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Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) can enter the atmosphere via sea spray aerosols (SSAs), but the effects of plastic characteristics on the aerosolization process are unclear. Furthermore, the importance of the transport of MNPs via these SSAs as a possible new exposure route for human health remains unknown. The aim of this study was two-fold: (1) to examine if a selection of factors affects aerosolization processes of MNPs, and (2) to estimate human exposure to MNPs via aerosols inhalation. A laboratory-based bubble bursting mechanism, simulating the aerosolization process at sea, was used to investigate the influence of MNP as well as seawater characteristics. To determine the potential human exposure to microplastics via inhalation of SSAs, the results of the laboratory experiments were extrapolated to the field based on sea surface microplastic concentrations and the volume of inhaled aerosols. Enrichment seemed to be influenced by MNP size, concentration and polymer type. With higher enrichment for smaller particles and denser polymers. Experiments with different concentrations showed a larger range of variability but nonetheless lower concentrations seemed to result in higher enrichment, presumably due to lower aggregation. In addition to the MNP characteristics, the type of seawater used seemed to influence the aerosolization process. Our human exposure estimate to microplastic via inhalation of sea spray aerosols shows that in comparison with reported inhaled concentrations in urban and indoor environments, this exposure route seems negligible for microplastics. Following the business-as-usual scenario on plastic production, the daily plastic inhalation in coastal areas in 2100 is estimated to increase but remain far below 1 particle per day. This study shows that aerosolization of MNPs is a new plastic transport pathway to be considered, but in terms of human exposure it seems negligible compared to other more important sources of MNPs, based on current reported environmental concentrations. [Display omitted] • Aerosolization increased with decreasing Polyethylene particle size. • Plastic concentration and polymer type influence plastic enrichment in aerosols. • Human plastic exposure via sea spray seems negligible compared to urban and indoor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ubiquity of microplastics (MPs) in food sources and personal care products increasingly raises concerns on human health. However, little is known about the duration of the effects of MPs and whether effects depend on cellular differentiation status. Herein, cellular and bioenergetic effects of MPs in different exposure scenarios on four types of human cell lines derived from lung (A549 and BEAS-2B), colon (Caco-2) and liver (HepG2) were investigated. These cell lines are models for the major exposure routes in the body (inhalation, ingestion and physiological transport through the liver by the portal vein). To this aim, different scenarios were implemented by exposing undifferentiated and differentiated cells to single dosing of 2-μm polystyrene (PS) (102-105 particles/mL) for 48 h and 12 days. The undifferentiated Caco-2 cells with short exposure (48 h) showed the highest uptake rate of PS yet without significant cellular and mitochondrial responses. The biological effects, with the exception of ROS production, were not influenced by differentiation states of A549 and Caco-2 cells although differentiated cells showed much weaker ability to internalize PS. However, PS had significantly long-term impacts on cellular and mitochondrial functions even after the initial exposure period. In particular, Caco-2 cells that were post-exposed for 12 days after single PS dosing suffered higher oxidative stress and exhibited mitochondrial dysfunction than that for short exposure. Correspondingly, we observed that PS particles still remained in cell membrane and even in nuclei with high retention rate by 14-d post exposure during which metabolism and exchange of internalization and release occurred in cells. This indicates PS could induce chronic stress and even harmful effects on human cells after single intake that persists for a long time. This study paves the way for assessing the influence of PS on human health at low particle concentrations and with multiple exposure scenarios. [Display omitted] • Undifferentiated Caco-2 cells showed highest PS uptake rate among four cell lines. • Differentiated cells showed lower PS uptake rate than the undifferentiated. • Short PS exposure did not induce effects on cellular and mitochondrial functions. • PS evoked oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction after 12-d post exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historical exposure of the marine environment to 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) happened due to the dumping of left-over munitions. Despite significant research on TNT decontamination, the potential of marine microbiome for TNT degradation remains only little explored. In this study, TNT degradation experiments were conducted with sediment located near the World War I munition dumpsite – Paardenmarkt in the Belgian part of North Sea. A slow removal was observed using TNT as sole source of C and N, which could be enhanced by adding methanol. Degradation was reflected in nitro-reduced metabolites and microbial growth. 