Enterobacter sp. E1 increased arsenic uptake in Pteris vittata by promoting plant growth and dissolving Fe-bound arsenic.

Microbes affect arsenic accumulation in the arsenic-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata, but the associated molecular mechanism remains uncertain. Here, we investigated the effect of Enterobacter sp. E1 on arsenic accumulation by P. vittata. Strain E1 presented capacities of arsenate [As(V)] and Fe(III) reduction during cultivation. In the pot experiment with P. vittata, the biomass, arsenic content, and chlorophyll content of P. vittata significantly increased by 30.03%, 74.9%, and 112.1%, respectively. Strikingly, the water-soluble plus exchangeable arsenic (WE-As) significantly increased by 52.05%, while Fe-bound arsenic (Fe-As) decreased by 29.64% in the potted soil treated with strain E1. The possible role of activation of arsenic by strain E1 was subsequently investigated by exposing As(V)-absorbed ferrihydrite to the bacterial culture. Speciation analyses of As showed that strain E1 significantly increased soluble levels of As and Fe and that more As(V) was reduced to arsenite. Additionally, increased microbial diversity and soil enzymatic activities in soils indicated that strain E1 posed few ecological risks. These results indicate that strain E1 effectively increased As accumulation in P. vittata mainly by promoting plant growth and dissolving soil arsenic. Our findings suggest that As(V) and Fe(III)-reducer E1 could be used to enhance the phytoremediation of P. vittata in arsenic-contaminated soils.

Effect of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni residue on the arsenic phytoextraction efficiency of Pteris vittata L.

Soil contamination by arsenic (As) presents a high risk to public health, necessitating urgent remediation. This study sought to develop an efficient strategy for the phytoremediation of As-contaminated soil. The effects of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni residue (SR) on the available As (A-As) concentration of soil and As extraction from the soil by Pteris vittata L. were studied by soil simulation, pot, and field experiments. The A-As concentration in the soil simulation experiment increased significantly by 84.20% after 20 days. The biomass, As concentration, and total extracted As of SR-treated P. vittata L. in the pot experiment increased significantly by 50.66%, 120.2%, and 171.2%, respectively, compared to the untreated control. The SR-treated rhizosphere soil in the pot experiment displayed a significant 21.72% decrease in total As concentration. In the one-year field experiment, treatment with SR resulted in a significant 191.1% increase in As extraction by P. vittata L. and a significant 10.26% reduction in rhizosphere soil As concentration compared to the control. This study proposes a potential mechanism for SR-mediated enhancement of P. vittata L. As extraction ability and provides a new, economic, and environmentally friendly method for As-contaminated soil remediation.

Sediminibacterium soli sp. nov., isolated from soil.

A Gram-stain-negative, facultative anaerobic strain, designated WSJ-3T, was isolated from soil. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain WSJ-3T belongs to genus Sediminibacterium and exhibits the highest sequence similarities to Sediminibacterium roseum SYL130T (97.0%), Sediminibacterium goheungense DSM 28323T (96.9%), Sediminibacterium aquarii AA5T (96.7%), and Sediminibacterium salmoneum NBRC 103935T (95.2%). The average nucleotide identity values of strain WSJ-3T/S. roseum SYL130T and strain WSJ-3T/S. goheungense DSM 28323T are 72.2% and 70.4%, respectively, and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values for these are 19.2% and 19.1%, respectively. Strain WSJ-3T has a genome size of 3.88 Mb, with a DNA G + C content of 50.1 mol% and comprises of 3263 predicted genes. A phylogenetic tree constructed using the genomic core protein coding sequences revealed that strain WSJ-3T clusters with S. roseum SYL130T. Strain WSJ-3T has menaquinone-7 as the only respiratory quinone and phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified phospholipids, four unidentified aminophospholipids, two unidentified aminolipids, and three unidentified lipids as the polar lipids. The major fatty acids of strain WSJ-3T are iso-C15:0, iso-C17:0 3-OH, and iso-C15:1 G. On the basis of the polyphasic results, the isolate represents a novel species of the genus Sediminibacterium, for which the name Sediminibacterium soli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is WSJ-3T (= KCTC 72839T = CCTCC AB 2019408T).

Immobilization of Cd Using Mixed Enterobacter and Comamonas Bacterial Reagents in Pot Experiments with Brassica rapa L.

