High Molecular Weight Organic Matter Research Articles

Pulsed inputs of high molecular weight organic matter shift the mechanisms of substrate utilisation in marine bacterial communities.

Heterotrophic bacteria hydrolyze high molecular weight (HMW) organic matter extracellularly prior to uptake, resulting in diffusive loss of hydrolysis products. An alternative 'selfish' uptake mechanism that minimises this loss has recently been found to be common in the ocean. We investigated how HMW organic matter addition affects these two processing mechanisms in surface and bottom waters at three stations in the North Atlantic Ocean. A pulse of HMW organic matter increased cell numbers, as well as the rate and spectrum of extracellular enzymatic activities at both depths. The effects on selfish uptake were more differentiated: in Gulf Stream surface waters and productive surface waters south of Newfoundland, selfish uptake of structurally simple polysaccharides increased upon HMW organic matter addition. The number of selfish bacteria taking up structurally complex polysaccharides, however, was largely unchanged. In contrast, in the oligotrophic North Atlantic gyre, despite high external hydrolysis rates, the number of selfish bacteria was unchanged, irrespective of polysaccharide structure. In deep bottom waters (> 4000 m), structurally complex substrates were processed only by selfish bacteria. Mechanisms of substrate processing-and the extent to which hydrolysis products are released to the external environment-depend on substrate structural complexity and the resident bacterial community.

Applying sludge hydrolysate as a carbon source for biological denitrification after composition optimization via red soil filtration

Sludge hydrolysate, the byproduct generated during sludge hydrothermal treatment (HT), is a potential carbon source for biological denitrification. However, the refractory organic matters and the nutrient substances are unfavorable to the nitrogen removal. In this study, effects of HT conditions on the hydrolysate properties, and the hydrolysate compositions optimization via red soil (RS) filtration were investigated. At HT temperature of 160–220 °C and reaction time of 1–4 h, the highest dissolution rate of organics from sludge to hydrolysate achieved 70.1 %, while the acetic acid dominated volatile fatty acids (VFAs) was no more than 5.0 % of the total organic matter content. The NH4+-N and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) were the main nitrogen species in hydrolysate. When the hydrolysate was filtered by RS, the high molecular weight organic matters, DON, NH4+ and PO43− were effectively retained by RS, while VFAs and polysaccharide favorable for denitrification were kept in the filtrate. When providing same COD as the carbon source, the filtrate group (Fi-Group) introduced lower concentrations of TN and humic substances but higher content of VFAs. This resulted in TN removal rate (57.0 %) and denitrification efficiency (93.6 %) in Fi-Group higher than those in hydrolysate group (Hy-Group), 39.4 % and 83.7 %, respectively. It is noticeable that both Hy- and Fi- Groups up-regulated most of denitrification functional genes, and increased the richness and diversity of denitrifying bacteria. Also, more denitrifying bacteria genera appeared, and their relative abundance increased significantly from 3.31 % in Control to 21.15 % in Hy- Group and 31.31 % in Fi-Group. This indicates that the filtrate is a more suitable carbon source for denitrification than hydrolysate. Moreover, the pH rose from 4.6 ± 0.14 to 6.5 ± 0.05, and the organic carbon, TN, TP and cation exchange capacity (CEC) of RS increased as well after being filtered, implying that the trapped compounds may have the potential to improve soil quality. This study provides a new insight for hydrolysate application according to its composition characteristics, and helps make the most use of wasted sludge.

