedlot manure in bench-scale batch reactors. The addition of manure increased both the rate and consistency of methane production in triplicate reactors. In addition, digesters co-digesting thin stillage and cattle manure at 1:1 and 2:1 stillage:manure produced 125% and 119% expected methane based on the biomethane potential of each substrate digested individually. Bacterial community analysis using universal target amplification and pyrosequencing indicated there was a numerically dominant core of 42 bacteria that was universally present in the reactors regardless of input material. A smaller-scale analysis of the archaeal community showed that both hydrogenotrophic and acetoclastic methanogens were present in significant quantities. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The type of carbohydrates specifically selects microbial community structures and fermentation patterns.

PubMed

Chatellard, Lucile; Trably, Eric; Carrère, Hélène

2016-12-01

The impact on dark fermentation of seven carbohydrates as model substrates of lignocellulosic fractions (glucose, cellobiose, microcrystalline cellulose, arabinose, xylose, xylan and wheat straw) was investigated. Metabolic patterns and bacterial communities were characterized at the end of batch tests inoculated with manure digestate. It was found that hydrogen production was linked to the sugar type (pentose or hexose) and the degree of polymerisation. Hexoses produced less hydrogen, with a specific selection of lactate-producing bacterial community structures. Maximal hydrogen production was five times higher on pentose-based substrates, with specific bacterial community structures producing acetate and butyrate as main metabolites. Low hydrogen amounts accumulated from complex sugars (cellulose, xylan and wheat straw). A relatively high proportion of the reads was affiliated to Ruminococcaceae suggesting an efficient hydrolytic activity. Knowing that the bacterial community structure is very specific to a particular substrate offers new possibilities to design more efficient H 2 -producing biological systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of solid phosphorus fractionation data to evaluate phosphorus release from waste activated sludge.

PubMed

Pokhrel, S P; Milke, M W; Bello-Mendoza, R; Buitrón, G; Thiele, J

2018-06-01

Waste activated sludge (WAS) can become an important source of phosphorus (P). P speciation was examined under anaerobic conditions, with different pH (4, 6 and 8) and temperatures (10, 20 and 35 °C). Aqueous P was measured and an extraction protocol was used to find three solid phosphorus fractions. A pH of 4 and a temperature of 35 °C gave a maximum of 51% of total P solubilized in 22 days with 50% of total P solubilized in 7 days. Batch tests indicate that little pH depression is needed to release non-apatite inorganic P (including microbial polyphosphate), while a pH of 4 rather than 6 will release more apatite inorganic P, and that organic P is relatively more difficult to release from WAS. Fractionation analysis of P in WAS can aid in design of more efficient methods for P recovery from WAS. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbial biodiversity, quality and shelf life of microfiltered and pasteurized extended shelf life (ESL) milk from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

PubMed

Schmidt, Verena S J; Kaufmann, Veronika; Kulozik, Ulrich; Scherer, Siegfried; Wenning, Mareike

2012-03-01

Information on factors limiting the shelf life of extended shelf life (ESL) milk produced by microfiltration and subsequent pasteurization is very limited. In this study, three different batches of ESL milk were analyzed at different stages of the production process and during storage at 4 °C, 8 °C and 10 °C in order to evaluate the changes in bacterial cell counts, microbial diversity and enzymatic quality. Additionally, detailed biodiversity analyses of 250 retail ESL milk packages produced by five manufacturers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland were performed at the end of shelf life. It was observed that microfiltration decreased the microbial loads by 5-6 log₁₀ units to lower than 1 CFU/mL. However, bacterial counts at the end of shelf life were extremely variable and ranged between <1 and 8 log₁₀ CFU/mL. 8% of all samples showed spoilage indicated by cell counts higher than 6 log₁₀ CFU/mL. The main spoilage groups of bacteria were Gram-negative post-process recontaminants (Acinetobacter, Chryseobacterium, Psychrobacter, Sphingomonas) and the spore formers Paenibacillus and Bacillus cereus, while other spore formers and Microbacterium spp. did not reach spoilage levels. Paenibacillus spp. and B. cereus apparently influenced enzymatic spoilage, as indicated by increased free fatty acid production, pH 4.6 soluble peptide fractions and off-flavors. In some cases, enzymatic spoilage was observed although microbial counts were well below 6 log₁₀ CFU/mL. Thirteen B. cereus isolates were characterized for their toxin profiles and psychrotolerance. Hbl, nhe, and cytK toxin genes were detected in ten, thirteen, and four isolates, respectively, whereas the ces gene was always absent. Interestingly, only three of the thirteen isolates could be allocated to psychrotolerant genotypes, as indicated by the major cold shock cspA gene signature. Generally, large discrepancies in microbial loads and biodiversity were observed at the end of shelf life, even among packages of the same production batch. We suggest that such unexpected differences may be due to very low cell counts after ESL treatment, causing stochastic variations of initial species distributions in individual packages. This would result in the development of significantly different bacterial populations during cold storage, including the occasional development of high numbers of pathogenic species such as B. cereus or Acinetobacter. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microbial fuel cells for direct electrical energy recovery from urban wastewaters.

PubMed

Capodaglio, A G; Molognoni, D; Dallago, E; Liberale, A; Cella, R; Longoni, P; Pantaleoni, L

2013-01-01

Application of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) to wastewater treatment for direct recovery of electric energy appears to provide a potentially attractive alternative to traditional treatment processes, in an optic of costs reduction, and tapping of sustainable energy sources that characterizes current trends in technology. This work focuses on a laboratory-scale, air-cathode, and single-chamber MFC, with internal volume of 6.9 L, operating in batch mode. The MFC was fed with different types of substrates. This study evaluates the MFC behaviour, in terms of organic matter removal efficiency, which reached 86% (on average) with a hydraulic retention time of 150 hours. The MFC produced an average power density of 13.2 mW/m(3), with a Coulombic efficiency ranging from 0.8 to 1.9%. The amount of data collected allowed an accurate analysis of the repeatability of MFC electrochemical behaviour, with regards to both COD removal kinetics and electric energy production.

Effects of 4-chlorophenol wastewater treatment on sludge acute toxicity, microbial diversity and functional genes expression in an activated sludge process.

PubMed

Zhao, Jianguo; Li, Yahe; Li, Yu; Yu, Zeya; Chen, Xiurong

2018-05-31

In this study, the effects of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) wastewater treatment on sludge acute toxicity of luminescent bacteria, microbial diversity and functional genes expression of Pseudomonas were explored. Results showed that in the entire operational process, the sludge acute toxicity acclimated by 4-CP in a sequencing batch bioreactor (SBR) was significantly higher than the control SBR without 4-CP. The dominant phyla in acclimated SBR were Proteobacteria and Firmicutes, which also existed in control SBR. Some identified genera in acclimated SBR were responsible for 4-CP degradation. At the stable operational stages, the functional genes expression of Pseudomonas in acclimated SBR was down-regulated at the end of SBR cycle, and their expression mechanisms needed further research. This study provides a theoretical support to comprehensively understand the sludge performance in industrial wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality changes of fresh filled pasta during storage: influence of modified atmosphere packaging on microbial growth and sensory properties.

PubMed

Sanguinetti, A M; Del Caro, A; Mangia, N P; Secchi, N; Catzeddu, P; Piga, A

2011-02-01

This study evaluated the shelf life of fresh pasta filled with cheese subjected to modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) or air packaging (AP). After a pasteurization treatment, fresh pasta was packaged under a 50/50 N(2)/CO(2) ratio or in air (air batch). Changes in microbial growth, in-package gas composition, chemical-physical parameters and sensory attributes were monitored for 42 days at 4 (°)C. The pasteurization treatment resulted in suitable microbiological reduction. MAP allowed a mold-free shelf life of the fresh filled pasta of 42 days, whereas air-packaged samples got spoilt between 7 and 14 days. The hurdle approach used (MAP and low storage temperature) prevented the growth of pathogens and alterative microorganisms. MAP samples maintained a high microbiological standard throughout the storage period. The panel judged MAP fresh pasta above the acceptability threshold throughout the shelf life.

Comprehensive clone screening and evaluation of fed-batch strategies in a microbioreactor and lab scale stirred tank bioreactor system: application on Pichia pastoris producing Rhizopus oryzae lipase

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background In Pichia pastoris bioprocess engineering, classic approaches for clone selection and bioprocess optimization at small/micro scale using the promoter of the alcohol oxidase 1 gene (PAOX1), induced by methanol, present low reproducibility leading to high time and resource consumption. Results An automated microfermentation platform (RoboLector) was successfully tested to overcome the chronic problems of clone selection and optimization of fed-batch strategies. Different clones from Mut+P. pastoris phenotype strains expressing heterologous Rhizopus oryzae lipase (ROL), including a subset also overexpressing the transcription factor HAC1, were tested to select the most promising clones. The RoboLector showed high performance for the selection and optimization of cultivation media with minimal cost and time. Syn6 medium was better than conventional YNB medium in terms of production of heterologous protein. The RoboLector microbioreactor was also tested for different fed-batch strategies with three clones producing different lipase levels. Two mixed substrates fed-batch strategies were evaluated. The first strategy was the enzymatic release of glucose from a soluble glucose polymer by a glucosidase, and methanol addition every 24 hours. The second strategy used glycerol as co-substrate jointly with methanol at two different feeding rates. The implementation of these simple fed-batch strategies increased the levels of lipolytic activity 80-fold compared to classical batch strategies used in clone selection. Thus, these strategies minimize the risk of errors in the clone selection and increase the detection level of the desired product. Finally, the performance of two fed-batch strategies was compared for lipase production between the RoboLector microbioreactor and 5 liter stirred tank bioreactor for three selected clones. In both scales, the same clone ranking was achieved. Conclusion The RoboLector showed excellent performance in clone selection of P. pastoris Mut+ phenotype. The use of fed-batch strategies using mixed substrate feeds resulted in increased biomass and lipolytic activity. The automated processing of fed-batch strategies by the RoboLector considerably facilitates the operation of fermentation processes, while reducing error-prone clone selection by increasing product titers. The scale-up from microbioreactor to lab scale stirred tank bioreactor showed an excellent correlation, validating the use of microbioreactor as a powerful tool for evaluating fed-batch operational strategies. PMID:24606982

Removal of Cesium From Acidic Radioactive Tank Waste Using IONSIV IE-911 (CST)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mann, Nicholas Robert; Todd, Terry Allen

2004-10-01

IONSIV IE-911, or the engineered form of crystalline silicotitanate (CST), manufactured by UOP Molecular Sieves, has been evaluated for the removal of cesium from Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) acidic radioactive tank waste. A series of batch contacts and column tests were performed by using three separate batches of CST. Batch contacts were performed to evaluate the concentration effects of nitric acid, sodium, and potassium ions on cesium sorption. Additional batch tests were performed to determine if americium, mercury, and plutonium would sorb onto IONSIV IE-911. An equilibrium isotherm was generated by using a concentrated tank waste simulant.more » Column tests using a 1.5 cm 3 column and flow rates of 3, 5, 10, 20, and 30 bed volumes (BV)/hr were performed to elucidate dynamic cesium sorption capacities and sorption kinetics. Additional experiments investigated the effect of CST batch and pretreatment on cesium sorption. The thermal stability of IONSIV IE-911 was evaluated by performing thermal gravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis. Overall, IONSIV IE-911 was shown to be effective for cesium sorption from complex, highly acidic solutions; however, sorbent stability in these solutions may have a deleterious effect on cesium sorption.« less

Bioprocess Intensification of Beer Fermentation Using Immobilised Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verbelen, Pieter J.; Nedović, Viktor A.; Manojlović, Verica; Delvaux, Freddy R.; Laskošek-Čukalović, Ida; Bugarski, Branko; Willaert, Ronnie

Beer production with immobilised yeast has been the subject of research for approximately 30 years but has so far found limited application in the brewing industry, due to engineering problems, unrealised cost advantages, microbial contaminations and an unbalanced beer flavor (Linko et al. 1998; Brányik et al. 2005; Willaert and Nedović 2006). The ultimate aim of this research is the production of beer of desired quality within 1-3 days. Traditional beer fermentation systems use freely suspended yeast cells to ferment wort in an unstirred batch reactor. The primary fermentation takes approximately 7 days with a subsequent secondary fermentation (maturation) of several weeks. A batch culture system employing immobilization could benefit from an increased rate of fermentation. However, it appears that in terms of increasing productivity, a continuous fermentation system with immobilization would be the best method (Verbelen et al. 2006). An important issue of the research area is whether beer can be produced by immobilised yeast in continuous culture with the same characteristic as the traditional method.

Minimizing mixing intensity to improve the performance of rice straw anaerobic digestion via enhanced development of microbe-substrate aggregates.

PubMed

Kim, Moonkyung; Kim, Byung-Chul; Choi, Yongju; Nam, Kyoungphile

2017-12-01

The aim of this work was to study the effect of the differential development of microbe-substrate aggregates at different mixing intensities on the performance of anaerobic digestion of rice straw. Batch and semi-continuous reactors were operated for up to 50 and 300days, respectively, under different mixing intensities. In both batch and semi-continuous reactors, minimal mixing conditions exhibited maximum methane production and lignocellulose biodegradability, which both had strong correlations with the development of microbe-substrate aggregates. The results implied that the aggregated microorganisms on the particulate substrate played a key role in rice straw hydrolysis, determining the performance of anaerobic digestion. Increasing the mixing speed from 50 to 150rpm significantly reduced the methane production rate by disintegrating the microbe-substrate aggregates in the semi-continuous reactor. A temporary stress of high-speed mixing fundamentally affected the microbial communities, increasing the possibility of chronic reactor failure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of bacterial lipase on anaerobic co-digestion of slaughterhouse wastewater and grease in batch condition and continuous fixed-bed reactor.

PubMed

Affes, Maha; Aloui, Fathi; Hadrich, Fatma; Loukil, Slim; Sayadi, Sami

2017-10-10

This study aimed to investigate the effects of bacterial lipase on biogas production of anaerobic co-digestion of slaughterhouse wastewater (SHWW) and hydrolyzed grease (HG). A neutrophilic Staphylococcus xylosus strain exhibiting lipolytic activity was used to perform microbial hydrolysis pretreatment of poultry slaughterhouse lipid rich waste. Optimum proportion of hydrolyzed grease was evaluated by determining biochemical methane potential. A high biogas production was observed in batch containing a mixture of slaughterhouse composed of 75% SHWW and 25% hydrolyzed grease leading to a biogas yield of 0.6 L/g COD introduced. Fixed bed reactor (FBR) results confirmed that the proportion of 25% of hydrolyzed grease gives the optimum condition for the digester performance. Biogas production was significantly high until an organic loading rate (OLR) of 2 g COD/L. d. This study indicates that the use of biological pre-treatment and FBR for the co-digestion of SHWW and hydrolyzed grease is feasible and effective.

Optimization of the microbial synthesis of dihydroxyacetone from glycerol with Gluconobacter oxydans.

PubMed

Hekmat, D; Bauer, R; Fricke, J

2003-12-01

An optimized repeated-fed-batch fermentation process for the synthesis of dihydroxyacetone (DHA) from glycerol utilizing Gluconobacter oxydans is presented. Cleaning, sterilization, and inoculation procedures could be reduced significantly compared to the conventional fed-batch process. A stringent requirement was that the product concentration was kept below a critical threshold level at all times in order to avoid irreversible product inhibition of the cells. On the basis of experimentally validated model calculations, a threshold value of about 60 kg x m(-3) DHA was obtained. The innovative bioreactor system consisted of a stirred tank reactor combined with a packed trickle-bed column. In the packed column, active cells could be retained by in situ immobilization on a hydrophilized Ralu-ring carrier material. Within 17 days, the productivity of the process could be increased by 75% to about 2.8 kg x m(-3) h(-1). However, it was observed that the maximum achievable productivity had not been reached yet.

Bioconversion of volatile fatty acids derived from waste activated sludge into lipids by Cryptococcus curvatus.

PubMed

Liu, Jia; Liu, Jia-Nan; Yuan, Ming; Shen, Zi-Heng; Peng, Kai-Ming; Lu, Li-Jun; Huang, Xiang-Feng

2016-07-01

Pure volatile fatty acid (VFA) solution derived from waste activated sludge (WAS) was used to produce microbial lipids as culture medium in this study, which aimed to realize the resource recovery of WAS and provide low-cost feedstock for biodiesel production simultaneously. Cryptococcus curvatus was selected among three oleaginous yeast to produce lipids with VFAs derived from WAS. In batch cultivation, lipid contents increased from 10.2% to 16.8% when carbon to nitrogen ratio increased from about 3.5 to 165 after removal of ammonia nitrogen by struvite precipitation. The lipid content further increased to 39.6% and the biomass increased from 1.56g/L to 4.53g/L after cultivation for five cycles using sequencing batch culture (SBC) strategy. The lipids produced from WAS-derived VFA solution contained nearly 50% of monounsaturated fatty acids, including palmitic acid, heptadecanoic acid, ginkgolic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid, which showed the adequacy of biodiesel production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In situ hydrogen utilization for high fraction acetate production in mixed culture hollow-fiber membrane biofilm reactor.

PubMed

Zhang, Fang; Ding, Jing; Shen, Nan; Zhang, Yan; Ding, Zhaowei; Dai, Kun; Zeng, Raymond J

2013-12-01

Syngas fermentation is a promising route for resource recovery. Acetate is an important industrial chemical product and also an attractive precursor for liquid biofuels production. This study demonstrated high fraction acetate production from syngas (H₂ and CO₂) in a hollow-fiber membrane biofilm reactor, in which the hydrogen utilizing efficiency reached 100% during the operational period. The maximum concentration of acetate in batch mode was 12.5 g/L, while the acetate concentration in continuous mode with a hydraulic retention time of 9 days was 3.6 ± 0.1 g/L. Since butyrate concentration was rather low and below 0.1 g/L, the acetate fraction was higher than 99% in both batch and continuous modes. Microbial community analysis showed that the biofilm was dominated by Clostridium spp., such as Clostridium ljungdahlii and Clostridium drakei, the percentage of which was 70.5%. This study demonstrates a potential technology for the in situ utilization of syngas and valuable chemical production.

Microbial colonization and growth on metal sulfides and other mineral surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caldwell, D.; Sundquist, A. R.; Lawrence, J.; Doyle, A. P.