Enterobacter sp. A11 and Comamonas sp. A23 were isolated and identified. Coculturing these two strains with Cd(II) led to the production of biofilm, H2S, and succinic acid (SA), and Cd(II) was adsorbed by cells and formed CdS precipitates. After centrifugation, 97% Cd(II) was removed from the coculture. Proteomic and metabolomic analyses of the cocultured bacteria revealed that H2S and SA production pathways, metal transportation, and TCA cycle were active under Cd(II) stress. In vitro addition of SA enhanced the production of H2S and biofilm formation and Cd(II) adsorption. Two-season greenhouse pot experiments with Brassica rapa L. were performed with and without the coculture bacteria. Compared with the control, the average Cd amounts of the two-season pot experiments of the aboveground plants were decreased by 71.3%, 62.8%, and 38.6%, and the nonbioavailable and immobilized Cd in the soils were increased by 211.8%, 213.4%, and 116.7%, for low-, medium-, and high- Cd-spiked soils, respectively. The two strains survived well in soil during plant growth using plate counting, quantitative real-time PCR, and metagenomics analysis. Our results indicate that the combination of Enterobacter and Comamonas strains with the production of H2S and biofilm are important effectors for the highly efficient immobilization of Cd.

Luminescent Thermochromic Silver Iodides as Wavelength-Dependent Thermometers.

Luminescent thermochromic materials with a dramatic shift of emission band under different temperatures are highly desirable in temperature sensing fields. However, the design of the synthesis of such compounds remains a great challenge. In this work, two new luminescent thermochromic silver iodides, (emIm)Ag3I4 (1) and (emIm)Ag2I3 (2) (emIm = 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazole), have been synthesized under solvothermal conditions. Compound 1 features a [Ag3I4]- anionic layer, while compound 2 possesses an infinite [Ag2I3]- chain structure, both of which are charge balanced by emIm+ cations. Particularly, they display luminescent thermochromism with a significant wavelength shift of emission maximum with temperature change. They represent rare examples of infinite layered or chain silver iodides that show luminescent thermochromism. Furthermore, the results indicate that compounds 1 and 2 are promising wavelength-dependent luminescent thermometers.

Surfactants Enhanced Soil Arsenic Phytoextraction Efficiency by Pteris vittata L.

Soil arsenic (As) pollution has become a global problem. It is urgent to improve the phytoextraction efficiency of soil As. This study found chemical activators (Span 80/SDS and GSH/Span 80/SDS) that can significantly improve the availability of As and the phytoextraction efficiency of As by Pteris vittata L. in As-contaminated soil. Compared with the control, in the soil screening experiment, Span 80/SDS and GSH/Span 80/SDS significantly increased available As in soil by 73.4% and 81.4%, respectively. And in the soil pot experiment, the Span 80/SDS and GSH/Span 80/SDS significantly increased the As concentration in the pinnae of Pteris vittata L. by 53.4% and 41.2%, respectively, and the total As amount extraction by Pteris vittata L. increased significantly by 31.7% and 94.2%, respectively. The results suggest that adding Span 80/SDS and GSH/Span 80/SDS to As-contaminated soil can be considered as an effectively method to improve the efficiency of phytoextraction.

Removal and enrichment of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions by lotus seed pods.

Chromium (Cr(VI)) is highly toxic and carcinogenic. Cr(VI) water pollution has become more and more serious. This article reports on a study in which lotus seed pods (LSP), an agricultural waste product, was used to efficiently remove Cr(VI) from an aqueous solution, and the carbonization product of LSP after the removal of Cr(VI) (CPLSP) can be regarded as a resource containing Cr. Cr(VI) removed by LSP fits a pseudo-second-order model. pH levels greatly influence the amount of Cr removed. The maximum removal of Cr(VI) by LSP in aqueous solution was 153.85 mg/g. The possible removal mechanism is absorption, redox, and reabsorption based upon SEM/EDS, FT-IR, and XPS spectra results. The Cr content of CPLSP was 42.95% by ammonium persulfate oxidation titrimetric method. These results suggest that LSP can be an excellent, low cost, biomaterial for removing and enriching Cr(VI) from an aqueous solution. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Lotus seed pods are an efficient adsorbent for Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions. The Cr removal by lotus seed pods occurs via absorption, redox, and reabsorption. Cr can be captured after the pods are carbonized. Lotus seed pods can be applied to the removal and enrichment of Cr(VI) from waste water.

Runella aurantiaca sp. nov., isolated from sludge of a manganese mine.

