The role of microbial electrogenesis in regulating methane and nitrous oxide emissions from constructed wetland-microbial fuel cell

This study assesses a sustainable solution to greenhouse gases (GHGs) mitigation using constructed wetland-microbial fuel cells (CW-MFC). Roots of wetland plant Acorus Calamus L. are placed in biological anode to better enable anode microorganisms to obtain rhizosphere secretion for power improvement. Three selected cathode materials have a large difference in GHG emissions, and among them, carbon fiber felt (CFF) shows the lowest emissions of methane and nitrous oxide, which are 0.77 ± 0.04 mg/(m²·h) and 130.78 ± 13.08 μg/(m²·h), respectively. The CFF CW-MFC achieves the maximum power density of 2.99 W/m³. As the influent pH value is adjusted from acidic to alkaline, the GHGs emissions are reduced. The addition of Ni inhibits GHGs emission but decreases the electricity, the power density is reduced to 1.09 W/m³, and the methane and nitrous oxide emission fluxes decline to 0.20 ± 0.04 mg/(m²·h) and 15.49 ± 1.86 μg/(m²·h), respectively. Low C/N ratio reduces methane emission, while high C/N ratio effectively inhibits nitrous oxide emission. At the influent pH 8 and C/N = 5:1, the methane emission flux is approximately 10.60 ± 0.27 mg/(m²·h), and the nitrous oxide emission flux is only 10.90 ± 1.10 μg/(m²·h). Based on the above experimental results by controlling variable factors, it is proposed that CW-MFC offers an environment-friendly solution to regulate GHG emissions.     

Electrophoretic deposition of graphene oxide on carbon brush as bioanode for microbial fuel cell operated with real wastewater

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a promising technology for simultaneous wastewater treatment and energy harvesting. The properties of the anode material play a critical role in the performance of the MFC. In this study, graphene oxide was prepared by a modified hummer's method. A thin layer of graphene oxide was incorporated on the carbon brush using an electrophoretic technique. The deoxygenated graphene oxide formed on the surface of the carbon brush (RGO-CB) was investigated as a bio-anode in MFC operated with real wastewater. The performance of the MFC using the RGO-CB was compared with that using plain carbon brush anode (PCB). Results showed that electrophoretic deposition of graphene oxide on the surface of carbon brush significantly enhanced the performance of the MFC, where the power density increased more than 10 times (from 33 mWm^?2 to 381 mWm^?2). Although the COD removal was nearly similar for the two MFCs, i.e., with PCB and RGO-CB; the columbic efficiency significantly increased in the case of RGO-CB anode. The improved performance in the case of the modified electrode was related to the role of the graphene in improving the electron transfer from the microorganism to the anode surface, as confirmed from the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements.     

Investigation on sulphonated zinc oxide nanorod incorporated sulphonated poly (1,4-phenylene ether ether sulfone) nanocomposite membranes for improved performance of microbial fuel cell

Hydrothermally prepared zinc oxide nanorods are sulphonated (S–ZnO NR) and incorporated into 15% Sulphonated Poly (1,4-Phenylene Ether Ether Sulfone) (SPEES) to improve the hydrophilicity, water uptake and ion transfer capacity. Water uptake and ion transfer capacity increased to 34.6 ± 0.6% and 2.0 ± 0.05 meq g^?1 from 29.8 ± 0.3% and 1.4 ± 0.04 meq g^?1 by adding 7.5 wt% S–ZnO NR to SPEES. Morphological studies show the prepared S–ZnO NR is well dispersed in the polymer matrix. SPEES +7.5 wt% S–ZnO NR membrane exhibits optimum performance after three-weeks of continual operation in a fabricated microbial fuel cell (MFC) to produce a maximum power density of 142 ± 1.2 mW m^?2 with a reduced biofilm compared to plain SPEES (59 ± 0.8 mW m^?2), unsulphonated filler incorporated SPEES (SPEES + 7.5 wt% ZnO, 68 ± 1.1 mW m^?2) and Nafion (130 ± 1.5 mW m^?2) thereby suggesting its suitability as a sustainable and improved cation exchange membrane (CEM) for MFCs.     

Physicochemical Properties of Bread Baked from Flour Blended with Immature Wheat Meal Rich in Fructooligosaccharides

ABSTRACT: Grain of the soft white wheat cultivar Harus was harvested weekly from anthesis to maturity and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) contents were determined by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Tests were carried out to determine the effect of adding immature wheat meal to a base flour of cultivar Russ (hard red spring) on the quality characteristics of bread. FOS content was also analyzed in baked bread, and the effect of transglutaminase in improving bread quality was examined. Marked decreases in FOS contents, such as 1-kestose and nystose, were observed with grain maturation. The overall quality of bread appeared to be acceptable, and the added FOS were retained after baking.     

