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Modern technologies (especially with the help of autonomous measurement and control systems) introduced automatic composters for the disposal of household food waste production. Environmental risks connected with the utilization of these composts can be characterized by the high electrical conductivity caused by a presence of sodium chloride in food. Electrical conductivity influences the ecotoxicity of the composts. The presence of pesticides in composted food also represents an important environmental problem. The following pesticides were found in compost samples from household food waste: 1,3,5-triazine, methyl trithion, bifenthrin, bifenox, carbophenothion, pirimicarb, dioxacarb, desmetryn. Pesticide content in composts varied from 0.3 to 16.3 μg/kg, the average value being 30.4 ± 10.1 μg/kg dry matter. The higher decomposition was found of “modern” pesticides in the composters. The removal of salts can ensure that inhibition will be

Soil contamination with heavy metals is a growing issue that results in adverse effects on plant production. In this study, the influence of manures on heavy metals toxicity reduction in Sinapis alba L. and Robinia pseudoacacia L. was tested in order to plan phytoremediation process The primary objective was to assess the effects of manure fertilization on plants grown on highly degraded soil contaminated by a range of heavy metals. The measurement endpoints used were seed germination, plants biomass, roots length, guaiacol peroxidase activity (GPX) and protein concentration. The study showed that among other stress markers, GPX activity showed statistically significant changes (α

Among the methods used to remove metals and their compounds from landfill leachates with low application costs and high efficiency are bioleaching and biosorption. The most effective bacteria used in the metal removal process are Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans. The aim of the study was to determine the usefulness of the A. ferrooxidans and A. thiooxidans population in removing heavy metals from landfill leachate. In addition, development opportunities for bacterial population using landfill leachate as growth medium were identified. The substrate for the research was the raw leachate before the reverse osmosis process. In order to increase the efficiency of trace elements removal and recovery from leachate, variable combinations have been used which differ by the addition of sulfuric acid, A. ferrooxidans culture, A. thiooxidans culture, mixed culture containing populations of both bacteria, and elemental sulfur. Based on the research, it was found that the removal of heavy metals from leachate was a selective process. High bioleaching efficiency, from 80% to 90%, was obtained for all metals for which the sample acidification or sulfur addition was used. The simultaneous combination of both these additives turned out to be the most advantageous. The A. thiooxidans culture was the most effective in bioleaching reverse osmosis effluents. For the A. ferrooxidans culture used, much lower efficiencies were obtained, while by contrast, the use of mixed culture of two bacterium species had no significant effect.

The widespread use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in consumer products that release Ag throughout their life cycle has raised potential environmental concerns. AgNPs primarily accumulate in soil through the spreading of sewage sludge (SS). In this study, the effects of direct exposure to AgNPs or indirect exposure via SS contaminated with AgNPs on the earthworm Eisenia fetida and soil microbial communities were compared, through 3 scenarios offering increasing exposure concentrations. The effects of Ag speciation were analyzed by spiking SS with AgNPs or AgNO₃ before application to soil. SS treatment strongly impacted Ag speciation due to the formation of Ag₂S species that remained sulfided after mixing in the soil. The life traits and expression of lysenin, superoxide dismutase, cd-metallothionein genes in earthworms were not impacted by Ag after 5 weeks of exposure, but direct exposure to Ag without SS led to bioaccumulation of Ag, suggesting transfer in the food chain. Ag exposure led to a decrease in potential carbon respiration only when directly added to the soil. The addition of SS had a greater effect on soil microbial diversity than the form of Ag, and the formation of Ag sulfides in SS reduced the impact of AgNPs on E. fetida and soil microorganisms compared with direct addition. This study was funded by the ANSES in the ETNA2 project context and by a grant from the University of Lille and the SMRE doctoral school. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

