Mechanisms and Strategies of Advanced Oxidation Processes for Membrane Fouling Control in MBRs: Membrane-Foulant Removal versus Mixed-Liquor Improvement.

Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) are well-established and widely utilized technologies with substantial large-scale plants around the world for municipal and industrial wastewater treatment. Despite their widespread adoption, membrane fouling presents a significant impediment to the broader application of MBRs, necessitating ongoing research and development of effective antifouling strategies. As highly promising, efficient, and environmentally friendly chemical methods for water and wastewater treatment, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have demonstrated exceptional competence in the degradation of pollutants and inactivation of bacteria in aqueous environments, exhibiting considerable potential in controlling membrane fouling in MBRs through direct membrane foulant removal (MFR) and indirect mixed-liquor improvement (MLI). Recent proliferation of research on AOPs-based antifouling technologies has catalyzed revolutionary advancements in traditional antifouling methods in MBRs, shedding new light on antifouling mechanisms. To keep pace with the rapid evolution of MBRs, there is an urgent need for a comprehensive summary and discussion of the antifouling advances of AOPs in MBRs, particularly with a focus on understanding the realizing pathways of MFR and MLI. In this critical review, we emphasize the superiority and feasibility of implementing AOPs-based antifouling technologies in MBRs. Moreover, we systematically overview antifouling mechanisms and strategies, such as membrane modification and cleaning for MFR, as well as pretreatment and in-situ treatment for MLI, based on specific AOPs including electrochemical oxidation, photocatalysis, Fenton, and ozonation. Furthermore, we provide recommendations for selecting antifouling strategies (MFR or MLI) in MBRs, along with proposed regulatory measures for specific AOPs-based technologies according to the operational conditions and energy consumption of MBRs. Finally, we highlight future research prospects rooted in the existing application challenges of AOPs in MBRs, including low antifouling efficiency, elevated additional costs, production of metal sludge, and potential damage to polymeric membranes. The fundamental insights presented in this review aim to elevate research interest and ignite innovative thinking regarding the design, improvement, and deployment of AOPs-based antifouling approaches in MBRs, thereby advancing the extensive utilization of membrane-separation technology in the field of wastewater treatment.

Simple detecting of elevated ICP through liquor flow after lumbar puncture.

Elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) is defined as a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) opening pressure (OP) greater than 25 cmH2O. When a diagnostic lumbar puncture is performed it is useful to estimate also intracranial pressure. To do this it is required a presence of pressure gauges, which are currently the gold standard, not available in most resource-constrained contexts. We decided to evaluate whether it is possible to estimate it simply by counting the drops of cerebrospinal liquor, which are collected after lumbar puncture, according to Poiseuille's law. Was examined a sample of 52 patients, aged between 18 and 85 years, belonging to the emergency room of "Santa Maria delle Grazie" Hospital in Pozzuoli (Naples) who needed a diagnostic lumbar puncture (LP). The ICP was initially measured using a standard narrow-gauge manometer by attaching it to the spinal needle. After removing the pressure gauge, the number of drops of cerebrospinal fluid flowing from the spinal needle in 30  seconds was counted. A statistical analysis was made with linear regression and ROC analysis. OP as measured by standard manometry was raised on 17 occasions with CSF drop rate median of 47 drops/30 seconds and range 30-74 drops/30 seconds. OP was normal on 35 occasions with CSF drop rate median of 23 drops/30 seconds  with range of 14-34 drops/30 seconds. A linear regression analysis was performed which resulted in a Pearson correlation of 0.936 an adjusted R square of 0.874 (see Fig. 1). Analysis through ANOVA documented an F of 355.301 with p < 0.01 and Dubin Watson of 1.642. The analysis through ROC showed an AUC of 0.980, with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 91% if chosen as a limit, 29 drops in 30 seconds  (Youden Index of 0.9140). Therefore, we have concluded, that although there are several precautions, like patient's position, it is technically feasible to indirectly estimate cerebrospinal fluid pressure with good accuracy by counting the drops of cerebrospinal fluid flowing from a 22 G spinal needle.

