Oxygen regulation of nitrate uptake in denitrifying Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

OpenAIRE

Hernandez, D; Rowe, J J

1987-01-01

Oxygen had an immediate and reversible inhibitory effect on nitrate respiration by denitrifying cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Inhibition of nitrate utilization by oxygen appeared to be at the level of nitrate uptake, since nitrate reduction to nitrite in cell extracts was not affected by oxygen. The degree of oxygen inhibition was dependent on the concentration of oxygen, and increasing nitrate concentrations could not overcome the inhibition. The inhibitory effect of oxygen was maximal...

In situ detection of denitrifying bacteria by mRNA-targeted nucleic acid probes and catalyzed reporter deposition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kofoed, Michael Vedel; Stief, Peter; Poulsen, Morten

can be designed to target a broader range of denitrifying bacteria; however, they require two-pass CARD-FISH, which may result in (too) high background fluorescence. In a first application example, habitat-specific polynucleotide probes were used to quantify bacteria expressing narG and nos...... reduction of nitrate to dinitrogen gas, is essential for the removal of fixed nitrogen from natural and engineered ecosystems. However, community structure and activity dynamics of denitrifying bacteria in most systems are poorly understood, partially due to difficulties in identifying and quantifying...... and catalyzed fluorescent reporter deposition (CARD-FISH). The general feasibility of the approach was first tested with pure cultures of Pseudomonas stutzeri and various denitrifying and nitrate-reducing isolates. Detailed studies of probe specificity and hybridization conditions using Clone-FISH of nar...

[Identification and function test of an alkali-tolerant denitrifying bacterium].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ru; Zheng, Ping; Li, Wei; Chen, Hui; Chen, Tingting; Ghulam, Abbas

2013-04-04

We obtained an alkali-tolerant denitrifying bacterium, and determined its denitrifying activity and alkali-tolerance. An alkali-tolerant denitrifying bacterial strain was obtained by isolation and purification. We identified the bacterial strain by morphological observation, physiological test and 16S rRNA analysis. We determined the denitrifying activity and alkali-tolerance by effects of initial nitrate concentration and initial pH on denitrification. An alkali-tolerant denitrifier strain R9 was isolated from the lab-scale high-rate denitrifying reactor, and it was identified as Diaphorobater nitroreducens. The strain R9 grew heterotrophically with methanol as the electron donor and nitrate as the electron acceptor. The nitrate conversion was 93.25% when strain R9 was cultivated for 288 h with initial nitrate concentration 50 mg/L and initial pH 9.0. The denitrification activity could be inhibited at high nitrate concentration with a half inhibition constant of 202.73 mg N/L. Strain R9 showed a good alkali tolerance with the nitrate removal rate at pH 11.0 remained 86% of that at pH 9.0. Strain R9 was identified as Diaphorobater nitroreducens, and it was an alkali-tolerant denitrifying bacterium with optimum pH value of 9.0.

Mapping spatial patterns of denitrifiers at large scales (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Philippot, L.; Ramette, A.; Saby, N.; Bru, D.; Dequiedt, S.; Ranjard, L.; Jolivet, C.; Arrouays, D.

2010-12-01

Little information is available regarding the landscape-scale distribution of microbial communities and its environmental determinants. Here we combined molecular approaches and geostatistical modeling to explore spatial patterns of the denitrifying community at large scales. The distribution of denitrifrying community was investigated over 107 sites in Burgundy, a 31 500 km2 region of France, using a 16 X 16 km sampling grid. At each sampling site, the abundances of denitrifiers and 42 soil physico-chemical properties were measured. The relative contributions of land use, spatial distance, climatic conditions, time and soil physico-chemical properties to the denitrifier spatial distribution were analyzed by canonical variation partitioning. Our results indicate that 43% to 85% of the spatial variation in community abundances could be explained by the measured environmental parameters, with soil chemical properties (mostly pH) being the main driver. We found spatial autocorrelation up to 739 km and used geostatistical modelling to generate predictive maps of the distribution of denitrifiers at the landscape scale. Studying the distribution of the denitrifiers at large scale can help closing the artificial gap between the investigation of microbial processes and microbial community ecology, therefore facilitating our understanding of the relationships between the ecology of denitrifiers and N-fluxes by denitrification.

Benzene and ethylbenzene removal by denitrifying culture in a horizontal fixed bed anaerobic reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gusmao, V.R.; Chinalia, F.A.; Sakamoto, I.K.; Varesche [Univ. de Sao Paulo (Brazil). Dept. de Hidraulica e Saneamento; Thiemann, O.H. [Univ. de Sao Paulo (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica de Sao Carlos

2004-07-01

Benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, and xylene are toxic and are important constituents of gasoline and other petroleum fuels. These compounds are potential health hazards because of their high solubility and hence their ability to contaminate groundwater. Anaerobic immobilized biomass is a way of treating wastewater contaminated with the above compounds. The performance of a specially adapted biofilm is critical in the viability of this idea. In this investigation, an especially adapted biofilm was obtained using a denitrifying bacterial strain isolated from a slaughterhouse wastewater treatment plant. The strain was cultured in a liquid medium with added ethanol, nitrate, ethylbenzene, and benzene. To assess the viability of the strain for the purposes of degradation of ethylbenzene, and benzene two separate horizontal reactors were prepared with polyurethane foam in order to immobilize the biomass. Various concentrations of the two compounds were admitted. At high concentrations chemical oxygen demand decreased dramatically and benzene and ethylbenzene removal almost 100 per cent. DNA sequencing of the biofilm showed that Paracoccus versutus was the dominant species in the ethylbenzene reactor. 7 refs., 6 figs.

Enrichment methodology to increase the positivity of cultures from body fluids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandra Valle Daur

Full Text Available Isolation and identification of etiological agents found in body fluids can be of critical importance for the recovery of patients suffering from potentially-severe infections, which are often followed by serious sequels. Eighty-two samples of different body fluids were analyzed using two different methods: (1 the conventional culture method (agar plating and (2 the enrichment culture technique, using the Bact/Alert® blood culture bottle. The number of positive cultures increased on average from 9.7% to 23.1% with the enrichment culture technique. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were the most frequently isolated bacteria. The enrichment method could provide a more accurate means the identifying etiological agents.

Denitrifying sulfide removal process on high-salinity wastewaters.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chunshuang; Zhao, Chaocheng; Wang, Aijie; Guo, Yadong; Lee, Duu-Jong

2015-08-01

Denitrifying sulfide removal (DSR) process comprising both heterotrophic and autotrophic denitrifiers can simultaneously convert nitrate, sulfide, and acetate into nitrogen gas, elemental sulfur (S(0)), and carbon dioxide, respectively. Sulfide- and nitrate-laden wastewaters at 2-35 g/L NaCl were treated by DSR process. A C/N ratio of 3:1 was proposed to maintain high S(0) conversion rate. The granular sludge with a compact structure and smooth outer surface was formed. The microbial communities of DSR consortium via high-throughput sequencing method suggested that salinity shifts the predominating heterotrophic denitrifiers at 10 g/L NaCl.

21 CFR 866.2330 - Enriched culture medium.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

...) MEDICAL DEVICES IMMUNOLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY DEVICES Microbiology Devices § 866.2330 Enriched culture... solid biological materials intended for medical purposes to cultivate and identify fastidious...

IDENTIFICATION AND ECOPHYSIOLOGY OF ACTIVE DENITRIFIERS IN ACTIVATED SLUDGE

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Aviaja Anna; Le-Quy, Vang; Nielsen, Kåre Lehmann

reactor studies. To obtain better identification of active denitrifying communities in full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) we applied DNA-SIP with 13C-labelled substrates, and RT-PCR of expressed denitrification genes (nirS, nirK and nosZ) upon various substrate-inductions. To come around...... were determined with quantitative FISH, while their active metabolic pathways were investigated directly in activated sludge with a tag-based metatranscriptomic approach under acetate-utilizing and denitrifying conditions. The different methods revealed a majority of denitrifiers in all WWTPs belonging...

Mathematical Modeling of Nitrous Oxide Production during Denitrifying Phosphorus Removal Process.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yiwen; Peng, Lai; Chen, Xueming; Ni, Bing-Jie

2015-07-21

A denitrifying phosphorus removal process undergoes frequent alternating anaerobic/anoxic conditions to achieve phosphate release and uptake, during which microbial internal storage polymers (e.g., Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)) could be produced and consumed dynamically. The PHA turnovers play important roles in nitrous oxide (N2O) accumulation during the denitrifying phosphorus removal process. In this work, a mathematical model is developed to describe N2O dynamics and the key role of PHA consumption on N2O accumulation during the denitrifying phosphorus removal process for the first time. In this model, the four-step anoxic storage of polyphosphate and four-step anoxic growth on PHA using nitrate, nitrite, nitric oxide (NO), and N2O consecutively by denitrifying polyphosphate accumulating organisms (DPAOs) are taken into account for describing all potential N2O accumulation steps in the denitrifying phosphorus removal process. The developed model is successfully applied to reproduce experimental data on N2O production obtained from four independent denitrifying phosphorus removal study reports with different experimental conditions. The model satisfactorily describes the N2O accumulation, nitrogen reduction, phosphate release and uptake, and PHA dynamics for all systems, suggesting the validity and applicability of the model. The results indicated a substantial role of PHA consumption in N2O accumulation due to the relatively low N2O reduction rate by using PHA during denitrifying phosphorus removal.

Life on N2O: deciphering the ecophysiology of N2O respiring bacterial communities in a continuous culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Conthe, Monica; Wittorf, Lea; Kuenen, J Gijs; Kleerebezem, Robbert; van Loosdrecht, Mark C M; Hallin, Sara

2018-04-01

Reduction of the greenhouse gas N 2 O to N 2 is a trait among denitrifying and non-denitrifying microorganisms having an N 2 O reductase, encoded by nosZ. The nosZ phylogeny has two major clades, I and II, and physiological differences among organisms within the clades may affect N 2 O emissions from ecosystems. To increase our understanding of the ecophysiology of N 2 O reducers, we determined the thermodynamic growth efficiency of N 2 O reduction and the selection of N 2 O reducers under N 2 O- or acetate-limiting conditions in a continuous culture enriched from a natural community with N 2 O as electron acceptor and acetate as electron donor. The biomass yields were higher during N 2 O limitation, irrespective of dilution rate and community composition. The former was corroborated in a continuous culture of Pseudomonas stutzeri and was potentially due to cytotoxic effects of surplus N 2 O. Denitrifiers were favored over non-denitrifying N 2 O reducers under all conditions and Proteobacteria harboring clade I nosZ dominated. The abundance of nosZ clade II increased when allowing for lower growth rates, but bacteria with nosZ clade I had a higher affinity for N 2 O, as defined by μ max /K s . Thus, the specific growth rate is likely a key factor determining the composition of communities living on N 2 O respiration under growth-limited conditions.

The Control of Microcystis spp. Bloom by Combining Indigenous Denitrifying Bacteria From Sutami Reservoir with Fimbristylis globulosa and Vetiveria zizanoides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bayu Agung Prahardika

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to know the ability of polyculture macrophyte (Fimbristylis globulosa and Vetiveria zizanoides and the combination of both with consortium of indigenous denitrifying bacteria from Sutami reservoir that was added by Microcystis spp. or not to reduce the concentration of nitrate, dissolved phosphate and the carrying capacity of Microcystis spp. The experiment was done in a medium filled up with Sutami reservoir water enriched with 16 ppm of nitrate and 0.4 ppm of phosphate. The denitrifying bacteria used in this research were DR-14, DU-27-1, DU-30-1, DU-30-2, TA-8 and DU-27-4 isolated from Sutami reservoir. The treatments were incubated within 15 days. Microcystis spp. abundance was calculated every day, but the measurement of the concentration of nitrate and dissolved phosphate was done every six days. The results showed that both treatment and the combination of both macrophytes with a consortium of denitrifying indigenous bacteria were added or not either Microcystis able to reduce nitrate at 99% and 93-99% orthophosphoric. The combination of macrophytes with denitrifying indigenous bacterial consortium from Sutami reservoir was able to inhibit the carrying capacity of Microcystis spp. highest up to 47.87%. They could also significantly reduce the abundance of Microcystis from 107 cells/mL in earlier days of the treatment into 0.35x104 cells/mL after fifteen days of incubation.

Optimum O2:CH4 Ratio Promotes the Synergy between Aerobic Methanotrophs and Denitrifiers to Enhance Nitrogen Removal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Zhu

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The O2:CH4 ratio significantly effects nitrogen removal in mixed cultures where aerobic methane oxidation is coupled with denitrification (AME-D. The goal of this study was to investigate nitrogen removal of the AME-D process at four different O2:CH4 ratios [0, 0.05, 0.25, and 1 (v/v]. In batch tests, the highest denitrifying activity was observed when the O2:CH4 ratio was 0.25. At this ratio, the methanotrophs produced sufficient carbon sources for denitrifiers and the oxygen level did not inhibit nitrite removal. The results indicated that the synergy between methanotrophs and denitrifiers was significantly improved, thereby achieving a greater capacity of nitrogen removal. Based on thermodynamic and chemical analyses, methanol, butyrate, and formaldehyde could be the main trophic links of AME-D process in our study. Our research provides valuable information for improving the practical application of the AME-D systems.

Mapping the distribution of the denitrifier community at large scales (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Philippot, L.; Bru, D.; Ramette, A.; Dequiedt, S.; Ranjard, L.; Jolivet, C.; Arrouays, D.

2010-12-01

Little information is available regarding the landscape-scale distribution of microbial communities and its environmental determinants. Here we combined molecular approaches and geostatistical modeling to explore spatial patterns of the denitrifying community at large scales. The distribution of denitrifrying community was investigated over 107 sites in Burgundy, a 31 500 km2 region of France, using a 16 X 16 km sampling grid. At each sampling site, the abundances of denitrifiers and 42 soil physico-chemical properties were measured. The relative contributions of land use, spatial distance, climatic conditions, time and soil physico-chemical properties to the denitrifier spatial distribution were analyzed by canonical variation partitioning. Our results indicate that 43% to 85% of the spatial variation in community abundances could be explained by the measured environmental parameters, with soil chemical properties (mostly pH) being the main driver. We found spatial autocorrelation up to 740 km and used geostatistical modelling to generate predictive maps of the distribution of denitrifiers at the landscape scale. Studying the distribution of the denitrifiers at large scale can help closing the artificial gap between the investigation of microbial processes and microbial community ecology, therefore facilitating our understanding of the relationships between the ecology of denitrifiers and N-fluxes by denitrification.

Denitrifying bacteria from the terrestrial subsurface exposed to mixed waste contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Green, Stefan; Prakash, Om; Gihring, Thomas; Akob, Denise M.; Jasrotia, Puja; Jardine, Philip M.; Watson, David B.; Brown, Steven David; Palumbo, Anthony Vito; Kostka, Joel

2010-01-01

In terrestrial subsurface environments where nitrate is a critical groundwater contaminant, few cultivated representatives are available with which to verify the metabolism of organisms that catalyze denitrification. In this study, five species of denitrifying bacteria from three phyla were isolated from subsurface sediments exposed to metal radionuclide and nitrate contamination as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Integrated Field Research Challenge (OR-IFRC). Isolates belonged to the genera Afipia and Hyphomicrobium (Alphaproteobacteria), Rhodanobacter (Gammaproteobacteria), Intrasporangium (Actinobacteria) and Bacillus (Firmicutes). Isolates from the phylum Proteobacteria were confirmed as complete denitrifiers, whereas the Gram-positive isolates reduced nitrate to nitrous oxide. Ribosomal RNA gene analyses reveal that bacteria from the genus Rhodanobacter comprise a diverse population of circumneutral to moderately acidophilic denitrifiers at the ORIFRC site, with a high relative abundance in areas of the acidic source zone. Rhodanobacter species do not contain a periplasmic nitrite reductase and have not been previously detected in functional gene surveys of denitrifying bacteria at the OR-IFRC site. Sequences of nitrite and nitrous oxide reductase genes were recovered from the isolates and from the terrestrial subsurface by designing primer sets mined from genomic and metagenomic data and from draft genomes of two of the isolates. We demonstrate that a combination of cultivation, genomic and metagenomic data are essential to the in situ characterization of denitrifiers and that current PCR-based approaches are not suitable for deep coverage of denitrifying microorganisms. Our results indicate that the diversity of denitrifiers is significantly underestimated in the terrestrial subsurface.

Denitrification and Biodiversity of Denitrifiers in a High-Mountain Mediterranean Lake

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Castellano-Hinojosa

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Wet deposition of reactive nitrogen (Nr species is considered a main factor contributing to N inputs, of which nitrate (NO3− is usually the major component in high-mountain lakes. The microbial group of denitrifiers are largely responsible for reduction of nitrate to molecular dinitrogen (N2 in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, but the role of denitrification in removal of contaminant nitrates in high-mountain lakes is not well understood. We have used the oligotrophic, high-altitude La Caldera lake in the Sierra Nevada range (Spain as a model to study the role of denitrification in nitrate removal. Dissolved inorganic Nr concentration in the water column of la Caldera, mainly nitrate, decreased over the ice-free season which was not associated with growth of microbial plankton or variations in the ultraviolet radiation. Denitrification activity, estimated as nitrous oxide (N2O production, was measured in the water column and in sediments of the lake, and had maximal values in the month of August. Relative abundance of denitrifying bacteria in sediments was studied by quantitative polymerase chain reaction of the 16S rRNA and the two phylogenetically distinct clades nosZI and nosZII genes encoding nitrous oxide reductases. Diversity of denitrifiers in sediments was assessed using a culture-dependent approach and after the construction of clone libraries employing the nosZI gene as a molecular marker. In addition to genera Polymorphum, Paracoccus, Azospirillum, Pseudomonas, Hyphomicrobium, Thauera, and Methylophaga, which were present in the clone libraries, Arthrobacter, Burkholderia, and Rhizobium were also detected in culture media that were not found in the clone libraries. Analysis of biological activities involved in the C, N, P, and S cycles from sediments revealed that nitrate was not a limiting nutrient in the lake, allowed N2O production and determined denitrifiers’ community structure. All these results indicate that

Denitrification and Biodiversity of Denitrifiers in a High-Mountain Mediterranean Lake

Science.gov (United States)

Castellano-Hinojosa, Antonio; Correa-Galeote, David; Carrillo, Presentación; Bedmar, Eulogio J.; Medina-Sánchez, Juan M.

2017-01-01

Wet deposition of reactive nitrogen (Nr) species is considered a main factor contributing to N inputs, of which nitrate (NO3−) is usually the major component in high-mountain lakes. The microbial group of denitrifiers are largely responsible for reduction of nitrate to molecular dinitrogen (N2) in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, but the role of denitrification in removal of contaminant nitrates in high-mountain lakes is not well understood. We have used the oligotrophic, high-altitude La Caldera lake in the Sierra Nevada range (Spain) as a model to study the role of denitrification in nitrate removal. Dissolved inorganic Nr concentration in the water column of la Caldera, mainly nitrate, decreased over the ice-free season which was not associated with growth of microbial plankton or variations in the ultraviolet radiation. Denitrification activity, estimated as nitrous oxide (N2O) production, was measured in the water column and in sediments of the lake, and had maximal values in the month of August. Relative abundance of denitrifying bacteria in sediments was studied by quantitative polymerase chain reaction of the 16S rRNA and the two phylogenetically distinct clades nosZI and nosZII genes encoding nitrous oxide reductases. Diversity of denitrifiers in sediments was assessed using a culture-dependent approach and after the construction of clone libraries employing the nosZI gene as a molecular marker. In addition to genera Polymorphum, Paracoccus, Azospirillum, Pseudomonas, Hyphomicrobium, Thauera, and Methylophaga, which were present in the clone libraries, Arthrobacter, Burkholderia, and Rhizobium were also detected in culture media that were not found in the clone libraries. Analysis of biological activities involved in the C, N, P, and S cycles from sediments revealed that nitrate was not a limiting nutrient in the lake, allowed N2O production and determined denitrifiers’ community structure. All these results indicate that denitrification could be a

Denitrifying capability and community dynamics of glycogen accumulating organisms during sludge granulation in an anaerobic-aerobic sequencing batch reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Bin, Zhang; Bin, Xue; Zhigang, Qiu; Zhiqiang, Chen; Junwen, Li; Taishi, Gong; Wenci, Zou; Jingfeng, Wang

2015-08-01

Denitrifying capability of glycogen accumulating organisms (GAOs) has received great attention in environmental science and microbial ecology. Combining this ability with granule processes would be an interesting attempt. Here, a laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was operated to enrich GAOs and enable sludge granulation. The results showed that the GAO granules were cultivated successfully and the granules had denitrifying capability. The batch experiments demonstrated that all NO3--N could be removed or reduced, some amount of NO2--N were accumulated in the reactor, and N2 was the main gaseous product. SEM analysis suggested that the granules were tightly packed with a large amount of tetrad-forming organisms (TFOs); filamentous bacteria served as the supporting structures for the granules. The microbial community structure of GAO granules was differed substantially from the inoculant conventional activated sludge. Most of the bacteria in the seed sludge grouped with members of Proteobacterium. FISH analysis confirmed that GAOs were the predominant members in the granules and were distributed evenly throughout the granular space. In contrast, PAOs were severely inhibited. Overall, cultivation of the GAO granules and utilizing their denitrifying capability can provide us with a new approach of nitrogen removal and saving more energy.

Denitrifying Bioreactors Resist Disturbance from Fluctuating Water Levels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah K. Hathaway

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Nitrate can be removed from wastewater streams, including subsurface agricultural drainage systems, using woodchip bioreactors to promote microbial denitrification. However, the variations in water flow in these systems could make reliable performance from this microbially-mediated process a challenge. In the current work, the effects of fluctuating water levels on nitrate removal, denitrifying activity, and microbial community composition in laboratory-scale bioreactors were investigated. The performance was sensitive to changing water level. An average of 31% nitrate was removed at high water level and 59% at low water level, despite flow adjustments to maintain a constant theoretical hydraulic retention time. The potential activity, as assessed through denitrifying enzyme assays, averaged 0.0008 mg N2O-N/h/dry g woodchip and did not show statistically significant differences between reactors, sampling depths, or operational conditions. In the denitrifying enzyme assays, nitrate removal consistently exceeded nitrous oxide production. The denitrifying bacterial communities were not significantly different from each other, regardless of water level, meaning that the denitrifying bacterial community did not change in response to disturbance. The overall bacterial communities, however, became more distinct between the two reactors when one reactor was operated with periodic disturbances of changing water height, and showed a stronger effect at the most severely disturbed location. The communities were not distinguishable, though, when comparing the same location under high and low water levels, indicating that the communities in the disturbed reactor were adapted to fluctuating conditions rather than to high or low water level. Overall, these results describe a biological treatment process and microbial community that is resistant to disturbance via water level fluctuations.

Atrazine and its metabolites degradation in mineral salts medium and soil using an enrichment culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Anup; Singh, Neera

2016-03-01

An atrazine-degrading enrichment culture was used to study degradation of atrazine metabolites viz. hydroxyatrazine, deethylatrazine, and deisopropylatrazine in mineral salts medium. Results suggested that the enrichment culture was able to degrade only hydroxyatrazine, and it was used as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. Hydroxyatrazine degradation slowed down when sucrose and/or ammonium hydrogen phosphate were supplemented as the additional sources of carbon and nitrogen, respectively. The enrichment culture could degrade high concentrations of atrazine (up to 110 μg/mL) in mineral salts medium, and neutral pH was optimum for atrazine degradation. Further, except in an acidic soil, enrichment culture was able to degrade atrazine in three soil types having different physico-chemical properties. Raising the pH of acidic soil to neutral or alkaline enabled the enrichment culture to degrade atrazine suggesting that acidic pH inhibited atrazine-degrading ability. The study suggested that the enrichment culture can be successfully utilized to achieve complete degradation of atrazine and its persistent metabolite hydroxyatrazine in the contaminated soil and water.

Warming-induced changes in denitrifier community structure modulate the ability of phototrophic river biofilms to denitrify

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boulêtreau, Stéphanie, E-mail: stephanie.bouletreau@univ-tlse3.fr [Université de Toulouse, UPS, INP, EcoLab (Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse (France); CNRS, EcoLab, F-31062 Toulouse (France); Lyautey, Emilie [Université de Toulouse, UPS, INP, EcoLab (Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse (France); CNRS, EcoLab, F-31062 Toulouse (France); Dubois, Sophie [Université de Bordeaux, EPOC - OASU, UMR 5805, Station Marine d' Arcachon, 2 rue du Professeur Jolyet, 33120 Arcachon (France); Compin, Arthur [Université de Toulouse, UPS, INP, EcoLab (Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse (France); CNRS, EcoLab, F-31062 Toulouse (France); Delattre, Cécile; Touron-Bodilis, Aurélie [EDF Recherche et Développement, LNHE (Laboratoire National d' Hydraulique et Environnement), 6 quai Watier, F-78401 Chatou (France); Mastrorillo, Sylvain [Université de Toulouse, UPS, INP, EcoLab (Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse (France); CNRS, EcoLab, F-31062 Toulouse (France); Garabetian, Frédéric [Université de Bordeaux, EPOC - OASU, UMR 5805, Station Marine d' Arcachon, 2 rue du Professeur Jolyet, 33120 Arcachon (France)

2014-01-01

Microbial denitrification is the main nitrogen removing process in freshwater ecosystems. The aim of this study was to show whether and how water warming (+ 2.5 °C) drives bacterial diversity and structuring and how bacterial diversity affects denitrification enzymatic activity in phototrophic river biofilms (PRB). We used water warming associated to the immediate thermal release of a nuclear power plant cooling circuit to produce natural PRB assemblages on glass slides while testing 2 temperatures (mean temperature of 17 °C versus 19.5 °C). PRB were sampled at 2 sampling times during PRB accretion (6 and 21 days) in both temperatures. Bacterial community composition was assessed using ARISA. Denitrifier community abundance and denitrification gene mRNA levels were estimated by q-PCR and qRT-PCR, respectively, of 5 genes encoding catalytic subunits of the denitrification key enzymes. Denitrification enzyme activity (DEA) was measured by the acetylene-block assay at 20 °C. A mean water warming of 2.5 °C was sufficient to produce contrasted total bacterial and denitrifier communities and, therefore, to affect DEA. Indirect temperature effect on DEA may have varied between sampling time, increasing by up to 10 the denitrification rate of 6-day-old PRB and decreasing by up to 5 the denitrification rate of 21-day-old PRB. The present results suggest that indirect effects of warming through changes in bacterial community composition, coupled to the strong direct effect of temperature on DEA already demonstrated in PRB, could modulate dissolved nitrogen removal by denitrification in rivers and streams. - Highlights: •We produced river biofilms in 2 mean temperature conditions: 17 vs 19.5 °C. •We compared their denitrifiers' structuring and functioning in 6d- and 21d-old biofilms. •A difference of 2.5 °C produced contrasted denitrifier communities. •The indirect temperature effect on denitrification activity shifted between biofilm age. �

Diversity and activity of denitrifiers of Chilean arid soil ecosystems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julieta eOrlando

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The Chilean sclerophyllous matorral is a Mediterranean semiarid ecosystem affected by erosion, with low soil fertility and limited by nitrogen. However, limitation of resources is even more severe for desert soils such as from the Atacama Desert, one of the most extreme arid deserts on Earth. Topsoil organic matter, nitrogen and moisture content were significantly higher in the semiarid soil compared to the desert soil. Although the most significant loss of biologically preferred nitrogen from terrestrial ecosystems occurs via denitrification, virtually nothing is known on the activity and composition of denitrifier communities thriving in arid soils. In this study, we explored denitrifier communities from two soils with profoundly distinct edaphic factors. While denitrification activity in the desert soil was below detection limit, the semiarid soil sustained denitrification activity. To elucidate the genetic potential of the soils to sustain denitrification processes we performed community analysis of denitrifiers based on nitrite reductase (nirK and nirS genes as functional marker genes for this physiological group. Presence of nirK-type denitrifiers in both soils was demonstrated but failure to amplify nirS from the desert soil suggests very low abundance of nirS-type denitrifiers shedding light on the lack of denitrification activity. Phylogenetic analysis showed a very low diversity of nirK with only three distinct genotypes in the desert soil which conditions presumably exert a high selection pressure. While nirK diversity was also limited to only few, albeit distinct genotypes, the semiarid matorral soil showed a surprisingly broad genetic variability of the nirS gene. The Chilean matorral is a shrub land plant community which form vegetational patches stabilizing the soil and increasing its nitrogen and carbon content. These islands of fertility may sustain the development and activity of the overall microbial community and of

Diversity and activity of denitrifiers of chilean arid soil ecosystems.

Science.gov (United States)

Orlando, Julieta; Carú, Margarita; Pommerenke, Bianca; Braker, Gesche

2012-01-01

The Chilean sclerophyllous matorral is a Mediterranean semiarid ecosystem affected by erosion, with low soil fertility, and limited by nitrogen. However, limitation of resources is even more severe for desert soils such as from the Atacama Desert, one of the most extreme arid deserts on Earth. Topsoil organic matter, nitrogen and moisture content were significantly higher in the semiarid soil compared to the desert soil. Although the most significant loss of biologically preferred nitrogen from terrestrial ecosystems occurs via denitrification, virtually nothing is known on the activity and composition of denitrifier communities thriving in arid soils. In this study we explored denitrifier communities from two soils with profoundly distinct edaphic factors. While denitrification activity in the desert soil was below detection limit, the semiarid soil sustained denitrification activity. To elucidate the genetic potential of the soils to sustain denitrification processes we performed community analysis of denitrifiers based on nitrite reductase (nirK and nirS) genes as functional marker genes for this physiological group. Presence of nirK-type denitrifiers in both soils was demonstrated but failure to amplify nirS from the desert soil suggests very low abundance of nirS-type denitrifiers shedding light on the lack of denitrification activity. Phylogenetic analysis showed a very low diversity of nirK with only three distinct genotypes in the desert soil which conditions presumably exert a high selection pressure. While nirK diversity was also limited to only few, albeit distinct genotypes, the semiarid matorral soil showed a surprisingly broad genetic variability of the nirS gene. The Chilean matorral is a shrub land plant community which form vegetational patches stabilizing the soil and increasing its nitrogen and carbon content. These islands of fertility may sustain the development and activity of the overall microbial community and of denitrifiers in particular.

Salmonella testing of pooled pre-enrichment broth cultures for screening multiple food samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Price, W R; Olsen, R A; Hunter, J E

1972-04-01

A method has been described for testing multiple food samples for Salmonella without loss in sensitivity. The method pools multiple pre-enrichment broth cultures into single enrichment broths. The subsequent stages of the Salmonella analysis are not altered. The method was found applicable to several dry food materials including nonfat dry milk, dried egg albumin, cocoa, cottonseed flour, wheat flour, and shredded coconut. As many as 25 pre-enrichment broth cultures were pooled without apparent loss in the sensitivity of Salmonella detection as compared to individual sample analysis. The procedure offers a simple, yet effective, way to increase sample capacity in the Salmonella testing of foods, particularly where a large proportion of samples ordinarily is negative. It also permits small portions of pre-enrichment broth cultures to be retained for subsequent individual analysis if positive tests are found. Salmonella testing of pooled pre-enrichment broths provides increased consumer protection for a given amount of analytical effort as compared to individual sample analysis.

Anaerobic oxidation of 2-chloroethanol under denitrifying conditions by Pseudomonas stutzeri strain JJ.

Science.gov (United States)

Dijk, J A; Stams, A J M; Schraa, G; Ballerstedt, H; de Bont, J A M; Gerritse, J

2003-11-01

A bacterium that uses 2-chloroethanol as sole energy and carbon source coupled to denitrification was isolated from 1,2-dichloroethane-contaminated soil. Its 16 S rDNA sequence showed 98% similarity with the type strain of Pseudomonas stutzeri (DSM 5190) and the isolate was tentatively identified as Pseudomonas stutzeri strain JJ. Strain JJ oxidized 2-chloroethanol completely to CO(2) with NO(3)(- )or O(2) as electron acceptor, with a preference for O(2) if supplied in combination. Optimum growth on 2-chloroethanol with nitrate occurred at 30 degrees C with a mu(max) of 0.14 h(-1) and a yield of 4.4 g protein per mol 2-chloroethanol metabolized. Under aerobic conditions, the mu(max) was 0.31 h(-1). NO(2)(-) also served as electron acceptor, but reduction of Fe(OH)(3), MnO(2), SO(4)(2-), fumarate or ClO(3)(-) was not observed. Another chlorinated compound used as sole energy and carbon source under aerobic and denitrifying conditions was chloroacetate. Various different bacterial strains, including some closely related Pseudomonas stutzeri strains, were tested for their ability to grow on 2-chloroethanol as sole energy and carbon source under aerobic and denitrifying conditions, respectively. Only three strains, Pseudomonas stutzeri strain LMD 76.42, Pseudomonas putida US2 and Xanthobacter autotrophicus GJ10, grew aerobically on 2-chloroethanol. This is the first report of oxidation of 2-chloroethanol under denitrifying conditions by a pure bacterial culture.

Enhanced performance of denitrifying sulfide removal process under micro-aerobic condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Chuan; Ren Nanqi; Wang Aijie; Liu Lihong; Lee, Duu-Jong

2010-01-01

The denitrifying sulfide removal (DSR) process with bio-granules comprising both heterotrophic and autotrophic denitrifiers can simultaneously convert nitrate, sulfide and acetate into di-nitrogen gas, elementary sulfur and carbon dioxide, respectively, at high loading rates. This study determines the reaction rate of sulfide oxidized into sulfur, as well as the reduction of nitrate to nitrite, would be enhanced under a micro-aerobic condition. The presence of limited oxygen mitigated the inhibition effects of sulfide on denitrifier activities, and enhanced the performance of DSR granules. The advantages and disadvantages of applying the micro-aerobic condition to the DSR process are discussed.

Use of γ-hexachlorocyclohexane as a terminal electron acceptor by an anaerobic enrichment culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elango, Vijai; Kurtz, Harry D.; Anderson, Christina; Freedman, David L.

2011-01-01

Highlights: ► Use of γ-hexachlorocyclohexane as a terminal electron acceptor was demonstrated. ► H 2 served as the electron donor for an enrichment culture that dechlorinated γ-HCH. ► H 2 consumption for acetogenesis and methanogenesis stopped in HEPES media. ► Addition of vancomycin significantly slowed the rate of γ-HCH dechlorination. ► Previously identified chlororespiring microbes were not detected in the enrichment. - Abstract: The use of γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) as a terminal electron acceptor via organohalide respiration was demonstrated for the first time with an enrichment culture grown in a sulfate-free HEPES-buffered anaerobic mineral salts medium. The enrichment culture was initially developed with soil and groundwater from an industrial site contaminated with HCH isomers, chlorinated benzenes, and chlorinated ethenes. When hydrogen served as the electron donor, 79–90% of the electron equivalents from hydrogen were used by the enrichment culture for reductive dechlorination of the γ-HCH, which was provided at a saturation concentration of approximately 10 mg/L. Benzene and chlorobenzene were the only volatile transformation products detected, accounting for 25% and 75% of the γ-HCH consumed (on a molar basis), respectively. The enrichment culture remained active with only hydrogen as the electron donor and γ-HCH as the electron acceptor through several transfers to fresh mineral salts medium for more than one year. Addition of vancomycin to the culture significantly slowed the rate of γ-HCH dechlorination, suggesting that a Gram-positive organism is responsible for the reduction of γ-HCH. Analysis of the γ-HCH dechlorinating enrichment culture did not detect any known chlororespiring genera, including Dehalobacter. In bicarbonate-buffered medium, reductive dechlorination of γ-HCH was accompanied by significant levels of acetogenesis as well as methanogenesis.

Enhanced performance of denitrifying sulfide removal process under micro-aerobic condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chuan; Ren, Nanqi; Wang, Aijie; Liu, Lihong; Lee, Duu-Jong

2010-07-15

The denitrifying sulfide removal (DSR) process with bio-granules comprising both heterotrophic and autotrophic denitrifiers can simultaneously convert nitrate, sulfide and acetate into di-nitrogen gas, elementary sulfur and carbon dioxide, respectively, at high loading rates. This study determines the reaction rate of sulfide oxidized into sulfur, as well as the reduction of nitrate to nitrite, would be enhanced under a micro-aerobic condition. The presence of limited oxygen mitigated the inhibition effects of sulfide on denitrifier activities, and enhanced the performance of DSR granules. The advantages and disadvantages of applying the micro-aerobic condition to the DSR process are discussed. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhanced production and isotope enrichment of recombinant glycoproteins produced in cultured mammalian cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skelton, David; Goodyear, Abbey [Florida State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (United States); Ni, DaQun; Walton, Wendy J.; Rolle, Myron; Hare, Joan T. [Florida State University, Institute of Molecular Biophysics (United States); Logan, Timothy M., E-mail: tlogan@fsu.ed [Florida State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (United States)

2010-10-15

NMR studies of post-translationally modified proteins are complicated by the lack of an efficient method to produce isotope enriched recombinant proteins in cultured mammalian cells. We show that reducing the glucose concentration and substituting glutamate for glutamine in serum-free medium increased cell viability while simultaneously increasing recombinant protein yield and the enrichment of non-essential amino acids compared to culture in unmodified, serum-free medium. Adding dichloroacetate, a pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase inhibitor, further improves cell viability, recombinant protein yield, and isotope enrichment. We demonstrate the method by producing partially enriched recombinant Thy1 glycoprotein from Lec1 Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells using U-{sup 13}C-glucose and {sup 15}N-glutamate as labeled precursors. This study suggests that uniformly {sup 15}N,{sup 13}C-labeled recombinant proteins may be produced in cultured mammalian cells starting from a mixture of labeled essential amino acids, glucose, and glutamate.

Enhanced production and isotope enrichment of recombinant glycoproteins produced in cultured mammalian cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skelton, David; Goodyear, Abbey; Ni, DaQun; Walton, Wendy J.; Rolle, Myron; Hare, Joan T.; Logan, Timothy M.

2010-01-01

NMR studies of post-translationally modified proteins are complicated by the lack of an efficient method to produce isotope enriched recombinant proteins in cultured mammalian cells. We show that reducing the glucose concentration and substituting glutamate for glutamine in serum-free medium increased cell viability while simultaneously increasing recombinant protein yield and the enrichment of non-essential amino acids compared to culture in unmodified, serum-free medium. Adding dichloroacetate, a pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase inhibitor, further improves cell viability, recombinant protein yield, and isotope enrichment. We demonstrate the method by producing partially enriched recombinant Thy1 glycoprotein from Lec1 Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells using U- 13 C-glucose and 15 N-glutamate as labeled precursors. This study suggests that uniformly 15 N, 13 C-labeled recombinant proteins may be produced in cultured mammalian cells starting from a mixture of labeled essential amino acids, glucose, and glutamate.

Experimental investigation of activities and tolerance of denitrifying bacteria under alkaline and reducing condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mine, Tatsuya; Mihara, Morihiro; Ooi, Takao

2000-07-01

In the geological disposal system of TRU wastes, nitrogen generation by denitrifying bacteria could provide significant impact on the assessment of this system, because nitrate contained in process concentrated liquid waste might be electron acceptor for denitrifying bacteria. In this study, the activities and tolerance of denitrifying under disposal condition were investigated. Pseudomonas denitrificans as denitrifying bacteria was used. The results showed that Pseudomonas denitrificans had activity under reducing condition, but under high pH condition (pH>9.5), the activity of Pseudomonas denitrificans was not detected. It is possible that the activity of Pseudomonas denitrificans would be low under disposal condition. (author)

Methanogenic degradation of acetone by an enrichment culture

OpenAIRE

Platen, Harald; Schink, Bernhard

1987-01-01

An anaerobic enrichment culture degraded 1 mol of acetone to 2 tool of methane and 1 tool of carbon dioxide. Two microorganisms were involved in this process, a filament-forming rod similar to Methanothrix sp. and an unknown rod with round to slightly pointed ends. Both organisms formed aggregates up to 300 gm in diameter. No fluorescing bacteria were observed indicating that hydrogen or formate-utilizing methanogens are not involved in this process. Acetate was utilized in this culture by th...

A strict anaerobic extreme thermophilic hydrogen-producing culture enriched from digested household waste

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karakashev, Dimitar Borisov; Kotay, Shireen Meher; Trably, Eric

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to enrich, characterize and identify strict anaerobic extreme thermophilic hydrogen (H-2) producers from digested household solid wastes. A strict anaerobic extreme thermophilic H-2 producing bacterial culture was enriched from a lab-scale digester treating household...... wastes at 70 degrees C. The enriched mixed culture consisted of two rod-shaped bacterial members growing at an optimal temperature of 80 degrees C and an optimal pH 8.1. The culture was able to utilize glucose, galactose, mannose, xylose, arabinose, maltose, sucrose, pyruvate and glycerol as carbon...... sources. Growth on glucose produced acetate, H-2 and carbon dioxide. Maximal H-2 production rate on glucose was 1.1 mmol l(-1) h(-1) with a maximum H-2 yield of 1.9 mole H-2 per mole glucose. 16S ribosomal DNA clone library analyses showed that the culture members were phylogenetically affiliated...

Microbial dynamics in anaerobic enrichment cultures degrading di-n-butyl phthalic acid ester

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trably, Eric; Batstone, Damien J.; Christensen, Nina

2008-01-01

losses were observed in the sterile controls (20-22%), substantial DBP biodegradation was found in the enrichment cultures (90-99%). In addition, significant population changes were observed. The dominant bacterial species in the DBP-degrading cultures was affiliated to Soehngenia saccharolytica...... in enrichment cultures degrading phthalic acid esters under methanogenic conditions. A selection pressure was applied by adding DBP at 10 and 200 mg L(-1) in semi-continuous anaerobic reactors. The microbial dynamics were monitored using single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP). While only limited abiotic...

Characteristics of enriched cultures for bio-huff-`n`-puff tests at Jilin oil field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiu-Yuan Wang; Gang Dai; Yan-Fen Xue; Shu-Hua Xie [Institute of Microbiology, Beijing (China)] [and others

1995-12-31

Three enriched cultures (48, 15a, and 26a), selected from more than 80 soil and water samples, could grow anaerobically in the presence of crude oil at 30{degrees}C and could ferment molasses to gases and organic acids. Oil recovery by culture 48 in the laboratory model experiment was enhanced by 25.2% over the original reserves and by 53.7% over the residual reserves. Enriched culture 48 was composed of at least 4 species belonging to the genera Eubacterium, Fusobacterium, and Bacteroides. This enriched culture was used as inoculum for MEOR field trials at Jilin oil field with satisfactory results. The importance of the role of these isolates in EOR was confirmed by their presence and behavior in the fluids produced from the microbiologically treated reservoir.

Enrichment of high ammonia tolerant methanogenic culture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fotidis, Ioannis; Karakashev, Dimitar Borisov; Proietti, Nicolas

Ammonia is the major toxicant in full scale anaerobic digesters of animal wastes which are rich in proteins and/or urea, such as pig or poultry wastes. Ammonia inhibition decreases methane production rates, increases volatile fatty acids concentration and leads to economic losses for the biogas...... was derived from a full scale biogas reactor (Hashøj, Denmark), fed with 75% animal manure and 25% food industries organic waste. Basal anaerobic medium was used for the enrichment along with sodium acetate (1 g HAc L-1) as a carbon source. Fluorescence insitu hybridization (FISH) was used to determine...... exclusively to strict aceticlastic methanogens. Results obtained in this study, demonstrated for the first time that strictly aceticlastic methanogens, derived from an enriched culture, can efficiently produce methane under high ammonia levels....

Enriched ammonia-tolerant methanogenic cultures as bioaugmentation inocula in continuous biomethanation processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fotidis, Ioannis; Treu, Laura; Angelidaki, Irini

2017-01-01

reactor (CSTR), resulted in up to 90% recovery of the methane production compared to the uninhibited production. However, cultivation of pure strains has practical difficulties due to the need of special growth media and sterile conditions. In contrast, acclimatized enriched cultures have minor sterility...... requirements. In the current study, an enriched ammonia-tolerant methanogenic culture was bioaugmented in a CSTR reactor operating under ammonia-induced, inhibited-steady-state. The results demonstrated that bioaugmentation, completely counteracted the ammonia toxicity effect. This indicates that a commercial...

Denitrifying metabolism of the methylotrophic marine bacterium Methylophaga nitratireducenticrescens strain JAM1.

Science.gov (United States)

Mauffrey, Florian; Cucaita, Alexandra; Constant, Philippe; Villemur, Richard

2017-01-01

Methylophaga nitratireducenticrescens strain JAM1 is a methylotrophic, marine bacterium that was isolated from a denitrification reactor treating a closed-circuit seawater aquarium. It can sustain growth under anoxic conditions by reducing nitrate ([Formula: see text]) to nitrite ([Formula: see text]). These physiological traits are attributed to gene clusters that encode two dissimilatory nitrate reductases (Nar). Strain JAM1 also contains gene clusters encoding two nitric oxide (NO) reductases and one nitrous oxide (N 2 O) reductase, suggesting that NO and N 2 O can be reduced by strain JAM1. Here we characterized further the denitrifying activities of M. nitratireducenticrescens JAM1. Series of oxic and anoxic cultures of strain JAM1 were performed with N 2 O, [Formula: see text] or sodium nitroprusside, and growth and N 2 O, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and N 2 concentrations were measured. Ammonium ([Formula: see text])-free cultures were also tested to assess the dynamics of N 2 O, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. Isotopic labeling of N 2 O was performed in 15 NH 4 + -amended cultures. Cultures with the JAM1Δ narG1narG2 double mutant were performed to assess the involvement of the Nar systems on N 2 O production. Finally, RT-qPCR was used to measure the gene expression levels of the denitrification genes cytochrome bc -type nitric oxide reductase ( cnorB1 and cnorB2 ) and nitrous oxide reductase ( nosZ ), and also nnrS and norR that encode NO-sensitive regulators. Strain JAM1 can reduce NO to N 2 O and N 2 O to N 2 and can sustain growth under anoxic conditions by reducing N 2 O as the sole electron acceptor. Although strain JAM1 lacks a gene encoding a dissimilatory [Formula: see text] reductase, [Formula: see text]-amended cultures produce N 2 O, representing up to 6% of the N-input. [Formula: see text] was shown to be the key intermediate of this production process. Upregulation in the expression of c norB1 , cnorB2, nnrS and nor

Microbial diversity of western Canadian subsurface coal beds and methanogenic coal enrichment cultures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Penner, Tara J.; Foght, Julia M. [Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta (Canada); Budwill, Karen [Carbon and Energy Management, Alberta Innovates-Technology Futures, 250 Karl Clark Road, Edmonton, Alberta (Canada)

2010-05-01

Coalbed methane is an unconventional fuel source associated with certain coal seams. Biogenic methane can comprise a significant portion of the gas found in coal seams, yet the role of microbes in methanogenesis in situ is uncertain. The purpose of this study was to detect and identify major bacterial and archaeal species associated with coal sampled from sub-bituminous methane-producing coal beds in western Canada, and to examine the potential for methane biogenesis from coal. Enrichment cultures of coal samples were established to determine how nutrient amendment influenced the microbial community and methane production in the laboratory. 16S rRNA gene clone libraries were constructed using DNA extracted and amplified from uncultured coal samples and from methanogenic coal enrichment cultures. Libraries were screened using restriction fragment length polymorphism, and representative clones were sequenced. Most (> 50%) of the bacterial sequences amplified from uncultured coal samples were affiliated with Proteobacteria that exhibit nitrate reduction, nitrogen fixation and/or hydrogen utilization activities, including Pseudomonas, Thauera and Acidovorax spp., whereas enrichment cultures were dominated by Bacteroidetes, Clostridia and/or Lactobacillales. Archaeal 16S rRNA genes could not be amplified from uncultured coal, suggesting that methanogens are present in coal below the detection levels of our methods. However, enrichment cultures established with coal inocula produced significant volumes of methane and the archaeal clone libraries were dominated by sequences closely affiliated with Methanosarcina spp. Enrichment cultures incubated with coal plus organic nutrients produced more methane than either nutrient or coal supplements alone, implying that competent methanogenic consortia exist in coal beds but that nutrient limitations restrict their activity in situ. This report adds to the scant literature on coal bed microbiology and suggests how microbes may be

Isolation of Methylophaga spp. from Marine Dimethylsulfide-Degrading Enrichment Cultures and Identification of Polypeptides Induced during Growth on Dimethylsulfide▿

OpenAIRE

Schäfer, Hendrik

2007-01-01

Dimethylsulfide (DMS)-degrading enrichment cultures were established from samples of coastal seawater, nonaxenic Emiliania huxleyi cultures, and mixed marine methyl halide-degrading enrichment cultures. Bacterial populations from a broad phylogenetic range were identified in the mixed DMS-degrading enrichment cultures by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Sequences of dominant DGGE bands were similar to those of members of the genera Methylophaga and Alcanivorax. Several closely ...

Nitrous oxide emission and denitrifier communities in drip-irrigated calcareous soil as affected by chemical and organic fertilizers.

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Rui; Wakelin, Steven A; Liang, Yongchao; Hu, Baowei; Chu, Guixin

2018-01-15

The effects of consecutive application of chemical fertilizer with or without organic fertilizer on soil N 2 O emissions and denitrifying community structure in a drip-irrigated field were determined. The four fertilizer treatments were (i) unfertilized, (ii) chemical fertilizer, (iii) 60% chemical fertilizer plus cattle manure, and (iv) 60% chemical fertilizer plus biofertilizer. The treatments with organic amendments (i.e. cattle manure and biofertilizer) reduced cumulative N 2 O emissions by 4.9-9.9%, reduced the N 2 O emission factor by 1.3-42%, and increased denitrifying enzyme activities by 14.3-56.2%. The nirK gene copy numbers were greatest in soil which received only chemical fertilizer. In contrast, nirS- and nosZ-copy numbers were greatest in soil amended with chemical fertilizer plus biofertilizer. Chemical fertilizer application with or without organic fertilizer significantly changed the community structure of nirK-type denitrifiers relative to the unfertilized soil. In comparison, the nirS- and nosZ-type denitrifier genotypes varied in treatments receiving organic fertilizer but not chemical fertilizer alone. The changes in the denitrifier communities were closely associated with soil organic carbon (SOC), NO 3 - , NH 4 + , water holding capacity, and soil pH. Modeling indicated that N 2 O emissions in this soil were primarily associated with the abundance of nirS type denitrifying bacteria, SOC, and NO 3 - . Overall, our findings indicate that (i) the organic fertilizers increased denitrifying enzyme activity, increased denitrifying-bacteria gene copy numbers, but reduced N 2 O emissions, and (ii) nirS- and nosZ-type denitrifiers were more sensitive than nirK-type denitrifiers to the organic fertilizers. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Relative Contribution of nirK- and nirS- Bacterial Denitrifiers as Well as Fungal Denitrifiers to Nitrous Oxide Production from Dairy Manure Compost.

Science.gov (United States)

Maeda, Koki; Toyoda, Sakae; Philippot, Laurent; Hattori, Shohei; Nakajima, Keiichi; Ito, Yumi; Yoshida, Naohiro

2017-12-19

The relative contribution of fungi, bacteria, and nirS and nirK denirifiers to nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emission with unknown isotopic signature from dairy manure compost was examined by selective inhibition techniques. Chloramphenicol (CHP), cycloheximide (CYH), and diethyl dithiocarbamate (DDTC) were used to suppress the activity of bacteria, fungi, and nirK-possessing denitrifiers, respectively. Produced N 2 O were surveyed to isotopocule analysis, and its 15 N site preference (SP) and δ 18 O values were compared. Bacteria, fungi, nirS, and nirK gene abundances were compared by qPCR. The results showed that N 2 O production was strongly inhibited by CHP addition in surface pile samples (82.2%) as well as in nitrite-amended core samples (98.4%), while CYH addition did not inhibit the N 2 O production. N 2 O with unknown isotopic signature (SP = 15.3-16.2‰), accompanied by δ 18 O (19.0-26.8‰) values which were close to bacterial denitrification, was also suppressed by CHP and DDTC addition (95.3%) indicating that nirK denitrifiers were responsible for this N 2 O production despite being less abundant than nirS denitrifiers. Altogether, our results suggest that bacteria are important for N 2 O production with different SP values both from compost surface and pile core. However, further work is required to decipher whether N 2 O with unknown isotopic signature is mostly due to nirK denitrifiers that are taxonomically different from the SP-characterized strains and therefore have different SP values rather than also being interwoven with the contribution of the NO-detoxifying pathway and/or of co-denitrification.

Differential Gene Expression Profiling of Enriched Human Spermatogonia after Short- and Long-Term Culture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabine Conrad

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to provide a molecular signature for enriched adult human stem/progenitor spermatogonia during short-term (<2 weeks and long-term culture (up to more than 14 months in comparison to human testicular fibroblasts and human embryonic stem cells. Human spermatogonia were isolated by CD49f magnetic activated cell sorting and collagen−/laminin+ matrix binding from primary testis cultures obtained from ten adult men. For transcriptomic analysis, single spermatogonia-like cells were collected based on their morphology and dimensions using a micromanipulation system from the enriched germ cell cultures. Immunocytochemical, RT-PCR and microarray analyses revealed that the analyzed populations of cells were distinct at the molecular level. The germ- and pluripotency-associated genes and genes of differentiation/spermatogenesis pathway were highly expressed in enriched short-term cultured spermatogonia. After long-term culture, a proportion of cells retained and aggravated the “spermatogonial” gene expression profile with the expression of germ and pluripotency-associated genes, while in the majority of long-term cultured cells this molecular profile, typical for the differentiation pathway, was reduced and more genes related to the extracellular matrix production and attachment were expressed. The approach we provide here to study the molecular status of in vitro cultured spermatogonia may be important to optimize the culture conditions and to evaluate the germ cell plasticity in the future.

Enrichment of skin-derived neural precursor cells from dermal cell populations by altering culture conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Bayati, Vahid; Gazor, Rohoullah; Nejatbakhsh, Reza; Negad Dehbashi, Fereshteh

2016-01-01

As stem cells play a critical role in tissue repair, their manipulation for being applied in regenerative medicine is of great importance. Skin-derived precursors (SKPs) may be good candidates for use in cell-based therapy as the only neural stem cells which can be isolated from an accessible tissue, skin. Herein, we presented a simple protocol to enrich neural SKPs by monolayer adherent cultivation to prove the efficacy of this method. To enrich neural SKPs from dermal cell populations, we have found that a monolayer adherent cultivation helps to increase the numbers of neural precursor cells. Indeed, we have cultured dermal cells as monolayer under serum-supplemented (control) and serum-supplemented culture, followed by serum free cultivation (test) and compared. Finally, protein markers of SKPs were assessed and compared in both experimental groups and differentiation potential was evaluated in enriched culture. The cells of enriched culture concurrently expressed fibronectin, vimentin and nestin, an intermediate filament protein expressed in neural and skeletal muscle precursors as compared to control culture. In addition, they possessed a multipotential capacity to differentiate into neurogenic, glial, adipogenic, osteogenic and skeletal myogenic cell lineages. It was concluded that serum-free adherent culture reinforced by growth factors have been shown to be effective on proliferation of skin-derived neural precursor cells (skin-NPCs) and drive their selective and rapid expansion.

Functional consortium for denitrifying sulfide removal process.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chuan; Ren, Nanqi; Wang, Aijie; Liu, Lihong; Lee, Duu-Jong

2010-03-01

Denitrifying sulfide removal (DSR) process simultaneously converts sulfide, nitrate, and chemical oxygen demand from industrial wastewaters to elemental sulfur, nitrogen gas, and carbon dioxide, respectively. This investigation utilizes a dilution-to-extinction approach at 10(-2) to 10(-6) dilutions to elucidate the correlation between the composition of the microbial community and the DSR performance. In the original suspension and in 10(-2) dilution, the strains Stenotrophomonas sp., Thauera sp., and Azoarcus sp. are the heterotrophic denitrifiers and the strains Paracoccus sp. and Pseudomonas sp. are the sulfide-oxidizing denitrifers. The 10(-4) dilution is identified as the functional consortium for the present DSR system, which comprises two functional strains, Stenotrophomonas sp. strain Paracoccus sp. At 10(-6) dilution, all DSR performance was lost. The functions of the constituent cells in the DSR granules were discussed based on data obtained using the dilution-to-extinction approach.

Denitrifying metabolism of the methylotrophic marine bacterium Methylophaga nitratireducenticrescens strain JAM1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florian Mauffrey

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Background Methylophaga nitratireducenticrescens strain JAM1 is a methylotrophic, marine bacterium that was isolated from a denitrification reactor treating a closed-circuit seawater aquarium. It can sustain growth under anoxic conditions by reducing nitrate ( ${\\mathrm{NO}}_{3}^{-}$ NO 3 − to nitrite ( ${\\mathrm{NO}}_{2}^{-}$ NO 2 − . These physiological traits are attributed to gene clusters that encode two dissimilatory nitrate reductases (Nar. Strain JAM1 also contains gene clusters encoding two nitric oxide (NO reductases and one nitrous oxide (N2O reductase, suggesting that NO and N2O can be reduced by strain JAM1. Here we characterized further the denitrifying activities of M. nitratireducenticrescens JAM1. Methods Series of oxic and anoxic cultures of strain JAM1 were performed with N2O, ${\\mathrm{NO}}_{3}^{-}$ NO 3 − or sodium nitroprusside, and growth and N2O, ${\\mathrm{NO}}_{3}^{-}$ NO 3 − , ${\\mathrm{NO}}_{2}^{-}$ NO 2 − and N2 concentrations were measured. Ammonium ( ${\\mathrm{NH}}_{4}^{+}$ NH 4 + -free cultures were also tested to assess the dynamics of N2O, ${\\mathrm{NO}}_{3}^{-}$ NO 3 − and ${\\mathrm{NO}}_{2}^{-}$ NO 2 − . Isotopic labeling of N2O was performed in 15NH4+-amended cultures. Cultures with the JAM1ΔnarG1narG2 double mutant were performed to assess the involvement of the Nar systems on N2O production. Finally, RT-qPCR was used to measure the gene expression levels of the denitrification genes cytochrome bc-type nitric oxide reductase (cnorB1 and cnorB2 and nitrous oxide reductase (nosZ, and also nnrS and norR that encode NO-sensitive regulators. Results Strain JAM1 can reduce NO to N2O and N2O to N2 and can sustain growth under anoxic conditions by reducing N2O as the sole electron acceptor. Although strain JAM1 lacks a gene encoding a dissimilatory ${\\mathrm{NO}}_{2}^{-}$ NO 2 − reductase, ${\\mathrm{NO}}_{3}^{-}$ NO 3 − -amended cultures produce N2O, representing up to 6% of the N

Structure of hydrocarbonoclastic nitrate-reducing bacterial communities in bioturbated coastal marine sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Stauffert, Magalie; Cravo-Laureau, Cristiana; Duran, Robert

2014-09-01

The organisation of denitrifying microorganisms in oil-polluted bioturbated sediments was investigated in mesocosms under conditions as closer as possible to that observed in the environment. Molecular and culture-dependent approaches revealed that denitrifying Gammaproteobacteria were abundant in oil-polluted and bioturbated sediments suggesting that they may play a key role in hydrocarbon degradation in the environment. T-RFLP and gene libraries analyses targeting nirS gene showed that denitrifying microbial communities structure was slightly affected by either the addition of Hediste diversicolor or crude oil revealing the metabolic versatility of denitrifying microorganisms. From oil-polluted sediments, distinct denitrifying hydrocarbonoclastic bacterial consortia were obtained by enrichment cultures on high molecular weight polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (dibenzothiophene, fluoranthene, pyrene and chrysene) under nitrate-reducing conditions. Interestingly, molecular characterisation of the consortia showed that the denitrifying communities obtained from oiled microcosms with addition of H. diversicolor were different to that observed without H. diversicolor addition, especially with fluoranthene and chrysene revealing the bacterial diversity involved in the degradation of these PAHs. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

Breast Cancer Stem Cell Culture and Enrichment Using Poly(ε-Caprolactone Scaffolds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sònia Palomeras

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The cancer stem cell (CSC population displays self-renewal capabilities, resistance to conventional therapies, and a tendency to post-treatment recurrence. Increasing knowledge about CSCs’ phenotype and functions is needed to investigate new therapeutic strategies against the CSC population. Here, poly(ε-caprolactone (PCL, a biocompatible polymer free of toxic dye, has been used to fabricate scaffolds, solid structures suitable for 3D cancer cell culture. It has been reported that scaffold cell culture enhances the CSCs population. A RepRap BCN3D+ printer and 3 mm PCL wire were used to fabricate circular scaffolds. PCL design and fabrication parameters were first determined and then optimized considering several measurable variables of the resulting scaffolds. MCF7 breast carcinoma cell line was used to assess scaffolds adequacy for 3D cell culture. To evaluate CSC enrichment, the Mammosphere Forming Index (MFI was performed in 2D and 3D MCF7 cultures. Results showed that the 60° scaffolds were more suitable for 3D culture than the 45° and 90° ones. Moreover, 3D culture experiments, in adherent and non-adherent conditions, showed a significant increase in MFI compared to 2D cultures (control. Thus, 3D cell culture with PCL scaffolds could be useful to improve cancer cell culture and enrich the CSCs population.

Abundance and Diversity of Denitrifying and Anammox Bacteria in Seasonally Hypoxic and Sulfidic Sediments of the Saline Lake Grevelingen

Science.gov (United States)

Lipsewers, Yvonne A.; Hopmans, Ellen C.; Meysman, Filip J. R.; Sinninghe Damsté, Jaap S.; Villanueva, Laura

2016-01-01

Denitrifying and anammox bacteria are involved in the nitrogen cycling in marine sediments but the environmental factors that regulate the relative importance of these processes are not well constrained. Here, we evaluated the abundance, diversity, and potential activity of denitrifying, anammox, and sulfide-dependent denitrifying bacteria in the sediments of the seasonally hypoxic saline Lake Grevelingen, known to harbor an active microbial community involved in sulfur oxidation pathways. Depth distributions of 16S rRNA gene, nirS gene of denitrifying and anammox bacteria, aprA gene of sulfur-oxidizing and sulfate-reducing bacteria, and ladderane lipids of anammox bacteria were studied in sediments impacted by seasonally hypoxic bottom waters. Samples were collected down to 5 cm depth (1 cm resolution) at three different locations before (March) and during summer hypoxia (August). The abundance of denitrifying bacteria did not vary despite of differences in oxygen and sulfide availability in the sediments, whereas anammox bacteria were more abundant in the summer hypoxia but in those sediments with lower sulfide concentrations. The potential activity of denitrifying and anammox bacteria as well as of sulfur-oxidizing, including sulfide-dependent denitrifiers and sulfate-reducing bacteria, was potentially inhibited by the competition for nitrate and nitrite with cable and/or Beggiatoa-like bacteria in March and by the accumulation of sulfide in the summer hypoxia. The simultaneous presence and activity of organoheterotrophic denitrifying bacteria, sulfide-dependent denitrifiers, and anammox bacteria suggests a tight network of bacteria coupling carbon-, nitrogen-, and sulfur cycling in Lake Grevelingen sediments. PMID:27812355

Abundance and diversity of denitrifying and anammox bacteria in seasonally hypoxic and sulfidic sediments of the saline Lake Grevelingen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yvonne A. Lipsewers

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Denitrifying and anammox bacteria are involved in the nitrogen cycling in marine sediments but the environmental factors that regulate the relative importance of these processes are not well constrained. Here, we evaluated the abundance, diversity and potential activity of denitrifying, anammox, and sulfide-dependent denitrifying bacteria in the sediments of the seasonally hypoxic saline Lake Grevelingen, known to harbor an active microbial community involved in sulfur oxidation pathways. Depth distributions of 16S rRNA gene, nirS gene of denitrifying and anammox bacteria, aprA gene of sulfur-oxidizing and sulfate-reducing bacteria, and ladderane lipids of anammox bacteria were studied in sediments impacted by seasonally hypoxic bottom waters. Samples were collected down to 5 cm depth (1 cm resolution at three different locations before (March and during summer hypoxia (August. The abundance of denitrifying bacteria did not vary despite of differences in oxygen and sulfide availability in the sediments, whereas anammox bacteria were more abundant in the summer hypoxia but in those sediments with lower sulfide concentrations. The potential activity of denitrifying and anammox bacteria as well as of sulfur-oxidizing, including sulfide-dependent denitrifiers and sulfate-reducing bacteria, was potentially inhibited by the competition for nitrate and nitrite with cable and/or Beggiatoa-like bacteria in March and by the accumulation of sulfide in the summer hypoxia. The simultaneous presence and activity of organoheterotrophic denitrifying bacteria, sulfide-dependent denitrifiers and anammox bacteria suggests a tight network of bacteria coupling carbon-, nitrogen- and sulfur cycling in Lake Grevelingen sediments.

Analysis of denitrifier community in a bioaugmented sequencing batch reactor for the treatment of coking wastewater containing pyridine and quinoline

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bai, Yaohui; Xing, Rui; Wen, Donghui; Tang, Xiaoyan [Peking Univ., Beijing (CN). Key Lab. of Water and Sediment Sciences (Ministry of Education); Sun, Qinghua [Peking Univ., Beijing (CN). Key Lab. of Water and Sediment Sciences (Ministry of Education); Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing (China). Inst. of Environmental Health and Related Product Safety

2011-05-15

The denitrifier community and associated nitrate and nitrite reduction in the bioaugmented and general sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) during the treatment of coking wastewater containing pyridine and quinoline were investigated. The efficiency and stability of nitrate and nitrite reduction in SBR was considerably improved after inoculation with four pyridine- or quinoline-degrading bacterial strains (including three denitrifying strains). Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) based on the nosZ gene revealed that the structures of the denitrifier communities in bioaugmented and non-bioaugmented reactors were distinct and varied during the course of the experiment. Bioaugmentation protected indigenous denitrifiers from disruptions caused by pyridine and quinoline. Clone library analysis showed that one of the added denitrifiers comprised approximately 6% of the denitrifier population in the bioaugmented sludge. (orig.)

