Group

Bioremediation and Bioavailability

BIOREM

Description

The group’s research focuses on understanding the interconnections of bioavailability and biodegradation of organic pollutants, with the ultimate goal of promoting their elimination.

Objectives

The bioavailability of organic pollutants in soils represents their accessibility for biological uptake and toxicity. Bioavailability has a profound impact on the fate and effects of contaminants. For example, biodegradability in soils cannot be estimated without considering bioavailability to microbial populations capable of transformation. Biodegradation rates may reflect dependence on slow phase changes (desorption, partitioning), and, as a result, a priori biodegradable pollutants may be highly persistent.

Our research has a clear motivation to integrate the results into innovations that will make bioremediation techniques more competitive and improve our environment. Ultimately, by creating momentum, at the international level, for the actual implementation of bioavailability science in retrospective and prospective regulations of organic pollutants.

The specific objectives of the research cover different chemical and biological mechanisms affecting the bioavailability of organic pollutants:

Effect of partitioning from liquid organic phases (NAPLs) on biodegradation, covering aspects such as the use of microbial surfactants and oleophilic fertilisers to accelerate the process.
Biodegradation of adsorbed pollutants, both in model systems and in soils.
Mobilising factors for micro-organisms and/or contaminants in soil that act on the slowly desorbing fraction of contaminants, such as the application of surfactants and nanomaterials.
Mobilising power of microbial chemotaxis in soil to increase the bioavailability of contaminants.

More details of the group can be found at this link.

Components

Dr. José Julio Ortega, Research Scientist (ORCID 0000-0003-1672-5199), leads the group composed of Drs. R. Posada y J.L. García, y Alicia Fernandez (FPI pre-doctoral researcher). The group collaborates on a stable basis with Drs. Magdalena Grifoll and Quim Vila (Univ. Barcelona) in the NP projects and with Dra. Carmen Fernandez, teaching and research professor (PDI) of the Centro Universitario de la Defensa (CUD) at the Academia General del Aire (AGA) in San Javier (Murcia). The group also has a strong international profile, collaborating frequently with researchers from other countries, such as Germany (L. Wick), the UK (F. Coulon) and Canada (S. Ghoshal).

Projects

“Hacia una modulación basada en riesgo de los flujos de carbono implicados en la eliminación biológica de contaminantes orgánicos en suelos: biodisponibilidad” Ministry of Science and Innovation (PID2019-109700RB-C21). 2020 – 2023.

“Soil bioremediation through flagellated bacteria: unravelling the mechanisms for enhancing bacterial tactic response” European Union (Marie curie H2020-MSCA-IF-2019, 895340 – BIOTAC). 2021 – 2022.

“Risk reduction of chemical residues in soils and crops – impact due to wastewater used for irrigation”. Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA S2 2019 RESIDUE). 2020-2023.

“De la ciencia de la biodisponibilidad a la recuperación de suelos: Estimulación sostenible de redes biológicas para la mejora del reciclado del carbono de los contaminantes”. Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (CGL2016-77497-R). 2017 – 2019.

“Bioremediation and revegetation to restore the public use of contaminated land”. European Union (LIFE15, ENV/IT/000396). 2016 – 2019.

“Microbial networks for PAC cycling in polluted soils.” European Union (Marie curie H2020-MSCA-IF-2014, 661361-NETPAC). 2015 – 2018.

“Sinergias funcionales entre microorganismos y plantas en la recuperación sostenible de suelos contaminados por HAPs”. Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (CGL2013-44554-R). 2014 – 2017.

“Evaluación de estrategias químicas sostenibles para la mejora de la bioaccesibilidad en la biorremediación de suelos contaminados por PAHs”. Junta de Andalucía, Research Projects of Excellence (RNM2337). 2014 – 2018.

«Explotación de las funciones microbianas de la rizosfera promotoras de la bioaccesibilidad y biodegradación de HAPs para la recuperación eficiente de suelos contaminados». Ministry of Science and Innovation, 2010-2013.

«Biorremediación de suelos: prospección de la diversidad microbiana y vegetal para la mejora de la bioaccesibilidad y mineralización de hidrocarburos aromáticos policíclicos». Ministry of Education, 2007-2010.

«Biodisponibilidad y metabolismo microbianos de hidrocarburos aromáticos policíclicos presentes en vertidos marinos de petróleo. Implicaciones para su atenuación natural y biorremediación. Ministry of Education, 2005-2008.

«Evaluation of availability to biota for organic compounds ubiquitous in soils and sediments». European Union. 2001-2004.

«Use of bioavailability-promoting micro-organisms to decontaminate PAH-polluted soils: preparation towards large-scale field exploitation». European Union. 2000-2004.

