Lead removal from aqueous solutions by olive mill wastes derived biochar: Batch experiments and geochemical modelling.

In this study, lead removal from aqueous solutions using biochar derived from olive mill solid and liquid wastes has been investigated by applying batch experiments and geochemical modelling. The batch adsorption experiments included the assessment of several key parameters such as the contact time (kinetic), initial concentration (isotherm), pH, adsorbent dose, and the presence of competitive cations, whilst the geochemical modelling focused on the involved adsorption mechanisms using the PHREEQC code. The kinetic studies showed that lead adsorption is a relatively fast process, where intraparticle diffusion is the rate-limiting step. Biochar dose, solution pH and the presence of competitive ions significantly affected the Pb adsorption effectiveness by the biochar. Especially the higher Pb removal percentages were observed in mono-elemental solutions with high biochar dose at mildly acidic solution pH values. The maximum Pb adsorption capacity of biochar was estimated as 40.8 mg g-1 which is higher than various biochars derived from sludge, lignocellulosic and animal biomasses. On the other hand, the geochemical modelling employing the PHREEQC code showed that ion exchange and Pb precipitation are the main reactions controlling its removal from aqueous solutions, whilst surface complexation is insignificant, mainly due to the low surface functional groups on the used biochar.

Recent advancements on biochars enrichment with ammonium and nitrates from wastewaters: A critical review on benefits for environment and agriculture.

During the last decade, biochars have been considered as attractive and eco-friendly materials with various applications including wastewater treatment, energy production and soil amendments. However, the important nitrogen losses during biochars production using the pyrolysis process have limited their potential use in agriculture as biofertilizer. Therefore, it seems necessary to enrich these biochars with nitrogen sources before their use in agricultural soils. This paper is the first comprehensive review on the assessment of biomass type and the biochars' properties effects on N recovery efficiency from aqueous solutions as well as its release and availability for plants when applying the N-enriched chars in soils. In particular, the N recovery efficiency by raw biochars versus the type of the raw feedstock is summarized. Then, correlations between the adsorption performance and the main physico-chemical properties are established. The main mechanisms involved during ammonium (NH4-N) and nitrates (NO3-N) recovery process are thoroughly discussed. A special attention is given to the assessment of the biochars physico-chemical modification impact on their N recovery capacities improvement. After that, the application of these N-enriched biochars in agriculture and their impacts on plants growth as well as methane and nitrous oxide greenhouse gas emissions reduction are also discussed. Finally, the main future development and challenges of biochars enrichment with N from wastewaters and their valorization as biofertilizers for plants growth and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction are provided. This systematic review is intended to promote the real application of biochars for nutrients recovery from wastewaters and their reuse as eco-friendly fertilizers.

Application of olive mill waste-based biochars in agriculture: Impact on soil properties, enzymatic activities and tomato growth.

The olive oil industry is an important economic sector in Mediterranean countries. However, oil production is unfortunately accompanied by the generation of huge amounts of olive mill solid wastes (OMSW) and olive mill wastewater (OMWW). In the present study, a strategy is proposed for converting these olive mill wastes into biochar through pyrolysis, for their later use as an organic amendment in agriculture. Specifically, two biochars were prepared from the pyrolysis of OMSW at 500 °C, either alone or impregnated with OMWW (OMSW-B and I-OMSW-B). The characterization of the OMSW and I-OMSW samples and their derived biochars showed that the fixed carbon and ash contents in the feedstocks increased by 38% and 11% respectively for OMSW-B, and by 37% and 12% respectively for I-OMSW-B. Interestingly, the impregnation process significantly increased Na, P, K, Ca and Fe contents in the produced biochars. The effect of OMSW-B and I-OMSW-B amendments at different application dose (1%, 2.5% and 5% wt/wt) on the enzymatic activity of an agricultural soil was performed at laboratory scale with a pot test. The experimental results showed that phosphatase and urease activity increased with biochar application rate; amendment with I-OMSW-B at 1%, 2.5% and 5% enhanced the phosphatase activity by 63%, 142% and 285% and urease activity by 50%, 116% and 149%, respectively. On the other hand, dehydrogenase and protease activities were higher for the application rate of 2.5% biochar. Biochar amendment promoted tomatoes seedling growth after 10 weeks, which was highest in the application rates of 2.5% and 5% for both OMSW-B and I-OSMW-B. Thus, the produced biochars had great potential to be used as biofertilizers in agriculture.

Characterization of the biofilm grown on 304L stainless steel in urban wastewaters: extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and bacterial consortia.