Ecological function and interaction of different bacterial groups during alginate processing in coastal seawater community

The degradation of high molecular weight organic matter (HMWOM) is a core process of oceanic carbon cycle, which is determined by the activity of microbial communities harboring hundreds of different species. Illustrating the active microbes and their interactions during HMWOM processing can provide key information for revealing the relationship between community composition and its ecological functions. In this study, the genomic and transcriptional responses of microbial communities to the availability of alginate, an abundant HMWOM in coastal ecosystem, were elucidated. The main degraders transcribing alginate lyase (Aly) genes came from genera Alteromonas, Psychrosphaera and Colwellia. Meanwhile, some strains, mainly from the Rhodobacteraceae family, did not transcribe Aly gene but could utilize monosaccharides to grow. The co-culture experiment showed that the activity of Aly-producing strain could promote the growth of Aly-non-producing strain when alginate was the sole carbon source. Interestingly, this interaction did not reduce the alginate degradation rate, possibly due to the easily degradable nature of alginate. This study can improve our understanding of the relationship between microbial community activity and alginate metabolism function as well as further manipulation of microbial community structure for alginate processing.

Novel insight into secondary effluent quality improvement and ultrafiltration fouling mitigation by UV/peracetic acid pretreatment

Ultrafiltration (UF) technology is widely used in the treatment for deep purification of municipal secondary effluent, however, the membrane fouling and low removal of N, P, and organic matter during actual operation have been the main bottlenecks limiting its wide-spread application. To address the above problems, this study employed peracetic acid (PAA) and UV/PAA to evaluate the effects of PAA-based pre-oxidation on ultrafiltration membrane fouling and secondary effluent water quality. The results demonstrated that the activated PAA pre-oxidation could prominently enhance the hydrophilicity of effluent organic matter, effectively destroy the high molecular weight organic matter and mineralize the low molecular weight organic matter. PAA and its metabolites, as well as the by-products of EfOM, increased the C/P ratio in water samples from 118 to 563 and the C/N ratio from 0.86 to 8.53. After UV/20 mg/L PAA pretreatment, the reversible and irreversible membrane fouling resistance significantly decreased by 55.97 % and 65.67 %, respectively. Moreover, the extended Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (XDLVO) theory showed lower adhere potential of the foulants to the membrane surface. In general, UV/PAA as ultrafiltration pretreatment has a huge potential for secondary effluent treatment for membrane fouling mitigation and water quality improvement.

Unraveling the impact of dissolved organic matter on arsenic mobilization in alluvial aquifer of the lower Yellow River basin, Northern China

Increased exposure to arsenic (As) has been reported in many arid and semi-arid areas, where drinking water and agricultural irrigation strongly rely on groundwater. High-As groundwater occurred widely in the Northern Henan Plain, which belongs to the lower Yellow River alluvial plain area, posing a new threat to the health of local residents. Based on 77 groundwater samples collected from different hydrogeological units, the sources and optical characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) components in groundwater were analyzed using a three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy excitation-emission matrix (3D-EEM) and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC), to reveal the influence of organic matter on As mobilization and enrichment in Quaternary alluvial aquifers. The results showed that high-As groundwater was concentrated in the areas of the piedmont alluvial depressions and the Yellow River crevasse splay, which was closely related to the richness of organic matter in the buried sediments of the Yellow River paleochannels. Vertically, the variability of groundwater As was governed by the redox conditions and anthropogenic activities, leading to elevated As levels in deep aquifers. High-As groundwater was characterized by high content of humic-like components (C2+C3), strong humification, and weak authigenic sources, which can be attributed to the effects of frequent diversion of the Yellow River and the introduction of more terrestrial humic-like components by intensive agricultural activities (e.g., irrigation). The significant correlations between Fe2+ and As and NH4+ (r = 0.65, 0.48, p < 0.05) as well as the maximum fluorescence intensity of C2 and C3 with As (r = 0.59, 0.74, p < 0.05) reflected the dominant impact of DOM on As migration. The terrestrial-derived high molecular weight organic matter C2 facilitated As mobilization through complexation reactions, while the labile humic-like component C3 triggered the reductive dissolution of iron oxides/hydroxides through microbial metabolic processes, which together contributed to the enrichment of As in groundwater from the Northern Henan Plain.

