Erica L.‐W. Majumder, Judy D. Wall

Open Journal of Inorganic Chemistry • 2017

Uranium bio-transformations are the many and varying types of interactions that microbes can have with uranium encountered in their environment. In this review, bio-transformations, including reduction, oxidation, respiration, sorption, mineralization, accumulation, precipitation, biomarkers, and sensors are defined and discussed. Consensus and divergences are noted in bioavailability, mechanism of uranium reduction, environment, metabolism and the type of organism. The breadth of organisms with characterized bio-trans formations is also cataloged and discussed. We further debate if uranium biotransformations provide bio-protection or bio-benefit to the microbe and highlight the need for more work in the field to understand if microbes use uranium reduction for energy gain and growth, as having the ability is separate from exercising it. The presentation centers on the fundamental drivers for these processes with an additional exposition of the essential contribution of inorganic chemistry techniques to the molecular characterization of these biological processes.

Segundo Rojas-Flores, Orlando Pérez-Delgado, Renny Nazario-Naveda et al.

Processes • 2021

Papaya (Carica papaya) waste cause significant commercial and environmental damage, mainly due to the economic losses and foul odours they emit when decomposing. Therefore, this work provides an innovative way to generate electricity for the benefit of society and companies dedicated to the import and export of this fruit. Microbial fuel cells are a technology that allows electricity generation. These cells were produced with low-cost materials using zinc and copper electrodes; while a 150 mL polymethylmethacrylate tube was used as a substrate collection chamber (papaya waste). Maximum values of 0.736 ± 0.204 V and 5.57 ± 0.45 mA were generated, while pH values increased from 3.848 to 8.227 ± 0.35 and Brix decreased slowly from the first day. The maximum power density value was 878.38 mW/cm2 at a current density of 7.245 A/cm2 at a maximum voltage of 1072.77 mV. The bacteria were identified with an identity percentage of 99.32% for Achromobacter xylosoxidans species, 99.93% for Acinetobacter bereziniae, and 100.00% for Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. This research gives a new way for the use of papaya waste for bioelectricity generation.

Jie Zhang, He Liu, Yan Zhang et al.

Fermentation • 2023

Electron shuttling molecules (ESMs) have been proven to accelerate the electron transfer from the electrode to the electroactive microorganism in microbial electrosynthesis (MES) for higher CO2 reduction or chemical production rate. However, the microbial electron acceptors of electroactive microorganisms and their responses to different electron shuttling molecules in MES were still unknown. In this study, three kinds of ESMs, e.g., riboflavin (B2), methyl viologen (MV) and neutral red (NR) were applied in the MES for acetate production to explore the mechanism of different ESMs on microbial interactions. The acetate concentrations were 41% and 51% higher than that of the control in B2 and NR addition. The acetogens relative abundances of control, B2, MV and NR were 0.29%, 5.68%, 22.78% and 42.89%, respectively. The microbial function profile of the microbial community on the biocathodes indicated that the performance of acetate production was more closely related to the expression of electron transport. The B2 was coupled with the NADH complex and hydrogenase, while MV and NR were coupled with the Rnf complex to support electron transfer and energy conversion via various electron transfer pathways. The study revealed that the ESMs coupled with different electron transport complexes of microorganisms to achieve electron transfer, resulting in product changes.

Mingshuai Shao, Chao Zhang, Xue Wang et al.

Environmental Science and Ecotechnology • 2023

Hydrothermal treatment (HTT) can efficiently valorize the digestate after anaerobic digestion. However, the disposal of the HTT liquid is challenging. This paper proposes a method to recover energy through the anaerobic co-digestion of food waste and HTT liquid fraction. The effect of HTT liquid recirculation on anaerobic co-digestion performance was investigated. This study focused on the self-generated hydrochars that remained in the HTT supernatant after centrifugation. The effect of the self-generated hydrochars on the methane (CH 4 ) yield and microbial communities were discussed. After adding HTT liquids treated at 140 and 180 °C, the maximum CH 4 production increased to 309.36 and 331.61 mL per g COD, respectively. The HTT liquid exhibited a pH buffering effect and kept a favorable pH for the anaerobic co-digestion. In addition, the self-generated hydrochars with higher carbon content and large oxygen-containing functional groups remained in HTT liquid. They increased the electron transferring rate of the anaerobic co-digestion. The increased relative abundance of Methanosarcina , Syntrophomonadaceae, and Synergistota was observed with adding HTT liquid. The results of the principal component analysis indicate that the electron transferring rate constant had positive correlationships with the relative abundance of Methanosarcina , Syntrophomonadaceae, and Synergistota. This study can provide a good reference for the disposal of the HTT liquid and a novel insight regarding the mechanism for the anaerobic co-digestion.

Mickaël Rimboud, Luc Etcheverry, Mohamed Barakat et al.

Bioresource Technology • 2021

Qidong Yin, Guangxue Wu, Piet N.L. Lens

npj Clean Water • 2022

Abstract Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and alcohols generated from acidogenic processes are valuable bioresources. However, how the diversity of acidogenic microorganisms and environmental factors affect their generation are still poorly understood. In this study, 18 different inocula and 42 sludges from acidogenic lab-scale reactors were collected to analyze the microbial communities and their metabolic potential using 16S rRNA genes high throughput sequencing coupled with PICRUSt2. 23 out of 30732 distinctive amplicon sequence variants were identified as the core features and 34.8% of them (e.g., Clostridium spp .) were positively correlated with the generation of the most common product acetate. PICRUSt2 shows that an average of 27% of predicted fermentation-pathway genes was assigned to the core features, suggesting their crucial roles in acidogenesis. From the network aspect, the acidogenic network had a slightly higher number of nodes (12%), but significantly lower numbers of edges (109%) and neighbors (132%) compared with the inoculum network. A total of 28 independent subnetworks from large to small scales were extracted from the acidogenic network. The decentralized distribution of core features in these subnetworks emphasized their non-co-occurring relationships. The electrode potential was the most significant environmental variable (48.2–49.3% of the explanation), positively affecting the distribution of more than 50% of the core features and fermentation pathways. Results of this study emphasized the importance of core features rather than microbial diversity in acidogenic performance and highlighted the response of the core microbial community to environmental changes, which may be applied in practical applications to optimize acidogenic performance.

