•Methylparaben and propylparaben are readily biodegradable under aerobic conditions.•Benzoic acid was one of the major biodegradation products.•Anaerobic biodegradation showed minor contribution on the paraben removal.The biodegradability of two typical parabens (methylparaben and propylparaben) in activated sludge, at initial concentrations of 1 mg L−1 or 10 mg L−1, was investigated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The results showed that microorganisms played a key role in degradation of parabens in WWTPs, especially in aerobic systems. The half-lives of methylparaben and propylparaben under aerobic conditions have been estimated to range between 15.8 and 19.8 min, and benzoic acid was found to be one of the major biodegradation products. The calculated biodegradation efficiency of methylparaben and propylparaben in activated sludge under aerobic conditions was significantly higher than that observed under anaerobic (nitrate, sulfate, and Fe (III) reducing) conditions, as methylparaben and propylparaben exhibited comparatively higher persistence in anaerobic systems, with half-lives ≥43.3 h and ≥8.6 h, respectively. Overall, the results of this study imply that the majority of these parabens can be eliminated by aerobic biodegradation during conventional wastewater treatment processes, whereas minor removal is possible in anaerobic systems if an insufficient hydraulic retention time was maintained.

A novel gram-negative, non-spore-forming, mobile, estrogen-degrading strain, MH-B5T, was isolated from Yundang Lagoon in Xiamen city of China. Growth of this strain occurred between 4 and 40 °C (optimum at 35 °C), pH 5.5–10.0 (7.5), 0.0–7 % NaCl (1–2 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain MH-B5T belonged to the genus Altererythrobacter family Erythrobacteraceae, showing the highest sequence similarity (96.6 %) to Altererythrobacter xinjiangensis S3-63T. The dominant cellular fatty acid was C18:1ω7c and/or C18:1ω6c (57.98 %). The major respiratory quinone was ubiquinone 10, and major polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, sphingoglycolipid, phospholipid, and phosphatidylcholine. Strain MH-B5T did not contain bacteriochlorophyll a. The draft genome sequence of strain MH-B5T comprised about 3.67 Mb, with an average G+C content of 60 mol%. On the basis of data from its morphology, chemotaxonomy, 16S rRNA gene sequence and genome sequence, strain MH-B5T represents a novel species, for which the name Altererythrobacter estronivorus sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is MH-B5T (=CCTCC AB2012025T=DSM 25986T).

Mounting evidence suggests that Archaea are widespread and abundant in aquatic and terrestrial habitats and play fundamental roles in global biogeochemical cycles, yet the pattern and its ecological drivers of biogeographic distribution of archaeal community in estuarine ecosystem are still not well understood. Here, we investigated planktonic and benthic archaeal communities in the human-impacted Jiulong River estuary (JRE), southern China by using real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and Illumina 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) amplicon sequencing. RT-PCR analysis indicated that Archaea accounted for an average of 0.79 and 5.31 % of prokaryotic biomass in water and sediment samples of the JRE, respectively. The diversity of planktonic archaeal community decreased gradually from the river runoff to seawater, whereas that of benthic community did not show the similar pattern. The results of taxonomic assignments indicated that Thaumarchaeota (Nitrosopumilus and Cenarchaeum), Methanocorpusculum, and Methanospirillum were significantly more abundant in planktonic than benthic communities, whereas the relative abundances of Miscellaneous Crenarchaeotic Group, Marine Benthic Group-B/-D, anaerobic methane-oxidizing Archaea -1/-2D, and South Africa Gold Mine Euryarchaeotic Group 1 were higher in sediments than in surface waters. Moreover, planktonic archaeal community composition varied significantly at broad and finer-scale taxonomic levels along the salinity gradient. Multivariate statistical analyses revealed that salinity is the main factor structuring the JRE planktonic but not benthic archaeal community at both total community and population level. SourceTrakcer analysis indicated that river might be a major source of archaea in the freshwater zone of the JRE. Overall, this study advances our understanding of the biogeographic patterns and its ecological drivers of estuarine archaeal communities.

•A simple and green way was developed to synthesize AgNPs using tea extract.•The synthesized AgNPs was characterized by TEM, XRD, FT-IR, and ICP-MS.•Ag+ release from the synthesized AgNPs was lower indicating the high stability.•The synthesized AgNPs showed slight antibacterial activity against E. coli.A simple, environmentally friendly and cost-effective method has been developed to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using tea leaf extract. We have studied the effects of the tea extract dosage, reaction time and reaction temperature on the formation of AgNPs. The AgNPs were synthesized using silver nitrate and tea extract, and the reaction was carried out for 2 h at room temperature. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analyzer, and zeta potential analyzer. The synthesized AgNPs were nearly spherical, with the sizes ranging from 20 to 90 nm. FT-IR spectral analysis indicated the tea extract acted as the reducing and capping agents on the surface of AgNPs. Furthermore, the study of silver ion release from the tea extract synthesized AgNPs showed a good stability in terms of time-dependent release of silver ions. In addition, the antibacterial activity of AgNPs was determined by monitoring the growth curve and also by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Due to the larger size and less silver ion release, the AgNPs synthesized by tea extract showed low antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli.

