Complete Degradation Of Phenol Research Articles

Optimized phenol degradation and lipid production by Rhodosporidium toruloides using response surface methodology and genetic algorithm-optimized artificial neural network

Oleaginous yeast can produce lipids while degrading phenol in wastewater treatment. In this study, a Plackett-Burman Design (PBD) was adopted to identify key factors of phenol degradation and lipid production using R toruloides 9564T. While temperature, inoculum size, and agitation were significant for both the processes (p < 0.05), pH and incubation were significant for lipid production, and phenol removal, respectively. Results from four factors (pH, temperature, inoculum size, and incubation period) central composite design (CCD) experiment were used to formulate quadratic and genetic algorithm-optimized ANN models. The reduced quadratic model for phenol degradation (R2: 0.993) and lipid production (R2: 0.958) were marginally inferior to ANN models (R2: 0.999, 0.982, respectively) on training sets. Multi-objective optimization with equal importance suggests phenol degradation between 106.4 and 108.76%, and lipid production of 0.864–0.903 g/L, by polynomial and ANN models. Complete phenol degradation (100%) and 3.35-fold increment (0.918 g/L) in lipid production were obtained at pH 6.07, inoculum size 14.68% v/v, at 29.5 °C in 92.17 h experimentally.

Widespread and active piezotolerant microorganisms mediate phenolic compound degradation under high hydrostatic pressure in hadal trenches

Phenolic compounds, as well as other aromatic compounds, have been reported to be abundant in hadal trenches. Although high-throughput sequencing studies have hinted at the potential of hadal microbes to degrade these compounds, direct microbiological, genetic and biochemical evidence under in situ pressures remain absent. Here, a microbial consortium and a pure culture of Pseudomonas, newly isolated from Mariana Trench sediments, efficiently degraded phenol under pressures up to 70 and 60 MPa, respectively, with concomitant increase in biomass. By analyzing a high-pressure (70 MPa) culture metatranscriptome, not only was the entire range of metabolic processes under high pressure generated, but also genes encoding complete phenol degradation via ortho- and meta-cleavage pathways were revealed. The isolate of Pseudomonas also contained genes encoding the complete degradation pathway. Six transcribed genes (dmpKLMNOPsed) were functionally identified to encode a multicomponent hydroxylase catalyzing the hydroxylation of phenol and its methylated derivatives by heterogeneous expression. In addition, key catabolic genes identified in the metatranscriptome of the high-pressure cultures and genomes of bacterial isolates were found to be all widely distributed in 22 published hadal microbial metagenomes. At microbiological, genetic, bioinformatics, and biochemical levels, this study found that microorganisms widely found in hadal trenches were able to effectively drive phenolic compound degradation under high hydrostatic pressures. This information will bridge a knowledge gap concerning the microbial aromatics degradation within hadal trenches.

The Optimization, Kinetics Model, and Lab-Scale Assessments of Phenol Biodegradation Using Batch and Continuous Culture Systems

Phenol was considered a severe hazard to all ecosystems even at low concentrations. The bioremediation process is an eco-friendly process for complete phenol degradation and bioelectricity generation. In the present study, a consortium of native isolates was used for phenol biodegradation and bioenergy generation using nano-graphite electrodes. The optimization of nutritional and environmental parameters using batch culture revealed that the optimum conditions for maximum phenol degradation and energy generation were inoculum concentration, 1%; incubation period, 48 h; phenol, 6 ppm; MgSO4, 70 mg/L; K2HPO4, 175 mg/L; and CaCl2, 1 mg/L. Phenol biodegradation reached 93.34% with a power density of 109.419 mW/cm3. A lab-scale bioreactor was used as a continuous culture with aeration rate, agitation speed, and dissolved oxygen of 0.5 v/v/m, 750 rpm, and 30%, respectively. On using the continuous culture, phenol biodegradation and bioenergy production reached 97.8% and 0.382 W/cm3, respectively. A kinetics study using Haldane’s kinetics model reported the best fit to achieve a significant correlation coefficient (R2) value (0.9865) reaching maximum specific growth rate with initial phenol concentration of approximately 9 mg L−1 where the specific growth rates (μ, h−1) varied with different initial phenol concentrations. In conclusion, the native isolated consortium could be considered as an economical and sustainable approach to phenol biodegradation in industrial wastewater as well as bioelectricity generation.