A spatial examination of alcohol availability and the level of disadvantage of schools in Ireland.

BACKGROUND: The availability of alcohol is a major factor in underage drinking and according to the alcohol harm paradox, those living in more deprived communities are more susceptible to the negative consequences of alcohol use, despite drinking the same or less than those from more affluent areas. Alcohol availability within the vicinity of the home or school normalises alcohol for schoolchildren. For the first time in the Republic of Ireland, this study examines the number of premises licensed to sell alcohol within 300 m of all schools in Ireland and differences in this number between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged schools. METHODS: Using publicly available data from the Department of Education and Revenue, the addresses of all schools (n = 3,958) and all premises with at least one liquor licence (n = 14,840) were geocoded and analysed using the Geographic Information System software, Quantum GIS (QGIS). Schools were identified by their disadvantaged classification using the HP Pobal Deprivation Index and the number of liquor licences within 300 m of each school type was examined. To test for significant differences between schools' level of disadvantage, a combination of Mann-Whitney U tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests and Dunn-Bonferroni tests were used. RESULTS: There was a mean of two licenced premises within 300 m of all schools in Ireland, but when disadvantaged schools were compared to non-disadvantaged schools, there was a significantly higher number of licenced premises around disadvantaged schools (p < .001). Primary schools are further classified according to their level of disadvantage and the results indicated that those schools classified as the most disadvantaged had a significantly greater number of liquor licences within 300 meters (p < .001). There was no significant difference in density of licenced premises when comparing disadvantaged secondary schools with non-disadvantaged secondary schools (p = .705). CONCLUSION: Ireland is considering increasing alcohol availability through the Sale of Alcohol Bill, 2022. However, this analysis indicates already problematic numbers of licenced premises within close proximity of schools in Ireland. It is essential that the harms associated with alcohol availability are considered, especially for those living and attending school in disadvantaged communities, where higher numbers of licenced premises were identified.

Assessment and optimization of wastewater treatment plant in terms of effluent quality, energy footprint, and greenhouse gas emissions: An integrated modeling approach.

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) can benefit from utilizing digital technologies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to comply with effluent quality standards. In this study, the GHG emissions and electricity consumption of a WWTP were evaluated via computer simulation by varying the dissolved oxygen (DO), mixed liquor recirculation (MLR), and return activated sludge (RAS) parameters. Three different measures, namely, effluent water quality, GHG emissions, and energy consumption, were combined as water-energy-carbon coupling index (WECCI) to compare the effects of the parameters on WWTPs, and the optimal operating condition was determined. The initial conditions of the A2O process were set to 4.0 mg/L of DO, 100 % MLR, and 90.7 % RAS. Eighty scenarios with various DO, MLR, and RAS were simulated under steady-state condition to optimize the biological treatment process. The optimal operating conditions were found to be 1.5 mg/L of DO, 190 % MLR, and 90.9 % RAS, which had the highest WECCI of 2.40 when compared to the WECCI of the initial condition (1.07). This optimal condition simultaneously reduced GHG emissions by 1348 kg CO2-eq/d and energy consumption by 11.64 MWh/d. This implies that controlling DO, MLR, and RAS through sensors, valves, and pumps offers a promising approach to operating WWTPs with reduced electricity consumption and GHG emissions while attaining effluent quality standards. Additionally, the nitrous oxide stripping rate exhibited linear relationships with the effluent total ammonia and nitrite concentrations in the aerobic reactor, suggesting that monitoring dissolved nitrogen compounds in the effluent and reactor could be a viable strategy to control MLR and DO in the biological reactor. The digital-based assessment and optimization tools developed in this study are expected to hold promise for application in broader environmental management efforts.

Unraveling the relationship between soil carbon-degrading enzyme activity and carbon fraction under biogas slurry topdressing.

