Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.4
4.1
Journals
Microorganisms
Special Issues
Application of Microbes in Environmental Remediation
share announcement

Application of Microbes in Environmental Remediation

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 May 2024) | Viewed by 9536

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Qiang Tu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
Interests: microbial remediation; phytoremediation; heavy metal
Dr. Guangxu Zhu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, Guiyang, China
Interests: microbial remediation; phytoremediation; heavy metal
Dr. Zhi Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
Interests: microbial remediation; phytoremediation; heavy metal

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The survival and development of human beings is inseparable from soil, which provides the necessary living environment for crops. With the development of industrial and agricultural production, the pollution of soil caused by wastewater, solid waste discharged from industrial production, pesticides applied in farmland, blowout substances in oil extraction, and leakage during transportation is becoming increasingly serious. Furthermore, the unreasonable application of chemical fertilizer and unreasonable development of agricultural resources in agricultural activities have led to the destruction of soil structure and the decline of fertility and soil environment. At present, common soil remediation and improvement technologies include chemical technology, physical technology, and biotechnology. Among biotechnologies, microbial technology, as a promising soil remediation and improvement approach, has attracted increasing  attention due to its characteristics of high efficiency, low consumption, simple operation, and significant ecological benefits.

This Special Issue of Microorganisms aims to showcase research on the various mechanisms and strategies adopted by microbes in the remediation and improvement of soil. The Issue will supplement the existing literature by adding up-to-date knowledge and in-depth understanding of the potential and challenges associated with microbial improvement and remediation of soil environment.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Integrated approaches for the microbial improvement and remediation of soil;
  • Microbial systems for bioremediation of heavy metals;
  • Insights into detoxification of organic pollutants by microbes and their enzymes;
  • Plant-assisted microbial bioremediation of organic and inorganic pollutants;
  • Plant–soil–microbe interactions;
  • Screening and identification of pollutant-degrading microbes;
  • The combination of physical/chemical and microbial remediation of contaminated soil;
  • Biochar-immobilized microorganism in soil pollution remediation;
  • Enhanced microbial remediation;
  • Microbial remediation and improvement of saline-alkali/poor soil.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Qiang Tu
Dr. Guangxu Zhu
Dr. Zhi Chen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • microbial remediation
  • microbial improvement
  • heavy metal pollution
  • organic pollution
  • soil

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (7 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

