The performance of Cytisus striatus in association with different microbial inoculant treatments on the dissipation of the insecticide hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) was studied. Two soils with different organic matter (A and B soil) content were spiked with 0 or 65 mg HCH kg−1. Plants were either not inoculated (NI), or inoculated with the endophyte Rhodococcus erythropolis ET54b and the HCH-degrader Sphingomonas sp. D4 separately or in combination (ET, D4 and ETD4). Unplanted pots were also established. HCH phytotoxicity was more pronounced in the B soil. Soil HCH concentrations in unplanted pots were similar to initial concentrations, whereas concentrations were reduced after plant growth: by 20% and 8% in A and B soil, respectively. Microbial inoculants also modified HCH dissipation, although effects were soil-dependent. Inoculation with the combination of strains (ETD4) led to a significant enhancement in HCH dissipation: up to 53% in the A soil and 43% in the B soil.

Nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) has potential for the remediation of organochlorine-contaminated environments. Environmental safety concerns associated with in situ deployment of nZVI include potential negative impacts on indigenous microbes whose biodegradative functions could contribute to contaminant remediation. With respect to a two-step polychlorinated biphenyl remediation scenario comprising nZVI dechlorination followed by aerobic biodegradation, we examined the effect of polyacrylic acid (PAA)-coated nZVI (mean diameter = 12.5 nm) applied at 10 g nZVI kg−1 to Aroclor-1242 contaminated and uncontaminated soil over 28 days. nZVI had a limited effect on Aroclor congener profiles, but, either directly or indirectly via changes to soil physico-chemical conditions (pH, Eh), nZVI addition caused perturbation to soil bacterial community composition, and reduced the activity of chloroaromatic mineralizing microorganisms. We conclude that nZVI addition has the potential to inhibit microbial functions that could be important for PCB remediation strategies combining nZVI treatment and biodegradation.

This study investigated the ability of natural river biofilms from different seasons to degrade the carbamate pesticides methomyl, carbaryl and carbofuran in single and multiple pesticide systems, and the effects of these pesticides on algal and bacterial communities within biofilms. Spring biofilms had the lowest biomass of algae and bacteria but showed the highest methomyl degradation (>99%) and dissipation rates, suggesting that they might contain microorganisms with high methomyl degradation abilities. Degradation of carbofuran (54.1–59.5%) by biofilms in four seasons was similar, but low degradation of carbaryl (0–27.5%) was observed. The coexistence of other pesticides was found to cause certain effects on pesticide degradation and primarily resulted in lower diversity of diatoms and bacteria than when using a single pesticide. The tolerant diatoms and bacteria potentially having the ability to degrade test pesticides were identified. River biofilms could be suitable biomaterials or used to isolate degraders for bioremediating pesticide-contaminated water.

To assess the severity of oil spills on mangroves, diagnosis of the vegetation health is crucial. Some aspects of photosynthesis such as photochemical efficiency and leaf pigment composition together with the level of oxidative stress may constitute reliable indicators for vegetation health. To test this approach 14 month old Laguncularia racemosa were contaminated with 5 L m−2 of the marine fuel oil MF-380 and treated with an oil degrading bacterial consortium in microcosms. Contamination resulted in a 20% decrease in shoot dry weight after 128 days. Photochemical efficiency, pigment content, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase remained unchanged. Multivariate ordination of DGGE microbial community fingerprints revealed a pronounced separation between the oil contaminated and the non-contaminated samples. Further studies are necessary before physiological parameters can be recommended as indicators for plant's health in oil polluted mangroves.

Disposal options for salty and selenium-laden agricultural drainage sediments are needed to protect the agricultural ecosystem in Central California. Thus, a 7-year pilot-scale field study evaluated the effects of disposing Se-laden drainage sediment onto soil that was planted with either salado grass (Sporobolus airoides ‘salado’) or cordgrass (Spartina patens ‘Flageo’), or on soil left bare with and without irrigation. Significant decreases in salinity and water-extractable and total soil Se concentrations were observed in all treatments to a depth 30 cm, while water extractable Se and salinity increased most significantly between 30 and 60 cm. Total yields increased over time for both species, while plant Se concentrations were ≈10 and 12 mg kg−1 DM for salado and cordgrass, respectively. The results show that Se and soluble salts disposed of as Se-laden drainage sediment onto light textured soils will significantly migrate to lower depths with or without vegetation.