Peroxymonosulfate‐Assisted Phenol Degradation via a Magnetic Covalent‐Triazine‐Framework‐Based Photocatalyst

AbstractThe development of efficient heterostructures combining covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and ideal semiconductors can significantly improve photocatalytic performance for pollutant degradation. Herein, we present the design, synthesis, and characterization of a core‐shell‐structured nanocomposite comprising covalent triazine framework‐encased Fe3O4 magnetic particles employed as a heterojunction photocatalyst for activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) in phenol degradation. The distinctive internal structure between the TpMa shell (Tp=2,4,6‐trihydroxy‐1,3,5‐benzenetricarboxaldehyde, Ma=melamine) and the Fe3O4 core (Fe3O4@TpMa) facilitated charge transfer and accelerated charge separation. Furthermore, PMS served as an electron acceptor, enhancing photogenerated charge separation and maximizing the production of reactive oxygen species. The Fe3O4@TpMa/PMS system demonstrated remarkable photocatalytic performance and stability, achieving complete phenol degradation (10 mg L−1) in 40 min. The exceptional photocatalytic activity resulted from the synergistic effect of ⋅OH, SO4⋅−, O2⋅−, 1O2, and h+ generated in the Fe3O4@TpMa/PMS system during the degradation process. Overall, this material offers excellent potential for solar‐driven pollutant degradation and enables the development of COF‐based materials for wastewater treatment applications.

Enhanced Heterogeneous Peroxymonosulfate Activation by MOF-Derived Magnetic Carbonaceous Nanocomposite for Phenol Degradation.

Degradation efficiency and catalyst stability are crucial issues in the control of organic compounds in wastewater by advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). However, it is difficult for catalysts used in AOPs to have both high catalytic activity and high stability. Combined with the excellent activity of cobalt/copper oxides and the good stability of carbon, highly dispersed cobalt-oxide and copper-oxide nanoparticles embedded in carbon-matrix composites (Co-Cu@C) were prepared for the catalytic activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS). The catalysts exhibited a stable structure and excellent performance for complete phenol degradation (20 mg L-1) within 5 min in the Cu-Co@C-5/PMS system, as well as low metal-ion-leaching rates and great reusability. Moreover, a quenching test and an EPR analysis revealed that ·OH, O2·-, and 1O2 were generated in the Co-Cu@C/PMS system for phenol degradation. The possible mechanism for the radical and non-radical pathways in the activation of the PMS by the Co-Cu@C was proposed. The present study provides a new strategy with which to construct heterostructures for environmentally friendly and efficient PMS-activation catalysts.

Screening and evaluation of phenol utilization and growth in Acinetobacter baumannii W29 of wastewater

Phenols are ubiquitous pollutants, mainly from industrial effluent, causing pollution of natural water resources. The research focused on screening efficient phenol-degrading bacteria and kinetic modelling of phenol biodegradation and growth. Membrane filtration was used for the isolation of bacteria from the wastewater sample. The screening of phenol-degrading bacteria was based on the efficiency of phenol utilization. The strain with efficient phenol degradation capacity was characterized by 16S rDNA sequencing and designated Acinetobacter baumannii W29. Biomass growth and phenol utilization rate of the strain were evaluated at different initial phenol concentrations (100-800 mgL-1). Specific growth rate data were fitted to five models, i.e. Monod, Haldane, Aiba, Teisser, and Webb model. The yield coefficient at different initial phenol concentrations was calculated from the slope of the specific growth rate (μ) versus the specific phenol utilization rate (q). The strain showed complete phenol degradation potential up to 1000 mgL-1. The maximal growth rate was achieved at 400 mgL-1 , which coincided with the maximum substrate utilization rate at the same concentration. The specific growth rate showed the best fit with the Haldane model. The strain had a yield coefficient of 0.70 (mg cell mg-1 phenol). The value of µ and Ks revealed the affinity of the strain for high-concentration phenol and the its ability to withstand high phenol concentrations. The kinetic growth behaviour of the strain fitted well with the Haldane model. The findings of the study could be applied to wastewater treatment with a high phenol load.

