Oxidation-reduction Potential Research Articles

Enhanced phosphorus removal from anoxic water using oxygen-carrying iron-rich biochar: Combined roles of adsorption and keystone taxa

Anthropogenic enrichment of phosphorus (P) in water environment can cause eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, and water quality deterioration. Adsorbents are often used for the removal and recovery of P from water, however, P is highly susceptible to re-release in anoxic benthic environments. As a response, this study prepared oxygen-carrying iron-rich biochar (O-Fe-BC) as an effective oxygen micro-nanobubble carrier (Q = 8.7024 cm³/g STP at 1.5 MPa) and P adsorbent (qm = 16.7097 mg P/g, q0.1 = 3.1974 mg P/g). Over the 90-day experimental period with O-Fe-BC, dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in the overlying water could maintain at ∼4 mg/L (peaking at ∼9.5 mg/L), and total phosphorus (TP) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) levels decreased by over 96 %. The higher inorganic phosphorus content in the surface sediment-biochar mixture, along with the lower labile P and Fe concentration in the sediment pore water in the O-Fe-BC group compared to other groups, suggested the enhanced P immobilization. Further mechanism exploration revealed the combined roles of adsorption and microbial response, in which O-Fe-BC achieved efficient phosphate adsorption primarily through inner-sphere complexation via ligand exchange and keystone taxa (particularly Candidatus Electronema) played a crucial role in driving water chemistry divergence. Specially, these cable bacteria could provide large pools of Fe oxides in the surface sediment, binding with P to prevent its release, as supported by significant correlations between Ca. Electronema abundance and oxidation–reduction potential (ORP), TP, SRP, and sediment Fe-P variations. Additionally, a pot experiment with mung bean seedlings showed that the recovered O-Fe-BC significantly promoted the seed germination and growth, indicating its potential as a novel material for removing and recovering P from eutrophic waters. Taken together, our work provided a promising strategy for sustainable anoxia and P pollution mitigation, and also highlighted the indispensable roles of inner-sphere adsorption in P recovery and microbial keystone taxa in P cycling regulation.

Anoxic Manganese Bioleaching – Investigation of Scale-up Parameters in a Stirred Bioreactor

Presently huge operation costs arising from aeration and high electron donor requirements accompanied by low metal recovery rates are some impediments to the large-scale application of bioleaching for low-grade ores. The current study investigates key parameters for scaling up anoxic bioleaching, which overcomes some of the above shortcomings, on polymetallic manganese nodules using soil-based manganese-reducing bacterial consortia in a stirred bioreactor. Operating conditions such as carbon source concentration and pulp density were optimized. Parameters like pH, oxidation–reduction potential (ORP), and microbial growth were monitored in the bioreactor in both stirred and non-stirred conditions. The Mn(IV) reduction and dissolution in the bioreactor was 27 (±2.8)% over 30 days, which significantly enhanced to 43 (±1.5)% and 42 (±0.35)% in the presence of humic acid and anthraquinone sulfonic acid, respectively, in 15 days. A maximum dissolution of 21 (±4.1)% Cu, 10 (±3.0)% Ni, 18 (±4.7)% Co and 7 (±3.9)% Fe were also obtained with 100 µM humic acid from the agitated bioreactor in 15 days. The corresponding specific glucose consumption rate per unit mass of ore was found to be 27 mg g−1 day−1, which is 10 times lower than the rates reported previously for aerobic bioleaching methods. The investigation shows that mild agitation can significantly improve the anoxic bioleaching, especially with added electron shuttles, to enable better ore-bacteria interaction and prevent ore compaction during scale-up. The pH and ORP of the system point toward a reductive dissolution of Mn by the organisms.

