scholarly journals Depth-Resolved Quantification of Anaerobic Toluene Degraders and Aquifer Microbial Community Patterns in Distinct Redox Zones of a Tar Oil Contaminant Plume

2007 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 792-801 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Winderl ◽  
Bettina Anneser ◽  
Christian Griebler ◽  
Rainer U. Meckenstock ◽  
Tillmann Lueders
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Natural Attenuation ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Spatial Correlations ◽  
Community Patterns ◽  
Gradient Zone ◽  
Degradation Processes ◽  
Tightly Coupled ◽  
Tar Oil ◽  
Benzylsuccinate Synthase

ABSTRACT Microbial degradation is the only sustainable component of natural attenuation in contaminated groundwater environments, yet its controls, especially in anaerobic aquifers, are still poorly understood. Hence, putative spatial correlations between specific populations of key microbial players and the occurrence of respective degradation processes remain to be unraveled. We therefore characterized microbial community distribution across a high-resolution depth profile of a tar oil-impacted aquifer where benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) degradation depends mainly on sulfate reduction. We conducted depth-resolved terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism fingerprinting and quantitative PCR of bacterial 16S rRNA and benzylsuccinate synthase genes (bssA) to quantify the distribution of total microbiota and specific anaerobic toluene degraders. We show that a highly specialized degrader community of microbes related to known deltaproteobacterial iron and sulfate reducers (Geobacter and Desulfocapsa spp.), as well as clostridial fermenters (Sedimentibacter spp.), resides within the biogeochemical gradient zone underneath the highly contaminated plume core. This zone, where BTEX compounds and sulfate—an important electron acceptor—meet, also harbors a surprisingly high abundance of the yet-unidentified anaerobic toluene degraders carrying the previously detected F1-cluster bssA genes (C. Winderl, S. Schaefer, and T. Lueders, Environ. Microbiol. 9:1035-1046, 2007). Our data suggest that this biogeochemical gradient zone is a hot spot of anaerobic toluene degradation. These findings show that the distribution of specific aquifer microbiota and degradation processes in contaminated aquifers are tightly coupled, which may be of value for the assessment and prediction of natural attenuation based on intrinsic aquifer microbiota.

Natural attenuation at tar oil contaminated sites - results from the German funding priority KORA

2006 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 288-292
Author(s):  
N. Hüsers ◽  
P. Börke ◽  
P. Werner
Keyword(s):  
Natural Attenuation ◽  
Contaminated Sites ◽  
Tar Oil

Numerical analysis of soil microstructure reveals conditions for natural attenuation in aged tar oil contaminated soil

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavel Ivanov ◽  
Karin Eusterhues ◽  
Kai Uwe Totsche
Keyword(s):  
Soil Solution ◽  
Contaminated Soil ◽  
Natural Attenuation ◽  
Pore Space ◽  
Total Porosity ◽  
Control Soil ◽  
Soil Microstructure ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Good Protection ◽  
Tar Oil

<p>Understanding of ongoing biogeochemical processes (natural attenuation) within contaminated soils is crucial for the development of plausible remediation strategies. We studied a tar oil contaminated soil with weak grass vegetation at a former manufactured gas plant site in Germany. Despite of the apparent toxicity (the soil contained up to 120 g kg<sup>-1</sup> petroleum hydrocarbons, 26 g kg<sup>-1</sup> toxic metals, and 100 mg kg<sup>-1</sup> polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), the contaminated layers have 3-5 times as much cell counts as an uncontaminated control soil nearby. To test, if the geometry of the pore space provides favourable living space for microorganisms, we applied scanning electron microscopy to the thin sections and calculated on sets of 15 images per layer three specific Minkowski functionals, connected to soil total porosity, interface, and hydraulic parameters.</p><p>Our investigation showed that the uncontaminated control soil has a relatively low porosity of 15-20 %, of which 50-70 % is comprised of small (< 15 µm) pores. These pores are poorly connected and show high distances between them (mean distance to the next pore 10 µm). The dominating habitats in the control soil are therefore created by small pores. They provide good protection from predators and desiccation, but input of dissolved organic C and removal of metabolic products are diffusion limited. Coarser pores (>15 µm) provide less space (< 50 % of total porosity) and solid surface area (< 20 %), are prone to desiccation and offer less protection from predators. However, they serve as preferential flow paths for the soil solution (input of nutrients) and are well aerated, therefore we expect the microbial activity in them to appear in “hot moments”, i.e. after rain events.</p><p>All layers of the contaminated profile have higher porosities (20-70 %) than the control. Coarse pores comprise 83-90 % of total pore area and create 34-52 % of total interface. Pores are also more connected and tortuous than in the control soil, which implies a better aeration and circulation of soil solution. The loops of pore channels may retain soil solution and be therefore preferably populated with microorganisms. The small (< 15 µm) pores comprise less than 17 % of total porosity but represent a substantial proportion of the interface (48-66 % vs 82-91 % in control). In the uppermost layer of the contaminated profile, such pores occur in plant residues, are close to the largest pores (mean distance to the next pore 4 µm) and therefore, along with good protection, are supplied with air, water, and non-tar C. In the middle of the profile, the small pores, presumably constantly filled with water, are located within dense tar pieces remote from the neighbouring pores (mean distance to the next pore 22 µm), and therefore, with hindered aeration and no supply of non-tar C, may create anaerobic domains of tar attenuation.</p><p>Our results show that the contaminated soil offers more favourable conditions for microorganisms than the control soil, probably because the hydrocarbons provide suitable energy and nutrition sources and a beneficial pore space geometry.</p>