1985-01-01

To determine whether a bacterial film forms on sulfur minerals in situ, various sulfur containing and other minerals were incubated in Penitencia Creek. The rate of cell growth and attachment within the surface microenvironment of mineral surfaces was also determined. To determine whether surfaces enriched with soluble sulfur substrates (cysteine, glutathione, thioglycolate, sulfite, and thiosulfate) increased the rate of growth or attachment of natural communities, membrane enrichments were incubated. These rates were determined as described by Caldwell et al. (1981, 1983). The growth of Pseudomonas fluorescens, a heterotrophic sulfur oxidizer, was studied in batch cell suspensions and in continuous culture. In batch culture the cells were oxygen limited (growth rate 0.33 per hour under oxygen limitations and 0.52 per hour when vigorously aerated). Growth within the film was glucose limited. Several behavioral phenomena were observed for cells growing within the hydrodynamic boundary layer. Despite a flow of 10 cm per second in the environment, the bacteria were able to move freely in both directions within the hydrodynamic boundary layer.

Mobility of multiple heavy metalloids in contaminated soil under various redox conditions: Effects of iron sulfide presence and phosphate competition.

PubMed

Park, Ji-Hyun; Kim, So-Jeong; Ahn, Joo Sung; Lim, Dong-Hee; Han, Young-Soo

2018-04-01

The mobility of heavy metalloids including As, Sb, Mo, W, and Cr in soil was investigated under both reducing and oxidizing conditions. The effects of soil mineralogy and the presence of competitive anions were studied as important factors affecting the mobility of these contaminants. Batch experiments conducted with the addition of oxidized and fresh FeS exhibited enhanced sorption rates for As and W under oxidizing conditions, and for Mo under reducing conditions. The inhibitory effect of phosphate on the sorption rates was most apparent for As and Mo under both oxidizing and reducing conditions, while only a small phosphate effect was observed for Sb and W. For Sb and W mobility, pH was determined to be the most important controlling factor. The results of long-term batch experiments revealed that differences in the mobility of metalloids, particularly As, were also influenced by microbial activity in the oxidizing and reducing conditions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Co-digestion of solid waste: Towards a simple model to predict methane production.

PubMed

Kouas, Mokhles; Torrijos, Michel; Schmitz, Sabine; Sousbie, Philippe; Sayadi, Sami; Harmand, Jérôme

2018-04-01

Modeling methane production is a key issue for solid waste co-digestion. Here, the effect of a step-wise increase in the organic loading rate (OLR) on reactor performance was investigated, and four new models were evaluated to predict methane yields using data acquired in batch mode. Four co-digestion experiments of mixtures of 2 solid substrates were conducted in semi-continuous mode. Experimental methane yields were always higher than the BMP values of mixtures calculated from the BMP of each substrate, highlighting the importance of endogenous production (methane produced from auto-degradation of microbial community and generated solids). The experimental methane productions under increasing OLRs corresponded well to the modeled data using the model with constant endogenous production and kinetics identified at 80% from total batch time. This model provides a simple and useful tool for technical design consultancies and plant operators to optimize the co-digestion and the choice of the OLRs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhanced nitrogen removal with spent mushroom compost in a sequencing batch reactor.

PubMed

Yang, Yunlong; Tao, Xin; Lin, Ershu; Hu, Kaihui

2017-11-01

In order to remove nitrogen effectively from the wastewater with a low C/N ratio, the feasibility of using spent mushroom compost (SMC) hydrolysates as carbon sources for denitrification was investigated in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). With SMCs supplement, the SBR performance was improved obviously within the 180days of operation. The total nitrogen removal was promoted from 46.9% to 81-89.4%, and no negative impact induced by different SMCs on the SBR system was observed. The abundance of functional genes including amoA, nirS/K, norB and nosZ in the active sludge was quantified by qPCR, and most of them elevated after SMC was fed. 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing showed that the significant change in microbial community not only promoted pollutants removal but also benefited the stability of the reactor. Therefore, SMC could be an extremely promising carbon source used for nitrogen removal due to its cost-effective and efficient characteristics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring the potential of anaerobic sulfate reduction process in treating sulfonated diazo dye: Microbial community analysis using bar-coded pyrosequencing.

PubMed

Rasool, Kashif; Shahzad, Asif; Lee, Dae Sung

2016-11-15

Anaerobic decolorization and biotransformation of azo dye was investigated in a sulfate-reducing environment. Batch reactor studies were performed with mixed cultures of anaerobic sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRBs) enriched from anaerobic digester sludge. Complete sulfate and color removal were achieved in batch experiments with different initial dye concentrations (50-2500mg/L) and 1000mg/L of sulfate. Induction of various oxidoreductive enzyme activities such as phenol oxidase, veratryl alcohol oxidase, lignin peroxidase, and azo reductase was studied to understand their involvement in dye metabolism under anoxic environment. The degradation of Cotton Red B was confirmed using high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Sulfidogenic sludge demonstrated excellent dye degradation and mineralization ability, producing aniline and 1,4-diamino benzene as metabolites. A barcoded 16S rRNA gene-pyrosequencing approach was used to assess the bacterial diversity in the sludge culture and a phylogenetic tree was constructed for sulfate-reducing bacteria. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

De novo Biosynthesis of Biodiesel by Escherichia coli in Optimized Fed-Batch Cultivation

PubMed Central

Cai, Ke; Tan, Xiaoming; Lu, Xuefeng

2011-01-01

Biodiesel is a renewable alternative to petroleum diesel fuel that can contribute to carbon dioxide emission reduction and energy supply. Biodiesel is composed of fatty acid alkyl esters, including fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) and fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs), and is currently produced through the transesterification reaction of methanol (or ethanol) and triacylglycerols (TAGs). TAGs are mainly obtained from oilseed plants and microalgae. A sustainable supply of TAGs is a major bottleneck for current biodiesel production. Here we report the de novo biosynthesis of FAEEs from glucose, which can be derived from lignocellulosic biomass, in genetically engineered Escherichia coli by introduction of the ethanol-producing pathway from Zymomonas mobilis, genetic manipulation to increase the pool of fatty acyl-CoA, and heterologous expression of acyl-coenzyme A: diacylglycerol acyltransferase from Acinetobacter baylyi. An optimized fed-batch microbial fermentation of the modified E. coli strain yielded a titer of 922 mg L−1 FAEEs that consisted primarily of ethyl palmitate, -oleate, -myristate and -palmitoleate. PMID:21629774

In situ profiling of microbial communities in full-scale aerobic sequencing batch reactors treating winery waste in australia.

PubMed

McIlroy, Simon J; Speirs, Lachlan B M; Tucci, Joseph; Seviour, Robert J

2011-10-15

On-site aerobic sequencing batch reactor (SBR) treatment plants are implemented in many Australian wineries to treat the large volumes of associated wastewater they generate. Yet very little is known about their microbiology. This paper represents the first attempt to analyze the communities of three such systems sampled during both vintage and nonvintage operational periods using molecular methods. Alphaproteobacterial tetrad forming organisms (TFO) related to members of the genus Defluviicoccus and Amaricoccus dominated all three systems in both operational periods. Candidatus 'Alysiosphaera europaea' and Zoogloea were codominant in two communities. Production of high levels of exocellular capsular material by Zoogloea and Amaricoccus is thought to explain the poor settleability of solids in one of these plants. The dominance of these organisms is thought to result from the high COD to N/P ratios that characterize winery wastes, and it is suggested that manipulating this ratio with nutrient dosing may help control the problems they cause.

Batch anaerobic digestion of synthetic military base food waste and cardboard mixtures.

PubMed

Asato, Caitlin M; Gonzalez-Estrella, Jorge; Jerke, Amber C; Bang, Sookie S; Stone, James J; Gilcrease, Patrick C

2016-09-01

Austere US military bases typically dispose of solid wastes, including large fractions of food waste (FW) and corrugated cardboard (CCB), by open dumping, landfilling, or burning. Anaerobic digestion (AD) offers an opportunity to reduce pollution and recover useful energy. This study aimed to evaluate the rates and yields of AD for FW-CCB mixtures. Batch AD was analyzed at substrate concentrations of 1-50g total chemical oxygen demand (COD)L(-1) using response surface methodology. At low concentrations, higher proportions of FW were correlated with faster specific methanogenic activities and greater final methane yields; however, concentrations of FW ⩾18.75gCODL(-1) caused inhibition. Digestion of mixtures with ⩾75% CCB occurred slowly but achieved methane yields >70%. Greater shifts in microbial communities were observed at higher substrate concentrations. Statistical models of methane yield and specific methanogenic activity indicated that FW and CCB exhibited no considerable interactions as substrates for AD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhancement of electricity production by graphene oxide in soil microbial fuel cells and plant microbial fuel cells.

PubMed

Goto, Yuko; Yoshida, Naoko; Umeyama, Yuto; Yamada, Takeshi; Tero, Ryugo; Hiraishi, Akira

2015-01-01

The effects of graphene oxide (GO) on electricity generation in soil microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) and plant microbial fuel cell (PMFCs) were investigated. GO at concentrations ranging from 0 to 1.9 g⋅kg(-1) was added to soil and reduced for 10 days under anaerobic incubation. All SMFCs (GO-SMFCs) utilizing the soils incubated with GO produced electricity at a greater rate and in higher quantities than the SMFCs which did not contain GO. In fed-batch operations, the overall average electricity generation in GO-SMFCs containing 1.0 g⋅kg(-1) of GO was 40 ± 19 mW⋅m(-2), which was significantly higher than the value of 6.6 ± 8.9 mW⋅m(-2) generated from GO-free SMFCs (p < 0.05). The increase in catalytic current at the oxidative potential was observed by cyclic voltammetry (CV) for GO-SMFC, with the CV curve suggesting the enhancement of electron transfer from oxidation of organic substances in the soil by the reduced form of GO. The GO-containing PMFC also displayed a greater generation of electricity compared to the PMFC with no added GO, with GO-PMFC producing 49 mW⋅m(-2) of electricity after 27 days of operation. Collectively, this study demonstrates that GO added to soil can be microbially reduced in soil, and facilitates electron transfer to the anode in both SMFCs and PMFCs.

Enhancement of Electricity Production by Graphene Oxide in Soil Microbial Fuel Cells and Plant Microbial Fuel Cells

PubMed Central

Goto, Yuko; Yoshida, Naoko; Umeyama, Yuto; Yamada, Takeshi; Tero, Ryugo; Hiraishi, Akira

2015-01-01

The effects of graphene oxide (GO) on electricity generation in soil microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) and plant microbial fuel cell (PMFCs) were investigated. GO at concentrations ranging from 0 to 1.9 g⋅kg−1 was added to soil and reduced for 10 days under anaerobic incubation. All SMFCs (GO-SMFCs) utilizing the soils incubated with GO produced electricity at a greater rate and in higher quantities than the SMFCs which did not contain GO. In fed-batch operations, the overall average electricity generation in GO-SMFCs containing 1.0 g⋅kg−1 of GO was 40 ± 19 mW⋅m−2, which was significantly higher than the value of 6.6 ± 8.9 mW⋅m−2 generated from GO-free SMFCs (p < 0.05). The increase in catalytic current at the oxidative potential was observed by cyclic voltammetry (CV) for GO-SMFC, with the CV curve suggesting the enhancement of electron transfer from oxidation of organic substances in the soil by the reduced form of GO. The GO-containing PMFC also displayed a greater generation of electricity compared to the PMFC with no added GO, with GO-PMFC producing 49 mW⋅m−2 of electricity after 27 days of operation. Collectively, this study demonstrates that GO added to soil can be microbially reduced in soil, and facilitates electron transfer to the anode in both SMFCs and PMFCs. PMID:25883931

Interpreting isotopic analyses of microbial sulfate reduction in oil reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hubbard, C. G.; Engelbrektson, A. L.; Druhan, J. L.; Cheng, Y.; Li, L.; Ajo Franklin, J. B.; Coates, J. D.; Conrad, M. E.

2013-12-01

Microbial sulfate reduction in oil reservoirs is often associated with secondary production of oil where seawater (28 mM sulfate) is commonly injected to maintain reservoir pressure and displace oil. The hydrogen sulfide produced can cause a suite of operating problems including corrosion of infrastructure, health exposure risks and additional processing costs. We propose that monitoring of the sulfur and oxygen isotopes of sulfate can be used as early indicators that microbial sulfate reduction is occurring, as this process is well known to cause substantial isotopic fractionation. This approach relies on the idea that reactions with reservoir (iron) minerals can remove dissolved sulfide, thereby delaying the transport of the sulfide through the reservoir relative to the sulfate in the injected water. Changes in the sulfate isotopes due to microbial sulfate reduction may therefore be measurable in the produced water before sulfide is detected. However, turning this approach into a predictive tool requires (i) an understanding of appropriate fractionation factors for oil reservoirs, (ii) incorporation of isotopic data into reservoir flow and reactive transport models. We present here the results of preliminary batch experiments aimed at determining fractionation factors using relevant electron donors (e.g. crude oil and volatile fatty acids), reservoir microbial communities and reservoir environmental conditions (pressure, temperature). We further explore modeling options for integrating isotope data and discuss whether single fractionation factors are appropriate to model complex environments with dynamic hydrology, geochemistry, temperature and microbiology gradients.

Influence of solid-liquid separation method parameters employed in soil leaching tests on apparent metal concentration.

PubMed

Imoto, Yukari; Yasutaka, Tetsuo; Someya, Masayuki; Higashino, Kazuo

2018-05-15

Soil leaching tests are commonly used to evaluate the leachability of hazardous materials, such as heavy metals, from the soil. Batch leaching tests often enhance soil colloidal mobility and may require solid-liquid separation procedures to remove excess soil particles. However, batch leaching test results depend on particles that can pass through a 0.45μm membrane filter and are influenced by test parameters such as centrifugal intensity and filtration volume per filter. To evaluate these parameters, we conducted batch leaching experiments using metal-contaminated soils and focused on the centrifugal intensity and filtration volume per filter used in solid-liquid separation methods currently employed in standard leaching tests. Our experiments showed that both centrifugal intensity and filtration volume per filter affected the reproducibility of batch leaching tests for some soil types. The results demonstrated that metal concentrations in the filtrates significantly differed according to the centrifugal intensity when it was 3000 g for 2h or less. Increased filtration volume per filter led to significant decreases in filtrate metal concentrations when filter cakes formed during filtration. Comparison of the filtration tests using 0.10 and 0.45μm membrane filters showed statistically significant differences in turbidity and metal concentration. These findings suggest that colloidal particles were not adequately removed from the extract and contributed substantially to the apparent metal concentrations in the leaching test of soil containing colloidal metals. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Addressing case specific biogas plant tasks: industry oriented methane yields derived from 5L Automatic Methane Potential Test Systems in batch or semi-continuous tests using realistic inocula, substrate particle sizes and organic loading.

PubMed

Kolbl, Sabina; Paloczi, Attila; Panjan, Jože; Stres, Blaž

2014-02-01

The primary aim of the study was to develop and validate an in-house upscale of Automatic Methane Potential Test System II for studying real-time inocula and real-scale substrates in batch, codigestion and enzyme enhanced hydrolysis experiments, in addition to semi-continuous operation of the developed equipment and experiments testing inoculum functional quality. The successful upscale to 5L enabled comparison of different process configurations in shorter preparation times with acceptable accuracy and high-through put intended for industrial decision making. The adoption of the same scales, equipment and methodologies in batch and semi-continuous tests mirroring those at full scale biogas plants resulted in matching methane yields between the two laboratory tests and full-scale, confirming thus the increased decision making value of the approach for industrial operations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Heater Validation for the NEXT-C Hollow Cathodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Verhey, Timothy R.; Soulas, George C.; Mackey, Jonathan A.

2018-01-01

Swaged cathode heaters whose design was successfully demonstrated under a prior flight project are to be provided by the NASA Glenn Research Center for the NEXT-C ion thruster being fabricated by Aerojet Rocketdyne. Extensive requalification activities were performed to validate process controls that had to be re-established or revised because systemic changes prevented reuse of the past approaches. A development batch of heaters was successfully fabricated based on the new process controls. Acceptance and cyclic life testing of multiple discharge and neutralizer sized heaters extracted from the development batch was initiated in August, 2016, with the last heater completing testing in April, 2017. Cyclic life testing results substantially exceeded the NEXT-C thruster requirement as well as all past experience for GRC-fabricated units. The heaters demonstrated ultimate cyclic life capability of 19050 to 33500 cycles. A qualification batch of heaters is now being fabricated using the finalized process controls. A set of six heaters will be acceptance and cyclic tested to verify conformance to the behavior observed with the development heaters. The heaters for flight use will be then be provided to the contractor from the remainder of the qualification batch. This paper summarizes the fabrication process control activities and the acceptance and life testing of the development heater units.

Assessment of CO2-Induced Geochemical Changes in Soil/Mineral-Water Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, H. Y.; Choi, H. J.

2016-12-01

Although the storage of CO2 in deep geological formations is considered the most promising sequestration path, there is still a risk that it may leak into the atmosphere. To ensure the secure operation of CO2 storage sites, thus, it is necessary to implement CO2 leakage monitoring systems. Furthermore, the leakage may alter geochemical properties of overlying geological units to have adverse environmental consequences. By elucidating geochemical changes due to CO2 leakage, it is possible to develop effective CO2 monitoring techniques and predict the influence of CO2 leakage. A series of batch experiments were conducted to simulate CO2-induced geochemical changes in soil/mineral-water systems. Soil samples, obtained from Eumseong basin in Eumseong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do, were dried for 6 hours at 60° and then divided into two size fractions: < 106 and 106-212 mm. Minerals including mica/illite, vermiculite, and feldspar were purchased and purified if necessary. Prior to batch experiments, soils and minerals were characterized for surface area, mineralogy, elemental composition, carbon and nitrogen contents, pH buffering capacity, and metal extractability. Batch experiments were initiated by reacting 100% CO2 atmosphere with aqueous suspensions of 120 g soils or 50 g minerals in 3,000 mL of 10 mM CsClO4 at room temperature. In parallel, the batches having the same soil/mineral compositions were run under the ambient air as controls. To prevent microbial activities, all batches were sterilized with 0.03% HCHO. To track geochemical changes, pH and electrical conductivity were monitored. Also, while solutions were regularly sampled and analyzed for trace metals as well as main cations and anions, solid phases were sampled to observe changes in mineralogical compositions. Geochemical changes in both solution and solid phases during the initial 6 month reaction will be presented. Acknowledgement: The "R&D Project on Environmental Management of Geologic CO2 Storage" from the KEITI (Project Number: 2014001810003).