Mechanisms of nitrous oxide (N2 O) formation and reduction in denitrifying biofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

Sabba, Fabrizio; Picioreanu, Cristian; Nerenberg, Robert

2017-12-01

Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) is a potent greenhouse gas that can be formed in wastewater treatment processes by ammonium oxidizing and denitrifying microorganisms. While N 2 O emissions from suspended growth systems have been extensively studied, and some recent studies have addressed emissions from nitrifying biofilms, much less is known about N 2 O emissions from denitrifying biofilm processes. This research used modeling to evaluate the mechanisms of N 2 O formation and reduction in denitrifying biofilms. The kinetic model included formation and consumption of key denitrification species, including nitrate (NO3-), nitrite (NO2-), nitric oxide (NO), and N 2 O. The model showed that, in presence of excess of electron donor, denitrifying biofilms have two distinct layers of activity: an outer layer where there is net production of N 2 O and an inner layer where there is net consumption. The presence of oxygen (O 2 ) had an important effect on N 2 O emission from suspended growth systems, but a smaller effect on biofilm systems. The effects of NO3- and O 2 differed significantly based on the biofilm thickness. Overall, the effects of biofilm thickness and bulk substrate concentrations on N 2 O emissions are complex and not always intuitive. A key mechanism for denitrifying biofilms is the diffusion of N 2 O and other intermediates from one zone of the biofilm to another. This leads to zones of N 2 O formation or consumption transformations that would not exist in suspended growth systems. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Soil C and N statuses determine the effect of maize inoculation by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria on nitrifying and denitrifying communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Florio, Alessandro; Pommier, Thomas; Gervaix, Jonathan; Bérard, Annette; Le Roux, Xavier

2017-08-21

Maize inoculation by Azospirillum stimulates root growth, along with soil nitrogen (N) uptake and root carbon (C) exudation, thus increasing N use efficiency. However, inoculation effects on soil N-cycling microbial communities have been overlooked. We hypothesized that inoculation would (i) increase roots-nitrifiers competition for ammonium, and thus decrease nitrifier abundance; and (ii) increase roots-denitrifiers competition for nitrate and C supply to denitrifiers by root exudation, and thus limit or benefit denitrifiers depending on the resource (N or C) mostly limiting these microorganisms. We quantified (de)nitrifiers abundance and activity in the rhizosphere of inoculated and non-inoculated maize on 4 sites over 2 years, and ancillary soil variables. Inoculation effects on nitrification and nitrifiers (AOA, AOB) were not consistent between the three sampling dates. Inoculation influenced denitrifiers abundance (nirK, nirS) differently among sites. In sites with high C limitation for denitrifiers (i.e. limitation of denitrification by C > 66%), inoculation increased nirS-denitrifier abundance (up to 56%) and gross N 2 O production (up to 84%), likely due to increased root C exudation. Conversely, in sites with low C limitation (<47%), inoculation decreased nirS-denitrifier abundance (down to -23%) and gross N 2 O production (down to -18%) likely due to an increased roots-denitrifiers competition for nitrate.

Enrichments of methanotrophic-heterotrophic cultures with high poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) accumulation capacities.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Tingting; Wang, Xiaowei; Zhou, Jiti; Zhang, Yu

2018-03-01

Methanotrophic-heterotrophic communities were selectively enriched from sewage sludge to obtain a mixed culture with high levels of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) accumulation capacity from methane. Methane was used as the carbon source, N 2 as sole nitrogen source, and oxygen and Cu content were varied. Copper proved essential for PHB synthesis. All cultures enriched with Cu could accumulate high content of PHB (43.2%-45.9%), while only small amounts of PHB were accumulated by cultures enriched without Cu (11.9%-17.5%). Batch assays revealed that communities grown with Cu and a higher O 2 content synthesized more PHB, which had a wider optimal CH 4 :O 2 range and produced a high PHB content (48.7%) even though in the presence of N 2 . In all methanotrophic-heterotrophic communities, both methanotrophic and heterotrophic populations showed the ability to accumulate PHB. Although methane was added as the sole carbon source, heterotrophs dominated with abundances between 77.2% and 85.6%. All methanotrophs detected belonged to type II genera, which formed stable communities with heterotrophs of different PHB production capacities. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Dimethylamine biodegradation by mixed culture enriched from drinking water biofilter.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Xiaobin; Chen, Chao; Zhang, Jingxu; Dai, Yu; Zhang, Xiaojian; Xie, Shuguang

2015-01-01

Dimethylamine (DMA) is one of the important precursors of drinking water disinfection by-product N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). Reduction of DMA to minimize the formation of carcinogenic NDMA in drinking water is of practical importance. Biodegradation plays a major role in elimination of DMA pollution in the environment, yet information on DMA removal by drinking water biofilter is still lacking. In this study, microcosms with different treatments were constructed to investigate the potential of DMA removal by a mixed culture enriched from a drinking water biofilter and the effects of carbon and nitrogen sources. DMA could be quickly mineralized by the enrichment culture. Amendment of a carbon source, instead of a nitrogen source, had a profound impact on DMA removal. A shift in bacterial community structure was observed with DMA biodegradation, affected by carbon and nitrogen sources. Proteobacteria was the predominant phylum group in DMA-degrading microcosms. Microorganisms from a variety of bacterial genera might be responsible for the rapid DMA mineralization. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrated biogas upgrading and hydrogen utilization in an anaerobic reactor containing enriched hydrogenotrophic methanogenic culture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Luo, Gang; Angelidaki, Irini

2012-01-01

Biogas produced by anaerobic digestion, is mainly used in a gas motor for heat and electricity production. However, after removal of CO2, biogas can be upgraded to natural gas quality, giving more utilization possibilities, such as utilization as autogas, or distant utilization by using...... the existing natural gas grid. The current study presents a new biological method for biogas upgrading in a separate biogas reactor, containing enriched hydrogenotrophic methanogens and fed with biogas and hydrogen. Both mesophilic- and thermophilic anaerobic cultures were enriched to convert CO2 to CH4...... by addition of H2. Enrichment at thermophilic temperature (55°C) resulted in CO2 and H2 bioconversion rate of 320 mL CH4/(gVSS h), which was more than 60% higher than that under mesophilic temperature (37°C). Different dominant species were found at mesophilic- and thermophilic-enriched cultures, as revealed...

Are Isotopologue Signatures of N2O from Bacterial Denitrifiers Indicative of NOR Type?

Science.gov (United States)

Well, R.; Braker, G.; Giesemann, A.; Flessa, H.

2010-12-01

NOR and qCuANOR. Pure cultures where incubated at 25°C under denitrifying conditions (anaerobic in the presence of 5 mM NO3-) in their preferred media for 2 weeks. Acetylene (10%) was added to the headspace to inhibit reduction of N2O. Gas samples where collected from incubation vessels and analysed for δ18O, δ15Nbulk and SP using isotope ratio mass spectrometry. ɛSP of the qNOR-type ranged between -9.7 and -18 ‰ and of the cNOR-type between -1.7 to -10.8 ‰. Our results suggest that SP of N2O produced by soil bacteria may be more negative than previously estimated since the ɛSP range of the tested cNOR-type was larger compared to earlier studies and the qNOR type tended to be even more negative. This needs to be taken into account when using isotopologue signatures of N2O to estimate other processes such as fungal denitrification, nitrification and N2O reduction by denitrifiers. References Schmidt, H.-L. et al. 2004, Rapid Comm. Mass Spectrom. 18, 2036-2040. Sutka, R.L et al. 2006, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72, 638-644. Sutka, R. L et al. 2008, Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 22, 3989-3996. Toyoda, S. et al. 2005, Soil Biol. Biochem. 37, 1535-1545.

Combined denitrification and phosphorus removal in a biofilter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Falkentoft, Christina Maria; Harremoes, Poul; Mosbæk, Hans

2000-01-01

A lab-scale biofilter was run continuously for 11/2 years for combined denitrification and phosphorus removal. Alternation between anaerobic and anoxic (nitrate) conditions was used to obtain an enriched culture of denitrifying, phosphate accumulating organisms. Batch experiments were performed...

Insight into the short- and long-term effects of Cu(II) on denitrifying biogranules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Hui; Chen, Qian-Qian; Jiang, Xiao-Yan; Hu, Hai-Yan; Shi, Man-Ling; Jin, Ren-Cun

2016-01-01

Highlights: • It is the first time to evaluate the effect of Cu"2"+ on denitrifying biogranules. • A high level of Cu(II) was investigated during batch assays and continuous tests. • Mechanisms of the effects of Cu"2"+ on denitrifying biogranules were discussed. • Effects of pre-exposure to Cu"2"+ and starvation treatments were investigated. - Abstract: This study aimed to investigate the short- and long-term effects of Cu"2"+ on the activity and performance of denitrifying bacteria. The short-term effects of various concentrations of Cu"2"+ on the denitrifying bacteria were evaluated using batch assays. The specific denitrifying activity (SDA) decreased from 14.3 ± 2.2 (without Cu"2"+) to 6.1 ± 0.1 mg N h"−"1 g"−"1 VSS (100 mgCu"2"+ L"−"1) when Cu"2"+ increased from 0 to 100 mg L"−"1 with an increment of 10 mgCu"2"+ L"−"1. A non-competitive inhibition model was used to calculate the 50% inhibition concentration (IC_5_0) of Cu"2"+ on denitrifying sludge (30.6 ± 2.5 mg L"−"1). Monod and Luong models were applied to investigate the influence of the initial substrate concentration, and the results suggested that the maximum substrate removal rate would be reduced with Cu"2"+ supplementation. Pre-exposure to Cu"2"+ could lead to an 18.2–46.2% decrease in the SDA and decreasing percentage of the SDA increased with both exposure time and concentration. In the continuous-flow test, Cu"2"+ concentration varied from 1 to 75 mg L"−"1; however, no clear deterioration was observed in the reactor, and the reactor was kept stable, with the total nitrogen removal efficiency and total organic carbon efficiency greater than 89.0 and 85.0%, respectively. The results demonstrated the short-term inhibition of Cu"2"+ upon denitrification, and no notable adversity was observed during the continuous-flow test after long-term acclimation.

Identification of active denitrifiers in full-scale nutrient removal wastewater treatment systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mcllroy, Simon; Starnawska, Anna; Starnawski, Piotr

2015-01-01

Denitrification is essential to the removal of nitrogen from wastewater during treatment, yet an understanding of the diversity of the active denitrifying bacteria responsible in full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is lacking. In this study, stable-isotope probing (SIP) was applied......-labelled complex substrate was used for SIP incubations, under nitrite-reducing conditions, in order to maximize the capture of the potentially metabolically diverse denitrifiers likely present. Members of the Rhodoferax, Dechloromonas, Sulfuritalea, Haliangium and Thermomonas were represented in the 16S rRNA gene...

Biodecolorization of the azo dye Reactive Red 2 by a halotolerant enrichment culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Beydilli, M Inan; Pavlostathis, Spyros G

2007-11-01

The decolorization of the azo dye Reactive Red 2 (RR2) under anoxic conditions was investigated using a mesophilic (35 degrees C) halotolerant enrichment culture capable of growth at 100 g/L sodium chloride (NaCl). Batch decolorization assays were conducted with the unacclimated halotolerant culture, and dye decolorization kinetics were determined as a function of the initial dye, biomass, carbon source, and an externally added oxidation-reduction mediator (anthraquinone-2,6-disulphonic acid) concentrations. The maximum biomass-normalized RR2 decolorization rate by the halotolerant enrichment culture under batch, anoxic incubation conditions was 26.8 mg dye/mg VSSxd. Although RR2 decolorization was inhibited at RR2 concentrations equal to and higher than 300 mg/L, the halotolerant culture achieved a 156-fold higher RR2 decolorization rate compared with a previously reported, biomass-normalized RR2 decolorization rate by a mixed mesophilic (35 degrees C) methanogenic culture in the absence of NaCl. Decolorization kinetics at inhibitory RR2 levels were described based on the Haldane model (Haldane, 1965). Five repetitive dyeing/decolorization cycles performed using the halotolerant culture and the same RR2 dyebath solution demonstrated the feasibility of biological renovation and reuse of commercial-strength spent reactive azo dyebaths.

Reduction of produced elementary sulfur in denitrifying sulfide removal process.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Xu; Liu, Lihong; Chen, Chuan; Ren, Nanqi; Wang, Aijie; Lee, Duu-Jong

2011-05-01

Denitrifying sulfide removal (DSR) processes simultaneously convert sulfide, nitrate, and chemical oxygen demand from industrial wastewater into elemental sulfur, dinitrogen gas, and carbon dioxide, respectively. The failure of a DSR process is signaled by high concentrations of sulfide in reactor effluent. Conventionally, DSR reactor failure is blamed for overcompetition for heterotroph to autotroph communities. This study indicates that the elementary sulfur produced by oxidizing sulfide that is a recoverable resource from sulfide-laden wastewaters can be reduced back to sulfide by sulfur-reducing Methanobacterium sp. The Methanobacterium sp. was stimulated with excess organic carbon (acetate) when nitrite was completely consumed by heterotrophic denitrifiers. Adjusting hydraulic retention time of a DSR reactor when nitrite is completely consumed provides an additional control variable for maximizing DSR performance.

Denitrifying woodchip bioreactor and phosphorus filter pairing to minimize pollution swapping.

Science.gov (United States)

Christianson, Laura E; Lepine, Christine; Sibrell, Philip L; Penn, Chad; Summerfelt, Steven T

2017-09-15

Pairing denitrifying woodchip bioreactors and phosphorus-sorbing filters provides a unique, engineered approach for dual nutrient removal from waters impaired with both nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). This column study aimed to test placement of two P-filter media (acid mine drainage treatment residuals and steel slag) relative to a denitrifying system to maximize N and P removal and minimize pollution swapping under varying flow conditions (i.e., woodchip column hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 7.2, 18, and 51 h; P-filter HRTs of 7.6-59 min). Woodchip denitrification columns were placed either upstream or downstream of P-filters filled with either medium. The configuration with woodchip denitrifying systems placed upstream of the P-filters generally provided optimized dissolved P removal efficiencies and removal rates. The P-filters placed upstream of the woodchip columns exhibited better P removal than downstream-placed P-filters only under overly long (i.e., N-limited) retention times when highly reduced effluent exited the woodchip bioreactors. The paired configurations using mine drainage residuals provided significantly greater P removal than the steel slag P-filters (e.g., 25-133 versus 8.8-48 g P removed m -3 filter media d -1 , respectively), but there were no significant differences in N removal between treatments (removal rates: 8.0-18 g N removed m -3 woodchips d -1 ; N removal efficiencies: 18-95% across all HRTs). The range of HRTs tested here resulted in various undesirable pollution swapping by-products from the denitrifying bioreactors: nitrite production when nitrate removal was not complete and sulfate reduction, chemical oxygen demand production and decreased pH during overly long retention times. The downstream P-filter placement provided a polishing step for removal of chemical oxygen demand and nitrite. Copyright © 2017 The Conservation Fund. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Denitrifying woodchip bioreactor and phosphorus filter pairing to minimize pollution swapping

Science.gov (United States)

Christianson, Laura E.; Lepine, Christine; Sibrell, Philip; Penn, Chad J.; Summerfelt, Steven T.

2017-01-01

Pairing denitrifying woodchip bioreactors and phosphorus-sorbing filters provides a unique, engineered approach for dual nutrient removal from waters impaired with both nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). This column study aimed to test placement of two P-filter media (acid mine drainage treatment residuals and steel slag) relative to a denitrifying system to maximize N and P removal and minimize pollution swapping under varying flow conditions (i.e., woodchip column hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 7.2, 18, and 51 h; P-filter HRTs of 7.6–59 min). Woodchip denitrification columns were placed either upstream or downstream of P-filters filled with either medium. The configuration with woodchip denitrifying systems placed upstream of the P-filters generally provided optimized dissolved P removal efficiencies and removal rates. The P-filters placed upstream of the woodchip columns exhibited better P removal than downstream-placed P-filters only under overly long (i.e., N-limited) retention times when highly reduced effluent exited the woodchip bioreactors. The paired configurations using mine drainage residuals provided significantly greater P removal than the steel slag P-filters (e.g., 25–133 versus 8.8–48 g P removed m−3 filter media d−1, respectively), but there were no significant differences in N removal between treatments (removal rates: 8.0–18 g N removed m−3 woodchips d−1; N removal efficiencies: 18–95% across all HRTs). The range of HRTs tested here resulted in various undesirable pollution swapping by-products from the denitrifying bioreactors: nitrite production when nitrate removal was not complete and sulfate reduction, chemical oxygen demand production and decreased pH during overly long retention times. The downstream P-filter placement provided a polishing step for removal of chemical oxygen demand and nitrite.

Yersinia enterocolitica in slaughter pig tonsils: enumeration and detection by enrichment versus direct plating culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Damme, Inge; Habib, Ihab; De Zutter, Lieven

2010-02-01

Tonsil samples from 139 slaughter pigs were examined for the presence of pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica by enrichment procedures based on the standard method ISO 10273:2003. In addition, samples were tested by direct plating method to evaluate its efficiency compared to the enrichment culture methods and to quantify the level of contamination in porcine tonsils. In total, 52 samples (37.4%) were positive for pathogenic Y. enterocolitica, all belonging to bioserotype 4/O:3. Fifty out of the 52 positive samples (96.2%) were detected by direct plating. Enumeration showed an average concentration of 4.5 log(10) CFU g(-1) and 4.4 log(10) CFU g(-1) tonsil on Salmonella-Shigella-desoxycholate-calcium chloride (SSDC) and cefsulodin-irgasan-novobiocin (CIN) agar plates, respectively. The enrichment procedures recommended by the ISO 10273:2003 method were not optimal for the isolation of pathogenic Y. enterocolitica from pig tonsils: two days enrichment in irgasan-ticarcillin-potassium chlorate (ITC) broth resulted in an isolation rate of 84.6%, while 5 days enrichment in peptone-sorbitol-bile (PSB) broth recovered only 59.6% of positive samples. Reducing the enrichment time in PSB from 5 to 2 days resulted in a significantly higher recovery rate (94.2%) and might serve as an appropriate enrichment protocol for the isolation of pathogenic Y. enterocolitica from pig tonsils. Compared to enrichment culture methods, results based on direct plating can be obtained in a shorter time course and provide quantitative data that might be needed for further risk assessment studies.

Effect of pH on the denitrifying enzyme activity in pasture soils in relation to the intrinsic differences in denitrifier communities

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Čuhel, Jiří; Šimek, Miloslav

2011-01-01

Roč. 56, č. 3 (2011), s. 230-235 ISSN 0015-5632 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LC06066; GA AV ČR IAA600660605 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60660521 Keywords : pH * denitrifying enzyme activity * pasture soils Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 0.677, year: 2011

Soil properties impacting denitrifier community size, structure, and activity in New Zealand dairy-grazed pasture

Science.gov (United States)

Jha, Neha; Saggar, Surinder; Giltrap, Donna; Tillman, Russ; Deslippe, Julie

2017-09-01

Denitrification is an anaerobic respiration process that is the primary contributor of the nitrous oxide (N2O) produced from grassland soils. Our objective was to gain insight into the relationships between denitrifier community size, structure, and activity for a range of pasture soils. We collected 10 dairy pasture soils with contrasting soil textures, drainage classes, management strategies (effluent irrigation or non-irrigation), and geographic locations in New Zealand, and measured their physicochemical characteristics. We measured denitrifier abundance by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and assessed denitrifier diversity and community structure by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) of the nitrite reductase (nirS, nirK) and N2O reductase (nosZ) genes. We quantified denitrifier enzyme activity (DEA) using an acetylene inhibition technique. We investigated whether varied soil conditions lead to different denitrifier communities in soils, and if so, whether they are associated with different denitrification activities and are likely to generate different N2O emissions. Differences in the physicochemical characteristics of the soils were driven mainly by soil mineralogy and the management practices of the farms. We found that nirS and nirK communities were strongly structured along gradients of soil water and phosphorus (P) contents. By contrast, the size and structure of the nosZ community was unrelated to any of the measured soil characteristics. In soils with high water content, the richnesses and abundances of nirS, nirK, and nosZ genes were all significantly positively correlated with DEA. Our data suggest that management strategies to limit N2O emissions through denitrification are likely to be most important for dairy farms on fertile or allophanic soils during wetter periods. Finally, our data suggest that new techniques that would selectively target nirS denitrifiers may be the most effective for limiting N2O

Soil denitrifier community size changes with land use change to perennial bioenergy cropping systems

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Karen A.; Deen, Bill; Dunfield, Kari E.

2016-10-01

Dedicated biomass crops are required for future bioenergy production. However, the effects of large-scale land use change (LUC) from traditional annual crops, such as corn-soybean rotations to the perennial grasses (PGs) switchgrass and miscanthus, on soil microbial community functioning is largely unknown. Specifically, ecologically significant denitrifying communities, which regulate N2O production and consumption in soils, may respond differently to LUC due to differences in carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) inputs between crop types and management systems. Our objective was to quantify bacterial denitrifying gene abundances as influenced by corn-soybean crop production compared to PG biomass production. A field trial was established in 2008 at the Elora Research Station in Ontario, Canada (n  =  30), with miscanthus and switchgrass grown alongside corn-soybean rotations at different N rates (0 and 160 kg N ha-1) and biomass harvest dates within PG plots. Soil was collected on four dates from 2011 to 2012 and quantitative PCR was used to enumerate the total bacterial community (16S rRNA) and communities of bacterial denitrifiers by targeting nitrite reductase (nirS) and N2O reductase (nosZ) genes. Miscanthus produced significantly larger yields and supported larger nosZ denitrifying communities than corn-soybean rotations regardless of management, indicating large-scale LUC from corn-soybean to miscanthus may be suitable in variable Ontario climatic conditions and under varied management, while potentially mitigating soil N2O emissions. Harvesting switchgrass in the spring decreased yields in N-fertilized plots, but did not affect gene abundances. Standing miscanthus overwinter resulted in higher 16S rRNA and nirS gene copies than in fall-harvested crops. However, the size of the total (16S rRNA) and denitrifying bacterial communities changed differently over time and in response to LUC, indicating varying controls on these communities.

nirS-type denitrifying bacterial assemblages respond to environmental conditions of a shallow estuary.

Science.gov (United States)

Lisa, Jessica A; Jayakumar, Amal; Ward, Bess B; Song, Bongkeun

2017-12-01

Molecular analysis of dissimilatory nitrite reductase genes (nirS) was conducted using a customized microarray containing 165 nirS probes (archetypes) to identify members of sedimentary denitrifying communities. The goal of this study was to examine denitrifying community responses to changing environmental variables over spatial and temporal scales in the New River Estuary (NRE), NC, USA. Multivariate statistical analyses revealed three denitrifier assemblages and uncovered 'generalist' and 'specialist' archetypes based on the distribution of archetypes within these assemblages. Generalists, archetypes detected in all samples during at least one season, were commonly world-wide found in estuarine and marine ecosystems, comprised 8%-29% of the abundant NRE archetypes. Archetypes found in a particular site, 'specialists', were found to co-vary based on site specific conditions. Archetypes specific to the lower estuary in winter were designated Cluster I and significantly correlated by sediment Chl a and porewater Fe 2+ . A combination of specialist and more widely distributed archetypes formed Clusters II and III, which separated based on salinity and porewater H 2 S respectively. The co-occurrence of archetypes correlated with different environmental conditions highlights the importance of habitat type and niche differentiation among nirS-type denitrifying communities and supports the essential role of individual community members in overall ecosystem function. © 2017 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Erythrocyte enrichment in hematopoietic progenitor cell cultures based on magnetic susceptibility of the hemoglobin.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoxia Jin

Full Text Available Using novel media formulations, it has been demonstrated that human placenta and umbilical cord blood-derived CD34+ cells can be expanded and differentiated into erythroid cells with high efficiency. However, obtaining mature and functional erythrocytes from the immature cell cultures with high purity and in an efficient manner remains a significant challenge. A distinguishing feature of a reticulocyte and maturing erythrocyte is the increasing concentration of hemoglobin and decreasing cell volume that results in increased cell magnetophoretic mobility (MM when exposed to high magnetic fields and gradients, under anoxic conditions. Taking advantage of these initial observations, we studied a noninvasive (label-free magnetic separation and analysis process to enrich and identify cultured functional erythrocytes. In addition to the magnetic cell separation and cell motion analysis in the magnetic field, the cell cultures were characterized for cell sedimentation rate, cell volume distributions using differential interference microscopy, immunophenotyping (glycophorin A, hemoglobin concentration and shear-induced deformability (elongation index, EI, by ektacytometry to test for mature erythrocyte attributes. A commercial, packed column high-gradient magnetic separator (HGMS was used for magnetic separation. The magnetically enriched fraction comprised 80% of the maturing cells (predominantly reticulocytes that showed near 70% overlap of EI with the reference cord blood-derived RBC and over 50% overlap with the adult donor RBCs. The results demonstrate feasibility of label-free magnetic enrichment of erythrocyte fraction of CD34+ progenitor-derived cultures based on the presence of paramagnetic hemoglobin in the maturing erythrocytes.

Engaging High School Girls in Native American Culturally Responsive STEAM Enrichment Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Kant, Joanita M.; Burckhard, Suzette R.; Meyers, Richard T.

2018-01-01

Providing science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) culturally responsive enrichment activities is one way of promoting more interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) studies and careers among indigenous students. The purpose of the study was to explore the impact, if any, of STEAM culturally…

Biodegradation of Various Aromatic Compounds by Enriched Bacterial Cultures: Part A-Monocyclic and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons.

Science.gov (United States)

Oberoi, Akashdeep Singh; Philip, Ligy; Bhallamudi, S Murty

2015-08-01

Present study focused on the screening of bacterial consortium for biodegradation of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (MAH) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Target compounds in the present study were naphthalene, acenaphthene, phenanthrene (PAHs), and benzene (MAH). Microbial consortia enriched with the above target compounds were used in screening experiments. Naphthalene-enriched consortium was found to be the most efficient consortium, based on its substrate degradation rate and its ability to degrade other aromatic pollutants with significantly high efficiency. Substrate degradation rate with naphthalene-enriched culture followed the order benzene > naphthalene > acenaphthene > phenanthrene. Chryseobacterium and Rhodobacter were discerned as the predominant species in naphthalene-enriched culture. They are closely associated to the type strain Chryseobacterium arthrosphaerae and Rhodobacter maris, respectively. Single substrate biodegradation studies with naphthalene (PAH) and benzene (MAH) were carried out using naphthalene-enriched microbial consortium (NAPH). Phenol and 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde were identified as the predominant intermediates during benzene and naphthalene degradation, respectively. Biodegradation of toluene, ethyl benzene, xylene, phenol, and indole by NAPH was also investigated. Monod inhibition model was able to simulate biodegradation kinetics for benzene, whereas multiple substrate biodegradation model was able to simulate biodegradation kinetics for naphthalene.

Salinity shifts in marine sediment: Importance of number of fluctuation rather than their intensities on bacterial denitrifying community.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaghmouri, Imen; Michotey, Valerie D; Armougom, Fabrice; Guasco, Sophie; Bonin, Patricia C

2018-05-01

The sensitivity of denitrifying community to salinity fluctuations was studied in microcosms filled with marine coastal sediments subjected to different salinity disturbances over time (sediment under frequent salinity changes vs sediment with "stable" salinity pattern). Upon short-term salinity shift, denitrification rate and denitrifiers abundance showed high resistance whatever the sediment origin is. Denitrifying community adapted to frequent salinity changes showed high resistance when salinity increases, with a dynamic nosZ relative expression level. Marine sediment denitrifying community, characterized by more stable pattern, was less resistant when salinity decreases. However, after two successive variations of salinity, it shifted toward the characteristic community of fluctuating conditions, with larger proportion of Pseudomonas-nosZ, exhibiting an increase of nosZ relative expression level. The impact of long-term salinity variation upon bacterial community was confirmed at ribosomal level with a higher percentage of Pseudomonas and lower proportion of nosZII clade genera. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Abundance and Diversity of Denitrifying and Anammox Bacteria in Seasonally Hypoxic and Sulfidic Sediments of the Saline Lake Grevelingen

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lipsewers, Y.A.; Hopmans, E.C.; Meysman, F.J.R.; Sinninghe Damsté, J.S.; Villanueva, L.

2016-01-01

Denitrifying and anammox bacteria are involved in the nitrogen cycling in marine sediments but the environmental factors that regulate the relative importance of these processes are not well constrained. Here, we evaluated the abundance, diversity, and potential activity of denitrifying, anammox,

Abundance and diversity of denitrifying and anammox bacteria in seasonally hypoxic and sulfidic sediments of the saline lake grevelingen

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lipsewers, Yvonne A.; Hopmans, Ellen C.; Meysman, Filip J.R.; Sinninghe Damsté, Jaap S.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/07401370X; Villanueva, Laura

2016-01-01

Denitrifying and anammox bacteria are involved in the nitrogen cycling in marine sediments but the environmental factors that regulate the relative importance of these processes are not well constrained. Here, we evaluated the abundance, diversity, and potential activity of denitrifying, anammox,

Post-cold-storage conditioning time affects soil denitrifying enzyme activity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chirinda, Ngonidzashe; Olesen, Jørgen Eivind; Porter, John Roy

2011-01-01

Soil denitrifying enzyme activity (DEA) is often assessed after cold storage. Previous studies using the short-term acetylene inhibition method have not considered conditioning time (post-cold-storage warm-up time prior to soil analysis) as a factor influencing results. We observed fluctuations...

Direct cloning from enrichment cultures, a reliable strategy for isolation of complete operons and genes from microbial consortia.

Science.gov (United States)

Entcheva, P; Liebl, W; Johann, A; Hartsch, T; Streit, W R

2001-01-01

Enrichment cultures of microbial consortia enable the diverse metabolic and catabolic activities of these populations to be studied on a molecular level and to be explored as potential sources for biotechnology processes. We have used a combined approach of enrichment culture and direct cloning to construct cosmid libraries with large (>30-kb) inserts from microbial consortia. Enrichment cultures were inoculated with samples from five environments, and high amounts of avidin were added to the cultures to favor growth of biotin-producing microbes. DNA was extracted from three of these enrichment cultures and used to construct cosmid libraries; each library consisted of between 6,000 and 35,000 clones, with an average insert size of 30 to 40 kb. The inserts contained a diverse population of genomic DNA fragments isolated from the consortia organisms. These three libraries were used to complement the Escherichia coli biotin auxotrophic strain ATCC 33767 Delta(bio-uvrB). Initial screens resulted in the isolation of seven different complementing cosmid clones, carrying biotin biosynthesis operons. Biotin biosynthesis capabilities and growth under defined conditions of four of these clones were studied. Biotin measured in the different culture supernatants ranged from 42 to 3,800 pg/ml/optical density unit. Sequencing the identified biotin synthesis genes revealed high similarities to bio operons from gram-negative bacteria. In addition, random sequencing identified other interesting open reading frames, as well as two operons, the histidine utilization operon (hut), and the cluster of genes involved in biosynthesis of molybdopterin cofactors in bacteria (moaABCDE).

Diversity of reductive dehalogenase genes from environmental samples and enrichment cultures identified with degenerate primer PCR screens.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Audrey Hug

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Reductive dehalogenases are the critical enzymes for anaerobic organohalide respiration, a microbial metabolic process that has been harnessed for bioremediation efforts to resolve chlorinated solvent contamination in groundwater and is implicated in the global halogen cycle. Reductive dehalogenase sequence diversity is informative for the dechlorination potential of the site or enrichment culture. A suite of degenerate PCR primers targeting a comprehensive curated set of reductive dehalogenase genes was designed and applied to twelve DNA samples extracted from contaminated and pristine sites, as well as six enrichment cultures capable of reducing chlorinated compounds to non-toxic end-products. The amplified gene products from four environmental sites and two enrichment cultures were sequenced using Illumina HiSeq, and the reductive dehalogenase complement of each sample determined. The results indicate that the diversity of the reductive dehalogenase gene family is much deeper than is currently accounted for: one-third of the translated proteins have less than 70% pairwise amino acid identity to database sequences. Approximately 60% of the sequenced reductive dehalogenase genes were broadly distributed, being identified in four or more samples, and often in previously sequenced genomes as well. In contrast, 17% of the sequenced reductive dehalogenases were unique, present in only a single sample and bearing less than 90% pairwise amino acid identity to any previously identified proteins. Many of the broadly distributed reductive dehalogenases are uncharacterized in terms of their substrate specificity, making these intriguing targets for further biochemical experimentation. Finally, comparison of samples from a contaminated site and an enrichment culture derived from the same site eight years prior allowed examination of the effect of the enrichment process.

Abundance, composition and activity of denitrifier communities in metal polluted paddy soils

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yuan; Liu, Yongzhuo; Zhou, Huimin; Li, Lianqing; Zheng, Jinwei; Zhang, Xuhui; Zheng, Jufeng; Pan, Genxing

2016-01-01

Denitrification is one of the most important soil microbial processes leading to the production of nitrous oxide (N2O). The potential changes with metal pollution in soil microbial community for N2O production and reduction are not well addressed. In this study, topsoil samples were collected both from polluted and non-polluted rice paddy fields and denitrifier communities were characterized with molecular fingerprinting procedures. All the retrieved nirK sequences could be grouped into neither α- nor β- proteobacteria, while most of the nosZ sequences were affiliated with α-proteobacteria. The abundances of the nirK and nosZ genes were reduced significantly in the two polluted soils. Thus, metal pollution markedly affected composition of both nirK and nosZ denitrifiers. While the total denitrifying activity and N2O production rate were both reduced under heavy metal pollution of the two sites, the N2O reduction rate showed no significant change. These findings suggest that N2O production activity could be sensitive to heavy metal pollution, which could potentially lead to a decrease in N2O emission in polluted paddies. Therefore, metal pollution could have potential impacts on soil N transformation and thus on N2O emission from paddy soils. PMID:26739424

Establishment and Characterization of an Anaerobic Thermophilic (55 degrees C) Enrichment Culture Degrading Long-Chain Fatty Acids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Angelidaki, Irini; Ahring, Birgitte Kiær

1995-01-01

A thermophilic, long-chain fatty acid-oxidizing culture was enriched. Stearate was used as the substrate, and methane and carbon dioxide were the sole end products. Cultivation was possible only when a fed-batch system was used or with addition of activated carbon or bentonite. The enrichment...

Culture Optimization and Amino Acid Composition of Cr-Enriched Mycelia of Pleurotus cornucopiae SD-01

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fan-Yun Meng

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Chromium(III is an essential trace element for humans and animals. Pleutorus cornucopiae SD-01 is a nutritional and functional mushroom containing many kinds of bioactive ingredients. The aims of this work are to optimize the conditions of P. cornucopiae SD-01 cultivation with Cr enrichment in submerged culture by determining the dry cell mass, Cr content in mycelia and the rate of Cr enrichment, and to analyze the amino acid composition of Cr-enriched mycelia. The optimal medium contained (in g/L: potato 200, sucrose 25, yeast extract 4, KH2PO4 1 and MgSO4·7H2O 1. The optimum parameters of liquid culture were temperature 25 °C, cultivation time 6 days, the volume of the medium 100 mL, rotation speed 160 rpm and initial pH=6.5. Under the optimized conditions, the values of the dry cell mass, Cr content in mycelia and the rate of Cr enrichment were (6.63±0.35 g/L, (3670±211 μg/g and (12.15±1.01 % respectively, which were by (23.23±1.22, (18.19±1.06 and (45.68±2.67 % respectively, higher than those in the control. Chromium(III in Cr-enriched mycelia was mainly combined with protein and polysaccharide. The contents of total amino acids and essential amino acids in Cr-enriched mycelia were increased by (31.25±0.58 and (44.26±0.76 %, respectively.

Innovative Approaches Using Lichen Enriched Media to Improve Isolation and Culturability of Lichen Associated Bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Biosca, Elena G.; Flores, Raquel; Santander, Ricardo D.; Díez-Gil, José Luis; Barreno, Eva

2016-01-01

Lichens, self-supporting mutualistic associations between a fungal partner and one or more photosynthetic partners, also harbor non-photosynthetic bacteria. The diversity and contribution of these bacteria to the functioning of lichen symbiosis have recently begun to be studied, often by culture-independent techniques due to difficulties in their isolation and culture. However, culturing as yet unculturable lichenic bacteria is critical to unravel their potential functional roles in lichen symbiogenesis, to explore and exploit their biotechnological potential and for the description of new taxa. Our objective was to improve the recovery of lichen associated bacteria by developing novel isolation and culture approaches, initially using the lichen Pseudevernia furfuracea. We evaluated the effect of newly developed media enriched with novel lichen extracts, as well as the influence of thalli washing time and different disinfection and processing protocols of thalli. The developed methodology included: i) the use of lichen enriched media to mimic lichen nutrients, supplemented with the fungicide natamycin; ii) an extended washing of thalli to increase the recovery of ectolichenic bacteria, thus allowing the disinfection of thalli to be discarded, hence enhancing endolichenic bacteria recovery; and iii) the use of an antioxidant buffer to prevent or reduce oxidative stress during thalli disruption. The optimized methodology allowed significant increases in the number and diversity of culturable bacteria associated with P. furfuracea, and it was also successfully applied to the lichens Ramalina farinacea and Parmotrema pseudotinctorum. Furthermore, we provide, for the first time, data on the abundance of culturable ecto- and endolichenic bacteria that naturally colonize P. furfuracea, R. farinacea and P. pseudotinctorum, some of which were only able to grow on lichen enriched media. This innovative methodology is also applicable to other microorganisms inhabiting these

Innovative Approaches Using Lichen Enriched Media to Improve Isolation and Culturability of Lichen Associated Bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Biosca, Elena G; Flores, Raquel; Santander, Ricardo D; Díez-Gil, José Luis; Barreno, Eva

2016-01-01

Lichens, self-supporting mutualistic associations between a fungal partner and one or more photosynthetic partners, also harbor non-photosynthetic bacteria. The diversity and contribution of these bacteria to the functioning of lichen symbiosis have recently begun to be studied, often by culture-independent techniques due to difficulties in their isolation and culture. However, culturing as yet unculturable lichenic bacteria is critical to unravel their potential functional roles in lichen symbiogenesis, to explore and exploit their biotechnological potential and for the description of new taxa. Our objective was to improve the recovery of lichen associated bacteria by developing novel isolation and culture approaches, initially using the lichen Pseudevernia furfuracea. We evaluated the effect of newly developed media enriched with novel lichen extracts, as well as the influence of thalli washing time and different disinfection and processing protocols of thalli. The developed methodology included: i) the use of lichen enriched media to mimic lichen nutrients, supplemented with the fungicide natamycin; ii) an extended washing of thalli to increase the recovery of ectolichenic bacteria, thus allowing the disinfection of thalli to be discarded, hence enhancing endolichenic bacteria recovery; and iii) the use of an antioxidant buffer to prevent or reduce oxidative stress during thalli disruption. The optimized methodology allowed significant increases in the number and diversity of culturable bacteria associated with P. furfuracea, and it was also successfully applied to the lichens Ramalina farinacea and Parmotrema pseudotinctorum. Furthermore, we provide, for the first time, data on the abundance of culturable ecto- and endolichenic bacteria that naturally colonize P. furfuracea, R. farinacea and P. pseudotinctorum, some of which were only able to grow on lichen enriched media. This innovative methodology is also applicable to other microorganisms inhabiting these

Proteomic characterization of golgi membranes enriched from Arabidopsis suspension cell cultures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Sara Fasmer; Ebert, Berit; Rautengarten, Carsten

2016-01-01

The plant Golgi apparatus has a central role in the secretory pathway and is the principal site within the cell for the assembly and processing of macromolecules. The stacked membrane structure of the Golgi apparatus along with its interactions with the cytoskeleton and endoplasmic reticulum has...... historically made the isolation and purification of this organelle difficult. Density centrifugation has typically been used to enrich Golgi membranes from plant microsomal preparations, and aside from minor adaptations, the approach is still widely employed. Here we outline the enrichment of Golgi membranes...... from an Arabidopsis cell suspension culture that can be used to investigate the proteome of this organelle. We also provide a useful workflow for the examination of proteomic data as the result of multiple analyses. Finally, we highlight a simple technique to validate the subcellular localization...

Plastic carrier polishing chamber reduces pollution swapping from denitrifying woodchip bioreactors

Science.gov (United States)

Denitrifying bioreactors with solid organic carbon sources (i.e., “woodchip bioreactors”) have proven to be relatively simple and cost effective treatment systems for nitrate-laden agricultural and aquacultural waters and wastewaters. However, because this technology is still relatively new, design ...

Using Enrichment Clusters to Address the Needs of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Jennifer K.; Robbins, Margaret A.; Payne, Yolanda Denise; Brown, Katherine Backes

2016-01-01

Using data from teacher interviews, classroom observations, and a professional development workshop, this article explains how one component of the schoolwide enrichment model (SEM) has been implemented at a culturally diverse elementary school serving primarily Latina/o and African American students. Based on a broadened conception of giftedness,…

Biodegradation of Various Aromatic Compounds by Enriched Bacterial Cultures: Part B--Nitrogen-, Sulfur-, and Oxygen-Containing Heterocyclic Aromatic Compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Oberoi, Akashdeep Singh; Philip, Ligy; Bhallamudi, S Murty

2015-07-01

Present study focused on the biodegradation of various heterocyclic nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen (NSO) compounds using naphthalene-enriched culture. Target compounds in the study were pyridine, quinoline, benzothiophene, and benzofuran. Screening studies were carried out using different microbial consortia enriched with specific polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and NSO compounds. Among different microbial consortia, naphthalene-enriched culture was the most efficient consortium based on high substrate degradation rate. Substrate degradation rate with naphthalene-enriched culture followed the order pyridine > quinoline > benzofuran > benzothiophene. Benzothiophene and benzofuran were found to be highly recalcitrant pollutants. Benzothiophene could not be biodegraded when concentration was above 50 mg/l. It was observed that 2-(1H)-quinolinone, benzothiophene-2-one, and benzofuran-2,3-dione were formed as metabolic intermediates during biodegradation of quinoline, benzothiophene, and benzofuran, respectively. Quinoline-N and pyridine-N were transformed into free ammonium ions during the biodegradation process. Biodegradation pathways for various NSO compounds are proposed. Monod inhibition model was able to simulate single substrate biodegradation kinetics satisfactorily. Benzothiophene and benzofuran biodegradation kinetics, in presence of acetone, was simulated using a generalized multi-substrate model.

Effect of Free Nitrous Acid on Nitrous Oxide Production and Denitrifying Phosphorus Removal by Polyphosphorus-Accumulating Organisms in Wastewater Treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhijia Miao

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The inhibition of free nitrous acid (FNA on denitrifying phosphorus removal has been widely reported for enhanced biological phosphorus removal; however, few studies focus on the nitrous oxide (N2O production involved in this process. In this study, the effects of FNA on N2O production and anoxic phosphorus metabolism were investigated using phosphorus-accumulating organisms (PAOs culture highly enriched (91±4% in Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis. Results show that the FNA concentration notably inhibited anoxic phosphorus metabolism and phosphorus uptake. Poly-β-hydroxyalkanoate (PHA degradation was completely inhibited when the FNA concentration was approximately 0.0923 mgHNO2-N/L. Higher initial FNA concentrations (0.00035 to 0.0103 mgHNO2-N/L led to more PHA consumption/TN (0.444 to 0.916 mmol-C/(mmol-N·gVSS. Moreover, it was found that FNA, rather than nitrite and pH, was likely the true inhibitor of N2O production. The highest proportion of N2O to TN was 78.42% at 0.0031 mgHNO2-N/L (equivalent to 42.44 mgNO2-N/L at pH 7.5, due to the simultaneous effects of FNA on the subsequent conversion of NO2 into N2O and then into N2. The traditional nitrite knee point can only indicate the exhaustion of nitrite, instead of the complete removal of TN.

Performance of Denitrifying Bioreactors at Reducing  Agricultural Nitrogen Pollution in a Humid  Subtropical Coastal Plain Climate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timothy Rosen

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Denitrifying bioreactors are an agricultural best management practice developed in the  midwestern United States to treat agricultural drainage water enriched with nitrate‐nitrogen (NO3N. The practice is spreading rapidly to agricultural regions with poor water quality due to nutrient  enrichment. This makes it imperative to track bioreactor NO3‐N reduction efficiency as this practice  gets deployed to new regions. This study evaluated the application and performance of denitrifying  bioreactors in the humid subtropical coastal plain environment of the Chesapeake Bay catchment to  provide data about regionally specific NO3‐N reduction efficiencies. NO3‐N samples were taken  before  and  after  treatment  at  three  denitrifying  bioreactors,  in  addition  to  other  nutrients  (orthophosphate‐phosphorus,  PO4‐P;  ammonium‐nitrogen,  NH4‐N;  total  nitrogen,  TN;  total  phosphorus,  TP  and  water  quality  parameters  (dissolved  oxygen,  DO;  oxidation  reduction  potential,  ORP;  pH;  specific  conductance,  SPC.  Total  removal  ranged  drastically  between  bioreactors from 10 to 133 kg N, with removal efficiencies of 9.0% to 62% and N removal rates of  0.21 to 5.36 g N removed per m3 of bioreactor per day. As the first bioreactor study in the humid  subtropical coastal plain, this data provides positive proof of concept that denitrifying bioreactor is  another tool for reducing N loads in agricultural tile drainage in this region.

Substrate-dependent denitrification of abundant probe-defined denitrifying bacteria in activated sludge.

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan-Sagastume, Fernando; Nielsen, Jeppe Lund; Nielsen, Per Halkjaer

2008-11-01

The denitrification capacity of different phylogenetic bacterial groups was investigated on addition of different substrates in activated sludge from two nutrient-removal plants. Nitrate/nitrite consumption rates (CRs) were calculated from nitrate and nitrite biosensor, in situ measurements. The nitrate/nitrite CRs depended on the substrate added, and acetate alone or combined with other substrates yielded the highest rates (3-6 mg N gVSS(-1) h(-1)). The nitrate CRs were similar to the nitrite CRs for most substrates tested. The structure of the active denitrifying population was investigated using heterotrophic CO2 microautoradiography (HetCO2-MAR) and FISH. Probe-defined denitrifiers appeared as specialized substrate utilizers despite acetate being preferentially used by most of them. Azoarcus and Accumulibacter abundance in the two different sludges was related to differences in their substrate-specific nitrate/nitrite CRs. Aquaspirillum-related bacteria were the most abundant potential denitrifiers (c. 20% of biovolume); however, Accumulibacter (3-7%) and Azoarcus (2-13%) may have primarily driven denitrification by utilizing pyruvate, ethanol, and acetate. Activated sludge denitrification was potentially conducted by a diverse, versatile population including not only Betaproteobacteria (Aquaspirillum, Thauera, Accumulibacter, and Azoarcus) but also some Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria, as indicated by the assimilation of 14CO2 by these probe-defined groups with a complex substrate mixture as an electron donor and nitrite as an electron acceptor in HetCO2-MAR-FISH tests.

Simultaneous removal of sulfide, nitrate and acetate under denitrifying sulfide removal condition: Modeling and experimental validation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Xijun; Chen, Chuan; Wang, Aijie; Guo, Wanqian; Zhou, Xu [State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090 (China); Lee, Duu-Jong, E-mail: djlee@ntu.edu.tw [State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090 (China); Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Ren, Nanqi, E-mail: rnq@hit.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090 (China); Chang, Jo-Shu [Research Center for Energy Technology and Strategy, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan (China)

2014-01-15

Graphical abstract: Model evaluation applied to case study 1: (A-G) S{sup 2−}, NO{sub 3}{sup −}-N, NO{sub 2}{sup −}-N, and Ac{sup −}-C profiles under initial sulfide concentrations of 156.2 (A), 539 (B), 964 (C), 1490 (D), 342.7 (E), 718 (F), and 1140.7 (G) mg L{sup −1}. The solid line represents simulated result and scatter represents experimental result. -- Highlights: • This work developed a mathematical model for DSR process. • Kinetics of sulfur–nitrogen–carbon and interactions between denitrifiers were studied. • Kinetic parameters of the model were estimated via data fitting. • The model described kinetic behaviors of DSR processes over wide parametric range. -- Abstract: Simultaneous removal of sulfide (S{sup 2−}), nitrate (NO{sub 3}{sup −}) and acetate (Ac{sup −}) under denitrifying sulfide removal process (DSR) is a novel biological wastewater treatment process. This work developed a mathematical model to describe the kinetic behavior of sulfur–nitrogen–carbon and interactions between autotrophic denitrifiers and heterotrophic denitrifiers. The kinetic parameters of the model were estimated via data fitting considering the effects of initial S{sup 2−} concentration, S{sup 2−}/NO{sub 3}{sup −}-N ratio and Ac{sup −}-C/NO{sub 3}{sup −}-N ratio. Simulation supported that the heterotrophic denitratation step (NO{sub 3}{sup −} reduction to NO{sub 2}{sup −}) was inhibited by S{sup 2−} compared with the denitritation step (NO{sub 2}{sup −} reduction to N{sub 2}). Also, the S{sup 2−} oxidation by autotrophic denitrifiers was shown two times lower in rate with NO{sub 2}{sup −} as electron acceptor than that with NO{sub 3}{sup −} as electron acceptor. NO{sub 3}{sup −} reduction by autotrophic denitrifiers occurs 3–10 times slower when S{sup 0} participates as final electron donor compared to the S{sup 2−}-driven pathway. Model simulation on continuous-flow DSR reactor suggested that the adjustment of

Anaerobic degradation of long-chain alkylamines by a denitrifying Pseudomonas stutzeri

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nguyen, P.D.; Ginkel, van C.G.; Plugge, C.M.

2008-01-01

The anaerobic degradation of tetradecylamine and other long-chain alkylamines by a newly isolated denitrifying bacterium was studied. Strain ZN6 was isolated from a mixture of soil and active sludge and was identified as representing Pseudomonas stutzeri, based on partial 16S rRNA gene sequence

Pseudomonads Isolated from Pristine Background Groundwater Proliferate More Effectively in Co-culture than in Monoculture Under Denitrifying Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Aaring, A. B.; Lancaster, A.; Novichkov, P.; Adams, M. W. W.; Deutschbauer, A. M.; Chakraborty, R.

2016-12-01

As part of the Ecosystems and Networks Integrated with Genes and Molecular Assemblies (ENIGMA) consortium, we study the microbial community at the U.S. Department of Energy's Field Research Center (FRC) in Oak Ridge. The groundwater at this site contains plumes of nitrate with concentrations up to 14,000mg/L among other contaminants, though molybdenum concentrations are low. Because molybdenum is essential to nitrate reduction, this can be inhibitory to growth. Several strains of Pseudomonas were isolated from the same background groundwater sample. These isolates utilized diverse carbon sources ranging from acetate to glucose while growing under denitrifying conditions. The strains were also screened for nitrate tolerance and a couple of them were shown to be tolerant to 300-400 mM nitrate under anaerobic conditions. In the field site the bacteria live in consortia rather than in isolation, therefore we hypothesized that growth of these strains will be more robust in co-culture, as the denitrification pathway was segmented between the species. Three of the isolates (Pseudomonas fluorescens strains N1B4, N2E2, N2E3) were selected for in-depth analysis based on growth in pairwise co-cultures relative to monocultures, and the availability of the relevant genetic tools, such as transposon mutant libraries. Full genome sequencing showed that strain N2E3 has a truncated dentrification pathway: it lacks nitrous oxide reductase. Our results show strain N2E2 grow to maximum cell density an average of 45 hours more quickly when grown with strain N2E3 than in monoculture. Utilizing RB-TnSeq libraries of our strains, it was also found that some genes involved in nitrate reduction, sulfate permeability, molybdenum utilization, and anaerobic reduction are important for growth under these conditions. In addition, a few unexpected genes were also shown to be positively correlated to growth, such as genes homologous to genes for DNA proofreading or antibiotic production. These

Bioavailability and biodegradation of weathered diesel fuel in aquifer material under denitrifying conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bregnard, T.P.A.; Hoehener, P.; Zeyer, J.

1998-01-01

During the in situ bioremediation of a diesel fuel-contaminated aquifer in Menziken, Switzerland, aquifer material containing weathered diesel fuel (WDF) and indigenous microorganisms was excavated. This material was used to identify factors limiting WDF biodegradation under denitrifying conditions. Incubations of this material for 360 to 390 d under denitrifying conditions resulted in degradation of 23% of the WDF with concomitant consumption of NO 3 - and production of inorganic carbon. The biodegradation of WDF and the rate of NO 3 - consumption was stimulated by agitation of the microcosms. Biodegradation was not stimulated by the addition of a biosurfactant (rhamnolipids) or a synthetic surfactant (Triton X-100) at concentrations above their critical micelle concentrations. The rhamnolipids were biodegraded preferentially to WDF, whereas Triton X-100 was not degraded. Both surfactants reduced the surface tension of the growth medium from 72 to <35 dynes/cm and enhanced the apparent aqueous solubility of the model hydrocarbon n-hexadecane by four orders of magnitude. Solvent-extracted WDF, added at a concentration equal to that already present in the aquifer material, was also biodegraded by the microcosms, but not at a higher rate than the WDF already present in the material. The results show that the denitrifying biodegradation of WDF is not necessarily limited by bioavailability but rather by the inherent recalcitrance of WDF

Edaphic Conditions Regulate Denitrification Directly and Indirectly by Altering Denitrifier Abundance in Wetlands along the Han River, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Ziqian; Guo, Laodong; Zhang, Quanfa; Liu, Guihua; Liu, Wenzhi

2017-05-16

Riparian wetlands play a critical role in retaining nitrogen (N) from upland runoff and improving river water quality, mainly through biological processes such as soil denitrification. However, the relative contribution of abiotic and biotic factors to riparian denitrification capacity remains elusive. Here we report the spatiotemporal dynamics of potential and unamended soil denitrification rates in 20 wetlands along the Han River, an important water source in central China. We also quantified the abundance of soil denitrifying microorganisms using nirK and nirS genes. Results showed that soil denitrification rates were significantly different between riparian and reservoir shoreline wetlands, but not between mountain and lowland wetlands. In addition, soil denitrification rates showed strong seasonality, with higher values in August (summer) and April (spring) but lower values in January (winter). The potential and unamended denitrification rates were positively correlated with edaphic conditions (moisture and carbon concentration), denitrifier abundance, and plant species richness. Path analysis further revealed that edaphic conditions could regulate denitrification rates both directly and indirectly through their effects on denitrifier abundance. Our findings highlight that not only environmental factors, but also biotic factors including denitrifying microorganisms and standing vegetation, play an important role in regulating denitrification rate and N removal capacity in riparian wetlands.

Degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by microbial consortia enriched from three soils using two different culture media.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Manli; Chen, Liming; Tian, Yongqiang; Ding, Yi; Dick, Warren A

2013-07-01

A consortium composed of many different bacterial species is required to efficiently degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in oil-contaminated soil. We obtained six PAH-degrading microbial consortia from three oil-contaminated soils using two different isolation culture media. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and sequence analyses of amplified 16s rRNA genes confirmed the bacterial community was greatly affected by both the culture medium and the soil from which the consortia were enriched. Three bacterial consortia enriched using malt yeast extract (MYE) medium showed higher degradation rates of PAHs than consortia enriched using Luria broth (LB) medium. Consortia obtained from a soil and then added back to that same soil was more effective in degrading PAHs than adding, to the same soil, consortia isolated from other, unrelated soils. This suggests that inoculum used for bioremediation should be from the same, or very similar nearby soils, as the soil that is actually being bioremediated. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous pollutant removal and electricity generation in denitrifying microbial fuel cell with boric acid-borate buffer solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Gang; Zhang, Shaohui; Li, Meng; Wei, Yan

2015-01-01

A double-chamber denitrifying microbial fuel cell (MFC), using boric acid-borate buffer solution as an alternative to phosphate buffer solution, was set up to investigate the influence of buffer solution concentration, temperature and external resistance on electricity generation and pollutant removal efficiency. The result revealed that the denitrifying MFC with boric acid-borate buffer solution was successfully started up in 51 days, with a stable cell voltage of 205.1 ± 1.96 mV at an external resistance of 50 Ω. Higher concentration of buffer solution favored nitrogen removal and electricity generation. The maximum power density of 8.27 W/m(3) net cathodic chamber was obtained at a buffer solution concentration of 100 mmol/L. An increase in temperature benefitted electricity generation and nitrogen removal. A suitable temperature for this denitrifying MFC was suggested to be 25 °C. Decreasing the external resistance favored nitrogen removal and organic matter consumption by exoelectrogens.

Bacterial community analysis in chlorpyrifos enrichment cultures via DGGE and use of bacterial consortium for CP biodegradation.

Science.gov (United States)

Akbar, Shamsa; Sultan, Sikander; Kertesz, Michael

2014-10-01

The organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos (CP) has been used extensively since the 1960s for insect control. However, its toxic effects on mammals and persistence in environment necessitate its removal from contaminated sites, biodegradation studies of CP-degrading microbes are therefore of immense importance. Samples from a Pakistani agricultural soil with an extensive history of CP application were used to prepare enrichment cultures using CP as sole carbon source for bacterial community analysis and isolation of CP metabolizing bacteria. Bacterial community analysis (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) revealed that the dominant genera enriched under these conditions were Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter and Stenotrophomonas, along with lower numbers of Sphingomonas, Agrobacterium and Burkholderia. Furthermore, it revealed that members of Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, α- and γ-Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were present at initial steps of enrichment whereas β-Proteobacteria appeared in later steps and only Proteobacteria were selected by enrichment culturing. However, when CP-degrading strains were isolated from this enrichment culture, the most active organisms were strains of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Pseudomonas mendocina and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These strains degraded 6-7.4 mg L(-1) day(-1) of CP when cultivated in mineral medium, while the consortium of all four strains degraded 9.2 mg L(-1) day(-1) of CP (100 mg L(-1)). Addition of glucose as an additional C source increased the degradation capacity by 8-14 %. After inoculation of contaminated soil with CP (200 mg kg(-1)) disappearance rates were 3.83-4.30 mg kg(-1) day(-1) for individual strains and 4.76 mg kg(-1) day(-1) for the consortium. These results indicate that these organisms are involved in the degradation of CP in soil and represent valuable candidates for in situ bioremediation of contaminated soils and waters.

Anaerobic oxidation of acetylene by estuarine sediments and enrichment cultures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Culbertson, C.W.; Zehnder, A.J.B.; Oremland, R.S.

1981-01-01

Acetylene disappeared from the gas phase of anaerobically incubated estuarine sediment slurries, and loss was accompanied by increased levels of carbon dioxide. Acetylene loss was inhibited by chloroamphenicol, air, and autoclaving. Addition of 14 C 2 H 2 to slurries resulted in the formation of 14 CO 2 and the transient appearance of 14 C-soluble intermediates, of which acetate was a major component. Acetylene oxidation stimulated sulfate reduction; however, sulfate reduction was not required for the loss of C 2 H 2 to occur. Enrichment cultures were obtained which grew anaerobically at the expense of C 2 H 2

Enrichment and Characterization of PCB-Degrading Bacteria as Potential Seed Cultures for Bioremediation of Contaminated Soil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dubravka Hršak

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The main objective of our study was to obtain seed cultures for enhancing the transformation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs in contaminated soil of the transformer station in Zadar, Croatia, damaged during warfare activities in 1991. For enrichment, six soil samples were collected from different polluted areas and microcosm approach, stimulating the growth of biphenyl-degrading bacteria, was employed. Enrichment experiments resulted in the selection of two fast growing mixed cultures TSZ7 and AIR1, originating from the soil of the transformer station and the airport area, respectively. Both cultures showed significant PCB-degrading activity (56 to 60 % of PCB50 mixture was reduced after a two-week cultivation. Furthermore, the cultures displayed similar PCB-degrading competence and reduced di-to tetrachlorobiphenyls more effectively than penta- to hepta-chlorobiphenyls. Strain Z6, identified as Rhodococcus erythropolis, was found to be the only culture member showing PCB-transformation potential similar to that of the mixed culture TSZ7, from which it was isolated. Based on the metabolites identified in the assay with the single congener 2,4,4’-chlorobiphenyl, we proposed that the strain Z6 was able to use both the 2,3-and 3,4-dioxygenase pathways. Furthermore, the identified metabolites suggested that beside these pathways another unidentified pathway might also be active in strain Z6. Based on the obtained results, the culture TSZ7 and the strain Z6 were designated as potential seed cultures for bioremediation of the contaminated soil.

Impact of estuarine gradients on reductive dechlorination of 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in river sediment enrichment cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Dam, Hang T; Häggblom, Max M

2017-02-01

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) are among the most persistent organic pollutants. Although the total input of PCDDs into the environment has decreased substantially over the past four decades, their input via non-point sources is still increasing, especially in estuarine metropolitan areas. Here we report on the microbially mediated reductive dechlorination of PCDDs in anaerobic enrichment cultures established from sediments collected from five locations along the Hackensack River, NJ and investigate the impacts of sediment physicochemical characteristics on dechlorination activity. Dechlorination of 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (1,2,3,4-TeCDD) and abundance of Dehalococcoides spp. negatively correlated with salinity and sulfate concentration in sediments used to establish the cultures. 1,2,3,4-TeCDD was dechlorinated to a lesser extent in cultures established from sediments from the tidally influenced estuarine mouth of the river. In cultures established from low salinity sediments, 1,2,3,4-TeCDD was reductively dechlorinated with the accumulation of 2-monochlorodibenzo-p-dioxin as the major product. Sulfate concentrations above 2 mM inhibited 1,2,3,4-TecDD dechlorination activity. Consecutive lateral- and peri- dechlorination took place in enrichment cultures with a minimal accumulation of 2,3-dichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in active cultures. A Dehalococcoides spp. community was enriched and accounted for up to 64% of Chloroflexi detected in these sediment cultures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nitrous oxide emission by the non-denitrifying, nitrate ammonifier Bacillus licheniformis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yihua; De Vos, Paul; Heylen, Kim

2016-01-19

Firmicutes have the capacity to remove excess nitrate from the environment via either denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium or both. The recent renewed interest in their nitrogen metabolism has revealed many interesting features, the most striking being their wide variety of dissimilatory nitrate reduction pathways. In the present study, nitrous oxide production from Bacillus licheniformis, a ubiquitous Gram-positive, spore-forming species with many industrial applications, is investigated. B. licheniformis has long been considered a denitrifier but physiological experiments on three different strains demonstrated that nitrous oxide is not produced from nitrate in stoichiometric amounts, rather ammonium is the most important end-product, produced during fermentation. Significant strain dependency in end-product ratios, attributed to nitrite and ammonium, and medium dependency in nitrous oxide production were also observed. Genome analyses confirmed the lack of a nitrite reductase to nitric oxide, the key enzyme of denitrification. Based on the gene inventory and building on knowledge from other non-denitrifying nitrous oxide emitters, hypothetical pathways for nitrous oxide production, involving NarG, NirB, qNor and Hmp, are proposed. In addition, all publically available genomes of B. licheniformis demonstrated similar gene inventories, with specific duplications of the nar operon, narK and hmp genes as well as NarG phylogeny supporting the evolutionary separation of previously described distinct BALI1 and BALI2 lineages. Using physiological and genomic data we have demonstrated that the common soil bacterium B. licheniformis does not denitrify but is capable of fermentative dissimilatory nitrate/nitrite reduction to ammonium (DNRA) with concomitant production of N2O. Considering its ubiquitous nature and non-fastidious growth in the lab, B. licheniformis is a suitable candidate for further exploration of the actual mechanism of N2O

Degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by microbial consortia enriched from three soils using two different culture media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Manli; Chen, Liming; Tian, Yongqiang; Ding, Yi; Dick, Warren A.

2013-01-01

A consortium composed of many different bacterial species is required to efficiently degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in oil-contaminated soil. We obtained six PAH-degrading microbial consortia from three oil-contaminated soils using two different isolation culture media. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and sequence analyses of amplified 16s rRNA genes confirmed the bacterial community was greatly affected by both the culture medium and the soil from which the consortia were enriched. Three bacterial consortia enriched using malt yeast extract (MYE) medium showed higher degradation rates of PAHs than consortia enriched using Luria broth (LB) medium. Consortia obtained from a soil and then added back to that same soil was more effective in degrading PAHs than adding, to the same soil, consortia isolated from other, unrelated soils. This suggests that inoculum used for bioremediation should be from the same, or very similar nearby soils, as the soil that is actually being bioremediated. -- Highlights: •Six PAH-degrading microbial consortia were isolated from three oil-contaminated soils. •The bacterial community by 16s rRNA genes was affected by culture media and source soil. •Inoculum should be from the same or similar soil as the soil being bioremediated. -- Bioremediation of oil-contaminated soils was most effective when using inoculum of microbial consortia from the same or similar soil as the soil being bioremediated

Effect of nitrogen source on methanol oxidation and genetic diversity of methylotrophic mixed cultures enriched from pulp and paper mill biofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

Babbitt, Callie W; Lindner, Angela S

2011-04-01

Methanol-oxidizing bacteria may play an important role in the development and use of biological treatment systems for the removal of methanol from industrial effluents. Optimization of methanol degradation potential in such systems is contingent on availability of nutrients, such as nitrogen, in the most favorable form and concentration. To that end, this study examined the variation in growth, methanol degradation, and bacterial diversity of two mixed methylotrophic cultures that were provided nitrogen either as ammonium or nitrate and in three different concentrations. Methanol-degrading cultures were enriched from biofilms sampled at a pulp and paper mill and grown in liquid batch culture with methanol as the only carbon source and either ammonium or nitrate as the only added nitrogen source. Results indicate that growth and methanol removal of the mixed cultures increase directly with increased nitrogen, added in either form. However, methanol removal and bacterial diversity, as observed by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) methods, were higher when using nitrate as the nitrogen source for enrichment and growth, rather than ammonium. Based on results described here, nitrate may potentially be a better nitrogen source when enriching or working with mixed methylotrophic cultures, and possibly more effective when used as a nutrient addition to biofilters.

