Unexpected increase of sulfate concentrations and potential impact on CH budgets in freshwater lakes.

The continuous increase in sulfate (SO) concentrations discharged by anthropogenic activities lacks insights into their dynamics and potential impact on CH budgets in freshwater lakes. Here we conducted a field investigation in the lakes along the highly developed Yangtze River basin, China, additionally, we analyzed long-term data (1950-2020) from Lake Taihu, a typical eutrophic lake worldwide. We observed a gradual increase in SO concentrations up to 100 mg/L, which showed a positive correlation with the trophic state of the lakes.

Future directions in microbial nitrogen cycling in wastewater treatment.

Discoveries in the past decade of novel reactions, processes, and micro-organisms have altered our understanding of microbial nitrogen cycling in wastewater treatment systems. These advancements pave the way for a transition toward more sustainable and energy-efficient wastewater treatment systems that also minimize greenhouse gas emissions. This review highlights these innovative directions in microbial nitrogen cycling within the context of wastewater treatment.

Elemental mercury production from contaminated riparian soil suspensions under air and nitrogen bubbling conditions.

The dynamic change of redox conditions is a key factor in emission of elemental mercury (Hg) from riparian soils. The objective of this study was to elucidate the influences of redox conditions on Hg emission from riparian soils. Soil suspension experiments were conducted to measure Hg emission from five Hg-contaminated soil samples in two redox conditions (i.

Quest for Nitrous Oxide-reducing Bacteria Present in an Anammox Biofilm Fed with Nitrous Oxide.

NO-reducing bacteria have been examined and harnessed to develop technologies that reduce the emission of NO, a greenhouse gas produced by biological nitrogen removal. Recent investigations using omics and physiological activity approaches have revealed the ecophysiologies of these bacteria during nitrogen removal. Nevertheless, their involvement in‍ ‍anammox processes remain unclear.

Complete genome sequence of strain SH125, a non-denitrifying nitrous oxide-reducing bacterium isolated from anammox biomass.

Here, we report a genome sequence of strain SH125 isolated from an anammox reactor. This facultative anaerobic strain possesses the clade I-type nitrous oxide (NO) reductase gene, devoid of nitrite- and nitric oxide reductase genes. Deciphering the genome will help explore NO reducers instrumental in NO mitigation.

Enhanced granulation of activated sludge in an airlift reactor for organic carbon removal and ammonia retention from industrial fermentation wastewater: A comparative study.

Ammonia retention and recovery from high-nitrogenous wastewater are new concepts being used for nitrogen management. A microaerophilic activated sludge system was developed to convert organic nitrogen into ammonia and retain it for its recovery; however, the settleability of activated sludge remains a challenge. Therefore, this study proposed an aerobic granular sludge system as a potential solution.

[A MULTICENTER CLINICAL SURVEY ABOUT THE PREVALENCE OF JAPANESE CYPRESS POLLINOSIS AND THE EFFICACY OF SUBLINGUAL IMMUNOTHERAPY WITH JAPANESE CEDAR POLLEN EXTRACT DURING JAPANESE CYPRESS POLLEN DISPERSAL PERIOD].

Background: Little is known whether sublingual immunotherapy using Japanese cedar pollen extract (cedar SLIT) is effective for not only Japanese cedar pollinosis but also Japanese cypress pollinosis. We investigated the prevalence rate of Japanese cypress pollinosis, efficacy of cedar SLIT on cypress pollinosis and patients' wish to receive cypress SLIT.

Methods: We investigated a multi-center (31 institutions), cross-sectional survey using a self-administrated questionnaire with four questions for patients received cedar SLIT aged from 5 to 69 years old.

Evaluation of nitrous oxide emission during ammonia retention from simulated industrial wastewater by microaerobic activated sludge process.

Considering the reciprocating processes of nitrogen gas (N) fixation to ammonia (NH-N) and NH-N removal to N through nitrification and denitrification during wastewater treatment, a microaerobic activated sludge process (MAS) is proposed in this study as a pretreatment to retain NH-N from high-strength nitrogenous wastewater for further NH-N recovery through membrane technology, that is, inhibit nitrification, with sufficient removal of total organic carbon (TOC). With DO and pH control, the 3-reactor bench-scale MAS systems successfully realized an NH-N retention rate of over 80 %, with TOC removal rates of over 90 %. In addition, the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO) and nitrous oxide (NO) during MAS were evaluated.

Complete genome sequence of D49 harboring genes for ectoine synthesis.

A complete genome sequence of D49 in the class was isolated from activated sludge treating landfill leachate. The genome encodes the functional genes for the biosynthesis of ectoine (), a compatible solute for cosmetics. Deciphering the genome helps pave the way for ectoine production by the isolate.

Microaerophilic Activated Sludge System for Ammonia Retention toward Recovery from High-Strength Nitrogenous Wastewater: Performance and Microbial Communities.

A transition to ammonia recovery from wastewater has started; however, a technology for sustainable nitrogen retention in the form of ammonia and organic carbon removal is still in development. This study validated a microaerophilic activated sludge (MAS) system to efficiently retain ammonia from high-strength nitrogenous wastewater. The MAS is based on conventional activated sludge (CAS) with aerobic and settling compartments.

Nitrate removal in iron sulfide-driven autotrophic denitrification biofilter: Biochemical and chemical transformation pathways and its underlying microbial mechanism.

Iron sulfides-based autotrophic denitrification (IAD) is effective for treating nitrate-contaminated wastewater. However, the complex nitrate transformation pathways coupled with sulfur and iron cycles in IADs are still unclear. In this study, two columns (abiotic vs biotic) with iron sulfides (FeS) as the packing materials were constructed and operated continuously.