Sanne M. de Smit, Thomas D. van Mameren, Koen van Zwet et al.

Bioelectrochemistry • 2024

Microbial conversion of CO 2 to multi-carbon compounds such as acetate and butyrate is a promising valorisation technique. For those reactions, the electrochemical supply of hydrogen to the biocatalyst is a viable approach. Earlier we have shown that trace metals from microbial growth media spontaneously form in situ electro-catalysts for hydrogen evolution. Here, we show biocompatibility with the successful integration of such metal mix-based HER catalyst for immediate start-up of microbial acetogenesis (CO 2 to acetate). Also, n-butyrate formation started fast (after twenty days). Hydrogen was always produced in excess, although productivity decreased over the 36 to 50 days, possibly due to metal leaching from the cathode. The HER catalyst boosted microbial productivity in a two-step microbial community bioprocess: acetogenesis by a BRH-c20a strain and acetate elongation to n-butyrate by Clostridium sensu stricto 12 (related) species. These findings provide new routes to integrate electro-catalysts and micro-organisms showing respectively bio and electrochemical compatibility.

Joanna Rogińska, Michel Perdicakis, Cédric Midoux et al.

Bioelectrochemistry • 2021

Amy Apprill, H. Holm, Alyson E. Santoro et al.

Aquatic Microbial Ecology • 2021

Microorganisms are central to the functioning of coral reef ecosystems, but their dynamics are unstudied on most reefs. We examined the microbial ecology of shallow reefs within the Federated States of Micronesia. We surveyed 20 reefs surrounding 7 islands and atolls (Yap, Woleai, Olimarao, Kosrae, Kapingamarangi, Nukuoro, and Pohnpei), spanning 875053 km 2 . On the reefs, we found consistently higher coral coverage (mean ± SD = 36.9 ± 22.2%; max 77%) compared to macroalgae coverage (15.2 ± 15.5%; max 58%), and low abundances of fish. Reef waters had low inorganic nutrient concentrations and were dominated by Synechococcus, Prochlorococcus, and SAR11 bacteria. The richness of bacterial and archaeal communities was significantly related to interactions between island/atoll and depth. High coral coverage on reefs was linked to higher relative abundances of Flavobacteriaceae, Leisingera, Owenweeksia, Vibrio, and the OM27 clade, as well as other heterotrophic bacterial groups, consistent with communities residing in waters near corals and within coral mucus. Microbial community structure at reef depth was significantly correlated with geographic distance, suggesting that island biogeography influences reef microbial communities. Reefs at Kosrae Island, which hosted the highest coral abundance and diversity, were unique compared to other locations; seawater from Kosrae reefs had the lowest organic carbon (59.8-67.9 µM), highest organic nitrogen (4.5-5.3 µM), and harbored consistent microbial communities (>85% similar), which were dominated by heterotrophic cells. This study suggests that the reef-water microbial ecology on Micronesian reefs is influenced by the density and diversity of corals as well as other biogeographical features.

Xiaojing Li, Yue Li, Yue Li et al.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health • 2019

Microbial electrochemical technology provides an inexhaustible supply of electron acceptors, allowing electroactive microorganisms to generate biocurrent and accelerate the removal of organics. The treatment of wastewater contaminated by butachlor, which is a commonly used chloroacetamide herbicide in paddy fields, is a problem in agricultural production. In this study, butachlor was found to be removed efficiently (90 ± 1%) and rapidly (one day) in constructed single-chamber microbial fuel cells (MFCs). After the addition of sodium acetate to MFCs with butachlor as the sole carbon source, electricity generation was recovered instead of increasing the degradation efficiency of butachlor. Meanwhile, the microbial community structure was changed in anodic and cathodic biofilms after the addition of butachlor, following the bioelectrochemical degradation of butachlor. High-throughput sequencing showed the proliferation of Paracoccus and Geobacter in MFCs with butachlor as the sole carbon source and of Thauera butanivorans in MFCs with butachlor and sodium acetate as concomitant carbon sources. These species possess the ability to oxidize different substituents of butachlor and have important potential use for the bioremediation of wastewater, sediments, and soils.

Raquel Alves Pereira, Andreia F. Salvador, Patrícia Dias et al.

Water Research • 2016

Andrea Goglio, Arianna Carrara, Hager Galal Elsayed Elboghdady et al.

Journal of Power Sources • 2024

This work studied the performances of two ad hoc biochar-based cathode materials: one obtained from pyrolysis of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OW) and the other of wood chips (WC), in the context of three different bio-electrochemical reactors’ scope: MFC, MEC and MES. Cathodes were characterized through composition, pH, specific surface area and infrared spectroscopy; then production of electricity, methane (CH 4 ), and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) from carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) was described, and finally the microbial community was explored through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. WC-based electrodes performed better than OW-based ones. WC (200 ± 25 mV) generated twice the amount of electricity compared to OW (100 ± 10 mV) in MFC modality. In MEC modality, WC achieved both higher CH 4 production and concentration (3.6 ± 0.7 mL per day, 73.2 ± 3.9 % v/v, respectively) than OW (3.0 ± 0.3 mL per day, 70 ± 8 % v/v, respectively). In MES modality, WC produced ten times more acetic acid (0.3 ± 0.13 g L −1 per day) than OW (0.03 ± 0.04 g L −1 per day). The better performance of the WC-biochar cathode was attributed to its higher Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) value and its carbonaceous graphite-like structure. NGS analysis highlighted the presence of specific genera of microorganisms leading to the differential functioning of the systems. • Organic wastes can be transformed by bioelectrochemical systems (BES) in useful products. • Biochar can be used producing low-cost cathode reducing BES cost. • Kitchen waste (OW) and wood chips (WC) biochar were used for cathode production. • WC-based electrodes performed better than OW-based ones. • BET surface and graphite-like structure explained electrode good performance.

