Modeling the biodegradation of phenolic compounds by microalgae

Phenols represent a group of organic pollutants frequently found in many near-shore marine systems. The microbial degradation of phenols, mainly by bacteria and fungi, has been extensively studied both experimentally and theoretically, but only relatively recently the capabilities of some algae for phenols biodegradation gained interest. The biodegradation of phenols by microalgae occurs only under aerobic conditions. In this paper, a dynamic energy budget model is proposed for describing aerobic biodegradation of phenolic compounds by microalgae and qualitatively validated against experimental data. A microalgal cell has the ability to produce biomass via the autotrophic assimilation (uptake of light and dissolved inorganic carbon), the heterotrophic assimilation (uptake of dissolved organic carbon) and, to a lesser extend, via the biodegradation of phenols. The rules of synthesizing units are used for the uptake and interactions of substrates and for the merging of assimilates. The model is capable of making predictions under oxygen and carbon (inorganic and organic) limiting conditions. Model predictions cover a wide range of experimental evidence, but also give a possible explanation for the inhibition of bioremoval of phenols in the presence of glucose. The dissolved oxygen profiles numerically observed show low oxygen concentration during the intermediate phase of the biodegradation process and a rapid increase after the consumption of the phenolic compound, indicating that lack of oxygen could be a limiting factor for the biodegradation of phenols. The presence of glucose increases the specific growth rate but decreases the specific biodegradation rate of the phenolic compound. Model analysis suggests that this inhibition may be due to the competition for oxygen between glucose and phenol assimilation. In general, the balance between the benefits and costs of the different types of assimilation determines the microalgal growth rates as well as the phenol biodegradation rates. Being based on general assumptions, the model can be applied to the biodegradation of a wide variety of aromatic compounds.     

6种赤潮甲藻对荧光标记藻类的吞噬行为研究

选取6种在中国沿海广泛分布的赤潮甲藻米氏凯伦藻(Karenia mikimotoi)、链状亚历山大藻(Alexandrium catenella)、东海原甲藻(Prorocentrum donghaiense)、海洋原甲藻(Prorocentrum micans)、微小原甲藻(Prorocentrum minimum)和锥状斯氏藻(Scrippsiella trochoidea),采用经5-(4,6-二氯三嗪基)氨基荧光素(DTAF)标记灭活的荧光饵料藻进行投喂,观察目标甲藻是否存在吞噬行为,研究光照、营养盐条件对目标甲藻的吞噬行为的影响。结果发现,链状亚历山大藻能吞噬旋转海链藻(Thalassiosira curviseriata),东海原甲藻能摄食球等鞭金藻(Isochrysis galbana),但其摄食概率非常低,且不受光照和营养盐条件的影响。实验中,未观测到米氏凯伦藻、海洋原甲藻、微小原甲藻和锥状斯氏藻的吞噬行为。在黑暗中培养48-72h后,目标甲藻均出现不同程度的死亡,尤其是东海原甲藻和链状亚历山大藻。虽然东海原甲藻和链状亚历山大藻具吞噬行为属于混合营养生物,但光合自养是目标甲藻获取营养、维持生长最主要的方式。     

A New Medium Free of Organic Carbon To Cultivate Organisms from Extremely Acidic Mining Lakes (pH 2.7)

An algal culture medium was developed which reflects the extreme chemical conditions of acidic mining lakes (pH 2.7, high concentrations of iron and sulfate) and remains stable without addition of organic carbon sources. It enables controlled experiments e.g. on the heterotrophic potential of pigmented flagellates in the laboratory. Various plankton organisms isolated from acidic lakes were successfully cultivated in this medium. The growth rates of a Chlamydomonas isolate from acidic mining lakes were assessed by measuring cell densities under pure autotrophic and heterotrophic conditions (with glucose as organic C‐source) and showed values of 0.74 and 0.40, respectively.     

Lake morphometry and wind exposure may shape the plankton community structure in acidic mining lakes

Acidic mining lakes (pH <3) are specific habitats exhibiting particular chemical and biological characteristics. The species richness is low and mixotrophy and omnivory are common features of the plankton food web in such lakes. The plankton community structure of mining lakes of different morphometry and mixing type but similar chemical characteristics (Lake 130, Germany and Lake Langau, Austria) was investigated. The focus was laid on the species composition, the trophic relationship between the phago-mixotrophic flagellate Ochromonas sp. and bacteria and the formation of a deep chlorophyll maximum along a vertical pH-gradient. The shallow wind-exposed Lake 130 exhibited a higher species richness than Lake Langau. This increase in species richness was made up mainly by mero-planktic species, suggesting a strong benthic/littoral - pelagic coupling. Based on the field data from both lakes, a nonlinear, negative relation between bacteria and Ochromonas biomass was found, suggesting that at an Ochromonas biomass below 50 μg C L⁻¹, the grazing pressure on bacteria is low and with increasing Ochromonas biomass bacteria decline. Furthermore, in Lake Langau, a prominent deep chlorophyll maximum was found with chlorophyll concentrations ca. 50 times higher than in the epilimnion which was build up by the euglenophyte Lepocinclis sp. We conclude that lake morphometry, and specific abiotic characteristics such as mixing behaviour influence the community structure in these mining lakes.     

Effects of sodium nitrate and sodium acetate concentrations on the growth and fatty acid composition of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brachiomonas submarina</Emphasis>

One isolate of Brachiomonas submarina was tested for its ability to grow heterotrophicly on 5 different organic compounds. Sodium acetate and glucose were found to be effective in supporting the growth. Sodium acetate was chosen as the organic nutrient to test the combined effects of organic and inorganic solutions on the growth and fatty acid composition of Brachiomonas submarina. The best growth rates were achieved at 3 mmol L⁻¹ CH₃COONa and 0.88 mmol L⁻¹ NaNO₃ in heterotrophic condition, and 4 mmol L⁻¹ CH₃COONa and 3.52 mmol L⁻¹ NaNO₃ in mixotrophic condition. The differences between fatty acid contents were significant. The total polyunsaturated fatty acids (T. P. U. F. As) varied from 55.79% to 67.72% in heteritrophic growth and from 52.39% to 65.55% in mixotrophic growth. It is concluded that CH₃COONa and NaNO₃ at 3 mmol L⁻¹ and 3.52 mmol L⁻¹ should respectively be used in order to achieve the highest growth rate and fatty acid content.