Autotrophic denitrification supported by biotite dissolution in crystalline aquifers (1): New insights from short-term batch experiments.

PubMed

Aquilina, Luc; Roques, Clément; Boisson, Alexandre; Vergnaud-Ayraud, Virginie; Labasque, Thierry; Pauwels, Hélène; Pételet-Giraud, Emmanuelle; Pettenati, Marie; Dufresne, Alexis; Bethencourt, Lorine; Bour, Olivier

2018-04-01

We investigate denitrification mechanisms through batch experiments using crushed rock and groundwater from a granitic aquifer subject to long term pumping (Ploemeur, France). Except for sterilized experiments, extensive denitrification reaction induces NO 3 decreases ranging from 0.3 to 0.6mmol/L. Carbon concentrations, either organic or inorganic, remain relatively stable and do not document potential heterotrophic denitrification. Batch experiments show a clear effect of mineral dissolution which is documented through cation (K, Na, Ca) and Fluoride production. These productions are tightly related to denitrification progress during the experiment. Conversely, limited amounts of SO 4 , systematically lower than autotrophic denitrification coupled to sulfur oxidation stoichiometry, are produced during the experiments which indicates that sulfur oxidation is not likely even when pyrite is added to the experiments. Analysis of cation ratios, both in isolated minerals of the granite and within water of the batch, allow the mineral dissolution during the experiments to be quantified. Using cation ratios, we show that batch experiments are characterized mainly by biotite dissolution. As biotite contains 21 to 30% of Fe and 0.3 to 1.7% of F, it constitutes a potential source for these two elements. Denitrification could be attributed to the oxidation of Fe(II) contained in biotite. We computed the amount of K and F produced through biotite dissolution when entirely attributing denitrification to biotite dissolution. Computed amounts show that this process may account for the observed K and F produced. We interpret these results as the development of microbial activity which induces mineral dissolution in order to uptake Fe(II) which is used for denitrification. Although pyrite is probably available, SO 4 and cation measurements favor a large biotite dissolution reaction which could account for all the observed Fe production. Chemical composition of groundwater produced from the Ploemeur site indicates similar denitrification processes although original composition shows mainly plagioclase dissolution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Virus elimination in activated sludge systems: from batch tests to mathematical modeling.

PubMed

Haun, Emma; Ulbricht, Katharina; Nogueira, Regina; Rosenwinkel, Karl-Heinz

2014-01-01

A virus tool based on Activated Sludge Model No. 3 for modeling virus elimination in activated sludge systems was developed and calibrated with the results from laboratory-scale batch tests and from measurements in a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The somatic coliphages were used as an indicator for human pathogenic enteric viruses. The extended model was used to simulate the virus concentration in batch tests and in a municipal full-scale WWTP under steady-state and dynamic conditions. The experimental and modeling results suggest that both adsorption and inactivation processes, modeled as reversible first-order reactions, contribute to virus elimination in activated sludge systems. The model should be a useful tool to estimate the number of viruses entering water bodies from the discharge of treated effluents.

Kinetics and methane gas yields of selected C1 to C5 organic acids in anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Yang, Yu; Chen, Qian; Guo, Jialiang; Hu, Zhiqiang

2015-12-15

Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and other short-chain organic acids such as lactic and pyruvic acids are intermediates in anaerobic organic degradation. In this study, anaerobic degradation of seven organic acids in salt form was investigated, including formate (C1), acetate (C2), propionate (C3), pyruvate (C3), lactate (C3), butyrate (C4), and valerate (C5). Microbial growth kinetics on these organic acids were determined individually at 37 °C through batch anaerobic digestion tests by varying substrate concentrations from 250 to 4000 mg COD/L. The cumulative methane generation volume was determined real-time by respirometry coupled with gas chromatographic analysis while methane yield and related kinetics were calculated. The methane gas yields (fe, mg CH4 COD/mg substrate COD) from anaerobic degradation of formate, acetate, propionate, pyruvate, lactate, butyrate, and valerate were 0.44 ± 0.27, 0.58 ± 0.05, 0.53 ± 0.18, 0.24 ± 0.05, 0.17 ± 0.05, 0.43 ± 0.15, 0.49 ± 0.11, respectively. Anaerobic degradation of formate showed self-substrate inhibition at the concentrations above 3250 mg COD/L. Acetate, propionate, pyruvate, butyrate, lactate, and valerate did not inhibit methane production at the highest concentrations tested (i.e., 4000 mg COD/L). Microbes growing on acetate had the highest overall specific growth rate (0.30 d(-1)) in methane production. For comparison, the specific microbial growth rates on formate, propionate, pyruvate, butyrate, lactate, and valerate for methane production were 0.10, 0.06, 0.08, 0.07, 0.05, 0.15 d(-1), respectively. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A novel composite conductive microfiltration membrane and its anti-fouling performance with an external electric field in membrane bioreactors

PubMed Central

Huang, Jian; Wang, Zhiwei; Zhang, Junyao; Zhang, Xingran; Ma, Jinxing; Wu, Zhichao

2015-01-01

Membrane fouling remains an obstacle to wide-spread applications of membrane bioreactors (MBRs) for wastewater treatment and reclamation. Herein, we report a simple method to prepare a composite conductive microfiltration (MF) membrane by introducing a stainless steel mesh into a polymeric MF membrane and to effectively control its fouling by applying an external electric field. Linear sweep voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analyses showed that this conductive membrane had very good electrochemical properties. Batch tests demonstrated its anti-fouling ability in filtration of bovine serum albumin, sodium alginate, humic acid and silicon dioxide particles as model foulants. The fouling rate in continuous-flow MBRs treating wastewater was also decreased by about 50% for this conductive membrane with 2 V/cm electric field compared to the control test during long-term operation. The enhanced electrostatic repulsive force between foulants and membrane, in-situ cleaning by H2O2 generated from oxygen reduction, and decreased production of soluble microbial products and extracellular polymeric substances contributed to fouling mitigation in this MBR. The results of this study shed light on the control strategy of membrane fouling for achieving a sustainable operation of MBRs. PMID:25784160

Fumaric Acid Production from Alkali-Pretreated Corncob by Fed-Batch Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation Combined with Separated Hydrolysis and Fermentation at High Solids Loading.

PubMed

Li, Xin; Zhou, Jin; Ouyang, Shuiping; Ouyang, Jia; Yong, Qiang

2017-02-01

Production of fumaric acid from alkali-pretreated corncob (APC) at high solids loading was investigated using a combination of separated hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) and fed-batch simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) by Rhizopus oryzae. Four different fermentation modes were tested to maximize fumaric acid concentration at high solids loading. The highest concentration of 41.32 g/L fumaric acid was obtained from 20 % (w/v) APC at 38 °C in the combined SHF and fed-batch SSF process, compared with 19.13 g/L fumaric acid in batch SSF alone. The results indicated that a combination of SHF and fed-batch SSF significantly improved production of fumaric acid from lignocellulose by R. oryzae than that achieved with batch SSF at high solids loading.

Testing SLURM open source batch system for a Tierl/Tier2 HEP computing facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donvito, Giacinto; Salomoni, Davide; Italiano, Alessandro

2014-06-01

In this work the testing activities that were carried on to verify if the SLURM batch system could be used as the production batch system of a typical Tier1/Tier2 HEP computing center are shown. SLURM (Simple Linux Utility for Resource Management) is an Open Source batch system developed mainly by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, SchedMD, Linux NetworX, Hewlett-Packard, and Groupe Bull. Testing was focused both on verifying the functionalities of the batch system and the performance that SLURM is able to offer. We first describe our initial set of requirements. Functionally, we started configuring SLURM so that it replicates all the scheduling policies already used in production in the computing centers involved in the test, i.e. INFN-Bari and the INFN-Tier1 at CNAF, Bologna. Currently, the INFN-Tier1 is using IBM LSF (Load Sharing Facility), while INFN-Bari, an LHC Tier2 for both CMS and Alice, is using Torque as resource manager and MAUI as scheduler. We show how we configured SLURM in order to enable several scheduling functionalities such as Hierarchical FairShare, Quality of Service, user-based and group-based priority, limits on the number of jobs per user/group/queue, job age scheduling, job size scheduling, and scheduling of consumable resources. We then show how different job typologies, like serial, MPI, multi-thread, whole-node and interactive jobs can be managed. Tests on the use of ACLs on queues or in general other resources are then described. A peculiar SLURM feature we also verified is triggers on event, useful to configure specific actions on each possible event in the batch system. We also tested highly available configurations for the master node. This feature is of paramount importance since a mandatory requirement in our scenarios is to have a working farm cluster even in case of hardware failure of the server(s) hosting the batch system. Among our requirements there is also the possibility to deal with pre-execution and post-execution scripts, and controlled handling of the failure of such scripts. This feature is heavily used, for example, at the INFN-Tier1 in order to check the health status of a worker node before execution of each job. Pre- and post-execution scripts are also important to let WNoDeS, the IaaS Cloud solution developed at INFN, use SLURM as its resource manager. WNoDeS has already been supporting the LSF and Torque batch systems for some time; in this work we show the work done so that WNoDeS supports SLURM as well. Finally, we show several performance tests that we carried on to verify SLURM scalability and reliability, detailing scalability tests both in terms of managed nodes and of queued jobs.

Toward Higher QA: From Parametric Release of Sterile Parenteral Products to PAT for Other Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms.

PubMed

Hock, Sia Chong; Constance, Neo Xue Rui; Wah, Chan Lai

2012-01-01

Pharmaceutical products are generally subjected to end-product batch testing as a means of quality control. Due to the inherent limitations of conventional batch testing, this is not the most ideal approach for determining the pharmaceutical quality of the finished dosage form. In the case of terminally sterilized parenteral products, the limitations of conventional batch testing have been successfully addressed with the application of parametric release (the release of a product based on control of process parameters instead of batch sterility testing at the end of the manufacturing process). Consequently, there has been an increasing interest in applying parametric release to other pharmaceutical dosage forms, beyond terminally sterilized parenteral products. For parametric release to be possible, manufacturers must be capable of designing quality into the product, monitoring the manufacturing processes, and controlling the quality of intermediates and finished products in real-time. Process analytical technology (PAT) has been thought to be capable of contributing to these prerequisites. It is believed that the appropriate use of PAT tools can eventually lead to the possibility of real-time release of other pharmaceutical dosage forms, by-passing the need for end-product batch testing. Hence, this literature review attempts to present the basic principles of PAT, introduce the various PAT tools that are currently available, present their recent applications to pharmaceutical processing, and explain the potential benefits that PAT can bring to conventional ways of processing and quality assurance of pharmaceutical products. Last but not least, current regulations governing the use of PAT and the manufacturing challenges associated with PAT implementation are also discussed. Pharmaceutical products are generally subjected to end-product batch testing as a means of quality control. Due to the inherent limitations of conventional batch testing, this is not the most ideal approach. In the case of terminally sterilized parenteral products, these limitations have been successfully addressed with the application of parametric release (the release of a product based on control of process parameters instead of batch sterility testing at the end of the manufacturing process). Consequently, there has been an increasing interest in applying parametric release to other pharmaceutical dosage forms. With the advancement of process analytical technology (PAT), it is possible to monitor the manufacturing processes closely. This will eventually enable quality control of the intermediates and finished products, and thus their release in real-time. Hence, this literature review attempts to present the basic principles of PAT, introduce the various PAT tools that are currently available, present their recent applications to pharmaceutical processing, and explain the potential benefits that PAT can bring to conventional ways of processing and quality assurance of pharmaceutical products. It will also discuss the current regulations governing the use of PAT and the manufacturing challenges associated with the implementation of PAT.

Aerobic biodegradability of methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) used in natural gas sweetening plants in batch tests and continuous flow experiments.

PubMed

Fürhacker, M; Pressl, A; Allabashi, R

2003-09-01

Mixtures of different amines including tertiary amines (methyldiethanolamine, MDEA) are commonly used for the removal of CO2 from gas mixtures or in gas sweetening processes for the extraction of CO2 and H2S. The absorber solutions used can be released into the industrial waste water due to continuous substitution of degraded MDEA, periodically cleaning processes or an accidental spill. In this study, the aerobic biodegradability of MDEA was investigated in a standardised batch test and a continuous flow experiment (40 l/d). The results of the batch test indicated that the MDEA-solution was non-biodegradable during the test period of 28 days, whereas the continuous flow experiments showed biodegradation of more than 96% based on TOC-measurements. This was probably due to the adaptation of the microorganisms to this particular waste water contamination during continuous flow experiment.

Perchlorate remediation using packed-bed bioreactors and electricity generation in microbial fuel cells (MFCs)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Min, Booki

Two pilot-scale fixed bed bioreactors were operated in continuous mode in order to treat groundwater contaminated by perchlorate. The bioreactors were constructed and operated side-by-side at the Texas Street Well Facility in Redlands, California. Each reactor was packed with either sand or plastic media. A perchlorate-reducing bacterium, Dechlorosoma sp. KJ, was used to inoculate the bioreactors. Perchlorate was successfully removed down to a non-detectable level (<4mug/L) in both bioreactors with acetate as a carbon source and nutrients at loading rates less than 0.063 L/s (1 gpm; 0.34 L/m2s). The sand medium bioreactor could achieve complete-perchlorate removal up to flow rate of 0.126 L/s. A regular backwashing cycle (once a week) was an important factor for completely removing perchlorate in groundwater. Power generation directly from pure or mixed organic matter was examined using microbial fuel cells (MFCs), which were run either in batch or continuous mode. In batch experiments, both a pure culture (Geobactor metallireducens) and a mixed culture (wastewater inoculum) were used as the biocatalyst, and acetate was added as substrate in the anode chamber of the MFC. Power output in a membrane MFC with either inoculum was essentially the same, with 40 +/- 1 mW/m2 for G. metallireducens and 38 +/- 1 mW/m2 for mixed culture. A different type of the MFC containing a salt bridge instead of a membrane system was examined to generate power using the same substrate and pure culture as used in the membrane MFC. Power output in the salt bridge MFC was 2.2 mW/m 2. It was found that the lower power output was directly attributed to the higher internal resistance of the salt bridge system (19920 +/- 50 O) in comparison with that of the membrane system (1286 +/- 1 O). Continuous electricity generation was examined in a flat plate microbial fuel cell (FPMFC) using domestic wastewater and specific organic substrates. The FPMFC, containing a combined electrode/proton exchange membrane (PEM), was initially acclimated for one month to domestic wastewater, and then was operated as a plug flow reactor system. Power density using domestic wastewater as a substrate was 72 +/- 1 mW/m2 at a liquid flow rate of 0.39 mL/min (1.1 hr hydraulic retention time, HRT), and COD removal was 42%. At a longer HRT of 4.0 hr, the COD removal increased to 79%, and power density was 43 mW/m2. Several organic compounds (about 1000 mg-COD/L) also generated high power densities including: glucose (212 +/- 2 mW/m2), acetate (286 +/- 3 mW/m2), butyrate (220 +/- 1 mW/m2), dextran (150 +/- 1 mW/m 2), and starch (242 +/- 3 mW/m2). Therefore, it was shown that power could be successfully generated in a continuous-mode MFC with a variety of organic substrates. Animal wastewater was also tested as substrate to generate power in an air-cathode single chamber MFC operated in batch mode. This preliminary experiment demonstrated that power generation could be sustained with animal wastewater and that wastewater strength and odors were substantially reduced in the reactor after only one day of operation.

Mobility of as, Cu, Cr, and Zn from tailings covered with sealing materials using alkaline industrial residues: a comparison between two leaching methods.

PubMed

Jia, Yu; Maurice, Christian; Öhlander, Björn

2016-01-01

Different alkaline residue materials (fly ash, green liquor dregs, and lime mud) generated from the pulp and paper industry as sealing materials were evaluated to cover aged mine waste tailings (<1% sulfur content, primarily pyrite). The mobility of four selected trace elements (Cr, Cu, Zn, and As) was compared based on batch and column leaching studies to assess the effectiveness of these alkaline materials as sealing agents. Based on the leaching results, Cr, Cu, and Zn were immobilized by the alkaline amendments. In the amended tailings in the batch system only As dramatically exceeded the limit values at L/S 10 L/kg. The leaching results showed similar patterns to the batch results, though leached Cr, Cu, and Zn showed higher levels in the column tests than in the batch tests. However, when the columns were compared with the batches, the trend for Cu was opposite for the unamended tailings. By contrast, both batch and column results showed that the amendment caused mobilization of As compared with the unamended tailings in the ash-amended tailings. The amount of As released was greatest in the ash column and decreased from the dregs to the lime columns. The leaching of As at high levels can be a potential problem whenever alkaline materials (especially for fly ash) are used as sealing materials over tailings. The column test was considered by the authors to be a more informative method in remediation of the aged tailings with low sulfur content, since it mimics better actual situation in a field.

Actual waste demonstration of the nitric-glycolic flowsheet for sludge batch 9 qualification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Newell, D.; Pareizs, J.; Martino, C.

For each sludge batch that is processed in the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF), the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) performs qualification testing to demonstrate that the sludge batch is processable. Based on the results of this actual-waste qualification and previous simulant studies, SRNL recommends implementation of the nitric-glycolic acid flowsheet in DWPF. Other recommendations resulting from this demonstration are reported in section 5.0.

Ocimum Sanctum seeds, a natural superdisintegrant: formulation and evaluation of fast melt tablets of nimesulide.