Particulate organic carbon potentially increases methane emissions from oxic water of eutrophic lakes.

Lakes are hot spots for methane (CH) emissions and particulate organic carbon (POC) production, which describes the methane paradox phenomenon. However, the current understanding of the source of POC and its effect on CH emissions during eutrophication remains unclear. In this study, 18 shallow lakes in different trophic states were selected to investigate the POC source and its contribution to CH production, particularly to reveal the underlying mechanisms of the methane paradox.

Evaluation of Pollution Level, Spatial Distribution, and Ecological Effects of Antimony in Soils of Mining Areas: A Review.

The first global-scale assessment of Sb contamination in soil that was related to mining/smelting activities was conducted based on 91 articles that were published between 1989 and 2021. The geographical variation, the pollution level, the speciation, the influencing factors, and the environmental effects of Sb that were associated with mining/smelting-affected soils were analyzed. The high Sb values mainly occurred in developed (Poland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, New Zealand, Australia) and developing (China, Algeria, Slovakia) countries.

Space-for-time substitution leads to carbon emission overestimation in eutrophic lakes.

Lacustrine eutrophication is generally considered as an important contributor of carbon emissions to the atmosphere; however, there is still a huge challenge in accuracy estimating carbon emissions from lakes. To test the effect of widely used space-for-time substitution on lake carbon emissions, this study monitored different processes of carbon emissions, including the carbon production potential, dissolved carbon concentrations, and carbon release fluxes in eight lakes along the trophic gradients on a spatial scale and the typical eutrophic Lake Taihu for one year on a temporal scale. Eutrophication promoted carbon production potential, dissolved carbon concentrations, and carbon release fluxes, especially for CH.

Monitoring of magmatic-hydrothermal system by noble gas and carbon isotopic compositions of fumarolic gases.

We repeatedly measured isotopic compositions of noble gases and CO in volcanic gases sampled at six fumaroles around the Kusatsu-Shirane volcano (Japan) between 2014 and 2021 to detect variations reflecting recent volcanic activity. The synchronous increases in He/He at some fumaroles suggest an increase in magmatic gas supply since 2018. The increase in magmatic gas supply is also supported by the temporal variations in He/CO ratios and carbon isotopic ratios of CO.

Identification of nosZ-expressing microorganisms consuming trace NO in microaerobic chemostat consortia dominated by an uncultured Burkholderiales.

Microorganisms possessing NO reductases (NosZ) are the only known environmental sink of NO. While oxygen inhibition of NosZ activity is widely known, environments where NO reduction occurs are often not devoid of O. However, little is known regarding NO reduction in microoxic systems.

NO Reduction by Gemmatimonas aurantiaca and Potential Involvement of Gemmatimonadetes Bacteria in NO Reduction in Agricultural Soils.

Agricultural soil is the primary NO sink limiting the emission of NO gas into the atmosphere. Although Gemmatimonadetes bacteria are abundant in agricultural soils, limited information is currently available on NO reduction by Gemmatimonadetes bacteria. Therefore, the effects of pH and temperature on NO reduction activities and affinity constants for NO reduction were examined by performing batch experiments using an isolate of Gemmatimonadetes bacteria, Gemmatimonas aurantiaca (NBRC100505).

Low nitrous oxide concentration and spatial microbial community transition across an urban river affected by treated sewage.

Urban rivers receive used water derived from anthropogenic activities and are a crucial source of the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (NO). However, considerable uncertainties still exist regarding the variation and mechanisms of NO production in response to the discharge of treated sewage from municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This study investigated NO concentrations and microbial processes responsible for nitrogen conversion upstream and downstream of WWTPs along the Tama River flowing through Tokyo, Japan.

Organic carbon determines nitrous oxide consumption activity of clade I and II nosZ bacteria: Genomic and biokinetic insights.

Harnessing nitrous oxide (NO)-reducing bacteria is a promising strategy to reduce the NO footprint of engineered systems. Applying a preferred organic carbon source as an electron donor accelerates NO consumption by these bacteria. However, their NO consumption potential and activity when fed different organic carbon species remain unclear.

Increased nitrogen deposition contributes to plant biodiversity loss in Japan: Insights from long-term historical monitoring data.

Atmospheric deposition of reactive nitrogen compounds (Nrs) has been recognized as a threat to plant diversity in terrestrial ecosystems. As a first attempt to investigate the relationship between Nrs deposition and plant diversity loss in Japan, we collected and analyzed the available long-term nationwide monitoring data on annual Nrs deposition and plant (tree) species, and evaluated the relationship between Nrs deposition and plant species loss at corresponding sites. Analyses of the available data showed that the amount of Nrs deposited annually tended to decrease at two monitoring sites (Yusuhara, Hedomisaki) and increase at six monitoring sites across Japan (Rishiri, Sadoseki, Tokyo, Aichi, Oki, and Ogasawara) during the late 1980s to 2011, especially at Aichi (11.

Combination of N Tracer and Microbial Analyses Discloses NO Sink Potential of the Anammox Community.

Although nitrogen removal by partial nitritation and anammox is more cost-effective than conventional nitrification and denitrification, one downside is the production and accumulation of nitrous oxide (NO). The potential exploitation of NO-reducing bacteria, which are resident members of anammox microbial communities, for NO mitigation would require more knowledge of their ecophysiology. This study investigated the phylogeny of resident NO-reducing bacteria in an anammox microbial community and quantified individually the processes of NO production and NO consumption.