Biogas slurry, a by-product of the anaerobic digestion of biomass waste, predominantly consisting of livestock and poultry manure, is widely acclaimed as a sustainable organic fertilizer owing to its abundant reserves of essential nutrients. Its distinctive liquid composition, when tactfully integrated with a drip irrigation system, unveils immense potential, offering unparalleled convenience in application. In this study, we investigated the impact of biogas slurry topdressing as a replacement for chemical fertilizer (BSTR) on soil total organic carbon (TOC) fractions and carbon (C)-degrading enzyme activities across different soil depths (surface, sub-surface, and deep) during the tasseling (VT) and full maturity stage (R6) of maize. BSTR increased the TOC content within each soil layer during both VT and R6 periods, inducing alterations in the content and proportion of individual C component, particularly in the topsoil. Notably, the pure biogas slurry topdressing treatment (100%BS) compared with the pure chemical fertilizer topdressing treatment (CF), exhibited a 38.9% increase in the labile organic carbon of the topsoil during VT, and a 30.3% increase in the recalcitrant organic carbon during R6, facilitating microbial nutrient utilization and post-harvest C storage during the vigorous growth period of maize. Furthermore, BSTR treatment stimulated the activity of oxidative and hydrolytic C-degrading enzymes, with the 100%BS treatment showcasing the most significant enhancements, with its average geometric enzyme activity surpassing that of CF treatment by 27.9% and 27.4%, respectively. This enhancement facilitated ongoing and efficient degradation and transformation of C. Additionally, we screened for C components and C-degrading enzymes that are relatively sensitive to BSTR. The study highlight the advantages of employing pure biogas slurry topdressing, which enhances C component and C-degrading enzyme activity, thereby reducing the risk of soil degradation. This research lays a solid theoretical foundation for the rational recycling of biogas slurry.

Effects of thermal treatment on the characteristics of pulp mill residue.

In this study, the effects of thermal treatment at moderately low temperatures (Tmax: 525 °C) on the composition and properties of two distinct green liquor dregs (GLD) samples from two different pulp mills were investigated. This in-depth characterization was conducted with the aim of enabling the use of GLD as raw materials in cementitious applications (e.g., alkali-activated binders). The elemental composition of the GLD samples primarily comprised Ca, Mg, S, Na, and Mn. Analysis using x-ray diffractometry, an electron probe microanalyzer, and scanning electron microscopy revealed that calcite was the main crystalline phase, whereas layered double hydroxides with varying compositions constituted the primary amorphous phase. Characterization through Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis coupled with mass spectrometer analysis, indicated the loss of water and carbon during thermal treatment. Total organic carbon analysis showed that most of the removed carbon was organic, despite some remaining after thermal treatment at 525 °C. A leaching test was conducted to quantify the soluble Ca, Mg, Na, and K content, as well as pH variations. Overall, the findings suggest that thermal treatment enhances the potential of GLD samples for use in binder materials in the construction sector.

Resin screening and process optimization for erythritol mother liquor chromatographic separation.

In order to improve the utilization value of the erythritol mother liquor, the separation and purification of the erythritol mother liquor was selected in this study. The selected chromatographic separation programme for erythritol crystallizing mother liquor is as follows: Firstly, erythritol is resolved from mannitol and arabitol with DTF-01Ca (Suqing Group) resin and then mannitol is resolved from arabitol with 99Ca/320 (Dowex) resin. At the same time, the chromatographic conditions of the DTF-01Ca (Suqing Group) and 99Ca/320 (Dowex) resins were optimized, resulting in an optimal separation temperature and mobile phase flow rate of 70 °C, 10 ml/min. On this basis, a single-column chromatographic model was used to calculate the TD model parameter (N) and the mass transfer coefficient (km ) of the separation of erythritol mother liquor by DTF-01Ca (Suqing Group) and 99Ca/320 (Dowex) resins. The adsorption isotherms, TD model parameter (N) and the mass transfer coefficient (km ) provides data references for the design and operation of the simulated moving beds (SMB) separation system for the industrial-scale separation of erythritol crystallizing mother liquor.

Determination and Characterization of Gold Nanoparticles in Liquor Using Asymmetric Flow Field-Flow Fractionation Hyphenated with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry.