Differentiating the reaction mechanism of three-dimensionally electrocatalytic system packed with different particle electrodes: Electro-oxidation versus electro-fenton

Recently, there are still some controversial mechanisms of the 3D electrocatalytic oxidation system, which would probably confound its industrial application. From the conventional viewpoint, the Ti4O7 material may be the desired particle electrodes in the 3D system since its high oxygen evolution potential favors the production of •OH via H2O splitting reaction at the anode side of Ti4O7 particle electrodes. In fact, the incorporation of Ti4O7 particles showed phenol degradation of 88% and COD removal of 51% within 120 min, under the optimum conditions at energy consumption of 0.668 kWh g−1 COD, the performance of which was much lower than those in many previous literatures. In contrast, the prepared carbon black-polytetrafluoroethylene composite (CB-PTFE) particles with abundant oxygen-containing functional groups could yield considerable amounts of H2O2 (200 mg L−1) in the 3D reactor and achieved a complete degradation of phenol and COD removal of 80% in the presence of Fe2+, accompanying a low energy consumption of only 0.080 kWh g−1 COD. It was estimated that only 20% of Ti4O7 particles near the anode attained the potential over 2.73 V/SCE at 30 mA cm−2 based on the potential test and simulation, responsible for the low yield of •OH via the H2O splitting on Ti4O7 (1.74 × 10−14 M), and the main role of Ti4O7 particle electrodes in phenol degradation was through direct oxidation. For the CB-PTFE-based 3D system, current density of 10 mA cm−2 was sufficient for all the CB-PTFE particles to attain cathodic potential of −0.67 V/SCE, conducive to the high yield of H2O2 and •OH (9.11 × 10−14 M) in the presence of Fe2+, and the •OH-mediated indirect oxidation was mainly responsible for the phenol degradation. Generally, this study can provide a deep insight into the 3D electrocatalytic oxidation technology and help to develop the high-efficiency and cost-efficient 3D technologies for industrial application.

Electrochemical oxidation of phenol in chloride containing electrolyte using a carbon-coated Ti4O7 anode

Magnéli-phase Ti4O7 is an excellent anode material for electrochemical advanced oxidation process (EAOP). However, the development of Ti4O7 electrodes is always limited by the high cost and high energy consumption in their preparation process. In this study, the carbon-coated Ti4O7 electrode was successfully synthesized by an in-situ pyrolysis method, which exhibited high specific surface area (143.8 m2 g−1) and efficient electron transfer (47.3 Ω). The accelerated service life was measured to be 102.5 h, demonstrating its excellent stability. EAOP performance of the C-coated Ti4O7 electrode was evaluated under various operating conditions. The result showed that a complete degradation of phenol (100 mg L−1) was obtained in 60 min, under the condition of 0.1 M NaCl electrolyte and 20 mA cm−2 current density. Owing to the high oxygen evolution potential (OEP, 2.25 V vs. RHE) of the C-coated Ti4O7 electrode, high TOC removal ratio (68.9%) and low energy consumption (113.8 kWh kg−1TOC) were achieved under the optimal condition. Moreover, the mechanism of phenol degradation was investigated by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and free radical scavenging experiments. The results indicated that the degradation of phenol can be mainly attributed to the synergistic effects between adsorbed ·OH (M(·OH)) and Cl−, rather than the direct electron transfer process (DET) on the surface of the C-coated Ti4O7 electrode. This study provides an efficient strategy for the mineralization of phenolic wastewater by the C-coated Ti4O7 electrode.

