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Paola Grenni

National Research Council, Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA), Researcher

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The main field of interest has been microbial ecology in soil, sediments and groundwater. She has been involved in national and international projects on soil and groundwater contamination (pesticides, their transformation products and fertilizers; pharmaceuticals) and water quality models. Experimental activity has included the application of methods for assessing bacterial abundance, biomass and diversity, including molecular methods such as Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH).

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Prof. Nagwa Mohamed A . Aref

Ain Shams University

Prof. Dr. Moustafa Moharam

Sohag University

Koay Seong Chun

Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

Dibyendu Sarkar

Stevens Institute of Technology

Vishvesvaraya Technological University, Belgaum, Karnataka, INDIA

Maria Luisa Fernandez-Marcos

University of Santiago de Compostela

Dr. James Doughari Hamuel

Federal University of Technology, Yola

Taiz University

Dr. Majid Hussain

University of Haripur

Siti Syuhaida Mohamed Yunus

Cranfield University

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Papers by Paola Grenni

Atlante dell'ecoinnovazione. Metodi, strumenti ed esperienze per l'innovazione, la competitività ambientale d'impresa e lo sviluppo sostenibile

SETAC Rome – Responsible and Innovative Research for Environmental Quality

Plant-assisted bioremediation of a historically PCB and heavy metal-contaminated area in Southern Italy

New Biotechnology, 2016

A plant-assisted bioremediation strategy was applied in an area located in Southern Italy, close ... more A plant-assisted bioremediation strategy was applied in an area located in Southern Italy, close to the city of Taranto, historically contaminated by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and heavy metals. A specific poplar clone (Monviso) was selected for its ability to promote organic pollutant degradation in the rhizosphere, as demonstrated elsewhere. Chemical and microbiological analyses were performed at the time of poplar planting in selected plots at different distances from the trunk (0.25-1m) and at different soil depths (0-20 and 20-40cm), at day 420. A significant decrease in PCB congeners and a reduction in all heavy metals was observed where the poplar trees were present. No evidence of PCB and heavy metal reduction was observed in the non poplar-vegetated soil. Microbial analyses (dehydrogenase activity, cell viability, microbial abundance) of the autochthonous microbial community showed an improvement in soil quality. In particular, microbial activity generally increased in the poplar-rhizosphere and a positive effect was observed in some cases at up to 1m distance from the trunk and up to 40cm depth. The Monviso clone was effective in promoting both a general decrease in contaminant occurrence and an increase in microbial activity in the chronically polluted area a little more than one year after planting.

Effetti sinergici dei microrganismi e della specie foraggera Medicago sativa sulla degradazione dei PCB in un terreno contaminato

Bonifica, recupero ambientale e sviluppo del territorio: esperienze a confronto sul fitorimedio I... more Bonifica, recupero ambientale e sviluppo del territorio: esperienze a confronto sul fitorimedio II workshop nazionale atti del convegno supplemento alla rivista quadrimestrale micron (N. 29 / Luglio 2014 ) di Arpa Umbria Agenzia regionale per la protezione ambientale Rivista trimestrale di Arpa Umbria spedizione in abbonamento postale 70% DCB Perugia supplemento al periodico www.arpa.umbria.it (Isc. Num. 362002 del registro dei periodici del Tribunale di Perugia in data 18/10/02).

Response to different methods of suspended sediment sample storage before coulter multisizer analysis. I: inorganic matter

Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, 1995

This article details the variations with time of the size spectrum of inorganic marine particle s... more This article details the variations with time of the size spectrum of inorganic marine particle samples stored according to three different methods: storage with formaldehyde; within a darkened and cooled (4 C) incubator; and by freezing. In view of the lack of a pretreatment with the ultrasonic bath, freezing represented the only method apt to keeping the spectrum unvaried with time. Given the use of ultrasonic bath pretreatment, all three storage methods become applicable.