The EU has approved the usage of gold as a food additive (E175) and it has been applied in numerous foods for coloring and decoration purposes. Different from the general assumption that edible gold is mainly present in the form of flakes or external coating in foods, this work demonstrated that gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) can be released from gold flakes and extracted under optimized conditions. To support future risk assessment associated with the exposure of Au NPs to human health, an effective approach was established in this study for both size characterization and mass determination of Au NPs released in a commercial gold-containing liquor using Asymmetric Flow Field-flow Fractionation (AF4) hyphenated with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Our results showed that no Au NPs were detected in the original liquor product and only after ultrasonication for several minutes did Au NPs occur in the ultrasound-treated liquor. Particularly, Au NPs released in the liquor can be well extracted after 100-fold enrichment of gold flakes and the subsequent ultrasonication for 25 min. Size characterization of Au NPs was conducted by AF4-ICP-MS under calibration with Au NP standards. The gold particle sizes detected ranged from 8.3-398.0 nm and the dominant size of the released Au NPs was around 123.7 nm in the processed liquor. The mass concentration of gold particles determined in the liquor sample with gold flakes concentrated and subsequently sonicated was 48.1 µg L-1 by pre-channel calibration and the overall detection recoveries ranged over 82-95%. For the comparison control samples without ultrasonication, there was no detection of Au NPs. The established method was demonstrated to be useful for monitoring Au NPs in liquor and is possibly applied to other similar foodstuffs.

Analysis of flavor substances in Shaoxing traditional hand-made Jiafan wine with different amounts of ZaoShao liquor.

BACKGROUND: Adding ZaoShao liquor (high-concentration liquor) is one of the most important steps in the brewing process of Shaoxing Jiafan wine, a product protected by Chinese geographical indications. The focus of this study is the effect of different additive amounts of liquor on the flavor of end products. RESULTS: In this study, four kinds of Shaoxing Jiafan wine were brewed by changing the amount of ZaoShao liquor. Headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were used to detect the flavor substances of four kinds of Jiafan wine. The difference in flavor of four kinds of Jiafan wine was evaluated by electronic nose analysis technology and verified by sensory evaluation. Finally, the reliability of the experimental results was verified through an aroma reconstruction experiment of rice wine. In this study, the differences in flavoring substances under different amounts of ZaoShao liquor were verified from various angles. The results showed that the flavors of the four kinds of wines were significantly different. CONCLUSION: The composition of flavor substances in Shaoxing rice wine varies with the amount of ZaoShao liquor. This study provided a scientific basis for the improvement of production technology of Shaoxing wine. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Preparation, identification, and molecular docking of novel angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory peptides derived from rice-based distillers' spent cakes.

BACKGROUND: Rice-based distillers' spent cake (RDSC), a by-product of the Chinese liquor (Baijiu) industry, is a potential source of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptide. Since ACE plays a crucial role in controlling hypertension, inhibition of ACE has been widely emphasized. The ACE inhibitory active peptide derived from by-products of food has been recognized as a safer and cheaper inhibitor. RESULTS: Aimed to discover ACE-inhibiting active peptides in RDSC. Hydrolysis of RDSC by alcalase for 4 h followed by ultrafiltration yielded low-molecular-weight (< 3 kDa) fractions. Subsequently, a comprehensive method using a combination of liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-Q-TOF-MS) and LC-Q-Exactive-MS to identify the novel short peptides (3-5 amino acids residues; n = 7) and medium-sized peptides (more than 6 amino acids residues; n = 6). In vitro activity assay showed that the peptides KPFFPGL, GFPRPLL, GPPGVF, and VGK exhibited the highest activity with inhibitory concentration of 50% (IC50) of 11.63, 12.34, 19.55, and 33.54 µmol L-1. Molecular docking reveal that the active and inactive sites (Glu123, Asp121, Arg522, and Lys118) play important roles in enhancing the ACE inhibitory activity of peptides. CONCLUSION: Here we report a comprehensive method that effectively extracted and identified the bioactive peptides from RDSC. Four highly active novel peptides may be the most promising candidates for functional foods against hypertension, provide significant information for enhancing value of rice-based distilled by-products. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Sustainable and Scalable Synthesis of 2D Ultrathin Hierarchical Porous Carbon Nanosheets for High-Performance Supercapacitor.