The Solution Combustion Synthesis of ZnO Powder for the Photodegradation of Phenol

Nanoscale and submicron powder of zinc oxide (ZnO) is known as a highly efficient photocatalyst that is promising for solving the problem of wastewater treatment from toxic organic pollutants including phenol and its derivatives. The results of laboratory studies of ZnO preparation by a simple, energy-saving, and highly productive method of solution–combustion synthesis from a mixture of solutions of zinc nitrate and glycine, as well as the use of the ZnO powder synthesized by combustion for the photocatalytic decomposition of phenol, are presented. The modes and characteristics of combustion, phase composition, chemical composition, and structure of the combustion product at different ratios of glycine with zinc nitrate were determined. It is shown that calcination at 650 °C reduces the content of carbon impurity in the combustion product to ~1 wt.% and leads to obtaining ZnO powder in the form of porous agglomerates up to 100 μm in size sintered from crystalline nanoscale and submicron ZnO particles with an average crystallite size of 44 nm. The ZnO powder exhibits high photocatalytic activity, leading to the almost complete degradation of phenol in an aqueous solution under the action of ultraviolet irradiation in less than 4 h.

Ball milling-assisted preparation of N-doped biochar loaded with ferrous sulfide as persulfate activator for phenol degradation: Multiple active sites-triggered radical/non-radical mechanism

Designing Fe-carbon catalyst with multiple active sites for persulfate (PS) activation to water purification is challenging. Herein, nitrogen-doped biochar (NBC) loaded with ferrous sulfide (FeS) was synthesized via two-step ball milling. In FeS@NBCBM/PS system, both electron transfer process and reactive oxygen species (ROSs) including SO4⋅−, O⋅H, O2•− and 1O2 contributed to phenol degradation. Surface-bound S(II) not only interacted with PS for generating SO4•−, but also accelerated Fe(III)/Fe(II) circulation by reducing Fe(III). NBC was favorable for phenol adsorption and exposure of oxygen-containing groups, graphitic and pyridinic N active sites, which mediated electron transfer or ROSs formation. Owing to multiple active sites, this system fast achieved almost complete phenol degradation with excellent adaptability to wide pH range of 3–9, high anti-interference capacity to coexisting substances, and was efficient to various water matrices. Furthermore, phenol degradation pathways were elucidated by DFT calculations with intermediate products showing lower toxicity, demonstrating great potentials of proposed system.

Biodegradation Kinetics of Phenol and 4-Chlorophenol in the Presence of Sodium Salicylate in Batch and Chemostat Systems

The biodegradation of phenol, sodium salicylate (SA), and 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) by Pseudomonas putida (P. putida) was evaluated by batch and chemostat experiments in single and binary substrate systems. The Haldane kinetics model for cell growth was chosen to describe the batch kinetic behavior to determine kinetic parameters in the single or binary substrates system. In the single phenol and SA system, the kinetic constants of μm,P = 0.423 h−1, μm,A = 0.247 h−1, KS,P = 48.1 mg/L, KS,A = 71.7 mg/L, KI,P = 272.5 mg/L, and KI,A = 3178.2 mg/L were evaluated. Experimental results indicate that SA was degraded more rapidly by P. putida cells compared to phenol because SA has a much larger KI value than phenol, which makes the cells less sensitive to substrate inhibition even though the μm,P value is larger compared to μm,A. The ratio of inhibition of phenol degradation due to the presence of SA (IA1) to the inhibition of SA degradation due to the presence of phenol (IA2) is 2.3, indicating that SA has a higher uncompetitive inhibition on phenol biodegradation compared to that of phenol on SA biodegradation in the binary substrate system. In the ternary substrate system, the time required for the complete degradation of SA and phenol was 14 and 11.5 d and an approximately 90% removal efficiency for 4-CP was achieved within 14 d. In the chemostat system, the removal rates of phenol and SA were 96.6 and 97.0%, while those of SA and 4-CP were 91.4% and 95.2%, respectively. The model prediction agreed satisfactorily with the experimental results of the chemostat system.