Impacts of oyster farms on sediment-associated mercury and methylmercury concentrations and health risks in an estuarine, mangrove forest, Zhanjiang Bay, China

Estuarine sediments serve as significant reservoirs for mercury (Hg) and methylmercury(MeHg), which can also interconvert in the external environment. The release of Hg in response to human activities raises concerns about its potential ecological and human health effects. Sediment samples were collected in December 2021 from four locations (sites), and Hg cycling by measuring the concentrations of, and controls on, the spatial distribution of total Hg (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in high-tidal zone (HTZ) and mid-tidal zone (MTZ) sediments of a mangrove forest (MF) and oyster farm (OF) was examined in northwestern Zhanjiang Bay, including simultaneous determination of sediment particle size, oxidation-reduction potential (Eh), pH, total organic carbon (TOC), sulfide concentration (S2-), and sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB). The research results indicated that concentrations of both THg and MeHg ranged between 20.0–104.0 ng/g and 0.011–0.277 ng/g in the sediments, respectively. The highest methylation potentials within the MF and OF were in sediments located approximately 10–15 cm below the surface. MeHg in the HTZ of the OF was likely derived from exogenous inputs as Hg methylation appears limited, and the formation of MeHg depended not only on the amount of inorganic mercury available for methylation in SRB, but also on the TOC, pH, Eh and S2- content in the sediment. A risk assessment of MeHg during the anthropogenic disturbance of this estuaries conducted on individuals eating oysters demonstrated that health risks are low.

Two-dimensional distribution of arsenic species in the riparian zone regulated by As-Fe co-transformation under varying river water proportions and bicarbonate concentrations

Arsenic (As) contamination of groundwater is a major issue in global environmental health. In the riparian zone, mixing river water and groundwater with different substances is proposed to affect arsenic transformation and distribution. However, the distribution of arsenic species in the riparian zone and its co-transformation with iron under varying river water proportions and bicarbonate (HCO3–) concentrations remain unclear. The two-dimensional distributions of arsenic species, including exchangeable (Ex-As), carbonates-bounded (Carb-As), FeMn(hydr)oxide-bounded (Ox-As), organic-bounded (Om-As) and residual arsenic (Res-As), were investigated in three typical profiles of the riparian zone near the lower reaches of the Hanjiang River, China. The apparent enrichment of arsenic in the pore water, either As(III) and As(V), and in the sediment, mainly Carb-As and Ox-As, were observed in the profiles. The correlation analysis showed that the distributions of arsenic species in the riparian zone were primarily related to dissolved or total organic matter (DOC or TOC), Fe, HCO3–, dissolved oxygen (DO) and oxidation–reduction potential (Eh). Further batch experiments mixing simulated river water and groundwater with different proportions and HCO3– concentrations demonstrated that the forming of the arsenic-rich area in the riparian sediment was derived from the oxidation of Fe(II) and As(III) from groundwater, controlled by the varying DO from river water and HCO3– from organics degradation. These results provide more knowledge of the transforming process of arsenic in the riparian zone and a better understanding of the role of the riparian zone in arsenic restraint.

Oxygen-induced evolution of anammox granular sludge explains its unique responses during preservation

Anammox granular sludge (AnGS) preservation is indispensable for the application of anammox technology. Oxygen is a common and crucial factor for anammox, yet its long-term effects on AnGS during preservation remain incomplete clarification. This study investigated the effect of oxygen on AnGS in two simulated preservation systems with open and sealed conditions, and the mechanism was discussed. The results showed that the open system was in an oxidized state with an average dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) of (3.10±1.36) mg·L-1 and (112.58±46.78) mV, while a reduced state for the sealed system with no detected DO and a lower average ORP of (-153.96±64.32) mV. Both systems showed declines in AnGS activity, while with different responses of AnGS demonstrated by the evolution in terms of granular morphology and structure, bacterial communities, bacteria survival, and bacteria antioxidation. In the open system, reactive oxygen species were generated and destroyed the unsaturated fatty acids in the cell membrane, further leading to the destructed cell structure and declined activity. However, in the sealed system, AnAOB tended to enter a dormant state after long-term preservation, contributing to better conditions in granular morphology and structure, higher AnAOB abundance, and higher live cell ratio. The findings of this study are expected to offer vital information and guidelines for the preservation technologies of AnGS.

