Liyuan Chai

Characterization and genomic analysis of kraft lignin biodegradation by the beta-proteobacterium Cupriavidus basilensis B-8

BackgroundLignin materials are abundant and among the most important potential sources for biofuel production. Development of an efficient lignin degradation process has considerable potential for the production of a variety of chemicals, including bioethanol. However, lignin degradation using current methods is inefficient. Given their immense environmental adaptability and biochemical versatility, bacterial could be used as a valuable tool for the rapid degradation of lignin. Kraft lignin (KL) is a polymer by-product of the pulp and paper industry resulting from alkaline sulfide treatment of lignocellulose, and it has been widely used for lignin-related studies.ResultsBeta-proteobacterium Cupriavidus basilensis B-8 isolated from erosive bamboo slips displayed substantial KL degradation capability. With initial concentrations of 0.5–6 g L-1, at least 31.3% KL could be degraded in 7 days. The maximum degradation rate was 44.4% at the initial concentration of 2 g L-1. The optimum pH and temperature for KL degradation were 7.0 and 30°C, respectively. Manganese peroxidase (MnP) and laccase (Lac) demonstrated their greatest level of activity, 1685.3 U L-1 and 815.6 U L-1, at the third and fourth days, respectively. Many small molecule intermediates were formed during the process of KL degradation, as determined using GC-MS analysis. In order to perform metabolic reconstruction of lignin degradation in this bacterium, a draft genome sequence for C. basilensis B-8 was generated. Genomic analysis focused on the catabolic potential of this bacterium against several lignin-derived compounds. These analyses together with sequence comparisons predicted the existence of three major metabolic pathways: β-ketoadipate, phenol degradation, and gentisate pathways.ConclusionThese results confirmed the capability of C. basilensis B-8 to promote KL degradation. Whole genomic sequencing and systematic analysis of the C. basilensis B-8 genome identified degradation steps and intermediates from this bacterial-mediated KL degradation method. Our findings provide a theoretical basis for research into the mechanisms of lignin degradation as well as a practical basis for biofuel production using lignin materials.

Sulfate-doped Fe3O4/Al2O3 nanoparticles as a novel adsorbent for fluoride removal from drinking water

A novel adsorbent of sulfate-doped Fe3O4/Al2O3 nanoparticles with magnetic separability was developed for fluoride removal from drinking water. The nanosized adsorbent was characterized and its performance in fluoride removal was evaluated. Kinetic data reveal that the fluoride adsorption was rapid in the beginning followed by a slower adsorption process, nearly 90% adsorption can be achieved within 20 min and only 10-15% additional removal occurred in the following 8 h. The fluoride adsorption isotherm was well described by Elovich model. The calculated adsorption capacity of this nanoadsorbent for fluoride by two-site Langmuir model was 70.4 mg/g at pH 7.0. Moreover, this nanoadsorbent performed well over a considerable wide pH range of 4-10, and the fluoride removal efficiencies reached up to 90% and 70% throughout the pH range of 4-10 with initial fluoride concentrations of 10 mg/L and 50 mg/L, respectively. The observed sulfate-fluoride displacement and decreased sulfur content on the adsorbent surface reveal that anion exchange process was an important mechanism for fluoride adsorption by the sulfate-doped Fe3O4/Al2O3 nanoparticles. Moreover, a shift of the pH of zero point charge (pHPZC) of the nanoparticles and surface analysis based on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) suggest the formation of inner-sphere fluoride complex at the aluminum center as another adsorption mechanism. With the exception of PO4(3-), other co-existing anions (NO3(-), Cl(-) and SO4(2-)) did not evidently inhibit fluoride removal by the nanoparticles. Findings of this study demonstrate the potential utility of the nanoparticles as an effective adsorbent for fluoride removal from drinking water.

Synthesis of Core–Shell Magnetic Fe3O4@poly(m-Phenylenediamine) Particles for Chromium Reduction and Adsorption

Magnetic Fe3O4@poly(m-phenylenediamine) particles (Fe3O4@PmPDs) with well-defined core-shell structure were first designed for high performance Cr(VI) removal by taking advantages of the easy separation property of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and the satisfactory adsorption property of polymers. Through controlling the polymerization on MNPs, directly coating was realized without the complicated premodification procedures. The particle property and adsorption mechanism were analyzed in details. Fe3O4@PmPDs exhibited tunable PmPD shell thickness from 10 to 100 nm, high magnetic (∼150 to ∼73 emu g(-1)) and facile separation property by magnet. The coating of PmPD significantly enhanced Cr(VI) adsorption capacity from 46.79 (bare MNPs) to 246.09 mg g(-1) (71.55% PmPD loading proportion), much higher than many reported composite adsorbents. The high Cr(VI) removal performance was attributed to the adsorption of Cr(VI) on protonated imino groups and the efficient reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) by amine, followed by Cr(III) chelated on imino groups, which are spontaneous and endothermic. The Fe3O4@PmPDs have great potential in treating Cr(VI)-contaminated water.

Controllable synthesis of hierarchical porous Fe3O4 particles mediated by poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) and their application in arsenic removal.

Hierarchical porous Fe3O4 particles with tunable grain size were synthesized based on a facile poly (diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA)-modulated solvothermal method. The products were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption-desorption technique, vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The results show that increasing the PDDA dosage decrease the grain size and particle size, which increased the particle porosity and enhanced the surface area from 7.05 to 32.75 m(2) g(-1). Possible mechanism can be ascribed to the PDDA function on capping the crystal surface and promoting the viscosity of reaction medium to mediate the growth and assembly of grain. Furthermore, the arsenic adsorption application of the as-obtained Fe3O4 samples was investigated and the adsorption mechanism was proposed. High magnetic Fe3O4 particles with increased surface area display improved arsenic adsorption performance, superior efficiency in low-level arsenic removal, high desorption efficiency, and satisfactory magnetic recyclability, which are very promising compared with commercial Fe3O4 particles.

