Environmental Sources Research Articles

Molecular characterization of clinical and environmental isolates from the Cryptococcus neoformans/C. Gattii species complexes of Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil.

Cryptococcosis is one of the major life-threatening opportunistic/systemic fungal diseases of worldwide occurrence, which can be asymptomatic or establish pneumonia and meningoencephalitis mainly in immunosuppressed patients, caused by the Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii species complexes. Acquisition is by inhaling fungal propagules from avian droppings, tree hollows and decaying wood, and the association of the molecular types with geographic origin, virulence and antifungal resistance have epidemiological importance. Since data on cryptococcosis in Alagoas are limited, we sought to determine the molecular types of etiological agents collected from clinical and environmental sources. We evaluated 21 isolates previously collected from cerebrospinal fluid and from environment sources (pigeon droppings and tree hollows) in Maceió-Alagoas (Brazil). Restriction fragment length polymorphism of URA5 gene was performed to characterize among the eight standard molecular types (VNI-VNIV and VGI-VGIV). Among isolates, 66.67% (14) were assigned to C. neoformans VNI - 12 of them (12/14) recovered from liquor and 2 from a tree hollow (2/14). One isolate from pigeon droppings (4.76%) corresponded to C. neoformans VNIV, while five strains from tree hollows and one from pigeon droppings (6, 28.57%) to C. gattii VGII. VNI-type was present in clinical and environmental samples and most C. neoformans infections were observed in HIV-positive patients, while types VNIV and VGII were prevalent in environmental sources in Alagoas. This is the first molecular characterization of Cryptococcus spp. in Alagoas, our study provides additional information on the ecoepidemiology of Cryptococcus spp. in Brazil, contributing to a closer view of the endemic species.

Bacterial structures and their associated ARGs in Shanghai subway air, China

The air in the metro or subway system, which is a major form of public transportation in many metropolises, contributes to the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms. In this study, 18 aerosol samples were collected from two typical Shanghai subway stations (A and B) in the summer, transition, and winter seasons. Bacterial communities and their associated antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were analyzed using shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Metagenomic analysis approaches and random forest classification were used to compare and screen the distribution of key target species and ARGs. Bacteria were the predominant microbial kingdom with a relative abundance of 88.28%. In total, 5303 bacterial species were identified in subway stations A and B. The top three abundant bacterial species were unclassified_Pseudomonas, Ewingella_americana, and Halalkalicoccus_subterraneus. Microbial diversity analysis revealed that the microbial communities significantly varied between the three seasons (P < 0.05). Additionally, factors, such as temperature, relative humidity, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) significantly influenced bacterial community structure (P < 0.05). The random forest algorithm was used to screen indicators in bacterial communities. Some of these bacterial communities, which were primarily derived from environmental sources, may pose health risks. In total, 312 ARGs subtypes related to 20 ARGs classes were identified in subway stations A and B. Random forest classification results revealed 20 indicative types of ARGs, including those involved in metabolizing aminoglycoside, beta-lactam, multidrug, and rifamycin-type antibiotics. This study provides novel insights into microbial communities and ARGs in typical subway micro-environments and their dissemination in subway environments.

Internal electric field and oxygen vacancies synergistically boost S-scheme VO/BiOCl-TiO2 heterojunction film for photocatalytic degradation of norfloxacin

Sluggish interfacial dynamics and weak redox properties make the degradation of antibiotics by photocatalysts still a great challenge. Herein, constructing S-scheme heterojunction between BiOCl and TiO2 nanorod arrays (TNA) by hydrothermal method, and the synergistic effect of oxygen vacancies (VO) and Internal Electric Field (IEF) on improving the performance of the photocatalysts was revealed by adjusting the VO. The VO modified BiOCl-TiO2 (VBiTNA) exhibited excellent photocatalytic activities for norfloxacin, achieving a degradation efficiency of up to 90.2 % in just 60 min, and the rate constant was as high as 3.67 × 10-2 min−1. In addition, it also showed great photocatalytic degradation performance of NOR in a wide pH range, complex ionized water environment and real water source. The degradation intermediates and degradation pathway of NOR were predicted with LC-MS technology and Fukui function. Combined with free radical capture, electron paramagnetic resonance, relevant electrochemical testing, and DFT calculations reveals the mechanism of the enhanced photocatalytic performance of VBiTNA. The performance enhancement can be attributed to the expansion of the light absorption range, enhanced adsorption of O2 and effective activation to generate ·O2–, while improving the separation efficiency of electron-hole pairs and maintaining a strong redox capacity. This research focusing on VO and IEF mechanisms will help to advance the rational design of high-performance defective photocatalysts.

