0000000000183289
AUTHOR
Simone Cappello
Innovative ready to use carrier-bacteria devices for bioremediation of oil contaminated water
Bioremediation, that uses microorganisms to remove environmental pollutants, is the best way of restoring the environment due to its low cost and sustainability. Immobilization of microorganisms capable of degrading specific contaminants significantly promotes bioremediation processes. An innovative ready to use bioremediation system to clean up oil-contaminated water was developed immobilizing highly performant marine and soil HC degrading bacteria, on biodegradable oil-absorbing carriers. Two soil Actinobacteria (Gordonia sp. SoCg, Nocardia sp. SoB) and two marine Gammaproteobacteria (Alcanivorax sp. SK2, Oleibacter sp.5), were immobilized on biopolymeric membranes prepared by electrospin…
Biodegradation Potential of Oil-degrading Bacteria Related to the Genus Thalassospira Isolated from Polluted Coastal Area in Mediterranean Sea
Three bacterial species related to the genus Thalassospira (T. lucentensis, T. xianhensis and T. profundimaris), isolated from polluted sediment and seawater samples collected from Priolo Bay (eastern coast of Sicily, Ionian Sea), were analyzed for their biotechnological potential. For this purpose, the presence of specific catabolic genes associated to aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbon metabolism, the production of biosurfactants and emulsification activity, the capability to degrade oil-derived linear, branched, cyclic alkanes, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were evaluated. Alkane hydroxylase gene (alkano-monoxygenase alkb and citocrome P450) were present in genome of all st…
Polycaprolactone-based scaffold for oil-selective sorption and improvement of bacteria activity for bioremediation of polluted water
Abstract A novel floatable and biodegradable sponge for the selective absorption of oil from water and potentially useful as cell carrier for bioremediation treatments was prepared in polycaprolactone (PCL). The eco-friendly process for fabricating the PCL sponge does not involve either synthetic routes or organic solvents, thus minimizing environmental hazard. In particular, the 3D porous materials have been prepared by mixing in the melt the polymer matrix with two water-soluble porogen agents (NaCl and PEG) and thereafter leaching the obtained PCL/NaCl/PEG composites in water. The PCL sponges here proposed are capable to remove different types of oily pollutants (up to 500 wt%), and were…
Isolation, characterization and determination of biotechnological potential of oil-degrading bacteria from Algerian centre coast
Aims The Algerian coastline is exposed to several types of pollution, including hydrocarbons. The aim of this work was to isolate oil-degrading bacteria and to explore the intrinsic bioremediation potential of part of its contaminated harbour. Methods and results A collection of 119 strains, capable to grow on mineral medium supplemented with hydrocarbons, were obtained from polluted sediment and seawater collected from Sidi Fredj harbour (Algiers). Twenty-three strains were selected for further studies. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene showed that most isolates belong to genera of hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria (Alcanivorax), generalist hydrocarbons degraders (Marinobacter, Pseudomonas, Gordo…
The gut microbiota of larvae of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Oliver (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
Background: The red palm weevil (RPW) Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is one of the major pests of palms. The larvae bore into the palm trunk and feed on the palm tender tissues and sap, leading the host tree to death. The gut microbiota of insects plays a remarkable role in the host life and understanding the relationship dynamics between insects and their microbiota may improve the biological control of insect pests. The purpose of this study was to analyse the diversity of the gut microbiota of field-caught RPW larvae sampled in Sicily (Italy). Results: The 16S rRNA gene-based Temporal Thermal Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (TTGE) of the gut microbiota of RPW …
Microbial communities of polluted sub-surface marine sediments
Abstract Microbial communities of coastal marine sediment play a key role in degradation of petroleum contaminants. Here the bacterial and archaeal communities of sub-surface sediments (5–10 cm) of the chronically polluted Priolo Bay (eastern coast of Sicily, Italy), contaminated mainly by n-alkanes and biodegraded/weathered oils, were characterized by cultural and molecular approaches. 16S-PCR-DGGE analysis at six stations, revealed that bacterial communities are highly divergent and display lower phylogenetic diversity than the surface sediment; sub-surface communities respond to oil supplementation in microcosms with a significant reduction in biodiversity and a shift in composition; the…