Depth-related patterns in microbial community responses to complex organic matter in the western North Atlantic Ocean

Abstract. Oceanic bacterial communities process a major fraction of marine organic carbon. A substantial portion of this carbon transformation occurs in the mesopelagic zone, and a further fraction fuels bacteria in the bathypelagic zone. However, the capabilities and limitations of the diverse microbial communities at these depths to degrade high-molecular-weight (HMW) organic matter are not well constrained. Here, we compared the responses of distinct microbial communities from North Atlantic epipelagic (0–200 m), mesopelagic (200–1000 m), and bathypelagic (1000–4000 m) waters at two open-ocean stations to the same input of diatom-derived HMW particulate and dissolved organic matter. Microbial community composition and functional responses to the input of HMW organic matter – as measured by polysaccharide hydrolase, glucosidase, and peptidase activities – were very similar between the stations, which were separated by 1370 km but showed distinct patterns with depth. Changes in microbial community composition coincided with changes in enzymatic activities: as bacterial community composition changed in response to the addition of HMW organic matter, the rate and spectrum of enzymatic activities increased. In epipelagic mesocosms, the spectrum of peptidase activities became especially broad and glucosidase activities were very high, a pattern not seen at other depths, which, in contrast, were dominated by leucine aminopeptidase and had much lower peptidase and glucosidase rates in general. The spectrum of polysaccharide hydrolase activities was enhanced particularly in epipelagic and mesopelagic mesocosms, with fewer enhancements in rates or spectrum in bathypelagic waters. The timing and magnitude of these distinct functional responses to the same HMW organic matter varied with depth. Our results highlight the importance of residence times at specific depths in determining the nature and quantity of organic matter reaching the deep sea.

Particles act as 'specialty centers' with expanded enzymatic function throughout the water column in the western North Atlantic.

Heterotrophic bacteria initiate the degradation of high molecular weight organic matter by producing an array of extracellular enzymes to hydrolyze complex organic matter into sizes that can be taken up into the cell. These bacterial communities differ spatially and temporally in composition, and potentially also in their enzymatic complements. Previous research has shown that particle-associated bacteria can be considerably more active than bacteria in the surrounding bulk water, but most prior studies of particle-associated bacteria have been focused on the upper ocean - there are few measurements of enzymatic activities of particle-associated bacteria in the mesopelagic and bathypelagic ocean, although the bacterial communities in the deep are dependent upon degradation of particulate organic matter to fuel their metabolism. We used a broad suite of substrates to compare the glucosidase, peptidase, and polysaccharide hydrolase activities of particle-associated and unfiltered seawater microbial communities in epipelagic, mesopelagic, and bathypelagic waters across 11 stations in the western North Atlantic. We concurrently determined bacterial community composition of unfiltered seawater and of samples collected via gravity filtration (>3 μm). Overall, particle-associated bacterial communities showed a broader spectrum of enzyme activities compared with unfiltered seawater communities. These differences in enzymatic activities were greater at offshore than at coastal locations, and increased with increasing depth in the ocean. The greater differences in enzymatic function measured on particles with depth coincided with increasing differences in particle-associated community composition, suggesting that particles act as ‘specialty centers’ that are essential for degradation of organic matter even at bathypelagic depths.

The advanced treatment of textile printing and dyeing wastewater by hydrodynamic cavitation and ozone: Degradation, mechanism, and transformation of dissolved organic matter

The emission standards for textile printing and dyeing wastewater are stricter due to serious environmental issues. A novel technology, hydrodynamic cavitation combined with ozone (HC + O3), has attracted wide attention in wastewater advanced treatment, whereas the contaminants removal mechanism and transformation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) were rarely reported. This study investigated the removal efficiency and mechanism of HC + O3. The maximum removal rates of UV254, chrominance, CODCr, and TOC were 64.99%, 91.90%, 32.30%, and 36.67% in 60 min, respectively, at the inlet pressure of 0.15 MPa and O3 dosage of 6.25 mmol/L. The synergetic coefficient of HC + O3 was 2.77. The removal of contaminants was the synergy of 1O2, ·OH and ·O2−, and high molecular weight and strong aromaticity organic matters were degraded effectively. The main components in DOM were tryptophan-like and tyrosine-like, which were effectively removed after HC + O3. Meanwhile, most DOM had decreased to low apparent relative molecular weight (LARMW) compounds. Additionally, the HC + O3 effluent can reach the emission standard in 60 min for 8.07 USD/m3. It can be concluded that HC + O3 is an effective technology for the advanced treatment of industrial wastewater. This study will provide suggestions for the engineering application of HC + O3.