Novel core-shell Fe-UiO-66/silicalite-1 catalysts for efficient degradation of phenolic wastewater

Novel Fe supported core-shell catalysts, composite materials of metal-organic frameworks (UiO-66) and zeolite (Silicalite-1), were designed for efficient catalytic wet peroxide oxidation of phenolic wastewater. The core-shell materials using UiO-66 and Silicalite-1 as the core layer or shell layer were prepared by secondary synthesis method and characterized by SEM, TEM, EDS mapping, XRD and FT-IR. The Fe species (5 wt%) supported core-shell catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation method. Characterization results certificated the successful preparation of core-shell catalysts, namely, Fe-UiO-66/Silicalite-1 (UiO-66 as the core material) and Fe-Silicalite-1/UiO-66 (Silicalite-1 as the core material). Meanwhile, the Fe supported core-shell catalysts exhibited good catalytic activity with complete phenol degradation and TOC conversions of 66% and 69% over the Fe-UiO-66(25)/Silicalite-1 and Fe-Silicalite-1(25)/UiO-66, respectively, without poisonous by-products detected in the treated wastewater, which further proved the green characteristic of the catalysts. The Fe leaching concentration in the treated solution over the Fe-UiO-66/Silicalite-1 and Fe-Silicalite-1/UiO-66 catalyst is 0.235 ppm and 0.352 ppm which certificated the enhanced stability of the MOFs Fenton catalysts by preparing the supported core-shell catalysts.

Effect of Culture Condition and Growth Kinetics on Phenol Biodegradation by an Indigenous Rhodococcus pyridinivorans Strain PDB9T NS-1

The US Environmental Protection Agency listed phenolic compounds as priority pollutants, and their occurrence in water systems poses serious health risks to humans and other living species. The culture conditions are extremely crucial for microbial growth, enzymatic and cellular metabolic activities. Thus, the effects of different culture parameters like pH, temperature (°C), and agitation speed (RPM) on the indigenous Rhodococcus pyridinivorans strain PDB9T NS-1 were modeled using response surface methodology (RSM) and central composite design (CCD). The results showed that the main effect of pH and interaction between pH and agitation speed had a significant to a moderately significant effect on phenol degradation by the indigenous R. pyridinivorans strain PDB9T NS-1. Almost complete phenol degradation was obtained at an optimal setting of pH 7.5, 187 rpm, and 34 °C in 18 h. Growth and phenol degradation kinetics of the actinomycetes was examined in a batch shake flask under the optimized conditions. The growth of Rhodococcus species at varying initial levels of the phenol followed a Pamukoglu and Kargi substrate inhibition model with half-saturation constant (Ks ) of 54.21 mg/l, maximum specific growth rate (µ max) of 0.169 (1/h), substrate inhibition constant (Ksi ) of 243.26 mg/l. The results obtained from the optimization of culture conditions and growth kinetics by the indigenous R. Pyridinivorans strain PDB9T NS-1 suggest the potential of the system in the treatment of phenolic wastewater.

Formulation of a novel bacterial consortium for the effective biodegradation of phenol

Phenol is frequently present as the hazardous pollutant in petrochemical and pesticide industry wastewater. Because of its high toxicity and carcinogenic potential, a proper treatment is needed to reduce the hazards of phenol carrying effluent before being discharged into the environment. Phenol biodegradation with microbial consortium offers a very promising approach now a day\'s s. This study focused on the formulation of phenol degrading bacterial consortium with three bacterial isolates. The bacterial strains Bacillus cereus strain VCRC B540, Bacillus cereus strain BRL02-43 and Oxalobacteraceae strain CC11D were isolated from detergent contaminated soil by soil enrichment technique and was identified by 16s rDNA sequence analysis. Individual cultures were degrade 100 µl phenol in 72 hrs. The formulated bacterial consortium was very effective in degrading 250 µl of phenol at a pH 7 with in 48 hrs. The study further focused on the analysis of the products of biodegradation with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT/IR) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS). The analysis showed the complete degradation of phenol and the production of Benzene di-carboxylic acid mono (2-ethylhexyl) ester and Ethane 1,2- Diethoxy- as metabolic intermediates. Biodegradation with the aid of microorganisms is a potential approach in terms of cost-effectiveness and elimination of secondary pollutions. The present study established the efficiency of bacterial consortium to degrade phenol. Optimization of biodegradation conditions and construction of a bioreactor can be further exploited for large scale industrial applications.