A Gram-stain-negative, filamentous rod-shaped, aerobic and non-motile strain, YX9T, was isolated from sludge of a manganese mine. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain YX9T formed the same branch within the members of the genus Runella and showed high relatedness to Runella slithyformis DSM 19594T (98.1 %), Runella palustris HMF3829T (96.0 %) and Runella zeae NS12T (95.4 %). The genome length of strain YX9T was 7.21 Mb, had 5985 coding sequences and a DNA G+C content of 44.8 mol%. The average nucleotide identity value of the draft genomes between strain YX9T and R. slithyformis DSM 19594T was 80.7 %. The major fatty acids of strain YX9T were iso-C15 : 0, C16:1 ω5c and summed feature 3 (C16:1 ω7c and/or C16:1 ω6c). The predominant respiratory quinone was menaquinone 7. The polar lipids of strain YX9T were phosphatidylethanolamine, four unidentified lipids, two aminolipids, a phospholipid and a glycolipid. Based on the results of genotypic and phenotypic studies, strain YX9T represents a novel species within the genus Runella, for which the name Runellaaurantiaca sp. nov. is proposed (=KCTC 62875T=CCTCC AB 2018214T).

Mucilaginibacter terrenus sp. nov., isolated from manganese mine soil.

Strain ZH6T is a Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, aerobic bacterium isolated from manganese mine soil. Strain ZH6T had highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to Mucilaginibacter yixingensis YX-36T (96.9 %) and Mucilaginibacter psychrotolerans NH7-4T (96.8 %). The genome size of strain ZH6T was 4.61 Mb with a DNA G+C content of 44.0 mol%. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain ZH6T and M. yixingensis DSM 26809T were 70.6 and 19.2 %, respectively. Strain ZH6T had menaquinone-7 as a major quinone and main cellular fatty acids of iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c). The polar lipids of strain ZH6T were a phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified glycolipid, an unidentified phospholipid, three unidentified aminophospholipids and four unidentified lipids. Based on the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic results, strain ZH6T represents a novel species of the genus Mucilaginibacter, for which the name Mucilaginibacterterrenus sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is ZH6T (=CCTCC AB 2018373T=KCTC 72075T).

Hymenobacter edaphi sp. nov., isolated from abandoned arsenic-contaminated farmland soil.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, non-motile, pink-pigmented bacterium, designated NLT, was isolated from arsenic-contaminated farmland soil. Strain NLT showed the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with those of Hymenobacter jeollabukensis 1-3-3-8T (98.9 %), Hymenobacter gummosus ANT-18T (97.5 %), Hymenobacter paludis KBP-30T (97.4 %), Hymenobacter ocellatus Myx2105T (97.1 %) and Hymenobacter coalescens WW84T (96.4 %). The values of genomic orthoANI and dDDH between strain NLT and Hymenobacter jeollabukensis KCTC 52741T was 90.5 and 41.2 %, respectively, and those between strain NLT and Hymenobacter gummosus KCTC 52166T was 84.4 and 28.4 %, respectively. Strain NLT exhibited DNA-DNA hybridisation values of 41.3 and 44.1 % with Hymenobacter paludis KCTC 32237T and Hymenobacter ocellatus DSM 11117T, respectively. Strain NLT had major fatty acids (>10 %) of summed feature 4 (iso-C17 : 1 I and/or anteiso-C17 : 1 B), iso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C15 : 0 and the predominant polyamine of homospermidine. The only respiratory quinone was menaquinone-7. The polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phospholipid, three unidentified lipids and two amino lipids. Strain NLT had a genome size of 6.04 Mb and the average G+C content of 65.6 %. Compared to the other Hymenobacter spp., strain NLT is different in polar lipid profile (without aminophospholipid) and leucine arylamidase activity. Based on the data of the polyphasic analysis, it is considered that strain NLT represented a novel species of genus Hymenobacter, for which the name Hymenobacter edaphisp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NLT (=KCTC 62521T=CCTCC AB 2018028T).

Sorption of carbendazim on activated carbons derived from rape straw and its mechanism.