Elvira E. Ziganshina, Ayrat M. Ziganshin

Microorganisms • 2022

The influence of magnetite nanoparticles, granular activated carbon (GAC), and biochar, as well as their combinations on the anaerobic digestion of chicken manure and the structure of microbial communities was studied. The addition of magnetite, GAC, and biochar increased the rate of methane production and the total methane yield. It has been observed that these additives stimulated anaerobic microorganisms to reduce the concentration of accumulated volatile organic acids. Various bacterial species within the classes Bacteroidia and Clostridia were found at higher levels in the anaerobic reactors but in different proportions depending on the experiment. Members of the genera Methanosarcina , Methanobacterium , Methanothrix , and Methanoculleus were mainly detected within the archaeal communities in the anaerobic reactors. Compared to the 16S rRNA gene-based study, the mcrA gene approach allowed a higher level of Methanosarcina in the system with GAC + magnetite to be detected. Based on our findings, the combined use of granular activated carbon and magnetite at appropriate dosages will improve biomethane production.

Michal Elul, Maxim Rubin‐Blum, Zeev Ronen et al.

Biogeosciences • 2021

Abstract. Complex microbial communities facilitate iron and methane transformations in anoxic methanic sediments of freshwater lakes, such as Lake Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee, Israel). The phylogenetic and functional diversity of these consortia are not fully understood, and it is not clear which lineages perform iron reduction and anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM). Here, we investigated microbial communities from both natural Lake Kinneret iron-rich methanic sediments (>20 cm depth) and iron-amended slurry incubations from this zone using metagenomics, focusing on functions associated with iron reduction and methane cycling. Analyses of the phylogenetic and functional diversity indicate that consortia of archaea (mainly Bathyarchaeia, Methanomicrobia, Thermoplasmata, and Thermococci) and bacteria (mainly Chloroflexi (Chloroflexota), Nitrospirae (Nitrospirota), and Proteobacteria) perform key metabolic reactions such as amino acid uptake and dissimilation, organic matter fermentation, and methanogenesis. The Deltaproteobacteria, especially Desulfuromondales (Desulfuromonadota), have the potential to transfer electrons extracellularly either to iron mineral particles or to microbial syntrophs, including methanogens. This is likely via transmembrane cytochromes, outer-membrane hexaheme c-type cytochrome (OmcS) in particular, or pilin monomers (PilA), all of which were attributed to this lineage. Bona fide anaerobic oxidizers of methane (ANME) and denitrifying methanotrophs Methylomirabilia (NC10) may mediate AOM in these methanogenic sediments; however we also consider the role of methanogens in active AOM or back flux of methanogenesis. Putative aerobes, such as methane-oxidizing bacteria Methylomonas and their methylotrophic syntrophs Methylotenera, are found among the anaerobic lineages in Lake Kinneret iron-amended slurries and are also involved in the oxidation of methane or its intermediates, as suggested previously. We propose a reaction model for the metabolic interactions in these sediments, linking the potential players that interact via intricate metabolic tradeoffs and direct electron transfer between species. Our results highlight the metabolic complexity of microbial communities in an energy-limited environment, where aerobe and anaerobe communities may co-exist and facilitate AOM as one strategy for survival.

Marycarmen Verduzco Garibay, Alberto Fernández del Castillo, Osiris Díaz Torres et al.

Water • 2021

Septic tanks (STs), up-flow anaerobic filters (UAFs), and horizontal-flow constructed wetlands (HFCWs) are cost-effective wastewater treatment technologies especially efficient in tropical and sub-tropical regions. In this study, the bacterial communities within a decentralized wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) comprising a ST, a UAF, and a HFCW were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing of the V3–V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Bacterial diversity and its spatial variation were analyzed at the phylum and family level, and principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to nitrogen- and organic-matter-degrading families. The highest percentage of nitrogen removal was seen in the HFCW (28% of total Kjeldahl nitrogen, TKN, and 31% of NH3-N), and our results suggest that families such as Rhodocyclaceae (denitrifying bacteria), Nitrospiraceae (nitrifying bacteria), and Rhodospirillaceae (sulfur-oxidizing bacteria) contribute to such removal. The highest percentage of organic matter removal was seen in the UAF unit (40% of biological oxygen demand, BOD5, and 37% of chemical oxygen demand, COD), where organic-matter-degrading bacteria such as the Ruminococcaceae, Clostridiaceae, Lachnospiraceae, and Syntrophaceae families were identified. Redundancy analysis demonstrated that bacterial communities in the HFCW were more tolerant to physicochemical changes, while those in the ST and the UAF were highly influenced by dissolved oxygen and temperature. Also, pollutant removal pathways carried out by specific bacterial families and microbial interactions were elucidated. This study provides a detailed description of the bacterial communities present in a decentralized WWTP located in a subtropical region.

Helge‐Ansgar Giebel, Franziska Klotz, Sonja Voget et al.

Standards in Genomic Sciences • 2016

The marine alphaproteobacterium strain O3.65 was isolated from an enrichment culture of surface seawater contaminated with weathered oil (slicks) from the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill and belongs to the ubiquitous, diverse and ecological relevant Roseobacter group within the Rhodobacteraceae . Here, we present a preliminary set of physiological features of strain O3.65 and a description and annotation of its draft genome sequence. Based on our data we suggest potential ecological roles of the isolate in the degradation of crude oil within the network of the oil-enriched microbial community. The draft genome comprises 4,852,484 bp with 4,591 protein-coding genes and 63 RNA genes. Strain O3.65 utilizes pentoses, hexoses, disaccharides and amino acids as carbon and energy source and is able to grow on several hydroxylated and substituted aromatic compounds. Based on 16S rRNA gene comparison the closest described and validated strain is Phaeobacter inhibens DSM 17395, however, strain O3.65 is lacking several phenotypic and genomic characteristics specific for the genus Phaeobacter . Phylogenomic analyses based on the whole genome support extensive genetic exchange of strain O3.65 with members of the genus Ruegeria , potentially by using the secretion system type IV. Our physiological observations are consistent with the genomic and phylogenomic analyses and support that strain O3.65 is a novel species of a new genus within the Rhodobacteraceae .