The effects of water pollution on the immersion corrosion of mild and low alloy steels

The short-term immersion corrosion of mild and low alloy steels in seawaters is known to be proportional to the concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) in the bulk water. Longer-term corrosion is a function of the activity of sulphate-reducing bacteria and is influenced by the concentration of nutrients in the bulk water. These influences are examined in more detail for the corrosion of steels in the brackish waters of the River Thames and for several immersion corrosion sites on the Eastern Australian seaboard and in the North Sea. The published data sources were supplemented with plausible assumptions about environmental conditions. New interpretations of the data are provided based on the previously published model for immersion corrosion. For waters with negligible salinity and sulphate levels early corrosion loss was shown to depend on the dissolved oxygen content of the waters, and later corrosion loss was a direct function of nitrogenous nutrient (pollution) levels. This also applies to longer-term corrosion.     

Analysis of microbial adaptation at enzyme level for enhancing biodegradation rate of BTX

Catechol was found to be a common intermediate in the degradation of benzene and toluene byAlcaligenes xyhsoxidans Y234, and the ring cleavage of the catechol mediated by catechol 1,2-dioxygenase was a rate-determining step. Since benzene induced higher level of catechol 1,2-dioxygenase than toluene, the cells pre-adapted to benzene showed higher degradation rate of benzene and toluene. The degradation rate ofm-xylene was also increased significantly when benzene-adapted cells were inoculated.m-Xylene was metabolized via 3-methyl catechol which was effectively cleaved by catechol 1,2-dioxygenase.     

MES捕获CO2及高效催化转化研究进展

微生物电合成(Microbial electrosynthesis，MES)为二氧化碳还原为乙酸盐和其他多碳物提供了一条可持续的生化转化途径，利用电能驱动微生物固定CO2具有原料容易、操作条件温和、不含有毒物质、环境可持续性等特点，为全球碳中和、碳减排带来了新机遇。在研究人员对提高产率、转化效率、碳链延长方面的深入研究下，基于对电极材料的选择、修饰，菌群的驯化，操作条件的限制，乙酸最高产率达1330g/(m2?d)，催化转化C1废气并耦合二次发酵生产了C2-C4产物以及具有更长碳链的中链脂肪酸。在概述阴极电活性微生物吸收胞外电子的分子机制捕获和转化CO2的基础上，综述了合成有机酸的代谢原理、二维和三维等电极材料使用现状以及提高产物产率、产物及碳链延长的方法，并对未来MES的研究方向做出了展望。     

一株微生物采油菌的16S rDNA鉴定和绿色荧光蛋白分子标记

筛选到一株高效生产多糖的YX菌,油田先导试验证明该菌可以用于微生物调剖提高原油采收率（Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery,MEOR）.经16SrDNA分析鉴定,YX菌属于肠内杆菌属（Enterobacter.）,为跟踪监测其动态信息,构建表达绿色荧光蛋白（green fluorescent protein,GFP）的重组质粒pET-30a（＋）-EGFP,利用CaCl2法将其转化至YX菌,利用荧光显微镜可以观察到重组YX（GFP）工程菌的绿色荧光.结果表明YX菌可以被绿色荧光蛋白基因标记,用于微生物采油研究.     

Analysis of effect of nicotine on microbial community structure in sediment using PCR-DGGE fingerprinting

Solid or liquid waste containing a high concentration of nicotine can pollute sediment in rivers and lakes, and may destroy the ecological balance if it is directly discharged into the environment without any treatment. In this study, the polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis(DGGE) method was used to analyze the variation of the microbial community structure in the control and nicotinecontaminated sediment samples with nicotine concentration and time of exposure. The results demonstrated that the growth of some bacterial species in the nicotine-contaminated sediment samples was inhibited during the exposure. Some bacteria decreased in species diversity and in quantity with the increase of nicotine concentration or time of exposure, while other bacteria were enriched under the effect of nicotine, and their DGGE bands changed from undertones to deep colors. The microbial community structure, however, showed a wide variation in the nicotinecontaminated sediment samples, especially in the sediment samples treated with high-concentration nicotine. The Jaccard index was only 35.1%between the initial sediment sample and the sediment sample with a nicotine concentration of 0.030 mg/g after 28 d of exposure. Diversity indices showed that the contaminated groups had a similar trend over time. The diversity indices of contaminated groups all decreased in the first7 d after exposure, then increased until day 42. It has been found that nicotine decreased the diversity of the microbial community in the sediment.     

枯草芽孢杆菌谷氨酰胺转氨酶的异源表达

以野生型枯草芽孢杆菌基因组DNA为模板,PCR扩增获得带有sD序列及谷氨酸棒状杆菌信号肽AS0949的BTG基因。将其与大肠杆菌-谷氨酸棒状杆菌穿梭表达载体pXMJ19连接,构建重组质粒pXMJ19-Sbtf转化谷氨酸棒状杆菌ATCC13032。经IPTG诱导后该重组茵发酵液具有交联酪蛋白的能力,表明该重组茵能够实现分泌表达。