Messa a punto e sperimentazione di nuovi sistemi di monitoraggio delle acque sotterranee rivolti all'implementazione applicativa del D.Lgs. 152/99

Microbiological Indicators to Evaluate Ecosystem Soil Quality and Its Changes in Diversity and Functioning

Soil quality represents an integral value of the compositional structures and natural functions o... more Soil quality represents an integral value of the compositional structures and natural functions of soil in relation to soil use and environmental condition on site. The loss of organic matter (OM) and biodiversity are among the main threats to soil quality. OM depletion is influenced by inappropriate agricultural practices, clearing of vegetation. climate changes. The activity and diversity of soil microorganisms are directly affected by the reduction of OM. Microorganisms play a key role in ecologically processes, such as OM decomposition, biogeochemical cycles and they enhance plant nutrient assimilation. Under anthropogenic stress conditions, such as intensive agriculture and diffusion of pollutants, soil microorganisms can be differently affected. The evaluation of structure and functioning of soil bacterial communities can be very useful to provide an ecological evaluation of soil quality state. In this work we evaluated ecosystem soil quality in terms both of microbiological a...

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) anaerobic degradation in marine sediments: microcosm study and role of autochthonous microbial communities

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2015

Polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) biodegradation was followed for 1 year in microcosms containing marine s... more Polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) biodegradation was followed for 1 year in microcosms containing marine sediments collected from Mar Piccolo (Taranto, Italy) chronically contaminated by this class of hazardous compounds. The microcosms were performed under strictly anaerobic conditions with or without the addition of Dehalococcoides mccartyi, the main microorganism known to degrade PCBs through the anaerobic reductive dechlorination process. Thirty PCB congeners were monitored during the experiments revealing that the biodegradation occurred in all microcosms with a decrease in hepta-, hexa-, and penta-chlorobiphenyls (CBs) and a parallel increase in low chlorinated PCBs (tri-CBs and tetra-CBs). The concentrations of the most representative congeners detected in the original sediment, such as 245-245-CB and 2345-245-CB, and of the mixture 2356-34-CB+234-245-CB, decreased by 32.5, 23.8, and 46.7 %, respectively, after only 70 days of anaerobic incubation without any bioaugmentation treatment. Additionally, the structure and population dynamics of the microbial key players involved in the biodegradative process and of the entire mixed microbial community were accurately defined by Catalyzed Reporter Deposition Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (CARD-FISH) in both the original sediment and during the operation of the microcosm. The reductive dehalogenase genes of D. mccartyi, specifically involved in PCB dechlorination, were also quantified using real-time PCR (qPCR). Our results demonstrated that the autochthonous microbial community living in the marine sediment, including D. mccartyi (6.32E+06 16S rRNA gene copy numbers g(-1) sediment), was able to efficiently sustain the biodegradation of PCBs when controlled anaerobic conditions were imposed.

Response to Different Methods of Suspended Sediment Sample Storage Before the Coulter Multisizer Analysis: I. Inorganic Matter

Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 1995

This article details the variations with time of the size spectrum of inorganic marine particle s... more This article details the variations with time of the size spectrum of inorganic marine particle samples stored according to three different methods: storage with formaldehyde; within a darkened and cooled (4 C) incubator; and by freezing. In view of the lack of a pretreatment with the ultrasonic bath, freezing represented the only method apt to keeping the spectrum unvaried with time. Given the use of ultrasonic bath pretreatment, all three storage methods become applicable.

$Research paper thumbnail of Changes in microbial community structure and function within particle size fractions of a paddy soil under different long-term fertilization treatments from the Tai Lake region, China$

Changes in microbial community structure and function within particle size fractions of a paddy soil under different long-term fertilization treatments from the Tai Lake region, China

Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 2007

Greenhouse gas (GHG) production and emission from paddy soils impacts global climate change. Soil... more Greenhouse gas (GHG) production and emission from paddy soils impacts global climate change. Soil particle size fractions (PSFs) of different sizes act as soil microhabitats for different kinds of microbial biota with varying conditions of redox reactions and soil organic matter (SOC) substrates. It is crucial to understand the distribution of soil microbial community structure within PSFs and linkage to the GHG production from paddy soils of China. The change of bacterial and methangenic archaeal community and activity relating to CH 4 and CO 2 production with PSFs under different fertilizer applications was studied in this paper. The fertilization trial was initiated in a paddy soil from the Tai Lake region, Jiangsu, China with four treatments of non-fertilized (NF), fertilized with inorganic fertilizers only (CF), inorganic with pig manure (CFM) and inorganic with straw return (CFS), respectively since 1987, and the PSFs (<2 m, 2-20 m, 20-200 m, and 200-2000 m) were separated by a low energy sonication dispersion procedure from undisturbed samples. Analysis of bacterial community within different size particles was conducted by PCR-DGGE. The results indicated significant variation of bacterial community structure within different PSFs. The methane was predominantly produced in the coarser fractions, while more species and higher diversity of bacteria survived in the size of <2 m fractions, in which the bacterial community structure was more significantly affected by fertilizer application practices than in the other coarser fractions. Higher bacterial species richness and more diversities in the smallest size fractions was due to the vicinity between microbes, access to carbon resource outside the microaggregates, and smaller pore size as protective agent suitable habitats for microbes rather than high SOC. Whereas, higher CO 2 , CH 4 production and methanogenic archaeal community in coarser fractions may be contributed to storage of labile organic carbon in these fractions. It indicated that availability of SOC in PSFs is mainly factor affected survival of methanogenic archaeal community structure, whereas, bacterium community habitation more affected by physical protection of their location in PSFs. Their activity greatly depended on liability of SOC access to PSFs. Fertilizer application caused more change of bacteria community in clay fraction and greatly increased bacterium and methanogen activity in coarser fractions but only a slight effect on methanogenic archaeal community in the particle size fractions.

Effects of pesticides and pharmaceuticals on soil and water bacterial communities

... have been found in groundwater habitats, but to date no clearly &amp;amp;#x27;endemic&amp... more ... have been found in groundwater habitats, but to date no clearly &amp;amp;#x27;endemic&amp;amp;#x27; subsurface microbialphyla have been ... Despite the importance of soil and water microbial communities in biogeochemical cycles and in xenobiotic biodegradation, there has ... Microbial ecology methods ...

Application of fluorescence in situ hybridization in hematological disorders

Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics, 1992

Effect of the Antiviral Drug Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) on the Bacterial Community Structure of a Surface Water Ecosystem Analyzed Using Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization

by Paola Grenni and Maria Ludovica Saccà

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2010

The antiviral drug Tamiflu has received particular attention because of its recommended use again... more The antiviral drug Tamiflu has received particular attention because of its recommended use against the influenza A H5N1 and H1N1 viruses. Given its resistance to degradation and its hydrophilicity the active metabolite, Oseltamivir Carboxylate (OC), is expected to enter the aquatic ecosystem from sewage treatment plants. In the present paper the bacterial community of surface water samples, treated with OC

Fluorescence in situ hybridization in soil and water ecosystems: A useful method for studying the effect of xenobiotics on bacterial community structure

Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry, 2010

The ability of soil and groundwater ecosystems to recover from chemical contamination is primaril... more The ability of soil and groundwater ecosystems to recover from chemical contamination is primarily dependent on the presence of a microbial community which has the ability to remove it. Nevertheless, there has been a little research into these communities because it is strictly dependent on methods capable of identifying and characterizing their community structure and functioning. The use of molecular

Reclassification of the members of the genus Tetrathiobacter Ghosh et al. 2005 to the genus Advenella Coenye et al. 2005

by Paola Grenni and María Sánchez-martín

International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 2009

Degradation of the antiviral drug oseltamivir carboxylate in surface water samples

International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, 2007

Numerous studies have documented that a wide number of pharmaceuticals used in human and veterina... more Numerous studies have documented that a wide number of pharmaceuticals used in human and veterinary medicine have the potential to enter the aquatic ecosystem. The antiviral prodrug oseltamivir phosphate has received recent attention with regard to its possible use against the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus. This preliminary laboratory study investigated the persistence of the active antiviral drug, oseltamivir carboxylate (OSC),

Pharmaceuticals in the environment: Biodegradation and effects on natural microbial communities. A review

Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis, Jan 15, 2015

Environmental microorganisms play a key role in fundamental ecological processes such as biogeoch... more Environmental microorganisms play a key role in fundamental ecological processes such as biogeochemical cycling and organic contaminant degradation. Microorganisms comprise a large unexplored reservoir of genetic diversity and metabolic capability providing several ecosystem services, most importantly the maintenance of soil and water quality. Pharmaceutical occurrence in the environment can compromise microbial community structure and activities in different ways. The fate of a pharmaceutical in soil or water depends on numerous factors, including its inherent physic-chemical properties (e.g. water solubility, lipophilicity, vapour pressure), environmental factors and climate conditions (e.g. temperature, incident radiation, pH) and most importantly the presence and activity of microorganisms that possess the ability to biodegrade it. The presence of a natural microbial community is a necessary prerequisite for an effective response to the various chemicals that can contaminate an ...