Lukasz Szydlowski, Tammy C. T. Lan, Norio Shibata et al.

Enzyme and Microbial Technology • 2020

Electrogenic bacteria metabolize organic substrates by transferring electrons to the external electrode, with subsequent electricity generation. In this proof-of-concept study, we present a novel strain of a known, electrogenic Arcobacter butzleri that can grow primarily on acetate and lactate and its electric current density is positively correlated (R 2 = 0.95) to the COD concentrations up to 200 ppm. Using CRISPR-Cas9 and Cpf1, we engineered knockout Arcobacter butzleri mutants in either the acetate or lactate metabolic pathway, limiting their energy metabolism to a single carbon source. After genome editing, the expression of either acetate kinase, ackA, or lactate permease, lctP, was inhibited, as indicated by qPCR results. All mutants retain electrogenic activity when inoculated into a microbial fuel cell, yielding average current densities of 81-82 mA/m 2 , with wild type controls reaching 85-87 mA 2 . In the case of mutants, however, current is only generated in the presence of the substrate for the remaining pathway. Thus, we demonstrate that it is possible to obtain electric signal corresponding to the specific organic compound via genome editing. The outcome of this study also indicates that the application of electrogenic bacteria can be expanded by genome engineering.

Eric T. Stevens, Maria L. Marco

FEMS Microbiology Reviews • 2023

Extracellular electron transfer (EET) is a bioelectrochemical process performed by electrochemically active bacteria (EAB) found in host-associated environments, including plant and animal ecosystems and fermenting plant- and animal-derived foods. Through direct or mediated electron transfer pathways, certain bacteria use EET to enhance ecological fitness with host-impacting effects. In the plant rhizosphere, electron acceptors support the growth of EAB such as Geobacter, cable bacteria, and some clostridia that can result changing iron and heavy metal uptake by plants. In animal microbiomes, EET is associated with diet-derived iron in the intestines of soil-dwelling termites, earthworms, and beetle larvae. EET is also associated with the colonization and metabolism of some bacteria in human and animal microbiomes, such as Streptococcus mutans in the mouth, Enterococcus faecalis and Listeria monocytogenes in the intestine, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the lungs. During the fermentation of plant tissues and bovine milk, lactic acid bacteria like Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lactococcus lactis may use EET to increase their growth and food acidification, as well as decrease environmental oxidation-reduction potential. Thus, EET is likely an important metabolic pathway for host-associated bacteria and has implications for ecosystem function, health and disease, and biotechnological applications.

Yi‐Kai Liu, Hung‐Chih Kuo, Chih‐Ho Lai et al.

Scientific Reports • 2020

Despite great advancement in genetic typing, phenotyping is still an indispensable tool for categorization of bacteria. Certain amino acids may be essential for bacterial survival, growth, pathogenicity or toxin production, which prompts the idea that the intrinsic ability to utilize single amino acid under live-or-die situation could be a basis for differentiation of bacteria species. In this study, we determined the single amino acid consumption profiles of 7 bacterial species, and demonstrated that most bacteria have species-specific pattern of amino acid consumption. We also discovered that bacterial strains from different hosts, toxigenicity, and antibiotic-resistance presented distinct preference for certain amino acids. Taken altogether, the amino acid consumption profiles showed potential to be a novel tool complementary to study not only bacterial categorization but also biochemical characteristics of the bacteria such that its phenotyping can be used to uncover strategies for nutritional, pharmaceutical, taxonomic, and evolutionary aspects of bacterial researches.

Keren Yanuka‐Golub, Leah Reshef, Judith Rishpon et al.

Applied Sciences • 2020

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) can generate electricity simultaneously with wastewater treatment. For MFCs to be considered a cost-effective treatment technology, they should quickly re-establish a stable electroactive microbial community in the case of system failure. In order to shorten startup times, temporal studies of anodic biofilm development are required, however, frequent sampling can reduce the functionality of the system due to electroactive biomass loss; therefore, on-line monitoring of the microbial community without interfering with the system’s stability is essential. Although all anodic biofilms were composed of Desulfuromonadaceae, MFCs differed in startup times. Generally, a Desulfuromonadaceae-dominated biofilm was associated with faster startup MFCs. A positive PCR product of a specific 16S rRNA gene PCR primer set for detecting the acetate-oxidizing, Eticyclidine (PCE)-dechlorinating Desulfuromonas group was associated with efficient MFCs in our samples. Therefore, this observation could serve as a biomarker for monitoring the formation of an efficient anodic biofilm. Additionally, we successfully enriched an electroactive consortium from an active anode, also resulting in a positive amplification of the specific primer set. Direct application of this enrichment to a clean MFC anode showed a substantial reduction of startup times from 18 to 3 days.

Timothé Philippon, Fatima-Zahra Ait-Itto, Alicia Monfort et al.

Bioelectrochemistry • 2023

Minrui Liu, Zhengning Li, Xing-e Qi et al.

Environmental Technology & Innovation • 2023

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is an effective bioconversion technology widely used to treat agricultural waste and reduce environmental pollution. Although AD has been commonly applied to practical social needs, low yield and reactor instability limit its performance. In this study, potato, rape, and wheat straw were pyrolyzed to biochar at 600 °C and added to a batch AD system to improve biogas yield. Biochemical methane potential test was used to assess the methane production. The results showed that the three straw biochar had similar efficiency that increased cumulative methane production (35.45%–52.66%) compared with that in the control group (818.5 mL). Potato straw biochar presented the highest cumulative methane production (1249.5 mL). Significant differences in microbial communities between biochar and control groups were noticed. The microbial community structure in the AD system was significantly related to the biochar properties. The addition of biochar increased the abundance of Methanobrevibacter in the biochar group by 2–147 times. This study provides reference for the application of straw biochar to promote methane production.