Plastic biofilm carrier after corn cobs reduces nitrate loading in laboratory denitrifying bioreactors

Science.gov (United States)

Nitrate-nitrogen removal rates can be increased substantially in denitrifying bioreactors with a corn cob bed medium compared to woodchips; however, additional organic carbon (C) is released into the effluent. This laboratory column experiment was conducted to test the performance of a post-bed cha...

Characterization of Fe (III)-reducing enrichment culture and isolation of Fe (III)-reducing bacterium Enterobacter sp. L6 from marine sediment.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Hongyan; Wang, Hongyu

2016-07-01

To enrich the Fe (III)-reducing bacteria, sludge from marine sediment was inoculated into the medium using Fe (OH)3 as the sole electron acceptor. Efficiency of Fe (III) reduction and composition of Fe (III)-reducing enrichment culture were analyzed. The results indicated that the Fe (III)-reducing enrichment culture with the dominant bacteria relating to Clostridium and Enterobacter sp. had high Fe (III) reduction of (2.73 ± 0.13) mmol/L-Fe (II). A new Fe (III)-reducing bacterium was isolated from the Fe (III)-reducing enrichment culture and identified as Enterobacter sp. L6 by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The Fe (III)-reducing ability of strain L6 under different culture conditions was investigated. The results indicated that strain L6 had high Fe (III)-reducing activity using glucose and pyruvate as carbon sources. Strain L6 could reduce Fe (III) at the range of NaCl concentrations tested and had the highest Fe (III) reduction of (4.63 ± 0.27) mmol/L Fe (II) at the NaCl concentration of 4 g/L. This strain L6 could reduce Fe (III) with unique properties in adaptability to salt variation, which indicated that it can be used as a model organism to study Fe (III)-reducing activity isolated from marine environment. Copyright © 2015 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Submerged macrophytes shape the abundance and diversity of bacterial denitrifiers in bacterioplankton and epiphyton in the Shallow Fresh Lake Taihu, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Zhou; Han, Rui-Ming; Ma, Jie; Wang, Guo-Xiang

2016-07-01

nirK and nirS genes are important functional genes involved in the denitrification pathway. Recent studies about these two denitrifying genes are focusing on sediment and wastewater microbe. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of the abundance and diversity of denitrifiers in the epiphyton of submerged macrophytes Potamogeton malaianus and Ceratophyllum demersum as well as in bacterioplankton in the shallow fresh lake Taihu, China. Results showed that nirK and nirS genes had significant different niches in epiphyton and bacterioplankton. Bacterioplankton showed greater abundance of nirK gene in terms of copy numbers and lower abundance of nirS gene. Significant difference in the abundance of nirK and nirS genes also existed between the epiphyton from different submerged macrophytes. Similar community diversity yet different community abundance was observed between epiphytic bacteria and bacterioplankton. No apparent seasonal variation was found either in epiphytic bacteria or bacterioplankton; however, environmental parameters seemed to have direct relevancy with nirK and nirS genes. Our study suggested that submerged macrophytes have greater influence than seasonal parameters in shaping the presence and abundance of bacterial denitrifiers. Further investigation needs to focus on the potential contact and relative contribution between denitrifiers and environmental factors.

Relative rates of nitric oxide and nitrous oxide production by nitrifiers, denitrifiers, and nitrate respirers

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, I. C.; Levine, J. S.

1986-01-01

An account is given of the atmospheric chemical and photochemical effects of biogenic nitric and nitrous oxide emissions. The magnitude of the biogenic emission of NO is noted to remain uncertain. Possible soil sources of NO and N2O encompass nitrification by autotropic and heterotropic nitrifiers, denitrification by nitrifiers and denitrifiers, nitrate respiration by fermenters, and chemodenitrification. Oxygen availability is the primary determinant of these organisms' relative rates of activity. The characteristics of this major influence are presently investigated in light of the effect of oxygen partial pressure on NO and N2O production by a wide variety of common soil-nitrifying, denitrifying, and nitrate-respiring bacteria under laboratory conditions. The results obtained indicate that aerobic soils are primary sources only when there is sufficient moisture to furnish anaerobic microsites for denitrification.

Environmental evaluation of coexistence of denitrifying anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea and bacteria in a paddy field.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Jing; Fu, Liang; Ding, Zhao-Wei; Lu, Yong-Ze; Cheng, Shuk H; Zeng, Raymond J

2016-01-01

The nitrate-dependent denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation (DAMO) process, which is metabolized together by anaerobic methanotrophic archaea and NC10 phylum bacteria, is expected to be important for the global carbon and nitrogen cycles. However, there are little studies about the existence of this process and the functional microbes in environments. Therefore, the coexistence of DAMO archaea and bacteria in a paddy field was evaluated in this study. Next-generation sequencing showed that the two orders, Methanosarcinales and Nitrospirales, to which DAMO archaea and DAMO bacteria belong, were detected in the four soil samples. Then the in vitro experiments demonstrated both of nitrite- and nitrate-dependent DAMO activities, which confirmed the coexistence of DAMO archaea and DAMO bacteria. It was the first report about the coexistence of DAMO archaea and bacteria in a paddy field. Furthermore, anammox bacteria were detected in two of the four samples. The in vitro experiments did not show anammox activity in the initial period but showed low anammox activity after 20 days' enrichment. These results implicated that anammox bacteria may coexist with DAMO microorganisms in this field, but at a very low percentage.

Draft Genome Sequence of an Active Heterotrophic Nitrifier-Denitrifier, Cupriavidus pauculus UM1

OpenAIRE

Putonti, Catherine; Polley, Nathaniel; Castignetti, Domenic

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Here, we present the draft genome sequence of Cupriavidus pauculus UM1, a metal-resistant heterotrophic nitrifier-denitrifier capable of synthesizing nitrite from pyruvic oxime. The size of the genome is 7,402,815 bp with a GC content of 64.8%. This draft assembly consists of 38 scaffolds.

Treatment and electricity harvesting from sulfate/sulfide-containing wastewaters using microbial fuel cell with enriched sulfate-reducing mixed culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Duu-Jong; Lee, Chin-Yu; Chang, Jo-Shu

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► We started up microbial fuel cell (MFC) using enriched sulfate-reducing mixed culture. ► Sulfate-reducing bacteria and anode-respiring bacteria were enriched in anodic biofilms. ► The MFC effectively remove sulfate to elementary sulfur in the presence of lactate. ► The present device can treat sulfate laden wastewaters with electricity harvesting. - Abstract: Anaerobic treatment of sulfate-laden wastewaters can produce excess sulfide, which is corrosive to pipelines and is toxic to incorporated microorganisms. This work started up microbial fuel cell (MFC) using enriched sulfate-reducing mixed culture as anodic biofilms and applied the so yielded MFC for treating sulfate or sulfide-laden wastewaters. The sulfate-reducing bacteria in anodic biofilm effectively reduced sulfate to sulfide, which was then used by neighboring anode respiring bacteria (ARB) as electron donor for electricity production. The presence of organic carbons enhanced MFC performance since the biofilm ARB were mixotrophs that need organic carbon to grow. The present device introduces a route for treating sulfate laden wastewaters with electricity harvesting.

Treatment and electricity harvesting from sulfate/sulfide-containing wastewaters using microbial fuel cell with enriched sulfate-reducing mixed culture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Duu-Jong, E-mail: cedean@mail.ntust.edu.tw [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Lee, Chin-Yu [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Chang, Jo-Shu [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan (China); Center for Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan (China); Research Center for Energy Technology and Strategy, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan (China)

2012-12-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We started up microbial fuel cell (MFC) using enriched sulfate-reducing mixed culture. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Sulfate-reducing bacteria and anode-respiring bacteria were enriched in anodic biofilms. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The MFC effectively remove sulfate to elementary sulfur in the presence of lactate. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The present device can treat sulfate laden wastewaters with electricity harvesting. - Abstract: Anaerobic treatment of sulfate-laden wastewaters can produce excess sulfide, which is corrosive to pipelines and is toxic to incorporated microorganisms. This work started up microbial fuel cell (MFC) using enriched sulfate-reducing mixed culture as anodic biofilms and applied the so yielded MFC for treating sulfate or sulfide-laden wastewaters. The sulfate-reducing bacteria in anodic biofilm effectively reduced sulfate to sulfide, which was then used by neighboring anode respiring bacteria (ARB) as electron donor for electricity production. The presence of organic carbons enhanced MFC performance since the biofilm ARB were mixotrophs that need organic carbon to grow. The present device introduces a route for treating sulfate laden wastewaters with electricity harvesting.

Cultivation and irradiation of human fibroblasts in a medium enriched with platelet lysate for obtaining feeder layer in epidermal cell culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshito, Daniele

2011-01-01

For over 30 years, the use of culture medium, enriched with bovine serum, and murines fibroblasts, with the rate of proliferation controlled by irradiation or by share anticarcinogenic drugs, has been playing successfully its role in assisting in the development of keratinocytes in culture, for clinical purposes. However, currently there is a growing concern about the possibility of transmitting prions and animals viruses to transplanted patients. Taking into account this concern, the present work aims to cultivate human fibroblasts in a medium enriched with human platelets lysate and determine the irradiation dose of these cells, for obtaining feeder layer in epidermal cell culture. For carrying out the proposed objective, platelets lysis has standardized, this lysate was used for human fibroblasts cultivation and the irradiation dose enough to inhibit its duplication was evaluated. Human keratinocytes were cultivated in these feeder layers, in culture medium enriched with the lysate. With these results we conclude that the 10% platelets lysate promoted a better adhesion and proliferation of human fibroblasts and in all dose levels tested (60 to 300 Gy), these had their mitotic activity inactivated by ionizing irradiation, being that the feeder layers obtained with doses from 70 to 150 Gy were those that provided the best development of keratinocytes in medium containing 2.5% of human platelet lysate. Therefore, it was possible to standardize both the cultivation of human fibroblasts as its inactivation for use as feeder layer in culture of keratinocytes, so as to eliminate xenobiotics components. (author)

Effects of mechanical disintegration of activated sludge on the activity of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria and phosphorus accumulating organisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Zubrowska-Sudol, Monika; Walczak, Justyna

2014-09-15

The purpose of the study was to analyse the impact of hydrodynamic disintegration of thickened excess activated sludge, performed at different levels of energy density (70, 140 and 210 kJ/L), on the activity of microorganisms involved in nutrient removal from wastewater, i.e. nitrifiers, denitrifiers and phosphorus accumulating organisms (PAOs). Ammonium and nitrogen utilisation rates and phosphorus release rates for raw and disintegrated sludge were determined using batch tests. The experiment also included: 1) analysis of organic and nutrient compound release from activated sludge flocs, 2) determination of the sludge disintegration degree (DD), and 3) evaluation of respiratory activity of the biomass by using the oxygen uptake rate (OUR) batch test. It was shown that the activity degree of the examined groups of microorganisms depended on energy density and related sludge disintegration degree, and that inactivation of individual groups of microorganisms occurred at different values of DD. Least resistant to the destruction of activated sludge flocs turned out to be phosphorus accumulating organisms, while the most resistant were denitrifiers. A decrease of 20-40% in PAO activity was noted already at DD equal to 3-5%. The threshold values of DD, after crossing which the inactivation of nitrifiers and denitrifiers occurred, were equal to 8% and 10%, respectively. At lesser DD values an increase in the activity of these groups of microorganisms was observed, averaging 20.2-41.7% for nitrifiers and 9.98-36.3% for denitrifiers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stable acetate production in extreme-thermophilic (70ºC) mixed culture fermentation by selective enrichment of hydrogenotrophic methanogens

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhang, F.; Zhang, Y.; Ding, J.; Dai, K.; Van Loosdrecht, M.C.M.; Zeng, R.J.

2014-01-01

The control of metabolite production is difficult in mixed culture fermentation. This is particularly related to hydrogen inhibition. In this work, hydrogenotrophic methanogens were selectively enriched to reduce the hydrogen partial pressure and to realize efficient acetate production in

Draft Genome Sequence of an Active Heterotrophic Nitrifier-Denitrifier, Cupriavidus pauculus UM1.

Science.gov (United States)

Putonti, Catherine; Polley, Nathaniel; Castignetti, Domenic

2018-02-08

Here, we present the draft genome sequence of Cupriavidus pauculus UM1, a metal-resistant heterotrophic nitrifier-denitrifier capable of synthesizing nitrite from pyruvic oxime. The size of the genome is 7,402,815 bp with a GC content of 64.8%. This draft assembly consists of 38 scaffolds. Copyright © 2018 Putonti et al.

Effects of carbon sources on the enrichment of halophilic polyhydroxyalkanoate-storing mixed microbial culture in an aerobic dynamic feeding process

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, You-Wei; Zhang, Hong-Yu; Lu, Peng-Fei; Peng, Yong-Zhen

2016-08-01

Microbial polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production serves as a substitute for petroleum-based plastics. Enriching mixed microbial cultures (MMCs) with the capacity to store PHA is a key precursor for low-cost PHA production. This study investigated the impact of carbon types on enrichment outcomes. Three MMCs were separately fed by acetate sodium, glucose, and starch as an enriching carbon source, and were exposed to long-term aerobic dynamic feeding (ADF) periods. The PHA production capacity, kinetics and stoichiometry of the enrichments, the PHA composition, and the microbial diversity and community composition were explored to determine carbon and enrichment correlations. After 350-cycle enriching periods under feast-famine (F-F) regimes, the MMCs enriched by acetate sodium and glucose contained a maximum PHA content of 64.7% and 60.5% cell dry weight (CDW). The starch-enriched MMC only had 27.3% CDW of PHA. High-throughput sequencing revealed that non-PHA bacteria survived alongside PHA storing bacteria, even under severe F-F selective pressure. Genus of Pseudomonas and Stappia were the possible PHA accumulating bacteria in acetate-enriched MMC. Genus of Oceanicella, Piscicoccus and Vibrio were found as PHA accumulating bacteria in glucose-enriched MMC. Vibrio genus was the only PHA accumulating bacteria in starch-enriched MMC. The community diversity and composition were regulated by the substrate types.

Continuously Monocropped Jerusalem Artichoke Changed Soil Bacterial Community Composition and Ammonia-Oxidizing and Denitrifying Bacteria Abundances.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Xingang; Wang, Zhilin; Jia, Huiting; Li, Li; Wu, Fengzhi

2018-01-01

Soil microbial communities have profound effects on the growth, nutrition and health of plants in agroecosystems. Understanding soil microbial dynamics in cropping systems can assist in determining how agricultural practices influence soil processes mediated by microorganisms. In this study, soil bacterial communities were monitored in a continuously monocropped Jerusalem artichoke (JA) system, in which JA was successively monocropped for 3 years in a wheat field. Soil bacterial community compositions were estimated by amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Abundances of ammonia-oxidizing and denitrifying bacteria were estimated by quantitative PCR analysis of the amoA , nirS , and nirK genes. Results showed that 1-2 years of monocropping of JA did not significantly impact the microbial alpha diversity, and the third cropping of JA decreased the microbial alpha diversity ( P < 0.05). Principal coordinates analysis and permutational multivariate analysis of variance analyses revealed that continuous monocropping of JA changed soil bacterial community structure and function profile ( P < 0.001). At the phylum level, the wheat field was characterized with higher relative abundances of Latescibacteria , Planctomycetes , and Cyanobacteria , the first cropping of JA with Actinobacteria , the second cropping of JA with Acidobacteria , Armatimonadetes , Gemmatimonadetes , and Proteobacteria . At the genus level, the first cropping of JA was enriched with bacterial species with pathogen-antagonistic and/or plant growth promoting potentials, while members of genera that included potential denitrifiers increased in the second and third cropping of JA. The first cropping of JA had higher relative abundances of KO terms related to lignocellulose degradation and phosphorus cycling, the second cropping of JA had higher relative abundances of KO terms nitrous-oxide reductase and nitric-oxide reductase, and the third cropping of JA had higher relative abundances of KO terms

Continuously Monocropped Jerusalem Artichoke Changed Soil Bacterial Community Composition and Ammonia-Oxidizing and Denitrifying Bacteria Abundances

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xingang Zhou

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Soil microbial communities have profound effects on the growth, nutrition and health of plants in agroecosystems. Understanding soil microbial dynamics in cropping systems can assist in determining how agricultural practices influence soil processes mediated by microorganisms. In this study, soil bacterial communities were monitored in a continuously monocropped Jerusalem artichoke (JA system, in which JA was successively monocropped for 3 years in a wheat field. Soil bacterial community compositions were estimated by amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Abundances of ammonia-oxidizing and denitrifying bacteria were estimated by quantitative PCR analysis of the amoA, nirS, and nirK genes. Results showed that 1–2 years of monocropping of JA did not significantly impact the microbial alpha diversity, and the third cropping of JA decreased the microbial alpha diversity (P < 0.05. Principal coordinates analysis and permutational multivariate analysis of variance analyses revealed that continuous monocropping of JA changed soil bacterial community structure and function profile (P < 0.001. At the phylum level, the wheat field was characterized with higher relative abundances of Latescibacteria, Planctomycetes, and Cyanobacteria, the first cropping of JA with Actinobacteria, the second cropping of JA with Acidobacteria, Armatimonadetes, Gemmatimonadetes, and Proteobacteria. At the genus level, the first cropping of JA was enriched with bacterial species with pathogen-antagonistic and/or plant growth promoting potentials, while members of genera that included potential denitrifiers increased in the second and third cropping of JA. The first cropping of JA had higher relative abundances of KO terms related to lignocellulose degradation and phosphorus cycling, the second cropping of JA had higher relative abundances of KO terms nitrous-oxide reductase and nitric-oxide reductase, and the third cropping of JA had higher relative abundances of KO

Disentangling the rhizosphere effect on nitrate reducers and denitrifiers: insight into the role of root exudates.

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, S; Texier, S; Hallet, S; Bru, D; Dambreville, C; Chèneby, D; Bizouard, F; Germon, J C; Philippot, L

2008-11-01

To determine to which extent root-derived carbon contributes to the effects of plants on nitrate reducers and denitrifiers, four solutions containing different proportions of sugar, organic acids and amino acids mimicking maize root exudates were added daily to soil microcosms at a concentration of 150 microg C g(-1) of soil. Water-amended soils were used as controls. After 1 month, the size and structure of the nitrate reducer and denitrifier communities were analysed using the narG and napA, and the nirK, nirS and nosZ genes as molecular markers respectively. Addition of artificial root exudates (ARE) did not strongly affect the structure or the density of nitrate reducer and denitrifier communities whereas potential nitrate reductase and denitrification activities were stimulated by the addition of root exudates. An effect of ARE composition was also observed on N(2)O production with an N(2)O:(N(2)O + N(2)) ratio of 0.3 in microcosms amended with ARE containing 80% of sugar and of 1 in microcosms amended with ARE containing 40% of sugar. Our study indicated that ARE stimulated nitrate reduction or denitrification activity with increases in the range of those observed with the whole plant. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the composition of the ARE affected the nature of the end-product of denitrification and could thus have a putative impact on greenhouse gas emissions.

[Influences of long-term application of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the composition and abundance of nirS-type denitrifiers in black soil].

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Chang; Fan, Fen-Liang; Li, Zhao-Jun; Song, A-Lin; Zhu, Ping; Peng, Chang; Liang, Yong-Chao

2012-11-01

The objectives of this study were to explore the effects of long-term organic and inorganic fertilizations on the composition and abundance of nirS-type denitrifiers in black soil. Soil samples were collected from 4 treatments (i. e. no fertilizer treatment, CK; organic manure treatment, OM; chemical fertilizer treatment (NPK) and combination of organic and chemical fertilizers treatment (MNPK)) in Gongzhuling Long-term Fertilization Experiment Station. Composition and abundance of nirS-type denitrifiers were analyzed with terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and real-time quantitative PCR (Q-PCR), respectively. Denitrification enzyme activity (DEA) and soil properties were also measured. Application of organic fertilizers (OM and MNPK) significantly increased the DEAs of black soil, with the DEAs in OM and MNPK being 5.92 and 6.03 times higher than that in CK treatment, respectively, whereas there was no significant difference between NPK and CK. OM and MNPK treatments increased the abundances of nirS-type denitrifiers by 2.73 and 3.83 times relative to that of CK treatment, respectively. The abundance of nirS-type denitrifiers in NPK treatment was not significantly different from that of CK. The T-RFLP analysis of nirS genes showed significant differences in community composition between organic and inorganic treatments, with the emergence of a 79 bp T-RF, a significant decrease in relative abundance of the 84 bp T-RF and a loss of the 99 bp T-RF in all organic treatments. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the airS-type denitrifiers in the black soil were mainly composed of alpha, beta and gamma-Proteobacteria. The 79 bp-type denitrifiers inhabiting exclusively in organic treatments (OM and MNPK) were affiliated to Pseudomonadaceae in gamma-Proteobacteria and Burkholderiales in beta-Proteobacteria. The 84 bp-types were related to Burkholderiales and Rhodocyclales. Correlation analysis indicated that pH, concentrations of total nitrogen

Improved detection of Burkholderia pseudomallei from non-blood clinical specimens using enrichment culture and PCR: narrowing diagnostic gap in resource-constrained settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Tellapragada, Chaitanya; Shaw, Tushar; D'Souza, Annet; Eshwara, Vandana Kalwaje; Mukhopadhyay, Chiranjay

2017-07-01

To evaluate the diagnostic utility of enrichment culture and PCR for improved case detection rates of non-bacteraemic form of melioidosis in limited resource settings. Clinical specimens (n = 525) obtained from patients presenting at a tertiary care hospital of South India with clinical symptoms suggestive of community-acquired pneumonia, lower respiratory tract infections, superficial or internal abscesses, chronic skin ulcers and bone or joint infections were tested for the presence of Burkholderia pseudomallei using conventional culture (CC), enrichment culture (EC) and PCR. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of CC and PCR were initially deduced using EC as the gold standard method. Further, diagnostic accuracies of all the three methods were analysed using Bayesian latent class modelling (BLCM). Detection rates of B. pseudomallei using CC, EC and PCR were 3.8%, 5.3% and 6%, respectively. Diagnostic sensitivities and specificities of CC and PCR were 71.4, 98.4% and 100 and 99.4%, respectively in comparison with EC as the gold standard test. With Bayesian latent class modelling, EC and PCR demonstrated sensitivities of 98.7 and 99.3%, respectively, while CC showed a sensitivity of 70.3% for detection of B. pseudomallei. An increase of 1.6% (95% CI: 1.08-4.32%) in the case detection rate of melioidosis was observed in the study population when EC and/or PCR were used in adjunct to the conventional culture technique. Our study findings underscore the diagnostic superiority of enrichment culture and/or PCR over conventional microbiological culture for improved case detection of melioidosis from non-blood clinical specimens. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Diversity of nitrite reductase genes (nirS) in the denitrifying water column of the coastal Arabian Sea

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Jayakumar, D.A.; Francis, C.A.; Naqvi, S.W.A.; Ward, B.B.

Denitrification often occurs in the water column, underlying zones of intense productivity and decomposition in upwelling regions. In the denitrifying zone off the southwest coast of India, high concentrations of nitrite (greater than 15 mu M...

Comparative study with two different enrichments in the culture media used in the disinfectant efficacy assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Sabagh, Bruna Peres; Souto, Aline da Silva Soares; Reis, Louise Moreira; Silva, Sérgio Alves da; Pereira, Daniella Cristina Rodrigues; Neves, Marta de Campos; Pinheiro, Rodrigo Rollin; Duarte, Rafael Silva; Miyazaki, Neide Hiromi Tokumaru; Bôas, Maria Helena Simões Villas

2012-02-01

Recent changes in Brazilian legislation for commercial disinfectants have been published due to the recent epidemic of nosocomial infections caused by rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) in many states of Brazil over the last 8years. One of these documents requires that all the manufacturers provide evidence of efficacy of sterilizing and disinfectant products, used for semi critical medical devices, against the Mycobacterium bovis BCG Moreau and Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. bolletii INCQS 00594 strains by using the Confirmative in vitro Test for Determining Tuberculocidal Activity of Disinfectants recommended by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists. These changes have caused additional costs and increased problems for importation of enrichment products at national laboratories where disinfectant efficacy assay service is performed. Middlebrook ADC Enrichment (ADC) is provided by a unique manufacturer and used in the official protocol. The aim of the present study was to evaluate an alternative in house low-cost enrichment composed of fetal bovine serum and glucose (FBSG) with ADC for performance of disinfectant efficacy assay against mycobacteria. After obtaining the growth curves for M. abscessus ATCC 19977, M. abscessus subsp. bolletii INCQS 00594, Mycobacterium chelonae ATCC 35752, and Mycobacterium fortuitum ATCC 6841 by using ADC enrichment and FBSG in Kirchners and 7H9 culture media. Through statistical analysis via the Kruskal-Wallis test on the evaluation of microorganism growth rate, it was observed that there was no inhibition of RGM growth by any of the enrichments used. These results suggest that low-cost enrichment FBSG may be used as a potential substitute of ADC for composition of media for mycobacterial growth, including in disinfectant tests. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Feasibility study of an alkaline-based chemical treatment for the purification of polyhydroxybutyrate produced by a mixed enriched culture

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jiang, Y.; Mikova, G.; Kleerebezem, R.; Van der Wielen, L.A.M.; Cuellar Soares, M.C.

2015-01-01

This study focused on investigating the feasibility of purifying polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) from mixed culture biomass by alkaline-based chemical treatment. The PHB-containing biomass was enriched on acetate under non-sterile conditions. Alkaline treatment (0.2 M NaOH) together with surfactant SDS

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CONCENTRATION OF DENITRIFIERS AND PSEUDOMONAS SPP. IN SOILS: IMPLICATIONS FOR BTX BIOREMEDIATION (R823420)

Science.gov (United States)

Aquifer microcosms were used to investigate the effect of stimulating denitrification on microbial population shifts and BTX degradation potential. Selective pressurefor facultative denitrifiers was applied to a treatment set by feeding acetate and nitrate, and cycling electr...

Feasibility study of an alkaline-based chemical treatment for the purification of polyhydroxybutyrate produced by a mixed enriched culture

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jiang, Y.; Mikova, G.; Kleerebezem, R.; van der Wielen, L.A.M.; Cuellar, M.C.

2015-01-01

This study focused on investigating the feasibility of purifying polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) from mixed culture biomass by alkaline-based chemical treatment. The PHB-containing biomass was enriched on acetate under non-sterile conditions. Alkaline treatment (0.2 M NaOH) together with surfactant SDS

Pyruvic oxime nitrification and copper and nickel resistance by a Cupriavidus pauculus, an active heterotrophic nitrifier-denitrifier.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramirez, Miguel; Obrzydowski, Jennifer; Ayers, Mary; Virparia, Sonia; Wang, Meijing; Stefan, Kurtis; Linchangco, Richard; Castignetti, Domenic

2014-01-01

Heterotrophic nitrifiers synthesize nitrogenous gasses when nitrifying ammonium ion. A Cupriavidus pauculus, previously thought an Alcaligenes sp. and noted as an active heterotrophic nitrifier-denitrifier, was examined for its ability to produce nitrogen gas (N2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) while heterotrophically nitrifying the organic substrate pyruvic oxime [CH3-C(NOH)-COOH]. Neither N2 nor N2O were produced. Nucleotide and phylogenetic analyses indicated that the organism is a member of a genus (Cupriavidus) known for its resistance to metals and its metabolism of xenobiotics. The microbe (a Cupriavidus pauculus designated as C. pauculus strain UM1) was examined for its ability to perform heterotrophic nitrification in the presence of Cu(2+) and Ni(2+) and to metabolize the xenobiotic phenol. The bacterium heterotrophically nitrified well when either 1 mM Cu(2+) or 0.5 mM Ni(2+) was present in either enriched or minimal medium. The organism also used phenol as a sole carbon source in either the presence or absence of 1 mM Cu(2+) or 0.5 mM Ni(2+). The ability of this isolate to perform a number of different metabolisms, its noteworthy resistance to copper and nickel, and its potential use as a bioremediation agent are discussed.

[Effect of short-time drought process on denitrifying bacteria abundance and N2O emission in paddy soil].

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Jing; Liu, Jin-Bo; Sheng, Rong; Liu, Yi; Chen, An-Lei; Wei, Wen-Xue

2014-10-01

In order to investigate the impact of drying process on greenhouse gas emissions and denitrifying microorganisms in paddy soil, wetting-drying process was simulated in laboratory conditions. N2O flux, redox potential (Eh) were monitored and narG- and nosZ-containing denitrifiers abundances were determined by real-time PCR. N2O emission was significantly increased only 4 h after drying process began, and it was more than 6 times of continuous flooding (CF) at 24 h. In addition, narG and nosZ gene abundances were increased rapidly with the drying process, and N2O emission flux was significantly correlated with narG gene abundance (P driving microorganisms which caused the N2O emission in the short-time drought process in paddy soil.

Toxic effects exerted on methanogenic, nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria by chemicals used in a milk analysis laboratory

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lopez-Fiuza, J.; Buys, B.; Mosquera-Corral, A.; Omil, F.; Mendez, R.

2002-01-01

The toxic effects caused by the chemicals contained in wastewaters generated by laboratories involved in raw milk analyses were assessed using batch assays. These assays were carried out separately with methanogenic, ammonium-oxidizing, nitrite-oxidizing and denitrifying bacteria. Since sodium azide

Study of selenocompounds from selenium-enriched culture of edible sprouts.

Science.gov (United States)

Funes-Collado, Virginia; Morell-Garcia, Albert; Rubio, Roser; López-Sánchez, José Fermín

2013-12-15

Selenium is recognised as an essential micronutrient for humans and animals. One of the main sources of selenocompounds in the human diet is vegetables. Therefore, this study deals with the Se species present in different edible sprouts grown in Se-enriched media. We grew alfalfa, lentil and soy in a hydroponic system amended with soluble salts, containing the same proportion of Se, in the form of Se(VI) and Se(IV). Total Se in the sprouts was determined by acidic digestion in a microwave system and by ICP/MS. Se speciation was carried out by enzymatic extraction (Protease XIV) and measured by LC-ICP/MS. The study shows that the Se content of plants depends on the content in the growth culture, and that part of the inorganic Se was biotransformed mainly into SeMet. These results contribute to our understanding of the uptake of inorganic Se and its biotransformation by edible plants. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Seasonal variations of nitrate reducing and denitrifying bacteria utilizing hexadecane in Mandovi estuary, Goa, West Coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Sousa, T.D.; Ingole, B.; Sousa, S.D.; Bhosle, S.

> cfu/ml on minimal media containing hexadecane as the sole carbon source. Highest bacterial counts were obtained during the monsoons. 22% of bacteria capable of hexadecane utilization were nitrate reducing and 12% were denitrifying. 29...

Co-effects of pyrene and nitrate on the activity and abundance of soil denitrifiers under anaerobic condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Zhi-Feng; Yao, Yan-Hong; Wang, Ming-Xia; Zuo, Xiao-Hu

2017-10-01

It has previously been confirmed that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) could be degraded by soil microbes coupling with denitrification, but the relationships among soil denitrifiers, PAHs, and nitrate under obligate anaerobic condition are still unclear. Here, co-effects of pyrene and nitrate on the activity and abundance of soil denitrifiers were investigated through a 45-day incubation experiment. Two groups of soil treatments with (N 30 ) and without (N 0 ) nitrate (30 mg kg -1 dry soil) amendment were conducted, and each group contained three treatments with different pyrene concentrations (0, 30, and 60 mg kg -1 dry soil denoted as P 0 , P 30 , and P 60 , respectively). The pyrene content, abundances of denitrification concerning genes (narG, periplasmic nitrate reductase gene; nirS, cd 1 -nitrite reductase gene; nirK, copper-containing nitrite reductase gene), and productions of N 2 O and CO 2 were measured at day 3, 14, 28, and 45, and the bacterial community structures in four represented treatments (N 0 P 0 , N 0 P 60 , N 30 P 0 , and N 30 P 60 ) were analyzed at day 45. The results indicated that the treatments with higher pyrene concentration had higher final pyrene removal rates than the treatments with lower pyrene concentration. Additionally, intensive emission of N 2 O was detected in all treatments only at day 3, but a continuous production of CO 2 was measured in each treatment during the incubation. Nitrate amendment could enhance the activity of soil denitrifiers, and be helpful for soil microbes to sustain their activity. While pyrene seemed had no influence on the productions of N 2 O and CO 2 , and amendment with pyrene or nitrate both had no obvious effect on abundances of denitrification concerning genes. Furthermore, it was nitrate but not pyrene had an obvious influence on the community structure of soil bacteria. These results revealed that, under anaerobic condition, the activity and abundance of soil denitrifiers both were

Community size and composition of ammonia oxidizers and denitrifiers in an alluvial intertidal wetland ecosystem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ziye eHu

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Global nitrogen cycling is mainly mediated by the activity of microorganisms. Nitrogen cycle processes are mediated by functional groups of microorganisms that are affected by constantly changing environmental conditions and substrate availability. In this study, we investigated the temporal and spatial patterns of nitrifier and denitrifier communities in an intertidal wetland. Soil samples were collected over four distinct seasons from three locations with different vegetative cover. Multiple environmental factors and process rates were measured and analyzed together with the community size and composition profiles. We observed that the community size and composition of the nitrifiers and denitrifiers are affected significantly by seasonal factors, while vegetative cover affected the community composition. The seasonal impacts on the community size of ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA are much higher than that of ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB. The seasonal change was a more important indicator for AOA community composition patterns, while vegetation was more important for the AOB community patterns. The microbial process rates were correlated with both the community size and composition.

Diversity of Nitrate-Reducing and Denitrifying Bacteria in a Marine Aquaculture Biofilter and their Response to Sulfide

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krieger, Bärbel; Schwermer, Carsten U.; Rezakhani, Nastaran

2006-01-01

with Alphaproteobacteria but also including Beta- and Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. The diversity of the isolates was compared to the cultivation-independent diversity of nitrate-reducing and denitrifying bacteria based on narG and nosZ as functional marker genes. Growth experiments...

Characterization of an H2-utilizing enrichment culture that reductively dechlorinates tetrachloroethene to vinyl chloride and ethene in the absence of methanogenesis and acetogenesis.

OpenAIRE

Maymó-Gatell, X; Tandoi, V; Gossett, J M; Zinder, S H

1995-01-01

We have been studying an anaerobic enrichment culture which, by using methanol as an electron donor, dechlorinates tetrachloroethene (PCE) to vinyl chloride and ethene. Our previous results indicated that H2 was the direct electron donor for rductive dechlorination of PCE by the methanol-PCE culture. Most-probable-number counts performed on this culture indicated low numbers ( or equal to 10(6)/ml...

Biosynthesis of highly enriched 13C-lycopene for human metabolic studies using repeated batch tomato cell culturing with 13C-glucose

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Nancy E.; Rogers, Randy B.; Lu, Chi-Hua; Conlon, Lauren E.; Lila, Mary Ann; Clinton, Steven K.; Erdman, John W.

2013-01-01

While putative disease-preventing lycopene metabolites are found in both tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) products and in their consumers, mammalian lycopene metabolism is poorly understood. Advances in tomato cell culturing techniques offer an economical tool for generation of highly-enriched 13C-lycopene for human bioavailability and metabolism studies. To enhance the 13C-enrichment and yields of labeled lycopene from the hp-1 tomato cell line, cultures were first grown in 13C-glucose media for three serial batches and produced increasing proportions of uniformly labeled lycopene (14.3 +/− 1.2 %, 39.6 +/− 0.5 %, and 48.9 +/− 1.5% with consistent yields (from 5.8 to 9 mg/L). An optimized 9-day-long 13C-loading and 18-day-long labeling strategy developed based on glucose utilization and lycopene yields, yielded 13C-lycopene with 93% 13C isotopic purity, and 55% of isotopomers were uniformly labeled. Furthermore, an optimized acetone and hexane extraction led to a four-fold increase in lycopene recovery from cultures compared to a standard extraction. PMID:23561155

Multiplexed Single Intact Cell Droplet Digital PCR (MuSIC ddPCR) Method for Specific Detection of Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) in Food Enrichment Cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

McMahon, Tanis C; Blais, Burton W; Wong, Alex; Carrillo, Catherine D

2017-01-01

Foodborne illness attributed to enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), a highly pathogenic subset of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), is increasingly recognized as a significant public health issue. Current microbiological methods for identification of EHEC in foods often use PCR-based approaches to screen enrichment broth cultures for characteristic gene markers [i.e., Shiga toxin ( stx ) and intimin ( eae )]. However, false positives arise when complex food matrices, such as beef, contain mixtures of eae -negative STEC and eae -positive E. coli , but no EHEC with both markers in a single cell. To reduce false-positive detection of EHEC in food enrichment samples, a Multiplexed, Single Intact Cell droplet digital PCR (MuSIC ddPCR) assay capable of detecting the co-occurrence of the stx and eae genes in a single bacterial cell was developed. This method requires: (1) dispersal of intact bacteria into droplets; (2) release of genomic DNA (gDNA) by heat lysis; and (3) amplification and detection of genetic targets ( stx and eae ) using standard TaqMan chemistries with ddPCR. Performance of the method was tested with panels of EHEC and non-target E. coli . By determining the linkage (i.e., the proportion of droplets in which stx and eae targets were both amplified), samples containing EHEC (typically greater than 20% linkage) could be distinguished from samples containing mixtures of eae -negative STEC and eae -positive E. coli (0-2% linkage). The use of intact cells was necessary as this linkage was not observed with gDNA extracts. EHEC could be accurately identified in enrichment broth cultures containing excess amounts of background E. coli and in enrichment cultures derived from ground beef/pork and leafy-green produce samples. To our knowledge, this is the first report of dual-target detection in single bacterial cells using ddPCR. The application of MuSIC ddPCR to enrichment-culture screening would reduce false-positives, thereby improving the cost, speed, and

High frequency of Thermodesulfovibrio spp. and Anaerolineaceae in association with Methanoculleus spp. in a long-term incubation of n-alkanes-degrading methanogenic enrichment culture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bo Liang

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In the present study, the microbial community and functional gene composition of a long-term active alkane-degrading methanogenic culture was established after two successive enrichment culture transfers and incubated for a total period of 1750 days. Molecular analysis was conducted after the second transfer (incubated for 750 days for both the active alkanes-degrading methanogenic enrichment cultures (T2-AE and the background control (T2-BC. A net increase of methane as the end product was detected in the headspace of the enrichment cultures amended with long-chain n-alkanes and intermediate metabolites, including octadecanoate, hexadecanoate, isocaprylate, butyrate, isobutyrate, propionate, acetate and formate were measured in the liquid cultures. The composition of microbial community shifted through the successive transfers over time of incubation. Sequences of bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA gene (16S rDNA and mcrA functional gene indicated that bacterial sequences affiliated to Thermodesulfovibrio spp. and Anaerolineaceae and archaeal sequences falling within the genus Methanoculleus were the most frequently encountered and thus represented the dominant members performing the anaerobic degradation of long-chain n-alkanes and methanogenesis. In addition, the presence of assA functional genes encoding the alkylsuccinate synthase α subunit indicated that fumarate addition mechanism could be considered as a possible initial activation step of n-alkanes in the present study. The succession pattern of microbial communities indicates that Thermodesulfovibrio spp. could be a generalist participating in the metabolism of intermediates, while Anaerolineaceae plays a key role in the initial activation of long-chain n-alkane biodegradation.

Sequential enrichment of microbial population exhibiting enhanced biodegradation of crude oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venkateswaran, Kasthuri; Harayama, Shigeaki.

1995-01-01

The distribution of oil-degrading bacteria in the coastal waters and sediments of Hokkaido, Japan, was surveyed. It was found that the potential of mixed microbial populations to degrade weathered crude oil was not confined to any ecological components (water or sediment) nor to the sampling stations. One microbial culture that was stable during repeated subculturing degraded 45% of the saturates and 20% of the aromatics present in crude oil in 10 days during the initial screening. The residual hydrocarbons in this culture were extracted by chloroform and dispersed in a fresh seawater-based medium and subsequently inoculated with microorganisms from the first culture. After full growth of the second culture, the residual hydrocarbons were extracted and dispersed in a fresh medium in which microorganisms from the second culture had been inoculated. This sequential process was carried out six times to enrich those microorganisms that grew on the recalcitrant components of crude oil. After repeated exposure of the residual crude oil to the enriched microorganisms, about 80% of the initially added crude oil was degraded. The cultures obtained after each enrichment cycle were kept, and the degradation of fresh crude oil by the enriched microorganisms was monitored. The degrading activity of the enriched cultures increased as the number of enrichment cycles increased. A microbial population that had been selected six times on the residual crude oil could degrade 70% of the saturates and 30% of the aromatics of crude oil, indicating that growth of a microbial population on residual crude oil improved its ability to biodegrade crude oil. 21 refs., 2 tabs., 7 figs

Modeling of Cr(VI) Bioreduction Under Fermentative and Denitrifying Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Molins, S.; Steefel, C.; Yang, L.; Beller, H. R.

2011-12-01

The mechanisms of bioreductive immobilization of Cr(VI) were investigated by reactive transport modeling of a set of flow-through column experiments performed using natural Hanford 100H aquifer sediment. The columns were continuously eluted with 5 μM Cr(VI), 5 mM lactate as the electron donor, and selected electron acceptors (tested individually). Here we focus on the two separate experimental conditions that showed the most removal of Cr(VI) from solution: fermentation and denitrification. In each case, a network of enzymatic and abiotic reaction pathways was considered to interpret the rate of chromate reduction. The model included biomass growth and decay, and thermodynamic limitations on reaction rates, and was constrained by effluent concentrations measured by IC and ICP-MS and additional information from bacterial isolates from column effluent. Under denitrifying conditions, Cr(VI) reduction was modeled as co-metabolic with nitrate reduction based on experimental observations and previous studies on a denitrifying bacterium derived from the Hanford 100H aquifer. The reactive transport model results supported this interpretation of the reaction mechanism and were used to quantify the efficiency of the process. The models results also suggest that biomass growth likely relied on a nitrogen source other than ammonium (e.g. nitrate). Under fermentative conditions and based on cell suspension studies performed on a bacterial isolate from the columns, the model assumes that Cr(VI) reduction is carried out directly by fermentative bacteria that convert lactate into acetate and propionate. The evolution to complete lactate fermentation and Cr(VI) reduction took place over a week's time and simulations were used to determine an estimate for a lower limit of the rate of chromate reduction by calibration with the flow-through column experimental results. In spite of sulfate being added to these columns, sulfate reduction proceeded at a slow rate and was not well

Short exposure to acetylene to distinguish between nitrifier and denitrifier nitrous oxide production in soil and sediment samples

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kester, R.A.; Boer, W. de; Laanbroek, H.J.

1996-01-01

The contribution of nitrifiers and denitrifiers to the nitrous oxide production in slurries of calcareous silt loam and river bank sediment at different oxygen concentrations was determined using acetylene as nitrification inhibitor. The addition of 10 Pa acetylene resulted in inhibition of

Short exposure to acetylene to distinguish between nitrifier and denitrifier nitrous oxide production in soil and sediment samples

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kester, R.A.; De Boer, W.; Laanbroek, H.J.

1996-01-01

The contribution of nitrifiers and denitrifiers to the nitrous oxide production in slurries of calcareous silt loam and river bank sediment at different oxygen concentrations was determined using acetylene as nitrification inhibitor. The addition of 10 Pa acetylene resulted in inhibition of nitrous

Neonicotinoid Insecticides Alter the Gene Expression Profile of Neuron-Enriched Cultures from Neonatal Rat Cerebellum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junko Kimura-Kuroda

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Neonicotinoids are considered safe because of their low affinities to mammalian nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs relative to insect nAChRs. However, because of importance of nAChRs in mammalian brain development, there remains a need to establish the safety of chronic neonicotinoid exposures with regards to children’s health. Here we examined the effects of longterm (14 days and low dose (1 μM exposure of neuron-enriched cultures from neonatal rat cerebellum to nicotine and two neonicotinoids: acetamiprid and imidacloprid. Immunocytochemistry revealed no differences in the number or morphology of immature neurons or glial cells in any group versus untreated control cultures. However, a slight disturbance in Purkinje cell dendritic arborization was observed in the exposed cultures. Next we performed transcriptome analysis on total RNAs using microarrays, and identified significant differential expression (p < 0.05, q < 0.05, ≥1.5 fold between control cultures versus nicotine-, acetamiprid-, or imidacloprid-exposed cultures in 34, 48, and 67 genes, respectively. Common to all exposed groups were nine genes essential for neurodevelopment, suggesting that chronic neonicotinoid exposure alters the transcriptome of the developing mammalian brain in a similar way to nicotine exposure. Our results highlight the need for further careful investigations into the effects of neonicotinoids in the developing mammalian brain.

Communities of nirS-type denitrifiers in the water column of the oxygen minimum zone in the eastern South Pacific.

Science.gov (United States)

Castro-González, Maribeb; Braker, Gesche; Farías, Laura; Ulloa, Osvaldo

2005-09-01

The major sites of water column denitrification in the ocean are oxygen minimum zones (OMZ), such as one in the eastern South Pacific (ESP). To understand the structure of denitrifying communities in the OMZ off Chile, denitrifier communities at two sites in the Chilean OMZ (Antofagasta and Iquique) and at different water depths were explored by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and cloning of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified nirS genes. NirS is a functional marker gene for denitrification encoding cytochrome cd1-containing nitrite reductase, which catalyses the reduction of nitrite to nitric oxide, the key step in denitrification. Major differences were found between communities from the two geographic locations. Shifts in community structure occurred along a biogeochemical gradient at Antofagasta. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that O2, NO3-, NO2- and depth were important environmental factors governing these communities along the biogeochemical gradient in the water column. Phylogenetic analysis grouped the majority of clones from the ESP in distinct clusters of genes from presumably novel and yet uncultivated denitrifers. These nirS clusters were distantly related to those found in the water column of the Arabian Sea but the phylogenetic distance was even higher compared with environmental sequences from marine sediments or any other habitat. This finding suggests similar environmental conditions trigger the development of denitrifiers with related nirS genotypes despite large geographic distances.

Pyruvic Oxime Nitrification and Copper and Nickel Resistance by a Cupriavidus pauculus, an Active Heterotrophic Nitrifier-Denitrifier

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miguel Ramirez

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Heterotrophic nitrifiers synthesize nitrogenous gasses when nitrifying ammonium ion. A Cupriavidus pauculus, previously thought an Alcaligenes sp. and noted as an active heterotrophic nitrifier-denitrifier, was examined for its ability to produce nitrogen gas (N2 and nitrous oxide (N2O while heterotrophically nitrifying the organic substrate pyruvic oxime [CH3–C(NOH–COOH]. Neither N2 nor N2O were produced. Nucleotide and phylogenetic analyses indicated that the organism is a member of a genus (Cupriavidus known for its resistance to metals and its metabolism of xenobiotics. The microbe (a Cupriavidus pauculus designated as C. pauculus strain UM1 was examined for its ability to perform heterotrophic nitrification in the presence of Cu2+ and Ni2+ and to metabolize the xenobiotic phenol. The bacterium heterotrophically nitrified well when either 1 mM Cu2+ or 0.5 mM Ni2+ was present in either enriched or minimal medium. The organism also used phenol as a sole carbon source in either the presence or absence of 1 mM Cu2+ or 0.5 mM Ni2+. The ability of this isolate to perform a number of different metabolisms, its noteworthy resistance to copper and nickel, and its potential use as a bioremediation agent are discussed.

Improved enrichment culture technique for methane-oxidizing bacteria from marine ecosystems: the effect of adhesion material and gas composition.

Science.gov (United States)

Vekeman, Bram; Dumolin, Charles; De Vos, Paul; Heylen, Kim

2017-02-01

Cultivation of microbial representatives of specific functional guilds from environmental samples depends largely on the suitability of the applied growth conditions. Especially the cultivation of marine methanotrophs has received little attention, resulting in only a limited number of ex situ cultures available. In this study we investigated the effect of adhesion material and headspace composition on the methane oxidation activity in methanotrophic enrichments obtained from marine sediment. Addition of sterilized natural sediment or alternatively the addition of acid-washed silicon dioxide significantly increased methane oxidation. This positive effect was attributed to bacterial adhesion on the particles via extracellular compounds, with a minimum amount of particles required for effect. As a result, the particles were immobilized, thus creating a stratified environment in which a limited diffusive gas gradients could build up and various microniches were formed. Such diffusive gas gradient might necessitate high headspace concentrations of CH 4 and CO 2 for sufficient concentrations to reach the methane-oxidizing bacteria in the enrichment culture technique. Therefore, high concentrations of methane and carbon dioxide, in addition to the addition of adhesion material, were tested and indeed further stimulated methane oxidation. Use of adhesion material in combination with high concentrations of methane and carbon dioxide might thus facilitate the cultivation and subsequent enrichment of environmentally important members of this functional guild. The exact mechanism of the observed positive effects on methane oxidation and the differential effect on methanotrophic diversity still needs to be explored.

Enrichment and molecular characterization of a bacterial culture that degrades methoxy-methyl urea herbicides and their aniline derivatives.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Fantroussi, S; Verstraete, W; Top, E M

2000-12-01

Soil treated with linuron for more than 10 years showed high biodegradation activity towards methoxy-methyl urea herbicides. Untreated control soil samples taken from the same location did not express any linuron degradation activity, even after 40 days of incubation. Hence, the occurrence in the field of a microbiota having the capacity to degrade a specific herbicide was related to the long-term treatment of the soil. The enrichment culture isolated from treated soil showed specific degradation activity towards methoxy-methyl urea herbicides, such as linuron and metobromuron, while dimethyl urea herbicides, such as diuron, chlorotoluron, and isoproturon, were not transformed. The putative metabolic intermediates of linuron and metobromuron, the aniline derivatives 3, 4-dichloroaniline and 4-bromoaniline, were also degraded. The temperature of incubation drastically affected degradation of the aniline derivatives. Whereas linuron was transformed at 28 and 37 degrees C, 3,4-dichloroaniline was transformed only at 28 degrees C. Monitoring the enrichment process by reverse transcription-PCR and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) showed that a mixture of bacterial species under adequate physiological conditions was required to completely transform linuron. This research indicates that for biodegradation of linuron, several years of adaptation have led to selection of a bacterial consortium capable of completely transforming linuron. Moreover, several of the putative species appear to be difficult to culture since they were detectable by DGGE but were not culturable on agar plates.

A doubling of microphytobenthos biomass coincides with a tenfold increase in denitrifier and total bacterial abundances in intertidal sediments of a temperate estuary.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helen Decleyre

Full Text Available Surface sediments are important systems for the removal of anthropogenically derived inorganic nitrogen in estuaries. They are often characterized by the presence of a microphytobenthos (MPB biofilm, which can impact bacterial communities in underlying sediments for example by secretion of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS and competition for nutrients (including nitrogen. Pyrosequencing and qPCR was performed on two intertidal surface sediments of the Westerschelde estuary characterized by a two-fold difference in MPB biomass but no difference in MPB composition. Doubling of MPB biomass was accompanied by a disproportionately (ten-fold increase in total bacterial abundances while, unexpectedly, no difference in general community structure was observed, despite significantly lower bacterial richness and distinct community membership, mostly for non-abundant taxa. Denitrifier abundances corresponded likewise while community structure, both for nirS and nirK denitrifiers, remained unchanged, suggesting that competition with diatoms for nitrate is negligible at concentrations in the investigated sediments (appr. 1 mg/l NO3-. This study indicates that MPB biomass increase has a general, significantly positive effect on total bacterial and denitrifier abundances, with stimulation or inhibition of specific bacterial groups that however do not result in a re-structured community.

Epidemiology of Salmonella sp. in California cull dairy cattle: prevalence of fecal shedding and diagnostic accuracy of pooled enriched broth culture of fecal samples

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Omran A. Abu Aboud

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Background The primary objective of this cross-sectional study was to estimate the crude, seasonal and cull-reason stratified prevalence of Salmonella fecal shedding in cull dairy cattle on seven California dairies. A secondary objective was to estimate and compare the relative sensitivity (Se and specificity (Sp for pools of 5 and 10 enriched broth cultures of fecal samples for Salmonella sp. detection. Methods Seven dairy farms located in the San Joaquin Valley of California were identified and enrolled in the study as a convenience sample. Cull cows were identified for fecal sampling once during each season between 2014 and 2015, specifically during spring, summer, fall, and winter, and 10 cows were randomly selected for fecal sampling at the day of their sale. In addition, study personnel completed a survey based on responses of the herd manager to questions related to the previous four month’s herd management. Fecal samples were frozen until testing for Salmonella. After overnight enrichment in liquid broth, pools of enrichment broth (EBP were created for 5 and 10 samples. All individual and pooled broths were cultured on selective media with putative Salmonella colonies confirmed by biochemical testing before being serogrouped and serotyped. Results A total of 249 cull cows were enrolled into the study and their fecal samples tested for Salmonella. The survey-weighted period prevalence of fecal shedding of all Salmonella sp. in the cull cow samples across all study herds and the entire study period was 3.42% (N = 249; SE 1.07. The within herd prevalence of Salmonella shed in feces did not differ over the four study seasons (P = 0.074. The Se of culture of EBP of five samples was 62.5% (SE = 17.12, which was not statistically different from the Se of culture of EBP of 10 (37.5%, SE = 17.12, P = 0.48. The Sp of culture of EBP of five samples was 95.24% (SE = 3.29 and for pools of 10 samples was 100.00% (SE = 0. There was no statistical

Draft genome sequence of Bacillus azotoformans MEV2011, a (Co-) denitrifying strain unable to grow with oxygen.

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, Maja; Schreiber, Lars; Finster, Kai; Schramm, Andreas

2015-01-01

Bacillus azotoformans MEV2011, isolated from soil, is a microaerotolerant obligate denitrifier, which can also produce N2 by co-denitrification. Oxygen is consumed but not growth-supportive. The draft genome has a size of 4.7 Mb and contains key genes for both denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium.

Comparison of direct-plating and broth-enrichment culture methods for detection of potential bacterial pathogens in respiratory secretions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaur, Ravinder; Wischmeyer, Jareth; Morris, Matthew; Pichichero, Michael E

2017-11-01

We compared the recovery of potential respiratory bacterial pathogens and normal flora from nasopharyngeal specimens collected from children during health and at the onset of acute otitis media (AOM) by selective direct-plating and overnight broth-enrichment. Overall, 3442 nasal wash (NW) samples collected from young children were analysed from a 10-year prospective study. NWs were cultured by (1) direct-plating to TSAII/5 % sheep blood agar and chocolate agar plates and (2) overnight broth-enrichment in BacT/ALERT SA-broth followed by plating. Standard microbiology techniques were applied to identify three dominant respiratory bacterial pathogens: Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn), Haemophilus influenzae (Hflu) and Moraxella catarrhalis (Mcat) as well as two common nasal flora, Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and alpha-haemolytic Streptococci (AHS).Results/Key findings. Direct-plating of NW resulted in isolation of Spn from 37.8 %, Hflu from 13.6 % and Mcat from 33.2 % of samples. In comparison, overnight broth-enrichment isolated fewer Spn (30.1 %), Hflu (6.2 %) and Mcat (16.2 %) (Penrichment resulted in significant increased isolation of SA (6.0 %) and AHS (30.1 %) (Penrichment when samples were collected from healthy children but not during AOM. In middle ear fluids (MEF) at the onset of AOM, broth-enrichment resulted in higher recovery of Spn (+10.4 %, Penrichment significantly reduces the accurate detection of bacterial respiratory pathogens and increases identification of SA and AHS in NW. Broth-enrichment improves detection of bacterial respiratory pathogens in MEF samples.

DNA-based and culture-based characterization of a hydrocarbon-degrading consortium enriched from Arctic soil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomassin-Lacroix, E. J. M.; Reimer, K. J. [Royal Military College, Dept. of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Kingston, On (Canada); Yu, Z.; Mohn, W. W. [British Columbia Univ., Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Eriksson, M. [Royal Inst. of Technology, Dept. of Biotechnology, Stockholm (Sweden)

2001-12-01

Oil spills are fairly common in polar tundra regions, including remote locations, and are a threat to the relatively fragile ecosystem. Remediation must be done economically and with minimum additional damage. Bioremediation is considered to be the appropriate technology, although its application in polar tundra regions is not well documented. Most studies of hydrocarbon remediation in polar regions have concerned marine oil spills, while a few studies have demonstrated on-site polar tundra soil remediation. A few of these demonstrated the presence of psychrotolerant hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in polar tundra soils. Because fuels are complex mixtures of hydrocarbons, microbial consortia rather than pure cultures may be the most effective agents in degrading fuels. Despite their potential advantages for bioaugmentation applications, consortia are difficult to characterize and monitor. Molecular methods based on DNA analysis partially address these difficulties. One such approach is to randomly clone rRNA gene (rDNA) fragments and to sequence as a set of clones. The relative abundance of individual sequences in the clone library is related to the relative abundance of the corresponding organism in the community. In this study a psychrotolerant, fuel-degrading consortium was enriched with Arctic tundra soil. The enrichment substrate for the consortium was Jet A-1 fuel, which is very similar to Arctic diesel fuel, a common contaminant in the region. The objectives of the study were to (1) characterize thr consortium by DNA- and culture-based methods, (2) develop quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays for populations of predominant consortium members, and (3) determine the dynamics of those populations during incubation of the consortium. Result showed that is possible to quantitatively monitor members of a microbial consortium, with potential application for bioremediation of Arctic tundra soil. The relative abundance of consortium members was found to vary

Performance of denitrifying microbial fuel cell subjected to variation in pH, COD concentration and external resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jin-Tao; Zhang, Shao-Hui; Hua, Yu-Mei

2013-01-01

The effects of pH, chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration and external resistance on denitrifying microbial fuel cell were evaluated in terms of electricity generation characteristics and pollutant removal performance. The results showed that anodic influent with weakly alkaline or neutral pH and cathodic influent with weakly acidic pH favored pollutant removal and electricity generation. The suitable influent pH of the anode and cathode were found to be 7.5-8.0 and 6.0-6.5, respectively. In the presence of sufficient nitrate in the cathode, higher influent COD concentration led to more electricity generation and greater pollutant removal rates. With an anodic influent pH of 8.0 and a cathodic influent pH of 6.0, an influent COD concentration of 400 mg/L was deemed to be appropriate. Low external resistance favored nitrate and COD removal. The results suggest that operation of denitrifying microbial fuel cell at a lower external resistance would be desirable for pollutant removal but not electricity generation.

Soil environmental conditions and microbial build-up mediate the effect of plant diversity on soil nitrifying and denitrifying enzyme activities in temperate grasslands.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xavier Le Roux

Full Text Available Random reductions in plant diversity can affect ecosystem functioning, but it is still unclear which components of plant diversity (species number - namely richness, presence of particular plant functional groups, or particular combinations of these and associated biotic and abiotic drivers explain the observed relationships, particularly for soil processes. We assembled grassland communities including 1 to 16 plant species with a factorial separation of the effects of richness and functional group composition to analyze how plant diversity components influence soil nitrifying and denitrifying enzyme activities (NEA and DEA, respectively, the abundance of nitrifiers (bacterial and archaeal amoA gene number and denitrifiers (nirK, nirS and nosZ gene number, and key soil environmental conditions. Plant diversity effects were largely due to differences in functional group composition between communities of identical richness (number of sown species, though richness also had an effect per se. NEA was positively related to the percentage of legumes in terms of sown species number, the additional effect of richness at any given legume percentage being negative. DEA was higher in plots with legumes, decreased with increasing percentage of grasses, and increased with richness. No correlation was observed between DEA and denitrifier abundance. NEA increased with the abundance of ammonia oxidizing bacteria. The effect of richness on NEA was entirely due to the build-up of nitrifying organisms, while legume effect was partly linked to modified ammonium availability and nitrifier abundance. Richness effect on DEA was entirely due to changes in soil moisture, while the effects of legumes and grasses were partly due to modified nitrate availability, which influenced the specific activity of denitrifiers. These results suggest that plant diversity-induced changes in microbial specific activity are important for facultative activities such as denitrification

Microbial Diversity in Sulfate-Reducing Marine Sediment Enrichment Cultures Associated with Anaerobic Biotransformation of Coastal Stockpiled Phosphogypsum (Sfax, Tunisia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hana Zouch

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Anaerobic biotechnology using sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB is a promising alternative for reducing long-term stockpiling of phosphogypsum (PG, an acidic (pH ~3 by-product of the phosphate fertilizer industries containing high amounts of sulfate. The main objective of this study was to evaluate, for the first time, the diversity and ability of anaerobic marine microorganisms to convert sulfate from PG into sulfide, in order to look for marine SRB of biotechnological interest. A series of sulfate-reducing enrichment cultures were performed using different electron donors (i.e., acetate, formate, or lactate and sulfate sources (i.e., sodium sulfate or PG as electron acceptors. Significant sulfide production was observed from enrichment cultures inoculated with marine sediments, collected near the effluent discharge point of a Tunisian fertilizer industry (Sfax, Tunisia. Sulfate sources impacted sulfide production rates from marine sediments as well as the diversity of SRB species belonging to Deltaproteobacteria. When PG was used as sulfate source, Desulfovibrio species dominated microbial communities of marine sediments, while Desulfobacter species were mainly detected using sodium sulfate. Sulfide production was also affected depending on the electron donor used, with the highest production obtained using formate. In contrast, low sulfide production (acetate-containing cultures was associated with an increase in the population of Firmicutes. These results suggested that marine Desulfovibrio species, to be further isolated, are potential candidates for bioremediation of PG by immobilizing metals and metalloids thanks to sulfide production by these SRB.

Importance of pre-enrichment media for isolation of Salmonella spp. from swine and poultry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoorfar, Jeffrey; Baggesen, Dorte Lau

1998-01-01

The performance of two new (1-day) culture methods, Salmonella Enrichment Broth (SEB) and Revive, and an alternative pre-enrichment broth, designated Universal pre-enrichment broth (UB), was compared to the internationally accepted buffered peptone water (BPW). The study was directed towards......-skin samples (0.16, P = 0.001). The SEE method in the porcine samples resulted in a sensitivity (0.71) comparable to the standard method (P = 0.31). In conclusion, additional pre-enrichment of samples in UB may substantially increase the culture sensitivity. During routine screening of large numbers of samples......, it may be advantageous to use SEE rather than standard culturing. (C) 1998 Federation of European Microbiological Societies....

Phylogenetic and functional diversity within toluene-degrading, sulphate-reducing consortia enriched from a contaminated aquifer.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuppardt, Anke; Kleinsteuber, Sabine; Vogt, Carsten; Lüders, Tillmann; Harms, Hauke; Chatzinotas, Antonis

2014-08-01

Three toluene-degrading microbial consortia were enriched under sulphate-reducing conditions from different zones of a benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX) plume of two connected contaminated aquifers. Two cultures were obtained from a weakly contaminated zone of the lower aquifer, while one culture originated from the highly contaminated upper aquifer. We hypothesised that the different habitat characteristics are reflected by distinct degrader populations. Degradation of toluene with concomitant production of sulphide was demonstrated in laboratory microcosms and the enrichment cultures were phylogenetically characterised. The benzylsuccinate synthase alpha-subunit (bssA) marker gene, encoding the enzyme initiating anaerobic toluene degradation, was targeted to characterise the catabolic diversity within the enrichment cultures. It was shown that the hydrogeochemical parameters in the different zones of the plume determined the microbial composition of the enrichment cultures. Both enrichment cultures from the weakly contaminated zone were of a very similar composition, dominated by Deltaproteobacteria with the Desulfobulbaceae (a Desulfopila-related phylotype) as key players. Two different bssA sequence types were found, which were both affiliated to genes from sulphate-reducing Deltaproteobacteria. In contrast, the enrichment culture from the highly contaminated zone was dominated by Clostridia with a Desulfosporosinus-related phylotype as presumed key player. A distinct bssA sequence type with high similarity to other recently detected sequences from clostridial toluene degraders was dominant in this culture. This work contributes to our understanding of the niche partitioning between degrader populations in distinct compartments of BTEX-contaminated aquifers.

Illumina sequencing-based analysis of a microbial community enriched under anaerobic methane oxidation condition coupled to denitrification revealed coexistence of aerobic and anaerobic methanotrophs.

Science.gov (United States)

Siniscalchi, Luciene Alves Batista; Leite, Laura Rabelo; Oliveira, Guilherme; Chernicharo, Carlos Augusto Lemos; de Araújo, Juliana Calabria

2017-07-01

Methane is produced in anaerobic environments, such as reactors used to treat wastewaters, and can be consumed by methanotrophs. The composition and structure of a microbial community enriched from anaerobic sewage sludge under methane-oxidation condition coupled to denitrification were investigated. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis retrieved sequences of Methylocaldum and Chloroflexi. Deep sequencing analysis revealed a complex community that changed over time and was affected by methane concentration. Methylocaldum (8.2%), Methylosinus (2.3%), Methylomonas (0.02%), Methylacidiphilales (0.45%), Nitrospirales (0.18%), and Methanosarcinales (0.3%) were detected. Despite denitrifying conditions provided, Nitrospirales and Methanosarcinales, known to perform anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to denitrification (DAMO) process, were in very low abundance. Results demonstrated that aerobic and anaerobic methanotrophs coexisted in the reactor together with heterotrophic microorganisms, suggesting that a diverse microbial community was important to sustain methanotrophic activity. The methanogenic sludge was a good inoculum to enrich methanotrophs, and cultivation conditions play a selective role in determining community composition.