2D carbon nanomaterials such as graphene, carbon nanosheets, and their derivatives, representing the emerging class of advanced multifunctional materials, have gained great research interest because of their extensive applications ranging from electrochemistry to catalysis. However, sustainable and scalable synthesis of 2D carbon nanosheets (CNs) with hierarchical architecture and irregular structure via a green and low-cost strategy remains a great challenge. Herein, prehydrolysis liquor (PHL), an industrial byproduct of the pulping industry, is first employed to synthesize CNs via a simple hydrothermal carbonization technique. After mild activation with NH4 Cl and FeCl3 , the as-prepared activated CNs (A-CN@NFe) display an ultrathin structure (≈3 nm) and a desirable specific surface area (1021 m2 g-1 ) with hierarchical porous structure, which enables it to be both electroactive materials and structural support materials in nanofibrillated cellulose/A-CN@NFe/polypyrrole (NCP) nanocomposite, and thus endowing nanocomposite with impressive capacitance properties of 2546.3 mF cm-2 at 1 mA cm-2 . Furthermore, the resultant all-solid-state symmetric supercapacitor delivers a satisfactory energy storage ability of 90.1 µWh cm-2 at 250.0 µW cm-2 . Thus, this work not only opens a new window for sustainable and scalable synthesis of CNs, but also offers a double profits strategy for energy storage and biorefinery industry.

Effects of adding corn steep liquor on bacterial community composition and carbon and nitrogen transformation during spent mushroom substrate composting.

BACKGROUND: Carbon and nitrogen are essential energy and nutrient substances in the composting process. Corn steep liquor (CSL) is rich in soluble carbon and nitrogen nutrients and active substances and is widely used in the biological industry. Nonetheless, limited research has been done on the effect of CSL on composting. This work firstly reveals the effect of adding CSL to bacterial community composition and carbon and nitrogen conversion during composting. This study provides the choice of auxiliary materials for the spent mushroom substrate compost (SMS) and some novel knowledge about the effect of bacterial community on C and N cycling during composting of SMS and CSL. Two treatments were set up in the experiment: 100% spent mushroom substrate (SMS) as CK and SMS + 0.5% CSL (v/v) as CP. RESULTS: The results showed that the addition of CSL enhanced the initial carbon and nitrogen content of the compost, altered the bacterial community structure, and increased the bacterial diversity and relative abundance, which might be beneficial to the conversion and retention of carbon and nitrogen in the composting process. In this paper, network analysis was used to screen the core bacteria involved in carbon and nitrogen conversion. In the CP network, the core bacteria were divided into two categories, synthesizing and degrading bacteria, and there were more synthesizing bacteria than degrading bacteria, so the degradation and synthesis of organic matter were carried out simultaneously, while only degrading bacteria were found in the CK network. Functional prediction by Faprotax identified 53 groups of functional bacteria, among which 20 (76.68% abundance) and 14 (13.15% abundance) groups of functional bacteria were related to carbon and nitrogen conversion, respectively. Adding CSL stimulated the compensatory effect of core and functional bacteria, enhanced the carbon and nitrogen transformation ability, stimulated the activity of low-abundance bacteria, and reduced the competitive relationship between the bacterial groups. This may be why the addition of CSL accelerated the organic matter degradation and increased carbon and nitrogen preservation. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that the addition of CSL promoted the cycling and preservation of carbon and nitrogen in the SMS composts, and the addition of CSL to the compost may be an effective way to dispose of agricultural waste.

Solibacillus daqui sp. nov., isolated from high-temperature Daqu.

A Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped, endospore-forming, aerobic bacterial strain, designated ZS111008T, was isolated from high-temperature Daqu, a starter for production of Chinese Jiang-flavour Baijiu, and was characterized by polyphasic taxonomy. This novel isolate grew in the presence of 0-5 % (w/v) NaCl, at pH 6.0-9.0 and 25-45 °C; optimum growth was observed with 1 % (w/v) NaCl, at pH 8.0 and 30 °C. A comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence (1461 bp) of strain ZS111008T showed highest similarity to Solibacillus silvestris DSM12223T (96.7%), followed by Solibacillus cecembensis PN5T (96.6%) and Solibacillus isronensis AMCK01000046 (96.5%). The DNA G+C content of strain ZS111008T was 37.21 mol%. The respiratory quinone was identified as menaquinone-7 and the major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine and one unknown phospholipid. Lys was detected as the diagnostic diamino acid in the cell wall. Based on morphological characteristics, chemotaxonomic characteristics and physiological properties, strain ZS111008T represents a novel species of the genus Solibacillus, for which the name Solibacillus daqui sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain for this proposed species is ZS111008T (=CGMCC 1.19455T=JCM 35214T).

Lentibacillus daqui sp. nov., isolated from high-temperature Daqu, a starter for production of Chinese Jiang-flavour Baijiu.

A Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped, endospore-forming, aerobic bacterial strain, designated ZS110521T, was isolated from high-temperature Daqu, a starter for production of Chinese Jiang-flavour Baijiu and was characterised by polyphasic taxonomy. This novel isolate grew in the presence of 0-20 % (w/v) NaCl, at pH 6.0-9.0 and 20-50 °C; optimum growth was observed with 8-10 % (w/v) NaCl, at pH 7.0 and 37 °C. A comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence (1460 bp) of ZS110521T revealed that it displayed the highest similarity to Lentibacillus populi WD4L-1T (95.5 %), followed by Lentibacillus garicola SL-MJ1T (95.4 %) and Lentibacillus lacisalsi BH260T (95.2 %). ANI and dDDH values between ZS110521T and other strains of species of the genus Lentibacillus were less than 78 and 28 %, respectively. The predominant cellular fatty acids (> 10 %) of ZS110521T were anteiso-C17 : 0 (37.8 %), anteiso-C15 : 0 (28.1 %) and iso-C16 : 0 (15.5 %). The respiratory quinone was identified as menaquinone-7 (MK-7) and the major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol. The polyphasic taxonomic data and the results of chemotaxonomic analysis confirmed that ZS110521T represents a novel species, for which the name Lentibacillus daqui sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of this proposed species is ZS110521T (=CGMCC 1.19456T =JCM 35213T).

Exposure of the static magnetic fields on the microbial growth rate and the sludge properties in the complete-mix activated sludge process (a Lab-scale study).

BACKGROUND: In this study, the effect of static magnetic fields (SMFs) on improving the performance of activated sludge process to enhance the higher rate of microbial growth biomass and improve sludge settling characteristics in real operation conditions of wastewater treatment plants has been investigated. The effect of SMFs (15 mT), hydraulic retention time, SRT, aeration time on mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentrations, mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) concentrations, α-factor, and pH in the complete-mix activated sludge (CMAS) process during 30 days of the operation, were evaluated. RESULTS: There were not any differences between the concentration of MLSS in the case (2148.8 ± 235.6 mg/L) and control (2260.1 ± 296.0 mg/L) samples, however, the mean concentration of MLVSS in the case (1463.4 ± 419.2 mg/L) was more than the control samples (1244.1 ± 295.5 mg/L). Changes of the concentration of MLVSS over time, follow the first and second-order reaction with and without exposure of SMFs respectively. Moreover, the slope of the line and, the mean of α-factor in the case samples were 6.255 and, - 0.001 higher than the control samples, respectively. Changes in pH in both groups of the reactors were not observed. The size of the sluge flocs (1.28 µm) and, the spectra of amid I' (1440 cm-1) and II' (1650 cm-1) areas related to hydrogenase bond in the case samples were higher than the control samples. CONCLUSIONS: SMFs have a potential to being considered as an alternative method to stimulate the microbial growth rate in the aeration reactors and produce bioflocs with the higher density in the second clarifiers.

Insight into broad substrate specificity and synergistic contribution of a fungal α-glucosidase in Chinese Nong-flavor daqu.

