The microbial community composition in subsurface oil reservoirs is responsible for the biogeochemical reactions of hydrocarbon transformation. In this study, the composition, major functions and gene expression activity of the microorganisms in production water from an oil reservoir were analyzed prior to and after injection nutrients using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing, functional gene

This study investigated the effect of salinity on ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria (AOA and AOB) by operating two bioreactors under the salinity level of 2.5‰ and 35‰, respectively. Both bioreactors achieved more than 95% of nitrification efficiency, but distinct AOA and AOB populations were enriched in the two bioreactors. For AOB, Nitrosomonas marina-like AOB and Nitrosomonas oligotropha-like

Bisphenol A (BPA) as an endocrine-disrupting chemical has been widely detected in the aquatic environment, including Taihu Lake, China. Adsorption and bacterial removal in sediments play important roles in the fate of BPA in the aquatic environment, which might be influenced by the properties of the sediment. In this study, two types of sediments from Gonghu Bay and Meiliang Bay in the northern Taihu

Mangrove is a complex ecosystem often affected by anthropogenic activities and receiving various antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). In this study, profiles of antibiotics and ARGs of seven National Mangrove Reserves in south China were investigated. Fourteen antibiotics belonging to five categories were detected by LC-MS and twelve gene families of ARGs were evaluated by GeoChip assay

In this study, the microbial community for denitrification in the down-flow hanging sponge (DHS) reactor was estimated by batch experiment and microbial community analysis. Sludge retained from the DHS reactor, which conducts single-stage nitrification-denitrification, was collected into a series of vials as seed sludge for the batch experiment. Nitrate, nitrite, and nitrous oxide were added as nitrogen

The aim of the study was to determine microbial and metabolites diversity on the samples of damaged mediaeval beeswax seals from the Archdiocese Archive of Gniezno, Poland. We employed high-throughput sequencing on the Illumina platform and 109Ag SALDI metabolome analysis for the first time to assess biodeterioration of the beeswax seals. Bacteria belonged to the genera Mesorhizobium, Delftia, Ralstonia

The performance of a single-stage semi-pilot scale reactor in anaerobically digesting food waste was examined and its microbial community composition investigated using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Highest biogas yield (1.01 L/g VSadded), highest removal efficiency for chemical oxygen demand (COD) (95.84%) and volatile solid (VS) (92.7%) were achieved during 124-day HRT. When the hydraulic

In the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Oświęcim, Poland (A-BSM) a new research has been started on the use of vaporised hydrogen peroxide (VHP) as a disinfecting agent. The aims of the study were: to identify microorganisms inhabiting historical cardboard using molecular methods (MALDI-TOF MS, 16S rRNA genes sequencing and next-generation sequencing on Illumna platform); to establish the effectiveness

Fungal stains affect documents and artworks on paper all over the world, diminishing their chemical stability and compromising their readability. The present paper studies the suitability of agarose and gellan gum hydrogels to remove fungal stains from paper, using paper impregnated with alizarin as a model system to simulate the most common colorant molecules produced by fungi - polyketide quinones

Two subterranean ancient Chinese tombs of over 1700 years old, one from the Jin Dynasty and another from the Han Dynasty, were investigated in relation to black spots associated with microbiological deterioration of brick mural paintings within. The objectives of this study were to characterize the diversity of culturable fungal communities and assess the biodeteriorative potential of the isolated

An Achromobacter species strain AC15 was isolated from mangrove soil and identified as a potent producer of biosurfactant. It could utilize high concentrations of pyrene as the sole source of carbon and energy. Results showed that AC15 degraded about 40% of the pyrene, which was provided at an initial concentration of 300 mg L−1, and reduced surface tension of the culture medium from 67.2 to 33.2 mN m−1

The resistance of wood plastic composite was evaluated for the xylophagous termites Nasutitermes corniger and Cryptotermes brevis. The panels were produced by compression, with proportions of wood (Pinus elliottii) and recycled thermoplastics of: T1 (50/50 Polyethylene terephthalate), T2 (50/50 High-density polyethylene), T3 (50/50 Polypropylene), T4 (50/50 Polyvinyl chloride), T5 (60/40 Polyethylene

Quorum quenching (QQ) is a new and promising strategy that disrupts the quorum sensing system, a universal and important microbial communication that results in membrane biofouling and other various communal behaviors. A bacterial strain Z4 with a relatively high QQ ability was isolated from a wastewater treatment plant and identified as a Serratia sp. This is the first report of a bacterium belonging

This study investigated the impact of spent brewery grains and spent mushroom compost on the development of phenanthrene biodegradation in soil. Two aspects were considered: (i) the influence of increasing waste-to-soil ratios (1:10, 1:5, 1:2, 1:1 & 2:1) and (ii) the impact of soil-PAH contact time (1–100 d). Biodegradation was quantified by measuring changes in the lag phase, the fastest rates and

