Degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol by combining photo-assisted Fenton reaction and biological treatment.

The photo-Fenton reaction effect on the biodegradability improvement of 100 mg/L solution of 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) has been investigated. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) at 5 and 21 days, BODn/ chemical oxygen demand (COD) and BODn/total organic carbon (TOC) ratios, average oxidation state, and inhibition on activated sludge were monitored. For 50 mg/L hydrogen peroxide and 10 mg/L iron(II) initial concentrations and 40 minutes of reaction time in the photo-Fenton process, the biodegradability of the pretreated solution, measured as BOD5/COD ratio, was improved from 0 for the original DCP solution up to 0.18 (BOD21/COD = 0.24). At that point, all DCP was eliminated from the solution. To study the effect of the pretreatment step, the biological oxidation of pretreated solutions was tested in two semicontinuous stirred tank reactors, one operated with activated sludge and one with biomass acclimated to phenol. Results showed that more than 80% TOC removal could be obtained by codigestion of the pretreated solution with municipal wastewater. Total organic carbon removals of approximately 60% were also obtained when the sole carbon source for the aerobic reactors was the pretreated solution. The hydraulic retention times used in the bioreactors were of the same order of magnitude as those used at domestic wastewater treatment plants (i.e., between 12 and 24 hours). Kinetic studies based on pseudo-first-order kinetics have also been carried out. Constants were found to be in range 0.67 to 1.7 L x g total volatiles suspended solids(-1) x h(-1).

Combining photo-Fenton process with biological sequencing batch reactor for 2,4-dichlorophenol degradation.

The effect of the photo-Fenton process on biodegradability enhancement of 100 mg x L(-1) aqueous 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) solution has been investigated. An initial concentration of 65 mg x L(-1) H2O2 and 10 mg x L(-1) Fe (II) during 35 minutes of irradiation time was sufficient for total 2,4-DCP removal. At these working conditions, biodegradability, measured as BODS/COD ratio, was increased from 0 for the original solution up to 0.15. Biological oxidation of photo-Fenton pre-treated solutions was performed in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). After 32 days of start-up, the reactor was fed with different pre-treated solutions and cycle duration was reduced progressively. TOC removal efficiencies in the SBR went from 30 up to 70%.

Contribution of the ozonation pre-treatment to the biodegradation of aqueous solutions of 2,4-dichlorophenol.

The effect of ozonation on the biodegradability of 100-ppm aqueous solutions of 2,4-dichlorophenol has been investigated. BOD at 5, 10 and 21 days, BOD/COD and BOD/TOC ratios and the average oxidation state are presented. Biodegradability measured as BOD5/COD ratio was increased from 0 of the original solution to 0.25 at the moment of removing all the initial compound (corresponding to an ozone dose of 0.12 g L-1, 0.48 for BOD21/COD ratio). To test the effect of this pre-treatment, the biological oxidation of these pre-ozonated solutions was performed in two semi-continuous stirred tank reactors, one with non-acclimated sludge and one with acclimated-to-phenol sludge. The study showed that the TOC content of the pre-treated solution could be removed up to 68% by an aerobic biological treatment as well as co-digested with municipal wastewater (TOC removal up to 82%), with similar operating retention times to a municipal wastewater plant (12-24 h). Kinetic studies based on Monod model have also been carried out. Pseudo-first-order kinetic constants were found to be in the range of 0.5-0.8 L g TVSS-1 h-1.

Assessment of toxic potential of local Jordanian Bacillus thuringiensis strains on Drosophila melanogaster and Culex sp. (Diptera).

AIMS: To assess the toxic potential of different local Jordanian Bacillus thuringiensis isolates on larvae of Drosophila melanogaster and Culex sp. METHODS AND RESULTS: Scanning electron microscopy revealed the presence of spherical, bi-pyramidal, and bi-pyramidal and cuboidal parasporal bodies produced by the toxic isolates. Spherical inclusions dominated. The toxicity of the isolates to the two insects, determined using 24-well plates or vials, indicated that the 50% lethal concentration (LC50) of the bacterial suspension for D. melanogaster and Culex sp. larvae varied from 4.60 to 8.65, and from 5.30 to 6.74, respectively. CONCLUSION: Comparison of the LC50 values of isolate 82 with those of the reference strain B. t. israelensis showed that this isolate has a higher toxicity potential. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Some local Jordanian B. thuringiensis isolates exhibit toxic potential that could be used to control some important pests, and could replace chemical pesticides.

Diversity of Bacillus thuringiensis in different habitats of northern Jordan.

