Browsing by Author "Atai, Emmanuel"

Now showing 1 - 9 of 9
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    Bioengineering remediation of former industrial sites contaminated with chemical mixtures
    (Elsevier, 2023-05-18) Atai, Emmanuel; Jumbo, Raphael; Andrews, Richard; Cowley, Tamazon; Azuazu, Ikeabiama; Coulon, Frederic; Pawlett, Mark
    Former gasworks sites are known to be contaminated with complex chemical mixtures that require remediation before redevelopment. Bioamendments such as biochar and spent mushroom compost (SMC) offer a green and sustainable remediation approach to help tackle this issue. However, the effectiveness of different biochar types and their interactions with the soil microbial community is still not well understood. To address this, a full factorial microcosm experiment was carried out using biochar derived from rice husk (RHB) and wheat straw (WSB) mixed with soil from a former gasworks site at varying concentrations (0%, 2.5%, and 5%), with and without SMC. The experiment aimed to evaluate the fate of contaminants including alkanes, PAHs, and metals, and their effect on the soil microbial community, as well as the implications for remediation endpoints. The results showed that the bioamendments had an average TPH reduction of 92%, with SMC and WSB-SMC having the highest degradation rates at 93%. While the bioamendments did not significantly affect the extent of TPH removal compared to the control, they did improve the degradation of high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs, particularly in RHB-SMC for EC17-20 (60%) and EC21-35 (62%) of total PAH concentration, and in WSB-SMC for HMW bioavailable PAH concentration (89%). The bioamendments also affected the partitioning and distribution of metals after 120 days of treatment, leading to decreased available phase fractions. The treatments increased microbial abundance in the soil, with Gram positives, Gram negatives, and fungi increasing by 4%, 8%, and 38%, respectively, after 120 days, particularly in SMC and mixed treatments. This was mirrored in increased microbial soil respiration. After 120 days, low metal (178 ± 5 mg/kg) and TPH (21 ± 7 mg/kg) bioavailability translated into higher EC50 (10624 ± 710 mg/L), indicating lower toxicity. There was a strong correlation between bioavailability and toxicity of TPH and metals with microbial relative abundance and activity. In summary, while green and sustainable remediation may accelerate the remediation process, monitored natural attenuation may be sufficient for site reclamation. However, this strategy, as demonstrated here, can reduce metal bioavailability, and promote the biodegradation of HMW PAHs.
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    Data supporting 'Bioengineering remediation of former industrial sites contaminated with chemical mixtures'
    (Cranfield University, 2023-05-19 09:56) Atai, Emmanuel; Pawlett, Mark; Coulon, Frederic
    Research data for a 120-day incubation study to determine the effects and influence of rice husk and wheat straw biochar, as well as spent mushroom compost, on the fate and behaviour of hydrocarbons and metals, as well as their influence on soil microbial communities in a genuinely contaminated former gasworks soil. Specifically, the data included are the changes in alkanes and PAH, metals (total and bioavailable distribution and partitioning), PLFA, Respiration, Microtox, and the respective statistics outputs including anova, principal component analysis and correlation (presented as draftsman charts)
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    Data Supporting 'Efficacy of bioadmendments in reducing the influence of salinity on the bioremediation of oil-contaminated soil'
    (Cranfield University, 2023-06-16 15:49) Atai, Emmanuel; Pawlett, Mark; Coulon, Frederic
    Data to support the paper: 'Efficacy of bioadmendments in reducing the influence of salinity on the bioremediation of oil-contaminated soil', which include hydrocarbon alkanes and PAHs, PLFA Mol% to give the microbial community dynamics and abundance of the groups, basal and multisubstrate respiration, and the correlation of the entire datasets. Some statistics and Charts were included in the data.
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    Data supporting: 'Evaluating Different Soil Amendments as Bioremediation Strategy for Wetland Soil Contaminated by Crude Oil'
    (Cranfield University, 2023-02-01 17:33) Jumbo, Raphael; Coulon, Frederic; Cowley, Tamazon; ndubuisi Azuazu, Ikeabiama; Atai, Emmanuel; Bortone, Imma; Jiang, Ying
    This study evaluated the efficacy of using Tween 80 surfactant (TW80) and food-waste anaerobic digestate fibre (FWAD) as soil amendments for the remediation of wetlands contaminated by crude oil. A 112-day mesocosms experiment was carried out to simulate hydrocarbon degradation under typical acidified wetland conditions. Soil was spiked with 50,000 mg kgˆ’1 crude oil and TW80 and FWAD were added to mesocosms at 10%, 20% and 30% w/w. The soil basal respiration, microbial community dynamics, environmental stress, alkanes, and PAHs degradation were monitored throughout the mesocosm experiment. Amending the mesocosms with FWAD and TW80 enabled the recovery of the soil microbial activities. This was evidenced by soil basal respiration which was the highest in the 30% FWAD and 30% TW80 mesocosms and translated into increased degradation rate of 32% and 23% for alkanes, and 33% and 26% for PAHs compared to natural attenuation, respectively. Efficient total hydrocarbon degradation was achieved in soil mesocosms with 30% FWAD and 30% TW80 at 90% and 86.8%, respectively after 49 days. Maize seed germination results showed significant improvement from 29% to over 90% following the FWAD and TW80 treatment.