15 pages, 3878 KiB  
Article
Characteristics of Bacterial Community Structure and Function in Artificial Soil Prepared Using Red Mud and Phosphogypsum
by Yong Liu, Zhi Yang, Lishuai Zhang, Hefeng Wan, Fang Deng, Zhiqiang Zhao and Jingfu Wang
Microorganisms 2024, 12(9), 1886; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12091886 - 13 Sep 2024
Viewed by 636
Abstract
The preparation of artificial soil is a potential cooperative resource utilization scheme for red mud and phosphogypsum on a large scale, with a low cost and simple operation. The characteristics of the bacterial community structure and function in three artificial soils were systematically [...] Read more.
The preparation of artificial soil is a potential cooperative resource utilization scheme for red mud and phosphogypsum on a large scale, with a low cost and simple operation. The characteristics of the bacterial community structure and function in three artificial soils were systematically studied for the first time. Relatively rich bacterial communities were formed in the artificial soils, with relatively high abundances of bacterial phyla (e.g., Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, and Chloroflexi) and bacterial genera (e.g., Microcoleus_PCC-7113, Rheinheimera, and Egicoccus), which can play key roles in various nutrient transformations, resistance to saline–alkali stress and pollutant toxicity, the enhancement of various soil enzyme activities, and the ecosystem construction of artificial soil. There were diverse bacterial functions (e.g., photoautotrophy, chemoheterotrophy, aromatic compound degradation, fermentation, nitrate reduction, cellulolysis, nitrogen fixation, etc.), indicating the possibility of various bacteria-dominated biochemical reactions in the artificial soil, which can significantly enrich the nutrient cycling and energy flow and enhance the fertility of the artificial soil and the activity of the soil life. The bacterial communities in the different artificial soils were generally correlated with major physicochemical factors (e.g., pH, OM, TN, AN, and AP), as well as enzyme activity factors (e.g., S-UE, S-SC, S-AKP, S-CAT, and S-AP), which comprehensively illustrates the complexity of the interaction between bacterial communities and environmental factors in artificial soils, and which may affect the succession direction of bacterial communities, the quality of the artificial soil environment, and the speed and direction of the development and maturity of the artificial soil. This study provides an important scientific basis for the synergistic soilization of two typical industrial solid wastes, red mud and phosphogypsum, specifically for the microbial mechanism, for the further evolution and development of artificial soil prepared using red mud and phosphogypsum. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Microbes in Environmental Remediation)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 4503 KiB  
Article
Microbial Electrolysis Cells Based on a Bacterial Anode Encapsulated with a Dialysis Bag Including Graphite Particles
by Irina Amar Dubrovin, Lea Ouaknin Hirsch, Abhishiktha Chiliveru, Avinash Jukanti, Shmuel Rozenfeld, Alex Schechter and Rivka Cahan
Microorganisms 2024, 12(7), 1486; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12071486 - 20 Jul 2024
Viewed by 739
Abstract
One of the main barriers to MEC applicability is the bacterial anode. Usually, the bacterial anode contains non-exoelectrogenic bacteria that act as a physical barrier by settling on the anode surface and displacing the exoelectrogenic microorganisms. Those non-exoelectrogens can also compete with exoelectrogenic [...] Read more.
One of the main barriers to MEC applicability is the bacterial anode. Usually, the bacterial anode contains non-exoelectrogenic bacteria that act as a physical barrier by settling on the anode surface and displacing the exoelectrogenic microorganisms. Those non-exoelectrogens can also compete with exoelectrogenic microorganisms for nutrients and reduce hydrogen production. In this study, the bacterial anode was encapsulated by a dialysis bag including suspended graphite particles to improve current transfer from the bacteria to the anode material. An anode encapsulated in a dialysis bag without graphite particles, and a bare anode, were used as controls. The MEC with the graphite-dialysis-bag anode was fed with artificial wastewater, leading to a current density, hydrogen production rate, and areal capacitance of 2.73 A·m−2, 134.13 F·m−2, and 7.6 × 10−2 m3·m−3·d−1, respectively. These were highest when compared to the MECs based on the dialysis-bag anode and bare anode (1.73 and 0.33 A·m−2, 82.50 and 13.75 F·m−2, 4.2 × 10−2 and 5.2 × 10−3 m3·m−3·d−1, respectively). The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of the modified graphite-dialysis-bag anode showed the lowest charge transfer resistance of 35 Ω. The COD removal results on the 25th day were higher when the MEC based on the graphite-dialysis-bag anode was fed with Geobacter medium (53%) than when it was fed with artificial wastewater (40%). The coulombic efficiency of the MEC based on the graphite-dialysis-bag anode was 12% when was fed with Geobacter medium and 15% when was fed with artificial wastewater. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Microbes in Environmental Remediation)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 2624 KiB  
Article
Adsorption of Cd2+ by Lactobacillus plantarum Immobilized on Distiller’s Grains Biochar: Mechanism and Action
by Guangxu Zhu, Xingfeng Wang, Ronghui Du, Shuangxi Wen, Lifen Du and Qiang Tu
Microorganisms 2024, 12(7), 1406; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12071406 - 11 Jul 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 751
Abstract
Immobilized microbial technology has recently emerged as a prominent research focus for the remediation of heavy metal pollution because of its superior treatment efficiency, ease of operation, environmental friendliness, and cost-effectiveness. This study investigated the adsorption characteristics and mechanisms of Cd2+ solutions [...] Read more.
Immobilized microbial technology has recently emerged as a prominent research focus for the remediation of heavy metal pollution because of its superior treatment efficiency, ease of operation, environmental friendliness, and cost-effectiveness. This study investigated the adsorption characteristics and mechanisms of Cd2+ solutions by Lactobacillus plantarum adsorbed immobilized on distiller’s grains biochar (XIM) and Lactobacillus plantarum–encapsulated immobilized on distiller’s grains biochar (BIM). The findings reveal that the maximum adsorption capacity and efficiency were achieved at a pH solution of 6.0. Specifically, at an adsorption equilibrium concentration of cadmium at 60 mg/L, XIM and BIM had adsorption capacities of 8.40 ± 0.30 mg/g and 12.23 ± 0.05 mg/g, respectively. BIM demonstrated noticeably greater adsorption capacities than XIM at various cadmium solution concentrations. A combination of isothermal adsorption modeling, kinetic modeling, scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometer (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses showed that cadmium adsorption by XIM primarily involved physical adsorption and pore retention. In contrast, the adsorption mechanism of BIM was mainly attributed to the formation of Cd(CN)2 crystals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Microbes in Environmental Remediation)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 2452 KiB  
