Bioaugmentation of Native Fungi, an Efficient Strategy for the Bioremediation of an Aged Industrially Polluted Soil With Heavy Hydrocarbons

ABSTRACT: The concurrence of structurally complex petroleum-associated contaminants at relatively high concentrations, with diverse climatic conditions and textural soil characteristics, hinders conventional bioremediation processes. Recalcitrant compounds such as high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (HMW-PAHs) and heavy alkanes commonly remain after standard soil bioremediation at concentrations above regulatory limits. The present study assessed the potential of native fungal bioaugmentation as a strategy to promote the bioremediation of an aged industrially polluted soil enriched with heavy hydrocarbon fractions. Microcosms assays were performed by means of biostimulation and bioaugmentation, by inoculating a defined consortium of six potentially hydrocarbonoclastic fungi belonging to the genera Penicillium, Ulocladium, Aspergillus, and Fusarium, which were isolated previously from the polluted soil. The biodegradation performance of fungal bioaugmentation was compared with soil biostimulation (water and nutrient addition) and with untreated soil as a control. Fungal bioaugmentation resulted in a higher biodegradation of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and of HMW-PAHs than with biostimulation. TPH (C14-C35) decreased by a 39.90 ± 1.99% in bioaugmented microcosms vs. a 24.17 ± 1.31% in biostimulated microcosms. As for the effect of fungal bioaugmentation on HMW-PAHs, the 5-ringed benzo(a)fluoranthene and benzo(a)pyrene were reduced by a 36% and 46%, respectively, while the 6-ringed benzoperylene decreased by a 28%, after 120 days of treatment. Biostimulated microcosm exhibited a significantly lower reduction of 5- and 6-ringed PAHs (8% and 5% respectively). Higher TPH and HMW-PAHs biodegradation levels in bioaugmented microcosms were also associated to a significant decrease in acute ecotoxicity (EC50) by Vibrio fischeri bioluminiscence inhibition assays. Molecular profiling and counting of viable hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria from soil microcosms revealed that fungal bioaugmentation promoted the growth of autochthonous active hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria. The implementation of such an approach to enhance hydrocarbon biodegradation should be considered as a novel bioremediation strategy for the treatment of the most recalcitrant and highly genotoxic hydrocarbons in aged industrially polluted soils

Analysis of unexpected leaks in AISI 316L stainless steel pipes used for water conduction in a port area

This paper clarifies the causes of a corrosion process observed in austenitic stainless-steel pipes, grade 316L, used for conducting freshwater in a port area. During the pressure test of the installation, before it was put into service, about five months after its construction, a loss of pressure was detected due to leaks of the fluid contained and the presence of corrosion damage on the wall of the tubes, in some cases even passing through the thickness of the tube. An analysis of the chemical composition of the pipe material was carried out, as well as semi-quantitative analysis of the chemical composition of the deposits in the defects, and a culture of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in Kliguer medium of the stagnant waters within the facility. All this makes it possible to conclude that the observed process fits within the so-called microbiologically induced corrosion (MIC), and, in all probability, it can be affirmed that this process is promoted by the presence and proliferation of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB)

Evaluating the behaviour of the new MSW reject fraction landfills: HD-Vertere Project

El proyecto HD-Vertere (Hidrología y Degradación de VERTEderos de REchazos), tiene como objetivo conocer cómo son los procesos hidrológicos y de degradación bio-química en los nuevos vertederos europeos, como base fundamental para optimizar su gestión. Está siendo desarrollado desde 2013 por investigadores de la Universidad de Cantabria, con la colaboración de la Consejería de Medio Ambiente del Gobierno de Cantabria, a traves de la empresa pública MARE.HD-Vertere (Hydrology and Degradation in Rejections Landfills) Project aims to determine the hydrological and bio-chemical degradation processes that take place in the new european landfills as a basis for optimizing their management. It is being carried out since 2013 by researchers from the University of Cantabria (Spain), in collaboration with the environmental agency of the Cantabria Government, through the public company MARE.This work is funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economics and Competitiveness through the CTM2012-35055 project. The project is financed jointly by the European Regional Development Fund, FEDER (operational period 2007-2013)

Fotobiorreactor para el cultivo de organismos fotótrofos.