PubMed

Malik, Karan; Arora, Gurpreet; Singh, Inderbir

2012-01-01

Fast melt tablets, also known as fast dissolving tablets, disintegrate instantaneously within the mouth and thus can be consumed without water. The present study was aimed to formulate fast melt tablets of nimesulide by using Ocimum Sanctum seeds as a natural tablet superdisintegrant. Powdered Ocimum seeds were characterized for powder flow properties (bulk density, tapped density, Carr's consolidation index, Hausner ratio, angle of repose), swelling index, viscosity, pH, loss on drying and microbial load. The prepared tablets were evaluated for different tablet parametric tests, wetting time, water absorption ratio, effective pore radius, porosity, packing fraction, in vitro and in vivo disintegration time, in-vitro dissolution and stability studies. The swelling index was evaluated to be 1600. An appreciable effect of the natural material was seen on tablet hardness and friability. The water absorption ratio increased from 56.15 +/- 0.85 to 80.76 +/- 0.70 (A1-A4). Water uptake coupled natural polymer swelling could be the most probable mechanism for concentration dependent reduction in disintegration time by the Ocimum Sanctum seeds. Porosity of the formulated tablets was found to increase from batch A1-A4. The in vitro disintegration results were in line with in vivo disintegration results. The f2 values (in comparison with Nimulid MD) of 95.90 and 93.65 were obtained with A3 and A4 batches respectively. It could be concluded that Ocimum Sanctum seeds could be used as a natural superdisintegrant in the formulation of fast melt tablets.

Amylolysis is predominated by cell-surface-bound hydrolase during anaerobic fermentation under mesophilic conditions.

PubMed

Li, Shiue-Lin; Wang, Yu-Hsuan; Chao, Yu-Chieh; Bai, Ming-Der; Cheng, Sheng-Shung

2018-04-01

While knowing the amylolysis mechanism is important to effectively decompose corn starch fed into an anaerobic digestor, the objective of this study was to detect the activities and locations of α-amylase in a continuous reactor and batch cultures. In the continuous reactor operated at 35 °C, the greatest cell-bound α-amylase activity was found to be 4.7 CU mL -1  at hydraulic retention time (HRT) = 9 h, while the greatest volumetric hydrogen production rate (r H2 ) was observed at HRT = 3 h as 61 mmol L -1 day -1 . In the batch tests, the cell-bound α-amylase activities increased when the carbohydrate concentration decreased, and no significant reducing sugar accumulation was found in the serum bottles. By examining the specific hydrogen production rate (q H2 ) against different corn starch concentrations, the half-saturation constant (K Sta ) and the maximum q H2 were regressed to be 0.47 g L -1 and 6 mmol g-VSS -1  d -1 , respectively. The electronic microscopic images showed that the microbes could colonize on the starch granules without the disturbance of any floc-like materials. Conclusively, by excluding the methanogens and floc matrix, the secreted α-amylases are predominately bound on the cell surfaces and enabled the microbial cells favorably attach on large substrates for hydrolysis under the mesophilic condition. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Isotopic insights into microbial sulfur cycling in oil reservoirs

PubMed Central

Hubbard, Christopher G.; Cheng, Yiwei; Engelbrekston, Anna; Druhan, Jennifer L.; Li, Li; Ajo-Franklin, Jonathan B.; Coates, John D.; Conrad, Mark E.

2014-01-01

Microbial sulfate reduction in oil reservoirs (biosouring) is often associated with secondary oil production where seawater containing high sulfate concentrations (~28 mM) is injected into a reservoir to maintain pressure and displace oil. The sulfide generated from biosouring can cause corrosion of infrastructure, health exposure risks, and higher production costs. Isotope monitoring is a promising approach for understanding microbial sulfur cycling in reservoirs, enabling early detection of biosouring, and understanding the impact of souring. Microbial sulfate reduction is known to result in large shifts in the sulfur and oxygen isotope compositions of the residual sulfate, which can be distinguished from other processes that may be occurring in oil reservoirs, such as precipitation of sulfate and sulfide minerals. Key to the success of this method is using the appropriate isotopic fractionation factors for the conditions and processes being monitored. For a set of batch incubation experiments using a mixed microbial culture with crude oil as the electron donor, we measured a sulfur fractionation factor for sulfate reduction of −30‰. We have incorporated this result into a simplified 1D reservoir reactive transport model to highlight how isotopes can help discriminate between biotic and abiotic processes affecting sulfate and sulfide concentrations. Modeling results suggest that monitoring sulfate isotopes can provide an early indication of souring for reservoirs with reactive iron minerals that can remove the produced sulfide, especially when sulfate reduction occurs in the mixing zone between formation waters (FW) containing elevated concentrations of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and injection water (IW) containing elevated sulfate. In addition, we examine the role of reservoir thermal, geochemical, hydrological, operational and microbiological conditions in determining microbial souring dynamics and hence the anticipated isotopic signatures. PMID:25285094

Metabolic activity of subterranean microbial communities in deep granitic groundwater supplemented with methane and H2

PubMed Central

Pedersen, Karsten

2013-01-01

It was previously concluded that opposing gradients of sulphate and methane, observations of 16S ribosomal DNA sequences displaying great similarity to those of anaerobic methane-oxidizing Archaea and a peak in sulphide concentration in groundwater from a depth of 250–350 m in Olkiluoto, Finland, indicated proper conditions for methane oxidation with sulphate. In the present research, pressure-resistant, gas-tight circulating systems were constructed to enable the investigation of attached and unattached anaerobic microbial populations from a depth of 327 m in Olkiluoto under in situ pressure (2.4 MPa), diversity, dissolved gas and chemistry conditions. Three parallel flow cell cabinets were configured to allow observation of the influence on microbial metabolic activity of 11 mℳ methane, 11 mℳ methane plus 10 mℳ H2 or 2.1 mℳ O2 plus 7.9 mℳ N2 (that is, air). The concentrations of these gases and of organic acids and carbon, sulphur chemistry, pH and Eh, ATP, numbers of cultivable micro-organisms, and total numbers of cells and bacteriophages were subsequently recorded under batch conditions for 105 days. The system containing H2 and methane displayed microbial reduction of 0.7 mℳ sulphate to sulphide, whereas the system containing only methane resulted in 0.2 mℳ reduced sulphate. The system containing added air became inhibited and displayed no signs of microbial activity. Added H2 and methane induced increasing numbers of lysogenic bacteriophages per cell. It appears likely that a microbial anaerobic methane-oxidizing process coupled to acetate formation and sulphate reduction may be ongoing in aquifers at a depth of 250–350 m in Olkiluoto. PMID:23235288

Compact Cell Settlers for Perfusion Cultures of Microbial (and Mammalian) Cells.

PubMed

Freeman, Cassandra A; Samuel, Premsingh S D; Kompala, Dhinakar S

2017-07-01

As microbial secretory expression systems have become well developed for microbial yeast cells, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia pastoris, it is advantageous to develop high cell density continuous perfusion cultures of microbial yeast cells to retain the live and productive yeast cells inside the perfusion bioreactor while removing the dead cells and cell debris along with the secreted product protein in the harvest stream. While the previously demonstrated inclined or lamellar settlers can be used for such perfusion bioreactors for microbial cells, the size and footprint requirements of such inefficiently scaled up devices can be quite large in comparison to the bioreactor size. Faced with this constraint, we have now developed novel, patent-pending compact cell settlers that can be used more efficiently with microbial perfusion bioreactors to achieve high cell densities and bioreactor productivities. Reproducible results from numerous month-long perfusion culture experiments using these devices attached to the 5 L perfusion bioreactor demonstrate very high cell densities due to substantial sedimentation of the larger live yeast cells which are returned to the bioreactor, while the harvest stream from the top of these cell settlers is a significantly clarified liquid, containing less than 30% and more typically less than 10% of the bioreactor cell concentration. Size of cells in the harvest is smaller than that of the cells in the bioreactor. Accumulated protein collected from the harvest and rate of protein accumulation is significantly (> 6x) higher than the protein produced in repeated fed-batch cultures over the same culture duration. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:913-922, 2017. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Development of interactive graphic user interfaces for modeling reaction-based biogeochemical processes in batch systems with BIOGEOCHEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, C.; Li, M.; Yeh, G.

2010-12-01

The BIOGEOCHEM numerical model (Yeh and Fang, 2002; Fang et al., 2003) was developed with FORTRAN for simulating reaction-based geochemical and biochemical processes with mixed equilibrium and kinetic reactions in batch systems. A complete suite of reactions including aqueous complexation, adsorption/desorption, ion-exchange, redox, precipitation/dissolution, acid-base reactions, and microbial mediated reactions were embodied in this unique modeling tool. Any reaction can be treated as fast/equilibrium or slow/kinetic reaction. An equilibrium reaction is modeled with an implicit finite rate governed by a mass action equilibrium equation or by a user-specified algebraic equation. A kinetic reaction is modeled with an explicit finite rate with an elementary rate, microbial mediated enzymatic kinetics, or a user-specified rate equation. None of the existing models has encompassed this wide array of scopes. To ease the input/output learning curve using the unique feature of BIOGEOCHEM, an interactive graphic user interface was developed with the Microsoft Visual Studio and .Net tools. Several user-friendly features, such as pop-up help windows, typo warning messages, and on-screen input hints, were implemented, which are robust. All input data can be real-time viewed and automated to conform with the input file format of BIOGEOCHEM. A post-processor for graphic visualizations of simulated results was also embedded for immediate demonstrations. By following data input windows step by step, errorless BIOGEOCHEM input files can be created even if users have little prior experiences in FORTRAN. With this user-friendly interface, the time effort to conduct simulations with BIOGEOCHEM can be greatly reduced.

Pelagic food web patterns: do they modulate virus and nanoflagellate effects on picoplankton during the phytoplankton spring bloom?

PubMed

Ory, Pascaline; Hartmann, Hans J; Jude, Florence; Dupuy, Christine; Del Amo, Yolanda; Catala, Philippe; Mornet, Françoise; Huet, Valérie; Jan, Benoit; Vincent, Dorothée; Sautour, Benoit; Montanié, Hélène

2010-10-01

As agents of mortality, viruses and nanoflagellates impact on picoplankton populations. We examined the differences in interactions between these compartments in two French Atlantic bays. Microbes, considered here as central actors of the planktonic food web, were first monitored seasonally in Arcachon (2005) and Marennes-Oléron (2006) bays. Their dynamics were evaluated to categorize trophic periods using the models of Legendre and Rassoulzadegan as a reference framework. Microbial interactions were then compared through 48 h batch culture experiments performed during the phytoplankton spring bloom, identified as herbivorous in Marennes and multivorous in Arcachon. Marennes was spatially homogeneous compared with Arcachon. The former was potentially more productive, featuring a large number of heterotrophic pathways, while autotrophic mechanisms dominated in Arcachon. A link was found between viruses and phytoplankton in Marennes, suggesting a role of virus in the regulation of autotroph biomass. Moreover, the virus-bacteria relation was weaker in Marennes, with a bacterial lysis potential of 2.6% compared with 39% in Arcachon. The batch experiments (based on size-fractionation and viral enrichment) revealed different microbial interactions that corresponded to the spring-bloom trophic interactions in each bay. In Arcachon, where there is a multivorous web, flagellate predation and viral lysis acted in an opposite way on picophytoplankton. When together they both reduced viral production. Conversely, in Marennes (herbivorous web), flagellates and viruses together increased viral production. Differences in the composition of the bacterial community composition explained the combined flagellate-virus effects on viral production in the two bays. © 2010 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Impact of selected non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pharmaceuticals on microbial community assembly and activity in sequencing batch reactors

PubMed Central

Jiang, Cong; Hu, Haidong; Ma, Haijun; Gao, Xingsheng; Ren, Hongqiang

2017-01-01

This study covers three widely detected non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pharmaceuticals (NSAIDs), diclofenac (DCF), ibuprofen (IBP) and naproxen (NPX), as NSAIDs pollutants. The objective is to evaluate the impact of NSAIDs at their environmental concentrations on microbial community assembly and activity. The exposure experiments were conducted under three conditions (5 μg L-1 DCF, 5 μg L-1 DCF+5 μg L-1 IBP and 5 μg L-1 DCF+5 μg L-1 IBP+ 5 μg L-1 NPX) in sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) for 130 days. Removals of COD and NH4+-N were not affected but total nitrogen (TN) removal decreased. IBP and NPX had the high removal efficiencies (79.96% to 85.64%), whereas DCF was more persistent (57.24% to 64.12%). In addition, the decreased removals of TN remained the same under the three conditions (p > 0.05). The results of oxidizing enzyme activities, live cell percentages and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) indicated that NSAIDs damaged the cell walls or microorganisms and the mixtures of the three NSAIDs increased the toxicity. The increased Shannon-Wiener diversity index suggested that bacterial diversity was increased with the addition of selected NSAIDs. Bacterial ribosomal RNA small subunit (16S) gene sequencing results indicated that Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes were enriched, while Micropruina and Nakamurella decreased with the addition of NSAIDs. The enrichment of Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes indicated that both of them might have the ability to degrade NSAIDs and thereby could adapt well with the presence of NSAIDs. PMID:28640897

Dynamic flux balance modeling of microbial co-cultures for efficient batch fermentation of glucose and xylose mixtures.

PubMed

Hanly, Timothy J; Henson, Michael A

2011-02-01

Sequential uptake of pentose and hexose sugars that compose lignocellulosic biomass limits the ability of pure microbial cultures to efficiently produce value-added bioproducts. In this work, we used dynamic flux balance modeling to examine the capability of mixed cultures of substrate-selective microbes to improve the utilization of glucose/xylose mixtures and to convert these mixed substrates into products. Co-culture simulations of Escherichia coli strains ALS1008 and ZSC113, engineered for glucose and xylose only uptake respectively, indicated that improvements in batch substrate consumption observed in previous experimental studies resulted primarily from an increase in ZSC113 xylose uptake relative to wild-type E. coli. The E. coli strain ZSC113 engineered for the elimination of glucose uptake was computationally co-cultured with wild-type Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which can only metabolize glucose, to determine if the co-culture was capable of enhanced ethanol production compared to pure cultures of wild-type E. coli and the S. cerevisiae strain RWB218 engineered for combined glucose and xylose uptake. Under the simplifying assumption that both microbes grow optimally under common environmental conditions, optimization of the strain inoculum and the aerobic to anaerobic switching time produced an almost twofold increase in ethanol productivity over the pure cultures. To examine the effect of reduced strain growth rates at non-optimal pH and temperature values, a break even analysis was performed to determine possible reductions in individual strain substrate uptake rates that resulted in the same predicted ethanol productivity as the best pure culture. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Performance comparison of biofilm and suspended sludge from a sequencing batch biofilm reactor treating mariculture wastewater under oxytetracycline stress.

PubMed

Zheng, Dong; Gao, Mengchun; Wang, Zhe; She, Zonglian; Jin, Chunji; Chang, Qingbo

2016-09-01

The performance, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and microbial community of a sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) were investigated in treating mariculture wastewater under oxytetracycline stress. The chemical oxygen demand and [Formula: see text]-N removal efficiencies of the SBBR decreased with the increase of oxytetracycline concentration, and no obvious [Formula: see text]-N and [Formula: see text]-N accumulation in the effluent appeared at less than 10 mg L(-1) oxytetracycline. The specific oxygen utilization rate of the suspended sludge was more than that of the biofilm at different oxytetracycline concentrations. The specific ammonium oxidation rate (SAOR) of the biofilm was more easily affected by oxytetracycline than that of the suspended sludge, whereas the effect of oxytetracycline on the specific nitrite oxidation rate (SNOR) of the biofilm was less than that of the suspended sludge. The specific nitrate reduction rate of both the biofilm and suspended sludge was higher than the sum of the SAOR and SNOR at different oxytetracycline concentrations. The protein and polysaccharide contents in the EPS of the biofilm and suspended sludge increased with the increase of oxytetracycline concentration. The appearance of oxytetracycline in the influent could affect the chemical composition of the loosely bound EPS and tightly bound EPS. The amino, carboxyl and hydroxyl groups might be involved with interaction between EPS and oxytetracycline. The denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profiles indicated that the variation of oxytetracycline concentration in the influent could affect the microbial communities of both the biofilm and suspended sludge.

Impact of selected non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pharmaceuticals on microbial community assembly and activity in sequencing batch reactors.

PubMed

Jiang, Cong; Geng, Jinju; Hu, Haidong; Ma, Haijun; Gao, Xingsheng; Ren, Hongqiang

2017-01-01

This study covers three widely detected non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pharmaceuticals (NSAIDs), diclofenac (DCF), ibuprofen (IBP) and naproxen (NPX), as NSAIDs pollutants. The objective is to evaluate the impact of NSAIDs at their environmental concentrations on microbial community assembly and activity. The exposure experiments were conducted under three conditions (5 μg L-1 DCF, 5 μg L-1 DCF+5 μg L-1 IBP and 5 μg L-1 DCF+5 μg L-1 IBP+ 5 μg L-1 NPX) in sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) for 130 days. Removals of COD and NH4+-N were not affected but total nitrogen (TN) removal decreased. IBP and NPX had the high removal efficiencies (79.96% to 85.64%), whereas DCF was more persistent (57.24% to 64.12%). In addition, the decreased removals of TN remained the same under the three conditions (p > 0.05). The results of oxidizing enzyme activities, live cell percentages and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) indicated that NSAIDs damaged the cell walls or microorganisms and the mixtures of the three NSAIDs increased the toxicity. The increased Shannon-Wiener diversity index suggested that bacterial diversity was increased with the addition of selected NSAIDs. Bacterial ribosomal RNA small subunit (16S) gene sequencing results indicated that Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes were enriched, while Micropruina and Nakamurella decreased with the addition of NSAIDs. The enrichment of Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes indicated that both of them might have the ability to degrade NSAIDs and thereby could adapt well with the presence of NSAIDs.

Extraction-Scrub-Strip test results from the interim Salt Disposition Program Macrobatch 9 Tank 21H qualification samples

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peters, T.

2016-02-23

Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) analyzed samples from Tank 21H in support of qualification of Macrobatch (Salt Batch) 9 for the Interim Salt Disposition Program (ISDP). The Salt Batch 9 characterization results were previously reported. An Extraction-Scrub-Strip (ESS) test was performed to determine cesium distribution ratios (D (Cs)) and cesium concentration in the strip effluent and decontaminated salt solution (DSS) streams; this data will be used by Tank Farm Engineering to project a cesium decontamination factor (DF). This test used actual Tank 21H material, and a blend solvent prepared by SRNL that mimics the solvent composition currently being used atmore » the Modular Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction Unit (MCU). The ESS test showed acceptable performance with an extraction D (Cs) value of 52.4. This value is consistent with results from previous salt batch ESS tests using similar solvent formulations. This compares well against the predicted value of 56.5 from a recently created D (Cs) model« less

Extraction, -scrub, -strip test results from the interim salt disposition program macrobatch 10 tank 21H qualification samples

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peters, T. B.

Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) analyzed samples from Tank 21H in support of qualification of Macrobatch (Salt Batch) 10 for the Interim Salt Disposition Program (ISDP). The Salt Batch 10 characterization results were previously reported.ii,iii An Extraction, -Scrub, -Strip (ESS) test was performed to determine cesium distribution ratios (D(Cs)) and cesium concentration in the strip effluent (SE) and decontaminated salt solution (DSS) streams; this data will be used by Tank Farm Engineering to project a cesium decontamination factor (DF). This test used actual Tank 21H material, and a sample of the NGS Blend solvent currently being used at the Modularmore » Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction Unit (MCU). The ESS test showed acceptable performance with an extraction D(Cs) value of 110. This value is consistent with results from previous salt batch ESS tests using similar solvent formulations. This is better than the predicted value of 39.8 from a recently created D(Cs) model.« less

The consistency approach for quality control of vaccines - a strategy to improve quality control and implement 3Rs.

PubMed

De Mattia, Fabrizio; Chapsal, Jean-Michel; Descamps, Johan; Halder, Marlies; Jarrett, Nicholas; Kross, Imke; Mortiaux, Frederic; Ponsar, Cecile; Redhead, Keith; McKelvie, Jo; Hendriksen, Coenraad

2011-01-01

Current batch release testing of established vaccines emphasizes quality control of the final product and is often characterized by extensive use of animals. This report summarises the discussions of a joint ECVAM/EPAA workshop on the applicability of the consistency approach for routine release of human and veterinary vaccines and its potential to reduce animal use. The consistency approach is based upon thorough characterization of the vaccine during development and the principle that the quality of subsequent batches is the consequence of the strict application of a quality system and of a consistent production of batches. The concept of consistency of production is state-of-the-art for new-generation vaccines, where batch release is mainly based on non-animal methods. There is now the opportunity to introduce the approach into established vaccine production, where it has the potential to replace in vivo tests with non-animal tests designed to demonstrate batch quality while maintaining the highest quality standards. The report indicates how this approach may be further developed for application to established human and veterinary vaccines and emphasizes the continuing need for co-ordination and harmonization. It also gives recommendations for work to be undertaken in order to encourage acceptance and implementation of the consistency approach. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Acceptance Test Data for BWXT Coated Particle Batch 93164A Defective IPyC Fraction and Pyrocarbon Anisotropy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Helmreich, Grant W.; Hunn, John D.; Skitt, Darren J.

2017-02-01

Coated particle fuel batch J52O-16-93164 was produced by Babcock and Wilcox Technologies (BWXT) for possible selection as fuel for the Advanced Gas Reactor Fuel Development and Qualification (AGR) Program’s AGR-5/6/7 irradiation test in the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), or may be used as demonstration production-scale coated particle fuel for other experiments. The tristructural-isotropic (TRISO) coatings were deposited in a 150-mm-diameter production-scale fluidizedbed chemical vapor deposition (CVD) furnace onto 425-μm-nominal-diameter spherical kernels from BWXT lot J52L-16-69316. Each kernel contained a mixture of 15.5%-enriched uranium carbide and uranium oxide (UCO) and was coated with four consecutive CVD layers:more » a ~50% dense carbon buffer layer with 100-μm-nominal thickness, a dense inner pyrolytic carbon (IPyC) layer with 40-μm-nominal thickness, a silicon carbide (SiC) layer with 35-μm-nominal thickness, and a dense outer pyrolytic carbon (OPyC) layer with 40-μm-nominal thickness. The TRISO-coated particle batch was sieved to upgrade the particles by removing over-sized and under-sized material, and the upgraded batch was designated by appending the letter A to the end of the batch number (i.e., 93164A).« less

The influence of nickel on the bioremediation of multi-component contaminated tropical soil: microcosm and batch bioreactor studies.

PubMed

Taketani, Natália Franco; Taketani, Rodrigo Gouvêa; Leite, Selma Gomes Ferreira; Rizzo, Andrea Camardella de Lima; Tsai, Siu Mui; da Cunha, Cláudia Duarte

2015-07-01

Large petrochemical discharges are responsible for organic and inorganic pollutants in the environment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of nickel, one of the most abundant inorganic element in crude oil and the main component of hydrogen catalysts for oil refining, on the microbial community structure in artificially petroleum-contaminated microcosms and in solid phase bioreactor studies. In the presence of metals, the oil biodegradation in microcosms was significantly delayed during the first 7 days of operation. Also, increasing amounts of moisture generated a positive influence on the biodegradation processes. The oil concentration, exhibiting the most negative influence at the end of the treatment period. Molecular fingerprinting analyses (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis--DGGE) indicated that the inclusion of nickel into the contaminated soil promoted direct changes to the microbial community structure. By the end of the experiments, the results of the total petroleum hydrocarbons removal in the bioreactor and the microcosm were similar, but reductions in the treatment times were observed with the bioreactor experiments. An analysis of the microbial community structure by DGGE using various markers showed distinct behaviors between two treatments containing high nickel concentrations. The main conclusion of this study was that Nickel promotes a significant delay in oil biodegradation, despite having only a minor effect over the microbial community.

Electricity generation using chocolate industry wastewater and its treatment in activated sludge based microbial fuel cell and analysis of developed microbial community in the anode chamber.

PubMed

Patil, Sunil A; Surakasi, Venkata Prasad; Koul, Sandeep; Ijmulwar, Shrikant; Vivek, Amar; Shouche, Y S; Kapadnis, B P

2009-11-01

Feasibility of using chocolate industry wastewater as a substrate for electricity generation using activated sludge as a source of microorganisms was investigated in two-chambered microbial fuel cell. The maximum current generated with membrane and salt bridge MFCs was 3.02 and 2.3 A/m(2), respectively, at 100 ohms external resistance, whereas the maximum current generated in glucose powered MFC was 3.1 A/m(2). The use of chocolate industry wastewater in cathode chamber was promising with 4.1 mA current output. Significant reduction in COD, BOD, total solids and total dissolved solids of wastewater by 75%, 65%, 68%, 50%, respectively, indicated effective wastewater treatment in batch experiments. The 16S rDNA analysis of anode biofilm and suspended cells revealed predominance of beta-Proteobacteria clones with 50.6% followed by unclassified bacteria (9.9%), alpha-Proteobacteria (9.1%), other Proteobacteria (9%), Planctomycetes (5.8%), Firmicutes (4.9%), Nitrospora (3.3%), Spirochaetes (3.3%), Bacteroides (2.4%) and gamma-Proteobacteria (0.8%). Diverse bacterial groups represented as members of the anode chamber community.

Biosynthesis and engineering of kaempferol in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Duan, Lijin; Ding, Wentao; Liu, Xiaonan; Cheng, Xiaozhi; Cai, Jing; Hua, Erbing; Jiang, Huifeng

2017-09-26

Kaempferol is a flavonol with broad bioactivity of anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-microbial, cardio-protective and anti-asthma. Microbial synthesis of kaempferol is a promising strategy because of the low content in primary plant source. In this study, the biosynthesis pathway of kaempferol was constructed in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to produce kaempferol de novo, and several biological measures were taken for high production. Firstly, a high efficient flavonol synthases (FLS) from Populus deltoides was introduced into the biosynthetic pathway of kaempferol. Secondly, a S. cerevisiae recombinant was constructed for de novo synthesis of kaempferol, which generated about 6.97 mg/L kaempferol from glucose. To further promote kaempferol production, the acetyl-CoA biosynthetic pathway was overexpressed and p-coumarate was supplied as substrate, which improved kaempferol titer by about 23 and 120%, respectively. Finally, a fed-batch process was developed for better kaempferol fermentation performance, and the production reached 66.29 mg/L in 40 h. The titer of kaempferol in our engineered yeast is 2.5 times of the highest reported titer. Our study provides a possible strategy to produce kaempferol using microbial cell factory.

Electrochemically Driven Fermentation of Organic Substrates with Undefined Mixed Microbial Cultures.

PubMed

Villano, Marianna; Paiano, Paola; Palma, Enza; Miccheli, Alfredo; Majone, Mauro

2017-08-10

Growing scientific interest in mixed microbial culture-based anaerobic biotechnologies for the production of value-added chemicals and fuels from organic waste residues requires a parallel focus on the development and implementation of strategies to control the distribution of products. This study examined the feasibility of an electrofermentation approach, based on the introduction of a polarized (-700 mV vs. the standard hydrogen electrode) graphite electrode in the fermentation medium, to steer the product distribution during the conversion of organic substrates (glucose, ethanol, and acetate supplied as single compounds or in mixtures) by undefined mixed microbial cultures. In batch experiments, the polarized electrode triggered a nearly 20-fold increase (relative to open circuit controls) in the yield of isobutyrate production (0.43±0.01 vs. 0.02±0.02 mol mol -1 glucose) during the anaerobic fermentation of the ternary mixture of substrates, without adversely affecting the rate of substrate bioconversion. The observed change in the fermentative metabolism was most likely triggered by the (potentiostatic) regulation of the oxidation-reduction potential of the reaction medium rather than by the electrode serving as an electron donor. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Metagenomics reveals flavour metabolic network of cereal vinegar microbiota.

PubMed

Wu, Lin-Huan; Lu, Zhen-Ming; Zhang, Xiao-Juan; Wang, Zong-Min; Yu, Yong-Jian; Shi, Jin-Song; Xu, Zheng-Hong

2017-04-01

Multispecies microbial community formed through centuries of repeated batch acetic acid fermentation (AAF) is crucial for the flavour quality of traditional vinegar produced from cereals. However, the metabolism to generate and/or formulate the essential flavours by the multispecies microbial community is hardly understood. Here we used metagenomic approach to clarify in situ metabolic network of key microbes responsible for flavour synthesis of a typical cereal vinegar, Zhenjiang aromatic vinegar, produced by solid-state fermentation. First, we identified 3 organic acids, 7 amino acids, and 20 volatiles as dominant vinegar metabolites. Second, we revealed taxonomic and functional composition of the microbiota by metagenomic shotgun sequencing. A total of 86 201 predicted protein-coding genes from 35 phyla (951 genera) were involved in Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways of Metabolism (42.3%), Genetic Information Processing (28.3%), and Environmental Information Processing (10.1%). Furthermore, a metabolic network for substrate breakdown and dominant flavour formation in vinegar microbiota was constructed, and microbial distribution discrepancy in different metabolic pathways was charted. This study helps elucidating different metabolic roles of microbes during flavour formation in vinegar microbiota. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Engineering a microbial platform for de novo biosynthesis of diverse methylxanthines

PubMed Central

McKeague, Maureen; Wang, Yen-Hsiang; Cravens, Aaron; Win, Maung Nyan; Smolke, Christina D.

2016-01-01

Engineered microbial biosynthesis of plant natural products can support manufacturing of complex bioactive molecules and enable discovery of non-naturally occurring derivatives. Purine alkaloids, including caffeine (coffee), theophylline (antiasthma drug), theobromine (chocolate), and other methylxanthines, play a significant role in pharmacology and food chemistry. Here, we engineered the eukaryotic microbial host Saccharomyces cerevisiae for the de novo biosynthesis of methylxanthines. We constructed a xanthine-to-xanthosine conversion pathway in native yeast central metabolism to increase endogenous purine flux for the production of 7-methylxanthine, a key intermediate in caffeine biosynthesis. Yeast strains were further engineered to produce caffeine through expression of several enzymes from the coffee plant. By expressing combinations of different N-methyltransferases, we were able to demonstrate re-direction of flux to an alternate pathway and develop strains that support the production of diverse methylxanthines. We achieved production of 270 μg/L, 61 μg/L, and 3700 μg/L of caffeine, theophylline, and 3-methylxanthine, respectively, in 0.3-L bench-scale batch fermentations. The constructed strains provide an early platform for de novo production of methylxanthines and with further development will advance the discovery and synthesis of xanthine derivatives. PMID:27519552

Sludge reduction and microbial community structure in an anaerobic/anoxic/oxic process coupled with potassium ferrate disintegration.

PubMed

An, Ying; Zhou, Zhen; Yao, Jie; Niu, Tianhao; Qiu, Zhan; Ruan, Danian; Wei, Haijuan

2017-12-01

An anaerobic/anoxic/oxic (AAO) wastewater treatment system combining with a potassium ferrate (K 2 FeO 4 ) oxidation side-stream reactor (SSR) was proposed for sludge reduction. Batch experiments showed that optimal K 2 FeO 4 dosage and reaction time for sludge disintegration was 100mg/g suspended solids (SS) and 24h, respectively. Subsequently, an AAO-SSR and a conventional AAO were operated in parallel to investigate effects of K 2 FeO 4 oxidation on process performance, sludge characteristics and microbial community structures. The AAO-SSR process operated under the optimized condition achieved efficient COD and NH 4 + -N removal, and reduced sludge by 47.5% with observed yield coefficient of 0.21gSS/g COD. K 2 FeO 4 addition broke sludge particles, increased dissolved organic matters in the mixed liquor, and improved sludge dewaterability. Illumina-MiSeq sequencing results showed that K 2 FeO 4 oxidation in the AAO-SSR decreased microbial richness and diversity, enriched slow growers (Dechloromonas), anaerobic fermentative bacteria (Azospira) and Fe(III)-reducing bacteria (Ferribacterium), but limited the growth of phosphate-accumulating organisms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lactic acid production from lime-treated wheat straw by Bacillus coagulans: neutralization of acid by fed-batch addition of alkaline substrate

PubMed Central

Maas, Ronald H. W.; Bakker, Robert R.; Jansen, Mickel L. A.; Visser, Diana; de Jong, Ed; Eggink, Gerrit

2008-01-01

Conventional processes for lignocellulose-to-organic acid conversion requires pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, and microbial fermentation. In this study, lime-treated wheat straw was hydrolyzed and fermented simultaneously to lactic acid by an enzyme preparation and Bacillus coagulans DSM 2314. Decrease in pH because of lactic acid formation was partially adjusted by automatic addition of the alkaline substrate. After 55 h of incubation, the polymeric glucan, xylan, and arabinan present in the lime-treated straw were hydrolyzed for 55%, 75%, and 80%, respectively. Lactic acid (40.7 g/l) indicated a fermentation efficiency of 81% and a chiral l(+)-lactic acid purity of 97.2%. In total, 711 g lactic acid was produced out of 2,706 g lime-treated straw, representing 43% of the overall theoretical maximum yield. Approximately half of the lactic acid produced was neutralized by fed-batch feeding of lime-treated straw, whereas the remaining half was neutralized during the batch phase with a Ca(OH)2 suspension. Of the lime added during the pretreatment of straw, 61% was used for the neutralization of lactic acid. This is the first demonstration of a process having a combined alkaline pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass and pH control in fermentation resulting in a significant saving of lime consumption and avoiding the necessity to recycle lime. PMID:18247027

Stable acetate production in extreme-thermophilic (70°C) mixed culture fermentation by selective enrichment of hydrogenotrophic methanogens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Fang; Zhang, Yan; Ding, Jing; Dai, Kun; van Loosdrecht, Mark C. M.; Zeng, Raymond J.

2014-06-01

The control of metabolite production is difficult in mixed culture fermentation. This is particularly related to hydrogen inhibition. In this work, hydrogenotrophic methanogens were selectively enriched to reduce the hydrogen partial pressure and to realize efficient acetate production in extreme-thermophilic (70°C) mixed culture fermentation. The continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) was stable operated during 100 days, in which acetate accounted for more than 90% of metabolites in liquid solutions. The yields of acetate, methane and biomass in CSTR were 1.5 +/- 0.06, 1.0 +/- 0.13 and 0.4 +/- 0.05 mol/mol glucose, respectively, close to the theoretical expected values. The CSTR effluent was stable and no further conversion occurred when incubated for 14 days in a batch reactor. In fed-batch experiments, acetate could be produced up to 34.4 g/L, significantly higher than observed in common hydrogen producing fermentations. Acetate also accounted for more than 90% of soluble products formed in these fed-batch fermentations. The microbial community analysis revealed hydrogenotrophic methanogens (mainly Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus and Methanobacterium thermoaggregans) as 98% of Archaea, confirming that high temperature will select hydrogenotrophic methanogens over aceticlastic methanogens effectively. This work demonstrated a potential application to effectively produce acetate as a value chemical and methane as an energy gas together via mixed culture fermentation.

Stable acetate production in extreme-thermophilic (70°C) mixed culture fermentation by selective enrichment of hydrogenotrophic methanogens

PubMed Central

Zhang, Fang; Zhang, Yan; Ding, Jing; Dai, Kun; van Loosdrecht, Mark C. M.; Zeng, Raymond J.

2014-01-01

The control of metabolite production is difficult in mixed culture fermentation. This is particularly related to hydrogen inhibition. In this work, hydrogenotrophic methanogens were selectively enriched to reduce the hydrogen partial pressure and to realize efficient acetate production in extreme-thermophilic (70°C) mixed culture fermentation. The continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) was stable operated during 100 days, in which acetate accounted for more than 90% of metabolites in liquid solutions. The yields of acetate, methane and biomass in CSTR were 1.5 ± 0.06, 1.0 ± 0.13 and 0.4 ± 0.05 mol/mol glucose, respectively, close to the theoretical expected values. The CSTR effluent was stable and no further conversion occurred when incubated for 14 days in a batch reactor. In fed-batch experiments, acetate could be produced up to 34.4 g/L, significantly higher than observed in common hydrogen producing fermentations. Acetate also accounted for more than 90% of soluble products formed in these fed-batch fermentations. The microbial community analysis revealed hydrogenotrophic methanogens (mainly Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus and Methanobacterium thermoaggregans) as 98% of Archaea, confirming that high temperature will select hydrogenotrophic methanogens over aceticlastic methanogens effectively. This work demonstrated a potential application to effectively produce acetate as a value chemical and methane as an energy gas together via mixed culture fermentation. PMID:24920064

Bioelectrochemical sulphate reduction on batch reactors: Effect of inoculum-type and applied potential on sulphate consumption and pH.