Article
Copper Resistance Mechanism and Copper Response Genes in Corynebacterium crenatum
by Mingzhu Huang, Wenxin Liu, Chunyan Qin, Yang Xu, Xu Zhou, Qunwei Wen, Wenbin Ma, Yanzi Huang and Xuelan Chen
Microorganisms 2024, 12(5), 951; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12050951 - 8 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 898
Abstract
Heavy metal resistance mechanisms and heavy metal response genes are crucial for microbial utilization in heavy metal remediation. Here, Corynebacterium crenatum was proven to possess good tolerance in resistance to copper. Then, the transcriptomic responses to copper stress were investigated, and the vital [...] Read more.
Heavy metal resistance mechanisms and heavy metal response genes are crucial for microbial utilization in heavy metal remediation. Here, Corynebacterium crenatum was proven to possess good tolerance in resistance to copper. Then, the transcriptomic responses to copper stress were investigated, and the vital pathways and genes involved in copper resistance of C. crenatum were determined. Based on transcriptome analysis results, a total of nine significantly upregulated DEGs related to metal ion transport were selected for further study. Among them, GY20_RS0100790 and GY20_RS0110535 belong to transcription factors, and GY20_RS0110270, GY20_RS0100790, and GY20_RS0110545 belong to copper-binding peptides. The two transcription factors were studied for the function of regulatory gene expression. The three copper-binding peptides were displayed on the C. crenatum surface for a copper adsorption test. Furthermore, the nine related metal ion transport genes were deleted to investigate the effect on growth in copper stress. This investigation provided the basis for utilizing C. crenatum in copper bioremediation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Microbes in Environmental Remediation)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 1406 KiB  
Article
Microbial Biosurfactant: Candida bombicola as a Potential Remediator of Environments Contaminated by Heavy Metals
by Renata Raianny da Silva, Júlio C. V. Santos, Hugo M. Meira, Sérgio M. Almeida, Leonie A. Sarubbo and Juliana M. Luna
Microorganisms 2023, 11(11), 2772; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11112772 - 15 Nov 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1735
Abstract
Industrial interest in surfactants of microbial origin has intensified recently due to the characteristics of these compounds, such as biodegradability and reduced toxicity, and their efficiency in removing heavy metals and hydrophobic organic compounds from soils and waters. The aim of this study [...] Read more.
Industrial interest in surfactants of microbial origin has intensified recently due to the characteristics of these compounds, such as biodegradability and reduced toxicity, and their efficiency in removing heavy metals and hydrophobic organic compounds from soils and waters. The aim of this study was to produce a biosurfactant using Candida bombicola URM 3712 in a low-cost medium containing 5.0% molasses, 3.0% corn steep liquor and 2.5% residual frying oil for 144 h at 200 rmp. Measurements of engine oil tension and emulsification were made under extreme conditions of temperature (0 °C, 5 °C, 70 °C, 100 °C and 120 °C), pH (2–12) and NaCl concentrations (2–12), demonstrating the stability of the biosurfactant. The isolated biosurfactant was characterized as an anionic molecule with the ability to reduce the surface tension of water from 72 to 29 mN/m, with a critical micellar concentration of 0.5%. The biosurfactant had no toxic effect on vegetable seeds or on Eisenia fetida as a bioindicator. Applications in the removal of heavy metals from contaminated soils under dynamic conditions demonstrated the potential of the crude and isolated biosurfactant in the removal of Fe, Zn and Pb with percentages between 70 and 88%, with the highest removal of Pb being 48%. The highest percentage of removal was obtained using the cell-free metabolic liquid, which was able to remove 48, 71 and 88% of lead, zinc and iron from the soil, respectively. Tests in packed columns also confirmed the biosurfactant’s ability to remove Fe, Zn and Pb between 40 and 65%. The removal kinetics demonstrated an increasing percentage, reaching removal of 50, 70 and 85% for Pb, Zn and Fe, respectively, reaching a greater removal efficiency at the end of 24 h. The biosurfactant was also able to significantly reduce the electrical conductivity of solutions containing heavy metals. The biosurfactant produced by Candida bombicola has potential as an adjuvant in industrial processes for remediating soils and effluents polluted by inorganic contaminants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Microbes in Environmental Remediation)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 1784 KiB  
Article
The Changes of Phyllosphere Fungal Communities among Three Different Populus spp.
by Zhuo Sun, Weixi Zhang, Yuting Liu, Changjun Ding and Wenxu Zhu
Microorganisms 2023, 11(10), 2479; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11102479 - 2 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1625
Abstract
As an ecological index for plants, the diversity and structure of phyllosphere microbial communities play a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem stability and balance; they can affect plant biogeography and ecosystem function by influencing host fitness and function. The phyllosphere microbial communities reflect [...] Read more.
As an ecological index for plants, the diversity and structure of phyllosphere microbial communities play a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem stability and balance; they can affect plant biogeography and ecosystem function by influencing host fitness and function. The phyllosphere microbial communities reflect the immigration, survival, and growth of microbial colonists, which are influenced by various environmental factors and leaves’ physical and chemical properties. This study investigated the structure and diversity of phyllosphere fungal communities in three different Populus spp., namely—P. × euramaricana (BF3), P. nigra (N46), and P. alba × P. glandulosa (84K). Leaves’ chemical properties were also analyzed to identify the dominant factors affecting the phyllosphere fungal communities. N46 exhibited the highest contents of total nitrogen (Nt), total phosphorus (Pt), soluble sugar, and starch. Additionally, there were significant variations in the abundance, diversity, and composition of phyllosphere fungal communities among the three species: N46 had the highest Chao1 index and observed_species, while 84K had the highest Pielou_e index and Simpson index. Ascomycota and Basidiomycota are the dominant fungal communities at the phylum level. Results from typical correlation analyses indicate that the chemical properties of leaves, especially total phosphorus (Pt), total nitrogen (Nt), and starch content, significantly impact the structure and diversity of the phyllosphere microbial community. However, it is worth noting that even under the same stand conditions, plants from different species have distinct leaf characteristics, proving that the identity of the host species is the critical factor affecting the structure of the phyllosphere fungal community. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Microbes in Environmental Remediation)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

