Industrial wastewater usually contains a large amount of organic and inorganic pollutants, and many microorganisms. However, the types of microorganism present in industrial wastewater are still unclear. The aim of this study was to analyze the physicochemical properties and drug resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from industrial wastewater containing high concentrations of sulfate compounds. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated from industrial wastewater from industrial produce with high concentrations of sulfate and phosphate, and mass spectrometry identification, gene identification, biochemical analysis and genomic and proteomic property identification were carried out. According to the results of matrix-assisted flight mass spectrometry and 16S rDNA sequencing, the isolated bacterium was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and was positive for reactions of ONPG, ACE, GLU, MNE, etc. Through growth experiments, it can be seen that Pseudomonas aeruginosa had a significant growth rate in the LB medium. Antibiotic sensitivity tests showed that Pseudomonas aeruginosa was susceptible to most antibiotics and moderately resistant to Polymyxin B and Polymyxin E. The drug resistance gene experiment showed that Pseudomonas aeruginosa had the gyrB gene related to antibiotic resistance. Proteomic analysis revealed that six proteins were involved in antibiotic resistance. This experiment isolated Pseudomonas aeruginosa from industrial produce wastewater containing high concentrations of sulfate and phosphate ions, providing a new perspective for further research on the characteristics and drug resistance of microorganisms in industrial wastewater and their potential functions when using them to deal with environmental pollution.

A large amount of organic matter, heavy metals, and even antibiotics are present in industrial wastewater, aquaculture waters, and various types of sewage, along with abundant microorganisms. To date, only a few studies involving the resistance and proteomics of Stutzerimonas stutzeri in high-salt wastewater are available. Herein, a comprehensive assessment of a newly isolated Stutzerimonas stutzeri strain, which is present in high-salt wastewater, was performed using mass spectrometry, genetic identification, and biochemical analysis to characterize the genetic and biochemical properties. Growth experiments revealed that the Stutzerimonas stutzeri strain had a moderate growth rate in nutrient broth, and the bacterial count was not high. Further analysis highlighted an apparent susceptibility of this strain to most antibiotics but some resistance to chloramphenicol and minocycline. A resistance gene assay results showed that the gene gyrB was associated with antibiotic resistance in this Stutzerimonas stutzeri strain. Proteomic analysis revealed for the first time the co-existence of two drug-resistance-related proteins (Multidrug/solvent RND membrane fusion protein and MexE) in Stutzerimonas stutzeri. Moreover, Stutzerimonas stutzeri isolated from high-salt wastewater was subjected to drug resistance gene detection, and the total protein of Stutzerimonas stutzeri was detected by protein mass spectrometry analysis. The subcellular classification shows that the 50 proteins with the highest abundance are divided into cell inner membrane, cell outer membrane, cytoplasm, cytoplasmic side, membrane, multi-pass membrane protein, and peripheral membrane protein, among which the proportion of cytoplasmic components is the highest. Overall, this study’s findings provide a new perspective for further research on the characteristics of Stutzerimonas stutzeri in high-salt wastewater.

Mercury contamination in groundwater seriously affects human health and ecosystem security. The remediation of Hg-contaminated groundwater remains a challenging task. The applicability of an as-synthesized supramolecular polymer (SP) for low-concentration mercury in a high-salinity groundwater matrix has been verified through a batch process and column test. The remediation of mercury-contaminated groundwater, particularly in complex high-salinity environments, represents a significant and enduring challenge in environmental science. The batch test study demonstrated that the SP can efficiently adsorb Hg from groundwater with superior selectivity and a high uptake capacity (up to 926.1 ± 165.3 mg g⁻¹). Increasing the pH and dissolved organic matter (DOM) and reducing the ionic strength can facilitate Hg adsorption; the coexistence of heavy metal ions slightly weakens the removal. In terms of its performance as a permeable reactive barrier, the SP can intercept Hg in flowing groundwater with a capacity of up to 3187 mg g⁻¹. A low influent mercury concentration, low pore velocity, and high SP dosage can effectively extend the breakthrough time in column tests. Additionally, the Yan model (R² = 0.960−0.989) can accurately depict the whole dynamic interception process (150 PVs) of SPs in a fixed column, and the Adams–Bohart model (R² = 0.916−0.964) describes the initial stage (≤35 PVs) well. Considering the functional group in the SP and the Hg species in groundwater, complexation, electrostatic attraction, ion exchange, and precipitation/co-precipitation are the plausible mechanisms for mercury removal based on the characterization results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR). These impressive features render the SP a promising candidate for the remediation of trace Hg in saline groundwater using permeable reactive barrier (PRB) technology.