Impact of hydroxyl aluminum speciation on dewaterability and pollutants release of dredged sludge using polymeric aluminum chloride

Flocculation conditioning is a common pretreatment step for dredged sludge dewatering, while various pollutants in sludge might release into the residual water during flocculation conditioning and dewatering process, leading to secondary pollution. In this study, polymeric aluminum chloride (PAC) with different alkalinity was used as conditioners to enhance the dewaterability of dredged sludge in Baiyangdian Lake, and effects of hydroxyl aluminum speciation on dewatering performance and release of pollutants of dredged sludge were investigated. The results showed that the surface positive charge density of the mediumly polymeric hydroxyl aluminum (Alb) and highly polymeric hydroxyl aluminum (Alc) was higher, and the produced flocs were more compact, the abundant pore structure in flocs enhanced the water transport capacity and dewatering performance. Correlation analysis results showed that the release of heavy metals in residual water was mainly related to Ala, and the release of high molecular weight organic matter (aromatic protein), nitrogen and phosphorus was related to Alb, while Alc helped reduce pollutions in residual water. Alc showed better performance in improving dredged sludge dewaterability, and reduce the release of pollutants. This study provides an optimized strategy of flocculants for dredged sludge treatment based on aluminum speciation control.

TYPE OF BURIAL AND ADAPTATION OF THE GEOLOGICAL AGES WITH THE SEDIMENTATION OF THE ORGANIC MATTER FOR THE DIFFERENT LAYERS FOR THE TARFAYAS OIL SHALE DEPOSIT (MOROCCO)

The Tarfayas oil shale deposit is of considerable importance and ranks among the marine deposits. The organic matter (kerogen) of this type of shale is quantitatively variable according to the layers ranging from Z0 to Z4 (deep layer) A certain migration of organic matter occurred during burial in the deep layers Z3 and Z4 of the Tarfaya deposit, the light organic matter was concentrated (by rising) in the Z3 layer, conversely the high molecular weight matter descended in the Z4 layer. Dynamic thermogravimetry was used to quantify the overall organic matter and UV spectroscopy was used to monitor the amount of high molecular weight organic matter (heavy organic matter).The sedimentation of organic matter in the Tarfaya deposit, generally formed by algal and zooplankton debris as well as other marine life, depended on the climate of the geological eras. The geological eras in question are the secondary and tertiary eras, and organic matter is logically abundant when the climate is warm.This work allowed us to adapt the geological stages to the variability of the kerogen quantities in the layers. Useful tests in this work are thermogravimetric results in microanalysis by the Red Croft (micro flail thermobalance), UV spectroscopy and dispersive X-ray.

Unraveling the impact of iron oxides-organic matter complexes on iodine mobilization in alluvial-lacustrine aquifers from central Yangtze River Basin

