The efficient and green remediation of petroleum hydrocarbon (PH) contamination has emerged as a viable strategy for environmental management. Here, we investigated the interaction between arsenic and PH degradation by Rhodococcus sp. 2021 under their combined pollution. The strain exhibited disparate responses to varying concentrations and valences of arsenic. The elevated concentration of arsenic (>100 mg/L) facilitated the degradation of PHs, and there was a positive correlation between arsenic-promoted degradation of PHs and their carbon-chain length. The degradation of PHs changed with arsenic conditions as follows: trivalent arsenic groups > pentavalent arsenic groups > arsenic-free groups (control). Arsenite and arsenate significantly promoted the gene expression of arsenic metabolism and alkane degrading. But unlike arsenite, arsenate also significantly promoted the gene expression of phosphate metabolism. And arsenite promoted the up-regulation of the expression of genes involved in the process of PHs oxidation and fatty acid oxidation. These results highlight the potential of Rhodococcus sp. 2021 in the remediation of combined total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) and heavy metal pollution, providing new insights into the green and sustainable bioremediation of combined pollution of organic matters such as PHs and heavy metals/heavy metal-like elements such as arsenic.
We aimed to estimate the non-phytate phosphorus (NPP) requirements of Chinese Jing Tint 6 layer chicks. We randomly allocated 720 birds to five treatments with six cages of 24 birds each, feeding them a corn–soybean diet containing 0.36%, 0.41%, 0.46%, 0.51%, and 0.56% NNP. The results showed that the body weight gain (BWG), tibial length, and apparent total tract digestibility coefficients (ATTDC) of P were affected (p < 0.05) by dietary NPP level. A quadratic broken-line analysis (p < 0.05) of BWG indicated that the optimal NPP for birds aged 1–14 d was 0.411%. Similarly, 0.409% of NPP met tibial growth needs. However, 0.394% of NPP was optimal for P utilization according to the ATTDC criterion. For 15–42 d birds, 0.466% NPP, as estimated by the BWG criterion, was sufficient for optimal growth without decreasing P utilization. Using the factorial method, NPP requirements were calculated as 0.367% and 0.439%, based on the maintenance factors and BWG for 1–14 and 15–42 d birds, respectively, to maintain normal growth. Combining the non-linear model with the factorial method, this study recommends dietary NPP levels of 0.367% and 0.439% for 1–14 and 15–42 d birds, respectively, to optimize P utilization without affecting performance.