BACKGROUND: Chinese Nong-favor daqu, the presentative liquor starter of Baijiu, has been enriched with huge amounts of enzymes in degrading various biological macromolecules by openly man-made process for thousand years. According to previous metatranscriptomics analysis, plenty of α-glucosidases were identified to be active in NF daqu and played the key role in degrading starch under solid-state fermentation. However, none of α-glucosidases was characterized from NF daqu, and their actual functions in NF daqu were still unknown. RESULTS: An α-glucosidase (NFAg31A, GH31-1 subfamily), the second highest expressed α-glucosidases in starch degradation of NF daqu, was directly obtained by heterologous expression in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). NFAg31A exhibited the highest sequence identities of 65.8% with α-glucosidase II from Chaetomium thermophilum, indicating its origin of fungal species, and it showed some similar features with homologous α-glucosidase IIs, i.e., optimal activity at pH ~ 7.0 and litter higher temperature of 45 ℃, well stability at 41.3 ℃ and a broad pH range of pH 6.0 to pH 10.0, and preference on hydrolyzing Glc-α1,3-Glc. Besides this preference, NFAg31A showed comparable activities on Glc-α1,2-Glc and Glc-α1,4-Glc, and low activity on Glc-α1,6-Glc, indicating its broad specificities on α-glycosidic substrates. Additionally, its activity was not stimulated by any of those detected metal ions and chemicals, and could be largely inhibited by glucose under solid-state fermentation. Most importantly, it exhibited competent and synergistic effects with two characterized α-amylases of NF daqu on hydrolyzing starch, i.e., all of them could efficiently degrade starch and malto-saccharides, two α-amylases showed advantage in degrading starch and long-chain malto-saccharides, and NFAg31A played the competent role with α-amylases in degrading short-chain malto-saccharides and the irreplaceable contribution in hydrolyzing maltose into glucose, thus alleviating the product inhibitions of α-amylases. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides not only a suitable α-glucosidase in strengthening the quality of daqu, but also an efficient way to reveal roles of the complicated enzyme system in traditional solid-state fermentation. This study would further stimulate more enzyme mining from NF daqu, and promote their actual applications in solid-state fermentation of NF liquor brewing, as well as in other solid-state fermentation of starchy industry in the future.

Moderate alcohol consumption, types of beverages and drinking pattern with cardiometabolic biomarkers in three cohorts of US men and women.

Underlying mechanisms of the inverse relationship between moderate alcohol consumption and cardiometabolic disorders are unclear. Modification by types of alcoholic beverages consumed and drinking pattern remains understudied. We aimed to provide insight into the mechanisms by examining 14 insulinemic/glycemic, inflammatory and lipid markers. We used cross-sectional data from 15,436 women in the Nurses' Health Study, 19,318 women in the Nurses' Health Study II, and 6872 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Multivariable linear regression was used to estimate the percentage differences in biomarker concentrations according to alcohol intakes. The average alcohol intake in the combined cohort was 3.3 servings/week. We found a 1 serving/d increment in alcohol intake (14 g ethanol, 44 ml liquor or 355 ml beer or 118 ml wine per day) was associated with a 0.6% lower level of HbA1c, 1.7-3.6% lower proinflammatory markers and 4.2% higher adiponectin, as well as 7.1% higher HDL-cholesterol and 2.1% lower triglyceride with a significant linear trend. Wine, especially red wine, was associated with lower inflammation in particular. Beer had weaker favorable to null associations with blood lipids and adiponectin. Liquor was associated with higher C-peptide and interleukin-6, yet equally associated with lower HbA1c and higher HDL-cholesterol as other beverages. Drinking 3 days or more per week was related to a better biomarker profile than nonregular drinking independent of intake levels. Drinking appeared to have similar associations irrespective whether done with meals or not. Our data indicated moderate alcohol intake, especially if consumed from wine and done regularly, was associated with favorable profiles of insulinemic/glycemic and inflammatory markers and blood lipids.