Heavy metal toxicity is a serious global issue as it threatens the future food security by influencing the growth and development of the plant, thereby declining the production yield. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to explore the crops that possess tolerance to heavy metals and investigate their potential as a novel hyperaccumulators, besides provide future food security. Buckwheat is

Farnesol, a 15-carbon, naturally occurring sesquiterpene alcohol, exists widely in plants and Candida albicans. It inhibits the production of the Pseudomonas Quinolone Signal (PQS) and pyocyanin of the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but the underlying mechanisms remained unknown. In this study, the actions of farnesol on the growth, production of virulence factors (including PQS signals

Microbial activity is ubiquitous and important in petroleum reservoir systems; however, current knowledge regarding the diversity and functions of microbial communities that are active in offshore petroleum reservoirs remains very limited. In the present work, high-throughput sequencing analysis of the 16S rRNA gene (DNA) and transcripts (RNA) was applied to respectively characterize the genomic and

Anaerobic photocatalysis of semiconductors is a promising approach for the remediation of refractory pollutants which are readily reduced rather than oxidized. To sustain the operation of photoreduction, hole scavengers must be supplied. Bacteria as hole scavengers have attracted great attention. Thus, a bio-photoelectric reductive degradation system (BPRDS) was established by integrating nano-Ag3PO4

Microorganisms from oil reservoirs are associated with negative impacts on the oilfield, such as oil biodeterioration and biocorrosion of steel structures used for exploration, transportation and storage. The objectives of this study were to analyze the taxonomic and functional diversity in the production water and oil of two oil reservoirs, with emphasis on H2S producing bacteria. Total DNA from the

This study systematically investigated the advanced oxidation processes driven by the white-rot fungus (WRF) Phanerochaete chrysosporium in the removal of the neonicotinoid pesticide imidacloprid (IMI). The quinone redox cycling driven by P. chrysosporium promotes the degradation of IMI in presence of Mn2+ and Fe (III)-oxalate. Results showed that the degradation efficiency varied with the type of

In the present study, the mechanism of jarosite biosynthesis mediated by extracellular polymer substances (EPSs) of Purpureocillium lilacinum strain Y3 at gene level was investigated. Yellow-ocher jarosite minerals covered mycelia pellets entirely within 72h, corresponding to a reduction of Fe3+ of 70.9% in the biomineralization process induced by P. lilacinum Y3. The maximum biomass accumulation reached

Salt is widely used as preservative to protect animal skin from microbial attack. However, addition of salt creates a favorable condition for halophilic microorganisms associated with biodeterioration termed red heat damage. Knowledge about microbial diversity associated with red heat damage is expected to help develop appropriate control strategies. The objectives of this study were to isolate and

Bacteria are able to construct biofilm adjacent to carbon steel surface and leading to the biocorrosion and metal deterioration. The impact of wasterwaters’ indigenious bacteria on biocorrosion of carbon steel was evaluated under different pH values (3,7 and 9), two chloride concentrations (0.5 g/L and 1.5 g/L), and for two wastewaters. In tannery wastewaters (TWW) and under pH 3, Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Bioremediation of gasoline contaminated soil from high Arctic permafrost active layer near the Zackenberg research station in Northeast Greenland was studied in 28 days in the laboratory at 10 °C, a relevant local summer temperature. Fates of gasoline aromatics were followed in two groups: monoaromatics and naphthalene homologs. The treatments were control, natural attenuation, and biostimulation with

Microbial mineralization plays a significant role in the removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from polluted environments. Bacteria affiliated to the Roseobacter clade are ubiquitous and abundant in various environments, including PAH-polluted areas. However, very little is known about the PAH degradation mechanism utilized by the Roseobacter clade. In this study, eight bacterial strains

Petroleum pollution is a global concern because it causes serious environmental and human health problems. Microbial communities play important roles in petroleum biodegradation. In this study, a synthetic bacterial consortium for efficiently degrading ability was constructed on the basis of a minimal value algorithm running on MATLAB. Functional microbial diversity-based screening of three petroleum-degrading

Colonization of submerged surfaces by marine organisms such as microorganisms and barnacles entails significant operational and economic problems in shipping, aquaculture, power plant cooling water systems and various other activities. Microorganisms rapidly colonize the surfaces that are submerged in seawater and form complex heterogeneous 3-dimensional structures called biofilms. These marine biofilms

A single stage nitritation-anammox process was studied in a continuous flow reactor fed with raw lagoon municipal-sludge supernatant containing 835 ± 45 mg N L−1 of NH4+-N in the feed. Reactor operation was divided into five periods for a total of 438 days. Application of intermittent aeration with a 105 min aeration phase followed by a 15 min non-aeration phase reduced the aerobic nitritation rate