Capability of the natural microbial community in a river water ecosystem to degrade the drug naproxen

Environmental science and pollution research international, 2014

The present work aims at evaluating the ability of the River Tiber natural microbial community to... more The present work aims at evaluating the ability of the River Tiber natural microbial community to degrade naproxen in water samples collected downstream from a wastewater treatment plant. For this purpose, different water microcosms were set up (microbiologically active vs sterile ones) and treated with naproxen (100 μg/L) alone or in the co-presence of gemfibrozil in order to evaluate if the co-presence of the latter had an influence on naproxen degradation. The experiment was performed in the autumn and was compared with the same experimental set performed in spring of the same year to highlight if seasonal differences in the river water influenced the naproxen degradation. Pharmaceutical concentrations and microbial analysis (total cell number, viability, and microbial community composition) were performed at different times in the degradation experiments. The overall results show that the natural microbial community in the river water had a key role in the naproxen degradation. ...

Responses of Benthic Bacteria to Experimental Drying in Sediments from Mediterranean Temporary Rivers

by Annamaria Zoppini and Paola Grenni

In the semiarid Mediterranean regions, water scarcity represents a common physiological stress fo... more In the semiarid Mediterranean regions, water scarcity represents a common physiological stress for microbial communities residing in river sediments. However, the effect of drying has not yet adequately been evaluated when analyzing riverine microbiological processes. The bacterial community structure (abundance, biomass, composition) and functioning (carbon production, live cell percentage) were assessed during experimental desiccation in microcosms with sediments from different Mediterranean temporary rivers (Tagliamento, Krathis, Mulargia, Pardiela). Our results showed that the overall responses to drying of the bacterial community were independent from sediment origin and strictly related to water content. During desiccation, a prompt decline (up to 100%) of the initial bacterial carbon production was followed by a slower decrease in abundance and biomass, with an overall reduction of 74% and 78%, respectively. By the end of the experiment, live cells were still abundant but depressed in their main metabolic functions, thus resulting in a drastic increase in the community turnover time. Only 14% of the initial live cell biomass was available in dry sediments to immediately start the reactivation of the aquatic microbial food web after the arrival of new water. Community composition analysis showed a relative increase in alpha-and beta-Proteobacteria, when passing from wet to dry conditions. Our results suggest that the occurrence of drought events could affect carbon cycling through the freshwater microbial compartment, by temporarily limiting microbial mineralization and altering bacterial community structure.

Misure in fluorescenza della carica batterica del suolo

Atlante dell'ecoinnovazione. Metodi, strumenti ed esperienze per l'innovazione, la competitività ambientale d'impresa e lo sviluppo sostenibile

SETAC Rome – Responsible and Innovative Research for Environmental Quality

Plant-assisted bioremediation of a historically PCB and heavy metal-contaminated area in Southern Italy

New Biotechnology, 2016

A plant-assisted bioremediation strategy was applied in an area located in Southern Italy, close ... more A plant-assisted bioremediation strategy was applied in an area located in Southern Italy, close to the city of Taranto, historically contaminated by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and heavy metals. A specific poplar clone (Monviso) was selected for its ability to promote organic pollutant degradation in the rhizosphere, as demonstrated elsewhere. Chemical and microbiological analyses were performed at the time of poplar planting in selected plots at different distances from the trunk (0.25-1m) and at different soil depths (0-20 and 20-40cm), at day 420. A significant decrease in PCB congeners and a reduction in all heavy metals was observed where the poplar trees were present. No evidence of PCB and heavy metal reduction was observed in the non poplar-vegetated soil. Microbial analyses (dehydrogenase activity, cell viability, microbial abundance) of the autochthonous microbial community showed an improvement in soil quality. In particular, microbial activity generally increased in the poplar-rhizosphere and a positive effect was observed in some cases at up to 1m distance from the trunk and up to 40cm depth. The Monviso clone was effective in promoting both a general decrease in contaminant occurrence and an increase in microbial activity in the chronically polluted area a little more than one year after planting.