Unconventional advanced oxidation technique: Evaporation liquid rate and phenolic compounds degradation evaluation and modelling/optimization process with CFD, RSM and ANNs

This study aims to develop unconventional advanced oxidation processes for managing phenolic effluents generated from thermochemical oxidation using Direct Contact Thermal Treatment (DiCTT) for liquid water reuse. The DiCTT system uses a stainless-steel reactor described by the combustion of natural gas and production of hydroxyl radicals (OH), which ensures its compact installation and application to offshore oil-exploration platforms where natural gas is accessible and space is limited. The oxidation of phenolic compounds is evaluated under atmospheric pressure, which controls the rate of evaporation of the phenol to the environment during the combustion step, and thus helps avoid incineration in the liquid phase. The efficiency of the process is studied as a function of three independent variables: natural gas flow rate (QGN, 2–4 m3.h−1), air excess (E, 10–50%), and recycling rate of the combustion gases (QRG, 0–100%). Optimal conditions identified for complete phenol degradation (>99%) and total organic carbon (TOC) conversion (>30%) for a given rate of evaporation for the liquid phase (less than11%) and effluent temperature (70–78 °C) were QGN = 4 m3.h−1, E = 10%, and QRG = 100%. For modelling and optimization of results, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Response Surface Method (RSM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) technique were used. These techniques have shown to be very promising in the prediction of contaminant degradation and in the optimization of this type of mechanism.

Complete degradation of high-loaded phenol using tungstate-based ionic liquids with long chain substituent at mild conditions

Phenol in waste water threatens human health and is difficultly to be decomposed by nature. Efficient degradation of high-loaded phenol in water under mild condition is still a great challenge. Herein, ionic liquids with tungstate anion were designed and prepared. It was found that dodecyltrimethylammonium tungstate could catalyzed degradation of phenol into gases and water thoroughly at 323 k in 8 h. Tungstate anion revealed good catalytic oxidative activity and long carbon chain group connecting with cation of ionic liquids enriched phenol around catalysts, which induced the complete degradation of phenol at mild conditions. Increasing the amounts of hydrogen peroxide benefited to the total degradation of phenol. In addition, the ionic liquid could be reused for its excellent thermal stability. Our work provided a different strategy to treat waste water containing phenol efficiently.

Biodegradation Kinetic Studies of Phenol and p-Cresol in a Batch and Continuous Stirred-Tank Bioreactor with Pseudomonas putida ATCC 17484 Cells

The biodegradation of phenol, p-cresol, and phenol plus p-cresol mixtures was evaluated using Pseudomonas putida ATCC 17484 in aerobic batch reactors. Shake-flask experiments were performed separately using growth medium with initial nominal concentrations of phenol (50–600 mg L−1) and p-cresol (50–600 mg L−1) as well as phenol (50–600 mg L−1) plus p-cresol (50–600 mg L−1). The complete degradation of phenol and p-cresol was achieved within 48 h and 48–56 h, respectively, for all initial concentrations of phenol and p-cresol. The maximum cell growth rate using phenol (μmax,P = 0.45 h−1) was much faster than that using p-cresol (μmax,C = 0.185−1 h). The larger Ki value for phenol (310.5 mg L−1) revealed that the P. putida cells had a higher resistance to phenol inhibition compared with p-cresol (243.56 mg L−1). A mixture of phenol and p-cresol in batch experiments resulted in the complete removal of phenol within 52–56 h for initial phenol concentrations of 50–500 mg L−1. The time needed to remove p-cresol completely was 48–56 h for initial p-cresol concentrations of 50–500 mg L−1. In the continuous-flow immobilized cells reactor, the degradation efficiency for phenol and p-cresol was 97.6 and 89.1%, respectively, at a stable condition.