International audience; The use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in agriculture and many consumer products has led to a significant release of Ag in the environment. Although Ag toxicity in terrestrial organisms has been studied extensively, very little is known about the accumulation capacity and coping mechanisms of organisms in Ag-contaminated soil. In this context, we exposed Eisenia fetida earthworms to artificial OECD soil spiked with a range of concentrations of Ag (AgNPs or AgNO3). The main aims were to (1) identify the location and form of accumulation of Ag in the exposed earthworms and (2) better understand the physiological mechanisms involved in Ag detoxification. The results showed that similar doses of AgNPs or AgNO3 did not have the same effect on E. fetida survival. The two forms of Ag added to soil exhibited substantial differences in speciation at the end of exposure, but the Ag speciation and content of Ag in earthworms were similar, suggesting that biotransformation of Ag occurred. Finally, 3D images of intact earthworms obtained by X-ray micro-computed tomography revealed that Ag accumulated preferentially in the chloragogen tissue, coelomocytes, and nephridial epithelium. Thus, E. fetida bioaccumulates Ag, but a regulation mechanism limits its impact in a very efficient manner. The location of Ag in the organism, the competition between Ag and Cu, and the speciation of internal Ag suggest a link between Ag and the thiol-rich proteins that are widely present in these tissues, most probably metallothioneins, which are key proteins in the sequestration and detoxification of metals.

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of vermicomposting process applied on three different sewage sludge (precomposted with grass clippings, sawdust and municipal solid wastes) using three different earthworm species. Selected immune parameters, namely biomarkers of stress and metal body burdens, have been used to biomonitor the vermicomposting process and to assess the impact of contaminants on earthworm's physiology. Biotic and abiotic parameters were also used in order to monitor the process and the quality of the final product. Dendrobaena veneta exhibited much lower resistance in all experimental conditions, as the bodyweight and the total number of circulating immune cells decreased in the most contaminated conditions. All earthworm species accumulated heavy metals as follows Cd>Co>Cu>Zn>Ni>Pb>Cr: Eisenia sp. worms exhibited the highest ability to accumulate several heavy metals. Vermicompost obtained after 45days was acceptable according to agronomic parameters and to compost quality norms in France and Poland.

ACL; ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters, types C, G, and B were monitored via qPCR in order to investigate the influence of heavy metal (HM) contamination of post-industrial and post-agricultural soils and the effects of its supplementation with sewage sludge, on Sinapis alba plants. Five house-keeping genes were selected and validated to ensure the best reference points. The relative expression of ABC types C and G genes was profoundly affected by experimental conditions and included their upregulation after plants exposure to heavy metals and downregulation after supplementation with sewage sludge. However, ABC type C was more responsive then type G. The experimental conditions altered the expression of ABC type C gene faster than ABC type G and thus, the expression of ABC type C can therefore potentially be used as a bioindicator during assisted phytoremediation of degraded sites. In clean soil, supplementation with sewage sludge with a slight content of heavy metals still caused an upregulation in the expression of ABC types C and G, which showed that proper toxicity assessments are necessary to ensure safe application of sewage sludge into soils. Results showed that the analysed genes take a significant part in plants metal detoxification and that their expression is regulated at transcriptional level after exposure to soil contaminated with heavy metals by both, industrial activities and by sewage sludge supplementation. Thus, their expression can potentially be used as an early-warning biomarker when soil supplementation with sewage sludge is incorporated into the soil-management process.

The study was aimed to model and optimize the removal of cadmium from contaminated post-industrial soil via Sinapis alba L. by comparing two modeling approaches: Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). The experimental design was done using the Box–Behnken Design method. In the RSM model, the quadratic model was shown to predict the closest results in comparison to our experimental data. For ANN approach, a two-layer Feed-Forward Back-Propagation Neural Network model was designed. The results showed that sewage sludge supplementation increased the efficiency of the Sinapis alba plant in removing Cd from the soil. After 28 days of exposure, the removal rate varied from 10.96% without any supplementation to 65.9% after supplementation with the highest possible (law allowed) dose of sewage sludge. The comparison proved that the prediction capability of the ANN model was much higher than that of the RSM model (adjusted R-square: 0.98, standard error of the Cd prediction removal: 0.85 ± 0.02). Thus, the ANN model could be used for the prediction of heavy metal removal during assisted phytoremediation with sewage sludge. Moreover, such approach could also be used to determinate the dose of sewage sludge that will ensure highest process efficiency.

