No abstract

One of the main factors limiting the bioremediation of subsoil environments based on bioaugmentation is the transport of selected microorganisms to the contaminated zones. The characterization of the physiological responses of the inoculated microorganisms to starvation, especially the evaluation of characteristics that affect the adhesion of the cells to soil particles, is fundamental to anticipate the success or failure of bioaugmentation. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of nitrogen starvation on cell surface hydrophobicity and cell adhesion to soil particles by bacterial strains previously characterized as able to use benzene, toluene or xilenes as carbon and energy sources. The strains LBBMA 18-T (non-identified), Arthrobacter aurescens LBBMA 98, Arthrobacter oxydans LBBMA 201, and Klebsiella sp. LBBMA 204–1 were used in the experiments. Cultivation of the cells in nitrogen-deficient medium caused a significant reduction of the adhesion to soil particles by all the four strains. Nitrogen starvation also reduced significantly the strength of cell adhesion to the soil particles, except for Klebsiella sp. LBBMA 204–1. Two of the four strains showed significant reduction in cell surface hydrophobicity. It is inferred that the efficiency of bacterial transport through soils might be potentially increased by nitrogen starvation.

Enzymatic bleaching appears to be a promising approach for clean bleaching processes and the reduction of bleaching chemical consumption. In this work, the quality of the filtrates and the pulps has been characterized after enzymatic prebleaching stages of eucalyptus kraft pulp. Four different conditions with xylanase were investigated. Following each prebleaching stage, the properties of the pulp [kappa number, brightness, content of hexenuronic acid (HexA), xylan removal, and pulp yield lost], and of the resulting effluents (chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), color, and conductivity) were determined. In addition, a complete bleaching sequence was performed to characterize the pulp quality at the end of the sequence. Finally, the pulp was refined in a PFI mill, and the mechanical and physical properties of the resulting paper were determined. The best pulp quality was achieved at pH 7, at which a lower kappa number, higher pulp brightness, and smaller amount of HexA were observed. Under this condition, however, a larger yield loss and a higher effluent COD load had to be accepted. After the complete bleaching sequence, the enzymatic treatments yielded pulps with higher brightness and viscosity as well as with a lower kappa number. The enzymatic treatments resulted in small changes in the mechanical and physical properties of the paper handsheets produced.