Time-Dependent Changes in Morphostructural Properties and Relative Abundances of Contributors in / Mixed Biofilms.

dual biofilms with bacteria are known to be involved in rock phosphate solubilization, endophytic colonization, and even in nitrogen fixation. Despite these relevant implications, no information is currently available on the architecture of -based dual biofilms. In addition to this, there is a limited amount of information regarding the estimation of the temporal changes in the relative abundances of the partners in such binary systems.

sp. nov., a halotolerant species isolated from olive brine.

A facultative halo-tolerant strain was isolated from olive brine waste, the effluent from the debittering process of table olives. Phenotypic and molecular characteristics showed clearly that the isolate represents a novel species. Based on the source of isolation, the new species has been named .

Fungal Community Structure and As-Resistant Fungi in a Decommissioned Gold Mine Site.

Although large quantities of heavy metal laden wastes are released in an uncontrolled manner by gold mining activities with ensuing contamination of the surrounding areas, there is scant information on the mycobiota of gold-mine sites. Thus, the present study was aimed to describe the fungal community structure in three differently As- and Hg-polluted soils collected from the Pestarena decommissioned site by using Illumina® metabarcoding. Fungal richness was found to increase as the contamination level increased while biodiversity was not related to the concentrations of inorganic toxicants.

Impact of the Fenton-like treatment on the microbial community of a diesel-contaminated soil.

Fenton-like treatment (FLT) is an ISCO technique relying on the iron-induced HO activation in the presence of additives aimed at increasing the oxidant lifetime and maximizing iron solubility under natural soil pH conditions. The efficacy of FLT in the clean-up of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils is well established at the field-scale. However, a better assessment of the impact of the FLT on density, diversity and activity of the indigenous soil microbiota, might provide further insights into an optimal combination between FLT and in-situ bioremediation (ISB).

Implications of polluted soil biostimulation and bioaugmentation with spent mushroom substrate (Agaricus bisporus) on the microbial community and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons biodegradation.

Different applications of spent Agaricus bisporus substrate (SAS), a widespread agro-industrial waste, were investigated with respect to the remediation of a historically polluted soil with Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH). In one treatment, the waste was sterilized (SSAS) prior to its application in order to assess its ability to biostimulate, as an organic amendment, the resident soil microbiota and ensuing contaminant degradation. For the other treatments, two bioaugmentation approaches were investigated; the first involved the use of the waste itself and thus implied the application of A.

Pleurotus ostreatus biofilms exhibit higher tolerance to toxicants than free-floating counterparts.

The MBEC(TM)-High Throughput Assay based on the Calgary Biofilm Device was used to produce and to characterize Pleurotus ostreatus biofilms. Hydroxyapatite coating of pegs was required to enable biofilm attachment; biofilm amounts and homogeneity of distribution were markedly improved upon removal of non-sessile biomass after 48 h from inoculation. Scanning electron microscopy showed surface-associated and multi-layered growth stabilized by the presence of an extracellular matrix (ECM).

Characterization of Pleurotus ostreatus biofilms by using the calgary biofilm device.

The adequacy of the Calgary biofilm device, often referred to as the MBEC system, as a high-throughput approach to the production and subsequent characterization of Pleurotus ostreatus biofilms was assessed. The hydroxyapatite-coating of pegs was necessary to enable biofilm attachment, and the standardization of vegetative inocula ensured a uniform distribution of P. ostreatus biofilms, which is necessary for high-throughput evaluations of several antimicrobials and exposure conditions.