Phragmites stimulation and natural attenuation of indigenous microbial community accelerated bioremediation of oil contaminated soil

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (8) ◽  
pp. 882-888
Author(s):  
Wenhe Yu ◽  
Jiayu Song ◽  
Changzhao Chen ◽  
Quanwei Song ◽  
Chaocheng Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Contaminated Soil ◽  
Natural Attenuation ◽  
Indigenous Microbial Community

scholarly journals Assessing Microbial Community Patterns During Incipient Soil Formation From Basalt

2019 ◽  
Vol 124 (4) ◽  
pp. 941-958 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aditi Sengupta ◽  
James C. Stegen ◽  
Antonio A. Meira Neto ◽  
Yadi Wang ◽  
Julia W. Neilson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Soil Formation ◽  
Community Patterns

Assessment of microbial natural attenuation in groundwater polluted with gasworks residues

2004 ◽  
Vol 50 (5) ◽  
pp. 347-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Schulze ◽  
A. Tiehm
Keyword(s):  
Natural Attenuation ◽  
Disposal Site ◽  
Multiple Line ◽  
Reducing Conditions ◽  
Groundwater Hydrochemistry ◽  
Tar Oil ◽  
Microcosm Studies ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Redox Zones

Intrinsic biodegradation, representing the key process in Natural Attenuation, was examined at a tar-oil polluted disposal site. Methods to assess microbial natural attenuation of BTEX and PAH included analysis of groundwater hydrochemistry, pollutant profiles, composition of the microflora, and microcosm studies. In the polluted groundwater downgradient the disposal site, oxygen and nitrate were only available adjacent to the groundwater table and at the plume fringes. In the anaerobic core of the plume, a sequence of predominating redox zones (methanogenic, sulphate-reducing, Fe(III)-reducing) was observed. Changing pollutant profiles in the plume indicated active biodegradation processes, e.g. biodegradation of toluene and naphthalene in the anaerobic zones. High numbers of microorganisms capable of growing under anaerobic conditions and of aerobic pollutant degrading organisms confirmed the impact of biodegradation at this site. In microcosm studies, the autochthonous microflora utilised toluene, ethylbenzene, and naphthalene under sulfate- and Fe(III)-reducing conditions. Additionally, benzene and phenanthrene were degraded in the presence of Fe(III). Under aerobic conditions, all BTEX and PAH were rapidly degraded. The microcosm studies in particular were suitable to examine the role of specific electron acceptors, and represented an important component of the multiple line of evidence concept to assess natural attenuation.

Quinoline and Derivatives at a Tar Oil Contaminated Site:  Hydroxylated Products as Indicator for Natural Attenuation?