16S Illumina sequencing analysis revealed several enriched genera that used TNT as a sole source of C and N - Colwellia , Thalossospira , and Methylophaga. Addition of methanol resulted in increased abundance of Methylophaga , which corresponded to the rapid removal of TNT. Methanol enhanced the degradation by providing additional energy and establishing syntrophic association between methanol-utilizing and TNT-utilizing bacteria. [Display omitted] • Degradation experiment of explosive- 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) was conducted. • Sediment sample located near the World War I munition dumpsite – Paardenmarkt , was used as an inoculum. • Microbial growth was observed on TNT used as a sole source of C and N. • Addition of methanol enhanced the removal of TNT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biogenic palladium nanoparticles (bio-Pd NPs) represent a promising catalyst for organohalide remediation in water and sediments. However, the available information regarding their possible impact in case of release into the environment, particularly on the environmental microbiota, is limited. In this study the toxicity of bio-Pd NPs on the model marine bacterium V. fischeri was assessed. The impacts of different concentrations of bio-Pd NPs on the respiratory metabolisms (i.e. organohalide respiration, sulfate reduction and methanogenesis) and the structure of a PCB-dechlorinating microbial community enriched form a marine sediment were also investigated in microcosms mimicking the actual sampling site conditions. Bio-Pd NPs had no toxic effect on V. fischeri . In addition, they had no significant effects on PCB-dehalogenating activity, while showing a partial, dose-dependent inhibitory effect on sulfate reduction as well as on methanogenesis. No toxic effects by bio-Pd NPs could be also observed on the total bacterial community structure, as its biodiversity was increased compared to the not exposed community. In addition, resilience of the microbial community to bio-Pd NPs exposure was observed, being the final community organization (Gini coefficient) of samples exposed to bio-Pd NPs similar to that of the not exposed one. Considering all the factors evaluated, bio-Pd NPs could be deemed as non-toxic to the marine microbiota in the conditions tested. This is the first study in which the impact of bio-Pd NPs is extensively evaluated over a microbial community in relevant environmental conditions, providing important information for the assessment of their environmental safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food is an important dissemination route for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Factors used during food production and preservation may contribute to the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes, but research on this subject is scarce. In this study, the effect of temperature (7 to 37°C) and modified atmosphere packaging (air, 50% CO2-50% N2, and 100% N2) on antibiotic resistance transfer from Lactobacillus sakei subsp. sakei to Listeria monocytogenes was evaluated. Filter mating was performed on nonselective agar plates with high-density inocula. A more realistic setup was created by performing modified atmosphere experiments on cooked ham using high-density and low-density inocula. Plasmid transfer was observed between 10 and 37°C, with plasmid transfer also observed at 7°C during a prolonged incubation period. When high-density inocula were used, transconjugants were detected, both on agar plates and cooked ham, under the three atmospheres (air, 50% CO2-50% N2, and 100% N2) at 7°C. This yielded a median transfer ratio (number of transconjugants/number of recipients) with an order of magnitude of 10 4 to KT6. With low-density inocula, transfer was only detected under the 100% N2 atmosphere after 10-day incubation at 7°C, yielding a transfer ratio of 10 \ Under this condition, the highest bacterial density was obtained. The results indicate that low temperature and modified atmosphere packaging, two important hurdles in the food industry, do not necessarily prevent plasmid transfer from Lactobacillus sakei subsp. sakei to Listeria monocytogenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional activated sludge process is widely used for wastewater treatment, but to progress toward energy self-sufficiency, the wastewater treatment scheme needs to radically improve energy balances. We developed a high-rate contact stabilization (HiCS) reactor system at high sludge-specific loading rates (>2 kg bCOD kg −1 TSS d −1 ) and low sludge retention times (<1.2 d) and demonstrate that it is able to recover more chemical energy from wastewater organics than high-rate conventional activated sludge (HiCAS) and the low-rate variants of HiCS and HiCAS. The best HiCS system recovered 36% of the influent chemical energy as methane, due to the combined effects of low production of CO 2 , high sludge yield, and high methane yield of the produced sludge. The HiCS system imposed a feast-famine cycle and a putative selection pressure on the sludge micro-organisms toward substrate adsorption and storage. Given further optimization, it is a promising process for energy recovery from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resources in used water are at present mainly destroyed rather than reused. Recovered nutrients can serve as raw material for the sustainable production of high value bio-products. The concept of using hydrogen and oxygen, produced by green or off-peak energy by electrolysis, as well as the unique capability of autotrophic hydrogen oxidizing bacteria to upgrade nitrogen and minerals into valuable microbial biomass, is proposed. Both axenic and mixed microbial cultures can thus be of value to implement re-synthesis of recovered nutrients in biomolecules. This process can become a major line in the sustainable “water