The chapter describes the drug and multidrug resistance (MDR) in waterborne pathogens: occurrence of bacteria species with drug resistance and multiresistance represented in water environments, drug resistance mechanism, genes in resistance and multiresistance, and tools for resistant and multiresistant determination. The occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria limits the antibiotics treatment and, as resistant bacteria turn into more predominant, there is growing concern that available antibiotics will be ineffective against these. Antimicrobial (multi)resistant bacteria are present in various water sources. MDR is an important issue emerging in human health. The increasing number of antibiotics usage or improper usage causes a direct increase in waterborne pathogens drug resistance and moreover in MDR. Thus, the emergence of bacteria resistant to antibiotics in aquatic environments is a key issue, especially for habitants from low-income countries.

The aim of the study was to determine the quality and quantity of siderophores produced by bacteria isolated from plants' roots. The second aim was to determine the effect of siderophores on plants growth (Festuca rubra L. and Brassica napus L.). The study was carried out using bacteria isolated from roots of: Arabidopsis thaliana L., F. rubra, and Agrostis capillaris L., growing on the heavy metals contaminated area. The chrome azurol sulfonate (CAS) test, Arnow's test for catechol siderophores, and Csaksy's test for hydroxamate siderophores were performed. Among the bacteria, 42 isolates (39%) had a positive result in the CAS. Endophytic bacteria were mostly producing the catechol siderophores. It was found that F. rubra is the plant which is linked with the highest number of siderophores producing bacteria. The highest concentration of siderophores was noted for ectorhizospheric bacteria associated with A. thaliana, hyperaccumulating plant. It was found that hydroxamate siderophores are mainly produced by ectorhizosphere and rhizoplane bacteria. The siderophores producing bacteria reduced the toxicity of metals and improved the phytoremediation. Siderophores treatment increased the growth of plants in the biological assay, growing on two different soils: one highly contaminated with heavy metals and the second strongly alkaline soil.

Bioindicators are promising tools used to detect the long-term effects of selected biosolids on plants development and should be implemented before large-scale supplementation of sewage sludge into the soil. The presented study shows the impact of sewage sludge application on metal-sensitive toxicity biological parameters (biomarkers) in Sinapis alba including: germination, root length, the activity of guaiacol peroxidase, the chlorophyll content, the level of DNA damage and the expression level of Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (rbcL) and metallothionein (mt). We evaluated data from selected biomarkers in order to broaden our understanding of plants defense mechanisms against heavy metal contamination and the application of sewage sludge into soils. Overall, in contaminated soil after supplementation with both municipal sewage sludges, an increase in toxicity was noticed in DNA damage, mt and rbcl expression and total chlorophyll content. The supplementation of both soils with municipal sewage sludge caused a two-time induction in the mt expression. Moreover, clean soil supplemented with sewage sludge caused an increase in DNA damage shown as the tail moment from approximately 12 μm on control to 40 μm after supplementation. Even if those biosolids increased the initial germination, roots length, and biomass in comparison to the unamended soil, the toxicity was evidenced with other stress markers. Results showed, that in order to accurately assess the influence of sewage sludge application on plants the use of several specific biomarkers is required for safe land restoration. The conducted study also confirmed, both under biochemical and genotoxic tests, that iron enrichment for biosolids or contaminated soil can significantly reduce the bioavailability and toxicity of other metals.