Throughout 90-day biodegradation under microaerobic conditions, invasive to Lithuania species boxelder maple (Acer negundo) leaves lost 1.5-fold more biomass than that of autochthonous black alder (Alnus glutinosa), releasing higher contents of Ntot, ammonium and generating higher BOD7. Boxelder maple leaf leachates were characterized by higher total bacterial numbers and colony numbers of heterotrophic and cellulose-decomposing bacteria than those of black alder. The higher toxicity of A. negundo aqueous extracts and leachates to charophyte cell (Nitellopsis obtusa), the inhabitant of clean lakes, were manifested at mortality and membrane depolarization levels, while the effect on H+-ATPase activity in membrane preparations from the same algae was stronger in case of A. glutinosa. Duckweed (Lemna minor), a bioindicator of eutrophic waters, was more sensitive to leaf leachates of A. glutinosa. Fallen leaves and leaf litter leachates from invasive and native species of trees, which enter water body, affect differently microbial biodestruction and aquatic vegetation in freshwater systems.

Natural abundance 14C analysis was applied to PLFAs collected from an industrial site in southern Ontario in order to assess microbial carbon sources and potential PAH biodegradation in soils. Δ14C of microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) at the site ranged from +54‰ to −697‰. Comparison of these values to surrounding carbon sources found that microbial carbon sources were derived primarily from vegetation and/or natural organic matter present in the soils rather than PAHs. This study highlights that microbes are able to utilize almost all available pools of organic matter including older pools which are thought to contain recalcitrant compounds. Furthermore, it shows that even with the presence of an active microbial community, there may be little biodegradation of PAHs. This study illustrates challenges in assessing microbial activity in the environment and the advantage of using natural abundance 14C analysis as a tool to elucidate microbial carbon sources.

This study compares the effectiveness of two different thickness of green roof substrate with respect to nutrient and heavy metal retention and release. To understand and evaluate the long term behaviour of green roofs, substrate columns with the same structure and composition as the green roofs, were exposed in laboratory to artificial rain. The roofs act as a sink for C, N, P, zinc and copper for small rain events if the previous period was principally dry. Otherwise the roofs may behave as a source of pollutants, principally for carbon and phosphorus. Both field and column studies showed an important retention for Zn and Cu. The column showed, however, lower SS, DOC and metal concentrations in the percolate than could be observed in the field even if corrected for run-off. This is most probably due to the difference in exposition history and weathering processes.

To understand the role of abundance of tfdA gene classes belonging to β- and γ-proteobacteria on phenoxy acid herbicide degradation, streambed sediments were sampled around three seepage meters (SMs) installed in a landfill-impacted groundwater–surface water interface. Highest herbicide mass discharge to SM3, and lower herbicide mass discharges to SM1 and SM2 were determined due to groundwater discharge rates and herbicide concentrations. SM1-sediment with the lowest abundance of tfdA gene classes had the slowest mineralization, whereas SM2- and SM3-sediments with more abundant tfdA genes had faster mineralization. The observed difference in mineralization rates between discharge zones was simulated by a Monod-based kinetic model, which confirmed the role of abundance of tfdA gene classes. This study suggests presence of specific degraders adapted to slow growth rate and high yield strategy due to long-term herbicide exposure; and thus groundwater–surface water interface could act as a natural biological filter and protect stream water quality.

A submerged membrane bioreactor has been operated at the laboratory scale for the treatment of a synthetic effluent containing Bisphenol-A (BPA). COD, NH4–N, PO4–P and BPA were eliminated respectively, at 99%, 99%, 61% and 99%. The increase of volumetric loading rate from 0 to 21.6 g/m3/d did not affect the performance of the MBR system. However, the removal rate decreased rapidly when the BPA loading rate increased above 21.6 g/m3/d. The adsorption process of BPA on the biomass was very well described by Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms. Subsequently, biodegradation of BPA occurred and followed the first order kinetic reaction, with a constant rate of 1.13 ± 0.22 h−1. During treatment, membrane fouling was reversible in the first 84 h of filtration, and then became irreversible. The membrane fouling was mainly due to the accumulation of suspended solid and development of biofilm on the membrane surface.