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Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) from aqueous film forming foams (AFFFs) can hinder bioremediation of co-contaminants such as trichloroethene (TCE) and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX). Anaerobic dechlorination can require bioaugmentation of Dehalococcoides, and for BTEX, oxygen is often sparged to stimulate in situ aerobic biodegradation. We tested PFAS inhibition to TCE and BTEX bioremediation by exposing an anaerobic TCE-dechlorinating coculture, an aerobic BTEX-degrading enrichment culture, and an anaerobic toluene-degrading enrichment culture to n-dimethyl perfluorohexane sulfonamido amine (AmPr-FHxSA), perfluorohexane sulfonamide (FHxSA), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), or nonfluorinated surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The anaerobic TCE-dechlorinating coculture was resistant to individual PFAS exposures but was inhibited by >1000× diluted AFFF. FHxSA and AmPr-FHxSA inhibited the aerobic BTEX-degrading enrichment. The anaerobic toluene-degrading enrichment was not inhibited by AFFF or individual PFASs. Increases in amino acids in the anaerobic TCE-dechlorinating coculture compared to the control indicated stress response, whereas the BTEX culture exhibited lower concentrations of all amino acids upon exposure to most surfactants (both fluorinated and nonfluorinated) compared to the control. These data suggest the main mechanisms of microbial toxicity are related to interactions with cell membrane synthesis as well as protein stress signaling.

The subsurface recalcitrance of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) derived from aqueous film-forming foams could have adverse impacts on the microbiological processes used for the bioremediation of co-mingled chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethene (TCE). Here, we show that reductive dechlorination by a methanogenic, mixed culture was significantly inhibited when exposed to concentrations representative of PFAA source zones (>66 mg/L total of 11 PFAA analytes, 6 mg/L each). TCE dechlorination, cis-dichloroethene and vinyl chloride production and dechlorination, and ethene generation were all inhibited at these PFAA concentrations. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the abundances of 65% of the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) changed significantly when grown in the presence of PFAAs, although repression or enhancement resulting from PFAA exposure did not correlate with putative function or phylogeny. Notably, there was significant repression of Dehalococcoides (8-fold decrease in abundance) coupled with a corresponding enhancement of methane-generating Archaea (a 9-fold increase). Growth and dechlorination by axenic cultures of Dehalococcoides mccartyi strain 195 were similarly repressed under these conditions, confirming an inhibitory response of this pivotal genus to PFAA presence. These results suggest that chlorinated solvent bioattenuation rates could be impeded in subsurface environments near PFAA source zones.

The dominant theory of what people can learn implicitly is that they learn chunks of adjacent elements in sequences. A type of musical grammar that goes beyond specifying allowable chunks is provided by serialist or 12-tone music. The rules constitute operations over variables and could not be appreciated as such by a system that can only chunk elements together. A series of studies investigated the extent to which people could implicitly (or explicitly) learn the structures of serialist music. We found that people who had no background in atonal music did not learn the structures, but highly selected participants with an interest in atonal music could implicitly learn to detect melodies instantiating the structures. The results have implications for both theorists of implicit learning and composers who may wish to know which structures they put into a piece of music can be appreciated.

Argues that the ethics of teaching concerns the relationship between the teaching and the good life. Uses Bernard Williams' ethics/morality distinction. Connects the question of "why teach?" with the question "how should I live?" Asks why the practice of teaching is worth it in terms of self growth and monetary gains. (CAJ)

Examined impact of gender and life-cycle stage on three components of work-family conflict using sample of 3,616 respondents. For men, levels of work-family conflict were moderately lower in each successive life-cycle stage. For women, levels were similar in two early life-cycle stages but were significantly lower in later life-cycle stage. (Author/NB)