The characterization of PGPR (plant growth promoting rhizobacteria) bacteria associated to Agrostis capillaris, and evaluation of plant growth promotion mechanisms, as well as correlation of them with the potential effects on the growth of the plants in unfavorable conditions, in order to improve the efficiency of phytoremediation of contaminated soils were investigated. The results indicate that in the presence of bacterial inoculation the growth of plants on heavy metal contaminated soil was higher compared to uninoculated plants, which confirms the PGPR characteristics of selected isolates. To demonstrate the effects in plant growth the different variants of plants inoculation were applied. The inoculation of rape and fescue grass with PGPR bacteria, directly during germination as well after two weeks of growth, were the most efficient methods for protecting seeds from growth inhibition on heavy metal contaminated soil. The bacteria associated with plant rhizosphere naturally occurring in contaminated areas due to the biochemical activity stimulate plant growth and thus improve the soil phytoremediation process.

Vermicomposting is an eco-friendly technology, where earthworms are introduced in the waste, inter alia sewage sludge, to cooperate with microorganisms and enhance decomposition of organic matter. The main aims of the present study was to determine the influence of two different earthworm species, Eisenia fetida and Eisenia andrei, on the changes of selected metallic trace elements content in substratum during vermicomposting process using three different sewage sludge mainly differentiated by their metal contents. Final vermicompost has shown a slight reduction in Cd, Cu, Ni, and Pb, while the Zn concentration tends to increase. Accumulation of particular heavy metals in earthworms' bodies was assessed. Both species revealed high tendency to accumulate Cd and Zn, but not Cu, Ni, and Pb, but E. andrei has higher capabilities to accumulate some metals. Riboflavin content, which content varies depending on metal pollution in several earthworms species, was measured supravitaly in extruded coelomocytes. Riboflavin content decreased slightly during the first 6 weeks of exposure and subsequently restored till the end of the 9-week experiment. Selected agronomic parameters have also been measured in the final product (vermicompost) to assess the influence of earthworms on substratum.

The main aim of this study was to assess the modification in soil organic carbon (SOC) content in different fertilization strategies and changes in its chemical structure using 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy technique. The field study was conducted using biosolids: compost from municipal sewage sludge, sewage sludge, lacustrine chalk, and two plants species—pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) for wood biomass and giant miscanthus (Miscanthus giganteus) for green biomass as energy crops. For miscanthus, the biomass production was improved when the abovementioned amendments were used. The biomass yield was much higher on plots with all applied amendments after 1 year growth. For energetic plants with very fast increase in biomass, soil treatments using amendments are reasonable. It was assumed that modification in SOC resulting from different fertilization strategies provides the SOC chemical structure changes. The cultivation of miscanthus for biomass production on degraded soils with the application of wastes and by-products can provide an example of rational management of available resources.

Energy crops are one of the possible solutions for reclamation of degraded or contaminated terrain. Their cultivation requires adequate fertilization typically containing high content of organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorous. While sewage sludge may be one source of these necessary nutrients, it may also modify some plant biomass properties, such as total carbon content. In our study, we determined whether sewage sludge (containing different value of heavy metals) could be an effective fertilizer to obtain good quality energy crops (such as Miscanthus x gigantheus and reed canary grass, Phalaris arundinacea) and simultaneously play positive role for improvement of phytoremediation. The 3-year experiment was performed on degraded soil from terrain of steel mill of Czestochowa (Silesian region, Poland). During the study, it was confirmed that sewage sludge (also in combination with urea, CH4N2O) influences the mobility of Pb, Zn, Cd in soil solution, however the intensity of the process can be limited by plant species and time. Both miscanthus, and reed canary grass were characterized by the low value of bioconcentration factor (BCF), but because biomass was high, the total concentration of heavy metals in crops was comparable with hyperaccumulators. Additionally, modification of the fertilization affected energetic parameters, such as the content of carbon, S/Cl ratio, unitary CO2 emission. However, this effect was not statistically significant.

