Simulation of a surface spill of different diesel/biodiesel mixtures in an ultisol, using natural attenuation and bioaugmentation/biostimulation.

Accidents caused by leaks and/or spills on soils need to be addressed. Natural attenuation, biostimulation and bioaugmentation can be useful bioremediation strategies for decontamination processes in soils of diesel/biodiesel mixtures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the degradation rate of the different fuels (B0, B20 and B100) in an ultisol under natural attenuation and biostimulation/bioaugmentation during 60 days of incubation in a controlled microcosm simulating a surface spill over soil.

Biosynthesis of microcystin hepatotoxins in the cyanobacterial genus Fischerella.

Microcystins (MCs) are serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitors synthesized by several members of the phylum Cyanobacteria. Mining the draft genome sequence of the nostocalean MC-producing Fischerella sp. strain CENA161 led to the identification of three contigs containing mcy genes.

Purification and characterization of a thermostable alkaline cellulase produced by Bacillus licheniformis 380 isolated from compost.

During composting processes, the degradation of organic waste is accomplished and driven by a succession of microbial populations exhibiting a broad range of functional competencies. A total of 183 bacteria, isolated from a composting process, were evaluated for cellulase activity at different temperatures (37, 50, 60, and 70°C) and pH values. Out of the 22 isolates that showed activity, isolate 380 showed the highest cellulase activity.

Evaluating methods for purifying cyanobacterial cultures by qPCR and high-throughput Illumina sequencing.

Cyanobacteria are commonly found in association with other microorganisms, which constitutes a great challenge during the isolation of cyanobacterial strains. Although several methods have been published for obtaining axenic cyanobacterial cultures, their efficiency is usually evaluated by observing the growth of non-cyanobacteria in culture media. In order to verify whether uncultured bacteria should be a concern during cyanobacterial isolation, this work aimed to detect by molecular methods sequences from cyanobacteria and other bacteria present before and after a technique for obtaining axenic cultures from plating and exposure of Fischerella sp.

Pattern of multiresistant to antimicrobials and heavy metal tolerance in bacteria isolated from sewage sludge samples from a composting process at a recycling plant in southern Brazil.

The composting process is a viable alternative for the recycling of household organic waste and sewage sludge generated during wastewater treatment. However, this technique can select microorganisms resistant to antimicrobials and heavy metals as a result of excess chemicals present in compost windrow. This study evaluates the antimicrobial multiresistant and tolerance to heavy metals in bacteria isolated from the composting process with sewage sludge.

Draft Genome Sequence of the Brazilian Toxic Bloom-Forming Cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa Strain SPC777.

Microcystis aeruginosa strain SPC777 is an important toxin-producing cyanobacterium, isolated from a water bloom of the Billings reservoir (São Paulo State, Brazil). Here, we report the draft genome sequence and initial findings from a preliminary analysis of strain SPC777, including several gene clusters involved in nonribosomal and ribosomal synthesis of secondary metabolites.