The biodegradation of organic matter triggers the reductive dissolution of iron oxides with the transformation among iodine species has been mostly accepted as the key iodine mobilization process in groundwater system. However, molecular characteristics of natural organic matter (NOM) and their interaction with iron oxides on geogenic iodine enrichment remain unclear. We used Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) to characterize the molecular composition of both dissolved organic matter (DOM) in groundwater and water-soluble organic matter (WSOM) in aquifer sediments being depth-matched with groundwater from monitoring wells in typical iodine-affected aquifers within the central Yangtze River Basin. The results show that WSOM in high-iodine sediments contains more high molecular weight (HMW) organic compounds with higher aromaticity and nominal oxidation state of carbon (NOSC), including polycyclic aromatics, polyphenols and highly unsaturated compounds. These compounds are mostly positively associated with amorphous iron oxides (Feox1) in aquifer sediments. The association between iodine and WSOM is highly consistent with that between amorphous Feox1 and WSOM, but is contrary to that between crystalline iron oxides (Feox2) and WSOM. DOM in groundwater with higher iodine concentration contains more aliphatic compounds and less polyphenols. The complexation of HMW organic compounds of WSOM to iodine-bearing amorphous Feox1 plays an important role in iodine mobilization, which could inhibit the amorphous Feox1 transformation to crystalline Feox2. These observations indicate the biodegradation of HMW organic matter (polycyclic aromatics, polyphenols and highly unsaturated compounds) in WSOM fueling the reductive dissolution of amorphous Feox1 predominantly promotes the release of iodine from aquifer sediments into groundwater. This research provides new insights into the mobilization mechanisms of iodine in alluvial-lacustrine groundwater system controlled by the Fe-OM complexation at the molecular level.

Dual role of boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode in effluent organic matter degradation and ultrafiltration membrane fouling mitigation

Ultrafiltration (UF) is effective in retaining macromolecules during tertiary treatment, but the membrane fouling caused by the effluent organic matter (EfOM) limits its application. This study employed electrochemical oxidation (EO) as a pretreatment method for UF in tertiary treatment to investigate the effects of anode materials on membrane fouling alleviation and EfOM degradation. Compared with the dimensionally stable (DSA) and platinum (Pt) anodes, EO with a boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode exhibited better performances for membrane fouling mitigation due to the higher hydroxyl radical production activity of the BDD anode. It was observed that the current density and electrolysis time were closely related to membrane fouling when using a BDD anode, where increasing the current density or electrolysis time led to a significant improvement of specific flux. The BDD-based pre-oxidation efficiently removed 64% DOC, 76% UV254, and 95% fluorescence organic matter in EfOM, among which the concentrations of DOC and UV254 were positively correlated with the total fouling index (TFI). Meanwhile, 70% SMX in the secondary effluent was removed by the BDD anode. Furthermore, the BDD anode also mitigated membrane fouling by decomposing high molecular weight organic matter into smaller fractions and enhancing the electrostatic repulsion between membrane and EfOM. Therefore, the BDD-based EO process is a promising pretreatment strategy for UF to alleviate membrane fouling and improve the permeate quality.

Effect of Oxidation on the Formation of Disinfectant By-products of Low Molecular Weight Organic Matter

Some natural organic compounds (NOC) such as aromatic compounds can trigger the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs). In chlorination (disinfectant) process resultant water quality depletes. Some safe alternative oxidants are needed for cleaning water pollutants. KMnO4 had shown better oxidation results, especially for reducing aromatic and non-aromatic organic compounds present in water. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of KMnO4 and Ca(OCl)2 oxidants on the concentration of high and low molecular weight organic matter including aromatic compounds in the water sample. In this experiment, artificial organic compounds, namely sinapic acid (high molecular weight aromatic compound) and resorcinol (low molecular weight aromatic compound) were used to identify the characteristic of organic matter under different molecular weights. Sinapic acid and resorcinol were oxidized by using KMnO4 and Ca(OCl)2 with a minimum contact time of 60 minutes. Samples were analyzed for aromatic contents and total organic carbon (TOC) before and after completion of the experiment by using UV-Vis spectrophotometer at 254 nm wavelength (UV254). It has been observed that both oxidants increased TOC concentration. Ca(OCl)2 produces a higher percentage of organic matter degradation by-products (DBPs) such as chloroform (CHCl3) a highly toxic compound than KMnO4. Since Ca(OCl)2 has a higher oxidation potential than KMnO4. It has been observed that KMnO4 is a safer oxidant than Ca(OCl)2 as potassium permanganate produces less amount of DBPs.