Efficient butanol production from sweet sorghum stem juice by a co-culture system at an optimum temperature: Insights from oxidation-reduction potential monitoring and pilot scale validation

A two-stage co-culture approach was employed in an acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation. An obligate aerobic bacterium, Arthrobacter sp., was first grown for 6 h at 30 °C to create anaerobic conditions. Subsequently, Clostridium beijerinckii TISTR 1461 was inoculated and a fermentation was performed at 37 °C. To identify an intermediate temperature suitable for both microorganisms, their growth was examined at 30, 34, and 37 °C. C.beijerinckii exhibited the highest specific growth rate at 37 °C, while Arthrobacter sp. displayed similar growth rates at all tested temperatures. Butanol production from a synthetic medium (P2 medium) by C. beijerinckii at different temperatures using oxygen-free nitrogen (OFN) gas flushing as a control treatment revealed that fermentation at 37 °C gave the highest butanol concentration (PB, 9.98 g/L). Consequently, 37 °C was chosen for butanol production from sweet sorghum stem juice (SSJ) by co-culture of these two microorganisms in 1-L screw–capped bottles. Compared to the control treatment, higher PB (11.38 g/L), yield (YB/S, 0.37 g/g) and productivity (QB, 0.24 g/L∙h) were achieved using the co-culture system. These results were further confirmed by monitoring the oxidation–reduction potential (ORP) during ABE fermentation in a 2-L stirred-tank bioreactor (STR). Moreover, when the co-culture fermentation at 37 °C was scaled up in a 30-L STR, the PB, YB/S and QB values were comparable to those obtained in the 2-L STR. Therefore, co-culture fermentation of Arthrobacter sp. and C.beijerinckii TISTR 1461 at 37 °C represents a promising method for large-scale butanol production.

Biosynthesis of Pt doped Zn bimetallic nanoparticles by using Polygonum glabrum extract for colorimetric, fluorimetric (Ni2+, Hg2+ and Fe2+) ions sensing and photocatalytic degradation of organic dye with electrochemical techniques

In the present study we aimed to explore the biosynthesis and characterization of monometallic platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs), zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) are compared to the Pt doped ZnONPs (Pt-ZnONPs) and its sensing, electrochemical, photocatalytic properties. The bimetallic Pt-ZnONPs was synthesized by using Polygonum glabrum leaves extract; it acts as reducing agent and stabilizing agent. The analysis of colorimetric and fluorimertic sensing methods to determine the highly detection of Ni2+, Hg2+ and Fe2+ ions. The optical properties were characterized by UV-visible, FT-IR, XRD, XPS, SEM-EDX and TEM-SAED analysis. The synthesized monometallic PtNPs and ZnONPs are well dispersed spherical and hexagonal particles with sizes ranging from 8 nm to 25 nm. Electrochemical analysis were carried out the synthesized monometallic and bimetallic Pt-ZnONPs oxidation with reduction potentials by using cyclic voltammetry with UV-visible absorption spectroscopy based on band gap energy to calculation of LUMO and HOMO energy levels. The photocatalytic activities with band gap energy 96% for MeB indicated that only Pt doped ZnONPs for bimetallic Pt-ZnONPs nanocatalyst as compared to monometallic PtNPs and ZnONPs for single metal nanocatalyst actions. The highly sensitivity of Ni2+, Hg2+ and Fe2+ ions are combined with synthesized NPs extended to the oxidation-reduction potential for Pt2+ by Zn2+ ions may find sensitivity for trace different metal ions of pollution level with environmental sensing and photocatalytic applications.

Enhanced multiferroic properties of Co-doped BiFeO3 nanoparticles via structural changes

The present study demonstrates a rhombohedral-to-orthorhombic phase transition of BiFe1-XCoXO3 (BFCXO, x = 0, 0.01, 0.03, and 0.05) nanoparticles induced by Co ion doping. With increasing concentration of Co dopant, XRD, Raman and IR patterns exhibit lattice shrinkage and increased lattice strain; SEM and TEM images reveal a corresponding reduction in grain size; XPS spectra indicate that the Fe2+ ions are readily oxidized by Co3+ to Fe3+ ions because to the greater oxidation–reduction potential of Fe3+/Fe2+ (1.3 eV) than that of Co3+/Co2+ (0.55 eV). Effective regulation of crystal structure and microstructure significantly alters the multiferroic properties of BFCXO samples. The Co-doped samples gradually transition from antiferromagnetism to ferromagnetism. Among them, BFC0.03O reaches its maximum values at Ms ~ 0.956 emu/g for magnetization saturation and Mr ~ 0.054 emu/g for remanent magnetization. Meanwhile, BFC0.03O exhibits better ferroelectric properties compared to its pure counterpart. This study presents an effective approach for controlling the structure and characteristics of BFO-based nanomaterials for multifunctional device applications.