2007 ◽  
Vol 41 (15) ◽  
pp. 5314-5322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne-Kirsten Reineke ◽  
Thomas Göen ◽  
Alfred Preiss ◽  
Juliane Hollender
Keyword(s):  
Natural Attenuation ◽  
Contaminated Site ◽  
Tar Oil

scholarly journals Natural Attenuation of Mn(II) in Metal Refinery Wastewater: Microbial Community Structure Analysis and Isolation of a New Mn(II)-Oxidizing Bacterium Pseudomonas sp. SK3

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Santisak Kitjanukit ◽  
Kyohei Takamatsu ◽  
Naoko Okibe
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Microbial Community ◽  
Structure Analysis ◽  
Microbial Community Structure ◽  
Natural Attenuation ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Pseudomonas Sp ◽  
Refinery Wastewater ◽  
Pipe Surface

Natural attenuation of Mn(II) was observed inside the metal refinery wastewater pipeline, accompanying dark brown-colored mineralization (mostly MnIVO2 with some MnIII2O3 and Fe2O3) on the inner pipe surface. The Mn-deposit hosted the bacterial community comprised of Hyphomicrobium sp. (22.1%), Magnetospirillum sp. (3.2%), Geobacter sp. (0.3%), Bacillus sp. (0.18%), Pseudomonas sp. (0.03%), and non-metal-metabolizing bacteria (74.2%). Culture enrichment of the Mn-deposit led to the isolation of a new heterotrophic Mn(II)-oxidizer Pseudomonas sp. SK3, with its closest relative Ps. resinovorans (with 98.4% 16S rRNA gene sequence identity), which was previously unknown as an Mn(II)-oxidizer. Oxidation of up to 100 mg/L Mn(II) was readily initiated and completed by isolate SK3, even in the presence of high contents of MgSO4 (a typical solute in metal refinery wastewaters). Additional Cu(II) facilitated Mn(II) oxidation by isolate SK3 (implying the involvement of multicopper oxidase enzyme), allowing a 2-fold greater Mn removal rate, compared to the well-studied Mn(II)-oxidizer Ps. putida MnB1. Poorly crystalline biogenic birnessite was formed by isolate SK3 via one-electron transfer oxidation, gradually raising the Mn AOS (average oxidation state) to 3.80 in 72 h. Together with its efficient in vitro Mn(II) oxidation behavior, a high Mn AOS level of 3.75 was observed with the pipeline Mn-deposit sample collected in situ. The overall results, including the microbial community structure analysis of the pipeline sample, suggest that the natural Mn(II) attenuation phenomenon was characterized by robust in situ activity of Mn(II) oxidizers (including strain SK3) for continuous generation of Mn(IV). This likely synergistically facilitated chemical Mn(II)/Mn(IV) synproportionation for effective Mn removal in the complex ecosystem established in this artificial pipeline structure. The potential utility of isolate SK3 is illustrated for further industrial application in metal refinery wastewater treatment processes.

scholarly journals Transitory microbial habitat in the hyperarid Atacama Desert

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (11) ◽  
pp. 2670-2675 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dirk Schulze-Makuch ◽  
Dirk Wagner ◽  
Samuel P. Kounaves ◽  
Kai Mangelsdorf ◽  
Kevin G. Devine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Extreme Environments ◽  
Atacama Desert ◽  
Chemical Characterization ◽  
Soil Parameters ◽  
Rain Event ◽  
Community Patterns ◽  
Microbial Habitat ◽  
Lines Of Evidence ◽  
Active Microbial Community

Traces of life are nearly ubiquitous on Earth. However, a central unresolved question is whether these traces always indicate an active microbial community or whether, in extreme environments, such as hyperarid deserts, they instead reflect just dormant or dead cells. Although microbial biomass and diversity decrease with increasing aridity in the Atacama Desert, we provide multiple lines of evidence for the presence of an at times metabolically active, microbial community in one of the driest places on Earth. We base this observation on four major lines of evidence: (i) a physico-chemical characterization of the soil habitability after an exceptional rain event, (ii) identified biomolecules indicative of potentially active cells [e.g., presence of ATP, phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs), metabolites, and enzymatic activity], (iii) measurements of in situ replication rates of genomes of uncultivated bacteria reconstructed from selected samples, and (iv) microbial community patterns specific to soil parameters and depths. We infer that the microbial populations have undergone selection and adaptation in response to their specific soil microenvironment and in particular to the degree of aridity. Collectively, our results highlight that even the hyperarid Atacama Desert can provide a habitable environment for microorganisms that allows them to become metabolically active following an episodic increase in moisture and that once it decreases, so does the activity of the microbiota. These results have implications for the prospect of life on other planets such as Mars, which has transitioned from an earlier wetter environment to today’s extreme hyperaridity.

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