Effetti sinergici dei microrganismi e della specie foraggera Medicago sativa sulla degradazione dei PCB in un terreno contaminato

Bonifica, recupero ambientale e sviluppo del territorio: esperienze a confronto sul fitorimedio I... more Bonifica, recupero ambientale e sviluppo del territorio: esperienze a confronto sul fitorimedio II workshop nazionale atti del convegno supplemento alla rivista quadrimestrale micron (N. 29 / Luglio 2014 ) di Arpa Umbria Agenzia regionale per la protezione ambientale Rivista trimestrale di Arpa Umbria spedizione in abbonamento postale 70% DCB Perugia supplemento al periodico www.arpa.umbria.it (Isc. Num. 362002 del registro dei periodici del Tribunale di Perugia in data 18/10/02).

Response to different methods of suspended sediment sample storage before coulter multisizer analysis. I: inorganic matter

Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, 1995

This article details the variations with time of the size spectrum of inorganic marine particle s... more This article details the variations with time of the size spectrum of inorganic marine particle samples stored according to three different methods: storage with formaldehyde; within a darkened and cooled (4 C) incubator; and by freezing. In view of the lack of a pretreatment with the ultrasonic bath, freezing represented the only method apt to keeping the spectrum unvaried with time. Given the use of ultrasonic bath pretreatment, all three storage methods become applicable.

Messa a punto e sperimentazione di nuovi sistemi di monitoraggio delle acque sotterranee rivolti all'implementazione applicativa del D.Lgs. 152/99

Microbiological Indicators to Evaluate Ecosystem Soil Quality and Its Changes in Diversity and Functioning

Soil quality represents an integral value of the compositional structures and natural functions o... more Soil quality represents an integral value of the compositional structures and natural functions of soil in relation to soil use and environmental condition on site. The loss of organic matter (OM) and biodiversity are among the main threats to soil quality. OM depletion is influenced by inappropriate agricultural practices, clearing of vegetation. climate changes. The activity and diversity of soil microorganisms are directly affected by the reduction of OM. Microorganisms play a key role in ecologically processes, such as OM decomposition, biogeochemical cycles and they enhance plant nutrient assimilation. Under anthropogenic stress conditions, such as intensive agriculture and diffusion of pollutants, soil microorganisms can be differently affected. The evaluation of structure and functioning of soil bacterial communities can be very useful to provide an ecological evaluation of soil quality state. In this work we evaluated ecosystem soil quality in terms both of microbiological a...

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) anaerobic degradation in marine sediments: microcosm study and role of autochthonous microbial communities

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2015

Polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) biodegradation was followed for 1 year in microcosms containing marine s... more Polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) biodegradation was followed for 1 year in microcosms containing marine sediments collected from Mar Piccolo (Taranto, Italy) chronically contaminated by this class of hazardous compounds. The microcosms were performed under strictly anaerobic conditions with or without the addition of Dehalococcoides mccartyi, the main microorganism known to degrade PCBs through the anaerobic reductive dechlorination process. Thirty PCB congeners were monitored during the experiments revealing that the biodegradation occurred in all microcosms with a decrease in hepta-, hexa-, and penta-chlorobiphenyls (CBs) and a parallel increase in low chlorinated PCBs (tri-CBs and tetra-CBs). The concentrations of the most representative congeners detected in the original sediment, such as 245-245-CB and 2345-245-CB, and of the mixture 2356-34-CB+234-245-CB, decreased by 32.5, 23.8, and 46.7 %, respectively, after only 70 days of anaerobic incubation without any bioaugmentation treatment. Additionally, the structure and population dynamics of the microbial key players involved in the biodegradative process and of the entire mixed microbial community were accurately defined by Catalyzed Reporter Deposition Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (CARD-FISH) in both the original sediment and during the operation of the microcosm. The reductive dehalogenase genes of D. mccartyi, specifically involved in PCB dechlorination, were also quantified using real-time PCR (qPCR). Our results demonstrated that the autochthonous microbial community living in the marine sediment, including D. mccartyi (6.32E+06 16S rRNA gene copy numbers g(-1) sediment), was able to efficiently sustain the biodegradation of PCBs when controlled anaerobic conditions were imposed.