PubMed

Gacitúa, Manuel A; Muñoz, Enyelbert; González, Bernardo

2018-02-01

Microbial electrolysis batch reactor systems were studied employing different conditions, paying attention on the effect that biocathode potential has on pH and system performance, with the overall aim to distinguish sulphate reduction from H 2 evolution. Inocula from pure strains (Desulfovibrio paquesii and Desulfobacter halotolerans) were compared to a natural source conditioned inoculum. The natural inoculum possess the potential for sulphate reduction on serum bottles experiments due to the activity of mutualistic bacteria (Sedimentibacter sp. and Bacteroides sp.) that assist sulphate-reducing bacterial cells (Desulfovibrio sp.) present in the consortium. Electrochemical batch reactors were monitored at two different potentials (graphite-bar cathodes poised at -900 and -400mV versus standard hydrogen electrode) in an attempt to isolate bioelectrochemical sulphate reduction from hydrogen evolution. At -900mV all inocula were able to reduce sulphate with the consortium demonstrating superior performance (SO 4 2- consumption: 25.71gm -2 day -1 ), despite the high alkalinisation of the media. At -400mV only the pure Desulfobacter halotolerans inoculated system was able to reduce sulphate (SO 4 2- consumption: 17.47gm -2 day -1 ) and, in this potential condition, pH elevation was less for all systems, confirming direct (or at least preferential) bioelectrochemical reduction of sulphate over H 2 production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Mixed Probiotic Starter Cultures Isolated from Kimchi on Physicochemical and Functional Properties, and Volatile Compounds of Fermented Hams.

PubMed

Kim, Young Joo; Park, Sung Yong; Lee, Hong Chul; Yoo, Seung Seok; Oh, Sejong; Kim, Kwang Hyun; Chin, Koo Bok

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of mixed starter cultures isolated from kimchi on physicochemical properties, functionality and flavors of fermented ham. Physicochemical properties, microbial counts, shear force, cholesterol contents and volatile compounds of fermented ham were investigated during processing (curing and ripening time). Curing process for 7 d increased saltiness, however, decreased hunter color values (L, a, and b values). Ripening process for 21 d increased most parameters, such as saltiness, color values, weight loss, shear force and cholesterol content due to the drying process. The mixed starter culture had higher lactic acid bacteria than the commercial one. While eight volatile compounds were identified from fermented hams during curing process, total fiftyeight volatile compounds were identified from fermented hams during ripening process. The main volatile compounds were alcohols, esters and furans. However, no differences in volatile compounds were observed between two batches. Fermented hams (batch B) manufactured with probiotic starter culture (LPP) had higher sensory score in texture, color and overall acceptability than counterparts (batch A), while the opposite trend was observed in flavor. Therefore, mixed probiotic starter culture isolated from kimchi might be used as a starter culture to be able to replace with commercial starter culture (LK-30 plus) for the manufacture of fermented ham.

Evaluation of Mixed Probiotic Starter Cultures Isolated from Kimchi on Physicochemical and Functional Properties, and Volatile Compounds of Fermented Hams

PubMed Central

Yoo, Seung Seok

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of mixed starter cultures isolated from kimchi on physicochemical properties, functionality and flavors of fermented ham. Physicochemical properties, microbial counts, shear force, cholesterol contents and volatile compounds of fermented ham were investigated during processing (curing and ripening time). Curing process for 7 d increased saltiness, however, decreased hunter color values (L, a, and b values). Ripening process for 21 d increased most parameters, such as saltiness, color values, weight loss, shear force and cholesterol content due to the drying process. The mixed starter culture had higher lactic acid bacteria than the commercial one. While eight volatile compounds were identified from fermented hams during curing process, total fiftyeight volatile compounds were identified from fermented hams during ripening process. The main volatile compounds were alcohols, esters and furans. However, no differences in volatile compounds were observed between two batches. Fermented hams (batch B) manufactured with probiotic starter culture (LPP) had higher sensory score in texture, color and overall acceptability than counterparts (batch A), while the opposite trend was observed in flavor. Therefore, mixed probiotic starter culture isolated from kimchi might be used as a starter culture to be able to replace with commercial starter culture (LK-30 plus) for the manufacture of fermented ham. PMID:27499673

Performance validation of the ANSER control laws for the F-18 HARV

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Messina, Michael D.

1995-01-01

The ANSER control laws were implemented in Ada by NASA Dryden for flight test on the High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV). The Ada implementation was tested in the hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation, and results were compared to those obtained with the NASA Langley batch Fortran implementation of the control laws which are considered the 'truth model.' This report documents the performance validation test results between these implementations. This report contains the ANSER performance validation test plan, HIL versus batch time-history comparisons, simulation scripts used to generate checkcases, and detailed analysis of discrepancies discovered during testing.

Performance validation of the ANSER Control Laws for the F-18 HARV

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Messina, Michael D.

1995-01-01

The ANSER control laws were implemented in Ada by NASA Dryden for flight test on the High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV). The Ada implementation was tested in the hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation, and results were compared to those obtained with the NASA Langley batch Fortran implementation of the control laws which are considered the 'truth model'. This report documents the performance validation test results between these implementations. This report contains the ANSER performance validation test plan, HIL versus batch time-history comparisons, simulation scripts used to generate checkcases, and detailed analysis of discrepancies discovered during testing.

Impact of the New Abbott mPLUS Feature on Clinical Laboratory Efficiencies of Abbott RealTime Assays for Detection of HIV-1, Hepatitis C Virus, Hepatitis B Virus, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae

PubMed Central

Jones, Sara; Wiesneth, Russ; Barry, Cathy; Webb, Erika; Belova, Larissa; Dolan, Peggy; Ho, Shiaolan; Abravaya, Klara; Cloherty, Gavin

2013-01-01

Diagnostic laboratories are under increasing pressure to improve and expand their services. Greater flexibility in sample processing is a critical factor that can improve the time to results while reducing reagent waste, making laboratories more efficient and cost-effective. The introduction of the Abbott mPLUS feature, with the capacity for extended use of amplification reagents, significantly increases the flexibility of the m2000 platform and enables laboratories to customize their workflows based on sample arrival patterns. The flexibility in sample batch size offered by mPLUS enables significant reductions in processing times. For hepatitis B virus tests, a reduction in sample turnaround times of up to 30% (105 min) was observed for batches of 12 samples compared with those for batches of 24 samples; for Chlamydia trachomatis/Neisseria gonorrhoeae tests, the ability to run batches of 24 samples reduced the turnaround time by 83% (54 min) compared with that for batches of 48 samples. Excellent correlations between mPLUS and m2000 standard condition results were observed for all RealTime viral load assays evaluated in this study, with correlation r values of 0.998 for all assays tested. For the qualitative RealTime C. trachomatis/N. gonorrhoeae assay, the overall agreements between the two conditions tested were >98% for C. trachomatis and 100% for N. gonorrhoeae. Comparable precision results were observed for the two conditions tested for all RealTime assays. The enhanced mPLUS capability provides clinical laboratories with increased efficiencies to meet increasingly stringent turnaround time requirements without increased costs associated with discarding partially used amplification reagents. PMID:24088850

Impact of the New Abbott mPLUS feature on clinical laboratory efficiencies of abbott RealTime assays for detection of HIV-1, Hepatitis C Virus, Hepatitis B Virus, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

PubMed

Lucic, Danijela; Jones, Sara; Wiesneth, Russ; Barry, Cathy; Webb, Erika; Belova, Larissa; Dolan, Peggy; Ho, Shiaolan; Abravaya, Klara; Cloherty, Gavin

2013-12-01

Diagnostic laboratories are under increasing pressure to improve and expand their services. Greater flexibility in sample processing is a critical factor that can improve the time to results while reducing reagent waste, making laboratories more efficient and cost-effective. The introduction of the Abbott mPLUS feature, with the capacity for extended use of amplification reagents, significantly increases the flexibility of the m2000 platform and enables laboratories to customize their workflows based on sample arrival patterns. The flexibility in sample batch size offered by mPLUS enables significant reductions in processing times. For hepatitis B virus tests, a reduction in sample turnaround times of up to 30% (105 min) was observed for batches of 12 samples compared with those for batches of 24 samples; for Chlamydia trachomatis/Neisseria gonorrhoeae tests, the ability to run batches of 24 samples reduced the turnaround time by 83% (54 min) compared with that for batches of 48 samples. Excellent correlations between mPLUS and m2000 standard condition results were observed for all RealTime viral load assays evaluated in this study, with correlation r values of 0.998 for all assays tested. For the qualitative RealTime C. trachomatis/N. gonorrhoeae assay, the overall agreements between the two conditions tested were >98% for C. trachomatis and 100% for N. gonorrhoeae. Comparable precision results were observed for the two conditions tested for all RealTime assays. The enhanced mPLUS capability provides clinical laboratories with increased efficiencies to meet increasingly stringent turnaround time requirements without increased costs associated with discarding partially used amplification reagents.

In vitro microbial protein synthesis, ruminal degradation and post-ruminal digestibility of crude protein of dairy rations containing Quebracho tannin extract.

PubMed

Castro-Montoya, J; Westreicher-Kristen, E; Henke, A; Diaby, M; Susenbeth, A; Dickhoefer, U

2018-02-01

This study evaluated the effects of Quebracho tannin extract (QTE) on in vitro ruminal fermentation, chemical composition of rumen microbes, ruminal degradation and intestinal digestibility of crude protein (iCPd). Three treatments were tested, the control (basal diet without QTE), the basal diet with 15 g QTE/kg dry matter (DM) and the basal diet with 30 g QTE/kg DM. The basal diet contained (g/kg DM): 339 grass silage, 317 maize silage and 344 concentrate. In vitro gas production kinetic was determined using the Hohenheim gas test (Experiment 1). The Ankom RF technique, a batch system with automatic gas pressure recordings, was used to determine in vitro production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and ammonia-nitrogen concentration (NH 3 -N), as well as nitrogen and purine bases content in liquid-associated microbes (LAM) and in a residue of undegraded feed and solid-associated microbes (Feed+SAM) (Experiment 2). Ruminal degradation and iCPd were determined using the nylon bag technique and the mobile nylon bag technique, respectively (Experiment 3). Gas production (Experiment 1), total SCFA and NH 3 -N (Experiment 2) decreased with increasing QTE levels. Microbial mass and composition of LAM were not affected by QTE, but total mass of Feed+SAM linearly increased, likely due to decreased substrate degradation with increasing QTE levels. The total amount of N in microbial mass and undegraded feed after the in vitro incubation increased with increasing QTE levels, suggesting a potential greater N flow from the rumen to the duodenum. In contrast to in vivo studies with the same QTE, no effects were detected on ruminal effective degradability and iCPd, when using the nylon bag techniques. Based on the in vitro procedures, QTE increased the supply of N post-rumen; however, some evidence of a decreased fibre degradation were also observed. Therefore, the benefit of adding QTE to diets of cattle is still questionable. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Effect of bioaugmentation by cellulolytic bacteria enriched from sheep rumen on methane production from wheat straw.

PubMed

Ozbayram, E Gozde; Kleinsteuber, Sabine; Nikolausz, Marcell; Ince, Bahar; Ince, Orhan

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to determine the potential of bioaugmentation with cellulolytic rumen microbiota to enhance the anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic feedstock. An anaerobic cellulolytic culture was enriched from sheep rumen fluid using wheat straw as substrate under mesophilic conditions. To investigate the effects of bioaugmentation on methane production from straw, the enrichment culture was added to batch reactors in proportions of 2% (Set-1) and 4% (Set-2) of the microbial cell number of the standard inoculum slurry. The methane production in the bioaugmented reactors was higher than in the control reactors. After 30 days of batch incubation, the average methane yield was 154 mL N CH 4 g VS -1 in the control reactors. Addition of 2% enrichment culture did not enhance methane production, whereas in Set-2 the methane yield was increased by 27%. The bacterial communities were examined by 454 amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA genes, while terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) fingerprinting of mcrA genes was applied to analyze the methanogenic communities. The results highlighted that relative abundances of Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae increased during the enrichment. However, Cloacamonaceae, which were abundant in the standard inoculum, dominated the bacterial communities of all batch reactors. T-RFLP profiles revealed that Methanobacteriales were predominant in the rumen fluid, whereas the enrichment culture was dominated by Methanosarcinales. In the batch rectors, the most abundant methanogens were affiliated to Methanobacteriales and Methanomicrobiales. Our results suggest that bioaugmentation with sheep rumen enrichment cultures can enhance the performance of digesters treating lignocellulosic feedstock. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing the performance of multiplexed tandem PCR for the diagnosis of pathogenic genotypes of Theileria orientalis using pooled blood samples from cattle.

PubMed

Gebrekidan, Hagos; Gasser, Robin B; Stevenson, Mark A; McGrath, Sean; Jabbar, Abdul

2017-02-01

Oriental theileriosis caused by multiple genotypes of Theileria orientalis is an important tick-borne disease of bovines. Here, we assessed the performance of an established multiplexed tandem PCR (MT-PCR) for the diagnosis of the two recognized, pathogenic genotypes (chitose and ikeda) of T. orientalis in cattle using pooled blood samples. We used a total of 265 cattle blood samples, which were divided into two groups according to previous MT-PCR results for individual samples. Samples in group 1 (n = 155) were from a herd with a relatively high prevalence of T. orientalis infection; and those in group 2 (n = 110) were from four herds with a low prevalence. For group 1, 31 and 15 batches of five- and ten-pooled samples (selected at random), respectively, were formed. For group 2, 22 and 11 batches of five- and ten-pooled samples (selected at random), respectively, were formed. DNAs from individual pooled samples in each batch and group were then tested by MT-PCR. For group 1, the apparent prevalences estimated using the 31 batches of five-pooled samples (97%) and 15 batches of ten-pooled samples (100%) were significantly higher compared with individual samples (75%). For group 2, higher apparent prevalences (9% and 36%) were also recorded for the 22 and 11 batches of pooled samples, respectively, compared with individual samples (7%). Overall, the average infection intensity recorded for the genotypes of chitose and ikeda were considerably lower in pooled compared with individual samples. The diagnostic specificities of MT-PCR were estimated at 95% and 94%, respectively, when batches of five- and ten-pooled samples were tested, and 94% for individual samples. The diagnostic sensitivity of this assay was estimated at 98% same for all individual, five- and ten-pooled samples. This study shows that screening batches of five- and ten-pooled blood samples from cattle herds are similar to those obtained for individual samples, and, importantly, that the reduced cost for the testing of pooled samples represents a considerable saving to herd managers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Engineered Option Treatment of Remediated Nitrate Salts: Surrogate Batch-Blending Testing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anast, Kurt Roy

2016-03-11

This report provides results from batch-blending test work for remediated nitrate salt (RNS) treatment. Batch blending was identified as a preferred option for blending RNS and unremediated nitrate salt (UNS) material with zeolite to effectively safe the salt/Swheat material identified as ignitable (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency code D001). Blending with zeolite was the preferred remediation option identified in the Options Assessment Report and was originally proposed as the best option for remediation by Clark and Funk in their report, Chemical Reactivity and Recommended Remediation Strategy for Los Alamos Remediated Nitrate Salt (RNS) Wastes, and also found to be a preferredmore » option in the Engineering Options Assessment Report: Nitrate Salt Waste Stream Processing. This test work evaluated equipment and recipe alternatives to achieve effective blending of surrogate waste with zeolite.« less

Anaerobic digestion for simultaneous sewage sludge treatment and CO biomethanation: process performance and microbial ecology.

PubMed

Luo, Gang; Wang, Wen; Angelidaki, Irini

2013-09-17

Syngas is produced by thermal gasification of both nonrenewable and renewable sources including biomass and coal, and it consists mainly of CO, CO2, and H2. In this paper we aim to bioconvert CO in the syngas to CH4. A novel technology for simultaneous sewage sludge treatment and CO biomethanation in an anaerobic reactor was presented. Batch experiments showed that CO was inhibitory to methanogens, but not to bacteria, at CO partial pressure between 0.25 and 1 atm under thermophilic conditions. During anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge supplemented with CO added through a hollow fiber membrane (HFM) module in continuous thermophilic reactors, CO did not inhibit the process even at a pressure as high as 1.58 atm inside the HFM, due to the low dissolved CO concentration in the liquid. Complete consumption of CO was achieved with CO gas retention time of 0.2 d. Results from high-throughput sequencing analysis showed clear differences of the microbial community structures between the samples from liquid and biofilm on the HFM in the reactor with CO addition. Species close to Methanosarcina barkeri and Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus were the two main archaeal species involved in CO biomethanation. However, the two species were distributed differently in the liquid phase and in the biofilm. Although the carboxidotrophic activities test showed that CO was converted by both archaea and bacteria, the bacterial species responsible for CO conversion are unknown.

Metabolic Response of “Candidatus Accumulibacter Phosphatis” Clade II C to Changes in Influent P/C Ratio

PubMed Central

Welles, Laurens; Abbas, Ben; Sorokin, Dimitry Y.; Lopez-Vazquez, Carlos M.; Hooijmans, Christine M.; van Loosdrecht, Mark C. M.; Brdjanovic, Damir

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the ability of a culture highly enriched with the polyphosphate-accumulating organism, “Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis” clade IIC, to adjust their metabolism to different phosphate availabilities. For this purpose the biomass was cultivated in a sequencing batch reactor with acetate and exposed to different phosphate/carbon influent ratios during six experimental phases. Activity tests were conducted to determine the anaerobic kinetic and stoichiometric parameters as well as the composition of the microbial community. Increasing influent phosphate concentrations led to increased poly-phosphate content and decreased glycogen content of the biomass. In response to higher biomass poly-phosphate content, the biomass showed higher specific phosphate release rates. Together with the phosphate release rates, acetate uptake rates also increased up to an optimal poly-phosphate/glycogen ratio of 0.3 P-mol/C-mol. At higher poly-phosphate/glycogen ratios (obtained at influent P/C ratios above 0.051 P-mol/C-mol), the acetate uptake rates started to decrease. The stoichiometry of the anaerobic conversions clearly demonstrated a metabolic shift from a glycogen dominated to a poly-phosphate dominated metabolism as the biomass poly-phosphate content increased. FISH and DGGE analyses confirmed that no significant changes occurred in the microbial community, suggesting that the changes in the biomass activity were due to different metabolic behavior, allowing the organisms to proliferate under conditions with fluctuating phosphate levels. PMID:28111570

Effect of glucose on the fatty acid composition of Cupriavidus necator JMP134 during 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid degradation: implications for lipid-based stable isotope probing methods.