Cr (VI) remediation by indigenous bacteria in soils contaminated by chromium-containing slag

Hexavalent chromium (Cr) is a toxic element causing serious environmental threat. Recently, more and more attention is paid to the bio-remediation of Cr (VI) in the contaminated soils. Cr (VI) remediation by indigenous bacteria in soils contaminated by chromium-containing slag at a steel-alloy factory in Hunan Province, China, was investigated in the present study. The results showed that when sufficient nutrients were amended into the contaminated soils, total Cr (VI) concentration declined from the initial value of 462.8 to 10 mg kg(-1) at 10 days and the removal rate was 97.8%. Water soluble Cr (VI) decreased from the initial concentration of 383.8 to 1.7 mg kg(-1). Exchangeable Cr (VI) and carbonates-bound Cr (VI) were removed by 92.6% and 82.4%, respectively. Meanwhile, four Cr (VI) resistant bacterial strains were isolated from the soil under the chromium-containing slag. Only one strain showed a high ability for Cr (VI) reduction in liquid culture. This strain was identified as Pannonibacter phragmitetus sp. by gene sequencing of 16S rRNA. X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS) analysis indicated that Cr (VI) was reduced into trivalent chromium. The results suggest that indigenous bacterial strains have potential application for Cr (VI) remediation in the soils contaminated by chromium-containing slag.

Preparation of a macroscopic, robust carbon-fiber monolith from filamentous fungi and its application in Li–S batteries

A new sustainable microorganism-based route is reported for the synthesis of carbon-fiber monolith through using filamentous fungi as feedstock. The fungi are cultured in solution within three days with biomass as nutrient, and fungi concentration reaches as high as 11 mg mL−1 on an average. Based on the rational control of fungi filtration and drying, fungi membrane or aerogel was obtained. Through pyrolysis in an inert atmosphere, intact carbon-fiber monolith (membrane or aerogel) was formed and its conductivity was more than 1 S cm−1. The carbon-fiber aerogel and membrane synthesized at 800 °C was doped by N (∼2.4 at%) and O (∼1.3 at%) and displayed a BET surface area of ∼305 and ∼20 m2 g−1, respectively. Mesopores and macropores were detected in the carbon materials. The carbon-fiber monolith showed promising capability to improve the cyclability and capacity of lithium–sulphur (Li–S) batteries, and are expected to be used as versatile electrode in energy storage.

Environmental impact and site-specific human health risks of chromium in the vicinity of a ferro-alloy manufactory, China

Previous studies often neglected the direct exposure to soil heavy metals in human health risk assessment. The purpose of this study was to assess the environmental impact and site-specific health risks of chromium (Cr) by both direct and indirect exposure assessment method. Results suggested that total Cr was shown a substantial buildup with a significant increase in the industrial and cultivated soils (averaged 1910 and 986 mg kg(-1), respectively). The Cr contents of vegetables exceeded the maximum permissible concentration by more than four times in every case. Human exposure to Cr was mainly due to dietary food intake in farming locations and due to soil ingestion in both industrial and residential sites. Soil ingestion was the main contributor pathway for direct exposure, followed by inhalation, and then dermal contact. The highest risks of vegetable ingestion were associated with consumption of Chinese cabbage. The results also indicated that plant tissues are able to convert the potentially toxic Cr (VI) species into the non-toxic Cr (III) species. The analyses of human health risks indicated that an important portion of the population is at risk, especially in the industrial site.

Biodegradation of kraft lignin by a bacterial strain Comamonas sp. B-9 isolated from eroded bamboo slips.

Aims:  The aim was to obtain evidences for lignin degradation by unicellular bacterium Comamonas sp. B‐9.

Ingestion risks of metals in groundwater based on TIN model and dose-response assessment - A case study in the Xiangjiang watershed, central-south China.

Groundwater samples were collected in the Xiangjiang watershed in China from 2002 to 2008 to analyze concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, mercury, manganese, and zinc. Spatial and seasonal trends of metal concentrations were then discussed. Combined with geostatistics, an ingestion risk assessment of metals in groundwater was performed using the dose-response assessment method and the triangulated irregular network (TIN) model. Arsenic concentration in groundwater had a larger variation from year to year, while the variations of other metal concentrations were minor. Meanwhile, As concentrations in groundwater over the period of 2002-2004 were significantly higher than that over the period of 2005-2007, indicating the improvement of groundwater quality within the later year. The hazard index (HI) in 2002 was also significantly higher than that in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. Moreover, more than 80% of the study area recorded an HI of more than 1.0 for children, suggesting that some people will experience deleterious health effects from drinking groundwater in the Xiangjiang watershed. Arsenic and manganese were the largest contributors to human health risks (HHRs). This study highlights the value of long-term health risk evaluation and the importance of geographic information system (GIS) technologies in the assessment of watershed-scale human health risk.

Environmental availability and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in zinc leaching residue

Four different methods, namely mineralogical analysis, three-stage BCR sequential extraction procedure, dynamic leaching test and Hakanson Potential Ecological Risk Index Method were used to access the environmental activity and potential ecological risks of heavy metals in zinc leaching residue. The results demonstrate that the environmental activity of heavy metals declines in the following order: Cd>Zn>Cu>As>Pb. Potential ecological risk indices for single heavy metal are Cd>Zn>Cu>As>Pb. Cd has serious potential ecological risk to the ecological environment and contributes most to the potential toxicity response indices for various heavy metals in the residue.