Abundance and diversity of bacterial nitrifiers and denitrifiers and their functional genes in tannery wastewater treatment plants revealed by high-throughput sequencing.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhu Wang

Full Text Available Biological nitrification/denitrification is frequently used to remove nitrogen from tannery wastewater containing high concentrations of ammonia. However, information is limited about the bacterial nitrifiers and denitrifiers and their functional genes in tannery wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs due to the low-throughput of the previously used methods. In this study, 454 pyrosequencing and Illumina high-throughput sequencing, combined with molecular methods, were used to comprehensively characterize structures and functions of nitrification and denitrification bacterial communities in aerobic and anaerobic sludge of two full-scale tannery WWTPs. Pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes showed that Proteobacteria and Synergistetes dominated in the aerobic and anaerobic sludge, respectively. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB amoA gene cloning revealed that Nitrosomonas europaea dominated the ammonia-oxidizing community in the WWTPs. Metagenomic analysis showed that the denitrifiers mainly included the genera of Thauera, Paracoccus, Hyphomicrobium, Comamonas and Azoarcus, which may greatly contribute to the nitrogen removal in the two WWTPs. It is interesting that AOB and ammonia-oxidizing archaea had low abundance although both WWTPs demonstrated high ammonium removal efficiency. Good correlation between the qPCR and metagenomic analysis is observed for the quantification of functional genes amoA, nirK, nirS and nosZ, indicating that the metagenomic approach may be a promising method used to comprehensively investigate the abundance of functional genes of nitrifiers and denitrifiers in the environment.

Final report - Reduction of mercury in saturated subsurface sediments and its potential to mobilize mercury in its elemental form

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bakray, Tamar [Rutgers University

2013-06-13

The goal of our project was to investigate Hg(II) reduction in the deep subsurface. We focused on microbial and abiotic pathways of reduction and explored how it affected the toxicity and mobility of Hg in this unique environment. The project’s tasks included: 1. Examining the role of mer activities in the reduction of Hg(II) in denitrifying enrichment cultures; 2. Investigating the biotic/abiotic reduction of Hg(II) under iron reducing conditions; 3. Examining Hg(II) redox transformations under anaerobic conditions in subsurface sediments from DOE sites.

Continuous culture enrichments of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria at low ammonium concentrations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bollmann, A.; Laanbroek, H.J.

2001-01-01

Until now enrichments of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria from natural ammonium-limited environments have been performed mainly in the presence of much higher ammonia concentrations than those present in the natural environment and many have resulted in the enrichment and isolation of environmentally less

Continuous culture enrichments of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria at low ammonium concentrations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bollmann, A.; Laanbroek, H.J.

2001-01-01

Until now enrichments of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria from natural ammonium-limited environments have been performed mainly in the presence of much higher ammonia concentrations than those present in the natural environment and many have resulted in the enrichment and isolation of environmentally

Abundance, composition and activity of ammonia oxidizer and denitrifier communities in metal polluted rice paddies from South China.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuan Liu

Full Text Available While microbial nitrogen transformations in soils had been known to be affected by heavy metal pollution, changes in abundance and community structure of the mediating microbial populations had been not yet well characterized in polluted rice soils. Here, by using the prevailing molecular fingerprinting and enzyme activity assays and comparisons to adjacent non-polluted soils, we examined changes in the abundance and activity of ammonia oxidizing and denitrifying communities of rice paddies in two sites with different metal accumulation situation under long-term pollution from metal mining and smelter activities. Potential nitrifying activity was significantly reduced in polluted paddies in both sites while potential denitrifying activity reduced only in the soils with high Cu accumulation up to 1300 mg kg-1. Copy numbers of amoA (AOA and AOB genes were lower in both polluted paddies, following the trend with the enzyme assays, whereas that of nirK was not significantly affected. Analysis of the DGGE profiles revealed a shift in the community structure of AOA, and to a lesser extent, differences in the community structure of AOB and denitrifier between soils from the two sites with different pollution intensity and metal composition. All of the retrieved AOB sequences belonged to the genus Nitrosospira, among which species Cluster 4 appeared more sensitive to metal pollution. In contrast, nirK genes were widely distributed among different bacterial genera that were represented differentially between the polluted and unpolluted paddies. This could suggest either a possible non-specific target of the primers conventionally used in soil study or complex interactions between soil properties and metal contents on the observed community and activity changes, and thus on the N transformation in the polluted rice soils.

Modeling of Pharmaceutical Biotransformation by Enriched Nitrifying Culture under Different Metabolic Conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu, Yifeng; Chen, Xueming; Yuan, Zhiguo

2018-01-01

Pharmaceutical removal could be significantly enhanced through cometabolism during nitrification processes. To date, pharmaceutical biotransformation models have not considered the formation of transformation products associated with the metabolic type of microorganisms. Here we report a comprehe......Pharmaceutical removal could be significantly enhanced through cometabolism during nitrification processes. To date, pharmaceutical biotransformation models have not considered the formation of transformation products associated with the metabolic type of microorganisms. Here we report...... a comprehensive model to describe and evaluate the biodegradation of pharmaceuticals and the formation of their biotransformation products by enriched nitrifying cultures. The biotransformation of parent compounds was linked to the microbial processes via cometabolism induced by ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AOB......) growth, metabolism by AOB, cometabolism by heterotrophs (HET) growth, and metabolism by HET in the model framework. The model was calibrated and validated using experimental data from pharmaceutical biodegradation experiments at realistic levels, taking two pharmaceuticals as examples, i.e., atenolol...

Composting-Like Conditions Are More Efficient for Enrichment and Diversity of Organisms Containing Cellulase-Encoding Genes than Submerged Cultures.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Senta Heiss-Blanquet

Full Text Available Cost-effective biofuel production from lignocellulosic biomass depends on efficient degradation of the plant cell wall. One of the major obstacles for the development of a cost-efficient process is the lack of resistance of currently used fungal enzymes to harsh conditions such as high temperature. Adapted, thermophilic microbial communities provide a huge reservoir of potentially interesting lignocellulose-degrading enzymes for improvement of the cellulose hydrolysis step. In order to identify such enzymes, a leaf and wood chip compost was enriched on a mixture of thermo-chemically pretreated wheat straw, poplar and Miscanthus under thermophile conditions, but in two different set-ups. Unexpectedly, metagenome sequencing revealed that incubation of the lignocellulosic substrate with compost as inoculum in a suspension culture resulted in an impoverishment of putative cellulase- and hemicellulase-encoding genes. However, mimicking composting conditions without liquid phase yielded a high number and diversity of glycoside hydrolase genes and an enrichment of genes encoding cellulose binding domains. These identified genes were most closely related to species from Actinobacteria, which seem to constitute important players of lignocellulose degradation under the applied conditions. The study highlights that subtle changes in an enrichment set-up can have an important impact on composition and functions of the microcosm. Composting-like conditions were found to be the most successful method for enrichment in species with high biomass degrading capacity.

Responses of bacterial community structure and denitrifying bacteria in biofilm to submerged macrophytes and nitrate

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Songhe; Pang, Si; Wang, Peifang; Wang, Chao; Guo, Chuan; Addo, Felix Gyawu; Li, Yi

2016-10-01

Submerged macrophytes play important roles in constructed wetlands and natural water bodies, as these organisms remove nutrients and provide large surfaces for biofilms, which are beneficial for nitrogen removal, particularly from submerged macrophyte-dominated water columns. However, information on the responses of biofilms to submerged macrophytes and nitrogen molecules is limited. In the present study, bacterial community structure and denitrifiers were investigated in biofilms on the leaves of four submerged macrophytes and artificial plants exposed to two nitrate concentrations. The biofilm cells were evenly distributed on artificial plants but appeared in microcolonies on the surfaces of submerged macrophytes. Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum in all samples, accounting for 27.3-64.8% of the high-quality bacterial reads, followed by Chloroflexi (3.7-25.4%), Firmicutes (3.0-20.1%), Acidobacteria (2.7-15.7%), Actinobacteria (2.2-8.7%), Bacteroidetes (0.5-9.7%), and Verrucomicrobia (2.4-5.2%). Cluster analysis showed that bacterial community structure can be significantly different on macrophytes versus from those on artificial plants. Redundancy analysis showed that electrical conductivity and nitrate concentration were positively correlated with Shannon index and operational taxonomic unit (OTU) richness (log10 transformed) but somewhat negatively correlated with microbial density. The relative abundances of five denitrifying genes were positively correlated with nitrate concentration and electrical conductivity but negatively correlated with dissolved oxygen.

Fractionation of Nitrogen and Oxygen Isotopes and Roles of Bacteria during Denitrification

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, J.; Buyanjargal, A.; Jeen, S. W.

2017-12-01

Nitrate in groundwater can cause health and environmental problems when not properly treated. The purpose of this study was to develop a treatment method for nitrate in groundwater using organic carbon-based reactive mixtures (i.e., wood chips and gravel) through column experiments and to evaluate reaction mechanisms responsible for the treatment. The column experiments were operated for a total of 19 months. The results from the geochemical analyses for the experiments suggest that cultures of denitrifying bacteria used organic carbon while utilizing nitrate as their electron acceptor via denitrification process. Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum in all samples, accounting for 45.7% of the bacterial reads, followed by Firmicutes (22.6%) and Chlorobi (10.6%). Bacilli, Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and Actinobacteria_c consisted of 32, 30, 23, 11, and 2% of denitrifying bacteria class. The denitrification process caused fractionation of nitrogen and oxygen isotopes of nitrate while nitrate concentration decreased. When fitted to the Rayleigh's fractionation model, enrichment factors (ɛ) were 11.5‰ and 5.6‰ for 15N and 18O isotopes, respectively. Previous studies suggested that nitrogen isotope enrichment factors of denitrification are within the range of 4.7 to 40‰ and oxygen isotopic enrichment factors are between 8 and 18.3‰. This study shows that nitrate in groundwater can be effectively treated using passive treatment systems, such as permeable reactive barriers (PRBs), and denitrificaton is the dominant process reponsible for the removal of nitrate.

Denitrifiers in the surface zone are primarily responsible for the nitrous oxide emission of dairy manure compost

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maeda, Koki, E-mail: k_maeda@affrc.go.jp [Dairy Research Division, National Agricultural Research Center for Hokkaido Region, National Agricultural and Food Research Organization, 1 Hitsujigaoka, Sapporo 062-8555 (Japan); Department of Environmental Chemistry and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8502 (Japan); Toyoda, Sakae [Department of Environmental Chemistry and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8502 (Japan); Hanajima, Dai [Dairy Research Division, National Agricultural Research Center for Hokkaido Region, National Agricultural and Food Research Organization, 1 Hitsujigaoka, Sapporo 062-8555 (Japan); Yoshida, Naohiro [Department of Environmental Chemistry and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8502 (Japan)

2013-03-15

Highlights: ► Nitrous oxide (N{sub 2}O) productions of each compost zones were compared. ► The pile surface emitted significant fluxes of N{sub 2}O. ► The isotopic signature of N{sub 2}O from surface and NO{sub 2}{sup −} amended core were different. ► The denitrifying gene abundance was significantly higher in pile surface than the pile core. -- Abstract: During the dairy manure composting process, significant nitrous oxide (N{sub 2}O) emissions occur just after the pile turnings. To understand the characteristics of this N{sub 2}O emission, samples were taken from the compost surface and core independently, and the N{sub 2}O production was monitored in laboratory incubation experiments. Equal amounts of surface and core samples were mixed to simulate the turning, and the {sup 15}N isotope ratios within the molecules of produced N{sub 2}O were analyzed by isotopomer analysis. The results showed that the surface samples emitted significant levels of N{sub 2}O, and these emissions were correlated with NO{sub x}{sup −}-N accumulation. Moreover, the surface samples and surface-core mixed samples incubated at 30 °C produced N{sub 2}O with a low site preference (SP) value (−0.9 to 7.0‰) that was close to bacteria denitrification (0‰), indicating that denitrifiers in the surface samples are responsible for this N{sub 2}O production. On the other hand, N{sub 2}O produced by NO{sub 2}{sup −}-amended core samples and surface samples incubated at 60 °C showed unrecognized isotopic signatures (SP = 11.4–20.3‰). From these results, it was revealed that the N{sub 2}O production occurring just after the turnings was mainly derived from bacterial denitrification (including nitrifier denitrification) of NO{sub x}{sup −}-N under mesophilic conditions, and surface denitrifying bacteria appeared to be the main contributor to this process.

Bridging Culture On-Line: Strategies for Teaching Cultural Sensitivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Wendler, M. Cecilia; Struthers, Roxanne

2002-01-01

An online cross-cultural health course for nurses sought to provide access to cultural experiences by culturally congruent use of a minority visiting scholar and required participation in cultural enrichment activities. Course and faculty evaluations were designed to be appropriate for the asynchronous environment. (Contains 25 references.) (SK)

Sensitivity of Direct Culture, Enrichment and PCR for Detection of Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli in Broiler Flocks at Slaughter.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodgers, J D; Simpkin, E; Lee, R; Clifton-Hadley, F A; Vidal, A B

2017-06-01

Broiler chicken flocks are a significant source of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli that result in the major public health problem of campylobacteriosis. Accurate estimates of the prevalence of both C. coli and C. jejuni in flocks would enhance epidemiological understanding, risk assessment and control options. This study combined results from a panel of 10 detection tests (direct culture, enrichment and PCR) on caecal samples from flocks at slaughter. A parallel interpretation approach was used to determine the presence of Campylobacter spp. and for C. jejuni and C. coli individually. The sample was considered positive if at least one method detected the target and this interpretation was taken to represent a 'proxy gold standard' for detection in the absence of a gold standard reference test. The sensitivity of each individual method to detect Campylobacter spp., C. jejuni and C. coli was then estimated relative to the proxy gold standard. Enrichment in adapted Exeter broth (deficient in polymyxin B) with a resuscitation step was 100% sensitive, whilst direct culture on modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar (mCCDA) was highly sensitive (97.9%). Enrichment methods using Preston broth and Bolton broth were significantly less sensitive. Enrichment in Exeter broth promoted the recovery of C. jejuni, whilst enrichment in Bolton broth favoured C. coli. A RT-PCR detection test could identify 80% of flocks that were co-colonised with both species. This study found that 76.3% (n = 127) of flocks were colonised with Campylobacter spp. The majority (95.9%) of Campylobacter-positive flocks were colonised with C. jejuni; however, approximately one-third of positive flocks were simultaneously colonised with both C. jejuni and C. coli. The findings highlight the impact of different detection methodologies on the accuracy of the estimated incidence of both C. jejuni and C. coli entering the abattoir within broiler flocks and the associated

Removal of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) under nitrifying and denitrifying conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Suarez, Sonia; Lema, Juan M; Omil, Francisco

2010-05-01

The contribution of volatilization, sorption and transformation to the removal of 16 Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) in two lab-scale conventional activated sludge reactors, working under nitrifying (aerobic) and denitrifying (anoxic) conditions for more than 1.5 years, have been assessed. Pseudo-first order biological degradation rate constants (k(biol)) were calculated for the selected compounds in both reactors. Faster degradation kinetics were measured in the nitrifying reactor compared to the denitrifying system for the majority of PPCPs. Compounds could be classified according to their k(biol) into very highly (k(biol)>5Lg(SS)(-1)d(-1)), highly (1fragrances (HHCB, AHTN and ADBI) were transformed to a large extent under aerobic (>75%) and anoxic (>65%) conditions, whereas naproxen (NPX), ethinylestradiol (EE2), roxithromycin (ROX) and erythromycin (ERY) were only significantly transformed in the aerobic reactor (>80%). The anti-depressant citalopram (CTL) was moderately biotransformed under both, aerobic and anoxic conditions (>60% and >40%, respectively). Some compounds, as carbamazepine (CBZ), diazepam (DZP), sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and trimethoprim (TMP), manifested high resistance to biological transformation. Solids Retention Time (SRT(aerobic) >50d and 20d and <20d) had a slightly positive effect on the removal of FLX, NPX, CTL, EE2 and natural estrogens (increase in removal efficiencies <10%). Removal of diclofenac (DCF) in the aerobic reactor was positively affected by the development of nitrifying biomass and increased from 0% up to 74%. Similarly, efficient anoxic transformation of ibuprofen (75%) was observed after an adaptation period of 340d. Temperature (16-26 degrees C) only had a slight effect on the removal of CTL which increased in 4%.

Influencing factors analysis of anammox bacteria cultured by mixing denitrifying-anammox

OpenAIRE

Sihui WANG; Yuanyuan SONG; Yunman LIU; Yankai GUO; Jing LIAN; Jianbo GUO

2017-01-01

In order to get the optimal growth conditions of anammox bacteria, the mature-cultured anammox granule sludge is used to investigate the influencing factors. The effects of temperature, pH value, COD and influent substrate (NO-2-N and NH+4-N) on anammox bacteria activity are investigated. The results demonstrate that the optimal temperature is 40 ℃ and the optimal pH value is between 7.0~8.0 for anammox bacteria. The anammox bacteria activity is not inhibited severely when COD concentration i...

Enrichment and identification of polycyclic aromatic compound-degrading bacteria enriched from sediment samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Long, Rachel M; Lappin-Scott, Hilary M; Stevens, Jamie R

2009-07-01

The degradation of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) has been widely studied. Knowledge of the degradation of PACs by microbial populations can be utilized in the remediation of contaminated sites. To isolate and identify PAC-degrading bacteria for potential use in future bioremediation programmes, we established a series of PAC enrichments under the same experimental conditions from a single sediment sample taken from a highly polluted estuarine site. Enrichment cultures were established using the pollutants: anthracene, phenanthrene and dibenzothiophene as a sole carbon source. The shift in microbial community structure on each of these carbon sources was monitored by analysis of a time series of samples from each culture using 16S rRNA polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). Significantly, our findings demonstrate that shifts in the constituent species within each degradative community are directly attributable to enrichment with different PACs. Subsequently, we characterized the microorganisms comprising the degradative communities within each enrichment using 16S rRNA sequence data. Our findings demonstrate that the ability to degrade PACs is present in five divisions of the Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. By determining the precise identity of the PAC-degrading bacterial species isolated from a single sediment sample, and by comparing our findings with previously published research, we demonstrate how bacteria with similar PAC degrading capabilities and 16S rRNA signatures are found in similarly polluted environments in geographically very distant locations, e.g., China, Italy, Japan and Hawaii. Such a finding suggests that geographical barriers do not limit the distribution of key PAC-degrading bacteria; this finding is in accordance with the Baas-Becking hypothesis "everything is everywhere; the environment selects" and may have significant consequences for the global distribution of PAC-degrading bacteria and

Using Culture beyond Its Borders: The Use of Content-Enriched Instruction and the Effects of Input Enhancement on Learning in High School French Classes

Science.gov (United States)

Grim, Frédérique

2014-01-01

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Standards emphasizes the integration of Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities within teaching. "Content-enriched instruction" aims at teaching linguistic forms within content and eases the implementation of the five Cs. The focus is at beginning levels…

Effects of Selected Root Exudate Components on Nitrogen Removal and Development of Denitrifying Bacteria in Constructed Wetlands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hailu Wu

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Root exudates, particularly low molecular weight carbon (LMWC substrates, are major drivers of bacterial diversity and activity in the rhizosphere environment. However, it is not well understood how specific LMWC compounds—such as organic acids, soluble sugars, and amino acids—influence the community structures of denitrifying bacteria or if there are specific functions of LMWC substrates that preferentially respond to nitrogen (N removal in constructed wetlands (CWs. To address these knowledge gaps, we added mixtures of artificial exudates to CW microcosms containing N pollutant. N removal efficiency was observed over a 48-h experimental period, and at the end of the experiment, DNA was extracted from microbial samples for assessment of the bacterial community. The removal efficiencies of TN for the exudates treatments were higher than for control groups by 47.1–58.67%. Organic acid and soluble sugar treatments increased N removal, while amino acids were negative to N removal. The microbial community was changed when artificial exudates were added, but there were no significant relationships between LMWC compounds and bacterial community composition. These results indicate that although the responses of community structures of denitrifying bacteria to LMWC additions are still uncertain, there is evidence for N removal in response to exudate additions across LMWC types.

Effects of commercial enrichment products on fatty acid components ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study was undertaken to test the effects of enrichment products. Red pepper paste (ZA), AlgaMac 3050 (ZB) and Spresso (ZC) on fatty acid compositions in rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) which were intensively cultured on a mixture of ω3 algae and ω3 yeast. Enriched rotifers were seen to have higher level of ...

Enrichment of Microbial Cultures for Hydrolysis of EA2192

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Rastogi, Vipin

1998-01-01

.... The enrichment was initiated using consortium adapted to biodegrade hydrolyzed vx (courtesy Dr. DeFrank). Based on NMR analysis, the concentration of EA2192 reduced from 120 ppm to 50 ppm in 48 hr of growth...

[Phylogenetic analysis and nitrogen removal characteristics of a heterotrophic nitrifying-aerobic denitrifying bacteria strain from marine environment].

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Xuemei; Li, Qiufen; Zhang, Yan; Liu, Huaide; Zhao, Jun; Qu, Keming

2012-06-04

We determined the phylogenetic position of a heterotrophic nitrifying-aerobic denitrifying bacterium X3, and detected its nitrogen removal characteristics for providing evidence to explain the principle of heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification and to improve the process in purification of marine-culture wastewater. The evolutionary position of the strain was determined based on its morphological, physiological, biochemical characteristics and 16SrRNA gene sequence. The nitrification-denitrification ability of this strain was detected by detecting its nitrogen removal efficiency and growth on different inorganic nitrogen source. Strain X3 was identified as Halomonas sp. It grew optimally at salinity 3%, pH 8.5, C:N 10:1 at 28 degrees C, and it could still survive at 15% salinity. The removal of NH4+ -N, NO2(-) -N and NO3(-) -N was 98.29%, 99.07%, 96.48% respectively within 24 h. When three inorganic nitrogen existed simultaneously, it always utilized ammonia firstly, and the total inorganic nitrogen removal was higher than with only one nitrogen, suggesting that strain X3 has the ability of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification and completing the whole nitrogen removing process. Strain X3 belonged to the genus of Halomonas. It had strong simultaneous nitrification and denitrification capability and could live in high-salinity environment.

Growth and accumulation of flavan-3-ol in Camellia sinensis through callus culture and suspension culture method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sutini Sutini

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This study was aimed to assess flavan-3-ol biomass in C. sinensis through callus cultures and suspension cultures derived from leaf explants. Callus initiation of both cultures were using Murashige and Skoog medium were enriched with plant growth regulators Naphtha-lene Acetic Acid 3.0 mg/L and kinetin 2.0 mg/L. The procedures in this study were: (1 callus initiation by cutting the leaves of C. sinen-sis shoots then planted on Murashige and Skoog medium that were enriched with plant growth regulators, (2 sub callus culture on fresh medium that enriched with the same growth regulators, (3 suspension culture initiation of liquid callus, (4 growth examination of callus and suspension cultures in week 12, (5 examination of qualitative-quantitative content of flavan-3-olin suspension cultures at week 4. The results show that suspension cultures contain biomass flavan-3-ol that increase in the same manner of the increase of callus age and weight

Books to Expand and Enrich Experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Winfield, Evelyn T.

1983-01-01

Books are briefly described that parents can read and discuss with their children to enrich travel and cultural activities. Books on the nation's capital city, the Liberty Bell, the Statue of Liberty, architecture, zoos, dinosaurs, and other subjects are included. (PP)

Effect of different enrichment strategies on microbial community structure in petroleum-contaminated marine sediment in Dalian, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chao; Liu, Qiu; Liu, Changjian; Yu, Jicheng

2017-04-15

An oil spill occurred at Xingang Port, Dalian, China in 2010. Four years after this spill, oil contamination was still detected in samples collected nearby. In this study, the strains that evolved in the sediment were screened by high-throughput sequencing technology. Most of these strains were genera reported to have functions associated with crude oil biodegradation. The diversities and numbers of microbes were monitored through enrichment culturing; the dominant strains propagated at first, but the enrichment could not be continued, which indicated that the prolonged culture was not effective in the enrichment of the micro-consortium. Oxygen was also observed to affect the propagation of the dominant microbes. The results showed the role of culture strategies and oxygen in the enrichment of the petroleum-degrading microbes. Therefore, dominant strains could be screened by optimizing both the enrichment time and oxygen concentration used for culturing to facilitate oil biodegradation in the marine ecosystem. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of long-term elevated CO2 on N2-fixing, denitrifying and nitrifying enzyme activities in forest soils under Pinus sylvestriformis in Changbai Mountain

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

ZHENG Jun-Qiang; HAN Shi-Jie; REN Fei-Rong; ZHOU Yu-Mei; ZHANG Yan

2008-01-01

A study was conducted to determine the effects of elevated CO2 on soil N process at Changbai Mountain in Jilin Province,northeastern China (42o24'N,128o06'E,and 738 m elevation).A randomized complete block design of ambient and elevated CO2 was established in an open-top chamber facility in the spring of 1999.Changpai Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris var.sylvestriformis seeds were sowed in May,1999 and CO2 fumigation treatments began after seeds germination.In each year,the exposure started at the end of April and stopped at the end of October.Soil samples were collected in June and August 2006 and in June 2007,and soil nitrifying,denitrifying and N2-fixing enzyme activities were measured.Results show that soil nitrifying enzyme activities (NEA) in the 5-10 cm soil layer were significantly increased at elevated CO2 by 30.3% in June 2006,by 30.9% in August 2006 and by 11.3% in June 2007.Soil denitrifying enzyme activities (DEA) were significantly decreased by elevated CO2 treatment in June 2006 (P < 0.012) and August 2006 (P < 0.005) samplings in our study; no significant difference was detected in June 2007,and no significant changes in N2-fixing enzyme activity were found.This study suggests that elevated CO2 can alter soil nitrifying enzyme and denitrifying enzyme activities.

Damage of guinea pig heart and arteries by a trioleate-enriched diet and of cultured cardiomyocytes by oleic acid.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josef Krieglstein

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs like oleic acid have been shown to cause apoptosis of cultured endothelial cells by activating protein phosphatase type 2C alpha and beta (PP2C. The question arises whether damage of endothelial or other cells could be observed in intact animals fed with a trioleate-enriched diet.Dunkin-Hartley guinea pigs were fed with a trioleate-enriched diet for 5 months. Advanced atherosclerotic changes of the aorta and the coronary arteries could not be seen but the arteries appeared in a pre-atherosclerotic stage of vascular remodelling. However, the weight and size of the hearts were lower than in controls and the number of apoptotic myocytes increased in the hearts of trioleate-fed animals. To confirm the idea that oleic acid may have caused this apoptosis by activation of PP2C, cultured cardiomyocytes from guinea pigs and mice were treated with various lipids. It was demonstrable that oleic acid dose-dependently caused apoptosis of cardiomyocytes from both species, yet, similar to previous experiments with cultured neurons and endothelial cells, stearic acid, elaidic acid and oleic acid methylester did not. The apoptotic effect caused by oleic acid was diminished when PP2C alpha and beta were downregulated by siRNA showing that PP2C was causally involved in apoptosis caused by oleic acid.The glycerol trioleate diet given to guinea pigs for 5 months did not cause marked atherosclerosis but clearly damaged the hearts by activating PP2C alpha and beta. The diet used with 24% (wt/wt glycerol trioleate is not comparable to human diets. The detrimental role of MUFAs for guinea pig heart tissue in vivo is shown for the first time. Whether it is true for humans remains to be shown.

Performance of denitrifying microbial fuel cell with biocathode over nitrite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhao eHuimin

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Microbial fuel cell (MFC with nitrite as an electron acceptor in cathode provided a new technology for nitrogen removal and electricity production simultaneously. The influences of influent nitrite concentration and external resistance on the performance of denitrifying MFC were investigated. The optimal effectiveness were obtained with the maximum total nitrogen (TN removal rate of 54.80±0.01 g m-3 d-1. It would be rather desirable for the TN removal than electricity generation at lower external resistance. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis suggested that Proteobacteria was the predominant phylum, accounting for 35.72%. Thiobacillus and Afipia might benefit to nitrite removal. The presence of nitrifying Devosia indicated that nitrite was oxidized to nitrate via a biochemical mechanism in the cathode. Ignavibacterium and Anaerolineaceae was found in the cathode as a heterotrophic bacterium with sodium acetate as substrate, which illustrated that sodium acetate in anode was likely permeated through proton exchange membrane to the cathode .

Evidence for cooperative mineralization of diuron by Arthrobacter sp. BS2 and Achromobacter sp. SP1 isolated from a mixed culture enriched from diuron exposed environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Devers-Lamrani, Marion; Pesce, Stéphane; Rouard, Nadine; Martin-Laurent, Fabrice

2014-12-01

Diuron was found to be mineralized in buffer strip soil (BS) and in the sediments (SED) of the Morcille river in the Beaujolais vineyard repeatedly treated with this herbicide. Enrichment cultures from BS and SED samples led to the isolation of three bacterial strains transforming diuron to 3,4-dichloroaniline (3,4-DCA) its aniline derivative. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that they belonged to the genus Arthrobacter (99% of similarity to Arthrobacter globiformis strain K01-01) and were designated as Arthrobacter sp. BS1, BS2 and SED1. Diuron-degrading potential characterized by sequencing of the puhA gene, characterizing the diuron-degradaing potential, revealed 99% similarity to A. globiformis strain D47 puhA gene isolated a decade ago in the UK. These isolates were also able to use chlorotoluron for their growth. Although able to degrade linuron and monolinuron to related aniline derivatives they were not growing on them. Enrichment cultures led to the isolation of a strain from the sediments entirely degrading 3,4-DCA. 16S rRNA sequence analysis showed that it was affiliated to the genus Achromobacter (99% of similarity to Achromobacter sp. CH1) and was designated as Achromobacter sp. SP1. The dcaQ gene encoding enzyme responsible for the transformation of 3,4-DCA to chlorocatechol was found in SP1 with 99% similarity to that of Comamonas testosteroni WDL7. This isolate also used for its growth a range of anilines (3-chloro-4-methyl-aniline, 4-isopropylaniline, 4-chloroaniline, 3-chloroaniline, 4-bromoaniline). The mixed culture composed of BS2 and SP1 strains entirely mineralizes (14)C-diuron to (14)CO2. Diuron-mineralization observed in the enrichment culture could result from the metabolic cooperation between these two populations. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Optimizing BTEX biodegradation under denitrifying conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hutchins, S.R.

1991-01-01

Leaking underground storage tanks are a major source of ground water contamination by petroleum hydrocarbons. Gasoline and other fuels contain benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (collectively known as BTEX), which are hazardous compounds, regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Laboratory tests were conducted to determine optimum conditions for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (collectively known as BTEX) biodegradation by aquifer microorganisms under denitrifying conditions. Microcosms, constructed with aquifer samples from Traverse City, Michigan, were amended with selected concentrations of nutrients and one or more hydrocarbons. Toluene, ethylbenzene, m-xylene, and p-xylene, were degraded to below 5 micrograms/L when present as sole source substrates; stoichiometric calculations indicated that nitrate removal was sufficient to account for 70 to 80% of the compounds being mineralized. o-Xylene was recalcitrant when present as a sole source substrate, but was slowly degraded in the presence of the other hydrocarbons. Benzene was not degraded within one year, regardless of whether it was available as a sole source substrate or in combination with toluene, phenol, or catechol. Pre-exposure to low levels of BTEX and nutrients had variable effects, as did the addition of different concentrations of ammonia and phosphate. Nitrate concentrations as high as 500 mg/L NO3-N were slightly inhibitory. These data indicate that nitrate-mediated biodegradation of BTEX at Traverse City can occur under a variety of environmental conditions with rates relatively independent of nutrient concentrations. However, the data reaffirm that benzene is recalcitrant under strictly anaerobic conditions in these samples

Effect of carbon dioxide and bicarbonate as inorganic carbon sources on growth and adaptation of autohydrogenotrophic denitrifying bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghafari, Shahin; Hasan, Masitah; Aroua, Mohamed Kheireddine

2009-01-01

Acclimation of autohydrogenotrophic denitrifying bacteria using inorganic carbon source (CO 2 and bicarbonate) and hydrogen gas as electron donor was performed in this study. In this regard, activated sludge was used as the seed source and sequencing batch reactor (SBR) technique was applied for accomplishing the acclimatization. Three distinct strategies in feeding of carbon sources were applied: (I) continuous sparging of CO 2 , (II) bicarbonate plus continuous sparging of CO 2 , and (III) only bicarbonate. The pH-reducing nature of CO 2 showed an unfavorable impact on denitrification rate; however bicarbonate resulted in a buffered environment in the mixed liquor and provided a suitable mean to maintain the pH in the desirable range of 7-8.2. As a result, bicarbonate as the only carbon source showed a faster adaptation, while carbon dioxide as the only carbon source as well as a complementary carbon source added to bicarbonate resulted in longer acclimation period. Adapted hydrogenotrophic denitrifying bacteria, using bicarbonate and hydrogen gas in the aforementioned pH range, caused denitrification at a rate of 13.33 mg NO 3 - -N/g MLVSS/h for degrading 20 and 30 mg NO 3 - -N/L and 9.09 mg NO 3 - -N/g MLVSS/h for degrading 50 mg NO 3 - -N/L

Coexistence of nitrifying, anammox and denitrifying bacteria in a sequencing batch reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michela eLangone

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Elevated nitrogen removal efficiencies from ammonium-rich wastewaters have been demonstrated by several applications, that combine nitritation and anammox processes. Denitrification will occur simultaneously when organic carbon is also present. In this study, the activity of aerobic ammonia oxidizing, anammox and denitrifying bacteria in a full scale Sequencing Batch Reactor, treating digester supernatants, was studied by means of batch-assays. AOB and anammox activities were maximum at pH of 8.0 and 7.8-8.0, rispectively. Short term effect of nitrite on anammox activity was studied, showing nitrite up to 42 mg/L did not result in inhibition. Both denitrification via nitrate and nitrite were measured. To reduce nitrite-oxidizing activity, high of NH3 – N (1.9-10 mg N-NH3/L and low nitrite (3-8 mg TNN/L are required conditions during the whole SBR cycle.Molecular analysis showed the nitritation-anammox sludge harbored a high microbial diversity, where each microorganism has a specific role. Using ammonia monooxygenase α –subunit (amoA gene as a marker, our analyses suggested different macro- and micro-environments in the reactor strongly affect the AOB community, allowing the development of different AOB species, such as N. europaea/eutropha and N. oligotropha groups, which improve the stability of nitritation process. A specific PCR primer set, used to target the 16S rRNA gene of anammox bacteria, confirmed the presence of the Ca. Brocadia fulgida type, able to grow in precence of organic matter and to tolerate high nitrite concentrations. The diversity of denitrifiers was assessed by using dissimilatory nitrite reductase (nirS gene-based analyses, who showed denitifiers were related to different betaproteobacterial genera, such as Thauera, Pseudomonas, Dechloromonas and Aromatoleum, able to assist in forming microbial aggregates. Concerning possible secondary processes, no n-damo bacteria were found while NOB from the genus of Nitrobacter

Short exposure to acetylene to distinguish between nitrifier and denitrifier nitrous oxide production in soil and sediment samples

OpenAIRE

Kester, R.A.; Boer, W. de; Laanbroek, H.J.

1996-01-01

The contribution of nitrifiers and denitrifiers to the nitrous oxide production in slurries of calcareous silt loam and river bank sediment at different oxygen concentrations was determined using acetylene as nitrification inhibitor. The addition of 10 Pa acetylene resulted in inhibition of nitrous oxide production at oxic conditions, but strongly enhanced the nitrous oxide production at oxygen-poor and anoxic conditions. Inhibition of nitrification by short exposure (1 to 24 h) to high conce...

Pyruvic Oxime Nitrification and Copper and Nickel Resistance by a Cupriavidus pauculus, an Active Heterotrophic Nitrifier-Denitrifier

OpenAIRE

Ramirez, Miguel; Obrzydowski, Jennifer; Ayers, Mary; Virparia, Sonia; Wang, Meijing; Stefan, Kurtis; Linchangco, Richard; Castignetti, Domenic

2014-01-01

Heterotrophic nitrifiers synthesize nitrogenous gasses when nitrifying ammonium ion. A Cupriavidus pauculus, previously thought an Alcaligenes sp. and noted as an active heterotrophic nitrifier-denitrifier, was examined for its ability to produce nitrogen gas (N2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) while heterotrophically nitrifying the organic substrate pyruvic oxime [CH3–C(NOH)–COOH]. Neither N2 nor N2O were produced. Nucleotide and phylogenetic analyses indicated that the organism is a member of a g...

Enrichment of Pb, Hg and Cr in cultured carp otolith

African Journals Online (AJOL)

AJL

2012-01-26

Jan 26, 2012 ... converted to certain organic metal compounds under microbial activity, and ... these years, the chosen aquatic organisms are aquatic algae, zooplankton ..... enriched and accumulated in marine animals. In natural water, the ...

The effects of co-contaminants and native wetland sediments on the activity and dominant transformation mechanisms of a 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane (TeCA)-degrading enrichment culture

Science.gov (United States)

Lorah, Michelle M.; Schiffmacher, Emily N.; Becker, Jennifer G.; Voytek, Mary A.

2016-01-01

Bioremediation strategies, including bioaugmentation with chlorinated ethene-degrading enrichment cultures, have been successfully applied in the cleanup of subsurface environments contaminated with tetrachloroethene (PCE) and/or trichloroethene (TCE). However, these compounds are frequently found in the environment as components of mixtures that may also contain chlorinated ethanes and methanes. Under these conditions, the implementation of bioremediation may be complicated by inhibition effects, particularly when multiple dehalorespirers are present. We investigated the ability of the 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane (TeCA)-dechlorinating culture WBC-2 to biotransform TeCA alone, or a mixture of TeCA plus PCE and carbon tetrachloride (CT), in microcosms. The microcosms contained electron donors provided to biostimulate the added culture and sediment collected from a wetland where numerous “hotspots” of contamination with chlorinated solvent mixtures exist. The dominant TeCA biodegradation mechanism mediated by the WBC-2 culture in the microcosms was different in the presence of these wetland sediments than in the sediment-free enrichment culture or in previous WBC-2 bioaugmented microcosms and column tests conducted with wetland sediment collected at nearby sites. The co-contaminants and their daughter products also inhibited TeCA biodegradation by WBC-2. These results highlight the need to conduct biodegradability assays at new sites, particularly when multiple contaminants and dehalorespiring populations are present.

Co-composting of municipal solid waste mixed with matured sewage sludge: The relationship between N2O emissions and denitrifying gene abundance.

Science.gov (United States)

Bian, Rongxing; Sun, Yingjie; Li, Weihua; Ma, Qiang; Chai, Xiaoli

2017-12-01

Aerobic composting is an alternative measure to the disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW). However, it produces nitrous oxide (N 2 O), a highly potent greenhouse via microbial nitrification and denitrification. In this study, the effects of matured sewage sludge (MSS) amendment on N 2 O emissions and the inter-relationships between N 2 O emissions and the abundance of denitrifying bacteria were investigated during aerobic composting of MSW. The results demonstrated that MSW composting with MSS amendments (C1, and C2, with a MSW to MSS ratio of 2:1 and 4:1, (v/v), respectively) significantly increased N 2 O emissions during the initial stage, yet contributed to the mitigation of N 2 O emissions during the cooling and maturation stage. MSS amended composting emitted a total of 18.4%-25.7% less N 2 O than the control treatment without MSS amendment (CK). Matured sewage sludge amendment also significantly altered the abundance of denitrifying bacteria. The quantification of denitrifying functional genes revealed that the N 2 O emission rate had a significant positive correlation with the abundance of the nirS, nirK genes in both treatments with MSS amendment. The nosZ/(nirS + nirK) ratio could be a good indicator for predicting N 2 O emissions. The higher N 2 O emission rate during the initial stage of composting mixed with MSS was characterized by lower nosZ/(nirS + nirK) ratios, compared to CK treatment. Higher ratios of nosZ/(nirS + nirK) were measured during the cooling and maturation stage in treatments with MSS which resulted in a reduction of the N 2 O emissions. These results demonstrated that MSS amendment could be a valid strategy for mitigating N 2 O emissions during MSW composting. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nitrite survival and nitrous oxide production of denitrifying phosphorus removal sludges in long-term nitrite/nitrate-fed sequencing batch reactors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yayi; Zhou, Shuai; Ye, Liu; Wang, Hong; Stephenson, Tom; Jiang, Xuxin

2014-12-15

Nitrite-based phosphorus (P) removal could be useful for innovative biological P removal systems where energy and carbon savings are a priority. However, using nitrite for denitrification may cause nitrous oxide (N2O) accumulation and emissions. A denitrifying nitrite-fed P removal system [Formula: see text] was successfully set up in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) and was run for 210 days. The maximum pulse addition of nitrite to [Formula: see text] was 11 mg NO2(-)-N/L in the bulk, and a total of 34 mg NO2(-)-N/L of nitrite was added over three additions. Fluorescent in situ hybridization results indicated that the P-accumulating organisms (PAOs) abundance was 75 ± 1.1% in [Formula: see text] , approximately 13.6% higher than that in a parallel P removal SBR using nitrate [Formula: see text] . Type II Accumulibacter (PAOII) (unable to use nitrate as an electron acceptor) was the main PAOs species in [Formula: see text] , contributing 72% to total PAOs. Compared with [Formula: see text] , [Formula: see text] biomass had enhanced nitrite/free nitrous acid (FNA) endurance, as demonstrated by its higher nitrite denitrification and P uptake rates. N2O accumulated temporarily in [Formula: see text] after each pulse of nitrite. Peak N2O concentrations in the bulk for [Formula: see text] were generally 6-11 times higher than that in [Formula: see text] ; these accumulations were rapidly denitrified to nitrogen gases. N2O concentration increased rapidly in nitrate-cultivated biomass when 5 or 10 mg NO2(-)-N/L per pulse was added. Whereas, N2O accumulation did not occur in nitrite-cultivated biomass until up to 30 mg NO2(-)-N/L per pulse was added. Long-term acclimation to nitrite and pulse addition of nitrite in [Formula: see text] reduced the risk of nitrite accumulation, and mitigated N2O accumulation and emissions from denitrifying P removal by nitrite. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Porównawcze badania nad występowaniem bakterii w hydroponicznych uprawach sałaty (Lactuca sativa L. z azotanowaą i amonową formą azotu w pożywce [Comparative studies on the occurrence of bacteria in hydroponic cultures of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. enriched with nitrate or ammonia forms of nitrogen in the nutrient medium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. Kobierzyńska-Gołąb

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The experiment demonstrated the greatest number of bacteria on the surface of roots immersed in nutrient solution, next on the epidermis of the parts of roots remaining in the air space above the nutrient solution and on the roots growing in the seed-bed; a smaller number in the seed-bed itself and the smallest number in the nutrient solution. The population of bacteria consisted of up to 90% short rod of bacilli. The total number of bacteria in hydroponic culture with ammonium was higher than in that with nitrate. As a rule the bacteria belonging to the separate physiological groups, participating in nitrogen metabolism (ammonifying, proteolytic, proteinizing, denitrifying and oligonitrophilic bacteria appeared to be more numerus in the culture with ammonium than in that with nitrate. The growth of plants in hydroponic culture with ammonium was weaker than in that with nitrate.

Ammonia tolerant enriched methanogenic cultures as bioaugmentation inocula to alleviate ammonia inhibition in continuous anaerobic reactors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fotidis, Ioannis; Wang, Han; Angelidaki, Irini

Ammonia is the most common inhibitor of anaerobic digestion (AD) process, resulting in suboptimal exploitation of the biogas potential of the feedstocks, causing significant economic losses to the biogas plants. Ammonia is mainly inhibiting the aceticlastic methanogens, while the hydrogenotrophic...... methanogens are more robust to ammonia toxicity effect. It has been shown that bioaugmentation of a pure strain of a hydrogenotrophic methanogen (i.e. Methanoculleus bourgensis) in an ammonia inhibited continuous anaerobic reactor can improve methane production more than 30%. Nevertheless, cultivation...... tolerant methanogenic culture as potential bioaugmentation inoculum in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) operating under “inhibited steady-state”, triggered by high ammonia levels (5 g NH4+-N L-1). The results of the current study established for the first time that bioaugmentation of an enriched...

Denitrifying bacterial communities affect current production and nitrous oxide accumulation in a microbial fuel cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Vilar-Sanz, Ariadna; Puig, Sebastià; García-Lledó, Arantzazu; Trias, Rosalia; Balaguer, M Dolors; Colprim, Jesús; Bañeras, Lluís

2013-01-01

The biocathodic reduction of nitrate in Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) is an alternative to remove nitrogen in low carbon to nitrogen wastewater and relies entirely on microbial activity. In this paper the community composition of denitrifiers in the cathode of a MFC is analysed in relation to added electron acceptors (nitrate and nitrite) and organic matter in the cathode. Nitrate reducers and nitrite reducers were highly affected by the operational conditions and displayed high diversity. The number of retrieved species-level Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) for narG, napA, nirS and nirK genes was 11, 10, 31 and 22, respectively. In contrast, nitrous oxide reducers remained virtually unchanged at all conditions. About 90% of the retrieved nosZ sequences grouped in a single OTU with a high similarity with Oligotropha carboxidovorans nosZ gene. nirS-containing denitrifiers were dominant at all conditions and accounted for a significant amount of the total bacterial density. Current production decreased from 15.0 A · m(-3) NCC (Net Cathodic Compartment), when nitrate was used as an electron acceptor, to 14.1 A · m(-3) NCC in the case of nitrite. Contrarily, nitrous oxide (N2O) accumulation in the MFC was higher when nitrite was used as the main electron acceptor and accounted for 70% of gaseous nitrogen. Relative abundance of nitrite to nitrous oxide reducers, calculated as (qnirS+qnirK)/qnosZ, correlated positively with N2O emissions. Collectively, data indicate that bacteria catalysing the initial denitrification steps in a MFC are highly influenced by main electron acceptors and have a major influence on current production and N2O accumulation.

Effect of carbon dioxide and bicarbonate as inorganic carbon sources on growth and adaptation of autohydrogenotrophic denitrifying bacteria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghafari, Shahin; Hasan, Masitah [Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Aroua, Mohamed Kheireddine [Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)], E-mail: mk_aroua@um.edu.my

2009-03-15

Acclimation of autohydrogenotrophic denitrifying bacteria using inorganic carbon source (CO{sub 2} and bicarbonate) and hydrogen gas as electron donor was performed in this study. In this regard, activated sludge was used as the seed source and sequencing batch reactor (SBR) technique was applied for accomplishing the acclimatization. Three distinct strategies in feeding of carbon sources were applied: (I) continuous sparging of CO{sub 2}, (II) bicarbonate plus continuous sparging of CO{sub 2}, and (III) only bicarbonate. The pH-reducing nature of CO{sub 2} showed an unfavorable impact on denitrification rate; however bicarbonate resulted in a buffered environment in the mixed liquor and provided a suitable mean to maintain the pH in the desirable range of 7-8.2. As a result, bicarbonate as the only carbon source showed a faster adaptation, while carbon dioxide as the only carbon source as well as a complementary carbon source added to bicarbonate resulted in longer acclimation period. Adapted hydrogenotrophic denitrifying bacteria, using bicarbonate and hydrogen gas in the aforementioned pH range, caused denitrification at a rate of 13.33 mg NO{sub 3}{sup -}-N/g MLVSS/h for degrading 20 and 30 mg NO{sub 3}{sup -}-N/L and 9.09 mg NO{sub 3}{sup -}-N/g MLVSS/h for degrading 50 mg NO{sub 3}{sup -}-N/L.

Effect of bioaugmentation by cellulolytic bacteria enriched from sheep rumen on methane production from wheat straw.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozbayram, E Gozde; Kleinsteuber, Sabine; Nikolausz, Marcell; Ince, Bahar; Ince, Orhan

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to determine the potential of bioaugmentation with cellulolytic rumen microbiota to enhance the anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic feedstock. An anaerobic cellulolytic culture was enriched from sheep rumen fluid using wheat straw as substrate under mesophilic conditions. To investigate the effects of bioaugmentation on methane production from straw, the enrichment culture was added to batch reactors in proportions of 2% (Set-1) and 4% (Set-2) of the microbial cell number of the standard inoculum slurry. The methane production in the bioaugmented reactors was higher than in the control reactors. After 30 days of batch incubation, the average methane yield was 154 mL N CH 4 g VS -1 in the control reactors. Addition of 2% enrichment culture did not enhance methane production, whereas in Set-2 the methane yield was increased by 27%. The bacterial communities were examined by 454 amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA genes, while terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) fingerprinting of mcrA genes was applied to analyze the methanogenic communities. The results highlighted that relative abundances of Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae increased during the enrichment. However, Cloacamonaceae, which were abundant in the standard inoculum, dominated the bacterial communities of all batch reactors. T-RFLP profiles revealed that Methanobacteriales were predominant in the rumen fluid, whereas the enrichment culture was dominated by Methanosarcinales. In the batch rectors, the most abundant methanogens were affiliated to Methanobacteriales and Methanomicrobiales. Our results suggest that bioaugmentation with sheep rumen enrichment cultures can enhance the performance of digesters treating lignocellulosic feedstock. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Culturable psychrotolerant methanotrophic bacteria in landfill cover soil].

Science.gov (United States)

Kallistova, A Iu; Montonen, L; Jurgens, G; Munster, U; Kevbrina, M V; Nozhevnikova, A N

2014-01-01

Methanotrophs closely related to psychrotolerant members of the genera Methylobacter and Methylocella were identified in cultures enriched at 10@C from landfill cover soil samples collected in the period from April to November. Mesophilic methanotrophs of the genera Methylobacter and Methylosinus were found in cultures enriched at 20 degrees C from the same cover soil samples. A thermotolerant methanotroph related to Methylocaldum gracile was identified in the culture enriched at 40 degrees C from a sample collected in May (the temperature of the cover soil was 11.5-12.5 degrees C). In addition to methanotrophs, methylobacteria of the genera Methylotenera and Methylovorus and members of the genera Verrucomicrobium, Pseudomonas, Pseudoxanthomonas, Dokdonella, Candidatus Protochlamydia, and Thiorhodospira were also identified in the enrichment cultures. A methanotroph closely related to the psychrotolerant species Methylobacter tundripaludum (98% sequence identity of 16S r-RNA genes with the type strain SV96(T)) was isolated in pure culture. The introduction of a mixture of the methanotrophic enrichments, grown at 15 degrees C, into the landfill cover soil resulted in a decrease in methane emission from the landfill surface in autumn (October, November). The inoculum used was demonstrated to contain methanotrophs closely related to Methylobacter tundripaludum SV96.

Successful enrichment of the ubiquitous freshwater acI Actinobacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Sarahi L; McMahon, Katherine D; Grossart, Hans-Peter; Warnecke, Falk

2014-02-01

Actinobacteria of the acI lineage are often the numerically dominant bacterial phylum in surface freshwaters, where they can account for > 50% of total bacteria. Despite their abundance, there are no described isolates. In an effort to obtain enrichment of these ubiquitous freshwater Actinobacteria, diluted freshwater samples from Lake Grosse Fuchskuhle, Germany, were incubated in 96-well culture plates. With this method, a successful enrichment containing high abundances of a member of the lineage acI was established. Phylogenetic classification showed that the acI Actinobacteria of the enrichment belonged to the acI-B2 tribe, which seems to prefer acidic lakes. This enrichment grows to low cell densities and thus the oligotrophic nature of acI-B2 was confirmed. © 2013 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Selective enrichment of a methanol-utilizing consortium using pulp & paper mill waste streams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gregory R. Mockos; William A. Smith; Frank J. Loge; David N. Thompson

2007-04-01

Efficient utilization of carbon inputs is critical to the economic viability of the current forest products sector. Input carbon losses occur in various locations within a pulp mill, including losses as volatile organics and wastewater . Opportunities exist to capture this carbon in the form of value-added products such as biodegradable polymers. Waste activated sludge from a pulp mill wastewater facility was enriched for 80 days for a methanol-utilizing consortium with the goal of using this consortium to produce biopolymers from methanol-rich pulp mill waste streams. Five enrichment conditions were utilized: three high-methanol streams from the kraft mill foul condensate system, one methanol-amended stream from the mill wastewater plant, and one methanol-only enrichment. Enrichment reactors were operated aerobically in sequencing batch mode at neutral pH and 25°C with a hydraulic residence time and a solids retention time of four days. Non-enriched waste activated sludge did not consume methanol or reduce chemical oxygen demand. With enrichment, however, the chemical oxygen demand reduction over 24 hour feed/decant cycles ranged from 79 to 89 %, and methanol concentrations dropped below method detection limits. Neither the non-enriched waste activated sludge nor any of the enrichment cultures accumulated polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) under conditions of nitrogen sufficiency. Similarly, the non-enriched waste activated sludge did not accumulate PHAs under nitrogen limited conditions. By contrast, enriched cultures accumulated PHAs to nearly 14% on a dry weight basis under nitrogen limited conditions. This indicates that selectively-enriched pulp mill waste activated sludge can serve as an inoculum for PHA production from methanol-rich pulp mill effluents.

Enrichment of glioma stem cell-like cells on 3D porous scaffolds composed of different extracellular matrix.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xuanzhi; Dai, Xingliang; Zhang, Xinzhi; Li, Xinda; Xu, Tao; Lan, Qing

2018-04-15

Cancer stem cells (CSCs), being tumor-initiating with self-renewal capacity and heterogeneity, are most likely the cause of tumor resistance, reoccurrence and metastasis. To further investigate the role of CSCs in tumor biology, there is a need to develop an effective culture system to grow, maintain and enrich CSCs. Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture model has been widely used in tumor research and drug screening. Recently, researchers have begun to utilize 3D models to culture cancer cells for CSCs enrichment. In this study, glioma cell line was cultured with 3D porous chitosan (CS) scaffolds or chitosan-hyaluronic acid (CS-HA) scaffolds to explore the possibility of glioma stem cells (GSCs)-like cells enrichment, to study the morphology, gene expression, and in vivo tumorigenicity of 3D scaffolds cells, and to compare results to 2D controls. Results showed that glioma cells on both CS and CS-HA scaffolds could form tumor cell spheroids and increased the expression of GSCs biomarkers compared to conventional 2D monolayers. Furthermore, cells in CS-HA scaffolds had higher expression levels of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related gene. Specifically, the in vivo tumorigenicity capability of CS-HA scaffold cultured cells was greater than 2D cells or CS scaffold cultured cells. It is indicated that the chemical composition of scaffold plays an important role in the enrichment of CSCs. Our results suggest that CS-HA scaffolds have a better capability to enrich GSCs-like cells and can serve as a simple and effective way to cultivate and enrich CSCs in vitro to support the study of CSCs biology and development of novel anti-cancer therapies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Bubble-Mediated Processes on Nitrous Oxide Dynamics in Denitrifying Bioreactors

Science.gov (United States)

McGuire, P. M.; Falk, L. M.; Reid, M. C.

2017-12-01

To mitigate groundwater and surface water impacts of reactive nitrogen (N), agricultural and stormwater management practices can employ denitrifying bioreactors (DNBs) as low-cost solutions for enhancing N removal. Due to the variable nature of hydrologic events, DNBs experience dynamic flows which can impact physical and biological processes within the reactors and affect performance. A particular concern is incomplete denitrification, which can release the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) to the atmosphere. This study aims to provide insight into the effects of varying hydrologic conditions upon the operation of DNBs by disentangling abiotic and biotic controls on denitrification and N2O dynamics within a laboratory-scale bioreactor. We hypothesize that under transient hydrologic flows, rising water levels lead to air entrapment and bubble formation within the DNB porous media. Mass transfer of oxygen (O2) between trapped gas and liquid phases creates aerobic microenvironments that can inhibit N2O reductase (NosZ) enzymes and lead to N2O accumulation. These bubbles also retard N2O transport and make N2O unavailable for biological reduction, further enhancing atmospheric fluxes when water levels fall. The laboratory-scale DNB permits measurements of longitudinal and vertical profiles of dissolved constituents as well as trace gas concentrations in the reactor headspace. We describe a set of experiments quantifying denitrification pathway biokinetics under steady-state and transient hydrologic conditions and evaluate the role of bubble-mediated processes in enhancing N2O accumulation and fluxes. We use sulfur hexafluoride and helium as dissolved gas tracers to examine the impact of bubble entrapment upon retarded gas transport and enhanced trace gas fluxes. A planar optode sensor within the bioreactor provides near-continuous 2-D profiles of dissolved O2 within the bioreactor and allows for identification of aerobic microenvironments. We use qPCR to

Enrichment of anaerobic syngas-converting bacteria from thermophilic bioreactor sludge.

Science.gov (United States)

Alves, Joana I; Stams, Alfons J M; Plugge, Caroline M; Alves, M Madalena; Sousa, Diana Z

2013-12-01

Thermophilic (55 °C) anaerobic microbial communities were enriched with a synthetic syngas mixture (composed of CO, H2 , and CO2 ) or with CO alone. Cultures T-Syn and T-CO were incubated and successively transferred with syngas (16 transfers) or CO (9 transfers), respectively, with increasing CO partial pressures from 0.09 to 0.88 bar. Culture T-Syn, after 4 successive transfers with syngas, was also incubated with CO and subsequently transferred (9 transfers) with solely this substrate - cultures T-Syn-CO. Incubation with syngas and CO caused a rapid decrease in the microbial diversity of the anaerobic consortium. T-Syn and T-Syn-CO showed identical microbial composition and were dominated by Desulfotomaculum and Caloribacterium species. Incubation initiated with CO resulted in the enrichment of bacteria from the genera Thermincola and Thermoanaerobacter. Methane was detected in the first two to three transfers of T-Syn, but production ceased afterward. Acetate was the main product formed by T-Syn and T-Syn-CO. Enriched T-CO cultures showed a two-phase conversion, in which H2 was formed first and then converted to acetate. This research provides insight into how thermophilic anaerobic communities develop using syngas/CO as sole energy and carbon source can be steered for specific end products and subsequent microbial synthesis of chemicals. © 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nitrogen fixation in denitrified marine waters.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Camila Fernandez

Full Text Available Nitrogen fixation is an essential process that biologically transforms atmospheric dinitrogen gas to ammonia, therefore compensating for nitrogen losses occurring via denitrification and anammox. Currently, inputs and losses of nitrogen to the ocean resulting from these processes are thought to be spatially separated: nitrogen fixation takes place primarily in open ocean environments (mainly through diazotrophic cyanobacteria, whereas nitrogen losses occur in oxygen-depleted intermediate waters and sediments (mostly via denitrifying and anammox bacteria. Here we report on rates of nitrogen fixation obtained during two oceanographic cruises in 2005 and 2007 in the eastern tropical South Pacific (ETSP, a region characterized by the presence of coastal upwelling and a major permanent oxygen minimum zone (OMZ. Our results show significant rates of nitrogen fixation in the water column; however, integrated rates from the surface down to 120 m varied by ∼30 fold between cruises (7.5±4.6 versus 190±82.3 µmol m(-2 d(-1. Moreover, rates were measured down to 400 m depth in 2007, indicating that the contribution to the integrated rates of the subsurface oxygen-deficient layer was ∼5 times higher (574±294 µmol m(-2 d(-1 than the oxic euphotic layer (48±68 µmol m(-2 d(-1. Concurrent molecular measurements detected the dinitrogenase reductase gene nifH in surface and subsurface waters. Phylogenetic analysis of the nifH sequences showed the presence of a diverse diazotrophic community at the time of the highest measured nitrogen fixation rates. Our results thus demonstrate the occurrence of nitrogen fixation in nutrient-rich coastal upwelling systems and, importantly, within the underlying OMZ. They also suggest that nitrogen fixation is a widespread process that can sporadically provide a supplementary source of fixed nitrogen in these regions.

Nitrogen Fixation in Denitrified Marine Waters

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez, Camila; Farías, Laura; Ulloa, Osvaldo

2011-01-01

Nitrogen fixation is an essential process that biologically transforms atmospheric dinitrogen gas to ammonia, therefore compensating for nitrogen losses occurring via denitrification and anammox. Currently, inputs and losses of nitrogen to the ocean resulting from these processes are thought to be spatially separated: nitrogen fixation takes place primarily in open ocean environments (mainly through diazotrophic cyanobacteria), whereas nitrogen losses occur in oxygen-depleted intermediate waters and sediments (mostly via denitrifying and anammox bacteria). Here we report on rates of nitrogen fixation obtained during two oceanographic cruises in 2005 and 2007 in the eastern tropical South Pacific (ETSP), a region characterized by the presence of coastal upwelling and a major permanent oxygen minimum zone (OMZ). Our results show significant rates of nitrogen fixation in the water column; however, integrated rates from the surface down to 120 m varied by ∼30 fold between cruises (7.5±4.6 versus 190±82.3 µmol m−2 d−1). Moreover, rates were measured down to 400 m depth in 2007, indicating that the contribution to the integrated rates of the subsurface oxygen-deficient layer was ∼5 times higher (574±294 µmol m−2 d−1) than the oxic euphotic layer (48±68 µmol m−2 d−1). Concurrent molecular measurements detected the dinitrogenase reductase gene nifH in surface and subsurface waters. Phylogenetic analysis of the nifH sequences showed the presence of a diverse diazotrophic community at the time of the highest measured nitrogen fixation rates. Our results thus demonstrate the occurrence of nitrogen fixation in nutrient-rich coastal upwelling systems and, importantly, within the underlying OMZ. They also suggest that nitrogen fixation is a widespread process that can sporadically provide a supplementary source of fixed nitrogen in these regions. PMID:21687726

Indices, multispecies and synthesis descriptors in benthic assessments: Intertidal organic enrichment from oyster farming

Science.gov (United States)

Quintino, Victor; Azevedo, Ana; Magalhães, Luísa; Sampaio, Leandro; Freitas, Rosa; Rodrigues, Ana Maria; Elliott, Michael

2012-09-01

Intertidal off-bottom oyster culture is shown to cause organic enrichment of the shore and although there are two stressors of interest (the presence of a structure, the trestles, and also the sediment and organic waste from the oysters), these can be separated and their relative impacts determined using an appropriate nested experimental design and data treatments. Although no artificial food sources are involved, the oysters feeding activity and intensity of culture enhances biodeposition and significantly increases the sediment fines content and total organic matter. This in general impoverished the benthic community in culture areas rather than a species succession with the installation of opportunists or a resulting increase in the abundance and biomass of benthic species; the findings can be a direct consequence of the intertidal situation which is less-amenable recruitment of species more common to the subtidal environment. Thus the most appropriate biological descriptors to diagnose the effects associated with the organic enrichment were the multispecies abundance data as well as the primary biological variables species richness and abundance. The effects were however spatially and statistically significantly confined to the area located directly underneath the culture bags compared to the corridors located between the trestles, which do not show such enrichment effects. Synthesis biotic indices were much less effective to diagnose the benthic alterations associated with this organic enrichment. These results show that special attention must be paid when using indices in areas where the organic enrichment induces an impoverishment of the benthic community but not necessarily a species replacement with the installation of opportunists.

[Hydroxylamine conversion by anammox enrichment].

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Anhui; Zheng, Ping; Lu, Huifeng; Ding, Shuang; Wang, Caihua

2010-04-01

Hydroxylamine is an important intermediate product of anammox. This study was focused on the characteristics of hydroxylamine and nitrite conversions by anammox enrichment. The changes of nitrogenous substrates and related products with time were measured using batch tests with anammox enrichment as inoculum. Since hydroxylamine didn't react with nitrite in uninoculated control culture, these two compounds were chemically stable. Both of them decreased with time in anammox enrichment inoculated cultures, in which ammonia as intermediate product would be produced and converted with the maximum concentration being 0.338 mg/L. The total nitrogen concentration decreased from 4.694 mmol/L to 0.812 mmol/L with conversion rate 82.7% in the end. When hydroxylamine and nitrite concentrations were about 2.5 mmol/L respectively, the maximum specific sludge conversion rates of hydroxylamine was 0.535 mmol/(gVSS.h), which was 1.81 times bigger than that of ammonia in ammonia reaction system; the maximum specific sludge rate of total nitrogen was slightly higher than that in ammonia reaction system. When hydroxylamine concentration increased to 5.0 mmol/L, the hydroxylamine and nitrite conversion rates promoted by 26.7% and 120.7% respectively; and the maximum ammonia accumulated was 1.810 mmol/L. When nitrite concentration increased to 5.0 mmol/L, the hydroxylamine and nitrite conversion rates promoted by 6.9% and 9.0% respectively; and the maximum ammonia accumulated was 0.795 mmol/L. Anammox enrichment was capable of converting hydroxylamine and nitrite simultaneously and had the higher conversion rate of hydroxylamine than ammonia conversion rate. Hydroxylamine and nitrite conversion rates were less affected by increase in nitrite concentration, but more significantly influenced by increase in hydroxylamine. The maximum ammonia concentration accumulated would rise as the result of increasing both hydroxylamine and nitrite. The result of experiment was consistent with pathway

Detection of toxigenic vibrio cholera from environmental water samples by an enrichment broth cultivation-pit-stop semi-nested PCR procedure

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Theron, J

2000-09-01

Full Text Available V. cholerae. The PCR procedure coupled with an enrichment culture detected as few as four V. cholerae organisms in pure culture. Treated sewage, surface, ground and drinking water samples were seeded with V, cholerae and following enrichment, a...