Giantommaso Scarascia, Tiannyu Wang, Pei‐Ying Hong

Antibiotics • 2016

Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are one of the main protagonist groups of biocorrosion in the seawater environment. Given their principal role in biocorrosion, it remains a crucial task to develop strategies to reduce the abundance of SRBs. Conventional approaches include the use of biocides and antibiotics, which can impose health, safety, and environmental concerns. This review examines an alternative approach to this problem. This is achieved by reviewing the role of quorum sensing (QS) in SRB populations and its impact on the biofilm formation process. Genome databases of SRBs are mined to look for putative QS systems and homologous protein sequences representative of autoinducer receptors or synthases. Subsequently, this review puts forward the potential use of quorum quenchers as natural biocides against SRBs and outlines the potential strategies for the implementation of this approach.

Antonio Castellano‐Hinojosa, Manuel J. Gallardo-Altamirano, Clementina Pozo et al.

Journal of Water Process Engineering • 2024

The fish-canning industry generates large quantities of wastewater that typically contains high concentrations of organic matter and salts. However, little is known about the potential valorization of this type of industrial wastewater using the microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology operated in a continuous flow mode. This study investigated the impacts of three different hydraulic retention times (HRT) on the performance, energy production, and prokaryotic and eukaryotic anodic microbiome of a two-chambered H-cell type MFC inoculated with activated sludge from a seafood industry. The HRT determined changes in voltage, current density, and power density of an MFC. Decreases in the efficiency of removal of organic compounds in the range of 20–40 % and increases in the abundance of archaeal communities were related to decreased energy production (from 970 mV at HRT of 1 day to 639 mV and 578 mV at HRTs of 3 and 6 days, respectively) at greater HRTs. Increases in the relative abundance of electroactive microorganisms such as those belonging to the genera Geobacter, Shewanella, Arcobacter, and Clostridium was related to increased energy production at lower HRT. This study shows there is a critical balance between the HRT and prokaryotic microorganisms contributing to organic removal rate and increases and decreases in energy production in an MFC treating wastewater from the fish-canning industry and operated in a continuous mode.

Heyang Yuan, Xuehao Wang, Tzu‐Yu Lin et al.

Scientific Reports • 2021

Interspecies hydrogen transfer (IHT) and direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) are two syntrophy models for methanogenesis. Their relative importance in methanogenic environments is still unclear. Our recent discovery of a novel species Candidatus Geobacter eutrophica with the genetic potential of IHT and DIET may serve as a model species to address this knowledge gap. To experimentally demonstrate its DIET ability, we performed electrochemical enrichment of Ca. G. eutrophica-dominating communities under 0 and 0.4 V vs. Ag/AgCl based on the presumption that DIET and extracellular electron transfer (EET) share similar metabolic pathways. After three batches of enrichment, Geobacter OTU650, which was phylogenetically close to Ca. G. eutrophica, was outcompeted in the control but remained abundant and active under electrochemical stimulation, indicating Ca. G. eutrophica's EET ability. The high-quality draft genome further showed high phylogenomic similarity with Ca. G. eutrophica, and the genes encoding outer membrane cytochromes and enzymes for hydrogen metabolism were actively expressed. A Bayesian network was trained with the genes encoding enzymes for alcohol metabolism, hydrogen metabolism, EET, and methanogenesis from dominant fermentative bacteria, Geobacter, and Methanobacterium. Methane production could not be accurately predicted when the genes for IHT were in silico knocked out, inferring its more important role in methanogenesis. The genomics-enabled machine learning modeling approach can provide predictive insights into the importance of IHT and DIET.

Guillermo Pelaz, Rubén González, Antonio Morán et al.

Applied Energy • 2022

Paola Andrea Palacios, Warren R. Francis, Amelia‐Elena Rotaru

Frontiers in Microbiology • 2021

Diverse physiological groups congregate into environmental corrosive biofilms, yet the interspecies interactions between these corrosive physiological groups are seldom examined. We, therefore, explored Fe 0 -dependent cross-group interactions between acetogens and methanogens from lake sediments. On Fe 0 , acetogens were more corrosive and metabolically active when decoupled from methanogens, whereas methanogens were more metabolically active when coupled with acetogens. This suggests an opportunistic (win-loss) interaction on Fe 0 between acetogens (loss) and methanogens (win). Clostridia and Methanobacterium were the major candidates doing acetogenesis and methanogenesis after four transfers (metagenome sequencing) and the only groups detected after 11 transfers (amplicon sequencing) on Fe 0 . Since abiotic H 2 failed to explain the high metabolic rates on Fe 0 , we examined whether cell exudates (spent media filtrate) promoted the H 2 -evolving reaction on Fe 0 above abiotic controls. Undeniably, spent media filtrate generated three- to four-fold more H 2 than abiotic controls, which could be partly explained by thermolabile enzymes and partly by non-thermolabile constituents released by cells. Next, we examined the metagenome for candidate enzymes/shuttles that could catalyze H 2 evolution from Fe 0 and found candidate H 2 -evolving hydrogenases and an almost complete pathway for flavin biosynthesis in Clostridium. Clostridial ferredoxin-dependent [FeFe]-hydrogenases may be catalyzing the H 2 -evolving reaction on Fe 0 , explaining the significant H 2 evolved by spent media exposed to Fe 0 . It is typical of Clostridia to secrete enzymes and other small molecules for lytic purposes. Here, they may secrete such molecules to enhance their own electron uptake from extracellular electron donors but indirectly make their H 2 -consuming neighbors- Methanobacterium -fare five times better in their presence. The particular enzymes and constituents promoting H 2 evolution from Fe 0 remain to be determined. However, we postulate that in a static environment like corrosive crust biofilms in lake sediments, less corrosive methanogens like Methanobacterium could extend corrosion long after acetogenesis ceased, by exploiting the constituents secreted by acetogens.