Predicting the effectiveness of oil recovery strategies in the marine polluted environment
Abstract Many recent studies have focused their attention on the physiological stress experienced by marine organisms in measuring ecotoxicological responses. Here we suggest a new approach for investigating the effects of an anthropogenic pollutant on Life-History (LH) traits of marine organisms, to provide stakeholders and policy makers an effective tool to evaluate the best environmental recovery strategies and plans. A Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB), coupled with a biophysical model was used to predict the effects of a six-month oil spill on Mytilus galloprovincialis' LH traits and to test two potential recovery strategies in the central Mediterranean Sea. Oxygen consumption rates were use…
Oil-degrading bacteria from a membrane bioreactor (BF-MBR) system for treatment of saline oily waste: Isolation, identification and characterization of the biotechnological potential
A collection of forty-two (42) strains was obtained during microbiological screening of a Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) system developed for the treatment of saline oily waste originated from marine transportation. The diversity of the bacterial collection was analyzed by amplification and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Taxonomic analysis showed high level of identity with recognized sequences of seven (7) distinct bacterial genera (Alcanivorax, Erythrobacter, Marinobacter, Microbacterium, Muricauda, Rhodococcus and Rheinheimera). The biotechnological potential of the isolates was screened considering an important factor such as the biosurfactant production. In particular fourteen (14) biosur…
Innovative, ecofriendly biosorbent-biodegrading biofilms for bioremediation of oil- contaminated water.
Immobilization of microorganisms capable of degrading specific contaminants significantly promotes bioremediation processes. In this study, innovative and ecofriendly biosorbent-biodegrading biofilms have been developed in order to remediate oil-contaminated water. This was achieved by immobilizing hydrocarbon-degrading gammaproteobacteria and actinobacteria on biodegradable oil-adsorbing carriers, based on polylactic acid and polycaprolactone electrospun membranes. High capacities for adhesion and proliferation of bacterial cells were observed by scanning electron microscopy. The bioremediation efficiency of the systems, tested on crude oil and quantified by gas chromatography, showed that…
Intrinsic bioremediation potential of a chronically polluted marine coastal area.
A microbiological survey of the Priolo Bay (eastern coast of Sicily, Ionian Sea), a chronically polluted marine coastal area, was carried out in order to discern its intrinsic bioremediation potential. Microbiological analysis, 16S rDNA-based DGGE fingerprinting and PLFAs analysis were performed on seawater and sediment samples from six stations on two transects. Higher diversity and variability among stations was detected by DGGE in sediment than in water samples although seawater revealed higher diversity of culturable hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria. The most polluted sediment hosted higher total bacterial diversity and higher abundance and diversity of culturable HC degraders. Alkane- an…
Polycaprolactone-based scaffold for oil-selective sorption and improvement of bacteria activity for bioremediation of polluted water: Porous PCL system obtained by leaching melt mixed PCL/PEG/NaCl composites: Oil uptake performance and bioremediation efficiency
A novel floatable and biodegradable sponge for the selective absorption of oil from water and potentially useful as cell carrier for bioremediation treatments was prepared in polycaprolactone (PCL). The eco-friendly process for fabricating the PCL sponge does not involve either synthetic routes or organic solvents, thus minimizing environmental hazard. In particular, the 3D porous materials have been prepared by mixing in the melt the polymer matrix with two water-soluble porogen agents (NaCl and PEG) and thereafter leaching the obtained PCL/NaCl/PEG composites in water. The PCL sponges here proposed are capable to remove different types of oily pollutants (up to 500 wt%), and were successf…
Isolation and Characterization of Oil-Degrading Bacteria from Bilge Water
Twenty-one oil-degrading bacteria were isolated from bilge water. Based on a high growth rate on crude oil and on hydrocarbon degradation ability, 7 strains were selected (from 21 isolated) for further studies. 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that isolated strains were affiliated to Bacillus, Pseudomonas and Halomonas genera; in particular, isolate BW-B12 (Bacillus sp., 99%), BW-C12 (Halomonas boliviensis, 99%) and BW-E12 (Halomonas boliviensis, 98%) were the best crude-oil degraders; after 10 days of cultivation in ONR 7a mineral medium supplemented with crude oil as single carbon source BW-B12, BW-C12 and BW-E12 showed a degradation rate of 80, 60 and 59%, respectively. The strains showed…