Transformation of bisphenol A (BPA) by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) Nitrosomonas europaea ATCC 19718 was investigated. On the basis of the ultraperformance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis, we found N. europaea could transform BPA into nitro- and dinitro-BPA, suggesting that abiotic nitration between the biogenic nitrite and BPA played a major role in the transformation of BPA in the batch AOB system. Nitrite concentrations, temperature, and pH values were the major factors to influence the reaction rate. Furthermore, the yeast estrogenic screening assay showed that the formed nitro- and dinitro-BPA had much less estrogenic activity as compared with its parent compound BPA. Similar reactions of abiotic nitration were considered for 4-n-nonylphenol (nNP) and 4-n-octylphenol (nOP) since nitro-nNP and nitro-nOP were detected by UPLC-Q-TOF MS. In addition, results from the local wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) showed the occurrence of nitro-BPA and dinitro-BPA during the biological treatment process and in the effluent, indicating that nitration of BPA is also a pathway for removal of BPA. Results of this study provided implication that AOB in the WWTPs might contribute to removal of selected endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) through abiotic nitritation.

The essence of sustainable development (SD) is to deliver social and economic development without compromising environmental quality. Material Flow Analysis or Substance Flow Analysis (M/SFA) is a well-established method to assess the sustainability of socioeconomic development and environmental change, particularly from the perspective of improving material/substance flow efficiency. A material/substance flow chart or accounting table makes SD assessment results comprehensive, comparable and verifiable by (1) providing systematic information and indicators for SD assessment, (2) identifying critical pathways, links and key substances in the anthroposphere, and (3) allowing the dynamic interaction between material flow and social, economic and/or environmental processes to be analyzed. However, the role of M/SFA in SD assessment could be expanded by strengthening simultaneous analysis of various features of material/substance flows, integrating M/SFA with other assessment methods, improving sustainability indicators, and further developing standardized methods for material classification, data acquisition and processing, and measuring indirect flows and unused flows. It is anticipated that future improvements in monitoring material/substance flows in the anthroposphere will provide more systematic information, allowing M/SFA to play an even greater role in SD assessment.Highlights► Systematically summarizing the functions of M/SFA in SD assessment. ► Review and discussion of the connections between M/SFA and SD. ► Understanding M/SFA can play a more important role in assessing the SD of various systems. ► Using M/SFA to find a better method to derive better sustainability indicators. ► Approaches to strengthen the effectiveness of M/SFA in SD assessment.

•BPA, BPAF, BPE, BPF, and BPS were widely detected in the wastewater and sludge.•Spatial variations of BPs were observed, implying the industrial origin of BPA.•BPA, BPF, and BPS were easily removed, while BPAF and BPE were more resistant.•BP mass loads via effluent and sludge to the receiving environment were evaluated.Due to the well-known endocrine disrupting ability of bisphenol A (BPA), its production and usage have been regulated. Consequently, other bisphenol analogues (BPs) have been used as the replacement of BPA. Despite their widespread use, few studies have investigated the occurrence and fate of BPs in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In this study, we conducted a city-wide monitoring survey and collected the wastewater and sludge samples from seven WWTPs in Xiamen, China over seven days. The concentrations of dissolved and adsorbed BPs in the influent and effluent, together with the BP concentrations in the sludge were determined. Five BPs, including BPA, BPAF, BPE, BPF, and BPS, were widely detected. The medium concentrations of BPA, BPAF, BPE, BPF, and BPS were 1318, 0.282, 3.70, 50.0, and 48.0 ng/L in the influent, 177, 0.714, 3.64, BLD, and BLD in the effluent, and 343, 3.09, BLD, 56.5, 1.01 μg/kg in the sludge. Spatial variations were observed, which implied the industrial origin of BPA. The efficiencies of BP removal from aqueous phase were evaluated, and results showed that BPA, BPF, and BPS were highly removed with removal efficiencies higher than 78%, while BPAF and BPE were resistant in WWTPs. Mass load calculations showed that 2075 g BPs entered into the WWTPs in Xiamen City each day, while 246 g and 63 g were discharged via effluent and excess sludge, respectively. Mass balance analysis showed that BPS and BPA were mainly biodegraded, BPF were mainly adsorbed and biodegraded, BPAF was resistant to biodegradation, while BPE was resistant to both biodegradation and adsorption.Download high-res image (304KB)Download full-size image

•nZVI and IP in anaerobic bioreactor enhanced methane yield up to 25% and 40%.•Removal efficiencies of COD increased in the presence of nZVI and IP.•nZVI and IP selectively enhanced chlorinated PPCP removal in anaerobic digestion.•nZVI and IP in anaerobic bioreactor showed minor effect on most PPCP removal.Lab scale and single stage high solid anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge spiked with freshly synthesized nanoscale zero valent iron (nZVI) and commercial iron powder (IP) under mesophilic condition (37 ± 1 °C) was performed. The effects of both additives on methane yield, and pharmaceutical and personal care product (PPCP) removal were investigated. Results showed that methane yield was increased by 25.2% and 40.8% in the presence of nZVI (0.1%) and IP (1.6%), respectively. Removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand were 54.4% and 66.2% in the presence of nZVI and IP, respectively, which were higher compared to the control group (44.6%). In addition, most PPCPs could be partly or completely removed during the anaerobic digestion process. The application of nZVI and IP showed positive impact on the removal of chlorinated PPCPs (p < 0.05), but did not show significant impact on other PPCPs (p > 0.05). Our finding suggests that the application of nZVI and IP in anaerobic digestion could be a promising way to enhance methane yield but had less improvement on PPCP degradation.Download high-res image (129KB)Download full-size image