Response to Different Methods of Suspended Sediment Sample Storage Before the Coulter Multisizer Analysis: I. Inorganic Matter

Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 1995

This article details the variations with time of the size spectrum of inorganic marine particle s... more This article details the variations with time of the size spectrum of inorganic marine particle samples stored according to three different methods: storage with formaldehyde; within a darkened and cooled (4 C) incubator; and by freezing. In view of the lack of a pretreatment with the ultrasonic bath, freezing represented the only method apt to keeping the spectrum unvaried with time. Given the use of ultrasonic bath pretreatment, all three storage methods become applicable.

$Research paper thumbnail of Changes in microbial community structure and function within particle size fractions of a paddy soil under different long-term fertilization treatments from the Tai Lake region, China$

Changes in microbial community structure and function within particle size fractions of a paddy soil under different long-term fertilization treatments from the Tai Lake region, China

Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 2007

Greenhouse gas (GHG) production and emission from paddy soils impacts global climate change. Soil... more Greenhouse gas (GHG) production and emission from paddy soils impacts global climate change. Soil particle size fractions (PSFs) of different sizes act as soil microhabitats for different kinds of microbial biota with varying conditions of redox reactions and soil organic matter (SOC) substrates. It is crucial to understand the distribution of soil microbial community structure within PSFs and linkage to the GHG production from paddy soils of China. The change of bacterial and methangenic archaeal community and activity relating to CH 4 and CO 2 production with PSFs under different fertilizer applications was studied in this paper. The fertilization trial was initiated in a paddy soil from the Tai Lake region, Jiangsu, China with four treatments of non-fertilized (NF), fertilized with inorganic fertilizers only (CF), inorganic with pig manure (CFM) and inorganic with straw return (CFS), respectively since 1987, and the PSFs (<2 m, 2-20 m, 20-200 m, and 200-2000 m) were separated by a low energy sonication dispersion procedure from undisturbed samples. Analysis of bacterial community within different size particles was conducted by PCR-DGGE. The results indicated significant variation of bacterial community structure within different PSFs. The methane was predominantly produced in the coarser fractions, while more species and higher diversity of bacteria survived in the size of <2 m fractions, in which the bacterial community structure was more significantly affected by fertilizer application practices than in the other coarser fractions. Higher bacterial species richness and more diversities in the smallest size fractions was due to the vicinity between microbes, access to carbon resource outside the microaggregates, and smaller pore size as protective agent suitable habitats for microbes rather than high SOC. Whereas, higher CO 2 , CH 4 production and methanogenic archaeal community in coarser fractions may be contributed to storage of labile organic carbon in these fractions. It indicated that availability of SOC in PSFs is mainly factor affected survival of methanogenic archaeal community structure, whereas, bacterium community habitation more affected by physical protection of their location in PSFs. Their activity greatly depended on liability of SOC access to PSFs. Fertilizer application caused more change of bacteria community in clay fraction and greatly increased bacterium and methanogen activity in coarser fractions but only a slight effect on methanogenic archaeal community in the particle size fractions.

Effects of pesticides and pharmaceuticals on soil and water bacterial communities

... have been found in groundwater habitats, but to date no clearly &amp;amp;#x27;endemic&amp... more ... have been found in groundwater habitats, but to date no clearly &amp;amp;#x27;endemic&amp;amp;#x27; subsurface microbialphyla have been ... Despite the importance of soil and water microbial communities in biogeochemical cycles and in xenobiotic biodegradation, there has ... Microbial ecology methods ...

Application of fluorescence in situ hybridization in hematological disorders

Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics, 1992

Effect of the Antiviral Drug Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) on the Bacterial Community Structure of a Surface Water Ecosystem Analyzed Using Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization

by Paola Grenni and Maria Ludovica Saccà

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2010

The antiviral drug Tamiflu has received particular attention because of its recommended use again... more The antiviral drug Tamiflu has received particular attention because of its recommended use against the influenza A H5N1 and H1N1 viruses. Given its resistance to degradation and its hydrophilicity the active metabolite, Oseltamivir Carboxylate (OC), is expected to enter the aquatic ecosystem from sewage treatment plants. In the present paper the bacterial community of surface water samples, treated with OC

Fluorescence in situ hybridization in soil and water ecosystems: A useful method for studying the effect of xenobiotics on bacterial community structure

Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry, 2010

The ability of soil and groundwater ecosystems to recover from chemical contamination is primaril... more The ability of soil and groundwater ecosystems to recover from chemical contamination is primarily dependent on the presence of a microbial community which has the ability to remove it. Nevertheless, there has been a little research into these communities because it is strictly dependent on methods capable of identifying and characterizing their community structure and functioning. The use of molecular