Photocatalytic Degradation of Phenol Using Chemical Vapor Desposition Graphene Column

In the field of wastewater treatment, the advanced oxidation process (AOP) is a widely employed method. It uses reactive oxygen species (ROS) to degrade harmful organic and inorganic chemicals. Metal catalysts are the conventional standard when using these methods. However, they have drawbacks such as harsh activation conditions and poor recyclability. We previously suggested chemical vapor deposition (CVD) graphene film as an alternative metal-free catalyst. In this study, we enhanced the catalytic activity of the CVD graphene film by synergistically adding UV light irradiation. The result was complete degradation of phenol on a wafer-scale in a reduced timeframe. To further enhance the degradation process, we devised a graphene-based column for continuous in situ chemical oxidation and analyzed the intermediates over time, proving the potential of graphene-assisted AOP in industrial wastewater applications.

Culturable bacteria from an Alpine coniferous forest site: biodegradation potential of organic polymers and pollutants

The potential of the culturable bacterial community from an Alpine coniferous forest site for the degradation of organic polymers and pollutants at low (5 °C) and moderate (20 °C) temperatures was evaluated. The majority of the 68 strains belonged to the phylum Proteobacteria (77%). Other strains were related to Bacteroidetes (12%), Alphaproteobacteria (4%), Actinobacteria (3%), and Firmicutes (3%). The strains were grouped into 42 different OTUs. The highest bacterial diversity was found within the phylum Bacteroidetes. All strains, except one, could grow at temperatures from 5 to 25 °C. The production of enzyme activities involved in the degradation of organic polymers present in plant litter (carboxymethyl cellulose, microgranular cellulose, xylan, polygalacturonic acid) was almost comparable at 5 °C (68%) and 20 °C (63%). Utilizers of lignin compounds (lignosulfonic acid, lignin alkali) as sole carbon source were found to a higher extent at 20 °C (57%) than at 5 °C (24%), but the relative fractions among positively tested strains utilizing these compounds were almost identical at the two temperatures. Similar results were noted for utilizers of organic pollutants (n-hexadecane, diesel oil, phenol, glyphosate) as sole carbon source. More than two-thirds showed constitutively expressed catechol-1,2-dioxygenase activity both at 5 °C (74%) and 20 °C (66%). Complete phenol (2.5 mmol/L) degradation by strain Paraburkholderia aromaticivorans AR20-38 was demonstrated at 0–30 °C, amounts up to 7.5 mmol/L phenol were fully degraded at 10–30 °C. These results are useful to better understand the effect of changing temperatures on microorganisms involved in litter degradation and nutrient turnover in Alpine forest soils.

Effects of phenol on extracellular polymeric substances and microbial communities from aerobic granular sludge treating low strength and salinity wastewater

The effects of phenol on aerobic granular sludge including extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and microbial community were investigated for low strength and salinity wastewater treatment. Elevated phenol over 20 mg/L stimulated biological phosphorus removal mainly via co-metabolism with nearly complete phenol degradation, whereas resulted in significant accumulation of nitrate around 4 mg/L. Aerobic granules kept structural stability via enhancing production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), especially folds of polysaccharides (PS) and varying functional groups identified through EEM, FTIR and XPS spectral characterizations at increasing phenol loads. Illumina MiSeq sequencing results indicated that elevated phenol decreased the bacterial diversity and richness, and caused remarkable variations in structural and compositions of microbial population. Multiple halophilic bacteria including Stappia, Luteococcus, and Formosa laid the biological basis for stability of aerobic granules and efficient biological nutrients and phenol removal. Redundancy analysis (RDA) suggested the key role of phenol in shaping the relative abundances and predominant genera. This study proved that aerobic granular sludge was feasible for low-saline and phenol-laden low-strength wastewater treatment.