N2O-reducing activity of soil amended with organic and inorganic enrichments under flooded conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alicja Księżopolska

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Changes, apparent after investigation, in the physical and chemical properties in soil, as a result of organic and inorganic enrichments under flooded conditions, influence the growth of denitrifiers. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the addition of manure (8 kg m−2 (M, clay (50 kg m−2 (CL and lime (1.12 kg m−2 (Ca on the N2O-reducing activity (N2O-RA of sandy loam soil (clay content - 24 % in 0-20 cm, during NO3 reduction under flooding. The soil samples were taken from field plots after 3 years of enrichment with grass cultivation. The enrichments had a distinct effect on the N2O-RA and N2O-released, due to the change in pH, the porosity, and the sorptive properties of the soil. The pH had the greatest impact on the N2O-RA of the soil and ranged from 4.9 to 7.6. For actual denitrification to N2O-realized (aD-N2O, the maximum N2O-releasing (mcN2O-releasing followed the order: 1.36 for the M-treatment, 6.39 for the M+CL+Ca-treatment, 7.79 for the c-soil and 8.69 N2O-N mg kg−1 for the M+CL-treatment. For actual denitrification (aD, the mcN2O-releasing was followed the order: 10.37 for the M-treatment, 10.49 for the control soil, 14.60 for the M+CL+Ca-treatment and 20.00 N2O-N mg kg−1 for the M+CL-treatment. The N2O-RA of the soil samples increased as pH increased. The average N2O/N2+N2O ratio and the N2O-RA of the soil samples increased in the following order: M+CL, control soil, M+CL+Ca, M-enrichments. The addition of enrichments did not pose a threat to the environment due to increased N2O emissions, but as regards conserving NO3− in the soil, the addition of clay distinctly increased the complete denitrification process.

Nitrate Removal Rates in Denitrifying Bioreactors During Storm Flows

Science.gov (United States)

Pluer, W.; Walter, T.

2017-12-01

Field denitrifying bioreactors are designed to reduce excess nitrate (NO3-) pollution in runoff from agricultural fields. Field bioreactors saturate organic matter to create conditions that facilitate microbial denitrification. Prior studies using steady flow in lab-scale bioreactors showed that a hydraulic retention time (HRT) between 4 and 10 hours was optimal for reducing NO3- loads. However, during storm-induced events, flow rate and actual HRT fluctuate. These fluctuations have the potential to disrupt the system in significant ways that are not captured by the idealized steady-flow HRT models. The goal of this study was to investigate removal rate during dynamic storm flows of variable rates and durations. Our results indicate that storm peak flow and duration were not significant controlling variables. Instead, we found high correlations (p=0.004) in average removal rates between bioreactors displaying a predominantly uniform flow pattern compared with bioreactors that exhibited preferential flow (24.4 and 21.4 g N m-3 d-1, respectively). This suggests that the internal flow patterns are a more significant driver of removal rate than external factors of the storm hydrograph. Designing for flow patterns in addition to theoretical HRT will facilitate complete mixing within the bioreactors. This will help maximize excess NO3- removal during large storm-induced runoff events.

Evaluation of simultaneous nutrient and COD removal with polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) accumulation using mixed microbial consortia under anoxic condition and their bioinformatics analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Jena, Jyotsnarani; Kumar, Ravindra; Dixit, Anshuman; Pandey, Sony; Das, Trupti

2015-01-01

Simultaneous nitrate-N, phosphate and COD removal was evaluated from synthetic waste water using mixed microbial consortia in an anoxic environment under various initial carbon load (ICL) in a batch scale reactor system. Within 6 hours of incubation, enriched DNPAOs (Denitrifying Polyphosphate Accumulating Microorganisms) were able to remove maximum COD (87%) at 2 g/L of ICL whereas maximum nitrate-N (97%) and phosphate (87%) removal along with PHB accumulation (49 mg/L) was achieved at 8 g/L of ICL. Exhaustion of nitrate-N, beyond 6 hours of incubation, had a detrimental effect on COD and phosphate removal rate. Fresh supply of nitrate-N to the reaction medium, beyond 6 hours, helped revive the removal rates of both COD and phosphate. Therefore, it was apparent that in spite of a high carbon load, maximum COD and nutrient removal can be maintained, with adequate nitrate-N availability. Denitrifying condition in the medium was evident from an increasing pH trend. PHB accumulation by the mixed culture was directly proportional to ICL; however the time taken for accumulation at higher ICL was more. Unlike conventional EBPR, PHB depletion did not support phosphate accumulation in this case. The unique aspect of all the batch studies were PHB accumulation was observed along with phosphate uptake and nitrate reduction under anoxic conditions. Bioinformatics analysis followed by pyrosequencing of the mixed culture DNA from the seed sludge revealed the dominance of denitrifying population, such as Corynebacterium, Rhodocyclus and Paraccocus (Alphaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria). Rarefaction curve indicated complete bacterial population and corresponding number of OTUs through sequence analysis. Chao1 and Shannon index (H') was used to study the diversity of sampling. "UCI95" and "LCI95" indicated 95% confidence level of upper and lower values of Chao1 for each distance. Values of Chao1 index supported the results of rarefaction curve.

Evaluation of simultaneous nutrient and COD removal with polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB accumulation using mixed microbial consortia under anoxic condition and their bioinformatics analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jyotsnarani Jena

Full Text Available Simultaneous nitrate-N, phosphate and COD removal was evaluated from synthetic waste water using mixed microbial consortia in an anoxic environment under various initial carbon load (ICL in a batch scale reactor system. Within 6 hours of incubation, enriched DNPAOs (Denitrifying Polyphosphate Accumulating Microorganisms were able to remove maximum COD (87% at 2 g/L of ICL whereas maximum nitrate-N (97% and phosphate (87% removal along with PHB accumulation (49 mg/L was achieved at 8 g/L of ICL. Exhaustion of nitrate-N, beyond 6 hours of incubation, had a detrimental effect on COD and phosphate removal rate. Fresh supply of nitrate-N to the reaction medium, beyond 6 hours, helped revive the removal rates of both COD and phosphate. Therefore, it was apparent that in spite of a high carbon load, maximum COD and nutrient removal can be maintained, with adequate nitrate-N availability. Denitrifying condition in the medium was evident from an increasing pH trend. PHB accumulation by the mixed culture was directly proportional to ICL; however the time taken for accumulation at higher ICL was more. Unlike conventional EBPR, PHB depletion did not support phosphate accumulation in this case. The unique aspect of all the batch studies were PHB accumulation was observed along with phosphate uptake and nitrate reduction under anoxic conditions. Bioinformatics analysis followed by pyrosequencing of the mixed culture DNA from the seed sludge revealed the dominance of denitrifying population, such as Corynebacterium, Rhodocyclus and Paraccocus (Alphaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria. Rarefaction curve indicated complete bacterial population and corresponding number of OTUs through sequence analysis. Chao1 and Shannon index (H' was used to study the diversity of sampling. "UCI95" and "LCI95" indicated 95% confidence level of upper and lower values of Chao1 for each distance. Values of Chao1 index supported the results of rarefaction curve.

Stable acetate production in extreme-thermophilic (70°C) mixed culture fermentation by selective enrichment of hydrogenotrophic methanogens

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Fang; Zhang, Yan; Ding, Jing; Dai, Kun; van Loosdrecht, Mark C. M.; Zeng, Raymond J.

2014-06-01

The control of metabolite production is difficult in mixed culture fermentation. This is particularly related to hydrogen inhibition. In this work, hydrogenotrophic methanogens were selectively enriched to reduce the hydrogen partial pressure and to realize efficient acetate production in extreme-thermophilic (70°C) mixed culture fermentation. The continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) was stable operated during 100 days, in which acetate accounted for more than 90% of metabolites in liquid solutions. The yields of acetate, methane and biomass in CSTR were 1.5 +/- 0.06, 1.0 +/- 0.13 and 0.4 +/- 0.05 mol/mol glucose, respectively, close to the theoretical expected values. The CSTR effluent was stable and no further conversion occurred when incubated for 14 days in a batch reactor. In fed-batch experiments, acetate could be produced up to 34.4 g/L, significantly higher than observed in common hydrogen producing fermentations. Acetate also accounted for more than 90% of soluble products formed in these fed-batch fermentations. The microbial community analysis revealed hydrogenotrophic methanogens (mainly Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus and Methanobacterium thermoaggregans) as 98% of Archaea, confirming that high temperature will select hydrogenotrophic methanogens over aceticlastic methanogens effectively. This work demonstrated a potential application to effectively produce acetate as a value chemical and methane as an energy gas together via mixed culture fermentation.

Anaerobic degradation of benzene by enriched consortia with humic acids as terminal electron acceptors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cervantes, Francisco J., E-mail: fjcervantes@ipicyt.edu.mx [Division de Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto Potosino de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica (IPICyT), Camino a la Presa San Jose 2055, Col. Lomas 4a. Seccion, San Luis Potosi, SLP, 78216 Mexico (Mexico); Mancilla, Ana Rosa; Toro, E. Emilia Rios-del [Division de Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto Potosino de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica (IPICyT), Camino a la Presa San Jose 2055, Col. Lomas 4a. Seccion, San Luis Potosi, SLP, 78216 Mexico (Mexico); Alpuche-Solis, Angel G.; Montoya-Lorenzana, Lilia [Division de Biologia Molecular, Instituto Potosino de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica (IPICyT), Camino a la Presa San Jose 2055, Col. Lomas 4a. Seccion, San Luis Potosi, SLP, 78216 Mexico (Mexico)

2011-11-15

Highlights: {yields} Enriched consortia were able to couple the anaerobic degradation of benzene to the reduction of humic acids. {yields} Electron-equivalents derived from anaerobic benzene oxidation were highly recovered as reduced humic acids. {yields} Several species from classes {beta}-, {delta}- and {gamma}-Proteobacteria were enriched during the anaerobic degradation of benzene. - Abstract: The anaerobic degradation of benzene coupled to the reduction of humic acids (HA) was demonstrated in two enriched consortia. Both inocula were able to oxidize benzene under strict anaerobic conditions when the humic model compound, anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS), was supplied as terminal electron acceptor. An enrichment culture originated from a contaminated soil was also able to oxidize benzene linked to the reduction of highly purified soil humic acids (HPSHA). In HPSHA-amended cultures, 9.3 {mu}M of benzene were degraded, which corresponds to 279 {+-} 27 micro-electron equivalents ({mu}Eq) L{sup -1}, linked to the reduction of 619 {+-} 81 {mu}Eq L{sup -1} of HPSHA. Neither anaerobic benzene oxidation nor reduction of HPSHA occurred in sterilized controls. Anaerobic benzene oxidation did not occur in soil incubations lacking HPSHA. Furthermore, negligible reduction of HPSHA occurred in the absence of benzene. The enrichment culture derived from this soil was dominated by two {gamma}-Proteobacteria phylotypes. A benzene-degrading AQDS-reducing enrichment originated from a sediment sample showed the prevalence of different species from classes {beta}-, {delta}- and {gamma}-Proteobacteria. The present study provides clear quantitative demonstration of anaerobic degradation of benzene coupled to the reduction of HA.

Anaerobic degradation of benzene by enriched consortia with humic acids as terminal electron acceptors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cervantes, Francisco J.; Mancilla, Ana Rosa; Toro, E. Emilia Rios-del; Alpuche-Solis, Angel G.; Montoya-Lorenzana, Lilia

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Enriched consortia were able to couple the anaerobic degradation of benzene to the reduction of humic acids. → Electron-equivalents derived from anaerobic benzene oxidation were highly recovered as reduced humic acids. → Several species from classes β-, δ- and γ-Proteobacteria were enriched during the anaerobic degradation of benzene. - Abstract: The anaerobic degradation of benzene coupled to the reduction of humic acids (HA) was demonstrated in two enriched consortia. Both inocula were able to oxidize benzene under strict anaerobic conditions when the humic model compound, anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS), was supplied as terminal electron acceptor. An enrichment culture originated from a contaminated soil was also able to oxidize benzene linked to the reduction of highly purified soil humic acids (HPSHA). In HPSHA-amended cultures, 9.3 μM of benzene were degraded, which corresponds to 279 ± 27 micro-electron equivalents (μEq) L -1 , linked to the reduction of 619 ± 81 μEq L -1 of HPSHA. Neither anaerobic benzene oxidation nor reduction of HPSHA occurred in sterilized controls. Anaerobic benzene oxidation did not occur in soil incubations lacking HPSHA. Furthermore, negligible reduction of HPSHA occurred in the absence of benzene. The enrichment culture derived from this soil was dominated by two γ-Proteobacteria phylotypes. A benzene-degrading AQDS-reducing enrichment originated from a sediment sample showed the prevalence of different species from classes β-, δ- and γ-Proteobacteria. The present study provides clear quantitative demonstration of anaerobic degradation of benzene coupled to the reduction of HA.

Enrichment of Thermophilic Propionate-Oxidizing Bacteria in Syntrophy with Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum or Methanobacterium thermoformicicum

OpenAIRE

Stams, Alfons J. M.; Grolle, Katja C. F.; Frijters, Carla T. M.; Van Lier, Jules B.

1992-01-01

Thermophilic propionate-oxidizing, proton-reducing bacteria were enriched from the granular methanogenic sludge of a bench-scale upflow anaerobic sludge bed reactor operated at 55°C with a mixture of volatile fatty acids as feed. Thermophilic hydrogenotrophic methanogens had a high decay rate. Therefore, stable, thermophilic propionate-oxidizing cultures could not be obtained by using the usual enrichment procedures. Stable and reproducible cultivation was possible by enrichment in hydrogen-p...

Deep nirS amplicon sequencing of San Francisco Bay sediments enables prediction of geography and environmental conditions from denitrifying community composition.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jessica A; Francis, Christopher A

2017-12-01

Denitrification is a dominant nitrogen loss process in the sediments of San Francisco Bay. In this study, we sought to understand the ecology of denitrifying bacteria by using next-generation sequencing (NGS) to survey the diversity of a denitrification functional gene, nirS (encoding cytchrome-cd 1 nitrite reductase), along the salinity gradient of San Francisco Bay over the course of a year. We compared our dataset to a library of nirS sequences obtained previously from the same samples by standard PCR cloning and Sanger sequencing, and showed that both methods similarly demonstrated geography, salinity and, to a lesser extent, nitrogen, to be strong determinants of community composition. Furthermore, the depth afforded by NGS enabled novel techniques for measuring the association between environment and community composition. We used Random Forests modelling to demonstrate that the site and salinity of a sample could be predicted from its nirS sequences, and to identify indicator taxa associated with those environmental characteristics. This work contributes significantly to our understanding of the distribution and dynamics of denitrifying communities in San Francisco Bay, and provides valuable tools for the further study of this key N-cycling guild in all estuarine systems. © 2017 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Enriching Metal-Oxidizing Microbes from Marine Sediment on Cathodic Currents

Science.gov (United States)

Rowe, A. R.; Nealson, K. H.

2013-12-01

The ability of organisms to transfer electrons to and from substrates outside the cell is reshaping the way we look at microbial respiration. While this process, termed extracellular electron transport (EET), has been described in a number of metal reducing organisms, current evidence suggests that this process is widespread in nature and across physiologies. Additionally, it has been speculated that these previously overlooked electrochemical interactions may play an important role in global biogeochemical cycles. Requirements for EET could play a role in why the ';uncultured majority' have so far been resistant to culturing. As such, we are currently developing culturing techniques to target microbes capable of utilizing insoluble electron acceptors utilizing electrochemical techniques. Microbe-electrode interactions are analogous to the reactions that occur between microbes and minerals and may provide an apt way to mimic the environmental conditions (i.e., insoluble electron donor/acceptor at specific redox potentials) required for culturing specialized or EET dependent metabolisms. It has been previously demonstrated that aquatic sediments are capable of utilizing anodes as electron acceptors, thereby generating a current. While, it is known that microbes utilize electrons from a cathode for the reduction of different metals and oxygen in microbial fuel cells, currently there are no reports of environmental enrichments of microbes using cathodes. Replicate microcosms from marine sediments (sampled from Catalina Harbor, California) were incubated with ITO plated glass electrodes. Negative current production at -400mV (vs. Ag/AgCl reference electrodes) potentials was sustained for four weeks. Secondary enrichments were then constructed using the cathode as the primary electron source and a variety of anaerobic terminal electron acceptors--Nitrate, Fe3+, and SO42-. Positive current was maintained in enrichment cultures (compared to abiotic control containing

Multiplexed Single Intact Cell Droplet Digital PCR (MuSIC ddPCR) Method for Specific Detection of Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) in Food Enrichment Cultures

OpenAIRE

McMahon, Tanis C.; Blais, Burton W.; Wong, Alex; Carrillo, Catherine D.

2017-01-01

Foodborne illness attributed to enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), a highly pathogenic subset of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), is increasingly recognized as a significant public health issue. Current microbiological methods for identification of EHEC in foods often use PCR-based approaches to screen enrichment broth cultures for characteristic gene markers [i.e., Shiga toxin (stx) and intimin (eae)]. However, false positives arise when complex food matrices, such as beef, contain mixtu...

Anaerobic degradation of propane and butane by sulfate-reducing bacteria enriched from marine hydrocarbon cold seeps.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaekel, Ulrike; Musat, Niculina; Adam, Birgit; Kuypers, Marcel; Grundmann, Olav; Musat, Florin

2013-05-01

The short-chain, non-methane hydrocarbons propane and butane can contribute significantly to the carbon and sulfur cycles in marine environments affected by oil or natural gas seepage. In the present study, we enriched and identified novel propane and butane-degrading sulfate reducers from marine oil and gas cold seeps in the Gulf of Mexico and Hydrate Ridge. The enrichment cultures obtained were able to degrade simultaneously propane and butane, but not other gaseous alkanes. They were cold-adapted, showing highest sulfate-reduction rates between 16 and 20 °C. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene libraries, followed by whole-cell hybridizations with sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes showed that each enrichment culture was dominated by a unique phylotype affiliated with the Desulfosarcina-Desulfococcus cluster within the Deltaproteobacteria. These phylotypes formed a distinct phylogenetic cluster of propane and butane degraders, including sequences from environments associated with hydrocarbon seeps. Incubations with (13)C-labeled substrates, hybridizations with sequence-specific probes and nanoSIMS analyses showed that cells of the dominant phylotypes were the first to become enriched in (13)C, demonstrating that they were directly involved in hydrocarbon degradation. Furthermore, using the nanoSIMS data, carbon assimilation rates were calculated for the dominant cells in each enrichment culture.

Heterotrophic ammonium removal characteristics of an aerobic heterotrophic nitrifying-denitrifying bacterium, Providencia rettgeri YL

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

TAYLOR Shauna M; HE Yiliang; ZHAO Bin; HUANG Jue

2009-01-01

Bacterium Providencia rettgeri YL was found to exhibit an unusual ability to heterotrophically nitrify and aerobically denitrify various concentrations of ammonium (NH4+-N). In order to further analyze its removal ability, several experiments were conducted to identify the growth and ammonium removal response in different carbon to nitrogen (C/N) mass ratios, shaking speeds, temperatures, ammonium concentrations and to qualitatively verify the production of nitrogen gas using gas chromatography techniques. Results showed that under optimum conditions (C/N 10, 30℃, 120 r/min), YL can significantly remove low and high concentrations of ammonium within 12 to 48 h of growth. The nitrification products hydroxylamine (NH2OH), nitrite (NO2-) and nitrate (NO3-) as well as the denitrification product, nitrogen gas (N2), were detected under completely aerobic conditions.

Denitrifying sulfide removal process on high-salinity wastewaters in the presence of Halomonas sp.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chunshuang; Zhao, Dongfeng; Ma, Wenjuan; Guo, Yadong; Wang, Aijie; Wang, Qilin; Lee, Duu-Jong

2016-02-01

Biological conversion of sulfide, acetate, and nitrate to, respectively, elemental sulfur (S(0)), carbon dioxide, and nitrogen-containing gas (such as N2) at NaCl concentration of 35-70 g/L was achieved in an expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactor. A C/N ratio of 1:1 was noted to achieve high sulfide removal and S(0) conversion rate at high salinity. The extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) quantities were increased with NaCl concentration, being 11.4-mg/g volatile-suspended solids at 70 mg/L NaCl. The denitrifying sulfide removal (DSR) consortium incorporated Thauera sp. and Halomonas sp. as the heterotrophs and Azoarcus sp. being the autotrophs at high salinity condition. Halomonas sp. correlates with the enhanced DSR performance at high salinity.

Reductive dehalogenation of polychlorinated biphenyls by anaerobic microorganisms enriched from Dutch sediments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

HartkampCommandeur, LCM; Gerritse, J; Govers, HAJ; Parsons, [No Value

The dehalogenation of PCBs by anaerobic microbial cultures enriched from Dutch sediments was investigated. One mixed culture originating from estuarine sediments of the River Rhine (the Chemie Harbour), dehalogenated 2,2',3,3',4,4'- and 2,2,',3,3',6,6'-hexachlorobiphenyls (HCB) to yield penta- and

Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea Are More Resistant Than Denitrifiers to Seasonal Precipitation Changes in an Acidic Subtropical Forest Soil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jie Chen

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Seasonal precipitation changes are increasingly severe in subtropical areas. However, the responses of soil nitrogen (N cycle and its associated functional microorganisms to such precipitation changes remain unclear. In this study, two projected precipitation patterns were manipulated: intensifying the dry-season drought (DD and extending the dry-season duration (ED but increasing the wet-season storms following the DD and ED treatment period. The effects of these two contrasting precipitation patterns on soil net N transformation rates and functional gene abundances were quantitatively assessed through a resistance index. Results showed that the resistance index of functional microbial abundance (-0.03 ± 0.08 was much lower than that of the net N transformation rate (0.55 ± 0.02 throughout the experiment, indicating that microbial abundance was more responsive to precipitation changes compared with the N transformation rate. Spring drought under the ED treatment significantly increased the abundances of both nitrifying (amoA and denitrifying genes (nirK, nirS, and nosZ, while changes in these gene abundances overlapped largely with control treatment during droughts in the dry season. Interestingly, the resistance index of the ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA amoA abundance was significantly higher than that of the denitrifying gene abundances, suggesting that AOA were more resistant to the precipitation changes. This was attributed to the stronger environmental adaptability and higher resource utilization efficiency of the AOA community, as indicated by the lack of correlations between AOA gene abundance and environmental factors [i.e., soil water content, ammonium (NH4+ and dissolved organic carbon concentrations] during the experiment.

Enrichment of anammox bacteria fro marine environment for the construction of a bioremediation reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakajima, Jun; Sakka, Makiko; Kimura, Tetsuya; Sakka, Kazuo [Mie Univ., Tsu (Japan). Graduate School of Bioresources; Furukawa, Kenji [Kumamoto Univ. (Japan). Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture

2008-01-15

In the global ocean nitrogen cycle, the anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) process is recognized as important. In this study, we established an enrichment culture of marine anammox bacteria (MAB) in a column-type reactor. The reactor, which included a porous polyester non-woven fabric that had been placed at the sea floor in advance for enrichment, was continuously fed with NH{sub 4}Cl and NaNO{sub 2} for more than 1 year. Anammox activity in the MAB reactor was confirmed by {sup 15}N tracer analysis using {sup 15}NH{sub 4}Cl and Na{sup 14}NO{sub 2}. We identified two 16S rRNA genes in the amplified DNA fragments derived from MAB, which were highly homologous with those from Candidatus ''Scalindua wagneri'' and an uncultured planctomycete clone. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis using an anammox-specific probe also confirmed that MAB predominated in the reactor. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the establishment of an enrichment culture of anammox bacteria from the marine environment using a continuous culture system. (orig.)

Establishment of a Methanogenic Benzene-Degrading Culture and its Implication in Bioremediation

Science.gov (United States)

Qiao, W.; Luo, F.; Bawa, N.; Guo, S.; Ye, S.; Edwards, E.

2017-12-01

Benzene is a known human carcinogen and it is a common pollutant in groundwater, mainly resulting from petrochemical industry. Anaerobic degradation of benzene has significant advantages over aerobic processes for in situ bioremediation. In this study, new methanogenic and sulfate-reducing benzene degrading cultures have been enriched. Microbial community composition was characterized with two other previously established benzene-degrading cultures, and their potential use in bioaugmentation is investigated. In this study, a lab microcosm study was conducted anaerobically with contaminated soil and groundwater from a former chemical plant. Benzene degradation was observed in the presence of co-contaminants and electron donor. Through repetitive amendment of benzene, two enrichment cultures have been developed under sulfate and methanogenic conditions. Results from DNA amplicon sequencing and qPCR analysis revealed that an organism similar to previously described benzene-degrading Deltaproteobacterium has been enriched. The microbial community of this culture was compared with other two methanogenic benzene-degrading enrichment cultures that were derived from an oil refinery and a decommissioned gasoline station, and have been maintained for decades. Deltaproteobacterium ORM2-like microbes were dominate in all enrichment cultures, which brought to light benzene-degrading microbes, ORM2 were enriched under different geological conditions distributed around the world. The relative abundance of methanogens was much lower compared to previously established cultures, although substantial amount of methane was produced. The peripheral organisms also vary. To investigate effectiveness of using ORM2-dominant enrichment cultures in bioremediation, microcosm studies were set up using contaminated materials, and a ORM2-dominating methanogenic benzene-degrading culture was used for bioaugmentation. Results revealed that benzene degradation was speeded up under methanogenic or

Real-time pathogen monitoring during enrichment: a novel nanotechnology-based approach to food safety testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Weidemaier, Kristin; Carruthers, Erin; Curry, Adam; Kuroda, Melody; Fallows, Eric; Thomas, Joseph; Sherman, Douglas; Muldoon, Mark

2015-04-02

We describe a new approach for the real-time detection and identification of pathogens in food and environmental samples undergoing culture. Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) nanoparticles are combined with a novel homogeneous immunoassay to allow sensitive detection of pathogens in complex samples such as stomached food without the need for wash steps or extensive sample preparation. SERS-labeled immunoassay reagents are present in the cultural enrichment vessel, and the signal is monitored real-time through the wall of the vessel while culture is ongoing. This continuous monitoring of pathogen load throughout the enrichment process enables rapid, hands-free detection of food pathogens. Furthermore, the integration of the food pathogen immunoassay directly into the enrichment vessel enables fully biocontained food safety testing, thereby significantly reducing the risk of contaminating the surrounding environment with enriched pathogens. Here, we present experimental results showing the detection of E. coli, Salmonella, or Listeria in several matrices (raw ground beef, raw ground poultry, chocolate milk, tuna salad, spinach, brie cheese, hot dogs, deli turkey, orange juice, cola, and swabs and sponges used to sample a stainless steel surface) using the SERS system and demonstrate the accuracy of the approach compared to plating results. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Insight into the effects of biochar on manure composting: evidence supporting the relationship between N2O emission and denitrifying community.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Cheng; Lu, Haohao; Dong, Da; Deng, Hui; Strong, P J; Wang, Hailong; Wu, Weixiang

2013-07-02

Although nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from composting contribute to the accelerated greenhouse effect, it is difficult to implement practical methods to mitigate these emissions. In this study, the effects of biochar amendment during pig manure composting were investigated to evaluate the inter-relationships between N2O emission and the abundance of denitrifying bacteria. Analytical results from two pilot composting treatments with (PWSB, pig manure + wood chips + sawdust + biochar) or without (PWS, pig manure + wood chips + sawdust) biochar (3% w/w) demonstrated that biochar amendment not only lowered NO2(-)-N concentrations but also lowered the total N2O emissions from pig manure composting, especially during the later stages. Quantification of functional genes involved in denitrification and Spearman rank correlations matrix revealed that the N2O emission rates correlated with the abundance of nosZ, nirK, and nirS genes. Biochar-amended pig manure had a higher pH and a lower moisture content. Biochar amendment altered the abundance of denitrifying bacteria significantly; less N2O-producing and more N2O-consuming bacteria were present in the PWSB, and this significantly lowered N2O emissions in the maturation phase. Together, the results demonstrate that biochar amendment could be a novel greenhouse gas mitigation strategy during pig manure composting.

DRIVERS OF THE DYNAMICS OF DIAZOTROPHS AND DENITRIFIERS IN NORTH SEA BOTTOM WATERS AND SEDIMENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucas eStal

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The fixation of dinitrogen (N2 and denitrification are two opposite processes in the nitrogen cycle. The former transfers atmospheric dinitrogen gas into bound nitrogen in the biosphere, while the latter returns this bound nitrogen back to atmospheric dinitrogen. It is unclear whether or not these processes are intimately connected in any microbial ecosystem or that they are spatially and/or temporally separated. Here, we measured seafloor nitrogen fixation and denitrification as well as pelagic nitrogen fixation by using the stable isotope technique. Alongside, we measured the diversity, abundance, and activity of nitrogen-fixing and denitrifying microorganisms at three stations in the southern North Sea. Nitrogen fixation ranged from undetectable to 2.4 nmol N L-1 d-1 and from undetectable to 8.2 nmol N g-1 d-1 in the water column and seafloor, respectively. The highest rates were measured in August at Doggersbank, both for the water column and for the seafloor. Denitrification ranged from 1.7 to 208.8 µmol m-2 d-1 and the highest rates were measured in May at the Oyster Grounds. DNA sequence analysis showed sequences of nifH, a structural gene for nitrogenase, related to sequences from anaerobic sulfur/iron reducers and sulfate reducers. Sequences of the structural gene for nitrite reductase, nirS, were related to environmental clones from marine sediments. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR data revealed the highest abundance of nifH and nirS genes at the Oyster Grounds. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR data revealed the highest nifH expression at Doggersbank and the highest nirS expression at the Oyster Grounds. The distribution of the diazotrophic and denitrifying communities seems to be subject to different selecting factors, leading to spatial and temporal separation of nitrogen fixation and denitrification. These selecting factors include temperature, organic matter availability, and

Observation of high seasonal variation in community structure of denitrifying bacteria in arable soil receiving artificial fertilizer and cattle manure by determining T-RFLP of nir gene fragments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Priemé, Anders; Wolsing, Martin

2004-01-01

Temporal and spatial variation of communities of soil denitrifying bacteria at sites receiving mineral fertilizer (60 and 120 kg N ha-1 year-1) and cattle manure (75 and 150 kg N ha-1 year-1) were explored using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analyses of PCR amplified...... nitrite reductase (nirK and nirS) gene fragments. The analyses were done three times during the year: in March, July and October. nirK gene fragments could be amplified in all three months, whereas nirS gene fragments could be amplified only in March. Analysis of similarities in T-RFLP patterns revealed...... a significant seasonal shift in the community structure of nirK-containing bacteria. Also, sites treated with mineral fertilizer or cattle manure showed different communities of nirK-containing denitrifying bacteria, since the T-RFLP patterns of soils treated with these fertilizers were significantly different...

Comparison of Teaching Strategies for Cultural Humility in Physical Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Paparella-Pitzel, Susan; Eubanks, Robin; Kaplan, Sandra L

2016-01-01

Cultural competence and cultural humility are ongoing processes that healthcare professionals should continually strive for in order to provide effective and comprehensive plans of care for patients. This 2-year, longitudinal, educational pilot study describes the levels of competency in second-year entry-level physical therapy students and compares the outcomes of three teaching strategies for cultural competence and cultural humility. All students received a standard 2-hour lecture; study volunteers were randomly assigned to one of two enriched educational groups, involving a standardized patient or a paper case enrichment. Students shifted from initial levels of "culturally incompetent" and/or "culturally aware" to "culturally competent" as measured by the Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence Among Healthcare Professionals-Revised. This shift was maintained after 1.5 yrs following the exposure. Because the enriched educational groups were underpowered, preliminary quantitative data are inconclusive, but qualitative feedback from students is strongly positive. A minimal dose of a structured 2-hr lecture with a skilled instructor, who creates a safe environment for cultural learning, produced positive shifts toward greater cultural competence. Five processes emerged for teaching cultural humility that may assist in designing comprehensive educational experiences on this topic. A framework for organizing course content is presented.

Denitrifying bacteria from the genus Rhodanobacter dominate bacterial communities in the highly contaminated subsurface of a nuclear legacy waste site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Green, Stefan [Florida State University; Prakash, Om [Florida State University; Jasrotia, Puja [Florida State University; Overholt, Will [Florida State University; Cardenas, Erick [Michigan State University, East Lansing; Hubbard, Daniela [Florida State University; Tiedje, James M. [Michigan State University, East Lansing; Watson, David B [ORNL; Schadt, Christopher Warren [ORNL; Brooks, Scott C [ORNL; Kostka, Joel [Florida State University

2011-01-01

The effect of long-term mixed-waste contamination, particularly uranium and nitrate, on the microbial community in the terrestrial subsurface was investigated at the field scale at the Oak Ridge Integrated Field Research Challenge (ORIFRC) site in Oak Ridge, TN. The abundance, community composition, and distribution of groundwater microorganisms were examined across the site during two seasonal sampling events. At representative locations, subsurface sediment was also examined from two boreholes, one sampled from the most heavily contaminated area of the site and another from an area with low contamination. A suite of DNA- and RNA-based molecular tools were employed for community characterization, including quantitative PCR of ribosomal RNA and nitrite reductase genes, community composition fingerprinting analysis, and high-throughput pyrotag sequencing of rRNA genes. The results demonstrate that pH is a major driver of the subsurface microbial community structure, and denitrifying bacteria from the genus Rhodanobacter (class Gammaproteobacteria) dominate at low pH. The relative abundance of bacteria from this genus was positively correlated with lower pH conditions, and these bacteria were abundant and active in the most highly contaminated areas. Other factors, such as concentration of nitrogen species, oxygen and sampling season did not appear to strongly influence the distribution of Rhodanobacter. Results indicate that these organisms are acid-tolerant denitrifiers, well suited to the acidic, nitrate-rich subsurface conditions, and pH is confirmed as a dominant driver of bacterial community structure in this contaminated subsurface environment.

Dialogismo, lenguas extranjeras e identidad cultural (Dialogism, Foreign Languages, and Cultural Identity).

Science.gov (United States)

Zoreda, Margaret Lee

Foreign Language education will play an important role in the broadening and globalization of higher education for the 21st century. Where else will educators find the tools to "dialog" with--to engage--the "other" as part of the enriching process that accompanies cultural exchange, cultural broadening? This paper sheds light on these issues, and…

Storage and growth of denitrifiers in aerobic granules: part I. model development.

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Bing-Jie; Yu, Han-Qing

2008-02-01

A mathematical model, based on the Activated Sludge Model No.3 (ASM3), is developed to describe the storage and growth activities of denitrifiers in aerobic granules under anoxic conditions. In this model, mass transfer, hydrolysis, simultaneous anoxic storage and growth, anoxic maintenance, and endogenous decay are all taken into account. The model established is implemented in the well-established AQUASIM simulation software. A combination of completely mixed reactor and biofilm reactor compartments provided by AQUASIM is used to simulate the mass transport and conversion processes occurring in both bulk liquid and granules. The modeling results explicitly show that the external substrate is immediately utilized for storage and growth at feast phase. More external substrates are diverted to storage process than the primary biomass production process. The model simulation indicates that the nitrate utilization rate (NUR) of granules-based denitrification process includes four linear phases of nitrate reduction. Furthermore, the methodology for determining the most important parameter in this model, that is, anoxic reduction factor, is established. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Modular enrichment measurement system for in-situ enrichment assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stewart, J.P.

1976-01-01

A modular enrichment measurement system has been designed and is in operation within General Electric's Nuclear Fuel Fabrication Facility for the in-situ enrichment assay of uranium-bearing materials in process containers. This enrichment assay system, which is based on the ''enrichment meter'' concept, is an integral part of the site's enrichment control program and is used in the in-situ assay of the enrichment of uranium dioxide (UO 2 ) powder in process containers (five gallon pails). The assay system utilizes a commercially available modular counting system and a collimnator designed for compatability with process container transport lines and ease of operator access. The system has been upgraded to include a microprocessor-based controller to perform system operation functions and to provide data acquisition and processing functions. Standards have been fabricated and qualified for the enrichment assay of several types of uranium-bearing materials, including UO 2 powders. The assay system has performed in excess of 20,000 enrichment verification measurements annually and has significantly contributed to the facility's enrichment control program

Anaerobic degradation of benzene by marine sulfate-reducing bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Musat, Florin; Wilkes, Heinz; Musat, Niculina; Kuypers, Marcel; Widdel, Friedrich

2010-05-01

Benzene, the archetypal aromatic hydrocarbon is a common constituent of crude oil and oil-refined products. As such, it can enter the biosphere through natural oil seeps or as a consequence of exploitation of fossil fuel reservoirs. Benzene is chemically very stable, due to the stabilizing aromatic electron system and to the lack of functional groups. Although the anaerobic degradation of benzene has been reported under denitrifying, sulfate-reducing and methanogenic conditions, the microorganisms involved and the initial biochemical steps of degradation remain insufficiently understood. Using marine sediment from a Mediterranean lagoon a sulfate-reducing enrichment culture with benzene as the sole organic substrate was obtained. Application of 16S rRNA gene-based methods showed that the enrichment was dominated (more than 85% of total cells) by a distinct phylotype affiliated with a clade of Deltaproteobacteria that include degraders of other aromatic hydrocarbons, such as naphthalene, ethylbenzene and m-xylene. Using benzoate as a soluble substrate in agar dilution series, several pure cultures closely related to Desulfotignum spp. and Desulfosarcina spp. were isolated. None of these strains was able to utilize benzene as a substrate and hybridizations with specific oligonucleotide probes showed that they accounted for as much as 6% of the total cells. Incubations with 13C-labeled benzene followed by Halogen in situ Hybridization - Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (HISH-SIMS) analysis showed that cells of the dominant phylotype were highly enriched in 13C, while the accompanying bacteria had little or no 13C incorporation. These results demonstrate that the dominant phylotype was indeed the apparent benzene degrader. Dense-cell suspensions of the enrichment culture did not show metabolic activity toward added phenol or toluene, suggesting that benzene degradation did not proceed through anaerobic hydroxylation or methylation. Instead, benzoate was identified in

Microscale Generation of Cardiospheres Promotes Robust Enrichment of Cardiomyocytes Derived from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doan C. Nguyen

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Cardiomyocytes derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs are a promising cell source for regenerative medicine, disease modeling, and drug discovery, all of which require enriched cardiomyocytes, ideally ones with mature phenotypes. However, current methods are typically performed in 2D environments that produce immature cardiomyocytes within heterogeneous populations. Here, we generated 3D aggregates of cardiomyocytes (cardiospheres from 2D differentiation cultures of hPSCs using microscale technology and rotary orbital suspension culture. Nearly 100% of the cardiospheres showed spontaneous contractility and synchronous intracellular calcium transients. Strikingly, from starting heterogeneous populations containing ∼10%–40% cardiomyocytes, the cell population within the generated cardiospheres featured ∼80%–100% cardiomyocytes, corresponding to an enrichment factor of up to 7-fold. Furthermore, cardiomyocytes from cardiospheres exhibited enhanced structural maturation in comparison with those from a parallel 2D culture. Thus, generation of cardiospheres represents a simple and robust method for enrichment of cardiomyocytes in microtissues that have the potential use in regenerative medicine as well as other applications.

Denitrification of groundwater using a sulfur-oxidizing autotrophic denitrifying anaerobic fluidized-bed MBR: performance and bacterial community structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lili; Zhang, Chao; Hu, Chengzhi; Liu, Huijuan; Qu, Jiuhui

2015-03-01

This paper investigates a novel sulfur-oxidizing autotrophic denitrifying anaerobic fluidized bed membrane bioreactor (AnFB-MBR) that has the potential to overcome the limitations of conventional sulfur-oxidizing autotrophic denitrification systems. The AnFB-MBR produced consistent high-quality product water when fed by a synthetic groundwater with NO3 (-)-N ranging 25-80 mg/L and operated at hydraulic retention times of 0.5-5.0 h. A nitrate removal rate of up to 4.0 g NO3 (-)-N/Lreactord was attained by the bioreactor, which exceeded any reported removal capacity. The flux of AnFB-MBR was maintained in the range of 1.5-15 L m(-2) h(-1). Successful membrane cleaning was practiced with cleaning cycles of 35-81 days, which had no obvious effect on the AnFB-MBR performance. The (15) N-tracer analyses elucidated that nitrogen was converted into (15) N2-N and (15) N-biomass accounting for 88.1-93.1 % and 6.4-11.6 % of the total nitrogen produced, respectively. Only 0.3-0.5 % of removed nitrogen was in form of (15)N2O-N in sulfur-oxidizing autotrophic denitrification process, reducing potential risks of a significant amount of N2O emissions. The sulfur-oxidizing autotrophic denitrifying bacterial consortium was composed mainly of bacteria from Proteobacteria, Chlorobi, and Chloroflexi phyla, with genera Thiobacillus, Sulfurimonas, and Ignavibacteriales dominating the consortium. The pyrosequencing assays also suggested that the stable microbial communities corresponded to the elevated performance of the AnFB-MBR. Overall, this research described relatively high nitrate removal, acceptable flux, indicating future potential for the technology in practice.

Diversity of bacteria and glycosyl hydrolase family 48 genes in cellulolytic consortia enriched from thermophilic biocompost.

Science.gov (United States)

Izquierdo, Javier A; Sizova, Maria V; Lynd, Lee R

2010-06-01

The enrichment from nature of novel microbial communities with high cellulolytic activity is useful in the identification of novel organisms and novel functions that enhance the fundamental understanding of microbial cellulose degradation. In this work we identify predominant organisms in three cellulolytic enrichment cultures with thermophilic compost as an inoculum. Community structure based on 16S rRNA gene clone libraries featured extensive representation of clostridia from cluster III, with minor representation of clostridial clusters I and XIV and a novel Lutispora species cluster. Our studies reveal different levels of 16S rRNA gene diversity, ranging from 3 to 18 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), as well as variability in community membership across the three enrichment cultures. By comparison, glycosyl hydrolase family 48 (GHF48) diversity analyses revealed a narrower breadth of novel clostridial genes associated with cultured and uncultured cellulose degraders. The novel GHF48 genes identified in this study were related to the novel clostridia Clostridium straminisolvens and Clostridium clariflavum, with one cluster sharing as little as 73% sequence similarity with the closest known relative. In all, 14 new GHF48 gene sequences were added to the known diversity of 35 genes from cultured species.

Detection of Listeria monocytogenes from selective enrichment broth using MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Jadhav, Snehal; Sevior, Danielle; Bhave, Mrinal; Palombo, Enzo A

2014-01-31

Conventional methods used for primary detection of Listeria monocytogenes from foods and subsequent confirmation of presumptive positive samples involve prolonged incubation and biochemical testing which generally require four to five days to obtain a result. In the current study, a simple and rapid proteomics-based MALDI-TOF MS approach was developed to detect L. monocytogenes directly from selective enrichment broths. Milk samples spiked with single species and multiple species cultures were incubated in a selective enrichment broth for 24h, followed by an additional 6h secondary enrichment. As few as 1 colony-forming unit (cfu) of L. monocytogenes per mL of initial selective broth culture could be detected within 30h. On applying the same approach to solid foods previously implicated in listeriosis, namely chicken pâté, cantaloupe and Camembert cheese, detection was achieved within the same time interval at inoculation levels of 10cfu/mL. Unlike the routine application of MALDI-TOF MS for identification of bacteria from solid media, this study proposes a cost-effective and time-saving detection scheme for direct identification of L. monocytogenes from broth cultures.This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Trends in Microbial Proteomics. Globally, foodborne diseases are major causes of illness and fatalities in humans. Hence, there is a continual need for reliable and rapid means for pathogen detection from food samples. Recent applications of MALDI-TOF MS for diagnostic microbiology focused on detection of microbes from clinical specimens. However, the current study has emphasized its use as a tool for detecting the major foodborne pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes, directly from selective enrichment broths. This proof-of-concept study proposes a detection scheme that is more rapid and simple compared to conventional methods of Listeria detection. Very low levels of the pathogen could be identified from different food samples post-enrichment in

N-acyl homoserine lactone-degrading microbial enrichment cultures isolated from Penaeus vannamei shrimp gut and their probiotic properties in Brachionus plicatilis cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Tinh, Nguyen Thi Ngoc; Asanka Gunasekara, R A Y S; Boon, Nico; Dierckens, Kristof; Sorgeloos, Patrick; Bossier, Peter

2007-10-01

Three bacterial enrichment cultures (ECs) were isolated from the digestive tract of Pacific white shrimp Penaeus vannamei, by growing the shrimp microbial communities in a mixture of N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) molecules. The ECs, characterized by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis and subsequent rRNA sequencing, degraded AHL molecules in the degradation assays. Apparently, the resting cells of the ECs also degraded one of the three types of quorum-sensing signal molecules produced by Vibrio harveyi in vitro [i.e. harveyi autoinducer 1 (HAI-1)]. The most efficient AHL-degrading ECs, EC5, was tested in Brachionus experiments. EC5 degraded the V. harveyi HAI-1 autoinducer in vivo, neutralizing the negative effect of V. harveyi autoinducer 2 (AI-2) mutant, in which only the HAI-1- and CAI-1-mediated components of the quorum-sensing system are functional on the growth of Brachionus. This suggests that EC5 interferes with HAI-1-regulated metabolism in V. harveyi. These AHL-degrading ECs need to be tested in other aquatic systems for their probiotic properties, preferably in combination with specific AI-2-degrading bacteria.

Conversion of Crude Oil to Methane by a Microbial Consortium Enriched From Oil Reservoir Production Waters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolina eBerdugo-Clavijo

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The methanogenic biodegradation of crude oil is an important process occurring in petroleum reservoirs and other oil-containing environments such as contaminated aquifers. In this process, syntrophic bacteria degrade hydrocarbon substrates to products such as acetate, and/or H2 and CO2 that are then used by methanogens to produce methane in a thermodynamically dependent manner. We enriched a methanogenic crude oil-degrading consortium from production waters sampled from a low temperature heavy oil reservoir. Alkylsuccinates indicative of fumarate addition to C5 and C6 n-alkanes were identified in the culture (above levels found in controls, corresponding to the detection of an alkyl succinate synthase gene (assA in the culture. In addition, the enrichment culture was tested for its ability to produce methane from residual oil in a sandstone-packed column system simulating a mature field. Methane production rates of up 5.8 μmol CH4/g of oil/day were measured in the column system. Amounts of produced methane were in relatively good agreement with hydrocarbon loss showing depletion of more than 50% of saturate and aromatic hydrocarbons. Microbial community analysis revealed that the enrichment culture was dominated by members of the genus Smithella, Methanosaeta, and Methanoculleus. However, a shift in microbial community occurred following incubation of the enrichment in the sandstone columns. Here, Methanobacterium sp. were most abundant, as were bacterial members of the genus Pseudomonas and other known biofilm forming organisms. Our findings show that microorganisms enriched from petroleum reservoir waters can bioconvert crude oil components to methane both planktonically and in sandstone-packed columns as test systems. Further, the results suggest that different organisms may contribute to oil biodegradation within different phases (e.g., planktonic versus sessile within a subsurface crude oil reservoir.

Characterization of nitrate-reducing and amino acid-using bacteria prominent in nitrotoxin-enriched equine cecal populations

Science.gov (United States)

In the present study, populations of equine cecal microbes enriched for enhanced rates of 3-nitro-1-propionic acid (NPA) or nitrate metabolism were diluted and cultured for NPA-metabolizing bacteria on a basal enrichment medium (BEM) or tryptose soy agar (TSA) medium supplemented with either 5 mM NP...

Effects of commercial enrichment products on fatty acid components ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ajl yemi

2011-10-26

Oct 26, 2011 ... 3050 (ZB) and Spresso (ZC) on fatty acid compositions in rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) which were intensively ... docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and the ratio of n–3/n–6 in enriched rotifers groups were higher (p < 0.05). The level of ...... acid profiles and bacterial load in cultured rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis ...

Insights into the effect of soil pH on N.sub.2./sub.O and N.sub.2./sub. emissions and denitrifier community size and activity

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Čuhel, Jiří; Šimek, Miloslav; Laughlin, R.J.; Bru, D.; Chéneby, D.; Watson, C.J.; Philippot, L.

2010-01-01

Roč. 76, č. 6 (2010), s. 1870-1878 ISSN 0099-2240 R&D Projects: GA MŠk MEB020726; GA MŠk LC06066; GA AV ČR IAA600660605 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60660521 Keywords : soil pH * N 2 O and N 2 emissions * denitrifier community Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 3.778, year: 2010

Enriched cultures of lactic acid bacteria from selected Zimbabwean fermented food and medicinal products with potential as therapy or prophylaxis against yeast infections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alec Chabwinja

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: To investigate the antifungal activity of crude cultures of putative strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB from a selection of Zimbabwean traditional and commercial food/ medicinal products against yeasts (strains of environmental isolates of Candida albicans and Rhodotorula spp.. Methods: Cultures of putative LAB from our selection of fermented products were enriched in de Man, Rogosa and Sharpe and isolated on de Man, Rogosa and Sharpe agar. Results: The crude microbial cultures from the products that showed high antifungal activities (zone of inhibition, mm were as follows: supernatant-free microbial pellet (SFMP from an extract of Melia azedarach leaves [(27.0 ± 2.5 mm] > cell-free culture supernatants (CFCS from Maaz Dairy sour milk and Mnandi sour milk [approximately (26.0 ± 1.8/2.5 mm] > CFCS and SFMP from Amansi hodzeko [(25.0 ± 1.5 mm] > CFCS from Parinari curatellifolia fruit [(24.0 ± 1.5 mm], SFMP from Parinari curatellifolia fruit [(24.0 ± 1.4 mm] and SFMP from mahewu [(20.0 ± 1.5 mm]. These cultures also showed high tolerance to acidic conditions (pH 4.0 and pH 5.0. However, culture from WAYA LGG (shown elsewhere to harbour antimicrobial activities showed no antifungal activity. The LAB could have inhibited yeasts by either competitive exclusion or the release of antimicrobial metabolites. Conclusions: Our cultures of LAB from a selection of Zimbabwean fermented products, especially Ziziphus mauritiana and fermented milk products have great potential for use as antifungal probiotics against yeast infections. Studies are ongoing to determine the exact mechanisms that are employed by the putative LAB to inhibit Candida albicans.

Insights into Nitrate-Reducing Fe(II) Oxidation Mechanisms through Analysis of Cell-Mineral Associations, Cell Encrustation, and Mineralogy in the Chemolithoautotrophic Enrichment Culture KS.

Science.gov (United States)

Nordhoff, M; Tominski, C; Halama, M; Byrne, J M; Obst, M; Kleindienst, S; Behrens, S; Kappler, A

2017-07-01

Most described nitrate-reducing Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria (NRFeOB) are mixotrophic and depend on organic cosubstrates for growth. Encrustation of cells in Fe(III) minerals has been observed for mixotrophic NRFeOB but not for autotrophic phototrophic and microaerophilic Fe(II) oxidizers. So far, little is known about cell-mineral associations in the few existing autotrophic NRFeOB. Here, we investigate whether the designated autotrophic Fe(II)-oxidizing strain (closely related to Gallionella and Sideroxydans ) or the heterotrophic nitrate reducers that are present in the autotrophic nitrate-reducing Fe(II)-oxidizing enrichment culture KS form mineral crusts during Fe(II) oxidation under autotrophic and mixotrophic conditions. In the mixed culture, we found no significant encrustation of any of the cells both during autotrophic oxidation of 8 to 10 mM Fe(II) coupled to nitrate reduction and during cultivation under mixotrophic conditions with 8 to 10 mM Fe(II), 5 mM acetate, and 4 mM nitrate, where higher numbers of heterotrophic nitrate reducers were present. Two pure cultures of heterotrophic nitrate reducers ( Nocardioides and Rhodanobacter ) isolated from culture KS were analyzed under mixotrophic growth conditions. We found green rust formation, no cell encrustation, and only a few mineral particles on some cell surfaces with 5 mM Fe(II) and some encrustation with 10 mM Fe(II). Our findings suggest that enzymatic, autotrophic Fe(II) oxidation coupled to nitrate reduction forms poorly crystalline Fe(III) oxyhydroxides and proceeds without cellular encrustation while indirect Fe(II) oxidation via heterotrophic nitrate-reduction-derived nitrite can lead to green rust as an intermediate mineral and significant cell encrustation. The extent of encrustation caused by indirect Fe(II) oxidation by reactive nitrogen species depends on Fe(II) concentrations and is probably negligible under environmental conditions in most habitats. IMPORTANCE Most described nitrate

Insights into Nitrate-Reducing Fe(II) Oxidation Mechanisms through Analysis of Cell-Mineral Associations, Cell Encrustation, and Mineralogy in the Chemolithoautotrophic Enrichment Culture KS

Science.gov (United States)

Nordhoff, M.; Tominski, C.; Halama, M.; Byrne, J. M.; Obst, M.; Behrens, S.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Most described nitrate-reducing Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria (NRFeOB) are mixotrophic and depend on organic cosubstrates for growth. Encrustation of cells in Fe(III) minerals has been observed for mixotrophic NRFeOB but not for autotrophic phototrophic and microaerophilic Fe(II) oxidizers. So far, little is known about cell-mineral associations in the few existing autotrophic NRFeOB. Here, we investigate whether the designated autotrophic Fe(II)-oxidizing strain (closely related to Gallionella and Sideroxydans) or the heterotrophic nitrate reducers that are present in the autotrophic nitrate-reducing Fe(II)-oxidizing enrichment culture KS form mineral crusts during Fe(II) oxidation under autotrophic and mixotrophic conditions. In the mixed culture, we found no significant encrustation of any of the cells both during autotrophic oxidation of 8 to 10 mM Fe(II) coupled to nitrate reduction and during cultivation under mixotrophic conditions with 8 to 10 mM Fe(II), 5 mM acetate, and 4 mM nitrate, where higher numbers of heterotrophic nitrate reducers were present. Two pure cultures of heterotrophic nitrate reducers (Nocardioides and Rhodanobacter) isolated from culture KS were analyzed under mixotrophic growth conditions. We found green rust formation, no cell encrustation, and only a few mineral particles on some cell surfaces with 5 mM Fe(II) and some encrustation with 10 mM Fe(II). Our findings suggest that enzymatic, autotrophic Fe(II) oxidation coupled to nitrate reduction forms poorly crystalline Fe(III) oxyhydroxides and proceeds without cellular encrustation while indirect Fe(II) oxidation via heterotrophic nitrate-reduction-derived nitrite can lead to green rust as an intermediate mineral and significant cell encrustation. The extent of encrustation caused by indirect Fe(II) oxidation by reactive nitrogen species depends on Fe(II) concentrations and is probably negligible under environmental conditions in most habitats. IMPORTANCE Most described nitrate

Performance of a reactor containing denitrifying immobilized biomass in removing ethanol and aromatic hydrocarbons (BTEX) in a short operating period

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gusmao, Valquiria Ribeiro; Chinalia, Fabio Alexandre; Sakamoto, Isabel Kimiko; Varesche, Maria Bernadete Amancio

2007-01-01

A horizontal-flow anaerobic immobilized biomass reactor (HAIB) containing denitrifying biomass was evaluated with respect to its ability to remove, separately and in a short operating period (30 days), organic matter, nitrate, and the hydrocarbons benzene (41.4 mg L -1 ), toluene (27.8 mg L -1 ), ethylbenzene (31.1 mg L -1 ), o-xylene (28.5 mg L -1 ), m-xylene (28.4 mg L -1 ) and p-xylene (32.1 mg L -1 ). The purified culture, which was grown in the presence of the specific hydrocarbon, was used as the source of cells to be immobilized in the polyurethane foam. After 30 days of operation, the foam was removed and a new immobilized biomass was grown in the presence of another hydrocarbon. The average hydrocarbon removal efficiency attained was 97%. The organic matter, especially ethanol, was removed with an average efficiency of 83% at a mean influent concentration of 1185.0 mg L -1 . A concomitant removal of 97% of nitrate was observed for a mean influent concentration of 423.4 mg L -1 . The independent removal of each hydrocarbon demonstrated that these contaminants can be biodegraded separately, without the need for a compound to be the primary substrate for the degradation of another. This study proposes the application of the system for treatment of areas contaminated with these compounds, with substitution and formation of a biofilm in a 30-day period

Denitrifying bacteria from the genus Rhodanobacter dominate bacterial communities in the highly contaminated subsurface of a nuclear legacy waste site.

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Stefan J; Prakash, Om; Jasrotia, Puja; Overholt, Will A; Cardenas, Erick; Hubbard, Daniela; Tiedje, James M; Watson, David B; Schadt, Christopher W; Brooks, Scott C; Kostka, Joel E

2012-02-01

The effect of long-term mixed-waste contamination, particularly uranium and nitrate, on the microbial community in the terrestrial subsurface was investigated at the field scale at the Oak Ridge Integrated Field Research Challenge (ORIFRC) site in Oak Ridge, TN. The abundance, community composition, and distribution of groundwater microorganisms were examined across the site during two seasonal sampling events. At representative locations, subsurface sediment was also examined from two boreholes, one sampled from the most heavily contaminated area of the site and another from an area with low contamination. A suite of DNA- and RNA-based molecular tools were employed for community characterization, including quantitative PCR of rRNA and nitrite reductase genes, community composition fingerprinting analysis, and high-throughput pyrotag sequencing of rRNA genes. The results demonstrate that pH is a major driver of the subsurface microbial community structure and that denitrifying bacteria from the genus Rhodanobacter (class Gammaproteobacteria) dominate at low pH. The relative abundance of bacteria from this genus was positively correlated with lower-pH conditions, and these bacteria were abundant and active in the most highly contaminated areas. Other factors, such as the concentration of nitrogen species, oxygen level, and sampling season, did not appear to strongly influence the distribution of Rhodanobacter bacteria. The results indicate that these organisms are acid-tolerant denitrifiers, well suited to the acidic, nitrate-rich subsurface conditions, and pH is confirmed as a dominant driver of bacterial community structure in this contaminated subsurface environment.

Co-existence of Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidation Bacteria and Denitrifying Anaerobic Methane Oxidation Bacteria in Sewage Sludge: Community Diversity and Seasonal Dynamics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu, Sai; Lu, Wenjing; Mustafa, Muhammad Farooq

2017-01-01

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANAMMOX) and denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation (DAMO) have been recently discovered as relevant processes in the carbon and nitrogen cycles of wastewater treatment plants. In this study, the seasonal dynamics of ANAMMOX and DAMO bacterial community structures......, and an unknown cluster was primarily detected in autumn and winter. Similar patterns of seasonal variation in the community structure of DAMO bacteria were also observed. Group B was the dominant in spring and summer, whereas in autumn and winter, group A and group B presented almost the same proportion...

New molecular method to detect denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation bacteria from different environmental niches.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Sai; Lu, Wenjing; Muhammad, Farooq Mustafa; Liu, Yanting; Guo, Hanwen; Meng, Ruihong; Wang, Hongtao

2018-03-01

The denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation is an ecologically important process for reducing the potential methane emission into the atmosphere. The responsible bacterium for this process was Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera belonging to the bacterial phylum of NC10. In this study, a new pair of primers targeting all the five groups of NC10 bacteria was designed to amplify NC10 bacteria from different environmental niches. The results showed that the group A was the dominant NC10 phylum bacteria from the sludges and food waste digestate while in paddy soil samples, group A and group B had nearly the same proportion. Our results also indicated that NC10 bacteria could exist in a high pH environment (pH9.24) from the food waste treatment facility. The Pearson relationship analysis showed that the pH had a significant positive relationship with the NC10 bacterial diversity (pbacteria. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Elementary sulfur in effluent from denitrifying sulfide removal process as adsorbent for zinc(II).

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chuan; Zhou, Xu; Wang, Aijie; Wu, Dong-hai; Liu, Li-hong; Ren, Nanqi; Lee, Duu-Jong

2012-10-01

The denitrifying sulfide removal (DSR) process can simultaneously convert sulfide, nitrate and organic compounds into elementary sulfur (S(0)), di-nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide, respectively. However, the S(0) formed in the DSR process are micro-sized colloids with negatively charged surface, making isolation of S(0) colloids from other biological cells and metabolites difficult. This study proposed the use of S(0) in DSR effluent as a novel adsorbent for zinc removal from wastewaters. Batch and continuous tests were conducted for efficient zinc removal with S(0)-containing DSR effluent. At pHremoval rates of zinc(II) were increased with increasing pH. The formed S(0) colloids carried negative charge onto which zinc(II) ions could be adsorbed via electrostatic interactions. The zinc(II) adsorbed S(0) colloids further enhanced coagulation-sedimentation efficiency of suspended solids in DSR effluents. The DSR effluent presents a promising coagulant for zinc(II) containing wastewaters. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of work-family enrichment in work-life balance & career success

OpenAIRE

Shah, Shalaka Sharad

2014-01-01

The issue of work-life balance is becoming increasingly important for employers and employees globally. The clearer becomes our understanding about this issue; the better it will be for an effective and positive integration of these dynamic domains of our lives. Work-family enrichment is a positive way of integrating work and family and it helps to achieve work-life balance. In this Indo-German study, work-life balance, work-family enrichment, work-family culture and career success are analys...

Bio-active nanoemulsions enriched with gold nanoparticle, marigold extracts and lipoic acid: In vitro investigations.

Science.gov (United States)

Guler, Emine; Barlas, F Baris; Yavuz, Murat; Demir, Bilal; Gumus, Z Pinar; Baspinar, Yucel; Coskunol, Hakan; Timur, Suna

2014-09-01

A novel and efficient approach for the preparation of enriched herbal formulations was described and their potential applications including wound healing and antioxidant activity (cell based and cell free) were investigated via in vitro cell culture studies. Nigella sativa oil was enriched with Calendula officinalis extract and lipoic acid capped gold nanoparticles (AuNP-LA) using nanoemulsion systems. The combination of these bio-active compounds was used to design oil in water (O/W) and water in oil (W/O) emulsions. The resulted emulsions were characterized by particle size measurements. The phenolic content of each nanoemulsion was examined by using both colorimetric assay and chromatographic analyses. Two different methods containing cell free chemical assay (1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl method) and cell based antioxidant activity test were used to evaluate the antioxidant capacities. In order to investigate the bio-activities of the herbal formulations, in vitro cell culture experiments, including cytotoxicity, scratch assay, antioxidant activity and cell proliferation were carried out using Vero cell line as a model cell line. Furthermore, to monitor localization of the nanoemulsions after application of the cell culture, the cell images were monitored via fluorescence microscope after FITC labeling. All data confirmed that the enriched N. sativa formulations exhibited better antioxidant and wound healing activity than N. sativa emulsion without any enrichment. In conclusion, the incorporation of AuNP-LA and C. officinalis extract into the N. sativa emulsions significantly increased the bio-activities. The present work may support further studies about using the other bio-active agents for the enrichment of herbal preparations to strengthen their activities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of enriched Brachionus plicatilis and Artemia salina nauplii by ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The growth, developmental stages and survival rates of Sparus aurata larvae fed with Brachionus plicatilis and Artemia salina nauplii enriched by microalga Tetraselmis chuii were studied. Two experiments were carried out; the first concerning with culturing the microalga (T. chuii) in four different media, then using these ...

Heat Production by the Denitrifying Bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens and the Dissimilatory Ammonium-Producing Bacterium Pseudomonas putrefaciens during Anaerobic Growth with Nitrate as the Electron Acceptor

OpenAIRE

Samuelsson, M.-O.; Cadez, P.; Gustafsson, L.

1988-01-01

The heat production rate and the simultaneous nitrate consumption and production and consumption of nitrite and nitrous oxide were monitored during the anaerobic growth of two types of dissimilatory nitrate reducers. Pseudomonas fluorescens, a denitrifier, consumed nitrate and accumulated small amounts of nitrite or nitrous oxide. The heat production rate increased steadily during the course of nitrate consumption and decreased rapidly concomitant with the depletion of the electron acceptors....

Uranium enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-01-01

This report looks at the following issues: How much Soviet uranium ore and enriched uranium are imported into the United States and what is the extent to which utilities flag swap to disguise these purchases? What are the U.S.S.R.'s enriched uranium trading practices? To what extent are utilities required to return used fuel to the Soviet Union as part of the enriched uranium sales agreement? Why have U.S. utilities ended their contracts to buy enrichment services from DOE?

Effect of inoculum sources on the enrichment of nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Zhanfei; Cai, Chen; Shen, Lidong; Lou, Liping; Zheng, Ping; Xu, Xinhua; Hu, Baolan

2015-01-01

Nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-damo) is a newly discovered biological process that couples anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) to nitrite reduction. In this study, three different inocula, methanogenic sludge, paddy soil, and freshwater sediment were used to enrich n-damo bacteria in three sequencing batch reactors (SBRs), and three n-damo enrichment cultures, C1, C2 and C3, were obtained, respectively. After 500 days of incubation, Methylomirabilis oxyfera-like bacteria and n-damo activities were observed in cultures C1, C2, and C3, and the specific activities were 0.8 ± 0.1, 1.4 ± 0.1, and 1.0 ± 0.1 μmol CH4 h(-1) g(-1) VSS, respectively. The copy numbers of 16S rRNA genes from cultures C1, C2, and C3 were 5.0 ± 0.4 × 10(8), 6.1 ± 0.1 × 10(9), and 1.0 ± 0.2 × 10(9) copies g(-1) dry weight, respectively. The results indicated that paddy soil is an excellent inoculum for n-damo bacterial enrichment. This work expanded the alternative source of n-damo inoculum and benefited the further research of n-damo process.

Gas-phase UF6 enrichment monitor for enrichment plant safeguards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strittmatter, R.B.; Tape, J.W.