Source identification of organic C and N in suspended particulate matter and sediments in plateau lakes as influenced by trophic status using stable isotopic signatures

Understanding the relationship between suspended particulate matter (SPM), sediment organic C, N stable isotopes, and lake trophic state index (TSI) is essential for managing lake pollution and eutrophication. According to the δ13C, δ15N, and C/N we found that the organic C in SPM and sediment of Caohai Lake primarily originated from macrophytes, while N was sourced from chemical fertilizers, phytoplankton, and aquatic plants. Total nitrogen, total phosphorus, NO3−-N, oxidation reduction potential, and Chl.a were identified as key factors influencing the sources and variations of SPM and sediment organic C and N stable isotopes in Caohai Lake, with a significant linear correlation observed between C, N stable isotopes, and TSI in sediments. To mitigate eutrophication in Caohai Lake, it is recommended that farmers apply fertilizers judiciously to minimize nutrient loss and that aquatic plants be regularly harvested to reduce N release from plant residues.

Enhancing nitrate removal from small wetlands via regulating bacterial-algal symbiosis with macrophyte coverage

With increasing land resource constraints, wetlands, as ecological hotspots, are expected to enhance biogeochemical processes to mitigate nitrogen (N) pollution, particularly nitrate-nitrogen (NO3−-N). However, the interactions among bacteria, algae, and macrophytes in wetlands, which are crucial for N removal, remain largely unknown. This study explored how macrophyte coverage influences bacterial-algal interactions, shifting from mutualism to inhibition, thereby affecting N removal. Moderate coverage enhanced NO3−-N and total nitrogen (TN) removal (P < 0.05), which was correlated with increased microbial abundance (P < 0.05). This may have resulted from moderate algal photosynthesis, reduced physiological stress, and the expansion of ecological niches for microbes. Insufficient coverage promoted algal growth (chlorophyll-a > 31.5 μg·L−1), leading to increased competition for substrates and elevated pH, which further inhibited bacterial activity. Excessive coverage also inhibited bacterial activity by reducing illumination and oxidation-reduction potential. Consequently, insufficient and excessive coverage decreased N removal efficiencies by 2.7–15.7 % (NO3−-N) and 3.7–11.1 % (TN) while increasing methane emission potential by 1.4–6.9 times compared with moderate coverage. These findings offer insights into solving NO3−-N contamination using near-natural methods and balancing the ecological and practical considerations for small wetlands.

Revealing the Protective Dynamics of an Ecologically Engineered Wetland against Acid Mine Drainage: A Case Study in South Africa

This study investigated the Zaalklapspruit valley bottom wetland in South Africa, an ecologically engineered site influenced by acid mine drainage (AMD) from a defunct coal mine upstream. Conducted in 2022, the research aimed to elucidate the dynamics of contaminant dispersal within this wetland, focusing on the sources, pathways, and receptors of metals and sulfur compounds. The analysis revealed that the wetland’s bottom sediment is rich in organic material, with pH values ranging from 6.05 to 6.59 and low oxidation-reduction potentials reaching −219.67 mV at Site S3. The significant findings included the highest adsorption rates of manganese, contrasted with iron, which was primarily absorbed by the roots of Typha capensis and the algae Klebsormidium acidophilum. The macrophyte rhizospheres were found to host diverse microbiota, including families such as Helicobacteraceae and Hydrogenophilaceae, pivotal in metal and sulfur processing. This study highlighted the complex biogeochemical interactions involving sediment, macrophyte root systems, periphyton, and microbial populations. These interactions demonstrate the efficacy of ecologically engineered wetlands in mitigating the impacts of acid mine drainage, underscoring their potential for environmental remediation. Importantly, the sustainability of such interventions highlights the need for community involvement and acceptance, acknowledging that local support is essential for the long-term success of ecological engineering solutions that address environmental challenges like AMD.