A sea change in microbial enzymes: Heterogeneous latitudinal and depth‐related gradients in bulk water and particle‐associated enzymatic activities from 30°S to 59°N in the Pacific Ocean

AbstractHeterotrophic microbes initiate the degradation of high molecular weight organic matter using extracellular enzymes. Our understanding of differences in microbial enzymatic capabilities, especially among particle‐associated taxa and in the deep ocean, is limited by a paucity of hydrolytic enzyme activity measurements. Here, we measured the activities of a broad range of hydrolytic enzymes (glucosidases, peptidases, polysaccharide hydrolases) in epipelagic to bathypelagic bulk water (nonsize‐fractionated), and on particles (≥ 3 μm) along a 9800 km latitudinal transect from 30°S in the South Pacific to 59°N in the Bering Sea. Individual enzyme activities showed heterogeneous latitudinal and depth‐related patterns, with varying biotic and abiotic correlates. With increasing latitude and decreasing temperature, lower laminarinase activities sharply contrasted with higher leucine aminopeptidase (leu‐AMP) and chondroitin sulfate hydrolase activities in bulk water. Endopeptidases (chymotrypsins, trypsins) exhibited patchy spatial patterns, and their activities can exceed rates of the widely measured exopeptidase, leu‐AMP. Compared to bulk water, particle‐associated enzymatic profiles featured a greater relative importance of endopeptidases, as well as a broader spectrum of polysaccharide hydrolases in some locations, and latitudinal and depth‐related trends that are likely consequences of varying particle fluxes. As water depth increased, enzymatic spectra on particles and in bulk water became narrower, and diverged more from one another. These distinct latitudinal and depth‐related gradients of enzymatic activities underscore the biogeochemical consequences of emerging global patterns of microbial community structure and function, from surface to deep waters, and among particle‐associated taxa.

Hydrolysis of particulate organic matter from municipal wastewater under aerobic treatment

Hydrolysis of particulate organic matter is known to be a limiting step in biological wastewater treatment. In this work, we used an experimental set-up, which allowed the parallel observation of hydrolysis product formation on the one side and utilization on the other side. The hydrolysis products are characterized by using size exclusion chromatography with online carbon and UV (254 nm) detection. The used particles (size: 25–250 μm) originated from municipal wastewater. Here, it is shown that the concentration of high molecular weight organic matter increases over the first three days. During this time, bacteria grow and produce the required enzymes to perform the further degradation. The oxygen utilization rate (OUR) on the other side continuously develops, confirming the presence of easily biodegradable organic matter. In parallel, the amount of bacteria and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) undergoes a certain dynamics, which was visualized by using confocal laser scanning images.

Genome characteristics of Kordia antarctica IMCC3317T and comparative genome analysis of the genus Kordia

The genus Kordia is one of many genera affiliated with the family Flavobacteriaceae of the phylum Bacteroidetes, well known for its degradation of high molecular weight organic matters. The genus Kordia currently comprises eight species, type strains of which have been isolated from a diverse range of marine environments. As of this report, four genome sequences have been submitted for cultured strains of Kordia, but none are complete nor have they been analyzed comprehensively. In this study, we report the complete genome of Kordia antarctica IMCC3317T, isolated from coastal seawater off the Antarctic Peninsula. The complete genome of IMCC3317T consists of a single circular chromosome with 5.5 Mbp and a 33.2 mol% of G+C DNA content. The IMCC3317T genome showed features typical of chemoheterotrophic marine bacteria and similar to other Kordia genomes, such as complete gene sets for the Embden–Meyerhof–Parnas glycolysis pathway, tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. The genome also encoded many carbohydrate-active enzymes, some of which were clustered into approximately seven polysaccharide utilization loci, thereby demonstrating the potential for polysaccharide utilization. Finally, a nosZ gene encoding nitrous oxide reductase, an enzyme that catalyzes the reduction of N2O to N2 gas, was also unique to the IMCC3317T genome.