Annemarie Schmidt, Gunnar Sturm, Christian Jonas Lapp et al.

Microbial Cell Factories • 2018

To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on a full biotechnological production chain leading from vegetable waste to the production of a single valuable platform chemical that integrates carbon elimination steps leading to the production of the valuable side product electrical energy.

Heejung Jung, Hyeonjung Yu, Changsoo Lee

iScience • 2023

Electric syntrophy between fatty acid oxidizers and methanogens through direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) is essential for balancing acidogenesis and methanogenesis in anaerobic digestion. Promoting DIET using electrically conductive additives proved effective in enhancing methanogenesis; however, its possibility to affect other microbial redox reactions in methanogenic systems has been little studied. This study provides the first confirmation of the electro-syntrophic coupling of sulfide oxidation to S 0 with CO 2 -reducing methanogenesis in sulfur-rich methanogenic cultures supplemented with conductive magnetite (100-700-nm particle size). The H 2 S content in biogas, initially exceeding 5000 ppmv, decreased to below 1 ppmv along with an accumulation of extracellular S 0 (60-70 mg/L; initially <1 mg/L) at a magnetite dose of 20 mM Fe, while there were no significant changes in methane yield. A comprehensive polyphasic approach demonstrated that the S 0 formation occurs through electro-syntrophic oxidation of sulfide coupled with CO 2 -reducing methanogenesis, involving Methanothrix as the dominant methanogen.

Krishnaveni Venkidusamy, Ananda Rao Hari, Mallavarapu Megharaj

Frontiers in Microbiology • 2018

Exoelectrogenic biofilms capable of extracellular electron transfer are important in advanced technologies such as those used in microbial electrochemical remediation systems (MERS) Few bacterial strains have been, nevertheless, obtained from MERS exoelectrogenic biofilms and characterized for bioremediation potential. Here we report the identification of one such bacterial strain, Citrobacter sp. KVM11, a petrophilic, iron reducing bacterial strain isolated from hydrocarbon fed MERS, producing anodic currents in microbial electrochemical systems. Fe(III) reduction of 90.01 ± 0.43% was observed during 5 weeks of incubation with Fe(III) supplemented liquid cultures. Biodegradation screening assays showed that the hydrocarbon degradation had been carried out by metabolically active cells accompanied by growth. The characteristic feature of diazo dye decolorization was used as a simple criterion for evaluating the electrochemical activity in the candidate microbe. The electrochemical activities of the strain KVM11 were characterized in a single chamber fuel cell and three electrode electrochemical cells. The inoculation of strain KVM11 amended with acetate and citrate as the sole carbon and energy sources has resulted in an increase in anodic currents (maximum current density) of 212 ± 3 and 359 ± mA/m 2 with respective coulombic efficiencies of 19.5 and 34.9% in a single chamber fuel cells. Cyclic voltammetry studies showed that anaerobically grown cells of strain KVM11 are electrochemically active whereas aerobically grown cells lacked the electrochemical activity. Electrobioremediation potential of the strain KVM11 was investigated in hydrocarbonoclastic and dye detoxification conditions using MERS. About 89.60% of 400 mg l -1 azo dye was removed during the first 24 h of operation and it reached below detection limits by the end of the batch operation (60 h). Current generation and biodegradation capabilities of strain KVM11 were examined using an initial concentration of 800 mg l -1 of diesel range hydrocarbons (C9-C36) in MERS (maximum currentdensity 50.64 ± 7 mA/m 2 ; power density 4.08 ± 2 mW/m 2 , 1000 ω, hydrocarbon removal 60.14 ± 0.7%). Such observations reveal the potential of electroactive biofilms in the simultaneous remediation of hydrocarbon contaminated environments with generation of energy.

Mohanakrishnan Logan, Lea Chua Tan, Corine Nzeteu et al.

GCB Bioenergy • 2022

This study investigated the potential of granular activated carbon (GAC) supplementation to enhance anaerobic degradation of dairy wastewater. Two sequential batch reactors (SBRs; 0.8 L working volume), one control and another amended with GAC, were operated at 37°C and 1.5-1.6 m/h upflow velocity for a total of 120 days (four cycles of 30 days each). The methane production at the end of each cycle run increased by about 68%, 503%, 110%, and 125% in the GAC-amended SBR, compared with the Control SBR. Lipid degradation was faster in the presence of GAC. Conversely, the organic compounds, especially lipids, accumulated in the absence of the conductive material. In addition, a reduction in lag phase duration by 46%-100% was observed at all four cycles in the GAC-amended SBR. The peak methane yield rate was at least 2 folds higher with GAC addition in all cycles. RNA-based bacterial analysis revealed enrichment of Synergistes (0.8% to 29.2%) and Geobacter (0.4% to 11.3%) in the GAC-amended SBR. Methanolinea (85.8%) was the dominant archaea in the biofilm grown on GAC, followed by Methanosaeta (11.3%), at RNA level. Overall, this study revealed that GAC supplementation in anaerobic digesters treating dairy wastewater can promote stable and efficient methane production, accelerate lipid degradation and might promote the activity of electroactive microorganisms.

Yan Xia, Xinbai Jiang, Shuaishuai Guo et al.

Environmental Science and Ecotechnology • 2024

High salinity inhibits microbial activity in the bioremediation of saline wastewater. To alleviate osmotic stress, glycine betaine (GB), an osmoprotectant, is added to enhance the secretion of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). These EPS are pivotal in withstanding environmental stressors, yet the intricate interplay between GB supplementation and microbial responses through EPS modifications-encompassing composition, molecular architecture, and electrochemical features-remains elusive in hypersaline conditions. Here we show microbial strategies for salinity endurance by investigating the impact of GB on the dynamic alterations of EPS properties. Our findings reveal that GB supplementation at 3.5% salinity elevates the total EPS (T-EPS) content from 12.50 ± 0.05 to 24.58 ± 0.96 mg per g dry cell weight. The observed shift in zeta potential from -28.95 to -6.25 mV at 0% and 3.5% salinity, respectively, with GB treatment, indicates a reduction in electrostatic repulsion and compaction. Notably, the EPS protein secondary structure transition from β -sheet to α -helix, with GB addition, signifies a more compact protein configuration, less susceptible to salinity fluctuations. Electrochemical analyses, including cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), reveal GB's role in promoting the release of exogenous electron shuttles, such as flavins and c-type cytochromes ( c -Cyts). The enhancement in DPV peak areas ( Q DPV ) with GB addition implies an increase in available extracellular electron transfer sites. This investigation advances our comprehension of microbial adaptation mechanisms to salinity through EPS modifications facilitated by GB in saline habitats.