Typical alien invasive aquatic-plant species changed the stability rather than the diversity of plankton community in fresh water

Alien invasive aquatic-plant (AIA) species are severely threatening the aquatic ecosystems worldwide, especially biodiversity. Although plankton have been used to monitor and address biodiversity, some gaps remain in understanding of the relationships between plankton communities and AIA species. Here, the effects of two typical AIA species (Pistia stratiotes and Eichhornia crassipes) on plankton communities in freshwater with a native plant Vallisneria natans were investigated using a 50-d microcosm experiment. Results showed that AIA species significantly decreased water pH and dissolved oxygen while increased oxidation-reduction potential (p < 0.05). AIA species, especially P. stratiotes, significantly inhibited dry biomass accumulation in V. natans by an average rate of 39.0 %, decreased water pH by up to 14.62 %, and increased aboveground lengths and chlorophyll contents of V. natans by up to 36.2 % and 63.7 % (p < 0.05), respectively. These species further modified the growth strategy of V. natans from dry biomass accumulation to aboveground elongation. Although the AIA species did not alter plankton diversity (p > 0.05), but they changed their dominant species, functional communities (e.g., Groups D and TB), and co-occurrence networks. P. stratiotes decreased the average degree of the networks by 12.37–19.02 % and the graph density by 10.53–14.47 %, while E. crassipes decreased the modularity of the networks by 10.24 % compared with the control (without AIA species), respectively. Overall, AIA species inhibited the growth of V. natans and decreased the stability of plankton communities and their resistance to environmental disturbances. These findings enhance our understanding of how AIA species affect the growth of native plants and variations in plankton communities, thereby providing a theoretical basis for improving the ecological function and safety of freshwater.

ORP-regulated natural accumulation of pyruvate in Actinobacillus succinogenes 130Z

Pyruvate, a pivotal metabolite in the glycolytic pathway, typically confronts substantial barriers to its natural accumulation within microbial cells. This study successfully facilitated the natural accumulation of pyruvate in Actinobacillus succinogenes 130Z by fine-tuning the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) in the fermentation milieu. A mechanistic exploration revealed that the accumulation of pyruvate was optimized when ORP conditions favorably modulated pyruvate kinase activity and concurrently suppressed succinate dehydrogenase activity. By integrating the influence of metal ions on enzymatic functions with an innovative aluminum ion-mediated ORP control strategy, we achieved a pyruvate yield of 27.54 g/L over 20 hours, which constitutes an 89.54 % increase compared to the baseline. Additionally, the production rate of pyruvate reached 1.38 g/L·h. This investigation not only elucidates the metabolic underpinnings that facilitate the natural enrichment of glycolytic intermediates in Actinobacillus succinogenes 130Z but also lays a robust theoretical foundation for the industrial-scale fermentation of pyruvate. Moreover, the capability to efficiently and rapidly concentrate essential platform metabolites within the glycolytic pathway is of paramount significance, potentially propelling forward the research and synthesis of various downstream metabolic products.

Temporal-Spatial Fluctuations of a Phytoplankton Community and Their Association with Environmental Variables Based on Classification and Regression Tree in a Shallow Temperate Mountain River.

The effects of environmental factors on phytoplankton are not simply positive or negative but complex and dependent on the combination of their concentrations in a fluctuating environment. Traditional statistical methods may miss some of the complex interactions between the environment and phytoplankton. In this study, the temporal-spatial fluctuations of phytoplankton diversity and abundance were investigated in a shallow temperate mountain river. The machine learning method classification and regression tree (CART) was used to explore the effects of environmental variables on the phytoplankton community. The results showed that both phytoplankton species diversity and abundance varied fiercely due to environmental fluctuation. Microcystis aeruginosa, Amphiprora sp., Anabaena oscillarioides, and Gymnodinium sp. were the dominant species. The CART analysis indicated that dissolved oxygen, oxidation-reduction potential, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and water temperature (WT) explained 36.00%, 13.81%, 11.35%, 9.96%, and 8.80%, respectively, of phytoplankton diversity variance. Phytoplankton abundance was mainly affected by TN, WT, and TP, with variance explanations of 39.40%, 15.70%, and 14.09%, respectively. Most environmental factors had a complex influence on phytoplankton diversity and abundance: their effects were positive under some conditions but negative under other combinations. The results and methodology in this study are important in quantitatively understanding and exploring aquatic ecosystems.