A survey of Bacillus thuringiensis was conducted for 17 locations in Northern Jordan representing 12 different habitats. Eighty isolates were identified as B. thuringiensis in the majority of the tested samples. Results showed that soils contaminated with the slaughterhouses waste materials had the highest content of spore-forming bacteria [(4.05-2.2) 10(7) CFU/g)] and B. thuringiensis [(4.05-7.9) 10(7) CFU/g)] with a (5.5%-14.9%) and (5.2%-7.7%) of the total viable bacterial count, respectively. These bacteria were more abundant in soils contaminated with such animal by-products.

Isolation, identification and analysis of antibacterial activity of soil streptomycetes isolates from north Jordan.

A total of 90 different Streptomyces isolates were recovered from 36 soil samples and assessed for their antibacterial activity. Nine isolates were identified by the absence of an aerial mycelium. The rest were grouped into six colour series, namely grey, white, yellow, green, red and polymorphic colours (pink, orange or violet) with total numbers of 29, 18, 14, 8, 3 and 9, respectively. The isolates (68%) showed a reverse side culture pigmentation, 30% produced melanin and 25% produced other soluble pigments. Isolates (48%) were characterized by flexuous spore chains, 21% with spiral and 10% for each of the rectus and retinaculum apertum arrangement. The antibiotic activity against a wide range of bacteria was exhibited by 54% of the isolates which were effective against Bacillus subtilis (57%), Staphylococcus aureus (47%), Escherichia coli (24%), Klebsiella spp (16%), and Shigella spp (12%). The lowest activity (8%) was exhibited against Pseudomonas spp and Salmonella spp. The antibacterial activity of the isolates was divided into four groups according to the diameter of the inhibition zone produced. Groups 3 and 4 with larger inhibition zones indicated their potential as a possible source of novel antibiotics.

Genetic determinants of active antibiotic-producing soil streptomycetes.

Plasmids or covalently closed circular (CCC)-DNA molecules are abundant in the genus Streptomyces, and have been suggested to be involved in the genetic control of the production of many antibiotics in these organisms. In this study, 21 active antibiotic-producing Streptomyces isolates were screened for their plasmid content by an alkaline lysis method which revealed the presence of a small plasmid DNA in the positive control Streptomyces lividans ATCC 35287, containing pIJ702 plasmid (5.65 kb in size). However, no low molecular weight plasmids were observed in the tested antibiotic-producing Streptomyces strains suggesting that antibiotic production in these strains is likely chromosomally encoded DNA. Treatment of 2 Streptomyces strains with 10 mM ethidium bromide (EB) resulted in the failure to produce aerial mycelia and antibiotic activity.

Detection of genetic polymorphism by RAPD-PCR among isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis.

Sixteen isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis recovered from different Jordanian habitats were compared using random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) to determine whether they could be differentiated at the molecular level. Total genomic DNA from each isolate and three reference strains were amplified using 10-mer primers. Electrophoretic analysis of the amplification products revealed the incidence of polymorphism among the isolates. Pair-wise comparisons of polymorphic products were used to construct a dendrogram applying the cluster analysis. Fifteen of the isolates were all in one major cluster which was divided into six small groups. Such analysis showed some regional variation among the isolates, but did not indicate a clearly defined habitat locational pattern of the DNA polymorphism.

Larvicidal activity of Bacillus thuringiensis isolated from Jordanian habitats against Drosophila melanogaster larvae.

Bacillus thuringiensis was isolated from 23 of 37 samples obtained from different Jordanian habitats. Of the 37 samples, 187 different spore-forming colonies were selected and thirty (16%) were identified as B. thuringiensis based on their pathogenicity and production of parasporal inclusions. The lethal dose (LD50) of B. thuringiensis indicated a variation in their pathogenicity to Drosophila melanogaster larvae. Sensitivity of the first, the second and the third instar larvae of D. melanogaster showed slight variation in between. The third instar was the most sensitive stage to the pathogen spores.

Isolation and phenotypical identification of spore-forming Bacillus species from Jordanian habitats with larvicidal activity against Drosophila melanogaster.

Spore-forming Bacillus isolates were recovered from different Jordanian habitats. Of 37 samples, 187 colonies were selected. Forty-six (24.6%) of them were pathogenic to the third instar larvae of Drosophila melanogaster. Larvicidal activity of the isolates was from 0% (non-cultivated soil) to 83.3% (decomposed animal residues). The total spore count per gram weight varied from 0.1 x 10(5)-18 x 10(5) among the 37 tested samples. Morphological and microscopical identification of the isolates showed the presence of 16 different Bacillus species. The pathogenic isolates were B. thuringiensis (44) and B. sphaericus (2).