Due to the production and widespread application of pesticides, pesticide pollution poses a potential danger to human health and the ecosystem. Herein, activated carbons employing rape straw as a precursor were produced using H3PO4 as an activating agent at various temperatures (300-600 °C). The activated carbons differed with respect to the physicochemical properties, which were derived from elemental analysis, N2 sorption-desorption, FTIR, XPS, XRD, pHpzc, Boehm titration and blocking of the oxygen-containing groups. The oxygen-containing functional groups and the pore structure of the activated carbons obtained from the different preparation conditions were quite different. The as-prepared samples were applied as sorbents to remove carbendazim (CBD). The results indicated that the sorption of CBD was mainly dominated by partitioning at low concentrations of CBD. Meanwhile, electrostatic attractions played a more important role than hydrophobic interactions at a low initial pH; in contrast, as the initial pH increased, the hydrophobic interaction was the predominant sorption mechanism. Therefore, the results can be used to design some efficient and environmentally friendly adsorbents to reduce the risk of organic pollutants, especially organic pesticides, in aqueous solutions.

Sphingosinicella humi sp. nov., isolated from arsenic-contaminated farmland soil and emended description of the genus Sphingosinicella.

A Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic bacterium, designated strain QZX222T, was isolated from arsenic-contaminated farmland soil. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain QZX222T was clustered with Sphingosinicella vermicomposti YC7378T (97.0 %), Sphingosinicellaxenopeptidilytica 3-2W4T (96.1 %), Sphingosinicella microcystinivorans Y2T (96.0 %) and Sphingosinicella soli KSL-125T (95.9 %). Compared to strain QZX222T, Spingomonas olgophenolica JCM 12082T and Sphingobium boeckii 469T had 16S rRNA gene similarities of 96.2 and 95.9 %, respectively, but they located in other phylogenetic clusters. DNA-DNA hybridization and genomic ANI values between strain QZX222T and Sphingosinicella vermicomposti DSM 21593T (KCTC 22446T) were 34.8 and 75.0 %, respectively. The genome size of strain QZX222T was 3.0 Mb including 2982 predicted genes. The strain had a DNA G+C content of 65.9 mol%. Strain QZX222T had ubiquinone Q-10 as the major respiratory quinone and homospermidine as the major polyamine. The major fatty acids (>10 %) of strain QZX222T were C17 : 1ω6c, summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c) and C17 : 1ω8c. The polar lipids were sphingoglycolipid, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine and an unidentified glycolipid. Strain QZX222T could be distinguished from other Sphingosinicella strains based on the results of phylogenetic and genomic analyses, DNA-DNA hybridization, white colour colony, hydrolysis of urea, alkaline phosphatase activity, lack of phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, and presence of phosphatidylcholine. Therefore, strain QZX222T represents a novel species of Sphingosinicella, for which the name Sphingosinicellahumi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is QZX222T (=KCTC 62519T=CCTCC AB 2018030T).

Immobilization of cadmium by immobilized Alishewanella sp. WH16-1 with alginate-lotus seed pods in pot experiments of Cd-contaminated paddy soil.

This study prepared immobilized Alishewanella sp. WH16-1 using alginate and lotus seed pods as a matrix and investigated the effects of its immobilization on Cd2+ in a culture solution and in soil. Compared with the free WH16-1 strain, the immobilized WH16-1 strain possessed greater stability for long-term use and storage and higher removal ability for Cd2+ in the culture solution. A model of Cd2+ removal by the immobilized WH16-1 strain was proposed. The immobilized WH16-1 strain was incubated in the pot experiments of Cd-contaminated paddy soil for 120 days, and the pot experiments of Cd-contaminated paddy soil without the immobilized WH16-1 strain were used as a control. Compared with the control, the exchangeable and carbonate-bound Cd in the paddy soil incubated with the immobilized WH16-1 strain significantly decreased by 33.6% (P < 0.05) and 17.36%, respectively, and the Cd concentrations in the rice significantly decreased by 78.31% (P < 0.05). The results indicate that alginate-lotus seed pods can be used as excellent cost-effective cell carriers for the immobilization of Alishewanella sp. WH16-1 and that the immobilized WH16-1 strain may be applicable for the biological stabilization of Cd in Cd-contaminated paddy soil.

Lysobacter tongrenensis sp. nov., isolated from soil of a manganese factory.