Study on the detection of active components in plasma-activated water and its storage stability

ABSTRACT In this study, the impact of different discharge time, discharge power, and storage time on the pH, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), electrical conductivity (EC), H2O2, and the physicochemical properties and the stability at 4°C were evaluated. With the increase of plasma discharge time and discharge power, all the values increased except pH value. There were no significant changes in the values of pH, ORP, and EC for 30 days storage at 4°C (p > 0.05). The concentrations of NO3 −, NO2 −, and H2O2 exhibited significant changes (p < 0.05) after stored for 5 days. The plasma discharge time and discharge power showed significant effects on the physicochemical properties and activity of PAW. Moreover, the concentrations of NO3 − and NO2 − significantly affected the storage stability of PAW at 4°C.

Synthesis of Zn2+:LaMnO3 perovskites nanoparticles by facile co-precipitation approach: Physicochemical characteristics and supercapacitor application

This work has examined the impact of Zn2+ on the crystal architecture and electrochemical functionality of LaMnO3 perovskite nanoparticles. Crystalline parameters of the as-prepared samples were analyzed by X-ray Diffraction studies (XRD). Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) measurements are utilized to detect the functional groups present in the sample. Raman spectroscopy technique was used to analyze the nature of the chemical bonds in the prepared material. The shape and elemental content of the produced nanomaterials were determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX). Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) technique is used to study the porosity and surface area of the material. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD) is employed to study the surface resistivity, oxidation–reduction potential and super capacitance efficiency of the prepared electrode material.

Molecular evidence of internal carbon-driven partial denitrification in a mainstream pilot A-B system coupled with side-stream EBPR treating municipal wastewater

Achieving mainstream short-cut nitrogen removal via nitrite has become a carbon and energy efficient way, but still remains challenging for low-strength municipal wastewaters. This study integrated sidestream enhanced biological phosphorus removal system in a pilot-scale adsorption/bio-oxidation (A-B) process (named A-B-S2EBPR system) and nitrite accumulation was successfully achieved for treating the municipal wastewater. Nitrite could accumulate to 5.5 ± 0.3 mg N/L in the intermittently aerated tanks of B-stage with the nitrite accumulation ratio (NAR) of 79.1 ± 6.5 %. The final effluent concentration and removal efficiency of total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) were 4.6 ± 1.8 mg N/L and 84.9 ± 5.6 %, respectively. In-situ process performance of nitrogen conversions, routine batch nitrification/denitrification activity tests and functional gene abundance of nitrifiers collectively suggested that the nitrite accumulation was mainly caused by partial denitrification rather than out-selection of nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB). Moreover, the single-cell Raman spectroscopy analysis first demonstrated that there was a specific microbial population that could utilize polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) as the potential internal carbon source during the partial denitrification process. The integration of S2EBPR brings unique features to the conventional A-B process, such as extended anaerobic retention time, lower oxidation–reduction potential (ORP), much higher and complex volatile fatty acids (VFAs) etc., which can largely reshape the microbial communities. The dominant genera were Acinetobacter and Comamonadaceae, which accounted for (17.8 ± 15.5)% and (6.7 ± 3.4)%, respectively, while the relative abundance of conventional nitrifiers was less than 0.2%. This study provides insights into phylogenetic and phenotypic shifts of microbial communities when incorporating S2EBPR into the sustainable A-B process to achieve mainstream short-cut nitrogen removal.