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    Efficacy of bioadmendments in reducing the influence of salinity on the bioremediation of oil-contaminated soil
    (Elsevier, 2023-06-16) Atai, Emmanuel; Jumbo, Raphael; Cowley, Tamazon; Azuazu, Ikeabiama; Coulon, Frederic; Pawlett, Mark
    This study aimed to investigate the potential of three bioamendments (rice husk biochar, wheat straw biochar, and spent mushroom compost) to enhance microbial degradation of crude oil in saline soil. A soil microcosm experiment was conducted, comparing the response of soil microorganisms to crude oil under saline (1 % NaCl) and non-saline conditions. The soils were amended with different bioamendments at varying concentrations (2.5 % or 5 %), and degradation rates were monitored over a 120-day period at 20 °C. The results showed that the bioamendments significantly influenced the degradation of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in both non-saline and saline soils by 67 % and 18 % respectively. Non-saline soils exhibited approximately four times higher TPH biodegradation compared to saline soils. Among the bioamendments, rice husk biochar and spent mushroom compost had the greatest impact on biodegradation in saline soil, while wheat straw and rice husk biochar combined with spent mushroom compost showed the most significant effects in non-saline soil. The study also revealed that the bioamendments facilitated changes in the microbial community structure, particularly in the treatments with rice husk biochar and wheat straw biochar. Actinomycetes and fungi were found to be more tolerant to soil salinity, especially in the treatments with rice husk biochar and wheat straw biochar. Additionally, the production of CO2, indicating microbial activity, was highest (56 % and 60 %) in the treatments combining rice husk biochar or wheat straw biochar with spent mushroom compost in non-saline soil, while in saline soil rice husk biochar treatment (50 %) was the highest. Overall, this research demonstrates that the application of bioamendments, particularly rice husk biochar and wheat straw biochar combined with spent mushroom compost, can effectively enhance the biodegradation of crude oil in saline soil. These findings highlight the potential of such bioamendments as green and sustainable solutions for soil pollution, especially in the context of climate change-induced impacts on high-salinity soils, including coastal soils.
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    Evaluating different soil amendments as bioremediation strategy for wetland soil contaminated by crude oil
    (MDPI, 2022-12-10) Jumbo, Raphael; Coulon, Frederic; Cowley, Tamazon; Azuazu, Ikeabiama; Atai, Emmanuel; Bortone, Imma; Jiang, Ying
    This study evaluated the efficacy of using Tween 80 surfactant (TW80) and food-waste anaerobic digestate fibre (FWAD) as soil amendments for the remediation of wetlands contaminated by crude oil. A 112-day mesocosms experiment was carried out to simulate hydrocarbon degradation under typical acidified wetland conditions. Soil was spiked with 50,000 mg kg−1 crude oil and TW80 and FWAD were added to mesocosms at 10%, 20% and 30% w/w. The soil basal respiration, microbial community dynamics, environmental stress, alkanes, and PAHs degradation were monitored throughout the mesocosm experiment. Amending the mesocosms with FWAD and TW80 enabled the recovery of the soil microbial activities. This was evidenced by soil basal respiration which was the highest in the 30% FWAD and 30% TW80 mesocosms and translated into increased degradation rate of 32% and 23% for alkanes, and 33% and 26% for PAHs compared to natural attenuation, respectively. Efficient total hydrocarbon degradation was achieved in soil mesocosms with 30% FWAD and 30% TW80 at 90% and 86.8%, respectively after 49 days. Maize seed germination results showed significant improvement from 29% to over 90% following the FWAD and TW80 treatment.