«Development of biotechnology for soil detoxication from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on the basis of application of chemotactically active microorganisms of plant rhizosphere». European Union & International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC). 1999-2001.

«Evaluation of bacterial strategies to promote bioavailability of hydrophobic pollutants for efficient bioremediation of contaminated soils». European Union. 1997-2000.

Most relevant publications

Posada-Baquero, R., Semple, K. T., Ternero, M., Ortega-Calvo, J. J. (2022) Determining the bioavailability of benzo(a)pyrene through standardized desorption extraction in a certified reference contaminated soil. Science of the Total Environment 803:150025.

Fernandez-Lopez, C., Posada-Baquero, R., Garcia, J. L., Castilla-Alcantara, J. C., Cantos, M., Ortega-Calvo, J. J. (2021) Root-mediated bacterial accessibility and cometabolism of pyrene in soil. Science of the Total Environment 760:143408.

Ortega-Calvo, J.J., Stibany, F., Semple, K.T., Schaeffer, A., Parsons, J.R., Smith, K.E.C. (2020) Why biodegradable chemicals persist in the environment? A look at bioavailability. Bioavailability of Organic Chemicals in Soil and Sediment, Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, Ortega-Calvo, J.J., & Parsons, J.R. (Eds.), Springer Nature Switzerland AG, 100: 243–266.

Posada-Baquero, R., Grifoll, M., Ortega-Calvo, J.J. (2019) Rhamnolipid-enhanced solubilization and biodegradation of PAHs in soils after conventional bioremediation. Science of the Total Environment 668: 790-796.

Jimenez-Sanchez, C., Wick, L. Y., Ortega-Calvo, J. J. (2018) Impact of Chemoeffectors on Bacterial Motility, Transport, and Contaminant Degradation in Sand-Filled Percolation Columns. Environmental Science and Technology 52: 10673-10679.

Sungthong, R., Tauler, M., Grifoll, M., Julio Ortega-Calvo, J. (2017) Mycelium-Enhanced Bacterial Degradation of Organic Pollutants under Bioavailability Restrictions. Environmental Science and Technology 51: 11935-11942.

Ortega-Calvo, J.J., Harmsen, J., Parsons, J. P., Semple, K., Aitken, M. D., Ajao, C, Eadsforth, C., Malyka Galay-Burgos, M., Naidu, R., Oliver, R., Peijnenburg, W. J. G. M., Römbke, J., Streck, G., Versonnen, B. (2015) From bioavailability science to regulation of organic chemicals. Environmental Science and Technology 49: 10255−10264.

C. Jimenez-Sanchez, L. Y. Wick, J. J., Ortega-Calvo (2012) Chemical effectors cause different motile behavior and deposition of bacteria in porous media. Environmental Science and Technology 46: 6790-6797

M. C. Tejeda-Agredano, S. Gallego, J. L. Niqui-Arroyo, J. Vila, M. Grifoll, J. J. Ortega-Calvo (2011) Effect of interface fertilization on biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons present in nonaqueous-phase liquids. Environmental Science and Technology 45 1074-1081.

Bueno-Montes, M., Springael, D., Ortega-Calvo, J. J. (2011) Effect of a non-ionic surfactant on biodegradation of slowly desorbing PAHs in contaminated soils. Environmental Science and Technology 45: 3019-3026.

Velasco-Casal, P., Wick, L.Y., Ortega-Calvo, J.J. (2008). Chemoeffectors decrease the deposition of chemotactic bacteria during transport in porous media. Environmental Science and Technology 42:1131-1137.

Gomez-Lahoz, C. and Ortega-Calvo, J.J. (2005) Effect of slow desorption on the kinetics of biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Environmental Science and Technology 39:8776-8783.

García-Junco, M., Gómez-Lahoz, C., Niqui-Arroyo, J.L., and Ortega-Calvo, J.J. (2003). Biosurfactant- and biodegradation-enhanced partitioning of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from Nonaqueous-phase liquids. Environmental Science and Technology 37:2988-2996.

Lahlou, M., Harms, H., Springael, D. and Ortega-Calvo, J.J. (2000) Influence of soil components on the transport of polycyclic hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria through saturated porous media. Environmental Science and Technology 34:3649-3656.

Ortega-Calvo, J.J., Fesch, C., and Harms, H. (1999) Biodegradation of Sorbed 2.4-dinitrotoluene in a clay-rich, aggregated porous medium. Environmental Science and Technology 33:3737-3742.

Ortega-Calvo, J.J., Birman, I. and Alexander, M. (1995) Effect of varying the rate of partitioning of phenanthrene in nonaqueous-phase liquids on biodegradation in soil slurries. Environmental Science and Technology 29:2222-2225.