Liquid crystal monomers (LCMs) in indoor residential dust from Beijing, China: occurrence and human exposure.

Liquid crystal monomers (LCMs) are widely used in electronic devices and emerging as an environmental pollutant, while their occurrence in indoor environments is still less studied. In this study, 32 out of 37 target LCMs were detected in indoor residential dust samples (n = 112) from Beijing, China. Concentrations of Σ32LCMs ranged from 17.8 to 197ng/g, with a median value of 54.7ng/g. Fluorinated biphenyls and analogs (FBAs) and cyanobiphenyls and analogs (CBAs), with median concentrations of 22.8 and 15.9ng/g, respectively, were the main kinds of LCMs. Although 32 LCMs can be detected, four monomers with the highest contamination levels contributed to almost 70% of the total LCMs. Spearman correlation analysis found significant correlations among some monomers, which indicated that they might share similar sources in the residential environment. Estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of LCMs via indoor dust for Beijing residents were calculated, and the results showed that dust ingestion and dermal contact were both main intake pathways to LCMs, and younger people may face higher exposure to LCMs. A comparison to the results of China's total diet study showed that EDIs of LCMs via food consumption might be higher than that via dust intake, while health risks caused by exposure of LCMs for the general population, both through food and dust, were insignificant at present.

Rare Earth Element Adsorption to Clay Minerals: Mechanistic Insights and Implications for Recovery from Secondary Sources.

The energy transition will have significant mineral demands and there is growing interest in recovering critical metals, including rare earth elements (REE), from secondary sources in aqueous and sedimentary environments. However, the role of clays in REE transport and deposition in these settings remains understudied. This work investigated REE adsorption to the clay minerals illite and kaolinite through pH adsorption experiments and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). Clay type, pH, and ionic strength (IS) affected adsorption, with decreased adsorption under acidic pH and elevated IS. Illite had a higher adsorption capacity than kaolinite; however, >95% adsorption was achieved at pH ∼7.5 regardless of IS or clay. These results were used to develop a surface complexation model with the derived binding constants used to predict REE speciation in the presence of competing sorbents. This demonstrated that clays become increasingly important as pH increases, and EXAFS modeling showed that REE can exist as both inner- and outer-sphere complexes. Together, this indicated that clays can be an important control on the transport and enrichment of REE in sedimentary systems. These findings can be applied to identify settings to target for resource extraction or to predict REE transport and fate as a contaminant.

Maternal blood lead level and its impact on cord blood hematological parameters

Introduction. More than 13 annual million deaths are caused by environmental pollutants worldwide. Urbanization, population growth, industrialization and globalization affect our lives both positively and negatively. Women can become lead exposed through occupational and environmental sources. Once lead enters the body, it is mainly deposited in diverse organs: brain, kidneys, liver and bones. The body stores lead mainly in the bones, where it accumulates over time that may be further released into the bloodstream during pregnancy, thus posing a threat to growing fetus. Aim: to examine a lead impact on newborn hematological parameters during perinatal period. Materials and Methods. A retrospective cohort study with 306 pregnant women and paired newborns was carried out. Peripheral blood lead level (BLL) in pregnant and postpartum women was analyzed by using the atomic-absorption spectrophotometry method. Blood specimens were collected for analysis in the third trimester of pregnancy. Newborns hemoglobin concentration (mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, MCHC) in erythrocytes was also assessed. Results. We have detected a statistically significant decrease of MCHC in babies born to mothers with BLL &gt; 0.24 µmol/L vs. BLL &lt; 0.24 µmol/L. This difference may indicate a decline in hemoglobin fetal production caused by lead intoxication. Conclusion. Study corroborates an idea that pregnant women with occupational or environmental lead exposure should be monitored for BLL, which should not exceed 0.24 µmol/L during pregnancy.