Influence of seasonality, wastewater treatment plant process, geographical location and environmental parameters on bacterial community selection in activated sludge wastewater treatment plants treating municipal sewage in South Africa.

This is the first comprehensive study that focusses on the correlation between the bacterial community composition and a range of previously identified selective criteria in activated sludge wastewater treatment plants on the African continent. Multivariate statistical analyses were used to determine the relative significance of the geographical location (factor: site), wastewater treatment plant process (factor: configuration), seasonality (factor: season), and environmental parameters on the bacterial communities in nine wastewater treatments plants from two sites in South Africa using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism as a screening tool to rationalize the number of samples (to 50 samples) for high throughput (Illumina MiSeq) sequencing. Site was the most significant factor (Global ANOSIM R value = 0.91, p = 0.001), and it was established that the inter-site differences were not climatic in origin but related to differences in the composition of the influent and activated sludge. Previous studies that have reported associations between microbial community structure and environmental parameters have measured influent chemistry, and this is the first time, to our knowledge, that the comprehensive chemical character of activated sludge itself has been included in this type of study. It was found using BEST analysis that the activated sludge ammonia, activated sludge total phosphate and influent chemical oxygen demand were the most significant (p < 0.001) drivers for inter-site bacterial community selection (ANOSIM Global R values of 0.862, 0.782 and 0.428, respectively). This link would not have been established with only influent chemical analyses as there was no significant difference (t-test, p > 0.05) in the average influent phosphate concentrations between the 2 sites, but there was a highly significant difference (p < 0.001, t (15.5)>t-crit (2.01)) in the activated sludge total phosphate concentrations (20.8 ± 17.0 and 127.8 ± 40.2 mg/L). This is notable for all future studies on a global level aimed at identifying factors for selection of microbial communities in activated sludge.

Strategic nutrient sourcing for biomanufacturing intensification.

The successful design of economically viable bioprocesses can help to abate global dependence on petroleum, increase supply chain resilience, and add value to agriculture. Specifically, bioprocessing provides the opportunity to replace petrochemical production methods with biological methods and to develop novel bioproducts. Even though a vast range of chemicals can be biomanufactured, the constraints on economic viability, especially while competing with petrochemicals, are severe. There have been extensive gains in our ability to engineer microbes for improved production metrics and utilization of target carbon sources. The impact of growth medium composition on process cost and organism performance receives less attention in the literature than organism engineering efforts, with media optimization often being performed in proprietary settings. The widespread use of corn steep liquor as a nutrient source demonstrates the viability and importance of "waste" streams in biomanufacturing. There are other promising waste streams that can be used to increase the sustainability of biomanufacturing, such as the use of urea instead of fossil fuel-intensive ammonia and the use of struvite instead of contributing to the depletion of phosphate reserves. In this review, we discuss several process-specific optimizations of micronutrients that increased product titers by twofold or more. This practice of deliberate and thoughtful sourcing and adjustment of nutrients can substantially impact process metrics. Yet the mechanisms are rarely explored, making it difficult to generalize the results to other processes. In this review, we will discuss examples of nutrient sourcing and adjustment as a means of process improvement. ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY: The potential impact of nutrient adjustments on bioprocess performance, economics, and waste valorization is undervalued and largely undercharacterized.

Directionally controlling flavor compound profile based on the structure of synthetic microbial community in Chinese liquor fermentation.

Most traditional fermented foods are produced by spontaneous fermentation. It is difficult to produce traditional fermented foods with desired flavor compound profile. In this study, using Chinese liquor fermentation as a case, we aimed to directionally control flavor compound profile in food fermentation. Twenty key flavor compounds were identified in 80 Chinese liquor fermentations. Six microbial strains, identified as high producers of these key flavor compounds, were used to generate the minimal synthetic microbial community. A mathematical model was established to link the structure of the minimal synthetic microbial community and the profile of these key flavor compounds. This model could generate the optimal structure of synthetic microbial community to produce flavor compounds with desired profile. This work provided a strategy to realize the directional control of flavor compound profile via controlling the structure of the synthetic microbial community in Chinese liquor fermentation.