The aim of the study was to evaluate sensitivity and potential applications of selected biomarkers in phytoremediation under complex heavy metal contamination in Sinapis alba L., Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Lupinus luteus L as a potential tools in effective phytoremediation management. The toxicity assessment was conducted using selected measurement endpoints, both classical and advanced, i.e., germination index, roots length, guaiacol peroxidase activity (GPX), chlorophyll and protein content, the amount of total phenolic compounds (TPC) and level of expression of one of the ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase genes (rbcL). Moreover, the influence of organic additives: cattle, horse manure, and vermicompost on lowering plant abiotic stress caused by complex heavy metal contamination was studied to assess the possible applications of selected stress markers in large scale phytoremediation planning. The results demonstrated the beneficial effects of selected soil additives on plant development. The 5% difference in the quantity of applied amendment caused statistically significant differences in GPX, TPC, chlorophyll content and expression level of rbcL. Among all endpoints, GPX activity, chlorophyll, and phenolic compounds content, as well as the expression of rbcL, turned out to be the most reliable assays for determination of the type and dosage of selected soil amendments (fertilizers) in the assisted phytoremediation process. Selected markers can be used to achieve the desired level of plant abiotic stress and consequently photosynthesis efficiency and CO2 sequestration. The results showed, that presented assays can be used in different taxonomical groups such as Fabaceae for planning effective phytoremediation process.

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate impact of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) on the development of phytopathogenic fungi and correlate it with a potential effects on the growth of plants under unfavorable conditions, in order to improve the efficiency of a phytoremediation process. The conducted research focused on the antifungal properties of PGPB. In this study, 51 isolates of bacteria were obtained after diversified disinfection time from plants growing on soil after sewage sludge amendment. The results revealed that some isolated bacteria, mainly endophytic ones, inhibited the development of Fusarium oxysporum, F. culmorum and Alternaria alternata.

The aim of this study was to determine the suitability of a biosolid originated from food industry for land remediation as well as the influence of soil heavy metal bioavailability on the Pb, Zn and Cd stabilisation/removal potential of five grass species to assess their potential use as phytoremediation agents. A column device assessment was conducted using contaminated soil from a site surrounding the zinc smelter. The application of sewage sludge from food industry decreased the bioavailability of metals (particularly of Pb and Cd). The shoot biomass of the investigated plant species increased in the following order: Festuca rubra L.

The effect of land application of biomaterials based on two strains ofTrichodermafungus on phytoremediation processes was studied. Six metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, and Ni) were analysed in soil and soil leachate as well as in plant tissues. The translocation index (Ti) and metal bioconcentration factors (BCF) calculated for the inoculated plants were increased compared to the noninoculated control, except for Pb andSalixsp. Simultaneously, the mobilisation of metals in soil solution as an effect of biomaterials was noted. The highest values ofTi—339% (for Cr), 190% (for Ni), and 110% (for Cu)—were achieved for the combinationMiscanteus giganteusandTrichodermaMSO1. The results indicated that the application of fungus has positive effects on increasing the biomass, soil parameters (C, N, and P), and solubility of heavy metals in soil and therefore in enhancing phytoextraction forMiscanthus giganteusL.,Panicum virgatumL.,Phalaris arundinaceaL., andSalixsp.

The main objective of this work was to study the dynamics of the degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during sewage sludge vermicomposting. This eco-biotechnology employing earthworms as natural bioreactors for decomposing of organic matter may be used for vermiremediation of particular pollutants present in various organic matter sources. In this experiment, sewage sludge was mixed with bulking agents and precomposted. Afterward, adult Eisenia andrei specimens were introduced into the process. Total heavy metal and PAHs concentration were measured in composts and earthworms before and after the process. While heavy metal concentrations fluctuated mildly in the substratum, several metals clearly accumulated in the earthworms' bodies. Body Accumulation Factors could be ranked as follows (Cd > Cu > Zn > Ni > Cr > Pb). Interestingly, addition of earthworms into the process has led to the high percentage of PAHs removal and some of the 16 priority PAHs analyzed in this study have been accumulated in earthworms' bodies. Applied conditions did not affect worms' viability but they almost completely inhibited their reproduction.