Un fotobiorreactor para el cultivo de organismos fotótrofos, que comprende un depósito que a su vez comprende un medio de cultivo y biomasa en el interior de dicho depósito y en contacto con dicho medio de cultivo. El fotobiorreactor comprende además al menos una estructura cónica o troncocónica transparente o translúcida situada total o parcialmente en el interior de dicho depósito a través de la cual o las cuales una radiación luminosa penetra en dicho depósito.Solicitud: 201001463 (11.11.2010)Nº Pub. de Solicitud: ES2356653A1 (12.04.2011)Nº de Patente: ES2356653B2 (20.02.2012)Corrección: ES2356653B8 (22.03.2012

A Tentative Study of the Effects of Heat-Inactivation of the Probiotic Strain Shewanella putrefaciens Ppd11 on Senegalese Sole (Solea senegalensis) Intestinal Microbiota and Immune Response

ABSTRACT: Concerns about safety, applicability and functionality associated with live probiotic cells have led to consideration of the use of non-viable microorganisms, known as paraprobiotics. The present study evaluated the effects of dietary administration of heat-inactivated cells of the probiotic strain Shewanella putrefaciens Ppd11 on the intestinal microbiota and immune gene transcription in Solea senegalensis. Results obtained were evaluated and compared to those described after feeding with viable Pdp11 cells. S. senegalensis specimens were fed with basal (control) diet or supplemented with live or heat inactivated (60 °C, 1 h) probiotics diets for 45 days. Growth improvement was observed in the group receiving live probiotics compared to the control group, but not after feeding with a probiotic heat-inactivated diet. Regarding immune gene transcription, no changes were observed for tnf?, il-6, lys-c1, c7, hsp70, and hsp90aa in the intestinal samples based on the diet. On the contrary, hsp90ab, gp96, cd4, cd8, il-1?, and c3 transcription were modulated after probiotic supplementation, though no differences between viable and heat-inactivated probiotic supplemented diets were observed. Modulation of intestinal microbiota showed remarkable differences based on the viability of the probiotics. Thus, higher diversity in fish fed with live probiotic cells, jointly with increased Mycoplasmataceae and Spirochaetaceae to the detriment of Brevinemataceae, was detected. However, microbiota of fish receiving heat-inactivated probiotic cells showed decreased Mycoplasmataceae and increased Brevinemataceae and Vibrio genus abundance. In short, the results obtained indicate that the viable state of Pdp11 probiotic cells affects growth performance and modulation of S. senegalensis intestinal microbiota. On the contrary, minor changes were detected in the intestinal immune response, being similar for fish receiving both, viable and inactivated probiotic cell supplemented diets, when compared to the control dietThis study was supported by MINECO (grant no. AGL2014-51839-C5-2-R and AGL2017- 83370-C3-3-R) and FEDER funds

Developing Aerobic Granular Sludge with Sesame like Biodegradable Support

ABSTRACT: Aerobic granular sludge (granules) is an innovative wastewater treatment, where dense biomass is in granular form. The problem of applying this technology at full scale is the granulation process time, which takes several months. In this paper, in an attempt to quicken this process, a biofilm was tested using several candidates as biodegradable support (BDS) for granulation. In this study, it was found that not only the granulation process was accelerated using sesame seeds as BDS (10, 15 and 21 days, compared to 2 months proposed by other studies), but also a new phenomenon was observed where new granules were generated from mature granules, enhancing the granulation process. This paper offers an enhanced option for granulation process.This research was supported with ENBE+ Project materials, whose funding was provided by SODERCAN-University of Cantabria. Moreover, this research is inside project named “It is PROCESOS BIOLOGICOS ENERGETICAMENTE EFICIENTES DE ELIMINACION DE NUTRIENTES, EN EDAR” with reference number PID2019-109265RB-I00, funded by Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of Spain

Análisis de fallo por corrosión inducida microbiológicamente de un sistema de tubería soldada de acero inoxidable en una zona portuaria

En este trabajo se esclarecen las causas de los procesos de corrosión generalizados observados en unas tuberías de acero inoxidable austenítico, grado 316L, para conducción de agua corriente sanitaria instaladas en una zona portuaria. Durante la prueba de carga de la instalación, antes de su puesta en servicio, unos cuatro meses después de su construcción se detectó una pérdida de presión por fuga del fluido contenido en su interior y la presencia de daños por corrosión en la pared de los tubos, en algunos casos incluso de naturaleza pasante. Se llevan a cabo análisis de composición química del material de los tubos, así como análisis de composición química semi-cuantitativa de los depósitos en los defectos y un cultivo de bacterias sulfato reductoras (BSR) en medio Kliguer de las aguas estancadas dentro de la instalación. Todo ello permite concluir que el proceso observado encaja dentro de la llamada corrosión inducida microbiológicamente (MIC) y, con una probabilidad elevada, puede afirmarse que este proceso es promovido por la presencia y proliferación de bacterias sulfato reductoras