PubMed

Lerch, Thomas Z; Dignac, Marie-France; Barriuso, Enrique; Mariotti, André

2011-10-01

Combining lipid biomarker profiling with stable isotope probing (SIP) is a powerful technique for studying specific microbial populations responsible for the degradation of organic pollutants in various natural environments. However, the presence of other easily degradable substrates may induce significant physiological changes by altering both the rate of incorporation of the target compound into the biomass and the microbial lipid profiles. In order to test this hypothesis, Cupriavidus necator JMP134, a 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)-degrading bacterium, was incubated with [(13)C]2,4-D, [(13)C]glucose, or mixtures of both substrates alternatively labeled with (13)C. C. necator JMP134 exhibited a preferential use of 2,4-D over glucose. The isotopic analysis showed that glucose had only a small effect on the incorporation of the acetic chain of 2,4-D into the biomass (at days 2 and 3) and no effect on that of the benzenic ring. The addition of glucose did change the fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) composition. However, the overall FAME isotopic signature reflected that of the entire biomass. Compound-specific individual isotopic analyses of FAME composition showed that the (13)C-enriched FAME profiles were slightly or not affected when tracing the 2,4-D acetic chain or 2,4-D benzenic ring, respectively. This batch study is a necessary step for validating the use of lipid-based SIP methods in complex environments.

A direct comparison of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's method 304B and batch tests for determining activated-sludge biodegradation rate constants for volatile organic compounds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cano, M.L.; Wilcox, M.E.; Compernolle, R. van

Biodegradation rate constants for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in activated-sludge systems are needed to quantify emissions. One current US environmental Protection Agency method for determining a biodegradation rate constant is Method 304B. In this approach, a specific activated-sludge unit is simulated by a continuous biological treatment system with a sealed headspace. Batch experiments, however, can be alternatives to Method 304B. Two of these batch methods are the batch test that uses oxygen addition (BOX) and the serum bottle test (SBT). In this study, Method 304B was directly compared to BOX and SBT experiments. A pilot-scale laboratory reactor was constructed tomore » serve as the Method 304B unit. Biomass from the unit was also used to conduct BOX and modified SBT experiments (modification involved use of a sealed draft-tube reactor with a headspace recirculation pump instead of a serum bottle) for 1,2-dichloroethane, diisopropyl ether, methyl tertiary butyl ether, and toluene. Three experimental runs--each consisting of one Method 304B experiment, one BOX experiment, and one modified SBT experiment--were completed. The BOX and SBT data for each run were analyzed using a Monod model, and best-fit biodegradation kinetic parameters were determined for each experiment, including a first-order biodegradation rate constant (K{sub 1}). Experimental results suggest that for readily biodegradable VOCs the two batch techniques can provide improved means of determining biodegradation rate constants compared with Method 304B. In particular, these batch techniques avoid the Method 304B problem associated with steady-state effluent concentrations below analytical detection limits. However, experimental results also suggest that the two batch techniques should not be used to determine biodegradation rate constants for slowly degraded VOCs (i.e., K{sub 1} {lt} 0.1 L/g VSS-h).« less

Design of a single batch leaching test to assess the environmental impact of volcanic ash

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez-Turiel, J.; Ruggieri, F.; Saavedra, J.; Gimeno, D.; Martinez, L.; Galindo, G.; Garcia-Valles, M.; Polanco, E.; Perez-Torrado, F.; Rodriguez-Gonzalez, A.; Rodriguez-Fernandez, D.

2010-12-01

Most of the environmentally mobile constituents of volcanic ashes may be detected by one stage batch leaching tests, but the lack of a standardized procedure makes difficult the comparison between different studies. A series of batch tests were conducted using rhyolithic Andean ashes of the Chaiten 2008 eruption (Chile) and an ancient (hundreds of thousands of years) eruption in the southern Puna (NW Argentina) in order to propose a batch test susceptible of harmonization for volcanic ash. Tests carried out varying amount of ash (0.1 and 1 g), leachant volume (1, 2, 5, 10, 25 and 50 ml of deionized water) and contact time (1.5, 4 and 16 h). The mixture of ash and leachant was shaken at 20 rpm at room temperature in polypropylene test tubes (14x100 mm) or polyethylene (HDPE) reactors (50 and 100 ml), depending on the leachate volume. Leachate solutions, previous centrifugation (3000 rpm) during 15 minutes, were filtered through PVDF syringe filters with tube tip (25 mm diameter and 0.45 µm pore size) and made up to 100 ml volume in 1% (v/v) HNO3. These solutions were analyzed by ICP-OES, ICP-MS and ISE (fluoride). Leaching tests with 0.1 g of ash have a low reproducibility of results whereas leachant volume has not a great influence on the element contents released when 1 g of sample is employed. Batch leaching tests performed at 1.5 and 16 h are less reproducible that those tested at 4 h. The best batch leaching conditions tested correspond to 1 g of ash and 10 ml of deionized water shaking during 4 h. This methodology has been applied to recent and historical eruptions of the Southern Volcanic Zone of the Andes (Quizapu, 1932; Lonquimay, 1988; Hudson, 1991; Copahue, 2000; Llaima 2008; Chaiten 2008), the Central Volcanic Zone of the Andes (Quaternary ashes of different eruptions in southern Puna and neighboring areas in northwestern Argentina), and the recent eruption of Eyjafjallajokull (april-may 2010) in Iceland. The method developed is reproducible, fast and reliable in laboratory conditions and the results easily applicable to environmental impact models. This study was carried out in the framework of the PEGEFA Working Group (Catalonian Government 2009-SGR-972), and was funded by the Project ASH of the Spanish MICINN (CGL2008-00099) and the FPU Grant of the Spanish Ministry of Education of one of the authors (F. Ruggieri, Ref. AP2006-04592).

Screening of bacterial direct-fed microbials for their antimethanogenic potential in vitro and assessment of their effect on ruminal fermentation and microbial profiles in sheep.

PubMed

Jeyanathan, J; Martin, C; Morgavi, D P

2016-02-01

Direct-fed microbials (DFM) are used to modulate ruminal function and induce beneficial effects on ruminants. The objectives of this work were to 1) screen bacterial strains for their antimethanogenic potential in vitro and 2) assess the effect of 3 selected DFM on ruminal methane (CH) emissions, fermentation parameters, and microbial profiles in sheep. Forty-five bacterial strains were preselected based on their metabolism and fermentation characteristics. These bacteria were screened for their ability to reduce ruminal methanogenesis using 24-h batch incubations and an inoculum of 10 cfu/mL of medium. The addition of bacterial strains stimulated ruminal fermentation with increases in total gas production for 41 strains ( < 0.05) without a concomitant increase in CH production (only 9 strains had higher CH than the controls without DFM; < 0.05). 53-W, D31, and D1 had the greatest difference between total gas and CH production and were selected for further in vivo testing. Twelve rumen-cannulated Texel wethers were divided into 3 groups and were treated daily for 4 wk with 6 × 10 cfu/animal for and and 3 × 10 cfu/animal for . Measures of enteric CH, ruminal fermentation, and ruminal microbial traits were performed before, at 2 and 4 wk during the treatment period, and at 2 wk after the DFM treatment stopped. Methane production was reduced by 13% ( < 0.05) with after 2 wk of DFM administration, and this effect was maintained throughout the treatment and posttreatment periods. In contrast, had no effect on CH production, and increased it by 16% ( < 0.05) after 4 wk of DFM administration. There was no effect on other fermentation parameters or on the bacterial, archaeal, and protozoal numbers monitored by quantitative PCR. However, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profiles indicated changes in bacterial and archaeal diversity in the and groups. Although added bacteria were unable to permanently colonize the rumen, had a greater 24-h survival rate than the others, implying that the persistence of DFM may be important for modulating ruminal traits of interest. These results suggest that bacterial DFM used in this trial were able to modify CH emissions, although correlated changes in other ruminal parameters studied were minor.

Results of Hg speciation testing on DWPF SMECT-8, OGCT-1, AND OGCT-2 samples

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bannochie, C.

2016-02-22

The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) was tasked with preparing and shipping samples for Hg speciation by Eurofins Frontier Global Sciences, Inc. in Seattle, WA on behalf of the Savannah River Remediation (SRR) Mercury Task Team. The sixteenth shipment of samples was designated to include a Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) Slurry Mix Evaporator Condensate Tank (SMECT) sample from Sludge Receipt and Adjustment Tank (SRAT) Batch 738 processing and two Off-Gas Condensate Tank (OGCT) samples, one following Batch 736 and one following Batch 738. The DWPF sample designations for the three samples analyzed are provided. The Batch 738 ‘End ofmore » SME Cycle’ SMECT sample was taken at the conclusion of Slurry Mix Evaporator (SME) operations for this batch and represents the fourth SMECT sample examined from Batch 738. Batch 738 experienced a sludge slurry carryover event, which introduced sludge solids to the SMECT that were particularly evident in the SMECT-5 sample, but less evident in the ‘End of SME Cycle’ SMECT-8 sample.« less

Development of a mathematical model for the growth associated Polyhydroxybutyrate fermentation by Azohydromonas australica and its use for the design of fed-batch cultivation strategies.

PubMed

Gahlawat, Geeta; Srivastava, Ashok K

2013-06-01

In the present investigation, batch cultivation of Azohydromonas australica DSM 1124 was carried out in a bioreactor for growth associated PHB production. The observed batch PHB production kinetics data was then used for the development of a mathematical model which adequately described the substrate limitation and inhibition during the cultivation. The statistical validity test demonstrated that the proposed mathematical model predictions were significant at 99% confidence level. The model was thereafter extrapolated to fed-batch to identify various nutrients feeding regimes during the bioreactor cultivation to improve the PHB accumulation. The distinct capability of the mathematical model to predict highly dynamic fed-batch cultivation strategies was demonstrated by experimental implementation of two fed-batch cultivation strategies. A significantly high PHB concentration of 22.65 g/L & an overall PHB content of 76% was achieved during constant feed rate fed-batch cultivation which is the highest PHB content reported so far using A. australica. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implementation of a repeated fed-batch process for the production of chitin-glucan complex by Komagataella pastoris.

PubMed

Farinha, Inês; Freitas, Filomena; Reis, Maria A M

2017-07-25

The yeast Komagataella pastoris was cultivated under different fed-batch strategies for the production of chitin-glucan complex (CGC), a co-polymer of chitin and β-glucan. The tested fed-batch strategies included DO-stat mode, predefined feeding profile and repeated fed-batch operation. Although high cell dry mass and high CGC production were obtained under the tested DO-stat strategy in a 94h cultivation (159 and 29g/L, respectively), the overall biomass and CGC productivities were low (41 and 7.4g/Lday, respectively). Cultivation with a predefined profile significantly improved both biomass and CGC volumetric productivity (87 and 10.8g/Lday, respectively). Hence, this strategy was used to implement a repeated fed-batch process comprising 7 consecutive cycles. A daily production of 119-126g/L of biomass with a CGC content of 11-16wt% was obtained, thus proving this cultivation strategy is adequate to reach a high CGC productivity that ranged between 11 and 18g/Lday. The process was stable and reproducible in terms of CGC productivity and polymer composition, making it a promising strategy for further process development. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A high-throughput media design approach for high performance mammalian fed-batch cultures

PubMed Central

Rouiller, Yolande; Périlleux, Arnaud; Collet, Natacha; Jordan, Martin; Stettler, Matthieu; Broly, Hervé

2013-01-01

An innovative high-throughput medium development method based on media blending was successfully used to improve the performance of a Chinese hamster ovary fed-batch medium in shaking 96-deepwell plates. Starting from a proprietary chemically-defined medium, 16 formulations testing 43 of 47 components at 3 different levels were designed. Media blending was performed following a custom-made mixture design of experiments considering binary blends, resulting in 376 different blends that were tested during both cell expansion and fed-batch production phases in one single experiment. Three approaches were chosen to provide the best output of the large amount of data obtained. A simple ranking of conditions was first used as a quick approach to select new formulations with promising features. Then, prediction of the best mixes was done to maximize both growth and titer using the Design Expert software. Finally, a multivariate analysis enabled identification of individual potential critical components for further optimization. Applying this high-throughput method on a fed-batch, rather than on a simple batch, process opens new perspectives for medium and feed development that enables identification of an optimized process in a short time frame. PMID:23563583

PHYTO-REMOVAL OF TRINITROTOLUENE FROM WATER WITH BATCH KINETIC STUDIES

EPA Science Inventory

A series of batch reactor studies were conducted to obtain kinetic data for optimizing phyto-treatment of water contaminated with trinitrotoluene (TNT). A plant screening study indicated that stonewort and parrotfeather were the most effective among the plants tested; parrotfeath...

[Effect of microbial nutrient concentration on improvement of municipal sewage sludge dewaterability through bioleaching].

PubMed

Song, Yong-wei; Liu, Fen-wu; Zhou, Li-xiang

2012-08-01

In this study, shaking flask batch experiments and practical engineering application tests were performed to investigate the effect of microbial nutrient concentration on the dewaterability of municipal sewage sludge with 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% solid contents via bioleaching. Meanwhile, the changes of pH value and the utilization efficiency of microbial nutrients during bioleaching were analyzed in this study. The results showed that the pH value decreased gradually at the beginning and then maintained a stable state in the treatments with different solid contents, and the nutrients were completely used up by the microorganisms after 2 days of bioleaching. It was found that the SRF of 2%, 3%, 4%, 5% sludges decreased quickly and then rose gradually with the extension of bioleaching time. In addition, the higher solid content the greater the increase. It was determined that the optimum microbial nutrient dosage for sludge with solid content of 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% were 3.0 g x L(-1), 4.5 g x L(-1), 8.3 g x L(-1) and 12.8 g x L(-1) respectively. At this point, the lowest SRF of sludge with each solid content were 0.61 x 10(12) m x kg(-1), 1.22 x 10(12) m x kg(-1), 3.09 x 10(12) m x kg(-1) and 4.83 x 10(12) m x kg(-1), respectively. Through the engineering application, it was showed that diluting the solid content of sewage sludge from 5% to 3% before bioleaching was feasible. It could not only improve the dewaterability of bioleached sewage sludge (the SRF declined from 3.29 x 10(12) m x kg(-1) to 1.10 x 10(12) m x kg(-1)), but also shorten the sludge nutrient time (shortened from 4 days to 2.35 days) and reduce the operation costs. Therefore, the results of this study have important significance for the engineering application of bioleaching of municipal sewage sludge with high solid content.

Collaborative study for the calibration of the Ph. Eur. prekallikrein activator in albumin BRP batches 4, 5 and 6.

PubMed

Lackner, F; Daas, A; Terao, E

2015-01-01

An international collaborative study was organised by the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM, Council of Europe) to calibrate replacement batches for the current European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.) prekallikrein activator (PKA) in albumin biological reference preparation (BRP), whose stocks were dwindling. The study was run in the framework of the Biological Standardisation Programme (BSP) of the Council of Europe and the European Union (EU) Commission. Twenty three laboratories from official medicines control authorities and manufacturers in Europe and outside Europe took part in the study. Three candidate replacement batches were produced from the same material as the one used for the World Health Organization (WHO) 2(nd) International Standard (IS) for PKA in albumin (02/168) and the Ph. Eur. PKA in albumin BRP batches 1, 2 and 3. Participants were requested to evaluate the candidate batches against the current WHO IS using their routine assay method. The Ph. Eur. PKA in albumin BRP batch 3 (BRP3) was also included in the test panel to ensure the continuity of the consecutive BRP batches. The study confirmed the stability of the PKA content of the current BRP3. The candidate batches were found to be comparable. Previous data on the starting material support its high stability. Thermal stress study on the candidate batches confirmed the stability of their PKA activity. The Commission of the Ph. Eur. officially adopted in November 2013 the 3 candidate batches as Ph. Eur. PKA in albumin BRP batches 4, 5 and 6 with an assigned content of 38 IU/vial. The activity of the 3 new batches of Ph. Eur. PKA in albumin BRP will be regularly monitored.

BIOLAB experiment development status 2005

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brinckmann, Enno; Manieri, Pierfilippo

2005-08-01

BIOLAB, ESA's major facility for biological Space research on the International Space Station (ISS), will accommodate the first two batches of experiments after its launch with the "Columbus" Laboratory (spring 2007). Seven experiments have been selected for development: three of the first batch have concluded Phase A/B with the testing of the breadboards, in which the main functions of the scientific studies can be simulated and defined for further inputs to the final design of the experiment hardware. The biological specimens of the first batch are scorpions, plant seedlings, bacteria suspensions and cell cultures of mammalian and invertebrate origin. The experiment protocols request demanding resources ranging from life support for the entire mission (90 days) to skilled crew operations and transport/storage in deep freezers. Even more sophisticated experiments are in preparation for the second batch, dealing with various cell culture systems. This presentation gives an overview about the experiment development status, whilst the science background and breadboard test results will be presented by the respective experiment teams.

Sequencing batch-reactor control using Gaussian-process models.

PubMed

Kocijan, Juš; Hvala, Nadja

2013-06-01

This paper presents a Gaussian-process (GP) model for the design of sequencing batch-reactor (SBR) control for wastewater treatment. The GP model is a probabilistic, nonparametric model with uncertainty predictions. In the case of SBR control, it is used for the on-line optimisation of the batch-phases duration. The control algorithm follows the course of the indirect process variables (pH, redox potential and dissolved oxygen concentration) and recognises the characteristic patterns in their time profile. The control algorithm uses GP-based regression to smooth the signals and GP-based classification for the pattern recognition. When tested on the signals from an SBR laboratory pilot plant, the control algorithm provided a satisfactory agreement between the proposed completion times and the actual termination times of the biodegradation processes. In a set of tested batches the final ammonia and nitrate concentrations were below 1 and 0.5 mg L(-1), respectively, while the aeration time was shortened considerably. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The influence of sorbitol on the production of cellulases and xylanases in an airlift bioreactor.