Continuous cultivations of the microalga Chlorella sorokiniana using 10-L flat-panel bioreactors were conducted at different pH levels and hydraulic retention times (HRT) under natural light conditions to accomplish the maximum algal yields and high nutrient removal from anaerobic digestion effluent (ADE) of aquatic macrophytes, which contained high concentrations of ammonium-nitrogen and phosphate-phosphorus

During the ongoing characterization of limestone biodeterioration in the UNESCO World Heritage site of “University of Coimbra – Alta and Sofia” (Coimbra, Portugal), it was brought to our attention that the limestone relieves adorning the tomb of D. Afonso I (First Portuguese King), displayed several signs of distinctive biodeterioration patterns. According to the ICOMOS Illustrated glossary on stone

Citrus reticulata (tangerine) peels extract was used to mediate the synthesis of copper nanoparticles (ETP-CuNPs). The product was characterized and applied as inhibitor for steel corrosion induced by 1 M HCl and Desulfovibrio sp. Round-shaped, monodisperse, non-aggregated crystals of zero-valent Cu with sizes between 54 and 72 nm were obtained. ETP-CuNPs triggered a 3-log reduction in Desulfovibio

Chlorinated rubber (CR)-based materials available for artificial surfaces have important commercial and industrial applications. However, CR-based materials are susceptible to diverse biofouling. In this study, different amounts (i.e. 0.2 wt % and 2 wt %) of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were incorporated into the CR matrix (CF0), respectively, in order to prepare the MWCNTs-modified CR composites

The process of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) plays a significant part in global nitrogen cycling, yet its depth-specific distribution and importance in tidal flow constructed wetlands (TF CWs) remained unclear. Currently, the abundance, biodiversity, vertical distribution, rates and potential role of the anammox process in two TF CWs of the Yangtze Estuary, China, were explored. The results

The performance of a lab-scale wastewater treatment plant during the start-up phase was investigated. A period of varying pH resulted in the loss of ammonium removal efficiency together with a decrease in the specific autotrophic oxygen uptake rate (OUR) of the ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB). To understand how the AOB were affected at the molecular level, we used shotgun proteomics to quantify the

The production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) is crucial for biofilm structure, microbial nutrition and proximal stability of habitat in a variety of environments. However, the production patterns of microbial EPS in soils as affected by heavy metal contamination remain uncertain. Here we investigate the extracellular response of the native microbial biomass in a grassland soil treated

Water-damaged buildings can lead to fungal growth and occupant health problems. Green building materials, derived from renewable sources, are increasingly utilized in construction and renovations. However, the question as to what fungi will grow on these green compared to non-green materials, after they get wet, has not been adequately studied. By determining what fungi grow on each type of material

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are carcinogenic, persistent, and bioaccumulative contaminants that pose risks to human and environmental health. In this study, we evaluated the PCB biodegradation of sediments from Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal (IHSC), a PCB-contaminated site (average PCB concentration = 12,570 ng/g d.w.). PCB congener profiles and bacterial community structure in a core sediment

We investigated the decayed historical church window glasses of two Catalonian churches, both under Mediterranean climate. Glass surfaces were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Their chemical composition was determined by wavelength-dispersive spectrometry (WDS) microprobe analysis. The biodiversity was investigated by

Fungi are among the most degradative organisms inducing biodeterioration of paper-based items of cultural heritage. Appropriate conservation measures and restoration treatments to deal with fungal infections include mechanical, chemical, and biological methods, which entail effects on the paper itself and health hazards for humans. Three different conservation treatments, namely freeze-drying, gamma

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strain C6, capable of utilizing phenanthrene as a sole source of carbon and energy, was isolated from creosote-contaminated sites at Hilo, Hawaii. Twenty-two metabolites of phenanthrene, covering from dihydrodiol to protocatechuic acid, were isolated and characterized. Phenanthrene was degraded via an initial dioxygenation on 1,2-, 3,4-, and 9,10-C, where the 3,4-dioxygenation

Newly isolated, not previously reported, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)-degraders were augmented to assess their role in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) shower curtain deterioration and DEHP leaching. The biofilms that developed on the surfaces of the bioaugmented shower curtains with Gram-positive strains LHM1 and LHM2 were thicker than those of the biostimulated and Gram-negative strain LHM3-augmented

Mycobacterium aromativorans strain JS19b1(T) can utilize phenanthrene as a sole source of carbon and energy. Strain JS19b1(T) degrades phenanthrene through highly branched metabolic pathways, including dioxygenation on C-1,2, C-3,4 and C-9,10 positions and ring opening by both ortho- and meta-cleavage. The presence of novel metabolic pathways was confirmed by replacement cultivation using synthetic