Characterization of Algal Organic Matter of Microcystis sp.: Disinfection By-Product (DBP) Formation Potential and Treatability

Objectives This study was evaluated the disinfection by-product formation potential (DBPFP) in the algal organic matter of Microcystis sp. (M-AOM), which lives in the downstream Maeri area of Nakdong River, and the removal efficiency by each drinking water treatment process. Methods M-AOM were prepared by ultrasound/extraction/filtration using Microcystis sp. from Maeri area in the downstream of Nakdong River. M-AOM and Nakdong river water sample (N-NOM) were compared to removal efficiency of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and DBPFP in the coagulation/settlement (Coag./Sedi.), biological activated carbon (BAC) and granular activated carbon (GAC) processes. The treatment efficiency characteristics of DOM were evaluated by LC-OCD and fluorescence spectrophotometer. DBPFP was analyzed for trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP), haloacetic acids FP (HAAFP), haloacetonitrile FP (HANFP) and chloral hydrate FP (CHFP), respectively. Jar-tester was used for the Coag./Sedi., the BAC and GAC process were conducted using a laboratory scale acrylic column with an empty bed contact time (EBCT) of 20 min. Results and Discussion The contents of humic substances (HS) was high at 50.9% in N-NOM, whereas it was content 26.0% of biopolymers (BP) and LMW-acid (LMW-A) was high at 30.6% in M-NOM. In case of DBPFP, THMFP accounted for 59.5% of the total in N-NOM but CHFP and HANFP accounted for 49.6% and 23.3%, respectively in M-AOM. Thus, There were many differences in the composition of DOM and DBPFP of N-NOM and M-AOM. Both N-NOM and M-AOM showed a high removal efficiency of high molecular weight (HMW) organic matters (BP and HS) during the Coag./Sedi. process, whereas low molecular weight (LMW) organic matters (BB and LMW-org) was high during the GAC and the BAC processes, and the removal efficiency was somewhat different. Residual BP after Coag./Sedi. process was more easily removed by the biodegradation in BAC process rather than GAC process. THMFP and HAAFP which originated from AOM, were able to eliminated about 90% by the Coag./Sedi. process, which was very similar to the removal rate of BP and HS among DOM constituents and they were judged to be involved in THM formation. However, the removal rate of HANFP and CHFP was low, and it could be suspected that HANFP and CHFP formation were occurred in LMW organic matters showing low removal rate by the Coag./Sedi. process. The removal rates of CHFP and HANFP relatively high in the BAC process and total DBPFP showed high removal efficiency in the GAC process. Conclusions N-NOM had high contents of HS (50.9%), but M-AOM had high contents of BP (26.0%) and LMW-A (30.6%). THMFP accounted for 59.5% in total DBPFP of the N-NOM and CHFP (49.6%) and HANFP (23.3%) occupied high rate in the DBPFP of M-AOM. N-NOM and M-AOM were high removal from HMW organic matters (BP, HS) showed high removal efficiency by the Coag./Sedi. process, LMW organic matters showed high removal efficiency in the GAC and BAC processes. Also, residual BP after Coag./Sedi. was easily removed by biodegradation in the BAC rather than adsorption in the GAC process. THM and HAA formed in M-AOM could be removed about 90% by Coag./Sedi. process, whereas it was difficult to remove HANFP and CHFP by Coag./Sedi. process. CHFP and HANFP had relatively high removal efficiency in the BAC process and DBPFP removal was excellent overall in the GAC process. Key words: Microcystis sp., Algal Organic Matter (AOM), Disinfection By-Product, Drinking Water Treatment Process, Treatability

Formation and interdependence of disinfection byproducts during chlorination of natural organic matter in a conventional drinking water treatment plant.

