Clean water
UNICEF estimates that over 2.2 billion people worldwide do not have access to clean drinking water. Micro-organisms are responsible for a host of waterborne diseases, but simultaneously offer solutions in purifying water and improving sanitation. Biofertilizers offer promising solutions for reduced nutrient runoff and wastewater recycling. As well as applying microbes to combat the problem, applied microbiologists can use their knowledge of health and disease to reduce cases of waterborne disease.
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Researchers develop new weapon against harmful algal blooms
Few studies have looked into how algal biomass, especially cyanobacteria, can be used to create materials that remove phosphate from water. Now, researchers have transformed cyanobacterial biomass, which is typically a hazardous waste, into custom-made adsorbent materials that can pull harmful phosphorus out of water.
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Long ReadsFree-living amoebae and emerging public health challenges in a warming world
The year 2023 was the warmest since global temperature records were established in 1850. Discover the role of free-living amoebae in the transmission of waterborne pathogens and human infection, in the context of rising global temperatures.
NewsLooking to Kenya’s Lake Victoria for what may come for Lake Erie
Scientists conducted a genetic survey on cyanobacteria in the Winam Gulf of Kenya’s Lake Victoria, which serves as a model for the cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanHABs) in Lake Erie under the warming climate.
NewsExtreme rain heightens E. coli risks for communities of color in Texas
New research shows that communities of color in Texas face pronounced risks of E. coli exposure in nearby waters following storms that dump abnormally high amounts of rain.
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Machinery behind bacterial nanowires discovered
Almost all living things breathe oxygen to eliminate the excess electrons produced when nutrients are converted into energy. However, most microbes that mitigate pollution and climate change don’t have access to oxygen. Instead, these bacteria—buried underground or living deep under oceans—have developed a way to eliminate electrons by “breathing minerals” ...
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NewsGene-edited soil bacteria could provide third source of nitrogen for corn production
If corn was ever jealous of soybean’s relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, advancements in gene editing could one day even the playing field. A recent study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign shows that gene-edited bacteria can supply the equivalent of 35 pounds of nitrogen from the air during early corn ...
NewsBiorefinery innovation: Transforming waste into high-value products
A new study showcases a cutting-edge biorefinery capable of converting sewage sludge and food waste into valuable volatile fatty acids (VFAs). The research evaluates the environmental impact of this biorefinery, located in Galicia, Spain.
NewsRevolutionary biofilter offers breakthrough solution for emerging contaminants in wastewater
Researchers have unveiled groundbreaking findings on an electroactive biofilter (BioeF) that leverages microbial electrochemical processes and offers a significant advancement in wastewater treatment by targeting emerging contaminants.
NewsExplainable deep learning model provides new understanding of harmful algal blooms in China’s lakes and reservoirs
Researchers have developed an advanced explainable deep learning model to predict and analyze harmful algal blooms (HABs) in freshwater lakes and reservoirs across China, offering insights into their underlying drivers and potential mitigation strategies.
NewsBeach guardians: How hidden microbes protect coastal waters in a changing climate
Coastal water quality is closely impacted by the microbial compositions living in groundwater within beach sands due to the rising sea level, a new study reveals.
NewsResearchers develop novel reverse osmosis membrane to reduce biofouling
Researchers have developed a dual-functional reverse osmosis (RO) membrane which demonstrates broad-spectrum, sustained antibacterial activity and resistance to various foulants, making it suitable for water purification, seawater desalination, and high-salinity wastewater treatment.
NewsManure management in China cuts river antibiotic pollution but raises groundwater contamination risks
A study of antibiotic pollution patterns in China’s water systems over the past decade found a 59% decrease in antibiotic pollution in rivers, primarily due to reduced direct manure discharge, but antibiotic leaching into groundwater has increased by 15%.
NewsScientistis develop photonic nanojet-regulated soft microalga-robot
Scientists used the microalga, Euglena gracilis, with deformation and motion capabilities in nature as the main body to construct a soft microalgae robot (saBOT) using a photonic nanojet (PNJ) generated by a TiO₂ microsphere lens.
NewsNew method detects fecal contamination of water using viral DNA
Researchers have developed a novel MST detection method using CrAss-like phages that is capable of specifically detecting human feces-contaminated water.
NewsPotentially harmful bacteria slip through antimicrobial showerheads
Researchers report that antimicrobial silver-containing showerheads are no ’silver bullet’. In real-world showering conditions, most microbes aren’t exposed to the silver long enough to be killed.
NewsConnectivity loss in pond networks threatens microbial biodiversity
A recent study explored the effects of connectivity loss within pond networks, using an outdoor experimental setup of artificial ponds (mesocosms).
NewsBio-electrochemical cell producing hydrogen from microorganisms in waste: Pathway to large-scale implementation unveiled
Scientists have achieved a significant breakthrough in clean energy technology, successfully enhancing a crucial component of a bio-electrochemical cell and enabling more efficient hydrogen production from microorganisms found in waste.
NewsBad bacteria can trigger painful gut contractions; new research shows how
After a meal of questionable seafood or a few sips of contaminated water, bad bacteria can send your digestive tract into overdrive. Your intestines spasm and contract, efficiently expelling everything in the gut.
NewsFrom Yemen to Mayotte, the spread of a highly drug-resistant cholera strain
Scientists have revealed the spread of a highly drug-resistant cholera strain. The strain is resistant to ten antibiotics – including azithromycin and ciprofloxacin, two of the three recommended for treating cholera – and was identified for the first time in Yemen in 2018-2019.
NewsScientists collect ‘microbial fingerprints’ found in household plumbing
Scientists sampled faucets in eight homes for seven days to see the flow and change of different bacteria populations. They found that, though houses generally shared major categories of bacteria, down to the species level, there was wide variation from house to house.
NewsFlu virus remains infectious in refrigerated raw milk
Influenza or flu virus can remain infectious in refrigerated raw milk for up to five days, a new study reveals. The findings come at a time when outbreaks of bird flu in dairy cattle have raised concerns about the potential for a new pandemic.
NewsMicrobial oxidation in glacial rivers and lakes could help mitigate methane emissions
A new study suggests microbes in glacial rivers and lakes may play a crucial role in mitigating the effects of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that recent studies have shown emerging as glaciers melt in warming global temperatures.
NewsHidden threats to soil revealed in sewage sludge research
Hidden threats from the agricultural use of contaminated sewage sludge could be contributing to already diminished poor soil health, according to a new report.