22 pages, 2120 KiB  
Review
Soil Microplastic Pollution and Microbial Breeding Techniques for Green Degradation: A Review
by Zhuang Xiong, Yunfeng Zhang, Xiaodie Chen, Ajia Sha, Wenqi Xiao, Yingyong Luo, Jialiang Han and Qiang Li
Microorganisms 2024, 12(6), 1147; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12061147 - 5 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1468
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs), found in many places around the world, are thought to be more detrimental than other forms of plastics. At present, physical, chemical, and biological methods are being used to break down MPs. Compared with physical and chemical methods, biodegradation methods have [...] Read more.
Microplastics (MPs), found in many places around the world, are thought to be more detrimental than other forms of plastics. At present, physical, chemical, and biological methods are being used to break down MPs. Compared with physical and chemical methods, biodegradation methods have been extensively studied by scholars because of their advantages of greenness and sustainability. There have been numerous reports in recent years summarizing the microorganisms capable of degrading MPs. However, there is a noticeable absence of a systematic summary on the technology for breeding strains that can degrade MPs. This paper summarizes the strain-breeding technology of MP-degrading strains for the first time in a systematic way, which provides a new idea for the breeding of efficient MP-degrading strains. Meanwhile, potential techniques for breeding bacteria that can degrade MPs are proposed, providing a new direction for selecting and breeding MP-degrading bacteria in the future. In addition, this paper reviews the sources and pollution status of soil MPs, discusses the current challenges related to the biodegradation of MPs, and emphasizes the safety of MP biodegradation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Microbes in Environmental Remediation)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-7
Back to TopTop