Marco Gabrielli, Zihan Dai, Vincent Delafont et al.

Environmental Science & Technology • 2023

The biogeography of eukaryotes in drinking water systems is poorly understood relative to that of prokaryotes or viruses, limiting the understanding of their role and management. A challenge with studying complex eukaryotic communities is that metagenomic analysis workflows are currently not as mature as those that focus on prokaryotes or viruses. In this study, we benchmarked different strategies to recover eukaryotic sequences and genomes from metagenomic data and applied the best-performing workflow to explore the factors affecting the relative abundance and diversity of eukaryotic communities in drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs). We developed an ensemble approach exploiting k -mer- and reference-based strategies to improve eukaryotic sequence identification and identified MetaBAT2 as the best-performing binning approach for their clustering. Applying this workflow to the DWDS metagenomes showed that eukaryotic sequences typically constituted small proportions (i.e., <1%) of the overall metagenomic data with higher relative abundances in surface water-fed or chlorinated systems with high residuals. The α and β diversities of eukaryotes were correlated with those of prokaryotic and viral communities, highlighting the common role of environmental/management factors. Finally, a co-occurrence analysis highlighted clusters of eukaryotes whose members' presence and abundance in DWDSs were affected by disinfection strategies, climate conditions, and source water types.

Pinky Liau, Carol Kim, Matthew A. Saxton et al.

Environmental Microbiology • 2022

Cable bacteria are long, filamentous, multicellular bacteria that grow in marine sediments and couple sulfide oxidation to oxygen reduction over centimetre-scale distances via long-distance electron transport. Cable bacteria can strongly modify biogeochemical cycling and may affect microbial community networks. Here we examine interspecific interactions with marine cable bacteria (Ca. Electrothrix) by monitoring the succession of 16S rRNA amplicons (DNA and RNA) and cell abundance across depth and time, contrasting sediments with and without cable bacteria growth. In the oxic zone, cable bacteria activity was positively associated with abundant predatory bacteria (Bdellovibrionota, Myxococcota, Bradymonadales), indicating putative predation on cathodic cells. At suboxic depths, cable bacteria activity was positively associated with sulfate-reducing and magnetotactic bacteria, consistent with cable bacteria functioning as ecosystem engineers that modify their local biogeochemical environment, benefitting certain microbes. Cable bacteria activity was negatively associated with chemoautotrophic sulfur-oxidizing Gammaproteobacteria (Thiogranum, Sedimenticola) at oxic depths, suggesting competition, and positively correlated with these taxa at suboxic depths, suggesting syntrophy and/or facilitation. These observations are consistent with chemoautotrophic sulfur oxidizers benefitting from an oxidizing potential imparted by cable bacteria at suboxic depths, possibly by using cable bacteria as acceptors for electrons or electron equivalents, but by an as yet enigmatic mechanism.

Melany Ruiz-Urigüen, Daniel A. Steingart, Peter R. Jaffé

Environmental Science Water Research & Technology • 2019

Schematic of a biotic MEC with Feammox bacterium Acidimicrobiaceae sp. A6 culture. NH 4 + is oxidized to NO 2 − at the anode and H + is reduced to form H 2 at the cathode.

Daniel David Leicester, Sam Settle, Clare M. McCann et al.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology • 2023

In scientific studies, replicas should replicate, and identical conditions should produce very similar results which enable parameters to be tested. However, in microbial experiments which use real world mixed inocula to generate a new "adapted" community, this replication is very hard to achieve. The diversity within real-world microbial systems is huge, and when a subsample of this diversity is placed into a reactor vessel or onto a surface to create a biofilm, stochastic processes occur, meaning there is heterogeneity within these new communities. The smaller the subsample, the greater this heterogeneity is likely to be. Microbial fuel cells are typically operated at a very small laboratory scale and rely on specific communities which must include electrogenic bacteria, known to be of low abundance in most natural inocula. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) offer a unique opportunity to investigate and quantify variability as they produce current when they metabolize, which can be measured in real time as the community develops. In this research, we built and tested 28 replica MFCs and ran them under identical conditions. The results showed high variability in terms of the rate and amount of current production. This variability perpetuated into subsequent feeding rounds, both with and without the presence of new inoculate. In an attempt to control this variability, reactors were reseeded using established "good" and "bad" reactors. However, this did not result in replica biofilms, suggesting there is a spatial as well as a compositional control over biofilm formation. IMPORTANCE The research presented, although carried out in the area of microbial fuel cells, reaches an important and broadly impacting conclusion that when using mixed inoculate in replica reactors under replicated conditions, different communities emerge capable of different levels of metabolism. To date there has been very little research focusing on this, or even reporting it, with most studies using duplicate or triplicate reactors, in which this phenomenon is not fully observed. Publishing data in which replicas do not replicate will be an important and brave first step in the research into understanding this fundamental microbial process.

Arpita Nandy, Daniel Farkas, Belén Pepió‐Tárrega et al.