Recognition of Energy Harvesting Techniques for Enhanced Operation in WSN Using IoT with Deep Learning

The recognition of energy harvesting techniques for enhanced operation in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) using IoT and deep learning entails a novel approach to improving the energy efficiency and operational durability of sensor nodes deployed in various environments. Energy harvesting refers to the process of collecting energy from diverse sources such as solar power, thermal energy, wind energy, and mechanical vibrations, and converting it into electrical energy to power electronic devices, including sensor nodes in a WSN. The integration of the Internet of Things with WSNs allows for interconnectivity, enabling enhanced communication, data exchange, and remote management capabilities. This integration facilitates the deployment of more intelligent and adaptive sensor networks, capable of making decisions based on collected information. Deep learning, a subset of machine learning, plays a vital role in enhancing the operation of WSNs by providing advanced data analysis and predictive modeling capabilities. Through the utilization of deep learning algorithms, the proposed system can forecast energy consumption patterns, identify optimal periods for energy harvesting, and optimize the energy efficiency of sensor nodes. This includes adjusting operational parameters such as data communication rates or sleep cycles based on the predicted availability of harvested energy. Deep learning also aids in identifying and prioritizing the most viable energy sources in the deployment environment of the WSN. By employing appropriate energy harvesting techniques based on environmental conditions, such as solar energy harvesting in summer or mechanical vibration harvesting in industrial settings, the proposed method ensures more efficient operation and sustainability of sensor networks across various applications.

Innovations in Thermoelectric Technology: From Materials to Applications

Over the past two decades, significant advances have been made in the field of energy harvesting, which involves the collection of energy from various environmental sources, including light, thermal gradients, electromagnetic radiation, and mechanical vibrations [...]

Persistent pollution of genetic materials in a typical laboratory environment

From the onset of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, there are concerns regarding the disease spread and environmental pollution of biohazard since studies on genetic engineering flourish and numerous genetic materials were used such as the nucleic acid test of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). In this work, we studied genetic material pollution in an institute during a development cycle of plasmid, one of typical genetic materials, with typical laboratory settings. The pollution source, transmission routes, and pollution levels in laboratory environment were examined. The Real-Time quantitative- Polymerase Chain Reaction results of all environmental mediums (surface, aerosol, and liquid) showed that a targeted DNA segment occurred along with routine experimental operations. Among the 79 surface and air samples collected in the genetic material operation, half of the environment samples (38 of 79) are positive for nucleic acid pollution. Persistent nucleic acid contaminations were observed in all tested laboratories and spread in the public area (hallway). The highest concentration for liquid and surface samples were 1.92 × 108 copies/uL and 5.22 × 107 copies/cm2, respectively. Significant amounts of the targeted gene (with a mean value of 74 copies/L) were detected in the indoor air of laboratories utilizing centrifuge devices, shaking tables, and cell homogenizers. Spills and improper disposal of plasmid products were primary sources of pollution. The importance of establishing designated experimental zones, employing advanced biosafety cabinets, and implementing highly efficient cleaning systems in laboratories with lower biosafety levels is underscored. SYNOPSISSTATEMENT. Persistent environmental pollutions of genetic materials are introduced by typical experiments in laboratories with low biosafety level.

Distribution of Aspergillus species and prevalence of azole resistance in clinical and environmental samples from a Spanish hospital during a three-year study period.

Surveillance studies are crucial for updating trends in Aspergillus species and antifungal susceptibility information. Determine the Aspergillus species distribution and azole resistance prevalence during this 3-year prospective surveillance study in a Spanish hospital. Three hundred thirty-five Aspergillus spp. clinical and environmental isolates were collected during a 3-year study. All isolates were screened for azole resistance using an agar-based screening method and resistance was confirmed by EUCAST antifungal susceptibility testing. The azole resistance mechanism was confirmed by sequencing the cyp51A gene and its promoter. All Aspergillus fumigatus strains were genotyped using TRESPERG analysis. Aspergillus fumigatus was the predominant species recovered with a total of 174 strains (51.94%). The rest of Aspergillus spp. were less frequent: Aspergillus niger (14.93%), Aspergillus terreus (9.55%), Aspergillus flavus (8.36%), Aspergillus nidulans (5.37%) and Aspergillus lentulus (3.28%), among other Aspergillus species (6.57%). TRESPERG analysis showed 99 different genotypes, with 72.73% of the strains being represented as a single genotype. Some genotypes were common among clinical and environmental A. fumigatus azole-susceptible strains, even when isolated months apart. We describe the occurrence of two azole-resistant A. fumigatus strains, one clinical and another environmental, that were genotypically different and did not share genotypes with any of the azole-susceptible strains. Aspergillus fumigatus strains showed a very diverse population although several genotypes were shared among clinical and environmental strains. The isolation of azole-resistant strains from both settings suggest that an efficient analysis of clinical and environmental sources must be done to detect azole resistance in A. fumigatus.

