The scientific name of the traditional Chinese medicinal fungus, Sanghuang , has been clarified and confirmed that it is a new species - Sanghuangporus sanghuang in the recently discovered genus, Sanghuangporus . To maximize the yield of the active ingredients such as the triterpenoids from authentic Sanghuangporus sanghuang , four parameters of the extraction process, including the extraction time, solid–liquid ratio, extraction temperature, and ethanol concentration were determined. The Box–Behnken experimental design and the response surface method were used to optimize the triterpenoid extraction processes of Sanghuangporus sanghuang mycelium. The results showed that the parameters of the triterpenoid extraction processes were not simple linear relationships. Optimum conditions of ultrasonic extraction required an 80% ethanol concentration, a 1:20 solid–liquid ratio, a 20-min extraction time, and a 60 °C extraction temperature, to obtain a maximum triterpenoid extraction of 13.30 mg/g. Antioxidant capacity tests showed that the Sanghuangporus sanghuang triterpenoids had high clearance capabilities for hydroxyl free radicals, superoxide anions, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radicals, and 2,2’-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate) radicals, indicating that the Sanghuangporus sanghuang triterpenoids had high antioxidant activities.

Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills are the most prevalent waste disposal method and constitute one of the largest sources of anthropogenic methane emissions in the world. Microbial activities in disposed waste play a crucial role in greenhouse gas emissions; however, only a few studies have examined metagenomic microbial profiles in landfills. Here, the MiSeq high-throughput sequencing method was applied for the first time to examine microbial diversity of the cover soil and stored waste located at different depths (0-150cm) in a typical MSW landfill in Yangzhou City, East China. The abundance of microorganisms in the cover soil (0-30cm) was the lowest among all samples, whereas that in stored waste decreased from the top to the middle layer (30-90cm) and then increased from the middle to the bottom layer (90-150cm). In total, 14 phyla and 18 genera were found in the landfill. A microbial diversity analysis showed that Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were the dominant phyla, whereas Halanaerobium, Methylohalobius, Syntrophomonas, Fastidiosipila, and Spirochaeta were the dominant genera. Methylohalobius (methanotrophs) was more abundant in the cover layers of soil than in stored waste, whereas Syntrophomonas and Fastidiosipila, which affect methane production, were more abundant in the middle to bottom layers (90-150cm) in stored waste. A canonical correlation analysis showed that microbial diversity in the landfill was most strongly correlated with the conductivity, organic matter, and moisture content of the stored waste.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of three volatile oxylipins on colony development in two fungi and on Drosophila larval metamorphosis. Using an airborne exposure technique, three common and volatile oxylipins (1-octen-3-ol, (E)-2-hexenal, and 1-hexanol) were compared for their effects on spore germination and colony growth in Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum, as well as for their effects on the morphogenesis of larvae of Drosophila melanogaster. Conidia of both A. niger and P. chrysogenum plated in the presence of low concentrations (50 ppm) of these three volatile organic compounds (VOCs) formed fewer colony-forming units (CFUs) and exhibited reduced radial growth of colonies as compared to controls. When A. niger and P. chrysogenum spores were germinated in the presence of the enantiomers of 1-octen-3-ol, (R)-(-)-1-octen-3-ol had the greatest impact on colony morphology (decreased sporulation and colony diameter), while (S)-(+)-1-octen-3-ol and the racemic form yielded similar morphological changes but to a lesser extent. In addition, Drosophila larvae exposed to vapors of these oxylipins exhibited serious delays in metamorphosis and toxic effects on pupae and adult stages. Low concentration of these three VOCs can significantly inhibit the formation of CFUs and the growth of fungi. (R)-(-)-1-octen-3-ol imposed the greatest impact on fungal morphology compared to (S)-(+)-1-octen-3-ol and the racemic form. The three volatile oxylipins could also delay the metamorphosis of Drosophila and impose toxic effects on its pupae and adult stages.

Superstorm Sandy provided an opportunity to study filamentous fungi (molds) associated with winter storm damage. We collected 36 morphologically distinct fungal isolates from flooded buildings. By combining traditional morphological and cultural characters with an analysis of ITS sequences (the fungal DNA barcode), we identified 24 fungal species that belong to eight genera: Penicillium (11 species), Fusarium (four species), Aspergillus (three species), Trichoderma (two species), and one species each of Metarhizium, Mucor, Pestalotiopsis, and Umbelopsis. Then, we used a Drosophila larval assay to assess possible toxicity of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by these molds. When cultured in a shared atmosphere with growing cultures of molds isolated after Hurricane Sandy, larval toxicity ranged from 15 to 80%. VOCs from Aspergillus niger 129B were the most toxic yielding 80% mortality to Drosophila after 12 days. The VOCs from Trichoderma longibrachiatum 117, Mucor racemosus 138a, and Metarhizium anisopliae 124 were relatively non-toxigenic. A preliminary analysis of VOCs was conducted using solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry from two of the most toxic, two of the least toxic, and two species of intermediate toxicity. The more toxic molds produced higher concentrations of 1-octen-3-ol, 3-octanone, 3-octanol, 2-octen-1-ol, and 2-nonanone; while the less toxic molds produced more 3-methyl-1-butanol and 2-methyl-1-propanol, or an overall lower amount of volatiles. Our data support the hypothesis that at certain concentrations, some VOCs emitted by indoor molds are toxigenic.

Large quantities of kitchen waste are produced in modern society and its disposal poses serious environmental and social problems. The aim of this study was to isolate degradative strains from kitchen waste and to develop a novel and effective microbial agent. One hundred and four strains were isolated from kitchen waste and the 84 dominant strains were used to inoculate protein-, starch-, fat- and cellulose-containing media for detecting their degradability. Twelve dominant strains of various species with high degradability (eight bacteria, one actinomycetes and three fungi) were selected to develop a compound microbial agent “YH” and five strains of these species including H7 (Brevibacterium epidermidis), A3 (Paenibacillus polymyxa), E3 (Aspergillus japonicus), F9 (Aspergillus versicolor) and A5 (Penicillium digitatum), were new for kitchen waste degradation. YH was compared with three commercial microbial agents—“Tiangeng” (TG), “Yilezai” (YLZ) and Effective Microorganisms (EM), by their effects on reduction, maturity and deodorization. The results showed that YH exerted the greatest efficacy on mass loss which decreased about 65.87% after 14 days. The agent inhibited NH3 and H2S emissions significantly during composting process. The concentration of NH3 decreased from 7.1 to 3.2 ppm and that of H2S reduced from 0.7 to 0.2 ppm. Moreover, E4/E6 (Extinction value460nm/Extinction value665nm) of YH decreased from 2.51 to 1.31, which meant YH had an obvious maturity effect. These results highlighted the potential application of YH in composting kitchen waste.