A Gram-staining negative, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated YS-37T, was isolated from soil in a manganese factory, People's Republic of China. Based on16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain YS-37T was most closely related to Lysobacter pocheonensis Gsoil 193T (97.0%), Lysobacter dokdonensis DS-58T (96.0%) and Lysobacter daecheongensis Dae08T (95.8%) and grouped together with L. pocheonensis Gsoil 193T and Lysobacter dokdonensis DS-58T. The DNA-DNA hybridization value between strain YS-37T and L. pocheonensis KCTC 12624T was 43.3% (± 1). The major respiratory quinone of strain YS-37T was ubiquinone-8, and the polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phospholipid, phosphatidylmethylethaolamine and two unknown lipids. Its major cellular fatty acids (> 5%) were iso-C15:0, iso-C17:1 ω9c, iso-C16:0, iso-C11:0 3-OH and iso-C11:0 and the G + C content of the genomic DNA was 67.1 mol%. Strain YS-37T also showed some biophysical and biochemical differences with the related strains, especially in hydrolysis of casein. The results demonstrated that strain YS-37T belongs to genus Lysobacter and represents a novel Lysobacter species for which the name Lysobacter tongrenensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YS-37T (= CCTCC AB 2016052T = KCTC 52206T).

Cumulibacter manganitolerans gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from sludge of a manganese mine.

A Gram-stain-positive actinobacterium, designated as strain 2-36T, was isolated from sludge of a sewage outlet in a manganese mine. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA genes assigned strain 2-36T in a single lineage in the family Geodermatophilaceae and closely related to Modestobacter roseus KLBMP 1279T (93.8 % similarity), Blastococcus saxobsidens BC444T (93.1 %) and Geodermatophilus aquaeductus BMG801T (92.8 %). It contained iso-C16 : 0, iso-C15 : 0, C17 : 1ω6c, iso-C14 : 0 and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω6c and/or C16 : 1ω7c) as the major fatty acids (>5 %), with MK-9(H4), MK-8(H4) and MK-9(H6) as the quinones. The cell wall contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid and the DNA G+C content was 70.1 mol%. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside, an unknown glycolipid, an unknown aminophospholipid and two unknown phospholipids. Compared to closely related strains, strain 2-36T showed distinguishing characteristics, such as the distinct phylogenetic lineage, positive result for phenylacetic acid assimilation and negative result for α-glucosidase and having C17 : 1ω6c and iso-C14 : 0 as the major fatty acids. On the basis of the polyphasic analyses, strain 2-36T represents a novel species of a new genus within the family Geodermatophilaceae, for which the name Cumulibacter manganitolerans gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of 'Cumulibacter manganitolerans' is 2-36T (=CCTCC AA 2016026T=DSM 103787T).

Carbofuran Degradation by Biogenic Manganese Oxides.

This work studied the effect of biogenic manganese oxides (Bio-MnOx) on carbofuran degradation.The results showed that 21.05 % and 90.63 % carbofuran, respectively, were degraded in 4 days by Bio-MnOx with and without NaN3 at initial pH 4.80, whereas carbofuran was hardly degraded by chemical manganese oxides in the same condition. Bio-MnOx promoted carbofuran hydrolysis by changing the pH of the environment and encouraged carbofuran phenol cleavage by its oxidization. Both the oxidation of carbofuran phenol by Bio-MnOx and the reoxidation of the released Mn(II) by Mn(II)-oxidizing microorganisms ensured the continuous reactivity of Bio-MnOx and prevented the secondary pollution of Mn(II). Carbofuran phenol was the major transformation product in the degradation and was further oxidized into small organic molecules as monitored by a GC/MS analyzer. This report offers an efficient, feasible, and no-secondary-pollution approach to controlling carbofuran pollution.

Pseudaminobacter manganicus sp. nov., isolated from sludge of a manganese mine.

A Gram-staining-negative, aerobic, non-motile, capsule-forming and rod-shaped bacterium, designated JH-7T, was isolated from sludge of a manganese mine. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of JH-7T showed highest similarities to those of Pseudaminobacter salicylatoxidans BN12T (97.4 %), Mesorhizobiumthiogangeticum SJTT (97.0 %) and Pseudaminobacter defluvii THI 051T (96.5 %). Phylogenetic trees clustered JH-7T together with P. salicylatoxidans BN12Tand P. defluvii THI 051T. The DNA-DNA hybridization values between JH-7T and P. salicylatoxidans DSM 6986T and between JH-7T and M. thiogangeticum DSM 17097T were 34.8 and 20.1 %, respectively. The major fatty acids of JH-7T (>10 %) were C18 : 1ω7c, C19 : 0cyclo ω8c and C16 : 0. The genomic DNA G+C content was 61.6 mol%. The polyamines of JH-7T were sym-homospermidine (83 %) and putrescine (17 %), and the respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-10. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, two unidentified aminolipids and two unidentified lipids. Compared with the members of the genera Pseudaminobacter and Mesorhizobium, JH-7T showed some unique physiological and biochemical characters, such as being negative for H2S production, hydrolysis of Tween 40 and Tween 60, esterase lipase (C8) activity and assimilation of d-ribose and positive for acid production from d-galactose and assimilation of d-fructose. On the basis of the results of the polyphasic taxonomic analysis, JH-7T was considered to represent a novel species of the genus Pseudaminobacter, for which the name Pseudaminobacter manganicus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JH-7T (=KCTC 52258T=CCTCC AB 2016107T).