Characterization of the biofilm growing on stainless steel (SS) in untreated (UTUWW) and treated (TUWW) urban wastewaters was performed. In both media, the first phase of biofilm growth was aerobic, when the genera Caldimonas, Caulobacter, Terriglobus and Edaphobacter (iron oxidizing bacteria [IOB]) and the genera Bacillus, Sulfurimonas, Syntrophobacter and Desulfobacter (sulfur oxidizing bacteria [SOB]) were identified. In the second phase, established after immersion for 7 days, the high amount of EPS inhibited the access of oxygen and promoted the growth of anaerobic bacteria, which were the genus Shewanella (iron-reducing bacterium [IRB]) and the genera Desulfovirga, Desulfovibrio, Desulfuromusa, Desulfococcus, and Desulfosarcina (sulfate-reducing bacteria [SRB]). Electrochemical measurements showed that in the first stage, the aerobic bacteria and the high amount of EPS delayed the cathodic reduction of oxygen. However, in the second stage, EPS and the anaerobic bacteria promoted anodic dissolution.

Depletion of pentachlorophenol in soil microcosms with Byssochlamys nivea and Scopulariopsis brumptii as detoxification agents.

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is a toxic compound which is widely used as a wood preservative product and general biocide. It is persistent in the environment and has been classified as a persistent organic pollutant to be reclaimed in many countries. Fungal bioremediation is an emerging approach to rehabilitating areas fouled by recalcitrant xenobiotics. In the present study, we isolated two fungal strains from an artificially PCP-contaminated soil during a long-term bioremediation study and evaluated their potential as bioremediation agents in depletion and detoxification of PCP in soil microcosms. The two fungal strains were identified as: Byssochlamys nivea (Westling, 1909) and Scopulariopsis brumptii (Salvanet-Duval, 1935). PCP removal and toxicity were examined during 28 days of incubation. Bioaugmented microcosms revealed a 60% and 62% PCP removal by B. nivea and S. brumptii, respectively. Co-inoculation of B. nivea and S. brumptii showed a synergetic effect on PCP removal resulting in 95% and 80% PCP decrease when initial concentrations were 12.5 and 25 mg kg-1, respectively. Detoxification in bioaugmented soil and the efficient role of fungi in the rehabilitation of PCP contaminated soil were experimentally proven by toxicity assays. A decrease in inhibition of bioluminescence of Escherichia coli HB101 pUCD607 and an increase of germination index of mustard (Brassica alba) seeds were observed in the decontaminated soils.

Biotransformation of benzothiazole derivatives by the Pseudomonas putida strain HKT554.

We examined the biotransformation of benzothiazole derivatives (BTHs) by an axenic microbial culture. A Gram-negative bacterium, tentatively named as strain HKT554 and identified as Pseudomonas putida, was able to transform not only benzothiazole and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole but also 2-methylthiobenzothiazole, which was previously reported as the dead-end product of wastewater treatment. GC/MS analysis of the solid-phase extract of the culture broth showed the formation of 2-(3H)-benzothiazolone/2-hydroxybenzothiazole from benzothiazole. By transposon mutagenesis, a mutant library containing ca. 5000 insertion mutants was constructed from the P. putida strain HKT554. Analysis of the disrupted gene from one of the mutants showing BTHs transformation deficiency revealed that the knocked-out gene was naphthalene dioxygenase. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the biotransformation of BTHs by Gram-negative bacteria.

Biopreservation of refrigerated and vacuum-packed Dicentrarchus labrax by lactic acid bacteria.

Two lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were selected from 100 LAB isolated from various sea products to examine their use in Dicentrarchus labrax preservation. The isolates, tentatively named strain nr 3 and 7, were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum and L. pentosus, respectively. They showed antagonistic activity against psychrotroph, pathogenic, and coliform bacteria. The antagonistic activity of strain 3 was suggested to be by bacteriocins since activity was abolished by protease treatment, while that of strain 7 was due to the effect of pH decrease caused by the produced organic acids. Their use prevented total volatile basic nitrogen contents (TVB-N) and trimethylamine (TMA) to some extent, suggesting that inoculation could extend the period of storage.

Biodegradation of thiodiglycol, a hydrolyzate of the chemical weapon Yperite, by benzothiophene-desulfurizing bacteria.

Microbial degradation of thiodiglycol (bis(2-hydroxyethyl)sulfide, TDG) with petroleum-desulfurizing soil bacteria was examined. Among the bacteria tested, several strains belonging to the genera Rhodococcus and Gordonia grew on TDG as the sole sulfur source. The selected strain Rhodococcus sp. strain T09, which was re-identified as R. jostii, showed TDG degradation activity only when grown in the presence of TDG as the sole sulfur source. Repeat batch degradation of TDG by using strain T09 could be continued for over 50h, with a slight loss of activity.