1980-03-01

An in-line enrichment monitor is being developed to provide real-time enrichment data for the gas-phase UF 6 feed stream of an enrichment plant. The nondestructive gamma-ray assay method can be used to determine the enrichment of natural UF 6 with a relative precision of better than 1% for a wide range of pressures

Cultural Centre, Destination Cultural Offer and Visitor Satisfaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benxiang Zeng

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to establish the link between tourists’ perceptions on cultural offers and their overall satisfaction, and explore the implication of this link for sustainable tourist destination management. Assessing online customers’ reviews, this study identifies a positive correlation between visitors’ perspectives and experiences at the on-site cultural centre and visitors’ destination satisfaction. It suggests that the on-site cultural centre plays a critical role in building up visitors’ perception on cultural attributes of the destination, and its impact on visitor satisfaction is a double-edged sword. Visitors’ positive perspectives on the cultural centre enhance visitors’ experiences and contribute to their destination satisfaction; however, not only does a negative perspective on their cultural and spiritual experience compromise visitors’ satisfaction, but also subsequent negative online reviews damage the destination image and discourage visitor return/visit. The findings help destination management organisations to better understand visitors’ preference for cultural centres and therefore to improve visitors’ cultural experience. This paper appeals for further study of on-site cultural centres’ role in forming destination cultural attributes, and of social media’s potential in enriching cultural experience.

The Cultural Heritage of Interculturalism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Peterson

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The article traces the cultural heritage of inter-cultural contexts, which have had profound impact over long time. It takes its departure in antique and culturally complex environments in the eastern Mediterranean. One millennium later corresponding inter-cultural conditions are explored in the western part of the Mediterranean. Both cases demonstrated their wide and long lasting influences on posterity. The cultural heritage implied the deep effects of cross-fertilization and ensuing cultural enrichment as the conflation of several well-endowed cultures took place. A similar, more powerful outcome followed the Radical Enlightenment in Leiden around 1650s and in Vienna some centuries later.

Embedded Voices: Building a Non-Learning Culture within a Learning Enrichment Programme

Science.gov (United States)

Hymer, Barry; Watkins, Chris; Dawson, Elizabeth; Buxton, Ruth

2015-01-01

The researchers examined transcripts of comments made and dialogues engaged in by children, teachers and student teaching assistants during a 10-week enrichment programme for gifted and talented children aged 7-9 years. Attempts were made to match these utterances with the programme's aims and aspirations as expressed in a promotional document.…

Cross-Cultural Mentoring: A Pathway to Making Excellence Inclusive

Science.gov (United States)

Crutcher, Betty Neal

2014-01-01

Cross-cultural mentoring involves an ongoing, intentional, and mutually enriching relationship with someone of a different race, gender, ethnicity, religion, cultural background, socioeconomic background, sexual orientation, or nationality. Generally more experienced, the cross-cultural mentor guides the intellectual and personal development of…

Microbial Community Response of an Organohalide Respiring Enrichment Culture to Permanganate Oxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sutton, Nora B; Atashgahi, Siavash; Saccenti, Edoardo; Grotenhuis, Tim; Smidt, Hauke; Rijnaarts, Huub H M

2015-01-01

While in situ chemical oxidation is often used to remediate tetrachloroethene (PCE) contaminated locations, very little is known about its influence on microbial composition and organohalide respiration (OHR) activity. Here, we investigate the impact of oxidation with permanganate on OHR rates, the abundance of organohalide respiring bacteria (OHRB) and reductive dehalogenase (rdh) genes using quantitative PCR, and microbial community composition through sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. A PCE degrading enrichment was repeatedly treated with low (25 μmol), medium (50 μmol), or high (100 μmol) permanganate doses, or no oxidant treatment (biotic control). Low and medium treatments led to higher OHR rates and enrichment of several OHRB and rdh genes, as compared to the biotic control. Improved degradation rates can be attributed to enrichment of (1) OHRB able to also utilize Mn oxides as a terminal electron acceptor and (2) non-dechlorinating community members of the Clostridiales and Deltaproteobacteria possibly supporting OHRB by providing essential co-factors. In contrast, high permanganate treatment disrupted dechlorination beyond cis-dichloroethene and caused at least a 2-4 orders of magnitude reduction in the abundance of all measured OHRB and rdh genes, as compared to the biotic control. High permanganate treatments resulted in a notably divergent microbial community, with increased abundances of organisms affiliated with Campylobacterales and Oceanospirillales capable of dissimilatory Mn reduction, and decreased abundance of presumed supporters of OHRB. Although OTUs classified within the OHR-supportive order Clostridiales and OHRB increased in abundance over the course of 213 days following the final 100 μmol permanganate treatment, only limited regeneration of PCE dechlorination was observed in one of three microcosms, suggesting strong chemical oxidation treatments can irreversibly disrupt OHR. Overall, this detailed investigation into dose

Use of vegetable oil in a pilot-scale denitrifying barrier

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, William J.

2001-12-01

Nitrate in drinking water is a hazard to both humans and animals. Contaminated water can cause methemoglobinemia and may pose a cancer risk. Permeable barriers containing innocuous oils, which stimulate denitrification, can remove nitrate from flowing groundwater. For this study, a sand tank (1.1×2.0×0.085 m in size) containing sand was used as a one-dimensional open-top scale model of an aquifer. A meter-long area near the center of the tank contained sand coated with soybean oil. This region served as a permeable denitrifying barrier. Water containing 20 mg l -1 nitrate-N was pumped through the barrier at a high flow rate, 1112 l week -1, for 30 weeks. During the 30-week study, the barrier removed 39% of the total nitrate-N present in the water. The barrier was most efficient during the first 10 weeks of the study when almost all of the nitrate and nitrogen was removed. Efficiency declined with time so that by week 30 almost no nitrate was removed by the system. Nitrite levels in the effluent water remained low throughout the study. Barriers could be used to protect groundwater from nitrate contamination or for the in situ treatment of contaminated water. At the low flow rates that exist in most aquifers, such barriers should be effective at removing nitrate from groundwater for a much longer period of time.

Amplification of marine methanotrophic enrichment DNA with 16S rDNA PCR primers for type II alpha proteobacteria methanotrophs.

Science.gov (United States)

Rockne, Karl J; Strand, Stuart E

2003-09-01

Type II alpha proteobacteria methanotrophs are capable of a wide range of cometabolic transformations of chlorinated solvents and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and this activity has been exploited in many terrestrial bioremediation systems. However, at present, all known obligately marine methanotrophic isolates are Type I gamma proteobacteria which do not have this activity to the extent of Type II methanotrophs. In previous work in our laboratory, determining the presence of Type II alpha proteobacteria methanotrophs in marine enrichment cultures that co-metabolized PAHs required a more sensitive assay. 16S rDNA PCR primers were designed based on oligonucleotide probes for serine pathway methanotrophs and serine pathway methylotrophs with an approximate amplification fragment size of 870 base pairs. Comparison of the primers using double primer BLAST searches in established nucleotide databases showed potential amplification with all Methylocystis and Methylosinus spp., as well as potential amplification with Methylocella palustrus. DNA from Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b, a Type II methanotroph, amplified with the primers with a fragment size of approximately 850 base pairs, whereas DNA extracted from Methylomonas methanica, a Type I methanotroph, did not. The primers were used to amplify DNA extracted from two marine methanotrophic enrichment cultures: a low nitrogen/low copper enrichment to select for Type II methanotrophs and a high nitrogen/high copper enrichment to select for Type I methanotrophs. Although DNA from both cultures amplified with the PCR primers, amplification was stronger in cultures that were specifically enriched for Type II methanotrophs, suggesting the presence of higher numbers of Type II methanotrophs. These results provide further evidence for the existence of Type II marine methanotrophs, suggesting the possibility of exploiting cometabolic activity in marine systems.

PCR amplification of Bartonella koehlerae from human blood and enrichment blood cultures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Breitschwerdt Edward B

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Cats appear to be the primary reservoir host for Bartonella koehlerae, an alpha Proteobacteria that is most likely transmitted among cat populations by fleas (Ctenocephalides felis. Bartonella koehlerae has caused endocarditis in a dog and in one human patient from Israel, but other clinically relevant reports involving this bacterium are lacking. Despite publication of numerous, worldwide epidemiological studies designed to determine the prevalence of Bartonella spp. bacteremia in cats, B. koehlerae has never been isolated using conventional blood agar plates. To date, successful isolation of B. koehlerae from cats and from the one human endocarditis patient has consistently required the use of chocolate agar plates. Results In this study, Bartonella koehlerae bacteremia was documented in eight immunocompetent patients by PCR amplification and DNA sequencing, either prior to or after enrichment blood culture using Bartonella alpha Proteobacteria growth medium. Presenting symptoms most often included fatigue, insomnia, joint pain, headache, memory loss, and muscle pain. Four patients were also infected with Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii genotype II. After molecular documentation of B. koehlerae infection in these patients, a serological test was developed and serum samples were tested retrospectively. Bartonella koehlerae antibodies were not detected (titers B. koehlerae antibody titers of 1:64 or greater. Conclusions Although biased by a study population consisting of individuals with extensive arthropod and animal exposure, the results of this study suggest that B. koehlerae bacteremia is more common in immunocompetent people than has been previously suspected. Future studies should more thoroughly define modes of transmission and risk factors for acquiring infection with B. koehlerae. In addition, studies are needed to determine if B. koehlerae is a cause or cofactor in the development of arthritis, peripheral

Uranium enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rae, H.K.; Melvin, J.G.

1988-06-01

Canada is the world's largest producer and exporter of uranium, most of which is enriched elsewhere for use as fuel in LWRs. The feasibility of a Canadian uranium-enrichment enterprise is therefore a perennial question. Recent developments in uranium-enrichment technology, and their likely impacts on separative work supply and demand, suggest an opportunity window for Canadian entry into this international market. The Canadian opportunity results from three particular impacts of the new technologies: 1) the bulk of the world's uranium-enrichment capacity is in gaseous diffusion plants which, because of their large requirements for electricity (more than 2000 kW·h per SWU), are vulnerable to competition from the new processes; 2) the decline in enrichment costs increases the economic incentive for the use of slightly-enriched uranium (SEU) fuel in CANDU reactors, thus creating a potential Canadian market; and 3) the new processes allow economic operation on a much smaller scale, which drastically reduces the investment required for market entry and is comparable with the potential Canadian SEU requirement. The opportunity is not open-ended. By the end of the century the enrichment supply industry will have adapted to the new processes and long-term customer/supplier relationships will have been established. In order to seize the opportunity, Canada must become a credible supplier during this century

Community structures and activity of denitrifying microbes in a forested catchment in central Japan: survey using nitrite reductase genes

Science.gov (United States)

Ohte, N.; Aoki, M.; Katsuyama, C.; Suwa, Y.; Tange, T.

2012-12-01

To elucidate the mechanisms of denitrification processes in the forested catchment, microbial ecological approaches have been applied in an experimental watershed that has previously investigated its hydrological processes. The study catchment is located in the Chiba prefecture in central Japan under the temperate Asian monsoon climate. Potential activities of denitrification of soil samples were measured by incubation experiments under anoxic condition associated with Na15NO3 addition. Existence and variety of microbes having nitrite reductase genes were investigated by PCR amplification, cloning and sequencings of nirK and nirS fragments after DNA extraction. Contrary to our early expectation that the potential denitrification activity was higher at deeper soil horizon with consistent groundwater residence than that in the surface soil, denitrification potential was higher in shallower soil horizons than deeper soils. This suggested that the deficiency of NO3- as a respiratory substrate for denitrifier occurred in deeper soils especially in the summer. However, high denitrification activity and presence of microbes having nirK and nirS in surface soils usually under aerobic condition was explainable by the fact that the majority of denitrifying bacteria have been recognized as a facultative anaerobic bacterium. This also suggests the possibility of that denitrification occurs even in the surface soils if the wet condition is provided by rainwater during and after a storm event. Community structures of microbes having nirK were different between near surface and deeper soil horizons, and ones having nirS was different between saturated zone (under groundwater table) and unsaturated soil horizons. These imply that microbial communities with nisK are sensitive to the concentration of soil organic matters and ones with nirS is sensitive to soil moisture contents.

Growth and nitrate reduction of Beggiatoa filaments studied in enrichment cultures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kamp, Anja

In this thesis, several aspects of the gliding, filamentous, colourless sulphur bacteria Beggiatoa were investigated. The first part of this thesis addressed the growth mode, breakage of filaments for multiplication, and movement directions of filaments of Beggiatoa. Marine Beggiatoa were enriche...... to ammonium), whereas denitrification was not detected. This study revealed for the first time that a freshwater Beggiatoa strain was capable of intracellular accumulation of nitrate, and that the nitrate was used to perform DNRA....

Advanced enrichment techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, A.

1988-01-01

BNFL is in a unique position in that it has commercial experience of diffusion enrichment, and of centrifuge enrichment through its associate company Urenco. In addition BNFL is developing laser enrichment techniques as part of a UK development programme in this area. The paper describes the development programme which led to the introduction of competitive centrifuge enrichment technology by Urenco and discusses the areas where improvements have and will continue to be made in the centrifuge process. It also describes the laser development programme currently being undertaken in the UK. The paper concludes by discussing the relative merits of the various methods of uranium enrichment, with particular reference to the enrichment market likely to obtain over the rest of the century

Advanced enrichment techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, A.

1987-01-01

BNFL is in a unique position in that it has commercial experience of diffusion enrichment, and of centrifuge enrichment through its associate company Urenco. In addition BNFL is developing laser enrichment techniques as part of a UK development programme in this area. The paper describes the development programme which led to the introduction of competitive centrifuge enrichment technology by Urenco and discusses the areas where improvements have and will continue to be made in the centrifuge process. It also describes the laser development programme currently being undertaken in the UK. The paper concludes by discussing the relative merits of the various methods of uranium enrichment, with particular reference to the enrichment market likely to obtain over the rest of the century. (author)

Fermentative Bacteria Influence the Competition between Denitrifiers and DNRA Bacteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eveline M. van den Berg

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Denitrification and dissimilatory reduction to ammonium (DNRA are competing nitrate-reduction processes that entail important biogeochemical consequences for nitrogen retention/removal in natural and man-made ecosystems. The nature of the available carbon source and electron donor have been suggested to play an important role on the outcome of this microbial competition. In this study, the influence of lactate as fermentable carbon source on the competition for nitrate was investigated for varying ratios of lactate and nitrate in the influent (Lac/N ratio. The study was conducted in an open chemostat culture, enriched from activated sludge, under strict anoxia. The mechanistic explanation of the conversions observed was based on integration of results from specific batch tests with biomass from the chemostat, molecular analysis of the biomass enriched, and a computational model. At high Lac/N ratio (2.97 mol/mol both fermentative and respiratory nitrate reduction to ammonium occurred, coupled to partial oxidation of lactate to acetate, and to acetate oxidation respectively. Remaining lactate was fermented to propionate and acetate. At a decreased Lac/N ratio (1.15 mol/mol, the molar percentage of nitrate reduced to ammonium decreased to 58%, even though lactate was supplied in adequate amounts for full ammonification and nitrate remained the growth limiting compound. Data evaluation at this Lac/N ratio suggested conversions were comparable to the higher Lac/N ratio, except for lactate oxidation to acetate that was coupled to denitrification instead of ammonification. Respiratory DNRA on acetate was likely catalyzed by two Geobacter species related to G. luticola and G. lovleyi. Two Clostridiales members were likely responsible for lactate fermentation and partial lactate fermentation to acetate coupled to fermentative DNRA. An organism related to Propionivibrio militaris was identified as the organism likely responsible for denitrification. The

Biological perchlorate reduction in packed bed reactors using elemental sulfur.

Science.gov (United States)

Sahu, Ashish K; Conneely, Teresa; Nüsslein, Klaus R; Ergas, Sarina J

2009-06-15

Sulfur-utilizing perchlorate (ClO4-)-reducing bacteria were enriched from a denitrifying wastewater seed with elemental sulfur (S0) as an electron donor. The enrichment was composed of a diverse microbial community, with the majority identified as members of the phylum Proteobacteria. Cultures were inoculated into bench-scale packed bed reactors (PBR) with S0 and crushed oyster shell packing media. High ClO4-concentrations (5-8 mg/L) were reduced to PBR performance decreased when effluent recirculation was applied or when smaller S0 particle sizes were used, indicating that mass transfer of ClO4- to the attached biofilm was not the limiting mechanism in this process, and that biofilm acclimation and growth were key factors in overall reactor performance. The presence of nitrate (6.5 mg N/L) inhibited ClO4- reduction. The microbial community composition was found to change with ClO4- availability from a majority of Beta-Proteobacteria near the influent end of the reactor to primarily sulfur-oxidizing bacteria near the effluent end of the reactor.

Juvenile psittacine environmental enrichment.

Science.gov (United States)

Simone-Freilicher, Elisabeth; Rupley, Agnes E

2015-05-01

Environmental enrichment is of great import to the emotional, intellectual, and physical development of the juvenile psittacine and their success in the human home environment. Five major types of enrichment include social, occupational, physical, sensory, and nutritional. Occupational enrichment includes exercise and psychological enrichment. Physical enrichment includes the cage and accessories and the external home environment. Sensory enrichment may be visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, or taste oriented. Nutritional enrichment includes variations in appearance, type, and frequency of diet, and treats, novelty, and foraging. Two phases of the preadult period deserve special enrichment considerations: the development of autonomy and puberty. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Uranium enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

GAO was asked to address several questions concerning a number of proposed uranium enrichment bills introduced during the 100th Congress. The bill would have restructured the Department of Energy's uranium enrichment program as a government corporation to allow it to compete more effectively in the domestic and international markets. Some of GAO's findings discussed are: uranium market experts believe and existing market models show that the proposed DOE purchase of a $750 million of uranium from domestic producers may not significantly increase production because of large producer-held inventories; excess uranium enrichment production capacity exists throughout the world; therefore, foreign producers are expected to compete heavily in the United States throughout the 1990s as utilities' contracts with DOE expire; and according to a 1988 agreement between DOE's Offices of Nuclear Energy and Defense Programs, enrichment decommissioning costs, estimated to total $3.6 billion for planning purposes, will be shared by the commercial enrichment program and the government

Isotope enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lydtin, H-J.; Wilden, R.J.; Severin, P.J.W.

1978-01-01

The isotope enrichment method described is based on the recognition that, owing to mass diffusion and thermal diffusion in the conversion of substances at a heated substrate while depositing an element or compound onto the substrate, enrichment of the element, or a compound of the element, with a lighter isotope will occur. The cycle is repeated for as many times as is necessary to obtain the degree of enrichment required

Building Learning Communities for Research Collaboration and Cross-Cultural Enrichment in Science Education

Science.gov (United States)

Sparrow, E. B.

2003-12-01

The GLOBE program has provided opportunities for environmental science research and education collaborations among scientists, teachers and K-12 students, and for cross-cultural enrichment nationally and abroad. In Alaska, GLOBE has also provided funding leverage in some cases, and a base for several other science education programs that share a common goal of increasing student interest, understanding, process skills and achievement in science, through involvement in ongoing research investigations. These programs that use GLOBE methodologies (standardized scientific measurements and learning activities developed by scientists and educators) are: Global Change Education Using Western Science and Native Knowledge also known as "Observing Locally, Connecting Globally" (OLCG); Alaska Earth System Science Education Alliance: Improving Understanding of Climate Variability and Its Relevance to Rural Alaska; Schoolyard Long Term Ecological Research; Alaska Rural Research Partnership; Alaska Partnership for Teacher Enhancement; Alaska Lake Ice and Snow Observatory Network; Alaska Boreal Forest Council Education Outreach; Calypso Farm and Ecology Center; Environmental Education Outreach; and also GLOBE Arctic POPs (persistent organic pollutants) a program that involves countries in the circumpolar North. The University of Alaska GLOBE Partnership has collaborated with the BLM Campbell Creek Science Center Globe Partnership in facilitating GLOBE Training Workshops and providing teacher support. GLOBE's extensive website including data entry, archive, analysis and visualization capabilities; GLOBE Teacher Guide, videos and other materials provided; excellent GLOBE science research and education staff, training support office, GLOBE help desk, alignment of GLOBE curriculum with national science education standards and GLOBE certification of teachers trained on even just one GLOBE investigation, have made it easier to implement GLOBE in the classroom. Using GLOBE, whole

Determination of the cause of the symptoms on yellow yam (Dioscorea cayenensis Lam.) leaf tissue and their eradication, enriching the culture medium and using techniques of meristem culture, thermo and chemotherapy on in vitro conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brenes Huertas, Mauricio

2010-01-01

Yams (Dioscorea spp) has been cultivated for exportation in Costa Rica, in North Huetar region. In vitro culture technique has been used for multiplying planting material for many advantages. However, cleaning of viruses that affect has been ineffective. Viruses such as: the potyvirus, potexvirus, cucumovirus . Methods like meristem culture, chemotherapy, thermotherapy and combinations of these have been used for the elimination of virus in plant species. The plants were evaluated in indexing assays, observing symptoms, serological methods and electron microscopy, among others. Other problems that have been affecting in vitro plant are deficient culture media in some nutrient. The presence of some abnormal characteristics in leaf tissue was determined whether have been caused by a virus or a nutritional deficiency in the culture medium. The presence of the virus has tried to find using ELISA and electron microscopy. Tests meristem culture, thermotherapy and chemotherapy have been made for the eradication of a possible virus; which have been assessed by observation of symptomatology and ELISA. The efficiency of the culture medium was evaluated to enrich it with nitrogen or excess iron. None of the suspected virus found in ELISA tests. Filaments are presumably viral particles were found through analysis of ultrastructure, as well as alterations in chloroplasts which indicated the presence of a pathogen or toxicity. Thermotherapy and chemotherapy with the concentration of 40 mg/L of ribavirin have been the most effective for the elimination of symptoms in virus eradication treatments. Assessments nutrient concentrations have shown that the differences between the various treatments used were undetectable. The symptoms presented were caused, according to the conclusions, by a virus which should preferably deal with thermotherapy. (author) [es

Cultivation and irradiation of human fibroblasts in a medium enriched with platelet lysate for obtaining feeder layer in epidermal cell culture; Cultivo e irradiacao de fibroblastos humanos em meio enriquecido com lisado de plaquetas para obtencao de camada de sustentacao em culturas de celulas da epiderme

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoshito, Daniele

2011-07-01

For over 30 years, the use of culture medium, enriched with bovine serum, and murines fibroblasts, with the rate of proliferation controlled by irradiation or by share anticarcinogenic drugs, has been playing successfully its role in assisting in the development of keratinocytes in culture, for clinical purposes. However, currently there is a growing concern about the possibility of transmitting prions and animals viruses to transplanted patients. Taking into account this concern, the present work aims to cultivate human fibroblasts in a medium enriched with human platelets lysate and determine the irradiation dose of these cells, for obtaining feeder layer in epidermal cell culture. For carrying out the proposed objective, platelets lysis has standardized, this lysate was used for human fibroblasts cultivation and the irradiation dose enough to inhibit its duplication was evaluated. Human keratinocytes were cultivated in these feeder layers, in culture medium enriched with the lysate. With these results we conclude that the 10% platelets lysate promoted a better adhesion and proliferation of human fibroblasts and in all dose levels tested (60 to 300 Gy), these had their mitotic activity inactivated by ionizing irradiation, being that the feeder layers obtained with doses from 70 to 150 Gy were those that provided the best development of keratinocytes in medium containing 2.5% of human platelet lysate. Therefore, it was possible to standardize both the cultivation of human fibroblasts as its inactivation for use as feeder layer in culture of keratinocytes, so as to eliminate xenobiotics components. (author)

New generation enrichment monitoring technology for gas centrifuge enrichment plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ianakiev, Kiril D.; Alexandrov, Boian S.; Boyer, Brian D.; Hill, Thomas R.; Macarthur, Duncan W.; Marks, Thomas; Moss, Calvin E.; Sheppard, Gregory A.; Swinhoe, Martyn T.

2008-01-01

The continuous enrichment monitor, developed and fielded in the 1990s by the International Atomic Energy Agency, provided a go-no-go capability to distinguish between UF 6 containing low enriched (approximately 4% 235 U) and highly enriched (above 20% 235 U) uranium. This instrument used the 22-keV line from a 109 Cd source as a transmission source to achieve a high sensitivity to the UF 6 gas absorption. The 1.27-yr half-life required that the source be periodically replaced and the instrument recalibrated. The instrument's functionality and accuracy were limited by the fact that measured gas density and gas pressure were treated as confidential facility information. The modern safeguarding of a gas centrifuge enrichment plant producing low-enriched UF 6 product aims toward a more quantitative flow and enrichment monitoring concept that sets new standards for accuracy stability, and confidence. An instrument must be accurate enough to detect the diversion of a significant quantity of material, have virtually zero false alarms, and protect the operator's proprietary process information. We discuss a new concept for advanced gas enrichment assay measurement technology. This design concept eliminates the need for the periodic replacement of a radioactive source as well as the need for maintenance by experts. Some initial experimental results will be presented.

Effect of spermidine in PC12 cells on the cell apoptosis induced by enriched uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gu Guixiong; Zhu Shoupeng; Wang Liuyi; Yang Shuqin; Zhu Lingli

2003-01-01

This is a study on injurious effects of cellular spermidine to PC12 cells irradiated by enriched uranium. PC12 cells were cultured in DMEM/F12 medium with enriched uranium, and the exposure doses were calculated. The contents of free spermidine PC12 cells were examined with Dansyl-chloride reaction and thin-layer chromatography. Viability of the cells treated with enriched uranium reduced rapidly and DNA strand break increased significantly with increasing time of the irradiation. Autoradiographic tracks showed that the radionuclide located in the nucleus predominantly. The content of free spermidine in PC12 cells could markedly decrease as the irradiation time increased. The results suggested that PC12 cells exposured to enriched uranium were apoptotic and the free spermidine in cells might play some role in this process

High Biofilm Conductivity Maintained Despite Anode Potential Changes in a Geobacter-Enriched Biofilm

Science.gov (United States)

This study systematically assessed intracellular electron transfer (IET) and extracellular electron transfer (EET) kinetics with respect to anode potential (Eanode) in a mixed-culture biofilm anode enriched with Geobacter spp. High biofilm conductivity (0.96–1.24 mScm^-1) was mai...

Magnesium enriched lactic acid bacteria as a carrier for probiotic ice cream production.

Science.gov (United States)

Góral, Małgorzata; Kozłowicz, Katarzyna; Pankiewicz, Urszula; Góral, Dariusz

2018-01-15

The following strains of bacteria: Lactobacillus rhamnosus B 442, Lactobacillus rhamnosus 1937, and Lactococcus lactis JBB 500 were enriched with magnesium ions using Pulsed Electric Fields. The potentially probiotic strains were added to the mixture in the DVS process and applied for the production of ice cream which were then analyzed physicochemically and microbiologically. Results showed that addition of bacteria enriched with magnesium did not change chemical parameters of the ice cream and did not affect the freezing process, meltability, and hardness. No significant differences were noted in colour of the samples. The ice cream with addition of bacteria enriched with magnesium had higher adhesiveness. The results of viability determination showed that the total number of microorganisms in the ice cream was higher than in the starter cultures. Viability of the bacteria enriched with magnesium in the obtained ice cream was lower in comparison to the control samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Uranium enrichment plans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, D.C.; Gagne, R.W.

1978-01-01

The following topics are covered: the status of the Government's existing uranium enrichment services contracts, natural uranium requirements based on the latest contract information, uncertainty in predicting natural uranium requirements based on uranium enrichment contracts, and domestic and foreign demand assumed in enrichment planning

INTERPRETATION OF CULTURAL PROFILES OF MODERN ORGANIZATIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan Shopov

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The needs of the real management practice of theoretical and applied knowledge, that allows it methodological properly and methodically right to implement appropriate changes in corporate culture and management-specific behavior of the organization, require a study on the highlights in the new company culture and interpretation of cultural profiles. Current paper outlines some of the basic formulations that describe more fully the concept of "culture" and makes clear in the light of the views of leading authors in this field the term "corporate culture". Corporate culture is viewed as a set of values, assumptions, beliefs and norms that are formed over time from the interaction of all members which subsequently perceive them as personal and at the same time as a very powerful factor that determines the individual and group behavior of people in a business organization. The developed organizational culture is a strategic competitive advantage for organizations. The main conclusions of the analysis show that in the research field that arises in the interpretation of cultural profiles, there are opportunities provided for finding technical and methodological solutions that complement and enrich the empirical search on the usability of the strategy aimed at organizational culture. The joint values enrich the culture of labor and management, thus targeting staff, customers and suppliers with established and appropriate time regulations and management style. The goal set assists and guides people in carrying out their duties within the organization.

Multiplex Real-Time PCR for Detection of Staphylococcus aureus, mecA and Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) Genes from Selective Enrichments from Animals and Retail Meat

Science.gov (United States)

Velasco, Valeria; Sherwood, Julie S.; Rojas-García, Pedro P.; Logue, Catherine M.

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare a real-time PCR assay, with a conventional culture/PCR method, to detect S. aureus, mecA and Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) genes in animals and retail meat, using a two-step selective enrichment protocol. A total of 234 samples were examined (77 animal nasal swabs, 112 retail raw meat, and 45 deli meat). The multiplex real-time PCR targeted the genes: nuc (identification of S. aureus), mecA (associated with methicillin resistance) and PVL (virulence factor), and the primary and secondary enrichment samples were assessed. The conventional culture/PCR method included the two-step selective enrichment, selective plating, biochemical testing, and multiplex PCR for confirmation. The conventional culture/PCR method recovered 95/234 positive S. aureus samples. Application of real-time PCR on samples following primary and secondary enrichment detected S. aureus in 111/234 and 120/234 samples respectively. For detection of S. aureus, the kappa statistic was 0.68–0.88 (from substantial to almost perfect agreement) and 0.29–0.77 (from fair to substantial agreement) for primary and secondary enrichments, using real-time PCR. For detection of mecA gene, the kappa statistic was 0–0.49 (from no agreement beyond that expected by chance to moderate agreement) for primary and secondary enrichment samples. Two pork samples were mecA gene positive by all methods. The real-time PCR assay detected the mecA gene in samples that were negative for S. aureus, but positive for Staphylococcus spp. The PVL gene was not detected in any sample by the conventional culture/PCR method or the real-time PCR assay. Among S. aureus isolated by conventional culture/PCR method, the sequence type ST398, and multi-drug resistant strains were found in animals and raw meat samples. The real-time PCR assay may be recommended as a rapid method for detection of S. aureus and the mecA gene, with further confirmation of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) using

Multiplex real-time PCR for detection of Staphylococcus aureus, mecA and Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL genes from selective enrichments from animals and retail meat.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valeria Velasco

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to compare a real-time PCR assay, with a conventional culture/PCR method, to detect S. aureus, mecA and Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL genes in animals and retail meat, using a two-step selective enrichment protocol. A total of 234 samples were examined (77 animal nasal swabs, 112 retail raw meat, and 45 deli meat. The multiplex real-time PCR targeted the genes: nuc (identification of S. aureus, mecA (associated with methicillin resistance and PVL (virulence factor, and the primary and secondary enrichment samples were assessed. The conventional culture/PCR method included the two-step selective enrichment, selective plating, biochemical testing, and multiplex PCR for confirmation. The conventional culture/PCR method recovered 95/234 positive S. aureus samples. Application of real-time PCR on samples following primary and secondary enrichment detected S. aureus in 111/234 and 120/234 samples respectively. For detection of S. aureus, the kappa statistic was 0.68-0.88 (from substantial to almost perfect agreement and 0.29-0.77 (from fair to substantial agreement for primary and secondary enrichments, using real-time PCR. For detection of mecA gene, the kappa statistic was 0-0.49 (from no agreement beyond that expected by chance to moderate agreement for primary and secondary enrichment samples. Two pork samples were mecA gene positive by all methods. The real-time PCR assay detected the mecA gene in samples that were negative for S. aureus, but positive for Staphylococcus spp. The PVL gene was not detected in any sample by the conventional culture/PCR method or the real-time PCR assay. Among S. aureus isolated by conventional culture/PCR method, the sequence type ST398, and multi-drug resistant strains were found in animals and raw meat samples. The real-time PCR assay may be recommended as a rapid method for detection of S. aureus and the mecA gene, with further confirmation of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA

Other enrichment related contracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hall, J.C.

1978-01-01

In addition to long-term enrichment contracts, DOE has other types of contracts: (1) short-term, fixed-commitment enrichment contract; (2) emergency sales agreement for enriched uranium; (3) feed material lease agreement; (4) enriched uranium storage agreement; and (5) feed material usage agreement

Molecular approaches to understand the regulation of N2O emission from denitrifying bacteria - model strains and soil communities (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Frostegard, A.; Bakken, L. R.

2010-12-01

Emissions of N2O from agricultural soils are largely caused by denitrifying bacteria. Field measurements of N2O fluxes show large variations and depend on several environmental factors, and possibly also on the composition of the denitrifying microbial community. The temporal and spatial variation of fluxes are not adequately captured by biogeochemical models, and few options for mitigations have been invented, which underscores the need to understand the mechanisms underlying the emissions of N2O. Analyses of denitrification genes and transcripts extracted from soils are important for describing the system, but may have limited value for prediction of N2O emissions. In contrast, phenotypic analyses are direct measures of the organisms’ responses to changing environmental conditions. Our approach is to combine phenotypic characterizations using high-resolution gas kinetics, with gene transcription analyses to study denitrification regulatory phenotypes (DRP) of bacterial strains or complex microbial communities. The rich data sets obtained provide a basis for refinement of biochemical and physiological research on this key process in the nitrogen cycle. The strength of this combined approach is illustrated by a series of experiments investigating effects of soil pH on denitrification. Soil pH emerges as a master variable determining the microbial community composition as well as its denitrification product ratio (N2O/N2), with higher ratio in acid than in alkaline soil. It is therefore likely that emissions of N2O from agro-ecosystems will increase in large parts of the world where soil pH is decreasing due to intensified management and increased use of chemical fertilizers. Considering its immense implications, surprisingly few attempts have been made to unravel the mechanisms involved in the pH-control of the product stoichiometry of denitrification. We investigated the kinetics of gas transformations (O2, NO, N2O and N2) and transcription of functional genes

Propionate oxidation by and methanol inhibition of anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Güven, Didem; Dapena, Ana; Kartal, Boran; Schmid, Markus C; Maas, Bart; van de Pas-Schoonen, Katinka; Sozen, Seval; Mendez, Ramon; Op den Camp, Huub J M; Jetten, Mike S M; Strous, Marc; Schmidt, Ingo

2005-02-01

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) is a recently discovered microbial pathway and a cost-effective way to remove ammonium from wastewater. Anammox bacteria have been described as obligate chemolithoautotrophs. However, many chemolithoautotrophs (i.e., nitrifiers) can use organic compounds as a supplementary carbon source. In this study, the effect of organic compounds on anammox bacteria was investigated. It was shown that alcohols inhibited anammox bacteria, while organic acids were converted by them. Methanol was the most potent inhibitor, leading to complete and irreversible loss of activity at concentrations as low as 0.5 mM. Of the organic acids acetate and propionate, propionate was consumed at a higher rate (0.8 nmol min(-1) mg of protein(-1)) by Percoll-purified anammox cells. Glucose, formate, and alanine had no effect on the anammox process. It was shown that propionate was oxidized mainly to CO(2), with nitrate and/or nitrite as the electron acceptor. The anammox bacteria carried out propionate oxidation simultaneously with anaerobic ammonium oxidation. In an anammox enrichment culture fed with propionate for 150 days, the relative amounts of anammox cells and denitrifiers did not change significantly over time, indicating that anammox bacteria could compete successfully with heterotrophic denitrifiers for propionate. In conclusion, this study shows that anammox bacteria have a more versatile metabolism than previously assumed.

Implication of using different carbon sources for denitrification in wastewater treatments.

Science.gov (United States)

Cherchi, Carla; Onnis-Hayden, Annalisa; El-Shawabkeh, Ibrahim; Gu, April Z

2009-08-01

Application of external carbon sources for denitrification becomes necessary for wastewater treatment plants that have to meet very stringent effluent nitrogen limits (e.g., 3 to 5 mgTN/L). In this study, we evaluated and compared three carbon sources--MicroC (Environmental Operating Solutions, Bourne, Massachusetts), methanol, and acetate-in terms of their denitrification rates and kinetics, effect on overall nitrogen removal performance, and microbial community structure of carbon-specific denitrifying enrichments. Denitrification rates and kinetics were determined with both acclimated and non-acclimated biomass, obtained from laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor systems or full-scale plants. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the use of MicroC for denitrification processes, with maximum denitrification rates (k(dmax)) of 6.4 mgN/gVSSh and an observed yield of 0.36 mgVSS/mgCOD. Comparable maximum nitrate uptake rates were found with methanol, while acetate showed a maximum denitrification rate nearly twice as high as the others. The maximum growth rates measured at 20 degrees C for MicroC and methanol were 3.7 and 1.2 day(-1), respectively. The implications resulting from the differences in the denitrification rates and kinetics of different carbon sources on the full-scale nitrogen removal performance, under various configurations and operational conditions, were assessed using Biowin (EnviroSim Associates, Ltd., Flamborough, Ontario, Canada) simulations for both pre- and post-denitrification systems. Examination of microbial population structures using Automated Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis (ARISA) throughout the study period showed dynamic temporal changes and distinct microbial community structures of different carbon-specific denitrifying cultures. The ability of a specific carbon-acclimated denitrifying population to instantly use other carbon source also was investigated, and the chemical-structure-associated behavior patterns observed

Chlorinated Electron Acceptor Abundance Drives Selection of Dehalococcoides mccartyi (D. mccartyi Strains in Dechlorinating Enrichment Cultures and Groundwater Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alfredo Pérez-de-Mora

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Dehalococcoides mccartyi (D. mccartyi strains differ primarily from one another by the number and identity of the reductive dehalogenase homologous catalytic subunit A (rdhA genes within their respective genomes. While multiple rdhA genes have been sequenced, the activity of the corresponding proteins has been identified in only a few cases. Examples include the enzymes whose substrates are groundwater contaminants such as trichloroethene (TCE, cis-dichloroethene (cDCE and vinyl chloride (VC. The associated rdhA genes, namely tceA, bvcA, and vcrA, along with the D. mccartyi 16S rRNA gene are often used as biomarkers of growth in field samples. In this study, we monitored an additional 12 uncharacterized rdhA sequences identified in the metagenome in the mixed D. mccartyi-containing culture KB-1 to monitor population shifts in more detail. Quantitative PCR (qPCR assays were developed for 15 D. mccartyi rdhA genes and used to measure population diversity in 11 different sub-cultures of KB-1, each enriched on different chlorinated ethenes and ethanes. The proportion of rdhA gene copies relative to D. mccartyi 16S rRNA gene copies revealed the presence of multiple distinct D. mccartyi strains in each culture, many more than the two strains inferred from 16S rRNA analysis. The specific electron acceptor amended to each culture had a major influence on the distribution of D. mccartyi strains and their associated rdhA genes. We also surveyed the abundance of rdhA genes in samples from two bioaugmented field sites (Canada and United Kingdom. Growth of the dominant D. mccartyi strain in KB-1 was detected at the United Kingdom site. At both field sites, the measurement of relative rdhA abundances revealed D. mccartyi population shifts over time as dechlorination progressed from TCE through cDCE to VC and ethene. These shifts indicate a selective pressure of the most abundant chlorinated electron acceptor, as was also observed in lab cultures. These

Deep subsurface life from North Pond: enrichment, isolation, characterization and genomes of heterotrophic bacteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseph A. Russell

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Studies of subsurface microorganisms have yielded few environmentally relevant isolates for laboratory studies. In order to address this lack of cultivated microorganisms, we initiated several enrichments on sediment and underlying basalt samples from North Pond, a sediment basin ringed by basalt outcrops underlying an oligotrophic water-column west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at 22°N. In contrast to anoxic enrichments, growth was observed in aerobic, heterotrophic enrichments from sediment of IODP site U1382B at 4 and 68 meters below seafloor (mbsf. These sediment depths, respectively, correspond to the fringes of oxygen penetration from overlying seawater in the top of the sediment column and upward migration of oxygen from oxic seawater from the basalt aquifer below the sediment. Here we report the enrichment, isolation, and initial characterizations of three isolated aerobic heterotrophs from North Pond sediments; an Arthrobacter species from 4 mbsf, and Paracoccus and Pseudomonas species from 68 mbsf. These cultivated bacteria are represented in the amplicon 16S rRNA gene libraries created from whole sediments, albeit at low (up to 2% relative abundance. We provide genomic evidence from our isolates demonstrating that the Arthrobacter and Pseudomonas isolates have the potential to respire nitrate and oxygen, though dissimilatory nitrate reduction could not be confirmed in laboratory cultures. The cultures from this study represent members of environmentally significant phyla, and allow for further studies into geochemical factors impacting life in the deep subsurface.

Deep Subsurface Life from North Pond: Enrichment, Isolation, Characterization and Genomes of Heterotrophic Bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, Joseph A; León-Zayas, Rosa; Wrighton, Kelly; Biddle, Jennifer F

2016-01-01

Studies of subsurface microorganisms have yielded few environmentally relevant isolates for laboratory studies. In order to address this lack of cultivated microorganisms, we initiated several enrichments on sediment and underlying basalt samples from North Pond, a sediment basin ringed by basalt outcrops underlying an oligotrophic water-column west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at 22°N. In contrast to anoxic enrichments, growth was observed in aerobic, heterotrophic enrichments from sediment of IODP Hole U1382B at 4 and 68 m below seafloor (mbsf). These sediment depths, respectively, correspond to the fringes of oxygen penetration from overlying seawater in the top of the sediment column and upward migration of oxygen from oxic seawater from the basalt aquifer below the sediment. Here we report the enrichment, isolation, initial characterization and genomes of three isolated aerobic heterotrophs from North Pond sediments; an Arthrobacter species from 4 mbsf, and Paracoccus and Pseudomonas species from 68 mbsf. These cultivated bacteria are represented in the amplicon 16S rRNA gene libraries created from whole sediments, albeit at low (up to 2%) relative abundance. We provide genomic evidence from our isolates demonstrating that the Arthrobacter and Pseudomonas isolates have the potential to respire nitrate and oxygen, though dissimilatory nitrate reduction could not be confirmed in laboratory cultures. The cultures from this study represent members of abundant phyla, as determined by amplicon sequencing of environmental DNA extracts, and allow for further studies into geochemical factors impacting life in the deep subsurface.

MARCC (Matrix-Assisted Reader Chromatin Capture): an antibody-free method to enrich and analyze combinatorial nucleosome modifications

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Zhangli

2016-01-01

Combinatorial patterns of histone modifications are key indicators of different chromatin states. Most of the current approaches rely on the usage of antibodies to analyze combinatorial histone modifications. Here we detail an antibody-free method named MARCC (Matrix-Assisted Reader Chromatin Capture) to enrich combinatorial histone modifications. The combinatorial patterns are enriched on native nucleosomes extracted from cultured mammalian cells and prepared by micrococcal nuclease digestion. Such enrichment is achieved by recombinant chromatin-interacting protein modules, or so-called reader domains, which can bind in a combinatorial modification-dependent manner. The enriched chromatin can be quantified by western blotting or mass spectrometry for the co-existence of histone modifications, while the associated DNA content can be analyzed by qPCR or next-generation sequencing. Altogether, MARCC provides a reproducible, efficient and customizable solution to enrich and analyze combinatorial histone modifications. PMID:26131849

Monocyte enrichment from leukapheresis products by using the Elutra cell separator.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sinyoung; Kim, Hyun Ok; Baek, Eun-Jung; Choi, Youjeong; Kim, Han-Soo; Lee, Min-Geul

2007-12-01

Dendritic cells (DCs), used in clinical trials for cancer immunotherapy, require processing on an expanded scale to conform to current good manufacturing practice guidelines. This study evaluated a large-scale monocyte enrichment procedure with a commercially available cell separator (Elutra, Gambro BCT) and analyzed the capacity of enriched monocytes to differentiate into DCs. Mononuclear cells were collected in two patients with malignant melanoma and seven healthy donors by leukapheresis. Continuous-counterflow elutriation with the Elutra was performed to enrich and purify monocytes from leukapheresis products. Purity and recovery of enriched monocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry. DCs were generated from the elutriated monocytes and characterized by phenotypic surface marker and stimulatory capacity in an allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction. In the leukapheresis products, the total MNC count was 7.3 x 10(9) +/- 0.7 x 10(9) and the mean percentage of CD14+ monocytes was 16.5 +/- 3.8 percent, which increased to 68.9 +/- 7.4 percent after elutriation with the Elutra. The mean monocyte recovery was 94.3 percent. Elutriated monocytes were successfully cultured into phenotypically and functionally mature DCs. These results indicate that the Elutra cell separator allows for fast and easy enrichment of monocytes within a closed system. Furthermore, these monocytes can be differentiated into functionally mature DCs. Compared to plastic adherence and immunomagnetic selection methods, the elutriation procedure is inexpensive, efficient, and very effective.

On-Line Enrichment Monitor for UF{sub 6} Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ianakiev, K. D.; Boyer, B.; Favalli, A.; Goda, J. M.; Hill, T.; Keller, C.; Lombardi, M.; Paffett, M.; MacArthur, D. W.; McCluskey, C.; Moss, C. E.; Parker, R.; Smith, M. K.; Swinhoe, M. T. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos (United States)

2012-06-15

This paper is a continuation of the Advanced Enrichment Monitoring Technology for UF{sub 6} Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant (GCEP) work, presented in the 2010 IAEA Safeguards Symposium. Here we will present the system architecture for a planned side-by-side field trial test of passive (186-keV line spectroscopy and pressure-based correction for UF{sub 6} gas density) and active (186-keV line spectroscopy and transmission measurement based correction for UF{sub 6} gas density) enrichment monitoring systems in URENCO's enrichment plant in Capenhurst. Because the pressure and transmission measurements of UF{sub 6} are complementary, additional information on the importance of the presence of light gases and the UF{sub 6} gas temperature can be obtained by cross-correlation between simultaneous measurements of transmission, pressure and 186-keV intensity. We will discuss the calibration issues and performance in the context of accurate, on-line enrichment measurement. It is hoped that a simple and accurate on-line enrichment monitor can be built using the UF{sub 6} gas pressure provided by the Operator, based on online mass spectrometer calibration, assuming a negligible (a small fraction of percent) contribution of wall deposits. Unaccounted-for wall deposits present at the initial calibration will lead to unwanted sensitivity to changes in theUF{sub 6} gas pressure and thus to error in the enrichment results. Because the accumulated deposits in the cascade header pipe have been identified as an issue for Go/No Go measurements with the Cascade Header Enrichment Monitor (CHEM) and Continuous Enrichment Monitor (CEMO), it is important to explore their effect. Therefore we present the expected uncertainty on enrichment measurements obtained by propagating the errors introduced by deposits, gas density, etc. and will discuss the options for a deposit correction during initial calibration of an On-Line Enrichment Monitor (OLEM).

Presenting Cultural Artifacts in the Art Museum: A University-Museum Collaboration

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Sheng Kuan

2009-01-01

With increasing emphasis on multicultural art education and integrative pedagogy, educators have incorporated community resources, such as cultural artifacts exhibited in art museums, to enrich their programs. Cultural artifacts are human-made objects which generally reveal historic information about cultural values, beliefs, and traditions.…

African American perspectives: A qualitative study of an informal science enrichment program

Science.gov (United States)

Simpson, Jamila Rashida

The purposes of this study were to determine what program characteristics African American parents consider when they enroll their children into an informal science education enrichment program, the parents' evaluation of a program called Jordan Academy in which they enrolled their children, and the alignment of the parents' perspectives with Black Cultural Ethos (BCE). BCE refers to nine dimensions posited by Wade Boykin, a psychologist, as comprising African American culture. Participants were parents of students that attended Jordan Academy, an informal science enrichment program designed for third through sixth grade students from underserved populations. Qualitative methodologies were utilized to perform a thorough assessment of parents' perspectives. Data sources included classroom observations, student surveys, academy curriculum, photos and video-taped class sessions. Data included teachers and parents' responses to semi-structured, audio recorded interviews and students' written responses to open-ended items on the program's evaluation instrument. The data were analyzed for themes and the findings compared to Black Cultural Ethos. Findings revealed that the participants believed that informal science education offered their children opportunities not realized in the formal school setting - a means of impacting their children holistically. The parents expressed the academic, cultural, and personal development of their children in their characterizations of the ideal informal science education experience and in their evaluations of Jordan Academy. Overall, the parents' views emphasized the BCE values of harmony, affect, verve, movement, orality and communalism. The study has important implications for practices within and research on informal science education.

Enrichment dynamics of Listeria monocytogenes and the associated microbiome from naturally contaminated ice cream linked to a listeriosis outbreak.

Science.gov (United States)

Ottesen, Andrea; Ramachandran, Padmini; Reed, Elizabeth; White, James R; Hasan, Nur; Subramanian, Poorani; Ryan, Gina; Jarvis, Karen; Grim, Christopher; Daquiqan, Ninalynn; Hanes, Darcy; Allard, Marc; Colwell, Rita; Brown, Eric; Chen, Yi

2016-11-16

Microbiota that co-enrich during efforts to recover pathogens from foodborne outbreaks interfere with efficient detection and recovery. Here, dynamics of co-enriching microbiota during recovery of Listeria monocytogenes from naturally contaminated ice cream samples linked to an outbreak are described for three different initial enrichment formulations used by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the International Organization of Standardization (ISO), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Enrichment cultures were analyzed using DNA extraction and sequencing from samples taken every 4 h throughout 48 h of enrichment. Resphera Insight and CosmosID analysis tools were employed for high-resolution profiling of 16S rRNA amplicons and whole genome shotgun data, respectively. During enrichment, other bacterial taxa were identified, including Anoxybacillus, Geobacillus, Serratia, Pseudomonas, Erwinia, and Streptococcus spp. Surprisingly, incidence of L. monocytogenes was proportionally greater at hour 0 than when tested 4, 8, and 12 h later with all three enrichment schemes. The corresponding increase in Anoxybacillus and Geobacillus spp.indicated these taxa co-enriched in competition with L. monocytogenes during early enrichment hours. L. monocytogenes became dominant after 24 h in all three enrichments. DNA sequences obtained from shotgun metagenomic data of Listeria monocytogenes at 48 h were assembled to produce a consensus draft genome which appeared to have a similar tracking utility to pure culture isolates of L. monocytogenes. All three methods performed equally well for enrichment of Listeria monocytogenes. The observation of potential competitive exclusion of L. mono by Anoxybacillus and Geobacillus in early enrichment hours provided novel information that may be used to further optimize enrichment formulations. Application of Resphera Insight for high-resolution analysis of 16S amplicon sequences accurately identified L. monocytogenes

A stem cell medium containing neural stimulating factor induces a pancreatic cancer stem-like cell-enriched population

Science.gov (United States)

WATANABE, YUSAKU; YOSHIMURA, KIYOSHI; YOSHIKAWA, KOICHI; TSUNEDOMI, RYOICHI; SHINDO, YOSHITARO; MATSUKUMA, SOU; MAEDA, NORIKO; KANEKIYO, SHINSUKE; SUZUKI, NOBUAKI; KURAMASU, ATSUO; SONODA, KOUHEI; TAMADA, KOJI; KOBAYASHI, SEI; SAYA, HIDEYUKI; HAZAMA, SHOICHI; OKA, MASAAKI

2014-01-01

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been studied for their self-renewal capacity and pluripotency, as well as their resistance to anticancer therapy and their ability to metastasize to distant organs. CSCs are difficult to study because their population is quite low in tumor specimens. To overcome this problem, we established a culture method to induce a pancreatic cancer stem-like cell (P-CSLC)-enriched population from human pancreatic cancer cell lines. Human pancreatic cancer cell lines established at our department were cultured in CSC-inducing media containing epidermal growth factor (EGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), neural cell survivor factor-1 (NSF-1), and N-acetylcysteine. Sphere cells were obtained and then transferred to a laminin-coated dish and cultured for approximately two months. The surface markers, gene expression, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity, cell cycle, and tumorigenicity of these induced cells were examined for their stem cell-like characteristics. The population of these induced cells expanded within a few months. The ratio of CD24high, CD44high, epithelial specific antigen (ESA) high, and CD44variant (CD44v) high cells in the induced cells was greatly enriched. The induced cells stayed in the G0/G1 phase and demonstrated mesenchymal and stemness properties. The induced cells had high tumorigenic potential. Thus, we established a culture method to induce a P-CSLCenriched population from human pancreatic cancer cell lines. The CSLC population was enriched approximately 100-fold with this method. Our culture method may contribute to the precise analysis of CSCs and thus support the establishment of CSC-targeting therapy. PMID:25118635

Uranium Enrichment, an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coates, J.H.

1994-01-01

This general presentation on uranium enrichment will be followed by lectures on more specific topics including descriptions of enrichment processes and assessments of the prevailing commercial and industrial situations. I shall therefore avoid as much as possible duplications with these other lectures, and rather dwell on: some theoretical aspects of enrichment in general, underlying the differences between statistical and selective processes, a review and comparison between enrichment processes, remarks of general order regarding applications, the proliferation potential of enrichment. It is noteworthy that enrichment: may occur twice in the LWR fuel cycle: first by enriching natural uranium, second by reenriching uranium recovered from reprocessing, must meet LWR requirements, and in particular higher assays required by high burn up fuel elements, bears on the structure of the entire front part of the fuel cycle, namely in the conversion/reconversion steps only involving UF 6 for the moment. (author). tabs., figs., 4 refs

Quantification of Growth of Campylobacter and Extended Spectrum β-Lactamase Producing Bacteria Sheds Light on Black Box of Enrichment Procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Hazeleger, Wilma C; Jacobs-Reitsma, Wilma F; den Besten, Heidy M W

2016-01-01

Campylobacter is well recognized as the leading cause of bacterial foodborne diarrheal disease worldwide, and is routinely found in meat originating from poultry, sheep, pigs, and cattle. Effective monitoring of Campylobacter contamination is dependent on the availability of reliable detection methods. The method of the International Organization for Standardization for the detection of Campylobacter spp. in food (ISO 10272-1:2006) recommends the use of Bolton broth (BB) as selective enrichment medium, including a pre-enrichment step of 4-6 h at 37°C to revive sublethally damaged cells prior to incubation for 2 days at 41.5°C. Recently the presence of abundantly growing extended spectrum β-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL bacteria) has become one of the most important factors that interfere with the isolation of Campylobacter, resulting in false-negative detection. However, detailed growth dynamics of Campylobacter and its competitors remain unclear, where these would provide a solid base for further improvement of the enrichment procedure for Campylobacter. Other enrichment broths, such as Preston broth (PB) and BB plus clavulanic acid (BBc) have been suggested to inhibit competitive flora. Therefore, these different broths were used as enrichments to measure the growth kinetics of several strains of Campylobacter jejuni and ESBL bacteria separately, in co-culture and of strains in chicken samples. The maximum cell numbers and often the growth rates of Campylobacter in mixed culture with ESBL bacteria were significantly lower than in single cultures, indicating severe suppression of Campylobacter by ESBL bacteria, also in naturally contaminated samples. PB and BBc successfully diminished ESBL bacteria and might therefore be a better choice as enrichment medium in possibly ESBL-bacteria contaminated samples. The efficacy of a pre-enrichment step in the BB ISO-procedure was not supported for cold-stressed and non-stressed cells. Therefore, omission of

Uranium enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohrhauer, H.

1982-01-01

The separation of uranium isotopes in order to enrich the fuel for light water reactors with the light isotope U-235 is an important part of the nuclear fuel cycle. After the basic principals of isotope separation the gaseous diffusion and the centrifuge process are explained. Both these techniques are employed on an industrial scale. In addition a short review is given on other enrichment techniques which have been demonstrated at least on a laboratory scale. After some remarks on the present situation on the enrichment market the progress in the development and the industrial exploitation of the gas centrifuge process by the trinational Urenco-Centec organisation is presented. (orig.)

United States uranium enrichment policies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberts, R.W.

1977-01-01

ERDA's uranium enrichment program policies governing the manner in which ERDA's enrichment complex is being operated and expanded to meet customer requirements for separative work, research and development activities directed at providing technology alternatives for future enrichment capacity, and establishing the framework for additional domestic uranium enrichment capacity to meet the domestic and foreign nuclear industry's growing demand for enrichment services are considered. The ERDA enrichment complex consists of three gaseous diffusion plants located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Paducah, Kentucky; and Portsmouth, Ohio. Today, these plants provide uranium enrichment services for commercial nuclear power generation. These enrichment services are provided under contracts between the Government and the utility customers. ERDA's program involves a major pilot plant cascade, and pursues an advanced isotope separation technique for the late 1980's. That the United States must develop additional domestic uranium enrichment capacity is discussed

Kinetic study on anaerobic oxidation of methane coupled to denitrification.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Hou; Kashima, Hiroyuki; Regan, John M; Hussain, Abid; Elbeshbishy, Elsayed; Lee, Hyung-Sool

2017-09-01

Monod kinetic parameters provide information required for kinetic analysis of anaerobic oxidation of methane coupled to denitrification (AOM-D). This information is critical for engineering AOM-D processes in wastewater treatment facilities. We first experimentally determined Monod kinetic parameters for an AOM-D enriched culture and obtained the following values: maximum specific growth rate (μ max ) 0.121/d, maximum substrate-utilization rate (q max ) 28.8mmol CH 4 /g cells-d, half maximum-rate substrate concentration (K s ) 83μΜ CH 4 , growth yield (Y) 4.76gcells/mol CH 4 , decay coefficient (b) 0.031/d, and threshold substrate concentration (S min ) 28.8μM CH 4 . Clone library analysis of 16S rRNA and mcrA gene fragments suggested that AOM-D reactions might have occurred via the syntrophic interaction between denitrifying bacteria (e.g., Ignavibacterium, Acidovorax, and Pseudomonas spp.) and hydrogenotrophic methanogens (Methanobacterium spp.), supporting reverse methanogenesis-dependent AOM-D in our culture. High μ max and q max , and low K s for the AOM-D enrichment imply that AOM-D could play a significant role in mitigating atmospheric methane efflux. In addition, these high kinetic features suggest that engineered AOM-D systems may provide a sustainable alternative to nitrogen removal in wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Blueprint for domestic uranium enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

The AEC advisory committee on domestic production of uranium enrichment has studied for more than a year how to achieve the domestic enrichment of uranium by the construction and operation of a commercial enriching plant using centrifugal separation method, and the report was submitted to the Atomic Energy Commission on August 18, 1980. Japan has depended wholly on overseas services for her uranium enrichment needs, but the development of domestic enrichment has been carried on in parallel. The AEC decided to construct a uranium enrichment pilot plant using centrifuges, and it has been forwarded as a national project. The plant is operated by the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp. since 1979. The capacity of the plant will be raised to approximately 75 ton SWU a year. The centrifuges already operated have provided the first delivery of fuel of about 1 ton for the ATR ''Fugen''. The demand-supply balance of uranium enrichment service, the significance of the domestic enrichment of uranium, the evaluation of uranium enrichment technology, the target for domestic enrichment plan, the measures to promote domestic uranium enrichment, and the promotion of the construction of a demonstration plant are reported. (Kako, I.)

[Comparative characterization of cultured methane-oxidizing bacteria by serological and molecular methods].

Science.gov (United States)

Slobodova, N V; Kolganova, T V; Bulygina, E S; Kuznetsov, B B; Turova, T P; Kravchenko, I K

2006-01-01

Three stable methane-oxidizing enrichment cultures, SB26, SB31, and SB31A were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and by serological and molecular techniques. Electron microscopy revealed the presence of both type I and type II methanotrophs in SB31 and SB31A enrichments; only type II methanotrophs were found in SB26 enrichment. Methylosinus trichosporium was detected in all three enrichments by the application of species-specific antibodies. Additionally, Methylocystis echinoides was found in SB26 culture; Methylococcus capsulatus, in SB31 and SB31A; and Methylomonas methanica, in SB31. The analysis with pmoA and nifH gene sequences as phylogenetic markers revealed the presence of Methylosinus/Methylocystis group in all communities. Moreover, the analysis of pmoA sequences revealed the presence of Methylomonas in SB31. Methylocella was detected in SB31 and SB31A enrichments only by nifH analysis. It was concluded that the simultaneous application of different approaches reveals more reliable information on the diversity of methanotrophs.

Microbial diversity in methanogenic hydrocarbon-degrading enrichment cultures isolated from a water-flooded oil reservoir (Dagang oil field, China)

Science.gov (United States)

Jiménez, Núria; Cai, Minmin; Straaten, Nontje; Yao, Jun; Richnow, Hans H.; Krüger, Martin

2015-04-01

Microbial transformation of oil to methane is one of the main degradation processes taking place in oil reservoirs, and it has important consequences as it negatively affects the quality and economic value of the oil. Nevertheless, methane could constitute a recovery method of carbon from exhausted reservoirs. Previous studies combining geochemical and isotopic analysis with molecular methods showed evidence for in situ methanogenic oil degradation in the Dagang oil field, China (Jiménez et al., 2012). However, the main key microbial players and the underlying mechanisms are still relatively unknown. In order to better characterize these processes and identify the main microorganisms involved, laboratory biodegradation experiments under methanogenic conditions were performed. Microcosms were inoculated with production and injection waters from the reservoir, and oil or 13C-labelled single hydrocarbons (e.g. n-hexadecane or 2-methylnaphthalene) were added as sole substrates. Indigenous microbiota were able to extensively degrade oil within months, depleting most of the n-alkanes in 200 days, and producing methane at a rate of 76 ± 6 µmol day-1 g-1 oil added. They could also produce heavy methane from 13C-labeled 2-methylnaphthalene, suggesting that further methanogenesis may occur from the aromatic and polyaromatic fractions of Dagang reservoir fluids. Microbial communities from oil and 2-methyl-naphthalene enrichment cultures were slightly different. Although, in both cases Deltaproteobacteria, mainly belonging to Syntrophobacterales (e.g. Syntrophobacter, Smithella or Syntrophus) and Clostridia, mostly Clostridiales, were among the most represented taxa, Gammaproteobacteria could be only identified in oil-degrading cultures. The proportion of Chloroflexi, exclusively belonging to Anaerolineales (e.g. Leptolinea, Bellilinea) was considerably higher in 2-methyl-naphthalene degrading cultures. Archaeal communities consisted almost exclusively of representatives of

Survival and growth of catfish Pangasionodon sp. larvae fed on vitamin C-enriched Artemia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mia Setiawati

2015-05-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The research was conducted to evaluate effect of the administration of Artemia enriched with vitamin C on the survival, total body length, and average body weight of Pangasionodon sp. larvae. Artemia were enriched with either 0, 50, 100, or 150 mg/L vitamin C immersed in the culture medium for 13 hours. Two days old larvae were fed on enriched Artemia 12 times/day for seven days. At the end of feeding experiment, it was found that fish fed on Artemia enriched with 100 mg/L culture medium had the highest survival, total length and body weight, respectively 76.17±12.78%, 1.63±0.34 cm, and 20.6±3.8 mg. Keywords: survival, growth, Artemia, vitamin C, catfish, Pangasionodon sp.  ABSTRAK Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui pengaruh Artemia yang diperkaya dengan vitamin C dosis berbeda terhadap kelangsungan hidup, panjang total, dan bobot tubuh larva ikan patin Pangasionodon sp. Pada penelitian ini, Artemia diperkaya dengan vitamin C dosis 0, 50, 100, atau 150 mg/L media pengayaan. Larva yang berumur dua hari diberi pakan Artemia hasil pengayaan sebanyak 12 kali sehari selama tujuh hari masa pemeliharaan. Pada akhir percobaan, didapatkan bahwa larva ikan yang diberi Artemia diperkaya vitamin C dosis 100 mg/L media pengayaan memberikan kelangsungan hidup 76,17±12,78%, panjang total 1,63±0,34 cm, dan bobot tubuh paling tinggi 20,6±3,8 mg. Kata kunci: kelangsungan hidup, pertumbuhan, Artemia, vitamin C, ikan patin, Pangasionodon sp. 

Molecular characterization of diazotrophic and denitrifying bacteria associated with mangrove roots.

Science.gov (United States)

Flores-Mireles, Ana L; Winans, Stephen C; Holguin, Gina

2007-11-01

An analysis of the molecular diversity of N(2) fixers and denitrifiers associated with mangrove roots was performed using terminal restriction length polymorphism (T-RFLP) of nifH (N(2) fixation) and nirS and nirK (denitrification), and the compositions and structures of these communities among three sites were compared. The number of operational taxonomic units (OTU) for nifH was higher than that for nirK or nirS at all three sites. Site 3, which had the highest organic matter and sand content in the rhizosphere sediment, as well as the lowest pore water oxygen concentration, had the highest nifH diversity. Principal component analysis of biogeochemical parameters identified soil texture, organic matter content, pore water oxygen concentration, and salinity as the main variables that differentiated the sites. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (MDS) analyses of the T-RFLP data using the Bray-Curtis coefficient, group analyses, and pairwise comparisons between the sites clearly separated the OTU of site 3 from those of sites 1 and 2. For nirS, there were statistically significant differences in the composition of OTU among the sites, but the variability was less than for nifH. OTU defined on the basis of nirK were highly similar, and the three sites were not clearly separated on the basis of these sequences. The phylogenetic trees of nifH, nirK, and nirS showed that most of the cloned sequences were more similar to sequences from the rhizosphere isolates than to those from known strains or from other environments.