Environmental Science and Ecotechnology • 2023

Increasing energy demands and environmental pollution concerns press for sustainable and environmentally friendly technologies. Soil microbial fuel cell (SMFC) technology has great potential for carbon-neutral bioenergy generation and self-powered electrochemical bioremediation. In this study, an in-depth assessment on the effect of several carbon-based cathode materials on the electrochemical performance of SMFCs is provided for the first time. An innovative carbon nanofibers electrode doped with Fe (CNFFe) is used as cathode material in membrane-less SMFCs, and the performance of the resulting device is compared with SMFCs implementing either Pt-doped carbon cloth (PtC), carbon cloth, or graphite felt (GF) as the cathode. Electrochemical analyses are integrated with microbial analyses to assess the impact on both electrogenesis and microbial composition of the anodic and cathodic biofilm. The results show that CNFFe and PtC generate very stable performances, with a peak power density (with respect to the cathode geometric area) of 25.5 and 30.4 mW m -2 , respectively. The best electrochemical performance was obtained with GF, with a peak power density of 87.3 mW m -2 . Taxonomic profiling of the microbial communities revealed differences between anodic and cathodic communities. The anodes were predominantly enriched with Geobacter and Pseudomonas species, while cathodic communities were dominated by hydrogen-producing and hydrogenotrophic bacteria, indicating H 2 cycling as a possible electron transfer mechanism. The presence of nitrate-reducing bacteria, combined with the results of cyclic voltammograms, suggests microbial nitrate reduction occurred on GF cathodes. The results of this study can contribute to the development of effective SMFC design strategies for field implementation.

Song Wang, Biao Jin, Yanyan Su et al.

Chemical Engineering Journal • 2023

Nitrogen pollution in wastewater has been considered a worldwide risk to ecosystems. Bioelectrochemical technologies have been developed recently to remove nitrogen. In addition to nitrogen, microplastics, as emergency pollutants in wastewater, could potentially affect nitrogen removal efficiency due to their toxic effects on the activity of microorganisms. This study explored how microplastics would influence nitrogen removal in the bioelectrochemical process. It was found that nitrogen removal declined following the addition of microplastic during a long-term exposure experiment. With exposure to microplastics, the biofilm viability and the content of EPS declined significantly. Microbial community structure shifted significantly following the addition of microplastics. As the most abundant genera and denitrifier, Thiobacillus shrank largely with the addition of microplastics. Moreover, the reduction of the total abundance of the denitrification bacteria and the denitrification-related functional genes was also observed. The results unveil the mechanisms of how microplastics inhibit nitrogen removal and offer insights into the application of bioelectrochemical in nitrogen removal from wastewater rich in microplastic.

Д. Г. Заварзина, Sergey N. Gavrilov, N. I. Chistyakova et al.

The ISME Journal • 2019

Redox-active iron minerals can act as energy sources or electron-transferring mediators in microbial syntrophic associations, being important means of interspecies metabolic cooperation in sedimentary environments. Alkaline conditions alter the thermodynamic stability of iron minerals, influencing their availability for interspecies syntrophic interactions. We have modeled anaerobic alkaliphilic microbial associations in ethanol-oxidizing co-culture of an obligate syntroph Candidatus "Contubernalis alkalaceticum" and a facultative lithotroph Geoalkalibacter ferrihydriticus, which is capable of dissimilatory Fe(III) reduction and homoacetogenic oxidation of Fe(II) with CO 2 . The co-cultures were cultivated with thermodynamically metastable ferric-containing ferrihydrite, or ferrous-containing siderite, or without minerals. Mössbauer spectral analysis revealed the transformation of both minerals to the stable magnetite. In the presence of ferrihydrite, G. ferrihydriticus firstly reduced Fe(III) with ethanol and then switched to syntrophic homoacetogenesis, providing the growth of obligate syntroph on ethanol. The ability of G. ferrihydriticus to accept hydrogen from its syntrophic partner and produce extra acetate from carbonate during ethanol oxidation was confirmed by co-culture growth without minerals. In the presence of siderite, G. ferrihydriticus performed homoacetogenesis using two electron donors simultaneously- siderite and hydrogen. Pieces of evidence for direct and indirect hydrogen-mediated electron exchange between partner organisms were obtained. Relative abundancies of partner organisms and the rate of acetate production by their co-cultures were strongly determined by thermodynamic benefits, which G. ferrihydriticus got from redox transformations of iron minerals. Even the minor growth of G. ferrihydriticus sustained the growth of the syntroph. Accordingly, microbe-to-mineral interactions could represent underestimated drivers of syntrophic interactions in alkaline sedimentary environments.

Samson Tizazu, Getaneh Tesfaye, Aijie Wang et al.

Heliyon • 2023

In this research, the transformation and toxicity of Reactive Red 141 and 239 biodegraded under anaerobic-aerobic conditions as well as metagenomic analysis of Reactive Red 239 degrading microbial consortia collected from Shala Hot spring were investigated. Toxicity of dyes before treatment and after treatment on three plants, fish and microorganisms were done. A halotolerant and thermo-alkaliphilic bacterial consortia decolorizing azo dyes (>98% RR 141 and > 96% RR 239 in 7 h) under optimum conditions of salt concentration (0.5%), temperature (55 °C) and pH (9), were used. Toxicity effect of untreated dyes and treated dyes in Tomato > Beetroot > Cabbage plants, while the effect was Leuconostoc mesenteroides > Lactobacillus plantarum > Escherichia coli in microorganisms. Among fishes, the toxicity effect was highest in Oreochromis niloticus followed by Cyprinus carpio and Clarias gariepinus . The three most dominant phyla that could be in charge of decolorizing RR 239 under anaerobic-aerobic systems were Bacteroidota (22.6-29.0%), Proteobacteria (13.5-29.0%), and Chloroflexi (8.8-23.5%). At class level microbial community structure determination, Bacteroidia (18.9-27.2%), Gammaproteobacteria (11.0-15.8%), Alphaproteobacteria (2.5-5.0%) and Anaerolineae (17.0-21.9%) were dominant classes. The transformation of RR 141 and RR 239 into amine compounds were proposed via high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (HPLC/MS) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Overall, dye containing wastewaters treated under anaerobic-aerobic systems using thermo-alkaliphilic microbial consortia were found to be safe to agricultural (fishes and vegetables) purposes.