Autonomous Nanorobots as Miniaturized Surgeons for Intracellular Applications.

Artificial nanorobots have emerged as promising tools for a wide range of biomedical applications, including biosensing, detoxification, and drug delivery. Their unique ability to navigate confined spaces with precise control extends their operational scope to the cellular or subcellular level. By combining tailored surface functionality and propulsion mechanisms, nanorobots demonstrate rapid penetration of cell membranes and efficient internalization, enhancing intracellular delivery capabilities. Moreover, their robust motion within cells enables targeted interactions with intracellular components, such as proteins, molecules, and organelles, leading to superior performance in intracellular biosensing and organelle-targeted cargo delivery. Consequently, nanorobots hold significant potential as miniaturized surgeons capable of directly modulating cellular dynamics and combating metastasis, thereby maximizing therapeutic outcomes for precision therapy. In this review, we provide an overview of the propulsion modes of nanorobots and discuss essential factors to harness propulsive energy from the local environment or external power sources, including structure, material, and engine selection. We then discuss key advancements in nanorobot technology for various intracellular applications. Finally, we address important considerations for future nanorobot design to facilitate their translation into clinical practice and unlock their full potential in biomedical research and healthcare.

Oxidation of branched chain amino acids by HOCl: Kinetics and mechanism

The kinetics of the chlorination of leucine, isoleucine, and valine (BCAAs) was studied in excess HOCl by stopped-flow and spectrophotometric methods (25 ◦C, I = 1.0 M NaClO4). The intermediates and products were identified and monitored by 1H NMR spectroscopy. It was established that these reactions are fully analogous and proceed according to distinct mechanisms under alkaline and neutral conditions. At high pH, the formation and subsequent rate determining decomposition of N-monochloroamino acid control the process. The decomposition occurs via competing pH-independent and OH−-assisted reaction paths and the sequence of chlorination, dichlorination and decarboxylation steps leads to the formation of N-chloroimines and their carbanionic forms, which are in fast acid – base equilibria. The dechlorination of the carbanions yields nitriles as the main products. The hydration of the N-chloro imines produces chloramine and aldehydes which are involved in further oxidation reactions with HOCl. The formation of chloroform and chloroacetaldehyde was confirmed in each system. At pH 7.0, the N-chloro derivatives of BCAAs form immediately and are converted into the corresponding N,N-dichloro species within a few seconds after mixing the reactants. In this reaction, the reactive form of the oxidant is Cl2O. The first-order decomposition of the dichloroamino acids occurs on stopped-flow timescale (k = 0.5 – 0.7 s−1) and yields N-chloroimines which slowly decompose with a characteristic first-order rate constant on the order of a few times 10−5 s−1. The main products are the corresponding nitriles that account for about 80% and 60% of the original amounts of amino acids under neutral and alkaline (cOH− = 5.00 × 10−2 M) conditions, respectively. Aldehydes, carboxylic acids, chloroform and NCl3 were also identified as by-products. The results unequivocally confirm that harmful chlorinated species may form from amino acids long after the chlorination step in water treatment technologies that deteriorates the quality of the finished water. Environmental implicationIn source waters, amino acids account for about 75% of the total dissolved nitrogen. Therefore, it is an essential issue how the reactions of these compounds with hypochlorite ion can be controlled to avoid the formation of toxic compounds. The compounds formed from BCAAs are considered to be harmful both under alkaline and neutral conditions (chloroacetaldehyde, chloroform, nitriles). However, some of the intermediates have extended lifetime in these systems and they may also react with other components of raw water during water treatment processes.

Candida spp. Deep Sternal Wound Infections: A Consequence of Antibiotic use?

A cluster of deep sternal wound infections caused by Candida spp. occurred at our institution. Investigation did not disclose a common environmental source. We postulate that broad-spectrum antibiotic surgical prophylaxis and liberal use of antibiotics contributed to these infections.