Molecular Characterization of Diazotrophic and Denitrifying Bacteria Associated with Mangrove Roots▿

Science.gov (United States)

Flores-Mireles, Ana L.; Winans, Stephen C.; Holguin, Gina

2007-01-01

An analysis of the molecular diversity of N2 fixers and denitrifiers associated with mangrove roots was performed using terminal restriction length polymorphism (T-RFLP) of nifH (N2 fixation) and nirS and nirK (denitrification), and the compositions and structures of these communities among three sites were compared. The number of operational taxonomic units (OTU) for nifH was higher than that for nirK or nirS at all three sites. Site 3, which had the highest organic matter and sand content in the rhizosphere sediment, as well as the lowest pore water oxygen concentration, had the highest nifH diversity. Principal component analysis of biogeochemical parameters identified soil texture, organic matter content, pore water oxygen concentration, and salinity as the main variables that differentiated the sites. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (MDS) analyses of the T-RFLP data using the Bray-Curtis coefficient, group analyses, and pairwise comparisons between the sites clearly separated the OTU of site 3 from those of sites 1 and 2. For nirS, there were statistically significant differences in the composition of OTU among the sites, but the variability was less than for nifH. OTU defined on the basis of nirK were highly similar, and the three sites were not clearly separated on the basis of these sequences. The phylogenetic trees of nifH, nirK, and nirS showed that most of the cloned sequences were more similar to sequences from the rhizosphere isolates than to those from known strains or from other environments. PMID:17827324

Uranium enrichment. Enrichment processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexandre, M.; Quaegebeur, J.P.

2009-01-01

Despite the remarkable progresses made in the diversity and the efficiency of the different uranium enrichment processes, only two industrial processes remain today which satisfy all of enriched uranium needs: the gaseous diffusion and the centrifugation. This article describes both processes and some others still at the demonstration or at the laboratory stage of development: 1 - general considerations; 2 - gaseous diffusion: physical principles, implementation, utilisation in the world; 3 - centrifugation: principles, elementary separation factor, flows inside a centrifuge, modeling of separation efficiencies, mechanical design, types of industrial centrifuges, realisation of cascades, main characteristics of the centrifugation process; 4 - aerodynamic processes: vortex process, nozzle process; 5 - chemical exchange separation processes: Japanese ASAHI process, French CHEMEX process; 6 - laser-based processes: SILVA process, SILMO process; 7 - electromagnetic and ionic processes: mass spectrometer and calutron, ion cyclotron resonance, rotating plasmas; 8 - thermal diffusion; 9 - conclusion. (J.S.)

Promotion of uranium enrichment business

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurushima, Morihiro

1981-01-01

The Committee on Nuclear Power has studied on the basic nuclear power policy, establishing its five subcommittees, entrusted by the Ministry of Nternational Trade and Industry. The results of examination by the subcommittee on uranium enrichment business are given along with a report in this connection by the Committee. In order to establish the nuclear fuel cycle, the aspect of uranium enrichment is essential. The uranium enrichment by centrifugal process has proceeded steadily in Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation. The following matters are described: the need for domestic uranium enrichment, the outlook for overseas enrichment services and the schedule for establishing domestic enrichment business, the current state of technology development, the position of the prototype enrichment plant, the course to be taken to establish enrichment business the main organization operating the prototype and commercial plants, the system of supplying centrifuges, the domestic conversion of natural uranium the subsidies for uranium enrichment business. (J.P.N.)

Search for biological effects of 13C-enrichment in developing mammalian systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gregg, C.; Ott, D.; Deaven, L.; Spielmann, H.; Krowke, R.; Neubert, D.

1975-01-01

Increasing diagnostic use of stable isotopes, especially in children and pregnant women, enhances the importance of studies on the biological isotope effects in sensitive mammalian systems. Experimental data on animal systems are meager. The mouse embryos was studied at various stages and mouse limb buds were studied in organ culture. Limb bud development in vitro was unaffected by incubation with 82 mol percent 13 C-glucose as judged by either morphological or biochemical criteria. Of 271 preimplantation embryos incubated in vitro, 95.2 percent developed normally; in 13 C-enriched medium, 96.5 percent showed normal development. 13 C-Enrichment of the embryos in vitro is over 60 percent. Administration of 1.2 g glucose-U- 13 C to pregnant mice during organogenesis leads to enrichment of maternal liver glycogen to over 17 mol percent 13 C, about one-third this level in the embryo, and a lower level in maternal blood. The absolute 13 C content of the embryo continues to increase for several days after the end of isotope administration, while the enrichment in maternal tissues falls. The lipid fraction of the fetus is most highly labeled shortly after the end of isotope administration []These studies on developing mammalian systems have not yet revealed any alteration of normal development due to stable isotope enrichment. (auth)

From high enriched to low enriched uranium fuel in research reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Den Berghe, S.; Leenaers, A.; Koonen, E.; Moons, F.; Sannen, L. [Nuclear Materials Science Institute, SCK.CEN, Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol (Belgium)

2010-07-01

Since the 1970's, global efforts have been going on to replace the high-enriched (>90% {sup 235}U), low-density UAlx research reactor fuel with high-density, low enriched (<20% {sup 235}U) replacements. This search is driven by the attempt to reduce the civil use of high-enriched material because of proliferation risks and terrorist threats. American initiatives, such as the Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) and the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) program have triggered the development of reliable low-enriched fuel types for these reactors, which can replace the high enriched ones without loss of performance. Most success has presently been obtained with U{sub 3}Si{sub 2} dispersion fuel, which is currently used in many research reactors in the world. However, efforts to search for a replacement with even higher density, which will also allow the conversion of some high flux research reactors that currently cannot change to U{sub 3}Si{sub 2} (eg. BR2 in Belgium), have continued and are for the moment mainly directed towards the U(Mo) alloy fuel (7-10 w% Mo). This paper provides an overview of the past efforts and presents the current status of the U(Mo) development. (authors)

From high enriched to low enriched uranium fuel in research reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Den Berghe, S.; Leenaers, A.; Koonen, E.; Moons, F.; Sannen, L.

2010-01-01

Since the 1970's, global efforts have been going on to replace the high-enriched (>90% 235 U), low-density UAlx research reactor fuel with high-density, low enriched ( 235 U) replacements. This search is driven by the attempt to reduce the civil use of high-enriched material because of proliferation risks and terrorist threats. American initiatives, such as the Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) and the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) program have triggered the development of reliable low-enriched fuel types for these reactors, which can replace the high enriched ones without loss of performance. Most success has presently been obtained with U 3 Si 2 dispersion fuel, which is currently used in many research reactors in the world. However, efforts to search for a replacement with even higher density, which will also allow the conversion of some high flux research reactors that currently cannot change to U 3 Si 2 (eg. BR2 in Belgium), have continued and are for the moment mainly directed towards the U(Mo) alloy fuel (7-10 w% Mo). This paper provides an overview of the past efforts and presents the current status of the U(Mo) development. (authors)

Uranium enrichment by gas centrifuge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heriot, I.D.

1988-01-01

After recalling the physical principles and the techniques of centrifuge enrichment the report describes the centrifuge enrichment programmes of the various countries concerned and compares this technology with other enrichment technologies like gaseous diffusion, laser, aerodynamic devices and chemical processes. The centrifuge enrichment process is said to be able to replace with advantage the existing enrichment facilities in the short and medium term. Future prospects of the process are also described, like recycled uranium enrichment and economic improvements; research and development needs to achieve the economic prospects are also indicated. Finally the report takes note of the positive aspect of centrifuge enrichment as far as safeguards and nuclear safety are concerned. 27 figs, 113 refs

Derived enriched uranium market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rutkowski, E.

1996-01-01

The potential impact on the uranium market of highly enriched uranium from nuclear weapons dismantling in the Russian Federation and the USA is analyzed. Uranium supply, conversion, and enrichment factors are outlined for each country; inventories are also listed. The enrichment component and conversion components are expected to cause little disruption to uranium markets. The uranium component of Russian derived enriched uranium hexafluoride is unresolved; US legislation places constraints on its introduction into the US market

Culture matters : a study on presence in an interactive movie

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hu, J.; Bartneck, C.

2008-01-01

A cross cultural study was conducted to test the influences of different cultural backgrounds on the user's presence experience in interacting with a distributed interactive movie. The effects of embodied interaction on presence were also investigated because embodiment is often used to enrich the

Biopotentiality of High Efficient Aerobic Denitrifier Bacillus megaterium S379 for Intensive Aquaculture Water Quality Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Junqian; Gao, Dan; Liu, Hao; Cai, Jiajai; Zhang, Junqi; Qi, Zhengliang

2018-05-24

Excessive nitrite accumulation is a very tough issue for intensive aquaculture. A high efficient aerobic denitrifier Bacillus megaterium S379 with 91.71±0.17% of NO 2 - -N (65 mg L -1 ) removal was successfully isolated for solving the problem. Denitrification of S379 showed excellent environment adaptation that it kept high nitrite removal ratio (more than 85%) when temperature ranged from 25°C to 40°C and pH varied between 7.0 and 9.0, and could endure as high as 560 mg L -1 of NO 2 - -N. Immobilization of S379 could enhance denitrification even when NO 2 - -N adding amount got to 340 mg L -1 . Immobilized cells also showed well pollutants removal performance in aquaculture wastewater treatment. Moreover, S379 possessed positive hydrolase activities for starch, casein, cellulose and fat and bore more than 60 ppt of salinity. Totally, all the results revealed significant potentiality of immobilized S379 applied in aquaculture water quality management. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiometric enrichment of nonradioactive ores

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mokrousov, V.A.; Lileev, V.A.

1979-01-01

Considered are the methods of mineral enrichment based on the use of the radioation of various types. The physical essence of enrichment processes is presented, their classification is given. Described are the ore properties influencing the efficiency of radiometric enrichment, methods of the properties study and estimation of ore enrichment. New possibilities opened by radiometric enrichment in the technology of primary processing of mineral raw materials are elucidated. A considerable attention is paid to the main and auxiliary equipment for radiometric enrichment. The foundations of the safety engineering are presented in a brief form. Presented are also results of investigations and practical works in the field of enrichment of ores of non-ferrous, ferrous and non-metallic minerals with the help of radiometric methods

PWR fuel of high enrichment with erbia and enriched gadolinia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bejmer, Klaes-Håkan; Malm, Christian

2011-01-01

Today standard PWR fuel is licensed for operation up to 65-70 MWd/kgU, which in most cases corresponds to an enrichment of more than 5 w/o "2"3"5U. Due to criticality safety reason of storage and transportation, only fuel up to 5 w/o "2"3"5U enrichment is so far used. New fuel storage installations and transportation casks are necessary investments before the reactivity level of the fresh fuel can be significantly increased. These investments and corresponding licensing work takes time, and in the meantime a solution that requires burnable poisons in all pellets of the fresh high-enriched fuel might be used. By using very small amounts of burnable absorber in every pellet the initial reactivity can be reduced to today's levels. This study presents core calculations with fuel assemblies enriched to almost 6 w/o "2"3"5U mixed with a small amount of erbia. Some of the assemblies also contain gadolinia. The results are compared to a reference case containing assemblies with 4.95 w/o "2"3"5U without erbia, utilizing only gadolinia as burnable poison. The comparison shows that the number of fresh fuel assemblies can be reduced by 21% (which increases the batch burnup by 24%) by utilizing the erbia fuel concept. However, increased cost of uranium due to higher enrichment is not fully compensated for by the cost gain due to the reduction of the number assemblies. Hence, the fuel cycle cost becomes slightly higher for the high enrichment erbia case than for the reference case. (author)

Effects of nutrient enrichment derived from fish farming activities on macroinvertebrate assemblages in a subtropical region of Hong Kong.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Qin-Feng; Cheung, Kwok-Leung; Cheung, Siu-Gin; Shin, Paul K S

2005-01-01

To study the correlation between nutrient enrichment derived from fish farming activities and changes in macrobenthic assemblages, a one-year field study was conducted in Kau Sai Bay marine fish culture zone of Hong Kong. Bimonthly sediment samples were collected at six stations: two at the fish cages, two near the boundary of the fish culture area, and two reference sites further away from the culture area. Sediment physico-chemical characteristics in terms of silt/clay fraction, moisture content, total organic carbon (TOC), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) and total phosphorus (TP) were analyzed. The macrobenthos (>0.5 mm) present in the sediment were sorted, identified and enumerated. On average, TOC, TKN and TP levels at the fish cage stations were 82.8%, 128.5% and 1315.7% higher than those at the reference stations, respectively. As a result, the N:P molar ratio was greatly reduced from 8.75 at the reference stations to 1.83 at the fish cage stations. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that diversity of macrofauna was significantly reduced and community structure differed at the fish cage stations relative to the reference sites. The intermediary stations near the fish culture area showed a transitional state of disturbance. Faunal diversity was negatively correlated with nutrient level, reflecting the adverse impacts of nutrient enrichment derived from fish farming activities on the benthic assemblages. Whilst in subtropical Asia-Pacific trash fish is the major feed for fish culture resulting in a higher nutrient loading and nutrient ratio accumulated in the sediment beneath the fish rafts, the effects of nutrient enrichment on macrobenthic assemblages are comparable to that in temperate waters owing to relatively high sediment metabolism rate and smaller fish culture scale in Hong Kong.

Nitrous oxide reduction genetic potential from the microbial community of an intermittently aerated partial nitritation SBR treating mature landfill leachate.

Science.gov (United States)

Gabarró, J; Hernández-Del Amo, E; Gich, F; Ruscalleda, M; Balaguer, M D; Colprim, J

2013-12-01

This study investigates the microbial community dynamics in an intermittently aerated partial nitritation (PN) SBR treating landfill leachate, with emphasis to the nosZ encoding gene. PN was successfully achieved and high effluent stability and suitability for a later anammox reactor was ensured. Anoxic feedings allowed denitrifying activity in the reactor. The influent composition influenced the mixed liquor suspended solids concentration leading to variations of specific operational rates. The bacterial community was low diverse due to the stringent conditions in the reactor, and was mostly enriched by members of Betaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes as determined by 16S rRNA sequencing from excised DGGE melting types. The qPCR analysis for nitrogen cycle-related enzymes (amoA, nirS, nirK and nosZ) demonstrated high amoA enrichment but being nirS the most relatively abundant gene. nosZ was also enriched from the seed sludge. Linear correlation was found mostly between nirS and the organic specific rates. Finally, Bacteroidetes sequenced in this study by 16S rRNA DGGE were not sequenced for nosZ DGGE, indicating that not all denitrifiers deal with complete denitrification. However, nosZ encoding gene bacteria was found during the whole experiment indicating the genetic potential to reduce N2O. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of a Semi-Purified Oligosaccharide-Enriched Fraction from Caprine Milk on Barrier Integrity and Mucin Production of Co-Culture Models of the Small and Large Intestinal Epithelium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alicia M. Barnett

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Caprine milk contains the highest amount of oligosaccharides among domestic animals, which are structurally similar to human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs. This suggests caprine milk oligosaccharides may offer similar protective and developmental effects to that of HMOs. However, to date, studies using oligosaccharides from caprine milk have been limited. Thus, this study aimed to examine the impact of a caprine milk oligosaccharide-enriched fraction (CMOF on barrier function of epithelial cell co-cultures of absorptive enterocytes (Caco-2 cells and mucus-secreting goblet cells (HT29-MTX cells, that more closely simulate the cell proportions found in the small (90:10 and large intestine (75:25. Treatment of epithelial co-cultures with 0.4, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 mg/mL of CMOF was shown to have no effect on metabolic activity but did enhance cell epithelial barrier integrity as measured by trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER, in a dose-dependent manner. The CMOF at the maximum concentration tested (4.0 mg/mL enhanced TEER, mucin gene expression and mucin protein abundance of epithelial co-cultures, all of which are essential components of intestinal barrier function.

Effect of a Semi-Purified Oligosaccharide-Enriched Fraction from Caprine Milk on Barrier Integrity and Mucin Production of Co-Culture Models of the Small and Large Intestinal Epithelium.

Science.gov (United States)

Barnett, Alicia M; Roy, Nicole C; McNabb, Warren C; Cookson, Adrian L

2016-05-06

Caprine milk contains the highest amount of oligosaccharides among domestic animals, which are structurally similar to human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs). This suggests caprine milk oligosaccharides may offer similar protective and developmental effects to that of HMOs. However, to date, studies using oligosaccharides from caprine milk have been limited. Thus, this study aimed to examine the impact of a caprine milk oligosaccharide-enriched fraction (CMOF) on barrier function of epithelial cell co-cultures of absorptive enterocytes (Caco-2 cells) and mucus-secreting goblet cells (HT29-MTX cells), that more closely simulate the cell proportions found in the small (90:10) and large intestine (75:25). Treatment of epithelial co-cultures with 0.4, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 mg/mL of CMOF was shown to have no effect on metabolic activity but did enhance cell epithelial barrier integrity as measured by trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER), in a dose-dependent manner. The CMOF at the maximum concentration tested (4.0 mg/mL) enhanced TEER, mucin gene expression and mucin protein abundance of epithelial co-cultures, all of which are essential components of intestinal barrier function.

Characterization of in vitro chlamydial cultures in low-oxygen atmospheres

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Juul, Nicolai Stefan; Jensen, Helene; Hvid, Malene

2007-01-01

To mimic in vivo conditions during chlamydial infections, Chlamydia trachomatis serovar D and Chlamydia pneumoniae CWL029 were cultured in low-oxygen atmospheres containing 4% O(2), with parallel controls cultured in atmospheric air. Both were enriched with 5% CO(2). The results showed a dramatic...

Use of an Interculturally Enriched Collaboration Script in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning in Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Popov, Vitaliy; Biemans, Harm J. A.; Kuznetsov, Andrei N.; Mulder, Martin

2014-01-01

In this exploratory study, the authors introduced an interculturally enriched collaboration script (IECS) for working in culturally diverse groups within a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment and then assessed student online collaborative behaviour, learning performance and experiences. The question was if and how these…

77 FR 14838 - General Electric-Hitachi Global Laser Enrichment LLC, Commercial Laser-Based Uranium Enrichment...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-13

... Laser Enrichment LLC, Commercial Laser-Based Uranium Enrichment Facility, Wilmington, North Carolina... a license to General Electric-Hitachi Global Laser Enrichment LLC (GLE or the applicant) to authorize construction of a laser-based uranium enrichment facility and possession and use of byproduct...

The optimal ecological factors and the denitrification populationof a denitrifying process for sulfate reducing bacteriainhibition

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chunying

2018-02-01

SRB have great negative impacts on the oil production in Daqing Oil field. A continuous-flow anaerobic baffled reactors (ABR) are applied to investigate the feasibility and optimal ecological factors for the inhibition of SRB by denitrifying bacteria (DNB). The results showed that the SO42- to NO3- concentration ratio (SO42-/NO3-) are the most important ecological factor. The input of NO3- and lower COD can enhance the inhibition of S2-production effectively. The effective time of sulfate reduction is 6 h. Complete inhibition of SRB is obtained when the influent COD concentration is 600 mg/L, the SO42-/NO3- is 1/1 (600 mg/L for each), N is added simultaneously in the 2# and the 5# ABR chambers. By extracting the total DNA of wastewater from the effective chamber, 16SrDNA clones of a bacterium had been constructed. It is showed that the Proteobacteria accounted for eighty- four percent of the total clones. The dominant species was the Neisseria. Sixteen percent of the total clones were the Bacilli of Frimicutes. It indicated that DNB was effective and feasible for SRB inhibition.

A Multiplex RT-PCR Assay for S. aureus, L. monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp. Detection in Raw Milk with Pre-enrichment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tian Ding

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This study firstly developed a multiplex real-time PCR (RT-PCR technique combined with a pre-enrichment step to simultaneously detect Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus, Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. in raw milk and the dairy farm environment (feces, soil, feed, water in one reaction. Brain heart infusion (BHI broth was selected for the enrichment step to increase the density of the target bacteria by using an incubation of 4 h before multiplex RT-PCR. The results showed that the detection limit of the multiplex real-time assay was approximately 102 CFU/mL for pure cultures and artificially contaminated milk without enrichment, while 12, 14, and 10 CFU/25 mL, respectively, for S. aureus, L. monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp. after pre-enrichment. The newly developed multiplex RT-PCR assay was applied to 46 dairy farm environmental samples and raw milk samples covering a wide variety of sample types. The results demonstrated that the multiplex RT-PCR assay coupled with the BHI enrichment broth was suitable for the simultaneous screening of S. aureus, L. monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp. in the pasture environment and in raw milk. The multiplex RT-PCR assay clearly and successfully shortened the total detection time and reduced labor compared to conventional culture-based methods for testing natural samples.

HOW FUTURE MANAGERS VIEW SOCIETAL CULTURE: A CROSS-COUNTRY COMPARISON

OpenAIRE

CATANA DOINA; CATANA GHEORGHE ALEXANDRU

2011-01-01

Our study aims at enriching the existing literature about the prospective managers view of an ideal societal value system and the existing cultural practices in their society. The findings about the students' perception on cultural practices and their expectations about societal culture are helpful in imagining the societal culture in its dynamics. The research sample consists of 727 students in business and engineering on undergraduate and graduate levels from Romania and Slovenia. The reaso...

Microbial biomass, community structure and metal tolerance of a naturally Pb-enriched forest soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Bååth, E; Díaz-Raviña, M; Bakken, L R

2005-11-01

The effect of long-term elevated soil Pb levels on soil microbiota was studied at a forest site in Norway, where the soil has been severely contaminated with Pb since the last period of glaciation (several thousand years). Up to 10% Pb (total amount, w/w) has been found in the top layer. The microbial community was drastically affected, as judged from changes in the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) pattern. Specific PLFAs that were high in Pb-enriched soil were branched (especially br17:0 and br18:0), whereas PLFAs common in eukaryotic organisms such as fungi (18:2omega6,9 and 20:4) were low compared with levels at adjacent, uncontaminated sites. Congruent changes in the PLFA pattern were found upon analyzing the culturable part of the bacterial community. The high Pb concentrations in the soil resulted in increased tolerance to Pb of the bacterial community, measured using both thymidine incorporation and plate counts. Furthermore, changes in tolerance were correlated to changes in the community structure. The bacterial community of the most contaminated soils showed higher specific activity (thymidine and leucine incorporation rates) and higher culturability than that of control soils. Fungal colony forming units (CFUs) were 10 times lower in the most Pb-enriched soils, the species composition was widely different from that in control soils, and the isolated fungi had high Pb tolerance. The most commonly isolated fungus in Pb-enriched soils was Tolypocladium inflatum. Comparison of isolates from Pb-enriched soil and isolates from unpolluted soils showed that T. inflatum was intrinsically Pb-tolerant, and that the prolonged conditions with high Pb had not selected for any increased tolerance.

TRIGA low enrichment fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gietzen, A.

1993-01-01

Sixty TRIGA reactors have been sold and the earliest of these are now passing twenty years of operation. All of these reactors use the uranium zirconium hydride fuel (UZrH) which provides certain unique advantages arising out of its large prompt negative temperature coefficient, very low fission product release, and high temperature capability. Eleven of these Sixty reactors are conversions from plate fuel to TRIGA fuel which were made as a result of these advantages. With only a few exceptions, TRIGA reactors have always used low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel with an enrichment of 19.9%. The exceptions have either been converted from the standard low-enriched fuel to the 70% enriched FLIP fuel in order to achieve extended lifetime, or are higher powered reactors which were designed for long life using 93%-enriched uranium during the time when the use and export of highly enriched uranium (HEU) was not restricted. The advent of international policies focusing attention on nonproliferation and safeguards made the HEU fuels obsolete. General Atomic immediately undertook a development effort (nearly two years ago) in order to be in a position to comply with these policies for all future export sales and also to provide a low-enriched alternative to fully enriched plate-type fuels. This important work was subsequently partially supported by the U.S. Department of Energy. The laboratory and production tests have shown that higher uranium densities can be achieved to compensate for reducing the enrichment to 20%, and that the fuels maintain the characteristics of the very thoroughly proven standard TRIGA fuels. In May of 1978, General Atomic announced that these fuels were available for TRIGA reactors and for plate-type reactors with power levels up to 15 MW with General Atomic's standard commercial warranty

TRIGA low enrichment fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gietzen, A.

1993-01-01

Sixty TRIGA reactors have been sold and the earliest of these are now passing twenty years of operation. All of these reactors use the uranium-zirconium hydride fuel (UZrH) which provides certain unique advantages arising out of its large prompt negative temperature coefficient, very low fission product release, and high temperature capability. Eleven of these Sixty reactors are conversions from plate fuel to TRIGA fuel which were made as a result of these advantages. With only a few exceptions, TRIGA reactors have always used low-enriched-uranium (LEU) fuel with an enrichment of 19.9%. The exceptions have either been converted from the standard low-enriched fuel to the 70% enriched FLIP fuel in order to achieve extended lifetime, or are higher powered reactors which were designed for long life using 93%-enriched uranium during the time when the use and export of highly enriched uranium (HEU) was not restricted. The advent of international policies focusing attention on nonproliferation and safeguards made the HEU fuels obsolete. General Atomic immediately undertook a development effort (nearly two years ago) in order to be in a position to comply with these policies for all future export sales and also to provide a low-enriched alternative to fully enriched plate-type fuels. This important work was subsequently partially supported by the U.S. Department of Energy. The laboratory and production tests have shown that higher uranium densities can be achieved to compensate for reducing the enrichment to 20%, and that the fuels maintain the characteristics of the very thoroughly proven standard TRIGA fuels. In May of 1978, General Atomic announced that these fuels were available for TRIGA reactors and for plate-type reactors with power levels up to 15 MW with GA's standard commercial warranty

Optimization of in vitro culture and transfection condition of bovine ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The present study aimed to optimize the in vitro culture and transfection efficiency of bovine primary spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). To this end, SSCs were obtained from newborn Holstein bull calves by two-step enzymatic digestion. After enrichment and culture, SSCs were characterized by using alkaline phosphatase ...

Turkey's regulatory plans for high enriched to low enriched conversion of TR-2 reactor core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guelol Oezdere, Oya

2003-01-01

Turkey is a developing country and has three nuclear facilities two of which are research reactors and one pilot fuel production plant. One of the two research reactors is TR-2 which is located in Cekmece site in Istanbul. TR-2 Reactor's core is composed of both high enriched and low enriched fuel and from high enriched to low enriched core conversion project will take place in year 2005. This paper presents the plans for drafting regulations on the safety analysis report updates for high enriched to low enriched core conversion of TR-2 reactor, the present regulatory structure of Turkey and licensing activities of nuclear facilities. (author)

High enrichment to low enrichment core's conversion. Technical securities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbate, P.; Madariaga, M.R.

1990-01-01

This work presents the fulfillment of the technical securities subscribed by INVAP S.E. for the conversion of a high enriched uranium core. The reactor (of 5 thermal Mw), built in the 50's and 60's, is of the 'swimming pool' type, with light water and fuel elements of the curve plates MTR type, enriched at 93.15 %. These are neutronic and thermohydraulic securities. (Author) [es

Beta activity of enriched uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nambiar, P.P.V.J.; Ramachandran, V.

1975-01-01

Use of enriched uranium as reactor fuel necessitates its handling in various forms. For purposes of planning and organising radiation protection measures in enriched uranium handling facilities, it is necessary to have a basic knowledge of the radiation status of enriched uranium systems. The theoretical variations in beta activity and energy with U 235 enrichment are presented. Depletion is considered separately. Beta activity build up is also studied for two specific enrichments, in respect of which experimental values for specific alpha activity are available. (author)

Isolate PM1 populations are dominant and novel methyl tert-butyl ether-degrading bacterial in compost biofilter enrichments.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruns, M A; Hanson, J R; Mefford, J; Scow, K M

2001-03-01

The gasoline additive MTBE, methyl tert-butyl ether, is a widespread and persistent groundwater contaminant. MTBE undergoes rapid mineralization as the sole carbon and energy source of bacterial strain PM1, isolated from an enrichment culture of compost biofilter material. In this report, we describe the results of microbial community DNA profiling to assess the relative dominance of isolate PM1 and other bacterial strains cultured from the compost enrichment. Three polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based profiling approaches were evaluated: denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of 230 bp 16S rDNA fragments; thermal gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) analysis of 575 bp 16S rDNA fragments; and non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of 300-1,500 bp fragments containing 16S/23S ribosomal intergenic transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. Whereas all three DNA profiling approaches indicated that PM1-like bands predominated in mixtures from MTBE-grown enrichments, ITS profiling provided the most abundant and specific sequence data to confirm strain PM1's presence in the enrichment. Moreover, ITS profiling did not produce non-specific PCR products that were observed with T/DGGE. A further advantage of ITS community profiling over other methods requiring restriction digestion (e.g. terminal restriction fragment length polymorphisms) was that it did not require an additional digestion step or the use of automated sequencing equipment. ITS bands, excised from similar locations in profiles of the enrichment and PM1 pure culture, were 99.9% identical across 750 16S rDNA positions and 100% identical across 691 spacer positions. BLAST comparisons of nearly full-length 16S rDNA sequences showed 96% similarity between isolate PM1 and representatives of at least four different genera in the Leptothrix subgroup of the beta-Proteobacteria (Aquabacterium, Leptothrix, Rubrivivax and Ideonella). Maximum likelihood and parsimony analyses of 1,249 nucleotide

The effect of poly-β-hydroxyalkanoates degradation rate on nitrous oxide production in a denitrifying phosphorus removal system.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Yan; Wang, Shuying; Ma, Bin; Li, Xiyao; Yuan, Zhiguo; He, Yuelan; Peng, Yongzhen

2014-10-01

Poly-β-hydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and free nitrous acid (FNA) have been revealed as significant factors causing nitrous oxide (N2O) production in denitrifying phosphorus removal systems. In this study, the effect of PHA degradation rate on N2O production was studied at low FNA levels. N2O production always maintained at approximately 40% of the amount of nitrite reduced independent of the PHA degradation rate. The electrons distributed to nitrite reduction were 1.6 times that to N2O reduction. This indicated that electron competition between these two steps was not affected by the PHA degradation rate. Continuous feed of nitrate was proposed, and demonstrated to reduce N2O accumulation by 75%. While being kept low, a possible compounding effect of a low-level FNA could not be ruled out. The sludge used likely contained both polyphosphate- and glycogen-accumulating organisms, and the results could not be simply attributed to either group of organisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Isotope enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garbuny, M.

1979-01-01

The invention discloses a method for deriving, from a starting material including an element having a plurality of isotopes, derived material enriched in one isotope of the element. The starting material is deposited on a substrate at less than a critical submonatomic surface density, typically less than 10 16 atoms per square centimeter. The deposit is then selectively irradiated by a laser (maser or electronic oscillator) beam with monochromatic coherent radiation resonant with the one isotope causing the material including the one istope to escape from the substrate. The escaping enriched material is then collected. Where the element has two isotopes, one of which is to be collected, the deposit may be irradiated with radiation resonant with the other isotope and the residual material enriched in the one isotope may be evaporated from the substrate and collected

La Dialectique culturelle et le devenir de la France (France's Cultural Dialectics and Evolution).

Science.gov (United States)

Labat, Joseph

1980-01-01

Analyzes the evolution of French culture during the last thirty years as a series of steps towards the acquisition of a second culture by the individual and by the whole civilization. Describes the dynamics of cultural change as a process of interaction and mutual enrichment involving the individual and the culture. (MES)

Laser and gas centrifuge enrichment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heinonen, Olli [Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Massachusetts (United States)

2014-05-09

Principles of uranium isotope enrichment using various laser and gas centrifuge techniques are briefly discussed. Examples on production of high enriched uranium are given. Concerns regarding the possibility of using low end technologies to produce weapons grade uranium are explained. Based on current assessments commercial enrichment services are able to cover the global needs of enriched uranium in the foreseeable future.

PHYSICAL CULTURE AND HEALTH CULTURE – INNOVATIONAL CULTUROLOGICAL APPROACH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grujo Bjeković

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Inaugural discusses of metatheoretical innovatinal forming of upgrading the cultural health and pedagogical technology of children’s and youth’s health progress and protection systems in the system of generally educational and health-school organizations. Establishment of a dynamical cumulative knowledge exchange and cooperative harmonization of the pedagogues of teaching obligations in the constitution of knowledge management educational space on rising health culture, physicality, and enriching sport and recreative lifestyle. Working out of con ceptual structural-functional scheme of health management measures in school and of evaluation of psychophysical and functional potentials, from the aspect of personalorientation. Establishment of complex system monitoring for physical development and physical capabilities and achieved results in domain of self-organized sport and sport-recreative selected activities.

Enrichment technology. Dependable vendor of gas centrifuges; Enrichment Technology. Zuverlaessiger Lieferant von Gaszentrifugen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anon.

2011-10-15

Enrichment Technology is an innovative, high-tech company that develops, manufactures and installs gas centrifuges for enriching uranium. In addition, Enrichment Technology designs enrichment plants that use gas centrifuge technology. This technology offers the most efficient and cost-effective method for enriching uranium yet: high-performance, safe technology that dominates the market with a global share of 45 percent. A determining factor in Enrichment Technology's success is its mission: supplying its customers with safe, reliable technology. Production of the centrifuges requires versatile know-how and collaboration between different departments as well as interdisciplinary teams at the various sites. More than 2000 operators at 8 sites in 5 countries contribute their individual knowledge and personal skills in order to produce this exceptional technology. The head office is in Beaconsfield near London and the operational headquarters are in Almelo in the Netherlands. There are other sites in Germany (Juelich und Gronau), Great Britain (Capenhurst) as well as project sites in the USA and France. Capenhurst is where experienced engineers design new enrichment plants and organise their construction. Centrifuge components are manufactured in Almelo and Juelich, while the pipework needed to connect up the centrifuges is produced at the site in Gronau. In Juelich, highly qualified scientists in interdisciplinary teams are continuously researching ways of improving the current centrifuges. Communication between specialists in the fields of chemistry, physics and engineering forms the basis for the company's success and the key to extending this leading position in the global enrichment market. (orig.)

76 FR 11523 - Atomic Safety and Licensing Board; AREVA Enrichment Services, LLC (Eagle Rock Enrichment Facility...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-02

... and Licensing Board; AREVA Enrichment Services, LLC (Eagle Rock Enrichment Facility); Notice of... Governmental Entities Regarding Environmental Portion of Enrichment Facility Licensing Proceeding February 24.... White. In this 10 CFR part 70 proceeding regarding the request of applicant AREVA Enrichment Services...

76 FR 34103 - In the Matter of Areva Enrichment Services, LLC (Eagle Rock Enrichment Facility); Notice of...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-10

.... 10-899-02-ML-BD01] In the Matter of Areva Enrichment Services, LLC (Eagle Rock Enrichment Facility...'' portion of this proceeding regarding the December 2008 application by AREVA Enrichment Services, LLC (AES... gas centrifuge uranium enrichment facility--denoted as the Eagle Rock Enrichment Facility (EREF)--in...

An improved culture method for selective isolation of Campylobacter jejuni from wastewater

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinyong Kim

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Campylobacter jejuni is one of the leading foodborne pathogens worldwide. C. jejuni is isolated from a wide range of foods, domestic animals, wildlife, and environmental sources. The currently-available culture-based isolation methods are not highly effective for wastewater samples due to the low number of C. jejuni in the midst of competing bacteria. To detect and isolate C. jejuni from wastewater samples, in this study, we evaluated a few different enrichment conditions using five different antibiotics (i.e., cefoperazone, vancomycin, trimethoprim, polymyxin B, and rifampicin, to which C. jejuni is intrinsically resistant. The selectivity of each enrichment condition was measured with Ct value using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR, and multiplex PCR to determine Campylobacter species. In addition, the efficacy of Campylobacter isolation on different culture media after selective enrichment was examined by growing on Bolton and Preston agar plates. The addition of polymyxin B, rifampicin, or both to the Bolton selective supplements enhanced the selective isolation of C. jejuni. In particular, rifampicin supplementation and an increased culture temperature (i.e., 42°C had a decisive effect on the selective enrichment of C. jejuni from wastewater. The results of 16S rDNA sequencing also revealed that Enterococcus spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are major competing bacteria in the enrichment conditions. Although it is known to be difficult to isolate Campylobacter from samples with heavy contamination, this study well exhibited that the manipulation of antibiotic selective pressure improves the isolation efficiency of fastidious Campylobacter from wastewater.

Enrichment plants. A survey of major new uranium enriching projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kovan, D.

1976-01-01

The work enrichment situation is reported. The development of enrichment in the U.S. and in Europe is outlined. A brief description is given of the technology of separation by diffusion and by centrifugation and the advantages and disadvantages of the two processes are compared. Finally the supply and demand situation is briefly considered. (U.K.)

New Hydrogels Enriched with Antioxidants from Saffron Crocus Can Find Applications in Wound Treatment and/or Beautification.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeka, Keti; Ruparelia, Ketan C; Sansone, Claudia; Macchiarelli, Guido; Continenza, Maria Adelaide; Arroo, Randolph R J

2018-01-01

Saffron extracts have a long history of application as skin protectant, possibly due to their ability to scavenge free radicals. In this work, the performance of a hydrogel enriched with antioxidant compounds isolated from saffron crocus (Crocus sativus L.) petals was tested. These hydrogels could be considered as new drug delivery system. Hydrogels are crosslinked polymer networks that absorb large quantities of water but retain the properties of a solid, thus making ideal dressings for sensitive skin. We tested antioxidant-enriched hydrogels on primary mouse fibroblasts. Hydrogels enriched with kaempferol and crocin extracted from saffron petals showed good biocompatibility with in vitro cultured fibroblasts. These new types of hydrogels may find applications in wound treatment and/or beautification. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Operational experience in the production of 131Molybdenum and 99Iodine with high and low uranium enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bravo, C.; Cristini, Pablo R..; Novello, A.; Bronca, M.; Cestau, Daniel; Centurion, R.; Bavaro, R.; Cestau, J.; Gualda, E.; Bronca, P.; Carranza, Eduardo C.

2009-01-01

In 1992, in an effort to curtail use of Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU), hoping to alleviate nuclear security concerns, United States passed the Schumer amendment to the Energy Policy Act. This legislation conditioned U.S. export of HEU to foreign companies, understanding that these companies would switch as soon as possible to Lowly Enriched Uranium (LEU). This paper describes 99 Mo production flow chart, characteristics of process cells, shielding, systems of manipulation at distance, cell ventilation system and the method for personal dose monitoring. Production evolution for the span of years 1998 to 2007 is given by indicators, keeping in mind enrichment proportion change. Evolution shown on the indicators is directly related to the application of Safety Culture concepts adopted by personnel. (author)

Nitrous Oxide Emission and Denitrifier Abundance in Two Agricultural Soils Amended with Crop Residues and Urea in the North China Plain.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianmin Gao

Full Text Available The application of crop residues combined with Nitrogen (N fertilizer has been broadly adopted in China. Crop residue amendments can provide readily available C and N, as well as other nutrients to agricultural soils, but also intensify the N fixation, further affecting N2O emissions. N2O pulses are obviously driven by rainfall, irrigation and fertilization. Fertilization before rainfall or followed by flooding irrigation is a general management practice for a wheat-maize rotation in the North China Plain. Yet, little is known on the impacts of crop residues combined with N fertilizer application on N2O emission under high soil moisture content. A laboratory incubation experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of two crop residue amendments (maize and wheat, individually or in combination with N fertilizer, on N2O emissions and denitrifier abundance in two main agricultural soils (one is an alluvial soil, pH 8.55, belongs to Ochri-Aquic Cambosols, OAC, the other is a lime concretion black soil, pH 6.61, belongs to Hapli-Aquic Vertosols, HAV under 80% WFPS (the water filled pore space in the North China Plain. Each type soil contains seven treatments: a control with no N fertilizer application (CK, N0, 200 kg N ha-1 (N200, 250 kg N ha-1 (N250, maize residue plus N200 (MN200, maize residue plus N250 (MN250, wheat residue plus N200 (WN200 and wheat residue plus N250 (WN250. Results showed that, in the HAV soil, MN250 and WN250 increased the cumulative N2O emissions by 60% and 30% compared with N250 treatment, respectively, but MN200 and WN200 decreased the cumulative N2O emissions by 20% and 50% compared with N200. In the OAC soil, compared with N200 or N250, WN200 and WN250 increased the cumulative N2O emission by 40%-50%, but MN200 and MN250 decreased the cumulative N2O emission by 10%-20%. Compared with CK, addition of crop residue or N fertilizer resulted in significant increases in N2O emissions in both soils. The cumulative N2O

Feeding glycerol-enriched yeast culture improves performance, energy status, and heat shock protein gene expression of lactating Holstein cows under heat stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, J; Ye, G; Zhou, Y; Liu, Y; Zhao, L; Liu, Y; Chen, X; Huang, D; Liao, S F; Huang, K

2014-06-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplemental common yeast culture (CY) and glycerol-enriched yeast culture (GY) on performance, plasma metabolites, antioxidant status, and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) mRNA expression in lactating Holstein cows under heat stress. During summer months, 30 healthy multiparous lactating cows (parity 3.25 ± 0.48; 60 ± 13 d in milk [DIM]; 648 ± 57 kg BW; an average milk yield of 33.8 ± 1.6 kg/d) were blocked by parity, previous milk yield, and DIM and randomly allocated to 3 dietary treatments: no supplemental yeast culture (Control), 1 L/d of CY (33.1 g yeast) per cow, and 2 L/d of GY (153.2 g glycerol and 31.6 g yeast) per cow. During the 60-d experiment, values of air temperature and relative humidity inside the barn were recorded hourly every 3 d to calculate temperature-humidity index (THI). Weekly rectal temperatures (RT) and respiration rates and daily DMI and milk yield were recorded for all cows. Milk and blood samples were taken twice monthly, and BW and BCS were obtained on d 0 and 60. In this experiment, THI values indicated cows experienced a moderate heat stress. Cows supplemented with CY and GY had greater yields of milk, energy-corrected milk and milk fat, and milk fat percent but lower HSP70 mRNA expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes than Control cows (P cows. In conclusion, either CY or GY supplementation partially mitigated the negative effects of heat stress on performance and HSP70 mRNA expression of lactating cows, and GY supplementation provided additional improvements in energy status and HSP70 gene expression of lactating cows.

Developments in uranium enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohrhauer, H.

1995-01-01

The enrichment services market is still characterized by overcapacities. While consumption worldwide will rise by some 15% to 39,000 t SWU/a over the next ten years, capacities amount to nearly 50,000 t SWU/a. The price for enrichment services probably has reached its all time low. Prices below U.S. $ 100/kg SWU are not likely to cover costs even of the economically most advanced enrichment processes. Urenco has prepared for the difficult enrichment business in the years to come by streamlining and cost cutting measures. The company intends to hold and increase its share of more than 10% in the world market. The uranium enrichment plant of Gronau will be expanded further. Expansion beyond 1000 t is subject to another permit being granted under the Atomic Energy Act, an application for which was filed in December 1994. Centrifuge technology is the superior enrichment technology, i.e., there is still considerable potential for further development. Construction of enrichment plants employing the centrifuge technology in the United States and in France is being pursued in various phases, from feasibility studies to licensing procedures. Before these plants could be implemented, however, considerable problems of organization would have to be solved, and the market would have to change greatly, respectively. The laser process, at the present time, does not seem to be able to develop into a major industrial competitor. (orig.) [de

Uranium enrichment plans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gagne, R.W.; Thomas, D.C.

1977-01-01

The status of existing uranium enrichment contracts in the US is reviewed and expected natural uranium requirements for existing domestic uranium enrichment contracts are evaluated. Uncertainty in natural uranium requirements associated with requirements-type and fixed-commitment type contracts is discussed along with implementation of variable tails assay

Centrifuge enrichment program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Astley, E.R.

1976-01-01

Exxon Nuclear has been active in privately funded research and development of centrifuge enrichment technology since 1972. In October of 1975, Exxon Nuclear submitted a proposal to design, construct, and operate a 3000-MT SWU/yr centrifuge enrichment plant, under the provisions of the proposed Nuclear Fuel Assurance Act of 1975. The U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) accepted the proposal as a basis for negotiation. It was proposed to build a 1000-MT SWU/yr demonstration increment to be operational in 1982; and after successful operation for about one year, expand the facilities into a 3000-MT SWU/yr plant. As part of the overall centrifuge enrichment plant, a dedicated centrifuge manufacturing plant would be constructed; sized to support the full 3000-MT SWU/yr plant. The selection of the centrifuge process by Exxon Nuclear was based on an extremely thorough evaluation of current and projected enrichment technology; results show that the technology is mature and the process will be cost effective. The substantial savings in energy (about 93%) from utilization of the centrifuge option rather than gaseous diffusion is a compelling argument. As part of this program, Exxon Nuclear has a large hardware R and D program, plus a prototype centrifuge manufacturing capability in Malta, New York. To provide a full-scale machine and limited cascade test capability, Exxon Nuclear is constructing a $4,000,000 Centrifuge Test Facility in Richland, Washington. This facility was to initiate operations in the Fall of 1976. Exxon Nuclear is convinced that the centrifuge enrichment process is the rational selection for emergence of a commercial enrichment industry

Virtual Interaction through Video-Web Communication: A Step towards Enriching and Internationalizing Language Learning Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Jauregi, Kristi; Banados, Emerita

2008-01-01

This paper describes an intercontinental project with the use of interactive tools, both synchronous and asynchronous, which was set up to internationalize academic learning of Spanish language and culture. The objective of this case study was to investigate whether video-web communication tools can contribute to enriching the quality of foreign…

Mass culture strategy for bacterial yeast co-culture for degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in marine environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Priya, Anchal; Mandal, Ajoy K; Ball, Andrew S; Manefield, Mike; Lal, Banwari; Sarma, Priyangshu M

2015-11-15

In the present study a metabolically versatile co-culture with two Bacilli and one yeast strain was developed using enrichment culture techniques. The developed co-culture had affinity to degrade both aliphatic and aromatic fractions of petroleum crude oil. Degradation kinetics was established for designing the fermentation protocol of the co-culture. The developed mass culture strategy led to achieve the reduction in surface tension (26dynescm(-1) from 69 dynescm(-1)) and degradation of 67% in bench scale experiments. The total crude oil degradation of 96% was achieved in 4000l of natural seawater after 28days without adding any nutrients. The survival of the augmented co-culture was maintained (10(9)cellsml(-1)) in contaminated marine environment. The mass culture protocol devised for the bioaugmentation was a key breakthrough that was subsequently used for pilot scale studies with 100l and 4000l of natural seawater for potential application in marine oil spills. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of different enrichment methods for pathogenic Yersinia species detection by real time PCR

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Yersiniosis is a zoonotic disease reported worldwide. Culture and PCR based protocols are the most common used methods for detection of pathogenic Yersinia species in animal samples. PCR sensitivity could be increased by an initial enrichment step. This step is particularly useful in surveillance programs, where PCR is applied to samples from asymptomatic animals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the improvement in pathogenic Yersinia species detection using a suitable enrichment method prior to the real time PCR (rtPCR). Nine different enrichment protocols were evaluated including six different broth mediums (CASO, ITC, PSB, PBS, PBSMSB and PBSSSB). Results The analysis of variance showed significant differences in Yersinia detection by rtPCR according to the enrichment protocol used. These differences were higher for Y. pseudotuberculosis than for Y. enterocolitica. In general, samples incubated at lower temperatures yielded the highest detection rates. The best results were obtained with PBSMSB and PBS2. Application of PBSMSB protocol to free-ranging wild board samples improved the detection of Y. enterocolitica by 21.2% when compared with direct rtPCR. Y. pseudotuberculosis detection was improved by 10.6% when results obtained by direct rtPCR and by PBSMSB enrichment before rtPCR were analyzed in combination. Conclusions The data obtained in the present study indicate a difference in Yersinia detection by rtPCR related to the enrichment protocol used, being PBSMSB enrichment during 15 days at 4°C and PBS during 7 days at 4°C the most efficient. The use of direct rtPCR in combination with PBSMSB enrichment prior to rtPCR resulted in an improvement in the detection rates of pathogenic Yersinia in wild boar and could be useful for application in other animal samples. PMID:25168886

Evaluation of different conditions and culture media for the recovery of Aeromonas spp. from water and shellfish samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Latif-Eugenín, F; Beaz-Hidalgo, R; Figueras, M J

2016-09-01

To perform a comparative study for determining the optimum culture method (direct plating or enrichment) and medium (ampicillin dextrin agar (ADA), starch ampicillin agar (SAA), bile salts irgasan brilliant green modified (BIBG-m)) for recovering Aeromonas species from water and shellfish samples. By direct culture, Aeromonas was detected in 65% (13/20) of the water samples and in 54·5% (6/11) of the shellfish samples. However, when a pre-enrichment step was included, the number of positive water samples increased to 75% (15/20) and the ones of shellfish to 90·1% (10/11). The enriched culture significantly favoured (P culture medium for detecting Aeromonas from water was ADA. However, no differences were observed in the case of shellfish samples (P > 0·05). Isolation of Aeromonas media from water was favoured (P culture method and medium used influenced the recovery of some Aeromonas species from water and shellfish samples. This fact should be considered in future prevalence studies to avoid overestimating the above mentioned Aeromonas species. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

A Systematic Approach to Marital Enrichment.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinkmeyer, Don; Carlson, Jon

1986-01-01

Presents a systematic approach to enriching marital relationships. The history and current status of marital enrichment is reviewed. An Adlerian approach to marital enrichment is described. Applications of the program in enrichment groups, marriage therapy and couple groups are included. (Author)

Mitigation of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from denitrifying fluidized bed bioreactors (DFBBRs) using calcium.

Science.gov (United States)

Eldyasti, Ahmed; Nakhla, George; Zhu, Jesse

2014-12-01

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a significant anthropogenic greenhouse gases (AnGHGs) emitted from biological nutrient removal (BNR) processes. In this study, N2O production from denitrifying fluidized bed bioreactors (DFBBR) was reduced using calcium (Ca2+) dosage. The DFBBRs were operated on a synthetic municipal wastewater at four different calcium concentrations ranging from the typical municipal wastewater Ca2+ concentration (60 mg Ca2+/L) to 240 mg Ca2+/L at two different COD/N ratios. N2O emission rates, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), water quality parameters, and microscopic images were monitored regularly in both phases. Calcium concentrations played a significant role in biofilm morphology with the detachment rates for R120Ca, R180Ca, and R240Ca 75% lower than for R60Ca, respectively. The N2O conversion rate at the typical municipal wastewater Ca2+ concentration (R60Ca) was about 0.53% of the influent nitrogen loading as compared with 0.34%, 0.42%, and 0.41% for R120Ca, R180Ca, and R240Ca, respectively corresponding to 21-36% reduction. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Functional bacteria and process metabolism of the Denitrifying Sulfur conversion-associated Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal (DS-EBPR) system: An investigation by operating the system from deterioration to restoration.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Gang; Wu, Di; Hao, Tianwei; Mackey, Hamish Robert; Wei, Li; Wang, Haiguang; Chen, Guanghao

2016-05-15

A sulfur conversion-associated Enhanced Biological Phosphorus (P) Removal (EBPR) system is being developed to cater for the increasing needs to treat saline/brackish wastewater resulting from seawater intrusion into groundwater and sewers and frequent use of sulfate coagulants during drinking water treatment, as well as to meet the demand for eutrophication control in warm climate regions. However, the major functional bacteria and metabolism in this emerging biological nutrient removal system are still poorly understood. This study was thus designed to explore the functional microbes and metabolism in this new EBPR system by manipulating the deterioration, failure and restoration of a lab-scale system. This was achieved by changing the mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentration to monitor and evaluate the relationships among sulfur conversion (including sulfate reduction and sulfate production), P removal, variation in microbial community structures, and stoichiometric parameters. The results show that the stable Denitrifying Sulfur conversion-associated EBPR (DS-EBPR) system was enriched by sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and sulfide-oxidizing bacteria (SOB). These bacteria synergistically participated in this new EBPR process, thereby inducing an appropriate level of sulfur conversion crucial for achieving a stable DS-EBPR performance, i.e. maintaining sulfur conversion intensity at 15-40 mg S/L, corresponding to an optimal sludge concentration of 6.5 g/L. This range of sulfur conversion favors microbial community competition and various energy flows from internal polymers (i.e. polysulfide or elemental sulfur (poly-S(2-)/S(0)) and poly-β-hydroxyalkanoates (PHA)) for P removal. If this range was exceeded, the system might deteriorate or even fail due to enrichment of glycogen-accumulating organisms (GAOs). Four methods of restoring the failed system were investigated: increasing the sludge concentration, lowering the salinity or doubling the COD

77 FR 13367 - General Electric-Hitachi Global Laser Enrichment, LLC, Proposed Laser-Based Uranium Enrichment...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-06

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2009-0157] General Electric-Hitachi Global Laser Enrichment, LLC, Proposed Laser-Based Uranium Enrichment Facility, Wilmington, NC AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory... Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed General Electric- Hitachi Global Laser Enrichment, LLC (GLE...

The enrichment secondary market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Einbund, D.R.

1986-01-01

This paper will addresses two topics: the background to the present status of the enrichment secondary market and the future outlook of the secondary market in enrichment services, and the viability of the nuclear fuel brokerage industry. These two topics are inevitably connected, as most secondary market activity, not only in enrichment but also in natural uranium, has traditionally been conducted with the participation of brokers. Therefore, the author interrelates these topics

Metabolic modelling of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymers production by mixed microbial cultures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reis Maria AM

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This paper presents a metabolic model describing the production of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA copolymers in mixed microbial cultures, using mixtures of acetic and propionic acid as carbon source material. Material and energetic balances were established on the basis of previously elucidated metabolic pathways. Equations were derived for the theoretical yields for cell growth and PHA production on mixtures of acetic and propionic acid as functions of the oxidative phosphorylation efficiency, P/O ratio. The oxidative phosphorylation efficiency was estimated from rate measurements, which in turn allowed the estimation of the theoretical yield coefficients. Results The model was validated with experimental data collected in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR operated under varying feeding conditions: feeding of acetic and propionic acid separately (control experiments, and the feeding of acetic and propionic acid simultaneously. Two different feast and famine culture enrichment strategies were studied: (i either with acetate or (ii with propionate as carbon source material. Metabolic flux analysis (MFA was performed for the different feeding conditions and culture enrichment strategies. Flux balance analysis (FBA was used to calculate optimal feeding scenarios for high quality PHA polymers production, where it was found that a suitable polymer would be obtained when acetate is fed in excess and the feeding rate of propionate is limited to ~0.17 C-mol/(C-mol.h. The results were compared with published pure culture metabolic studies. Conclusion Acetate was more conducive toward the enrichment of a microbial culture with higher PHA storage fluxes and yields as compared to propionate. The P/O ratio was not only influenced by the selected microbial culture, but also by the carbon substrate fed to each culture, where higher P/O ratio values were consistently observed for acetate than propionate. MFA studies suggest that when mixtures of

Biohydrogen production from desugared molasses (DM) using thermophilic mixed cultures immobilized on heat treated anaerobic sludge granules

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kongjan, Prawit; O-Thong, Sompong; Angelidaki, Irini

2011-01-01

Hydrogen production from desugared molasses (DM) was investigated in both batch and continuous reactors using thermophilic mixed cultures enriched from digested manure by load shock (loading with DM concentration of 50.1 g-sugar/L) to suppress methanogens. H2 gas, free of methane, was produced......) and Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum with a relative abundance of 36%, 27%, and 10% of total microorganisms, respectively. This study shows that hydrogen production could be efficiently facilitated by using anaerobic granules as a carrier, where microbes from mixed culture enriched in the DM batch cultivation....... The enriched hydrogen producing mixed culture achieved from the 16.7 g-sugars/L DM batch cultivation was immobilized on heat treated anaerobic sludge granules in an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. The UASB reactor, operated at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 24 h fed with 16.7 g...

Thermal breeder fuel enrichment zoning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capossela, H.J.; Dwyer, J.R.; Luce, R.G.; McCoy, D.F.; Merriman, F.C.

1992-01-01

A method and apparatus for improving the performance of a thermal breeder reactor having regions of higher than average moderator concentration are disclosed. The fuel modules of the reactor core contain at least two different types of fuel elements, a high enrichment fuel element and a low enrichment fuel element. The two types of fuel elements are arranged in the fuel module with the low enrichment fuel elements located between the high moderator regions and the high enrichment fuel elements. Preferably, shim rods made of a fertile material are provided in selective regions for controlling the reactivity of the reactor by movement of the shim rods into and out of the reactor core. The moderation of neutrons adjacent the high enrichment fuel elements is preferably minimized as by reducing the spacing of the high enrichment fuel elements and/or using a moderator having a reduced moderating effect. 1 figure

Mangrove microniches determine the structural and functional diversity of enriched petroleum hydrocarbon-degrading consortia.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes, Newton C M; Flocco, Cecilia G; Costa, Rodrigo; Junca, Howard; Vilchez, Ramiro; Pieper, Dietmar H; Krögerrecklenfort, Ellen; Paranhos, Rodolfo; Mendonça-Hagler, Leda C S; Smalla, Kornelia

2010-11-01

In this study, the combination of culture enrichments and molecular tools was used to identify bacterial guilds, plasmids and functional genes potentially important in the process of petroleum hydrocarbon (PH) decontamination in mangrove microniches (rhizospheres and bulk sediment). In addition, we aimed to recover PH-degrading consortia (PHDC) for future use in remediation strategies. The PHDC were enriched with petroleum from rhizosphere and bulk sediment samples taken from a mangrove chronically polluted with oil hydrocarbons. Southern blot hybridization (SBH) assays of PCR amplicons from environmental DNA before enrichments resulted in weak positive signals for the functional gene types targeted, suggesting that PH-degrading genotypes and plasmids were in low abundance in the rhizosphere and bulk sediments. However, after enrichment, these genes were detected and strong microniche-dependent differences in the abundance and composition of hydrocarbonoclastic bacterial populations, plasmids (IncP-1α, IncP-1β, IncP-7 and IncP-9) and functional genes (naphthalene, extradiol and intradiol dioxygenases) were revealed by in-depth molecular analyses [PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and hybridization (SBH and microarray)]. Our results suggest that, despite the low abundance of PH-degrading genes and plasmids in the environmental samples, the original bacterial composition of the mangrove microniches determined the structural and functional diversity of the PHDC enriched. © 2010 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enrichment of carbon monoxide utilising microorganisms from methanogenic bioreactor sludge

OpenAIRE

Pereira, Ana Luísa; Stams, Alfons Johannes Maria; Alves, M. M.; Sousa, D. Z.

2015-01-01

Conversion of CO is the rate limiting step during anaerobic conversion of syngas (a gaseous mixture mainly composed of CO, CO2 and H2). In this work we study the microbial diversity in anaerobic sludge submitted to extended contact to syngas in a multi-orifice baffled bioreactor (MOBB). Methane was the main product resulting from syngas conversion in the MOBB. Enrichment cultures started with this sludge produced methane as final product, but also acetate. 16S rRNA gene analysis revealed a pr...

Free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) enhances biomass production in a short-rotation poplar plantation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Calfapietra, C.; Gielen, B.; Galema, A.N.J.; Lukac, M.; Angelis, de P.; Moscatelli, M.C.; Ceulemans, R.; Scarascia-Mugnozza, G.

2003-01-01

This paper investigates the possible contribution of Short Rotation Cultures (SRC) to carbon sequestration in both current and elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations ([CO2]). A dense poplar plantation (1 x 1 m) was exposed to a [CO2] of 550 ppm in Central Italy using the free-air CO2 enrichment

DECREASING OF SODIUM NITRITE CONTENT IN COOKED SAUSAGES USING DENITRIFYING MICROORGANISMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bal-Prylypko L. V.

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this work was to study reduction of sodium nitrite in cooked sausages by adding of the optimized amount of denitrifying microorganisms to the bacterial preparation maintaining quality characteristics of the product. To develop biotechnology of boiled sausages «Naturel» we selected bacterial preparation based on nitrite-reducing strains of Staphylococcus carnosus and S. carnosus ssp.utilis. It was used generally accepted and special methods. The content of total pigments and nitrozopigments was determined by a method based on the extraction of meat pigments by aqueous acetone; color stability of final products was evaluated as the difference in optical density of nitroso pigment extracts before and after exposure (40 min of the sample under the light source; analytical processing of the experimental data was carried out using modern software; quantitative evaluation of color characteristics was performed in the RGB using a multifunctional device Epson Stylus TX400. Mathematical modeling was carried out on the basis of full factorial experiment such as 22, the optimization was performed by Box–Wilson. According to the study, using of the bacterial preparation based on nitrite-reducing strains of Staphylococcus carnosus and S. carnosus ssp. utilis in biotechnology of boiled sausages «Naturel» has a positive effect on the formation of the complex of required color characteristics of final products (for prototypes of sausages the index redness was 1. 61 times higher compared to the control. Degradation of sodium nitrite and formation of nitroso pigments were intensified that improved the stability of color during the storage (the index of color fastness of experimental cooked sausages was higher by 19%. The results of performed investigations illustrate the possibility of production of cooked sausages with a minimized content of synthetic food additives and ingredients.

Uranium enrichment in the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, J.H.; Parks, J.W.

1975-01-01

History, improvement programs, status of electrical power availability, demands for uranium enrichment, operating plan for the U. S. enriching facilities, working inventory of enriched uranium, possible factors affecting deviations in the operating plan, status of gaseous diffusion technology, status of U. S. gas centrifuge advances, transfer of enrichment technology, gaseous diffusion--gas centrifuge comparison, new enrichment capacity, U. S. separative work pricing, and investment in nuclear energy are discussed. (LK)

Enrichment into the 21st century

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rutkowski, E.

1995-01-01

This article discusses the future of the enrichment services market into the next century. It is estimated that demand for enrichment services will reach 31 million SWU by the end of the century and remain constant for the following 10 years. The current world enrichment capacity is 44 million SWU, or some 50% ahead of the demand. This oversupply is projected to continue into the next century, but in spite of this, several suppliers are planning new enrichment facilities. HEU as a source of enriched uranium is examined. Overall, long-term prices for enrichment services are expected to decline in the coming decade

The commercial role for centrifuge enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Readle, P.H.; Wilcox, P.

1987-01-01

The enrichment market is extremely competitive and capacity greatly exceeds demand. BNFL [British Nuclear Fuels Ltd.] is in a unique position in having commercial experience of the two enrichment technologies currently used industrially: diffusion, and centrifuge enrichment through its associate company Urenco. In addition, BNFL is developing laser enrichment techniques as part of a UK development programme. The paper describes the enrichment market, briefly discusses the relative merits of the various methods of uranium enrichment and concludes that the gas centrifuge will be best able to respond to market needs for at least the remainder of the century. (author)

High enrichment to low enrichment core's conversion. Accidents analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbate, P.; Rubio, R.; Doval, A.; Lovotti, O.

1990-01-01

This work analyzes the different accidents that may occur in the reactor's facility after the 20% high-enriched uranium core's conversion. The reactor (of 5 thermal Mw), built in the 50's and 60's, is of the 'swimming pool' type, with light water and fuel elements of the curve plates MTR type, enriched at 93.15 %. This analysis includes: a) accidents by reactivity insertion; b) accidents by coolant loss; c) analysis by flow loss and d) fission products release. (Author) [es

PROMOTING SOCIAL INTEGRATION THROUGH CULTURAL EVENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandra VILCU

2014-11-01

Full Text Available In our increasingly internationalized world, one of the main consequences is the creation of multicultural environments. This is a controversial issue, regarded either as an enriching experience, either as a threat to national identities. However, the “secret weapon” that most national minorities and immigrant communities seem to make recourse to is the one of cultural performance, in the form of events. After all, culture is the most pacifist and apolitical form of self-promotion. Managing cultural events with the purpose of raising awareness of a nation's own culture is in itself an example of good practice towards integration, and an exercise in creativity and cross-cultural management. In this article we will analyze concrete examples of cultural events organized by the Romanian diaspora and Romanian cultural institutions abroad. We will find out about the concepts behind these events, the way they have been managed, and the positive impact they have on the way that Romanian national identity is perceived.

Advanced Neutron Source enrichment study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bari, R.A.; Ludewig, H.; Weeks, J.R.

1996-01-01

A study has been performed of the impact on performance of using low-enriched uranium (20% 235 U) or medium-enriched uranium (35% 235 U) as an alternative fuel for the Advanced Neutron Source, which was initially designed to use uranium enriched to 93% 235 U. Higher fuel densities and larger volume cores were evaluated at the lower enrichments in terms of impact on neutron flux, safety, safeguards, technical feasibility, and cost. The feasibility of fabricating uranium silicide fuel at increasing material density was specifically addressed by a panel of international experts on research reactor fuels. The most viable alternative designs for the reactor at lower enrichments were identified and discussed. Several sensitivity analyses were performed to gain an understanding of the performance of the reactor at parametric values of power, fuel density, core volume, and enrichment that were interpolations between the boundary values imposed on the study or extrapolations from known technology

Culture-dependent and culture-independent characterization of microbial assemblages associated with high-temperature petroleum reservoirs.