factory” of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Nitratation in an OLAND RBC could be controlled through the immersion level. [•] 85–89% of the O2 input was directly absorbed during the air exposure of the discs. [•] Process control strategies solely based on DO level did not seem to be effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this lab-scale study, domestic wastewater is subjected to a chemical biological adsorption (A-stage), followed by treatment in an innovative roof installed parallel plate microalgae biofilm reactor for nutrient immobilization (I-stage). The A-stage process was operated at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 1h and a solid retention time of 1day (FeSO4 as flocculant). The I-stage, which consequently received the effluent of the A-stage process, was operated at an HRT of 1day and exposed to natural light. The overall system removed on average 74% of the total chemical oxygen demand, 82% of the total suspended solids, 67% of the total nitrogen and 96% of the total phosphorous in the wastewater. The design involves a relatively low capital and operating cost which is in the order of 0.5€/m3 wastewater treated. These aspects suggest that the A/I process can be used as a decentralized domestic wastewater treatment system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Two types of non-axenic algal cultures, one dominated by the freshwater microalgae Scenedesmus obliquus and the other by the marine microalgae Phaeodactylum tricornutum, were cultivated in two types of simple photobioreactor systems. The production rates, expressed on dry matter (DM) basis, were in the order of 0.12 and 0.18g DML−1 d−1 for S. obliquus and P. tricornutum respectively. The biogas potential of algal biomass was assessed by performing standardized batch digestion as well as digestion in a hybrid flow-through reactor (combining a sludge blanket and a carrier bed), the latter under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. Biomethane potential assays revealed the ultimate methane yield (B 0) of P. tricornutum biomass to be about a factor of 1.5 higher than that of S. obliquus biomass, i.e. 0.36 and 0.24LCH4 g−1 volatile solids (VS) added respectively. For S. obliquus biomass, the hybrid flow-through reactor tests operated at volumetric organic loading rate (Bv) of 2.8gVSL−1 d−1 indicated low conversion efficiencies ranging between 26–31% at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 2.2days for mesophilic and thermophilic conditions respectively. When digesting P. tricornutum at a Bv of 1.9gVSL−1 d−1 at either mesophilic or thermophilic conditions and at an HRT of 2.2days, an overall conversion efficiency of about 50% was obtained. This work indicated that the hydrolysis of the algae cells is limiting the anaerobic processing of intensively grown S. obliquus and P. tricornutum biomass. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The enteric pathogen Bacillus cereus must survive gastric passage in order to cause diarrhea by enterotoxin production in the small intestine. The acid resistance and the survival after gastric passage were assessed by in vitro experiments with acidified growth medium and gastric simulation medium with B. cereus NVH 1230-88 vegetative cells and spores. First, batch incubations at constant pH values for 4 h, which represented different physiological states of the stomach, showed that spores were resistant to any gastric condition in the pH range of 2.0 to 5.0, while vegetative cells were rapidly inactivated at pH values of ≤4.0. Second, a dynamic in vitro gastric experiment was conducted that simulated the continuously changing in vivo conditions due to digestion dynamics by gradually decreasing the pH from 5.0 to 2.0 and fractional emptying of the stomach 30 to 180 min from the start of the experiment. All of the B. cereus spores and 14% (± 9%) of the vegetative cells survived the dynamic simulation of gastric passage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The quality of drinking water is ensured by hygienic barriers and filtration steps, such as ozonation and granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration. Apart from adsorption, GAC filtration involves microbial processes that remove biodegradable organic carbon from the ozonated ground or surface water and ensures biological stability of the treated water. In this study, microbial community dynamics in were monitored during the start-up and maturation of an undisturbed pilot-scale GAC filter at 4 depths (10, 45, 80 and 115 cm) over a period of 6 months. New ecological tools, based on 16S rRNA gene-DGGE, were correlated to filter performance and microbial activity and showed that the microbial gradients developing in the filter was of importance. At 10 cm from the top, receiving the freshly ozonated water with the highest concentration of nutrients, the microbial community dynamics were minimal and the species richness remained low. However, the GAC samples at 80–115 cm showed a 2–3 times higher species richness than the 10–45 cm samples. The highest biomass densities were observed at 45–80 cm, which corresponded with maximum removal of dissolved and assimilable organic carbon. Furthermore, the start-up period was clearly distinguishable using the Lorenz analysis, as after 80 days, the microbial community shifted to an apparent steady-state condition with increased evenness. This study showed that GAC biofilter performance is not necessarily correlated to biomass concentration, but rather that an elevated functionality can be the result of increased microbial community richness, evenness and dynamics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]