Reclassification of the members of the genus Tetrathiobacter Ghosh et al. 2005 to the genus Advenella Coenye et al. 2005

by Paola Grenni and María Sánchez-martín

International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 2009

Degradation of the antiviral drug oseltamivir carboxylate in surface water samples

International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, 2007

Numerous studies have documented that a wide number of pharmaceuticals used in human and veterina... more Numerous studies have documented that a wide number of pharmaceuticals used in human and veterinary medicine have the potential to enter the aquatic ecosystem. The antiviral prodrug oseltamivir phosphate has received recent attention with regard to its possible use against the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus. This preliminary laboratory study investigated the persistence of the active antiviral drug, oseltamivir carboxylate (OSC),

Pharmaceuticals in the environment: Biodegradation and effects on natural microbial communities. A review

Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis, Jan 15, 2015

Environmental microorganisms play a key role in fundamental ecological processes such as biogeoch... more Environmental microorganisms play a key role in fundamental ecological processes such as biogeochemical cycling and organic contaminant degradation. Microorganisms comprise a large unexplored reservoir of genetic diversity and metabolic capability providing several ecosystem services, most importantly the maintenance of soil and water quality. Pharmaceutical occurrence in the environment can compromise microbial community structure and activities in different ways. The fate of a pharmaceutical in soil or water depends on numerous factors, including its inherent physic-chemical properties (e.g. water solubility, lipophilicity, vapour pressure), environmental factors and climate conditions (e.g. temperature, incident radiation, pH) and most importantly the presence and activity of microorganisms that possess the ability to biodegrade it. The presence of a natural microbial community is a necessary prerequisite for an effective response to the various chemicals that can contaminate an ...

Capability of the natural microbial community in a river water ecosystem to degrade the drug naproxen

Environmental science and pollution research international, 2014

The present work aims at evaluating the ability of the River Tiber natural microbial community to... more The present work aims at evaluating the ability of the River Tiber natural microbial community to degrade naproxen in water samples collected downstream from a wastewater treatment plant. For this purpose, different water microcosms were set up (microbiologically active vs sterile ones) and treated with naproxen (100 μg/L) alone or in the co-presence of gemfibrozil in order to evaluate if the co-presence of the latter had an influence on naproxen degradation. The experiment was performed in the autumn and was compared with the same experimental set performed in spring of the same year to highlight if seasonal differences in the river water influenced the naproxen degradation. Pharmaceutical concentrations and microbial analysis (total cell number, viability, and microbial community composition) were performed at different times in the degradation experiments. The overall results show that the natural microbial community in the river water had a key role in the naproxen degradation. ...

Responses of Benthic Bacteria to Experimental Drying in Sediments from Mediterranean Temporary Rivers

by Annamaria Zoppini and Paola Grenni

In the semiarid Mediterranean regions, water scarcity represents a common physiological stress fo... more In the semiarid Mediterranean regions, water scarcity represents a common physiological stress for microbial communities residing in river sediments. However, the effect of drying has not yet adequately been evaluated when analyzing riverine microbiological processes. The bacterial community structure (abundance, biomass, composition) and functioning (carbon production, live cell percentage) were assessed during experimental desiccation in microcosms with sediments from different Mediterranean temporary rivers (Tagliamento, Krathis, Mulargia, Pardiela). Our results showed that the overall responses to drying of the bacterial community were independent from sediment origin and strictly related to water content. During desiccation, a prompt decline (up to 100%) of the initial bacterial carbon production was followed by a slower decrease in abundance and biomass, with an overall reduction of 74% and 78%, respectively. By the end of the experiment, live cells were still abundant but depressed in their main metabolic functions, thus resulting in a drastic increase in the community turnover time. Only 14% of the initial live cell biomass was available in dry sediments to immediately start the reactivation of the aquatic microbial food web after the arrival of new water. Community composition analysis showed a relative increase in alpha-and beta-Proteobacteria, when passing from wet to dry conditions. Our results suggest that the occurrence of drought events could affect carbon cycling through the freshwater microbial compartment, by temporarily limiting microbial mineralization and altering bacterial community structure.

Misure in fluorescenza della carica batterica del suolo