It is crucial to explore the source, formation process and interdependence of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) to reduce their risk on public health. In this investigation, a source water was chlorinated to evaluate the initial formation rates and the maximum yields of trichloromethane (TCM), dichloroacetic acid (DCAA), and trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) based on a hyperbola model. The results showed that TCM achieved the highest initial formation rate and maximum theoretical concentration compared with DCAA and TCAA. The TCM yield can be used to forecast the yields of DCAA and TCAA throughout the whole reaction process, and the yields of chloral hydrate (CH), dichloroacetonitrile (DCAN) and 1,1,1-trichloropropanone (1,1,1-TCP) within the initial reaction stage. Besides, the raw water, settled water and filtered water collected from a drinking water treatment plant were divided into five fractions, respectively, by ultrafiltration membranes to evaluate their DBP formation after chlorination. Compared with the medium molecular weight species, high and low molecular weight organic matters exhibited relatively high specific regulated and unregulated DBP yields (expressed as μg/mg C), respectively. Humic acid-like compositions predominantly contributed to regulated DBP yields, while soluble microbial by-product-like compounds preferentially generated DCAN. The correlation study revealed that the TCM could also serve as an indicator for the measured DBPs from chlorination of sample fractions with different molecular weight. Finally, it was found that the theoretical cytotoxicity was enhanced during chlorination of filtered water compared with chlorination of settled water.

Modulation of hydrolytic profiles of cell-bound and cell-free exoenzymes in Antarctic marine bacterial isolates

Microbial degradation of high molecular weight organic matter in the marine environment is dependent on the synthesis and activity of hydrolytic exoenzymes. These can be found both associated to the cell (i.e., attached to cell-wall or in the periplasmic space) and cell-free, dissolved in the surrounding waters. Recent evidences suggest that exoenzymes location is linked to different foraging strategies. ‘Selfish’ bacteria use cell-bound enzymes to obtain large oligomers which are then further degraded in the confined periplasmic space, whereas cell-free enzymes are thought to be advantageous for particle-attached prokaryotes, consequently ‘sharing’ the hydrolysis product with other members of the degrading consortium. We examined whether different bacterial isolates exhibit different exoenzymatic activity profiles when exposed to different growth condition. Seven bacterial strains, isolated from the Ross Sea, were screened for the production of β-glucosidase, alkaline-phosphatase, lipase, chitinase and leucine aminopeptidase, assaying the hydrolysis rates of both cell-bound and cell-free exoenzymatic fractions. Furthermore, to test whether bacteria growing on particles are more prone to produce cell-free exoenzymes, we set up a controlled experiment, amending one of the bacterial isolates with phytodetritus, in order to promote the colonization of aggregates. Cell specific hydrolytic rates were highly variable and different isolates expressed different dominant hydrolytic activities. These results demonstrate a specialization for different substrates in different bacteria, further suggesting that some of the tested isolates may have an intrinsic potential to copiously produce cell-free exoenzymes. Moreover, our results suggest that this specialization is not strictly genetically determined but varies according to growth conditions. The experiment performed with phytodetrital particles highlighted an increasing contribution of the dissolved exoenzymatic activity in samples bearing aggregates and associated bacteria. Also, the tested isolate further modulated its hydrolytic machinery, expressing a different enzymatic profile when exposed to phytodetrital particles. The continuation of these experimental activities, testing the response of different bacterial isolates to different substrates, will help to determine the conditions under which different hydrolysis patterns develop, deepening the current knowledge on the organic matter cycling in the ocean.

Metabolic diversity within the globally abundant Marine Group II Euryarchaea offers insight into ecological patterns

Despite their discovery over 25 years ago, the Marine Group II Euryarchaea (MGII) remain a difficult group of organisms to study, lacking cultured isolates and genome references. The MGII have been identified in marine samples from around the world, and evidence supports a photoheterotrophic lifestyle combining phototrophy via proteorhodopsins with the remineralization of high molecular weight organic matter. Divided between two clades, the MGII have distinct ecological patterns that are not understood based on the limited number of available genomes. Here, I present a comparative genomic analysis of 250 MGII genomes, providing a comprehensive investigation of these mesophilic archaea. This analysis identifies 17 distinct subclades including nine subclades that previously lacked reference genomes. The metabolic potential and distribution of the MGII genera reveals distinct roles in the environment, identifying algal-saccharide-degrading coastal subclades, protein-degrading oligotrophic surface ocean subclades, and mesopelagic subclades lacking proteorhodopsins, common in all other subclades.