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    Microbial diversity alteration reveals biomarkers of contamination in soil-river-lake continuum
    (Elsevier, 2021-07-31) Bourhane, Zeina; Lanzén, Anders; Cagnon, Christine; Atai, Emmanuel; Borja, Angel; Cravo-Laureau, Cristiana; Duran, Robert
    Microbial communities inhabiting soil-water-sediment continuum in coastal areas provide important ecosystem services. Their adaptation in response to environmental stressors, particularly mitigating the impact of pollutants discharged from human activities, has been considered for the development of microbial biomonitoring tools, but their use is still in the infancy. Here, chemical and molecular (16S rRNA gene metabarcoding) approaches were combined in order to determine the impact of pollutants on microbial assemblages inhabiting the aquatic network of a soil-water-sediment continuum around the Ichkeul Lake (Tunisia), an area highly impacted by human activities. Samples were collected within the soil-river-lake continuum at three stations in dry (summer) and wet (winter) seasons. The contaminant pressure index (PI), which integrates Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), alkanes, Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and metal contents, and the microbial pressure index microgAMBI, based on bacterial community structure, showed significant correlation with contamination level and differences between seasons. The comparison of prokaryotic communities further revealed specific assemblages for soil, river and lake sediments. Correlation analyses identified potential "specialist" genera for the different compartments, whose abundances were correlated with the pollutant type found. Additionally, PICRUSt analysis revealed the metabolic potential for pollutant transformation or degradation of the identified "specialist" species, providing information to estimate the recovery capacity of the ecosystem. Such findings offer the possibility to define a relevant set of microbial indicators for assessing the effects of human activities on aquatic ecosystems. Microbial indicators, including the detection of “specialist” and sensitive taxa, and their functional capacity, might be useful, in combination with integrative microbial indices, to constitute accurate biomonitoring tools for the management and restoration of complex coastal aquatic systems.
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    Soil bioengineering for sustainable bioremediation of oil contaminated soils
    (Cranfield University, 2022-11) Atai, Emmanuel; Pawlett, Mark; Coulon, Frederic
    Contaminated soils arising from the petroleum industry remains a major problem globally, resulting in levels of petroleum hydrocarbons and metals that are dangerous to the environment. Modern remediation strategies focus on sustainability, thus maximizing environmental, social, and economic benefits. The use of materials derived from agricultural and industrial waste, for example biochar and spent mushroom compost (SMC), may provide a potential solution to sustainable remediation strategies. Biochar has numerous properties, e.g., high surface area and pore volume that may provide benefits to the remediation industry. SMC, a by-product of mushroom production, may contain diverse groups of microorganisms and extracellular enzymes important for the biotransformation of contaminants. Biochar and spent mushroom compost interactions in soil may induces diverse responses in microbial species leading to changes in soil enzyme activity, reshaping of microbial community structure and consequent enhancement of contaminants transformations. However, the mechanisms underlying these interactions are poorly understood, with unpredictable outcomes. There is a deficit of research designed to understand their collective response on soil fungi and the subsequent benefits to remediation success. Research needs to focus on the benefits of biochar towards affecting contaminant bioavailability of multiple rather than single contaminants. Combining biochar with SMC may facilitate the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in saline soils. The aim of the research was to develop a biotechnological approach for the best use of biochar and SMC to promote microbial remediation of soil contaminated with complex chemical mixture contaminants (hydrocarbons and heavy metals). It provides a mechanistic understanding of the physicochemical and biological parameters influencing the remediation approach. The study further sheds light into the influence of low carbon soil amendment on the behaviour and fate of heavy metal(loids) and petroleum hydrocarbons, and the underlying microbial community responses in a genuinely contaminated soil in a four-month microcosms study, and in crude oil and salt spiked soil in another four-month microcosms study.
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    ItemOpen Access
    Soil bioengineering for sustainable bioremediation of oil contaminated soils.
    (Cranfield University, 2022-11) Atai, Emmanuel; Pawlett, Mark; Coulon, Frederic
    Contaminated soils arising from the petroleum industry remains a major problem globally, resulting in levels of petroleum hydrocarbons and metals that are dangerous to the environment. Modern remediation strategies focus on sustainability, thus maximizing environmental, social, and economic benefits. The use of materials derived from agricultural and industrial waste, for example biochar and spent mushroom compost (SMC), may provide a potential solution to sustainable remediation strategies. Biochar has numerous properties, e.g., high surface area and pore volume that may provide benefits to the remediation industry. SMC, a by-product of mushroom production, may contain diverse groups of microorganisms and extracellular enzymes important for the biotransformation of contaminants. Biochar and spent mushroom compost interactions in soil may induces diverse responses in microbial species leading to changes in soil enzyme activity, reshaping of microbial community structure and consequent enhancement of contaminants transformations. However, the mechanisms underlying these interactions are poorly understood, with unpredictable outcomes. There is a deficit of research designed to understand their collective response on soil fungi and the subsequent benefits to remediation success. Research needs to focus on the benefits of biochar towards affecting contaminant bioavailability of multiple rather than single contaminants. Combining biochar with SMC may facilitate the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in saline soils. The aim of the research was to develop a biotechnological approach for the best use of biochar and SMC to promote microbial remediation of soil contaminated with complex chemical mixture contaminants (hydrocarbons and heavy metals). It provides a mechanistic understanding of the physicochemical and biological parameters influencing the remediation approach. The study further sheds light into the influence of low carbon soil amendment on the behaviour and fate of heavy metal(loids) and petroleum hydrocarbons, and the underlying microbial community responses in a genuinely contaminated soil in a four-month microcosms study, and in crude oil and salt spiked soil in another four-month microcosms study.