An end-to-end approach for blindly rendering a virtual sound source in an audio augmented reality environment

Audio augmented reality (AAR), a prominent topic in the field of audio, requires understanding the listening environment of the user for rendering an authentic virtual auditory object. Reverberation time (RT60\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$RT_{60}$$\\end{document}) is a predominant metric for the characterization of room acoustics and numerous approaches have been proposed to estimate it blindly from a reverberant speech signal. However, a single RT60\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$RT_{60}$$\\end{document} value may not be sufficient to correctly describe and render the acoustics of a room. This contribution presents a method for the estimation of multiple room acoustic parameters required to render close-to-accurate room acoustics in an unknown environment. It is shown how these parameters can be estimated blindly using an audio transformer that can be deployed on a mobile device. Furthermore, the paper also discusses the use of the estimated room acoustic parameters to find a similar room from a dataset of real BRIRs that can be further used for rendering the virtual audio source. Additionally, a novel binaural room impulse response (BRIR) augmentation technique to overcome the limitation of inadequate data is proposed. Finally, the proposed method is validated perceptually by means of a listening test.

Characteristics of Volatile Organic Compounds Emitted from Airport Sources and Their Effects on Ozone Production.

In recent years, commercial air transport has increased considerably. However, the compositions and source profiles of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from aircraft are still not clear. In this study, the characteristics of VOCs (including oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs)) emitted from airport sources were measured at Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport. The results showed that the compositions and proportions of VOC species showed significant differences as the aircraft operating state changed. OVOCs were the dominant species and accounted for 63.17%, 58.44%, and 51.60% of the total VOC mass concentration during the taxiing, approach, and take-off stages. Propionaldehyde and acetone were the main OVOCs, and dichloromethane and 1,2-dichloroethane were the main halohydrocarbons. Propane had the highest proportion among all alkanes, while toluene and benzene were the predominant aromatic hydrocarbons. Compared with the source profiles of VOCs from construction machinery, the proportions of halogenated hydrocarbons and alkanes emitted from aircraft were significantly higher, as were those of propionaldehyde and acetone. OVOCs were still the dominant VOC species in aircraft emissions, and their calculated ozone formation potential (OFP) was much higher than that of other VOC species at all stages of aircraft operations. Acetone, propionaldehyde, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and ethylene were the greatest contributors to ozone production. This study comprehensively measured the distribution characteristics of VOCs, and its results will aid in the construction of a source profile inventory of VOCs emitted from aircraft sources in real atmospheric environments.

Development of the Business Plan for the Mini Oil Refinery: Theoretical, Methodological and Practical Aspects

Objective: The article presents the project for a mini oil refinery in one of the territories of the Russian Federation (hereinafter referred to as “identified territory”) where oil refining capacities are not yet in place. Methods: The research involved analysis of the topic related scientific and methodological literature, comparison, systematization, generalization and research of up to date materials. Results: General scientific and special methods supported the results of the study: the personnel list of a mini oil refinery was compiled and reflected in the staff roster; initial costs for construction of the mini oil refining business were calculated, as well as expenses for further maintenance and financial indicators for the enterprise best performance were developed. Conclusion: General characteristics of the refinery enterprise are reflected in the article including its capacity, location, name of the enterprise, sources of raw materials and location environment. Advantages and disadvantages of the mini oil refinery in the region are considered. The need for the mini oil refinery in the territory and favorable environment to its creation are both substantiated. Investments and financial calculations of the project are determined.

Multi-Functional Actuators Made with Biomass-Based Graphene-Polymer Films for Intelligent Gesture Recognition and Multi-Mode Self-Powered Sensing.

Multi-functional actuation systems involve the mechanical integration of multiple actuation and sensor devices with external energy sources. The intricate combination makes it difficult to meet the requirements of lightweight. Hence, polypyrrole@graphene-bacterial cellulose (PPy@G-BC) films are proposed to construct multi-responsive and bilayer actuators integrated with multi-mode self-powered sensing function. The PPy@G-BC film not only exhibits good photo-thermoelectric (PTE) properties but also possesses good hydrophilicity and high Young's modulus. Thus, the PPy@G-BC films are used as active layers in multi-responsive bilayer actuators integrated with self-powered sensing functions. Here, two types of multi-functional actuators integrated with self-powered sensing functions is designed. One is a light-driven actuator that realizes the self-powered temperature sensing function through the PTE effect. Assisted by a machine learning algorithm, the self-powered bionic hand can realize intelligent gesture recognition with an accuracy rate of 96.8%. The other is humidity-driven actuators integrated a zinc-air battery, which can realize self-powered humidity sensing. Based on the above advantages, these two multi-functional actuators are ingeniously integrated into a single device, which can simultaneously perform self-powered temperature/humidity sensing while grasping objects. The highly integrated design enables the efficient utilization of environmental energy sources and complementary synergistic monitoring of multiple physical properties without increasing system complexity.