Diagnostic value of oxidation-reduction potential for male infertility: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

In the last few years, studies have initially confirmed the diagnostic significance of oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) in male infertility patients. In this article, we used meta-analysis to clarify the role of ORP in the diagnosis of male infertility. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched by computer for relevant published literature. Quality assessment of the included literature was performed by Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS) scale. Heterogeneity analysis of included studies was conducted using Metadisc 1.4 and Stata 12.0, and effective models for quantitative synthesis were selected based on heterogeneity results; the sensitivity and specificity of the synthesis were obtained using the software, and in order to reduce the effects of heterogeneity and thresholds, the information of sensitivity and specificity was integrated. We used the subject receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve, area under the curve (AUC) and Q* index for comprehensive evaluation. Seven papers were eventually included in the study, and the results showed that ORP had a sensitivity of 0.81 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.80-0.82] and specificity of 0.66 (95% CI: 0.63-0.69), an AUC of 0.8 and a Q* index of 0.74 for the diagnosis of male infertility. ORP has high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing male infertility.

Improving the transfer of dissolved oxygen in a biological Fe2+ oxidation process using a venturi jet as an intensive aeration system

The low bio-production of Fe3+ as a leaching agent is one of the main limitations to implementing industrial bio-processes at feasibility conditions. The main limitation of the bio-oxidation process of Fe2+ is the low oxygen transfer to the aqueous phase because of the low oxygen solubility. This study assesses the effectiveness of the venturi jet as an innovative and intensive aeration device for overcoming the oxygen limitation in a continuous ferrous oxidation process in a fixed-bed reactor with immobilized acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, in contrast to the conventional diffuser aeration device. Firstly, the influence of the airflow and the influence of the medium concentration were determined for the following parameters for both aeration devices; Volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa), Standard Oxygen Transfer Rate (SOTR), Standard Aeration Efficiency (SAE), and Standard Oxygen Transfer Efficiency (SOTE). Then, both aeration devices were compared in a continuous bio-oxidation process in an up-flow packed bio-reactor (UFPB). The system performance was assessed by monitoring temperature, pH, oxidation-reduction potential, and dissolved oxygen concentration for 69 days. Findings displayed that when aerating with the diffuser, the ferrous oxidation rate was restricted by the low dissolved oxygen availability, being about 1 ppm (1 mg L−1). Under these oxygen-limiting conditions, the maximum ferrous (Fe2+) oxidation rate was 9.09 g L−1 h−1. However, when aerating with the venturi jet, the dissolved oxygen concentration increased up to 2.70 mg L−1, achieving a maximum of 29.11 g L−1 h−1. So, this study has demonstrated that the change in the aeration device has resulted in an improvement in the process, achieving a 3.5-fold increase in the oxidation rate. Furthermore, the venturi jet offered additional advantages over the diffuser, such as requiring less power to deliver the same amount of air, being unaffected by jarosite precipitates, and not requiring a supply of compressed air.

Anaerobic co-digestion of food waste and excess sludge by humus composites: Characteristics and microbial community structure

Volatile fatty acids (VFA) produced during the anaerobic co-digestion (Co-AD) an Manual removal of impurities such as bones, fish spines, napkins, etc., after collection at the food waste collection sited hydrolysis of food waste (FW) and excess sludge (ES) are important factors affecting the stability of the digestion and biogas production. This study aimed to use humus composites (HS) to mediate the Co-AD system of FW and ES, investigate their effects on VFA conversion, and analyze the microbial community structure using high-throughput sequencing technology to reveal the mechanism of action of HS in mediating the Co-AD system from a microbial perspective. The amount of HS was positively correlated with the accumulation of VFA produced by the hydrolysis of co-digested substrates, and in the Co-AD system with 5.00 g/L HS, the accumulation of VFA increased by approximately 1.1 times, whereas the pH and oxidation reduction potential of the system tended to be in the benign range, offering a favoring condition for enhancing the stability of the system. The biogas production increased by 46.3 % compared with that of the blank group. HS significantly increased the relative abundance values of Synergistota, a mutualistic symbiont with acetic acid-producing bacteria, and Proteobacteria, a mutualistic symbiont with methanogenic bacteria, thus promoting VFA conversion and strengthening the Co-AD efficacy of FW and ES. This study provides a simple and effective method to improve the Co-AD efficacy of FW and ES, as well as a new approach for the anaerobic resource treatment of other organic solid wastes.