Draft genomic sequence of a chromate- and sulfate-reducing Alishewanella strain with the ability to bioremediate Cr and Cd contamination.

Alishewanella sp. WH16-1 (= CCTCC M201507) is a facultative anaerobic, motile, Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium isolated from soil of a copper and iron mine. This strain efficiently reduces chromate (Cr(6+)) to the much less toxic Cr(3+). In addition, it reduces sulfate (SO4 (2-)) to S(2-). The S(2-) could react with Cd(2+) to generate precipitated CdS. Thus, strain WH16-1 shows a great potential to bioremediate Cr and Cd contaimination. Here we describe the features of this organism, together with the draft genome and comparative genomic results among strain WH16-1 and other Alishewanella strains. The genome comprises 3,488,867 bp, 50.4 % G + C content, 3,132 protein-coding genes and 80 RNA genes. Both putative chromate- and sulfate-reducing genes are identified.

Pelobium manganitolerans gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from sludge of a manganese mine.

A Gram-staining-negative, rod-shaped, motile by gliding and facultative anaerobic bacterial strain, YS-25T, was isolated from a sludge of a manganese mine. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain YS-25T formed a single branch within the strains of the family Sphingobacteriaceae and showed low similarities to Pedobacter arcticus CCTCC AB 2010223T (91.7 %), 'Pedobacter zeaxanthinifaciens' TDMA-5 (91.5 %), Pedobacter terricola DS-45T (90.9 %), Pedobacter ureilyticus THG-T11T (90.9 %), Pseudopedobacter beijingensis MCCC 1A01299T (90.8 %) and Pedobacter heparinus CCTCC AB 209030T (88.5 %). Strain YS-25T had some unique physiological and biochemical characteristics: facultative anaerobic, able to hydrolyse Tween 40, positive for cystine arylamidase and negative for mannose assimilation and ß-galactosidase. The polar lipids of strain YS-25T were phosphatidylethanolamine, aminolipid, two unknown lipids and two glycolipids. The presence of glycolipids and absence of sphingolipid were different from the Pedobacter and Pseudopedobacter strains. The major fatty acids (>5 %) were iso-C15 : 0, summed feature 3 (iso-C15 : 0 2-OH and/or C16 : 1ω7c), unknown ECL 13.565, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH, iso-C17 : 1ω9c and anteiso-C15 : 0. The genomic DNA G+C content was 42.0 mol%, and the only respiratory quinone was menaquinone 7. On the basis of polyphasic taxonomic analyses, strain YS-25T is considered to represent a novel genus and species, for which the name Pelobium manganitolerans gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YS-25T (=KCTC 52203T=CCTCC AB 2016051T).

Activated carbon doped with biogenic manganese oxides for the removal of indigo carmine.

Indigo carmine (IC) is one of the oldest, most important, and highly toxic dyes which is released from the effluents of many industries and results in serious pollution in water. In this study, the biogenic Mn oxides were activated by NaOH and then heated for 3 h at 350 °C to produce activated carbon doped with Mn oxide (Bio-MnOx-C), which were produced by culturing Mn (II)-oxidizing bacterial strain MnI7-9 in liquid A medium at 28 °C with 10 mmol/L MnCl2. Bio-MnOx-C was characterized by SEM, TEM, IR, XPS, XRD, etc. It contained C, O, and Mn which comprised Mn (IV) and Mn (III) valence states at a ratio of 3.81:1. It had poorly crystalline ε-MnO2 with a specific surface area of 130.94 m(2)/g. A total of 0.1 g Bio-MnOx-C could remove 45.95 g IC from 500 mg/L IC solution after 0.5 h contact time. IC removal by Bio-MnOx-C included a rapid oxidation reaction and the removal reaction followed second-order kinetic equation. These results confirmed that Bio-MnOx-C could be a potential material for wastewater remediation.