PubMed

Ritter, Carla Eliana Todero; Fontana, Roselei Claudete; Camassola, Marli; da Silveira, Maurício Moura; Dillon, Aldo José Pinheiro

2013-11-01

The production of cellulases and xylanases by Penicillium echinulatum in an airlift bioreactor was evaluated. In batch production, we tested media with isolated or associated cellulose and sorbitol. In fed-batch production, we tested cellulose addition at two different times, 30 h and 48 h. Higher liquid circulation velocities in the downcomer were observed in sorbitol 10 g L(-1) medium. In batch production, higher FPA (filter paper activity) and endoglucanase activities were obtained with cellulose (7.5 g L(-1)) and sorbitol (2.5 g L(-1)), 1.0 U mL(-1) (120 h) and 6.4 U m L(-1) (100 h), respectively. For xylanases, the best production condition was cellulose 10 g L(-1), which achieved 5.5 U mL(-1) in 64 h. The fed-batch process was favorable for obtaining xylanases, but not for FPA and endoglucanases, suggesting that in the case of cellulases, the inducer must be added early in the process. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Different cultivation methods to acclimatise ammonia-tolerant methanogenic consortia.

PubMed

Tian, Hailin; Fotidis, Ioannis A; Mancini, Enrico; Angelidaki, Irini

2017-05-01

Bioaugmentation with ammonia tolerant-methanogenic consortia was proposed as a solution to overcome ammonia inhibition during anaerobic digestion process recently. However, appropriate technology to generate ammonia tolerant methanogenic consortia is still lacking. In this study, three basic reactors (i.e. batch, fed-batch and continuous stirred-tank reactors (CSTR)) operated at mesophilic (37°C) and thermophilic (55°C) conditions were assessed, based on methane production efficiency, incubation time, TAN/FAN (total ammonium nitrogen/free ammonia nitrogen) levels and maximum methanogenic activity. Overall, fed-batch cultivation was clearly the most efficient method compared to batch and CSTR. Specifically, by saving incubation time up to 150%, fed-batch reactors were acclimatised to nearly 2-fold higher FAN levels with a 37%-153% methanogenic activity improvement, compared to batch method. Meanwhile, CSTR reactors were inhibited at lower ammonia levels. Finally, specific methanogenic activity test showed that hydrogenotrophic methanogens were more active than aceticlastic methanogens in all FAN levels above 540mgNH 3 -NL -1 . Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Establishment of hepatitis A detection antibodies set BRR batch 3 for antigen content determination by ELISA.

PubMed

Morgeaux, S; Manniam, I; Variot, P; Daas, A; Costanzo, A

2015-01-01

The current batch of the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.) Biological Reference Reagents (BRRs) used for the in vitro potency assay of hepatitis A vaccines (HAV) by ELISA (enzymelinked immunosorbent assay) was established in 2012 for use in conjunction with Ph. Eur. general chapter 2.7.14 Assay of hepatitis A vaccine. It is composed of a coating reagent and a set of detection antibodies. As stocks of the latter are running low, the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM) organised a collaborative study to qualify replacement batches. The candidate BRR antibodies (primary monoclonal antibody and labelled secondary antibody) were prepared under appropriate conditions from starting materials similar to those used for the current batches. The new batches of antibodies were tested alongside previous batches of BRRs to ensure continuity, and the results confirmed that they were suitable for use in the potency assay of hepatitis A vaccines by ELISA using the standard method referenced in Ph. Eur. general chapter 2.7.14 at the same final concentrations as the previous batches, i.e. 1:500 for the primary monoclonal antibody and 1:400 for the secondary conjugated antibody. The outcome of the study allowed their establishment by the Ph. Eur. Commission in March 2015 as anti-hepatitis A virus primary detection antibody BRR batch 3 and conjugated secondary detection antibody BRR batch 3 respectively. They are available from the EDQM as hepatitis A vaccine ELISA detection antibodies set BRR batch 3.

Combination of bioaugmentation and biostimulation for remediation of paddy soil contaminated with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid.

PubMed

Yang, Zhiman; Xu, Xiaohui; Dai, Meng; Wang, Lin; Shi, Xiaoshuang; Guo, Rongbo

2018-04-22

The batch and fed-batch tests were performed to evaluate the efficiency of bioaugmentation in combination with biostimulation for remediation of paddy soil contaminated with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). 2,4-D degrading enrichments were used for bioaugmentation, and effluents prepared through biological hydrogen production process were used as substrate for biostimulation. The batch tests indicated that 2,4-D degradation depended on the enrichment/substrate ratio (E/S), where E/S of 0.03 showed an excellent performance. The fed-batch tests showed that biostimulation only led to an improvement in 2,4-D degradation, while the pattern of repeated augmentation of enrichments (FRA) together with biostimulation obviously improved degradation of 2,4-D, 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) and phenol. DNA-sequencing approach showed that the FRA pattern altered the bacterial community composition, and high removal of 2,4-D, 2-CP and phenol may be attributed to the acclimation and persistence of Thauera. The findings demonstrated the importance of the FRA pattern on remediation of paddy soil contaminated with 2,4-D. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pilot scale application of nanosized iron oxides as electron acceptors for bioremediation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bosch, Julian; Fritzsche, Andreas; Frank-Fahle, Beatrice; Lüders, Tilmann; Höss, Sebastian; Eisenmann, Heinrich; Held, Thomas; Totsche, Kai U.; Meckenstock, Rainer U.

2014-05-01

Microbial reduction of ferric iron is a major biogeochemical process in groundwater aquifer ecosystems and often associated with the degradation of organic contaminants, as bacteria couple iron reduction to the oxidation reduced carbon like e.g. BTEX. Yet in general the low bioavailability of natural iron oxides limits microbial reduction rates. However, nanosized iron oxides have an unequally enhanced bioavailability and reactivity compared to their respective bulk, macro-sized, and more crystalline materials. At the same time, nanosized iron oxides can be produced in stable colloidal suspensions, permitting efficient injections into contaminated aquifers. We examined the reactivity of nanosized synthetic colloidal iron oxides in microbial iron reduction. Application of colloidal nanoparticles led to a strong and sustainable enhancement of microbial reaction rates in batch experiments and sediment columns. Toluene oxidation was increased five-fold as compared to bulk, non-colloidal ferrihydrite as electron acceptor. Furthermore, we developed a unique approach for custom-tailoring the subsurface mobility of these particles after being injected into a contaminant plume. In a field pilot application, we injected 18 m3 of an iron oxide nanoparticle solution into a BTEX contaminated aquifer with a maximum excess pressure as low as 0.2 bar. The applied suspension showed a superior subsurface mobility, creating a reactive zone of 4 m height (corresponding to the height of the confined aquifer) and 6 m in diameter. Subsequent monitoring of BTEX, microbial BTEX degradation metabolites, ferrous iron generation, stable isotopes fractionation, microbial populations, and methanogenesis demonstrated the strong impact of our approach. Mathematic processed X-ray diffractograms and FTIR spectra provided a semi-quantitatively estimate of the long-term fate of the iron oxide colloids in the aquifer. Potential environmental risks of the injection itself were monitored with ecotoxicological investigations. Our data suggest that the injection of ferric iron nanoparticles as electron acceptors into contaminated aquifers for the enhancement of microbial contaminant degradation might develop into a novel bioremediation strategy.

The Influence of Ecological Isolation on the Structural and Functional Stability of Complex Microbial Communities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Franklin, R. B.; Garland, J. L.; Mills, A. L.

2005-01-01

To help understand how the behavior of microorganisms and microbial communities in insular space habitats may differ from the behavior of these groups on Earth, long-term incubations (100+ days) were conducting using wastewater bioreactors (batch fed) designed to mimic "closed" and "open" ecological systems. The issue of immigration was considered, and the goal of the research was to determine whether the stability of microbial communities in space is reduced due to their prolonged isolation. Bioreactors were established by inoculating flasks of sterile synthetic wastewater with the microbial community obtained from a local treatment facility; each day, one-third of the medium in the flask was replaced with an equal volume of sterile artificial wastewater. Flasks were divided into two treatments: "closed" and "open" to recruitment of additional microorganisms. "Closed" flasks were maintained as described above, while the medium used to feed the "open" flasks was supplemented daily with a small amount of raw sewage (which provided a continuous source of new potential community members). Significant differences in microbial community structure and function developed in the two sets of communities, and the results suggest that the open community was more stable and better able to adjust to changing environmental conditions. Each community's resistance to environmental (temperature fluctuations) and biological stresses (starvation and invasion by an opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa) was monitored. Experiments were also conducted to determine whether the effect of isolation changes depending on the microbial communities' initial diversity or composition; communities with a low(er) initial diversity were less stable. Overall, the results indicate that isolation will be an important factor influencing the activity of microbial communities on board spacecraft. A possible way of mitigating these effects would be to include communities with high initial diversity or to periodically re-inoculate the systems using diverse inocula transported from Earth.

A novel multiple batch extraction test to assess contaminant mobilization from porous waste materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iden, S. C.; Durner, W.; Delay, M.; Frimmel, F. H.

2009-04-01

Contaminated porous materials, like soils, dredged sediments or waste materials must be tested before they can be used as filling materials in order to minimize the risk of groundwater pollution. We applied a multiple batch extraction test at varying liquid-to-solid (L/S) ratios to a demolition waste material and a municipal waste incineration product and investigated the release of chloride, sulphate, sodium, copper, chromium and dissolved organic carbon from both waste materials. The liquid phase test concentrations were used to estimate parameters of a relatively simple mass balance model accounting for equilibrium partitioning. The model parameters were estimated within a Bayesian framework by applying an efficient MCMC sampler and the uncertainties of the model parameters and model predictions were quantified. We tested isotherms of the linear, Freundlich and Langmuir type and selected the optimal isotherm model by use of the Deviance Information Criterion (DIC). Both the excellent fit to the experimental data and a comparison between the model-predicted and independently measured concentrations at the L/S ratios of 0.25 and 0.5 L/kg demonstrate the applicability of the model for almost all studied substances and both waste materials. We conclude that batch extraction tests at varying L/S ratios provide, at moderate experimental cost, a powerful complement to established test designs like column leaching or single batch extraction tests. The method constitutes an important tool in risk assessments, because concentrations at soil water contents representative for the field situation can be predicted from easier-to-obtain test concentrations at larger L/S ratios. This helps to circumvent the experimental difficulties of the soil saturation extract and eliminates the need to apply statistical approaches to predict such representative concentrations which have been shown to suffer dramatically from poor correlations.

Non destructive testing of soft body armor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhise, Karan

Pristine bullet proof vests are extremely effective at halting pre-determined projectile threats and have saved over 3000 lives. However, the effectiveness of these vests to halt a bullet is seen to decrease over time.Owing to the importance of bullet proof vests over a period of time, tests to determine their effectiveness have been carried out on every batch of vests at the time of inception and at certain time intervals by shooting a bullet through them. A few vests from every batch are picked up and shot at to check for bullet penetration during this process while these results are extrapolated onto the other vests from the batch.One of the main issues with this method is the fact that testing a few jackets among a large set of jackets does not guarantee the safety of every jacket in the entire batch.Further the jackets that are shot-at have the possibility of undergoing substantial damage during the process thus compromising its safety rendering them unsafe for future use.As the vest penetration phenomenon is extremely complex too, there arose a need for a better testing procedure that could not only help ensure more safety, but also save time and money.The new testing procedure proposed a non-destructive evaluation of the jackets that would solve the issues previous faced in testing the vests. This would lead to the building of a portable set up which could be carried to any location to test jackets in a matter of minutes thus saving time and money.

Laboratory-scale integrated ARP filter test

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Poirier, M.; Burket, P.

2016-03-01

The Savannah River Site (SRS) is currently treating radioactive liquid waste with the Actinide Removal Process (ARP) and the Modular Caustic Side Solvent Extraction Unit (MCU). Recently, the low filter flux through the ARP of approximately 5 gallons per minute has limited the rate at which radioactive liquid waste can be treated. Salt Batch 6 had a lower processing rate and required frequent filter cleaning. There is a desire to understand the causes of the low filter flux and to increase ARP/MCU throughput. This task attempted to simulate the entire ARP process, including multiple batches (5), washing, chemical cleaning, andmore » blending the feed with heels and recycle streams. The objective of the tests was to determine whether one of these processes is causing excessive fouling of the crossflow or secondary filter. The authors conducted the tests with feed solutions containing 6.6 M sodium Salt Batch 6 simulant supernate with no MST.« less

Effect of microbiological testing on subsequent mid-infrared milk component analysis of the same milk sample.

PubMed

Wojciechowski, Karen L; Melilli, Caterina; Barbano, David M

2014-09-01

Our objectives were to determine if mixing and sampling of a raw milk sample at 4°C for determination of total bacteria count (TBC) and if incubation at 14°C for 18h and sampling for a preliminary incubation (PI) count influenced the accuracy of subsequent fat, protein, or lactose measurement by mid-infrared (IR) analysis of milk from the same sample container due to either nonrepresentative sampling or the presence of microbial metabolites produced by microbial growth in the milk from the incubation. Milks of 4 fat levels (2.2, 3, 4, and 5%) reflected the range of fat levels encountered in producer milks. If the portion of milk removed from a cold sample was not representative, then the effect on a milk component test would likely be larger as fat content increases. Within the milks at each fat level, 3 treatments were used: (1) 20 vials of the same milk sampled for testing TBC using a BactoScan FC and then used for a milk component test; (2) 20 vials for testing TBC plus PI count followed by component test; and (3) 20 vials to run for IR component test without a prior micro sampling and testing. This was repeated in 3 different weeks using a different batch of milk each week. No large effect on the accuracy of component milk testing [IR fat B (carbon hydrogen stretch) and fat A (carbonyl stretch)] due to the cold milk sample handling and mixing procedures used for TBC was detected, confirming the fact that the physical removal of milk from the vial by the BactoScan FC (Foss Electric, Hillerød, Denmark) was a representative portion of the milk. However, the representativeness of any other sampling procedure (manual or automated) of a cold milk sample before running milk component testing on the same container of milk should be demonstrated and verified periodically as a matter of routine laboratory quality assurance. Running TBC with a BactoScan FC first and then IR milk analysis after had a minimal effect on milk component tests by IR when milk bacteria counts were within pasteurized milk ordinance limits of <100,000 cfu/mL. Running raw milk PI counts (18h of incubation at 13-14°C) with the BactoScan FC before milk component testing by IR milk analysis had an effect on component tests. The effect was largest on fat test results and would decrease the accuracy of milk payment testing on individual producer milks. The effect was most likely due to the absorption of light by bacterial metabolites resulting from microbial growth or other chemical degradation processes occurring in the milk during the PI count incubation, not by the sampling procedure of the BactoScan. The direction of the effect on component test results will vary depending on the bacteria count and the type of bacteria that grew in the milk, and this could be different in every individual producer milk sample. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry, a process analytical technology tool for real-time process monitoring in botanical drug manufacturing.

PubMed

Wang, Lu; Zeng, Shanshan; Chen, Teng; Qu, Haibin

2014-03-01

A promising process analytical technology (PAT) tool has been introduced for batch processes monitoring. Direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS), a means of rapid fingerprint analysis, was applied to a percolation process with multi-constituent substances for an anti-cancer botanical preparation. Fifteen batches were carried out, including ten normal operations and five abnormal batches with artificial variations. The obtained multivariate data were analyzed by a multi-way partial least squares (MPLS) model. Control trajectories were derived from eight normal batches, and the qualification was tested by R(2) and Q(2). Accuracy and diagnosis capability of the batch model were then validated by the remaining batches. Assisted with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) determination, process faults were explained by corresponding variable contributions. Furthermore, a batch level model was developed to compare and assess the model performance. The present study has demonstrated that DART-MS is very promising in process monitoring in botanical manufacturing. Compared with general PAT tools, DART-MS offers a particular account on effective compositions and can be potentially used to improve batch quality and process consistency of samples in complex matrices. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hydrogen sulfide formation control and microbial competition in batch anaerobic digestion of slaughterhouse wastewater sludge: Effect of initial sludge pH.

PubMed

Yan, Li; Ye, Jie; Zhang, Panyue; Xu, Dong; Wu, Yan; Liu, Jianbo; Zhang, Haibo; Fang, Wei; Wang, Bei; Zeng, Guangming

2018-07-01

High sulfur content in excess sludge impacts the production of biomethane during anaerobic digestion, meanwhile leads to hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) formation in biogas. Effect of initial sludge pH on H 2 S formation during batch mesophilic anaerobic digestion of slaughterhouse wastewater sludge was studied in this paper. The results demonstrated that when the initial sludge pH increased from 6.5 to 8.0, the biogas production increased by 10.1%, the methane production increased by 64.1%, while the H 2 S content in biogas decreased by 44.7%. The higher initial sludge pH inhibited the competition of sulfate-reducing bacteria with methane-producing bacteria, and thus benefitted the growth of methanogens. Positive correlation was found between the relative abundance of Desulfomicrobium and H 2 S production, as well as the relative abundance of Methanosarcina and methane production. More sulfates and organic sulfur were transferred to solid and liquid rather than H 2 S formation at a high initial pH. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance of a sequencing-batch membrane bioreactor (SMBR) with an automatic control strategy treating high-strength swine wastewater.

PubMed

Sui, Qianwen; Jiang, Chao; Yu, Dawei; Chen, Meixue; Zhang, Junya; Wang, Yawei; Wei, Yuansong

2018-01-15

Due to high-strength of organic matters, nutrients and pathogen, swine wastewater is a major source of pollution to rural environment and surface water. A sequencing-batch membrane bioreactor (SMBR) system with an automatic control strategy was developed for high-strength swine wastewater treatment. Short-cut nitrification and denitrification (SND) was achieved at nitrite accumulation rate of 83.6%, with removal rates of COD, NH 4 + -N and TN at 95%, 99% and 93%, respectively, at reduced HRT of 6.0 d and TN loading rate of 0.02kgN/(kgVSS d). With effective membrane separation, the reduction of total bacteria (TB) and putative pathogen were 2.77 logs and 1%, respectively. The shift of microbial community was well responded to controlling parameters. During the SND process, ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) (Nitrosomonas, Nitrosospira) and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) (Nitrospira) were enriched by 52 times and reduced by 2 times, respectively. The denitrifiers (Thauera) were well enriched and the diversity was enhanced. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.