The reverse zoonosis transfer cycle from the human-animal-plant-environment interface: How antibiotic-resistant bacteria from humans threaten the environment and fuel the rise of superbugs

The uncontrolled use of antibiotics for the treatment of human diseases and animal farming led to a global crisis in the form of the re-emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB). This paper critically explores the reverse zoonosis transfer cycle and highlights facts about ARB in the environment and re-infections in humans. ARB shed by humans through various routes contaminates the environment, where it can persist and even thrive. The contaminated reservoir and various environmental sources aid ARB strains to re-enter the human vicinity and re-infect human populations, where they may be in the healthcare system in the form of resistance to multiple antibiotics. These strains are called “superbugs,” leading to potentially untreatable infections. This paper discusses the evidence for this hypothesis, highlighting the consequences for public health and the environment. Hence, it explores the implications for antibiotic stewardship and emphasizes the urgency of developing alternative strategies to combat antibiotic resistance (AR) and the reverse zoonosis transfer cycle (RZTC).

Resource and environmental carrying capacity study of Kubai Coalfield in Xinjiang based on RS and GIS

The study of resource and environmental carrying capacity (RECC) is critical to the ecological environmental protection and sustainable development of mining areas. Using multi-source remote sensing data such as Landsat5 and Landsat8, as well as socioeconomic statistics, the impact mechanism of the Kubai Coalfield's RECC was analyzed using the theory of Driving-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR), and a three-level evaluation index system of 1-5-18 was proposed. The cloud model enhanced Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to estimate the weight value of each assessment index. The Kubai Coalfield's RECC was calculated by superimposing the weights of different variables, and the contributing elements and changing trends of the RECC were investigated. The RECC of the Kubai Coalfield is highest in the east, second highest in the west, and lowest in the center, according to the results. The vegetation cover of the mining area has a direct impact on the RECC, and mining activity is the primary cause of the change in carrying capacity; however, coal mining has a lagging effect on the RECC. The study's findings serve as a guide for the quantitative assessment of RECC of Xinjiang's environmentally vulnerable mining sites and offer theoretical justification for the approach taken in the study of RECC of mining areas and the preservation of ecological environment sources.

Optimization of Culture Conditions and Batch Process Control for the Augmented Production of Bacteriocin by Bacillus Species.

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms poses a significant threat to human health worldwide. Recent advances have led to the discovery of molecules with potent antimicrobial activity from environmental sources. In this study, fifteen bacterial isolates were obtained from agricultural and polluted soil samples collected from different areas of the cities of Jizan and Jeddah. These isolates were screened for antagonistic activity against a set of human pathogenic bacterial strains. The results showed that two Bacillus strains, identified as Bacillus atrophaeus and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens based on 16S rDNA, synthesized bacteriocin with strong antibacterial activity against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) ATCC 33591, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027, Salmonella typhimum ATCC 14028, carbapenem-resistant E. coli, and MRSA 2. To optimize bacteriocin production, the effects of medium composition, incubation period, temperature, and pH were investigated. Nutrient broth and Mueller-Hinton broth were chosen as the optimal original media for bacteriocin production. The optimal incubation period, temperature, and pH were found to be 48 h at 37 °C and 7 pH in Bacillus atrophaeus and 72 h at 37 °C and 8 pH in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Batch cultures of Bacillus atrophaeus and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens were grown in a 10 L benchtop bioreactor, and pH control was found to significantly increase the production of bacteriocin by two-fold compared to uncontrolled conditions. The time course of growth, substrate consumption, pH, and enzyme production were investigated. This study demonstrates the potential of optimizing culture conditions and batch process control to enhance bacteriocin production by Bacillus spp.