Science.gov (United States)

Orphan, V J; Taylor, L T; Hafenbradl, D; Delong, E F

2000-02-01

Recent investigations of oil reservoirs in a variety of locales have indicated that these habitats may harbor active thermophilic prokaryotic assemblages. In this study, we used both molecular and culture-based methods to characterize prokaryotic consortia associated with high-temperature, sulfur-rich oil reservoirs in California. Enrichment cultures designed for anaerobic thermophiles, both autotrophic and heterotrophic, were successful at temperatures ranging from 60 to 90 degrees C. Heterotrophic enrichments from all sites yielded sheathed rods (Thermotogales), pleomorphic rods resembling Thermoanaerobacter, and Thermococcus-like isolates. The predominant autotrophic microorganisms recovered from inorganic enrichments using H(2), acetate, and CO(2) as energy and carbon sources were methanogens, including isolates closely related to Methanobacterium, Methanococcus, and Methanoculleus species. Two 16S rRNA gene (rDNA) libraries were generated from total community DNA collected from production wellheads, using either archaeal or universal oligonucleotide primer sets. Sequence analysis of the universal library indicated that a large percentage of clones were highly similar to known bacterial and archaeal isolates recovered from similar habitats. Represented genera in rDNA clone libraries included Thermoanaerobacter, Thermococcus, Desulfothiovibrio, Aminobacterium, Acidaminococcus, Pseudomonas, Halomonas, Acinetobacter, Sphingomonas, Methylobacterium, and Desulfomicrobium. The archaeal library was dominated by methanogen-like rDNAs, with a lower percentage of clones belonging to the Thermococcales. Our results strongly support the hypothesis that sulfur-utilizing and methane-producing thermophilic microorganisms have a widespread distribution in oil reservoirs and the potential to actively participate in the biogeochemical transformation of carbon, hydrogen, and sulfur in situ.

Prospects and problems of uranium enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imai, Ryukichi

1974-01-01

The problem of uranium enrichment now concerns principally peaceful nuclear power generation. With the current oil crisis, energy resources assume unprecedented importance. However, the requirements for enriched uranium vary with the vicissitude of the world situation in nuclear power generation; the enterprise of uranium enrichment is related to economic aspect. The following matters are described: dimension of enrichment problem, political factors, changes in requirements, projects in each country, and strategy of enrichment in Japan. (Mori, K.)

Uranium enrichment: an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cazalet, J.

1995-01-01

This paper is a general presentation of uranium enrichment processes and assessments of the prevailing commercial and industrial situations. It gives first some theoretical aspects of enrichment in general and explains the differences between statistical and selective processes in particular. Then a review of the different processes is made with a comparison between them. Finally, some general remarks concerning applications are given and the risks of proliferation related to enrichment are mentioned. (J.S.). 4 refs., 5 figs., 8 tabs

Supply of low enriched (LEU) and highly enriched uranium (HEU) for research reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, H.

1997-01-01

Enriched uranium for research reactors in the form of LEU /= low enriched uranium at 19.75% U-235) and HEU (= highly enriched uranium at 90 to 93% U-235) was and is - due to its high U-235 enrichment - a political fuel other than enriched uranium for power reactors. The sufficient availability of LEU and HEU is a vital question for research reactors, especially in Europe, in order to perform their peaceful research reactor programs. In the past the USA were in the Western hemisphere sole supplier of LEU and HEU. Today the USA have de facto stopped the supply of LEU and HEU, for HEU mainly due to political reasons. This paper deals, among others, with the present availability of LEU and HEU for European research reactors and touches the following topics: - historical US supplies, - influence of the RERTR-program, - characteristics of LEU and HEU, - military HEU enters the civil market, -what is the supply situation for LEU and HEU today? - outlook for safe supplies of LEU and HEU. (author)

Biodegradation of Chlorpyrifos by Pseudomonas Resinovarans Strain AST2.2 Isolated from Enriched Cultures.

OpenAIRE

Anish Sharma*,; Jyotsana Pandit; Ruchika Sharma and; Poonam Shirkot

2016-01-01

A bacterial strain AST2.2 with chlorpyrifos degrading ability was isolated by enrichment technique from apple orchard soil with previous history of chlorpyrifos use. Based on the morphological, biochemical tests and 16S rRNA sequence analysis, AST2.2 strain was identified as Pseudomonas resinovarans. The strain AST2.2 utilized chlorpyrifos as the sole source of carbon and energy. This strain exhibited growth upto 400mg/l concentration of chlorpyrifos and exhibited high extracellular organopho...

Comparison of EBV DNA viral load in whole blood, plasma, B-cells and B-cell culture supernatant.

Science.gov (United States)

Ouedraogo, David Eric; Bollore, Karine; Viljoen, Johannes; Foulongne, Vincent; Reynes, Jacques; Cartron, Guillaume; Vendrell, Jean-Pierre; Van de Perre, Philippe; Tuaillon, Edouard

2014-05-01

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome quantitation in whole blood is used widely for therapeutic monitoring of EBV-associated disorders in immunosuppressed individuals and in patients with EBV-associated lymphoma. However, the most appropriate biological material to be used for EBV DNA quantitation remains a subject of debate. This study compare the detection rate and levels of EBV DNA from whole blood, plasma, enriched B-cells, and B-cell short-term culture supernatant using quantitative real-time PCR. Samples were collected from 33 subjects with either HIV infection or B-cell lymphoma. Overall, EBV DNA was detected in 100% of enriched B-cell samples, in 82% of B-cell culture supernatants, in 57% of plasma, and 42% of whole blood samples. A significant correlation for EBV viral load was found between enriched B-cell and B-cell culture supernatant material (ρ = 0.92; P cells (ρ = -0.02; P = 0.89), whole blood and plasma (ρ = 0.24; P = 0.24), or enriched B-cells and plasma (ρ = 0.08; P = 0.77). Testing of enriched B-cells appeared to be the most sensitive method for detection of EBV DNA as well as for exploration of the cellular reservoir. Quantitation of EBV DNA in plasma and B-cell culture supernatant may be of interest to assess EBV reactivation dynamics and response to treatment as well as to decipher EBV host-pathogen interactions in various clinical scenarios. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Huntahan* vocab assessment toward enriching mother tongue-based classroom practices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cacho Reynald M.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This two-phase action research examined the profile and knowledge level of Grade III pupils about their knowledge on the distinct local vocabularies in order to formulate enrichment or intervention, to address any deficiency or lack of, and to assess whether such enrichment programs are effective for authentic, localized implementation of the MTB-MLE. The research instruments used in the first phase included survey and vocabulary assessment test. The researchers initially employed descriptive statistics to interpret the result. Majority of the respondents have established residency in Lopez, Quezon for at least four years. All of the pupils speak Tagalog only at home. The first phase of the research revealed that the pupils of Lopez West Elementary School Bldg. 1 performed satisfactorily in the language test. Most of them found that the most difficult words are generally content words. The initial results of this study serve as baseline information implying that the pupils’ level of understanding of the Lopezeños words needs enhancement and/or reinforcements; hence, there is an urgent need to implement the 2nd cycle of this action research. The second phase once implemented seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention and/or enrichment activities that may guide language teachers in the conduct of classroom-based, culturally sensitive, contextualized language instruction.

Electrochemical and genomic analysis of novel electroactive isolates obtained via potentiostatic enrichment from tropical sediment

Science.gov (United States)

Doyle, Lucinda E.; Yung, Pui Yi; Mitra, Sumitra D.; Wuertz, Stefan; Williams, Rohan B. H.; Lauro, Federico M.; Marsili, Enrico

2017-07-01

Enrichment of electrochemically-active microorganisms (EAM) to date has mostly relied on microbial fuel cells fed with wastewater. This study aims to enrich novel EAM by exposing tropical sediment, not frequently reported in the literature, to sustained anodic potentials. Voltamperometric techniques and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, performed over a wide range of potentials, characterise extracellular electron transfer (EET) over time. Applied potential is found to affect biofilm electrochemical signature. Geobacter metallireducens is heavily enriched on the electrodes, as determined by metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analysis, in the first report of the species in a lactate-fed system. Two novel isolates are grown in pure culture from the enrichment, identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Aeromonas and Enterobacter, respectively. The names proposed are Aeromonas sp. CL-1 and Enterobacter sp. EA-1. Both isolates are capable of EET on carbon felt and screen-printed carbon electrodes without the addition of exogenous redox mediators. Enterobacter sp. EA-1 can also perform mediated electron transfer using the soluble redox mediator 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (HNQ). Both isolates are able to use acetate and lactate as electron donors. This work outlines a comprehensive methodology for characterising novel EAM from unconventional inocula.

Anaerobic Oxidization of Methane in a Minerotrophic Peatland: Enrichment of Nitrite-Dependent Methane-Oxidizing Bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Baoli; van Dijk, Gijs; Fritz, Christian; Smolders, Alfons J. P.; Pol, Arjan; Jetten, Mike S. M.

2012-01-01

The importance of anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) as a methane sink in freshwater systems is largely unexplored, particularly in peat ecosystems. Nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-damo) was recently discovered and reported to be catalyzed by the bacterium “Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera,” which is affiliated with the NC10 phylum. So far, several “Ca. Methylomirabilis oxyfera” enrichment cultures have been obtained using a limited number of freshwater sediments or wastewater treatment sludge as the inoculum. In this study, using stable isotope measurements and porewater profiles, we investigated the potential of n-damo in a minerotrophic peatland in the south of the Netherlands that is infiltrated by nitrate-rich ground water. Methane and nitrate profiles suggested that all methane produced was oxidized before reaching the oxic layer, and NC10 bacteria could be active in the transition zone where countergradients of methane and nitrate occur. Quantitative PCR showed high NC10 bacterial cell numbers at this methane-nitrate transition zone. This soil section was used to enrich the prevalent NC10 bacteria in a continuous culture supplied with methane and nitrite at an in situ pH of 6.2. An enrichment of nitrite-reducing methanotrophic NC10 bacteria was successfully obtained. Phylogenetic analysis of retrieved 16S rRNA and pmoA genes showed that the enriched bacteria were very similar to the ones found in situ and constituted a new branch of NC10 bacteria with an identity of less than 96 and 90% to the 16S rRNA and pmoA genes of “Ca. Methylomirabilis oxyfera,” respectively. The results of this study expand our knowledge of the diversity and distribution of NC10 bacteria in the environment and highlight their potential contribution to nitrogen and methane cycles. PMID:23042166

The competitive enrichment market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parks, J.W.; Huffman, F.C.

1984-01-01

With the enactment of the ''Private Ownership of Special Nuclear Materials Act'' in 1964, the U.S. Government made provisions to enter into the uranium enrichment services business. Since nuclear power was in its infancy and the Government was promoting its growth as well as trying to help U.S. industry sell reactors overseas, the initial contracts (Requirements Contracts) for enrichment services placed most of the risks associated with the supplying of the services on the Government. Projections of nuclear power additions continued to grow and in 1972 the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) stopped contracting under Requirements Contracts in order to study which mode of contracting best suited the commercial development of the industry. In mid-1973, the AEC introduced the Long-Term Fixed Commitment (LTFC) contract which shifted the risk to the customer. By mid-1974, AEC had contracts which completely used the enrichment capacity of its complex and refused to accept requests for additional contracts. This action further convinced European nations that they should continue to develop their own enrichment capacity and resulted in the EURODIF and URENCO projects. Before this time the U.S. supplied 100% of the world market for enriching services

Enrichment: Dealing with overcapacity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, C.H.

1989-01-01

Today's surplus of enrichment capacity will continue until at least the end of this century. This will challenge the ingenuity of the separative work unit (SWU) suppliers as they attempt to keep market share and remain profitable in a very competitive marketplace. The utilities will be faced with attractive choices, but making the best choice will require careful analysis and increased attention to market factors. Current demand projections will probably prove too high to the extent that more reactors are canceled or delayed. The DOE has the vast majority of the unused capacity, so it will feel the most immediate impact of this large surplus in productive capacity. The DOE has responded to these market challenges by planning another reorganization of its enriching operations. Without a major agreement among the governments affected by the current surplus in enrichment capacity, the future will see lower prices, more competitive terms, and the gradual substitution of centrifuge or laser enrichment for the gaseous diffusion plants. The competition that is forcing the gaseous diffusion prices down to marginal cost will provide the long-term price basis for the enrichment industry

Playful Learning Culture in the Museum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marchetti, Emanuela

2013-01-01

not undergone much investigation. This study was conducted in cooperation with two historical museums, these being the Transport Museum in Coventry, England and The Viking Museum in Ribe, Denmark. A new learning platform called MicroCulture has been created, aimed at eliciting a sociocultural understanding......Museum learning culture is going through a paradigmatic change. Two main positions are dominant: the modernist, emphasizing the need for assessment and uniform learning outcomes, and the postmodern, encouraging dialogue and multiple learning outcomes. A critical factor is the potential contribution...... of history in young visitors. This study indicates that museum learning culture could be enriched by the introduction of mediated play as a resource for conceptual thinking and social interaction....

Development of on-line uranium enrichment monitor of gaseous UF6 for uranium enrichment plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Xuesheng; Liu Guorong; Jin Huimin; Zhao Yonggang; Li Jinghuai; Hao Xueyuan; Ying Bin; Yu Zhaofei

2013-01-01

An on-line enrichment monitor was developed to measure the enrichment of UF 6 , flowing through the processing pipes in uranium enrichment plant. A Nal (Tl) detector was used to measure the count rates of the 185.7 keV γ-ray emitted from 235 U, and the total quantity of uranium was determined from thermodynamic characteristics of gaseous uranium hexafluoride. The results show that the maximum relative standard deviation is less than 1% when the measurement time is 120 s or more and the pressure is more than 2 kPa in the measurement chamber. Uranium enrichment of gaseous uranium hexafluoride in the output end of cascade can be monitored continuously by using the device. It should be effective for nuclear materials accountability verifications and materials balance verification at uranium enrichment plant. (authors)

Enriched glucose and dextrin mannitol-based media modulates fibroblast behavior on bacterial cellulose membranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stumpf, Taisa R.; Pértile, Renata A.N. [Integrated Technologies Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Food Engineering (Brazil); Rambo, Carlos R., E-mail: rambo@intelab.ufsc.br [Department of Electrical Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900 (Brazil); Porto, Luismar M. [Integrated Technologies Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Food Engineering (Brazil)

2013-12-01

Bacterial cellulose (BC) produced by Gluconacetobacter hansenii is a suitable biopolymer for biomedical applications. In order to modulate the properties of BC and expand its use as substrate for tissue engineering mainly in the form of biomembranes, glucose or dextrin were added into a BC fermentation mannitol-based medium (BCGl and BCDe, respectively) under static culture conditions. SEM images showed effects on fiber density and porosity on both sides of the BC membranes. Both enriched media decreased the BET surface area, water holding capacity, and rehydration rate. Fourier transform infrared (attenuated total reflectance mode) spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR) analysis revealed no change in the chemical structure of BC. L929 fibroblast cells were seeded on all BC-based membranes and evaluated in aspects of cell adhesion, proliferation and morphology. BCG1 membranes showed the highest biological performance and hold promise for the use in tissue engineering applications. - Highlights: • Glucose and dextrin were used to modify culture media for BC production. • Microarchitecture of BC was different depending on the enriching agent. • Fibroblasts adhered on the surface of BC modified microarchitectures. • Fibroblasts adhered on glucose modified BC exhibited healthy cell morphology.

Enriched glucose and dextrin mannitol-based media modulates fibroblast behavior on bacterial cellulose membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stumpf, Taisa R.; Pértile, Renata A.N.; Rambo, Carlos R.; Porto, Luismar M.

2013-01-01

Bacterial cellulose (BC) produced by Gluconacetobacter hansenii is a suitable biopolymer for biomedical applications. In order to modulate the properties of BC and expand its use as substrate for tissue engineering mainly in the form of biomembranes, glucose or dextrin were added into a BC fermentation mannitol-based medium (BCGl and BCDe, respectively) under static culture conditions. SEM images showed effects on fiber density and porosity on both sides of the BC membranes. Both enriched media decreased the BET surface area, water holding capacity, and rehydration rate. Fourier transform infrared (attenuated total reflectance mode) spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR) analysis revealed no change in the chemical structure of BC. L929 fibroblast cells were seeded on all BC-based membranes and evaluated in aspects of cell adhesion, proliferation and morphology. BCG1 membranes showed the highest biological performance and hold promise for the use in tissue engineering applications. - Highlights: • Glucose and dextrin were used to modify culture media for BC production. • Microarchitecture of BC was different depending on the enriching agent. • Fibroblasts adhered on the surface of BC modified microarchitectures. • Fibroblasts adhered on glucose modified BC exhibited healthy cell morphology

Oxygen enrichment incineration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jeong Guk; Yang, Hee Chul; Park, Geun Il; Kim, Joon Hyung

2000-10-01

Oxygen enriched combustion technology has recently been used in waste incineration. To apply the oxygen enrichment on alpha-bearing waste incineration, which is being developed, a state-of-an-art review has been performed. The use of oxygen or oxygen-enriched air instead of air in incineration would result in increase of combustion efficiency and capacity, and reduction of off-gas product. Especially, the off-gas could be reduced below a quarter, which might reduce off-gas treatment facilities, and also increase an efficiency of off-gas treatment. However, the use of oxygen might also lead to local overheating and high nitrogen oxides (NOx) formation. To overcome these problems, an application of low NOx oxy-fuel burner and recycling of a part of off-gas to combustion chamber have been suggested

Oxygen enrichment incineration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jeong Guk; Yang, Hee Chul; Park, Geun Il; Kim, Joon Hyung

2000-10-01

Oxygen enriched combustion technology has recently been used in waste incineration. To apply the oxygen enrichment on alpha-bearing waste incineration, which is being developed, a state-of-an-art review has been performed. The use of oxygen or oxygen-enriched air instead of air in incineration would result in increase of combustion efficiency and capacity, and reduction of off-gas product. Especially, the off-gas could be reduced below a quarter, which might reduce off-gas treatment facilities, and also increase an efficiency of off-gas treatment. However, the use of oxygen might also lead to local overheating and high nitrogen oxides (NOx) formation. To overcome these problems, an application of low NOx oxy-fuel burner and recycling of a part of off-gas to combustion chamber have been suggested.

Lipid recovery from a vegetable oil emulsion using microbial enrichment cultures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tamis, J.; Sorokin, D.Y.; Jiang, Y.; Van Loosdrecht, M.C.M.; Kleerebezem, R.

2015-01-01

Background Many waste streams have a relatively high vegetable oil content, which is a potential resource that should be recovered. Microbial storage compound production for the recovery of lipids from lipid-water emulsions with open (unsterilized) microbial cultures was investigated in a sequencing

75 FR 10525 - In the Matter of: AREVA Enrichment Services, LLC (Eagle Rock Enrichment Facility) and All Other...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-08

...: AREVA Enrichment Services, LLC (Eagle Rock Enrichment Facility) and All Other Persons Who Seek or Obtain... for the Implementation of a Safeguards Information Program (Effective Immediately) I AREVA Enrichment... it to construct and operate a uranium enrichment facility in Bonneville County, Idaho. AES submitted...

On culture and human development: Interview with Barbara Rogoff

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Glaveanu, Vlad Petre

2011-01-01

In this interview Professor Barbara Rogoff explores the many ways in which culture shapes the course of human development, and illustrates this with several findings from her past as well as most recent work. These reveal the vital importance of growing up in a family and a community for the human...... child and participating, from early on, in their various rituals and practices. Building on and enriching cultural psychological sources, Professor Rogoff offers us a comprehensive framework with which to understand both cultural and developmental phenomena and, above all, their multiple intersections...

76 FR 387 - Atomic Safety and Licensing Board; AREVA Enrichment Services, LLC (Eagle Rock Enrichment Facility)

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-04

... and Licensing Board; AREVA Enrichment Services, LLC (Eagle Rock Enrichment Facility) December 17, 2010... construction and operation of a gas centrifuge uranium enrichment facility--denoted as the Eagle Rock... site at http://www.nrc.gov/materials/fuel-cycle-fac/arevanc.html . These and other documents relating...

The low-enrichment fuel development program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stahl, D.

1993-01-01

In the 1950s and 1960s, low-power research reactors were built around the world utilized MTR-type fuel elements containing 20% enriched uranium. However, the demand for higher specific power created a need for greater uranium-235 concentrations. Early difficulties in increasing uranium content led to the substitution of highly enriched uranium in place of the 20% enriched fuel previously utilized. The highly enriched material also yielded other benefits including longer core residence time, higher specific reactivity, and somewhat lower cost. Highly enriched material then became readily available and was used for high-power reactors as well as in low-power reactors where 20% enriched material would have sufficed. The trend toward higher and higher specific power also led to the development of the dispersion-type fuels which utilized highly enriched uranium at a concentration of about 40 wt%. In the 1970's, however, concerns were raised about the proliferation resistance of fuels and fuel cycles. As a consequence, the U.S. Department of State has recently prohibited the foreign shipment of highly enriched material, except where prior contractual obligation or special merit exists. This will impact on the availability and utilization of highly enriched uranium for research and test reactor fuel. It has also stimulated development programs on fuels with higher uranium content which would allow the use of uranium of lower enrichment. The purpose of this report is to briefly describe the overall fuel-development program which is coordinated by Argonne National Laboratory for the Department of Energy, and to indicate the current and potential uranium loadings. Other reports will address the individual fuel-development activities in greater detail

Molecular Approaches to Studying Denitrification

Science.gov (United States)

Voytek, M. A.

2001-05-01

Denitrification is carried out by a diverse array of microbes, mainly as an alternative mode of respiration that allows the organisms to respire using oxidized N compounds instead of oxygen. A common approach in biogeochemistry to the study of the regulation of denitrification is to assess activity by mass balance of substrates and products or direct rate measurements and has intrinsically assumed resource regulation of denitrification. Reported rates can vary significantly even among ecosystems characterized by similar environmental conditions, thus indicating that direct control by abiotic factors often is not sufficient to predict denitrification rates accurately in natural environments. Alternatively, a microbiological approach would proceed with the identification of the organisms responsible and an evaluation of the effect of environmental factors on the biochemical pathways involved. Traditional studies have relied on culturing techniques, such as most probable number enrichments, and have failed to assess the role of the predominately uncultivable members of the microbial community. A combination of biogeochemical measurements and the assessment of the microbial community is necessary and becoming increasingly possible with the development and application of molecular techniques. In order to understand how the composition and physiological behavior of the microbial community affects denitrification rates, we use a suite of molecular techniques developed for phylogenetic and metabolic characterization of denitrifying communities. Molecular tools available for quantifying denitrifying bacteria and assessing their diversity and activity are summarized. Their application is illustrated with examples from marine and freshwater environments. Emerging techniques and their application to ground water studies will be discussed.

Myriophyllum aquaticum Constructed Wetland Effectively Removes Nitrogen in Swine Wastewater

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haishu Sun

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Removal of nitrogen (N is a critical aspect in the functioning of constructed wetlands (CWs, and the N treatment in CWs depends largely on the presence and activity of macrophytes and microorganisms. However, the effects of plants on microorganisms responsible for N removal are poorly understood. In this study, a three-stage surface flow CW was constructed in a pilot-scale within monospecies stands of Myriophyllum aquaticum to treat swine wastewater. Steady-state conditions were achieved throughout the 600-day operating period, and a high (98.3% average ammonia removal efficiency under a N loading rate of 9 kg ha-1 d-1 was observed. To determine whether this high efficiency was associated with the performance of active microbes, the abundance, structure, and interactions of microbial community were compared in the unvegetated and vegetated samples. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reactions showed the abundances of nitrifying genes (archaeal and bacterial amoA and denitrifying genes (nirS, nirK, and nosZ were increased significantly by M. aquaticum in the sediments, and the strongest effects were observed for the archaeal amoA (218-fold and nirS genes (4620-fold. High-throughput sequencing of microbial 16S rRNA gene amplicons showed that M. aquaticum greatly changed the microbial community, and ammonium oxidizers (Nitrosospira and Nitrososphaera, nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (Nitrospira, and abundant denitrifiers including Rhodoplanes, Bradyrhizobium, and Hyphomicrobium, were enriched significantly in the sediments. The results of a canonical correspondence analysis and Mantle tests indicated that M. aquaticum may shift the sediment microbial community by changing the sediment chemical properties. The enriched nitrifiers and denitrifiers were distributed widely in the vegetated sediments, showing positive ecological associations among themselves and other bacteria based on phylogenetic molecular ecological networks.

Production of rhamnolipids by Pseudomonas aeruginosa is inhibited by H2S but resumes in a co-culture with P. stutzeri: applications for microbial enhanced oil recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Feng; Ma, Fang; Shi, Rongjiu; Zhang, Jie; Han, Siqin; Zhang, Ying

2015-09-01

Sulfate-reducing bacteria and H2S exist widely in oil production systems, and in situ production of rhamnolipids is promising for microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR). However, information of the effect of S(2-) on rhamnolipids production is scarce. Two facultative anaerobic rhamnolipids-producing bacterial strains, Pseudomonas aeruginosa SG and WJ-1, were used. Above 10 mg S(2-)/l, both cell growth and rhamnolipids production were inhibited. A large inoculum (9%, v/v) failed to completely relieve the inhibitory effect of 10 mg S(2-)/l. Below 30 mg S(2-)/l, both strains resumed rhamnolipid production through co-culturing with the denitrifying and sulphide-removing strain Pseudomonas stutzeri DQ1. H2S has a direct but reversible inhibitory effect on rhamnolipids production. Control of H2S in oilfields is indispensable to MEOR, and the co-culture method is effective in restoring rhamnolipid production in presence of S(2-).

Biodegradation of Maya crude oil fractions by bacterial strains and a defined mixed culture isolated from Cyperus laxus rhizosphere soil in a contaminated site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diaz-Ramirez, I. J.; Gutierrez-Rojas, M.; Favela-Torres, E. [Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM)- Iztapalapa, Dept. of Biotechnology, Federal District (Mexico); Ramirez-Sada, H. [Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM)-Xochimilco, Dept. of Biological Systems, Federal District (Mexico)

2003-12-01

Biodegradation of aliphatic, aromatic, and polar constituents of Maya crude oil by a set of isolated bacterial strains and a defined mixed culture made up with all isolated strains, was evaluated. The bacterial strains were obtained from the rhizosphere of Cyperus laxus, a native plant on a highly hydrocarbon-polluted site. Oxygen uptake rate was used to determine the culture transfer timing during the enrichment culture. Results showed that five of the isolated strains were able to degrade 50 per cent of the aliphatic fractions of Maya crude oil. With the defined mixed culture the level of biodegradation was 47 per cent for aliphatics and 6 per cent of the aromatic-polar mixture. When grown in the presence of total hydrocarbons, the defined mixed culture was able to degrade 40 per cent of the aliphatic fraction and 26 per cent of the aromatic fraction. By combining enrichment cultures with oxygen uptake rate to determine the culture transfer timing during the enrichment cultures allowed the isolation of bacterial strains that are able to degrade specific hydrocarbon fractions at high consumption rates. 28 refs., 4 tabs., 1 fig.

AEC determines uranium enrichment policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

The Advisory Committee on Uranium Enrichment of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) has submitted a report to AEC chairman concerning the promotion of the introduction of advanced material, high performance centrifuges to replace conventional metallic drum centrifuges, and the development of next generation advanced centrifuges. The report also called for the postponement until around 1997 of the decision whether the development should be continued or not on atomic vapor laser isotope separation (AVLIS) and molecular laser isotope separation (MLIS) processes, as well as the virtual freezing of the construction of a chemical process demonstration plant. The report was approved by the AEC chairman in August. The uranium enrichment service market in the world will continue to be characterized by oversupply. The domestic situation of uranium enrichment supply-demand trend, progress of the expansion of Rokkasho enrichment plant, the trend in the development of gas centrifuge process and the basic philosophy of commercializing domestic uranium enrichment are reported. (K.I.)

Gaseous diffusion -- the enrichment workhorse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shoemaker, J.E. Jr.

1984-01-01

Construction of the first large-scale gaseous diffusion facility was started as part of the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, in 1943. This facility, code named ''K-25,'' began operation in January 1945 and was fully on stream by September 1945. Four additional process buildings were later added in Oak Ridge as the demand for enriched uranium escalated. New gaseous diffusion plants were constructed at Paducah, Kentucky, and Portsmouth, Ohio, during this period. The three gaseous diffusion plants were the ''workhorses'' which provided the entire enriched uranium demand for the United States during the 1950s and 1960s. As the demand for enriched uranium for military purposes decreased during the early 1960s, power to the diffusion plants was curtailed to reduce production. During the 1960s, as plans for the nuclear power industry were formulated, the role of the diffusion plants gradually changed from providing highly-enriched uranium for the military to providing low-enriched uranium for power reactors

Isolation of Campylobacter from Brazilian broiler flocks using different culturing procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaz, C S L; Voss-Rech, D; Pozza, J S; Coldebella, A; Silva, V S

2014-11-01

Conventional culturing methods enable the detection of Campylobacter in broiler flocks. However, laboratory culture of Campylobacter is laborious because of its fastidious behavior and the presence of competing nontarget bacteria. This study evaluated different protocols to isolate Campylobacter from broiler litter, feces, and cloacal and drag swabs. Samples taken from commercial Brazilian broiler flocks were directly streaked onto Preston agar (PA), Campy-Line agar (CLA), and modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar (mCCDA) and also enriched in blood-free Bolton broth (bfBB) for 24 and 48 h followed by plating onto the different selective media. Higher numbers of Campylobacter-positive cloacal and drag swab samples were observed using either direct plating or enrichment for 24 h before plating onto PA, compared with enrichment for 48 h (P media. Together, these data showed that direct plating onto PA and onto either CLA or mCCDA as the second selective agar enabled the reliable isolation of thermophilic Campylobacter species from broiler samples. Finally, Campylobacter was detected in all broiler flocks sampled. ©2014 Poultry Science Association Inc.

ToNER: A tool for identifying nucleotide enrichment signals in feature-enriched RNA-seq data.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuttachon Promworn

Full Text Available Biochemical methods are available for enriching 5' ends of RNAs in prokaryotes, which are employed in the differential RNA-seq (dRNA-seq and the more recent Cappable-seq protocols. Computational methods are needed to locate RNA 5' ends from these data by statistical analysis of the enrichment. Although statistical-based analysis methods have been developed for dRNA-seq, they may not be suitable for Cappable-seq data. The more efficient enrichment method employed in Cappable-seq compared with dRNA-seq could affect data distribution and thus algorithm performance.We present Transformation of Nucleotide Enrichment Ratios (ToNER, a tool for statistical modeling of enrichment from RNA-seq data obtained from enriched and unenriched libraries. The tool calculates nucleotide enrichment scores and determines the global transformation for fitting to the normal distribution using the Box-Cox procedure. From the transformed distribution, sites of significant enrichment are identified. To increase power of detection, meta-analysis across experimental replicates is offered. We tested the tool on Cappable-seq and dRNA-seq data for identifying Escherichia coli transcript 5' ends and compared the results with those from the TSSAR tool, which is designed for analyzing dRNA-seq data. When combining results across Cappable-seq replicates, ToNER detects more known transcript 5' ends than TSSAR. In general, the transcript 5' ends detected by ToNER but not TSSAR occur in regions which cannot be locally modeled by TSSAR.ToNER uses a simple yet robust statistical modeling approach, which can be used for detecting RNA 5'ends from Cappable-seq data, in particular when combining information from experimental replicates. The ToNER tool could potentially be applied for analyzing other RNA-seq datasets in which enrichment for other structural features of RNA is employed. The program is freely available for download at ToNER webpage (http://www4a

ToNER: A tool for identifying nucleotide enrichment signals in feature-enriched RNA-seq data.

Science.gov (United States)

Promworn, Yuttachon; Kaewprommal, Pavita; Shaw, Philip J; Intarapanich, Apichart; Tongsima, Sissades; Piriyapongsa, Jittima

2017-01-01

Biochemical methods are available for enriching 5' ends of RNAs in prokaryotes, which are employed in the differential RNA-seq (dRNA-seq) and the more recent Cappable-seq protocols. Computational methods are needed to locate RNA 5' ends from these data by statistical analysis of the enrichment. Although statistical-based analysis methods have been developed for dRNA-seq, they may not be suitable for Cappable-seq data. The more efficient enrichment method employed in Cappable-seq compared with dRNA-seq could affect data distribution and thus algorithm performance. We present Transformation of Nucleotide Enrichment Ratios (ToNER), a tool for statistical modeling of enrichment from RNA-seq data obtained from enriched and unenriched libraries. The tool calculates nucleotide enrichment scores and determines the global transformation for fitting to the normal distribution using the Box-Cox procedure. From the transformed distribution, sites of significant enrichment are identified. To increase power of detection, meta-analysis across experimental replicates is offered. We tested the tool on Cappable-seq and dRNA-seq data for identifying Escherichia coli transcript 5' ends and compared the results with those from the TSSAR tool, which is designed for analyzing dRNA-seq data. When combining results across Cappable-seq replicates, ToNER detects more known transcript 5' ends than TSSAR. In general, the transcript 5' ends detected by ToNER but not TSSAR occur in regions which cannot be locally modeled by TSSAR. ToNER uses a simple yet robust statistical modeling approach, which can be used for detecting RNA 5'ends from Cappable-seq data, in particular when combining information from experimental replicates. The ToNER tool could potentially be applied for analyzing other RNA-seq datasets in which enrichment for other structural features of RNA is employed. The program is freely available for download at ToNER webpage (http://www4a.biotec.or.th/GI/tools/toner) and Git

Pyrosequencing reveals high-temperature cellulolytic microbial consortia in Great Boiling Spring after in situ lignocellulose enrichment.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseph P Peacock

Full Text Available To characterize high-temperature cellulolytic microbial communities, two lignocellulosic substrates, ammonia fiber-explosion-treated corn stover and aspen shavings, were incubated at average temperatures of 77 and 85°C in the sediment and water column of Great Boiling Spring, Nevada. Comparison of 109,941 quality-filtered 16S rRNA gene pyrosequences (pyrotags from eight enrichments to 37,057 quality-filtered pyrotags from corresponding natural samples revealed distinct enriched communities dominated by phylotypes related to cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic Thermotoga and Dictyoglomus, cellulolytic and sugar-fermenting Desulfurococcales, and sugar-fermenting and hydrogenotrophic Archaeoglobales. Minor enriched populations included close relatives of hydrogenotrophic Thermodesulfobacteria, the candidate bacterial phylum OP9, and candidate archaeal groups C2 and DHVE3. Enrichment temperature was the major factor influencing community composition, with a negative correlation between temperature and richness, followed by lignocellulosic substrate composition. This study establishes the importance of these groups in the natural degradation of lignocellulose at high temperatures and suggests that a substantial portion of the diversity of thermophiles contributing to consortial cellulolysis may be contained within lineages that have representatives in pure culture.

Improvement of mammalian cell culture performance through surfactant enabled concentrated feed media.

Science.gov (United States)

Hossler, Patrick; McDermott, Sean; Racicot, Christopher; Fann, John C H

2013-01-01

The design of basal and feed media in mammalian cell culture is paramount towards ensuring acceptable upstream process performance in various operation modes, especially fed-batch culture. Mammalian cell culture media designs have evolved from the classical formulations designed by Eagle and Ham, to today's formulations designed from continuous improvement and statistical frameworks. Feed media is especially important for ensuring robust cell growth, productivity, and ensuring the product quality of recombinant therapeutics are within acceptable ranges. Numerous studies have highlighted the benefit of various media designs, supplements, and feed addition strategies towards the resulting cell culture process. In this work we highlight the use of a top-down level approach towards feed media design enabled by the use of select surfactants for the targeted enrichment of a chemically defined feed media. The use of the enriched media was able to improve product titers at g/L levels, without adversely impacting the growth of multiple Chinese Hamster Ovary cell lines or the product quality of multiple recombinant antibodies. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Molecular Approaches to Understanding C & N Dynamics in MArine Sediments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arturo Massol; James Tiedje; Jizhong Zhou; Allan Devol

2007-05-16

Continental margin sediments constitute only about 10% of the total sediment surface area in the world’s oceans, nevertheless they are the dominant sites of nitrogen (N) cycling. Recent studies suggest that the oceanic nitrogen budget is unbalanced, primarily due to a higher nitrogen removal rate in contrast to the fixation rate, and it has been suggested that denitrification activity contributes significantly to this imbalance. Although denitrification in marine environments has been studied intensively at the process level, little is known about the species abundance, composition, distribution, and functional differences of the denitrifying population. Understanding the diversity of microbial populations in marine environments, their responses to various environmental factors such as NO3-, and how this impact the rate of denitrification is critical to predict global N dynamics. Environmental Microbiology has the prompt to study the influence of each microbial population on a biogeochemical process within a given ecosystem. Culture-dependent and –independent techniques using nucleic acid probes can access the identity and activity of cultured and uncultured microorganisms. Nucleic acid probes can target distintict genes which set phylogenetic relationships, such as rDNA 16S, DNA gyrase (gyrB) and RNA polymerase sigma 70 factor (rpoD). In the other hand, the genetic capabilities and their expression could be tracked using probes that target several functional genes, such as nirS, nirK, nosZ, and nifH, which are genes involved in denitrification. Selective detection of cells actively expressing functional genes within a community using In Situ Reverse Transcription-PCR (ISRT-PCR) could become a powerful culture-independent technique in microbial ecology. Here we describe an approach to study the expression of nirS genes in denitrifying bacteria. Pure cultures of Pseudomonas stutzeri and Paracoccus denitrificans, as well as co-cultures with non-denitrifying

Considering the post-1995 enrichment market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gunter, L.

1994-01-01

World demand for uranium enrichment services is likely to grow only a little over the next decade, from the current 28 million separative work units (SWU) per year to 33 MSWU per year. Much of the growth will come from Asia where nuclear generating capacity is still increasing. The current situation of the primary enrichment companies is summarized. The primary Western suppliers, Cogema, United States Enrichment Corporation and Urenco, are competing for increased market share in the USA, Europe and Asia as utilities purchase their post-1995 requirements. Entry of the Russian enrichment company, Tenex, into Western markets has been limited by trade restrictions. As a consequence of disarmament, blended weapons material has resulted in a surplus of low-enriched uranium. Together with over-capacity amongst the primary enrichers this has led to an expectation that reduced prices will be negotiable in the medium term. (3 figures). (UK)

Community Composition and Ultrastructure of a Nitrate-Dependent Anaerobic Methane-Oxidizing Enrichment Culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Gambelli, Lavinia; Guerrero-Cruz, Simon; Mesman, Rob J; Cremers, Geert; Jetten, Mike S M; Op den Camp, Huub J M; Kartal, Boran; Lueke, Claudia; van Niftrik, Laura

2018-02-01

Methane is a very potent greenhouse gas and can be oxidized aerobically or anaerobically through microbe-mediated processes, thus decreasing methane emissions in the atmosphere. Using a complementary array of methods, including phylogenetic analysis, physiological experiments, and light and electron microscopy techniques (including electron tomography), we investigated the community composition and ultrastructure of a continuous bioreactor enrichment culture, in which anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) was coupled to nitrate reduction. A membrane bioreactor was seeded with AOM biomass and continuously fed with excess methane. After 150 days, the bioreactor reached a daily consumption of 10 mmol nitrate · liter -1 · day -1 The biomass consisted of aggregates that were dominated by nitrate-dependent anaerobic methane-oxidizing " Candidatus Methanoperedens"-like archaea (40%) and nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane-oxidizing " Candidatus Methylomirabilis"-like bacteria (50%). The " Ca Methanoperedens" spp. were identified by fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunogold localization of the methyl-coenzyme M reductase (Mcr) enzyme, which was located in the cytoplasm. The " Ca Methanoperedens" sp. aggregates consisted of slightly irregular coccoid cells (∼1.5-μm diameter) which produced extruding tubular structures and putative cell-to-cell contacts among each other. " Ca Methylomirabilis" sp. bacteria exhibited the polygonal cell shape typical of this genus. In AOM archaea and bacteria, cytochrome c proteins were localized in the cytoplasm and periplasm, respectively, by cytochrome staining. Our results indicate that AOM bacteria and archaea might work closely together in the process of anaerobic methane oxidation, as the bacteria depend on the archaea for nitrite. Future studies will be aimed at elucidating the function of the cell-to-cell interactions in nitrate-dependent AOM. IMPORTANCE Microorganisms performing nitrate- and nitrite-dependent anaerobic

Present state of development of uranium enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

The pilot plant for uranium enrichment started the operation on September 12, 1979. The pilot plant has been constructed by the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp. in Ningyo Pass, Okayama Prefecture. 7000 centrifugal separators will be installed by mid 1981, and yearly production of 70 t SWU is expected. The Uranium Enrichment Committee of Japan Atomic Industrial Forum has made the proposal on the method of forwarding the development of uranium enrichment in Japan to Atomic Energy Commission and related government offices in December, 1978. This survey summarized the trends of uranium enrichment in Japan and foreign countries and the problems about nuclear non-proliferation, and provides with the reference materials. The demand and supply of uranium enrichment in the world, the present states and plans in USA, Europe, USSR and others, the demand and supply of uranium enrichment and the measures for securing it in Japan, the present state and future plan of uranium enrichment project in Japan, the international regulation of uranium enrichment, the recent policy of USA and INFCE, and the trend of the regulation of utilizing enriched uranium are described. Moreover, the concept of separation works in uranium enrichment and the various technologies of separation are explained. (Kako, I.)

Inoculation stress hypothesis of environmental enrichment.

Science.gov (United States)

Crofton, Elizabeth J; Zhang, Yafang; Green, Thomas A

2015-02-01

One hallmark of psychiatric conditions is the vast continuum of individual differences in susceptibility vs. resilience resulting from the interaction of genetic and environmental factors. The environmental enrichment paradigm is an animal model that is useful for studying a range of psychiatric conditions, including protective phenotypes in addiction and depression models. The major question is how environmental enrichment, a non-drug and non-surgical manipulation, can produce such robust individual differences in such a wide range of behaviors. This paper draws from a variety of published sources to outline a coherent hypothesis of inoculation stress as a factor producing the protective enrichment phenotypes. The basic tenet suggests that chronic mild stress from living in a complex environment and interacting non-aggressively with conspecifics can inoculate enriched rats against subsequent stressors and/or drugs of abuse. This paper reviews the enrichment phenotypes, mulls the fundamental nature of environmental enrichment vs. isolation, discusses the most appropriate control for environmental enrichment, and challenges the idea that cortisol/corticosterone equals stress. The intent of the inoculation stress hypothesis of environmental enrichment is to provide a scaffold with which to build testable hypotheses for the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying these protective phenotypes and thus provide new therapeutic targets to treat psychiatric/neurological conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enrichment of Thermophilic Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea from an Alkaline Hot Spring in the Great Basin, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, C.; Huang, Z.; Jiang, H.; Wiegel, J.; Li, W.; Dong, H.

2010-12-01

One of the major advances in the nitrogen cycle is the recent discovery of ammonia oxidation by archaea. While culture-independent studies have revealed occurrence of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in nearly every surface niche on earth, most of these microorganisms have resisted isolation and so far only a few species have been identified. The Great Basin contains numerous hot springs, which are characterized by moderately high temperature (40-65 degree C) and circumneutral or alkaline pH. Unique thermophilic archaea have been identified based on molecular DNA and lipid biomarkers; some of which may be ammonia oxidizers. This study aims to isolate some of these archaea from a California hot spring that has pH around 9.0 and temperature around 42 degree C. Mat material was collected from the spring and transported on ice to the laboratory. A synthetic medium (SCM-5) was inoculated with the mat material and the culture was incubated under varying temperature (35-65 degree C) and pH (7.0-10.0) conditions using antibiotics to suppress bacterial growth. Growth of the culture was monitored by microscopy, decrease in ammonium and increase in nitrite, and increases in Crenarchaeota and AOA abundances over time. Clone libraries were constructed to compare archaeal community structures before and after the enrichment experiment. Temperature and pH profiles indicated that the culture grew optimally at pH 9.0 and temperature 45 degree C, which are consistent with the geochemical conditions of the natural environment. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the final OTU was distantly related to all known hyperthermophilic archaea. Analysis of the amoA genes showed two OTUs in the final culture; one of them was closely related to Candidatus Nitrososphaera gargensis. However, the enrichment culture always contained bacteria and attempts to separate them from archaea have failed. This highlights the difficulty in bringing AOA into pure culture and suggests that some of the AOA may

The activity and community structure of total bacteria and denitrifying bacteria across soil depths and biological gradients in estuary ecosystem.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Seung-Hoon; Kang, Hojeong

2016-02-01

The distribution of soil microorganisms often shows variations along soil depth, and even in the same soil layer, each microbial group has a specific niche. In particular, the estuary soil is intermittently flooded, and the characteristics of the surface soil layer are different from those of other terrestrial soils. We investigated the microbial community structure and activity across soil depths and biological gradients composed of invasive and native plants in the shallow surface layer of an estuary ecosystem by using molecular approaches. Our results showed that the total and denitrifying bacterial community structures of the estuarine wetland soil differed according to the short depth gradient. In growing season, gene copy number of 16S rRNA were 1.52(±0.23) × 10(11), 1.10(±0.06) × 10(11), and 4.33(±0.16) × 10(10) g(-1) soil; nirS were 5.41(±1.25) × 10(8), 4.93(±0.94) × 10(8), and 2.61(±0.28) × 10(8) g(-1) soil; and nirK were 9.67(±2.37) × 10(6), 3.42(±0.55) × 10(6), and 2.12(±0.19) × 10(6) g(-1) soil in 0 cm, 5 cm, and 10 cm depth layer, respectively. The depth-based difference was distinct in the vegetated sample and in the growing season, evidencing the important role of plants in structuring the microbial community. In comparison with other studies, we observed differences in the microbial community and functions even across very short depth gradients. In conclusion, our results suggested that (i) in the estuary ecosystem, the denitrifying bacterial community could maintain its abundance and function within shallow surface soil layers through facultative anaerobiosis, while the total bacterial community would be both quantitatively and qualitatively affected by the soil depth, (ii) the nirS gene community, rather than the nirK one, should be the first candidate used as an indicator of the microbial denitrification process in the estuary system, and (iii) as the microbial community is distributed and plays a certain niche role according to

CD133-enriched Xeno-Free human embryonic-derived neural stem cells expand rapidly in culture and do not form teratomas in immunodeficient mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel L. Haus

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Common methods for the generation of human embryonic-derived neural stem cells (hNSCs result in cells with potentially compromised safety profiles due to maintenance of cells in conditions containing non-human proteins (e.g. in bovine serum or on mouse fibroblast feeders. Additionally, sufficient expansion of resulting hNSCs for scaling out or up in a clinically relevant time frame has proven to be difficult. Here, we report a strategy that produces hNSCs in completely “Xeno-Free” culture conditions. Furthermore, we have enriched the hNSCs for the cell surface marker CD133 via magnetic sorting, which has led to an increase in the expansion rate and neuronal fate specification of the hNSCs in vitro. Critically, we have also confirmed neural lineage specificity upon sorted hNSC transplantation into the immunodeficient NOD-scid mouse brain. The future use or adaptation of these protocols has the potential to better facilitate the advancement of pre-clinical strategies from the bench to the bedside.

Noble gas enrichment studies at JET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groth, M.; Andrew, P.; Fundamenski, W.; Guo, H.Y.; Hillis, D.L.; Hogan, J.T.; Horton, L.D.; Matthews, G.F.; Meigs, A.G.; Morgan, P.M.; Stamp, M.F.; Hellermann, M. von

2001-01-01

Adequate helium exhaust has been achieved in reactor-relevant ELMy H-mode plasmas in JET performed in the MKII AP and MKII GB divertor geometry. The divertor-characteristic quantities of noble gas compression and enrichment have been experimentally inferred from Charge Exchange Recombination Spectroscopy measurements in the core plasma, and from spectroscopic analysis of a Penning gauge discharge in the exhaust gas. The retention of helium was found to be satisfactory for a next-step device, with enrichment factors exceeding 0.1. The helium enrichment decreases with increasing core plasma density, while the neon enrichment has the opposite behaviour. Analytic and numerical analyses of these plasmas using the divertor impurity code package DIVIMP/NIMBUS support the explanation that the enrichment of noble gases depends significantly on the penetration depth of the impurity neutrals with respect to the fuel atoms. Changes of the divertor plasma configuration and divertor geometry have no effect on the enrichment

Extraosseus enrichments in bone scintigraphy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jochens, R.; Schumacher, T.; Amthauer, H.; Wolter, M.; Stock, W.; Stroszczynski, C.; Moersler, J.P.; Eichstaedt, H.

1996-01-01

Extraosseus enrichments are common findings in bone scintigraphy. Main causes are artifacts by skin or cloth contamination, paravenous and subcutaneous injection. Physical examination, removal of cloths, skin cleaning or further images in differing projections lead to the correct diagnosis artefact or extraosseous enrichments. Further on, extraosseous enrichments are seen in physiological variants. In different diseases extraosseous enrichments are common, especially in urinary tract, liver and extremities. Further diagnostics, e.g. conventional radiologic procedures, sonography and CT scans, have to be performed. In individual cases side results in bone scintigraphy lead to formerly unknown diagnosis, further diagnostic procedure is influenced decisively. Own cases show for example a cerebral apoplectic insult, formerly unknown liver metastasis or metastasis in extraosseous Ewings's sarcoma. (orig.) [de

Autoantigens targeted in scleroderma patients with vascular disease are enriched in endothelial lineage cells

Science.gov (United States)

McMahan, Zsuzsanna H.; Cottrell, Tricia R.; Wigley, Fredrick M.; Antiochos, Brendan; Zambidis, Elias T.; Park, Tea Soon; Halushka, Marc K.; Gutierrez-Alamillo, Laura; Cimbro, Raffaello; Rosen, Antony; Casciola-Rosen, Livia

2016-01-01

Objective Scleroderma patients with autoantibodies to centromere proteins (CENPs) and/or interferon-inducible protein 16 (IFI16) are at increased risk of severe vascular complications. We set out to define whether these autoantigens are enriched in cells of the vasculature. Methods Successive stages of embryoid bodies (EBs) as well as vascular progenitors were used to evaluate the expression of scleroderma autoantigens IFI16 and CENP by immunoblotting. CD31 was included to mark early blood vessels. IFI16 and CD31 expression were defined in skin paraffin sections from scleroderma patients and from healthy controls. IFI16 expression was determined by flow cytometry in circulating endothelial cells (CECs) and circulating progenitor cells (CPCs). Results Expression of CENP-A, IFI16 and CD31 was enriched in EBs at days 10 and 12 of differentiation, and particularly in cultures enriched in vascular progenitors (IFI16, CD31, CENPs A and-B). This pattern was distinct from that of comparator autoantigens. Immunohistochemical staining of skin paraffin sections showed enrichment of IFI16 in CD31-positive vascular endothelial cells in biopsies from scleroderma patients and normal controls. Flow cytometry analysis revealed IFI16 expression in CPCs, but minimal expression in CECs. Conclusion Expression of scleroderma autoantigens IFI16 and CENPs, which are associated with severe vascular disease, is increased in vascular progenitors and mature endothelial cells. High level, lineage-enriched expression of autoantigens may explain the striking association between clinical phenotypes and the immune targeting of specific autoantigens. PMID:27159521

Report of the Subcommittee on Domestic Uranium Enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

A report by the Subcommittee on Domestic Uranium Enrichment to the Atomic Energy Commission is described; which covers the procedure of the domestic uranium enrichment by centrifugal process up to the commercial production, reviewing the current situation in this field. Domestic uranium enrichment is important in the aspects of securing stable enrichment service, establishing sound fuel cycle, and others. As the future target, the production around the year 2000 is set at 3,000 tons SWU per year at least. The business of uranium enrichment, which is now developed in the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation, is to be carried out by private enterprise. The contents are as follows: demand and supply balance of uranium enrichment service, significance of domestic uranium enrichment, evaluation of centrifugal uranium enrichment technology, the target of domestic uranium enrichment, the policy of domestic uranium enrichment promotion. (J.P.N.)

31 CFR 540.316 - Uranium enrichment.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Uranium enrichment. 540.316 Section 540.316 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) OFFICE OF... REGULATIONS General Definitions § 540.316 Uranium enrichment. The term uranium enrichment means the process of...

Identification of Multiple Dehalogenase Genes Involved in Tetrachloroethene-to-Ethene Dechlorination in a Dehalococcoides-Dominated Enrichment Culture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed Ismaeil

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Chloroethenes (CEs are widespread groundwater toxicants that are reductively dechlorinated to nontoxic ethene (ETH by members of Dehalococcoides. This study established a Dehalococcoides-dominated enrichment culture (designated “YN3” that dechlorinates tetrachloroethene (PCE to ETH with high dechlorination activity, that is, complete dechlorination of 800 μM PCE to ETH within 14 days in the presence of Dehalococcoides species at 5.7±1.9×107 copies of 16S rRNA gene/mL. The metagenome of YN3 harbored 18 rdhA genes (designated YN3rdhA1–18 encoding the catalytic subunit of reductive dehalogenase (RdhA, four of which were suggested to be involved in PCE-to-ETH dechlorination based on significant increases in their transcription in response to CE addition. The predicted proteins for two of these four genes, YN3RdhA8 and YN3RdhA16, showed 94% and 97% of amino acid similarity with PceA and VcrA, which are well known to dechlorinate PCE to trichloroethene (TCE and TCE to ETH, respectively. The other two rdhAs, YN3rdhA6 and YN3rdhA12, which were never proved as rdhA for CEs, showed particularly high transcription upon addition of vinyl chloride (VC, with 75±38 and 16±8.6 mRNA copies per gene, respectively, suggesting their possible functions as novel VC-reductive dehalogenases. Moreover, metagenome data indicated the presence of three coexisting bacterial species, including novel species of the genus Bacteroides, which might promote CE dechlorination by Dehalococcoides.

Cultural considerations in the criminal law: the sentencing process.

Science.gov (United States)

Boehnlein, James K; Schaefer, Michele N; Bloom, Joseph D

2005-01-01

In forensic psychiatry, there is increasing recognition of the importance of culture and ethnicity in the criminal justice process as the population becomes more culturally diverse. However, there has been little consideration of the role of cultural factors in the trial process for criminal defendants, particularly in the sentencing phase of trial. Using a capital murder case study, this article explores the role of cultural forensic psychiatric consultation, focusing on the sentencing phase of trial as the place where the full scope and power of a cultural evaluation can be brought most effectively to the attention of the court. Cultural psychiatric perspectives can enrich a core forensic evaluation and be maximally helpful to the court, by exploring family dynamics and psychological health influenced by cultural history, immigrant and refugee experiences, and sociocultural environment. Specific recommendations and cautions for effective cultural consultation in forensic psychiatry are discussed.

[Cultural diversity and stereotyping: implication for the medical practice].

Science.gov (United States)

Durieux-Paillard, S; Loutan, L

2005-09-28

Increasing number of migrants worldwide brings doctors to treat patients of various origins. Patients' diversity enriches health professionals but also induces a risk of mutual incomprehension, due to cultural and language barriers. Multicultural context stimulates unwittingly stereotyping, based on a simplistic assessment of the patient's culture. Stereotyping is also influenced by the political and media coverage. Studies underscored that universally, minorities patients have an unequal access to health care in host countries. Health professionals should be aware that racial stereotyping exists in medical practice: it is a first step to bridge cultural gap between them and their patients.

Selective vs. nonselective media and direct plating vs. enrichment technique in isolation of Vibrio cholerae: recommendations for clinical laboratories.

Science.gov (United States)

Rennels, M B; Levine, M M; Daya, V; Angle, P; Young, C

1980-09-01

The occurrence of human cholera along the Gulf of Mexico and the isolation of Vibrio cholerae O1 from the Gulf and Chesapeake Bay make it imperative that microbiology laboratories along estuaries develop the capabilities to culture for these pathogens. In attempts to devise a simplified but efficient culture procedure, a selective medium, thiosulfate-citrate-bile salts-sucrose (TCBS) agar, was compared with a nonselective medium, gelatin agar (GA), and the utility of enrichment was examined. TCBS agar detected 99% of the stools found to be positive by all techniques combined, whereas GA identified only 80%. Of acute diarrheal stools, 96% were positive on direct plating, whereas only 66% of formed stools containing V. cholerae were detected by direct plating. Stools from patients with acute diarrhea can be plated directly into TCBS agar alone; stools from persons shedding low numbers of organisms (such as contacts, carriers, or patients receiving antibiotics) should be incubated first in an enrichment broth and then on TCBS agar.

Gene and miRNA expression signature of Lewis lung carcinoma LLC1 cells in extracellular matrix enriched microenvironment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stankevicius, Vaidotas; Vasauskas, Gintautas; Bulotiene, Danute; Butkyte, Stase; Jarmalaite, Sonata; Rotomskis, Ricardas; Suziedelis, Kestutis

2016-01-01

The extracellular matrix (ECM), one of the key components of tumor microenvironment, has a tremendous impact on cancer development and highly influences tumor cell features. ECM affects vital cellular functions such as cell differentiation, migration, survival and proliferation. Gene and protein expression levels are regulated in cell-ECM interaction dependent manner as well. The rate of unsuccessful clinical trials, based on cell culture research models lacking the ECM microenvironment, indicates the need for alternative models and determines the shift to three-dimensional (3D) laminin rich ECM models, better simulating tissue organization. Recognized advantages of 3D models suggest the development of new anticancer treatment strategies. This is among the most promising directions of 3D cell cultures application. However, detailed analysis at the molecular level of 2D/3D cell cultures and tumors in vivo is still needed to elucidate cellular pathways most promising for the development of targeted therapies. In order to elucidate which biological pathways are altered during microenvironmental shift we have analyzed whole genome mRNA and miRNA expression differences in LLC1 cells cultured in 2D or 3D culture conditions. In our study we used DNA microarrays for whole genome analysis of mRNA and miRNA expression differences in LLC1 cells cultivated in 2D or 3D culture conditions. Next, we indicated the most common enriched functional categories using KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. Finally, we validated the microarray data by quantitative PCR in LLC1 cells cultured under 2D or 3D conditions or LLC1 tumors implanted in experimental animals. Microarray gene expression analysis revealed that 1884 genes and 77 miRNAs were significantly altered in LLC1 cells after 48 h cell growth under 2D and ECM based 3D cell growth conditions. Pathway enrichment results indicated metabolic pathway, MAP kinase, cell adhesion and immune response as the most significantly altered

Changes in bacterial community structure correlate with initial operating conditions of a field-scale denitrifying fluidized bed reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hwang, C. [Miami Univ., Oxford, OH (United States). Dept. of Microbiology; Wu, W.M. [Stanford Univ., CA (United States). Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering; Gentry, T.J. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (US). Environmental Sciences Div.] (and others)

2006-08-15

High levels of nitrate are present in groundwater migrating from the former waste disposal ponds at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, TN. A field-scale denitrifying fluidized bed reactor (FBR) was designed, constructed, and operated with ethanol as an electron donor for the removal of nitrate. After inoculation, biofilms developed on the granular activated carbon particles. Changes in the bacterial community of the FBR were evaluated with clone libraries (n=500 partial sequences) of the small-subunit rRNA gene for samples taken over a 4-month start-up period. Early phases of start-up operation were characterized by a period of selection, followed by low diversity and predominance by Azoarcus-like sequences. Possible explanations were high pH and nutrient limitations. After amelioration of these conditions, diversification increased rapidly, with the appearance of Dechloromonas, Pseudomonas, and Hydrogenophaga sequences. Changes in NO{sub 3}, SO{sub 4}, and pH also likely contributed to shifts in community composition. The detection of sulfate-reducing-bacteria-like sequences closely related to Desulfovibrio and Desulfuromonas in the FBR have important implications for downstream applications at the field site. (orig.)

The reduced enrichment program for JRR-4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takayanagi, M.

1992-01-01

Japan Research Reactor No. 4(JRR-4) with the rated power of 3.5 MW, swimming pool type research reactor, 93 % enriched uranium ETR-type fuel used, light water moderated and cooled. The first criticality reached on 28th January, 1965. The reactor has operated for about 26 years. However, it was planed to the reduced enrichment of the fuels to low enrichment according to the International Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) program. This paper describes the program for conversion of the enrichment of fuel from 93 % to less than 20 %. (author)

Proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation of CD105-positive enriched rat synovium-derived mesenchymal stem cells in three-dimensional porous scaffolds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qi Jun; Chen Anmin; You Hongbo; Li Kunpeng; Zhang Di; Guo Fengjing

2011-01-01

Stem cell-based tissue engineering has provided an alternative strategy to treat cartilage lesions, and synovium-derived mesenchymal stem cells (SMSCs) are considered as a promising cell source for cartilage repair. In this study, the SMSCs were isolated from rat synovium, and CD105-positive (CD105 + ) cells were enriched using magnetic activated cell sorting. Sorted cells were subsequently seeded onto the chitosan-alginate composite three-dimensional (3D) porous scaffolds and cultured in chondrogenic culture medium in the presence of TGF-β 3 and BMP-2 for 2 weeks in vitro. After 2 weeks in culture, scanning electron microscopy results showed that cells attached and proliferated well on scaffolds, and secreted extracellular matrix were also observed. From day 7 to day 14, the total DNA and glucosaminoglycan content of the cells cultured in scaffolds were found to have increased significantly, and cell cycle analyses revealed that the percentage of cells in the S and G2/M phases increased and the percentage of cells in the G0/G1 phase decreased. Compared with non-sorted cells, the sorted cells cultured in scaffolds underwent more chondrogenic differentiation, as evidenced by higher expression of type II collagen and Sox9 at the protein and mRNA levels. The results suggest that CD105 + enriched SMSCs may be a potential cell source for cartilage tissue engineering, and the chitosan-alginate composite 3D porous scaffold could provide a favorable microenvironment for supporting proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation of cells.

Competing for the non-US enrichment markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1980-01-01

The article discusses three basic steps: first, the historical perspectives; second, where the enrichment industry and the non-US markets for enrichment stand today (the present situation); and third, the likely future developments, which, for practical purposes, are dealt with in two parts: the non-US enrichment markets in the 1980s; and the non-US enrichment markets beyond the 1980s;

Enriched uranium sales: effect on supply industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersen, R.K.

1985-01-01

The subject is covered in sections: introduction (combined effect of low-enriched uranium (LEU) inventory sales and utility services enrichment contract terms); enrichment market overview; enrichment market dynamics; the reaction of the US Department of Energy; elimination of artificial demand; draw down of inventories; purchase and sale of LEU inventories; tails assay option; unfulfilled requirements for U 3 O 8 ; conclusions. (U.K.)

Stable isotope enrichment: Current and future potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tracy, J.G.; Aaron, W.S.

1992-01-01

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) operates the Isotope Enrichment Facility for the purpose of providing enriched stable isotopes, selected radioactive isotopes (including the actinides), and isotope-related materials and services for use in various research applications. ORNL is responsible for isotope enrichment and the distribution of approximately 225 nongaseous stable isotopes from 50 multi-isotopic elements. Many enriched isotope products are of prime importance in the fabrication of nuclear targets and the subsequent production of special radionuclides. State-of-the-art techniques to achieve special isotopic, chemical, and physical requirements are performed at ORNL This report describes the status and capabilities of the Isotope Enrichment Facility and the Isotope Research Materials Laboratory as well as emphasizing potential advancements in enrichment capabilities

Stable isotope enrichment - current and future potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tracy, J.G.; Aaron, W.S.

1993-01-01

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) operates the Isotope Enrichment Facility for the purpose of providing enriched stable isotopes, selected radioactive isotopes (including the actinides), and isotope-related materials and services for use in various research applications. ORNL is responsible for isotope enrichment and the distribution of approximately 225 nongaseous stable isotopes from 50 multi-isotopic elements. Many enriched isotope products are of prime importance in the fabrication of nuclear targets and the subsequent production of special radionuclides. State-of-the-art techniques to achieve special isotopic, chemical, and physical requirements are performed at ORNL. This report describes the status and capabilities of the Isotope Enrichment Facility and the Isotope Research Materials Laboratory as well as emphasizing potential advancements in enrichment capabilities. (orig.)

Benzene degradation in a denitrifying biofilm reactor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Waals, van der Marcelle J.; Atashgahi, Siavash; Rocha, da Ulisses Nunes; Zaan, van der Bas M.; Smidt, Hauke; Gerritse, Jan

2017-01-01

Benzene is an aromatic compound and harmful for the environment. Biodegradation of benzene can reduce the toxicological risk after accidental or controlled release of this chemical in the environment. In this study, we further characterized an anaerobic continuous biofilm culture grown for more

U.S. forms uranium enrichment corporation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seltzer, R.

1993-01-01

After almost 40 years of operation, the federal government is withdrawing from the uranium enrichment business. On July 1, the Department of Energy turned over to a new government-owned entity--the US Enrichment Corp. (USEC)--both the DOE enrichment plants at Paducah, Ky., and Portsmouth, Ohio, and domestic and international marketing of enriched uranium from them. Pushed by the inability of DOE's enrichment operations to meet foreign competition, Congress established USEC under the National Energy Policy Act of 1992, envisioning the new corporation as the first step to full privatization. With gross revenues of $1.5 billion in fiscal 1992, USEC would rank 275th on the Fortune 500 list of top US companies. USEC will lease from DOE the Paducah and Portsmouth facilities, built in the early 1950s, which use the gaseous diffusion process for uranium enrichment. USEC's stock is held by the US Treasury, to which it will pay annual dividends. Martin Marietta Energy Systems, which has operated Paducah since 1984 and Portsmouth since 1986 for DOE, will continue to operate both plants for USEC. Closing one of the two facilities will be studied, especially in light of a 40% world surplus of capacity over demand. USEC also will consider other nuclear-fuel-related ventures. USEC will produce only low-enriched uranium, not weapons-grade material. Indeed, USEC will implement a contract now being completed under which the US will purchase weapons-grade uranium from dismantled Russian nuclear weapons and convert it into low-enriched uranium for power reactor fuel

Uranium Conversion & Enrichment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karpius, Peter Joseph [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-02-06

The isotopes of uranium that are found in nature, and hence in ‘fresh’ Yellowcake’, are not in relative proportions that are suitable for power or weapons applications. The goal of conversion then is to transform the U₃O₈ yellowcake into UF₆. Conversion and enrichment of uranium is usually required to obtain material with enough ²³⁵U to be usable as fuel in a reactor or weapon. The cost, size, and complexity of practical conversion and enrichment facilities aid in nonproliferation by design.