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.
News
Researchers catalog the microbiome of US rivers
River microbes found near wastewater treatment plants expressed high levels of antibiotic resistance genes, reveals a study of the presence and function of microbes in rivers covering 90% of the watersheds in the continental U.S.
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NewsNew edition of book explores ranavirus infection and disease in amphibians, reptiles and fish
Researchers are providing new information and guidance on monitoring and managing viruses that cause life-threatening diseases in amphibians, reptiles and fish, as detailed in a new book edition.
NewsFunding boost to bring engineering biology technologies to market
Part of a £2.8 million UKRI seed corn fund has been awarded to the Environmental Biotechnology Innovation Centre (EBIC) to bridge the gap between research and market-ready products and technologies, with comprehensive support and resources for researchers.
NewsGreener and cleaner: Yeast-green algae mix improves water treatment
Researchers have discovered that yeast and green algae form the best combination in terms of boosting wastewater treatment efficiency.
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Epidemiologic features and evidence of new subtypes of Cryptosporidium parvum in diarrheic calves in Egypt
A new study examines the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. infections in diarrheic calves reared in different localities in Egypt under different management systems.
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NewsSewage surveillance proves powerful in combating antimicrobial resistance
A study is using sewage surveillance as a vital strategy in the fight against diseases that spread through the water such as legionella and shigella.
NewsMulticellular organisms require significantly more energy than single-celled ones
A new study shows that multicelled organisms like the metazoan daphnia require a tenfold increase in energy compared with protists for their growth, maintenance and survival.
NewsStandard methodologies failing to accurately quantify fecal contamination across the globe, study warns
Standard risk assessment methodologies are significantly underestimating fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) loads in contaminated water, including recreational waters used for the 2024 Olympics, a new study reveals.
NewsPathogens that cling to microplastics may survive wastewater treatment
Wastewater treatment fails to kill several human pathogens when they hide out on microplastics in the water, reports a new study.
NewsScientists examine how wastewater practices in Florida Keys impact water quality
A new study has tracked how wastewater nutrients migrate from disposal sites in the Florida Keys, and the results have already informed wastewater practices in the region.
NewsWater fern offers safe potential global food insecurity solution - with no cyanotoxins
An international effort to test Azolla found that it does not contain cyanotoxins, potent toxins produced by a type of cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, associated with the plant.
NewsEffective wastewater surveillance methods for monitoring COVID-19 infection trends
A research team identified appropriate investigation methods for wastewater surveillance to accurately monitor regional COVID-19 infection trends.
NewsNew tool enables a more complete and rapid decoding of the language of algal gene expression
A new method that research teams can use to measure and compare different forms of proteins and protein complexes helped reveal a previously unseen molecular signature of how algal genomes are controlled during the cell cycle.
NewsTire-wear particles disrupt gut-liver function in aquatic organisms
Researchers have uncovered the adverse health effects of tire-wear particles (TWPs) on aquatic organisms. The study focused on the hepatotoxicity of TWP leachates, revealing significant impacts on the gut-liver axis and oxidative stress levels in test organisms.
NewsStudy combines woodchips, microbes and biochar to clean water of pharmaceuticals
Researchers show how a simple system using microbially colonised woodchips and a bit of glorified sawdust can dramatically reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and multiple common drugs in wastewater.
NewsMaterials of the future can be extracted from wastewater
Researchers are revolutionizing what biomass from wastewater treatment plants can be used for. Biopolymers from bacteria can be a sustainable alternative to oil-based products, and phosphorus and other minerals can also be harvested.
NewsWHO in Lebanon working to stop cholera spread amid conflict
On 16 October, the Ministry of Public Health of Lebanon confirmed a cholera case. Authorities are investigating the extent of the disease’s spread, gathering samples from the patient’s contacts, and assessing potential water contamination.
CareersA Day in the Life of a Microbiologist at ACEWATER
My journey began in 2020 as a PhD student in Environmental Microbiology at Redeemer’s University, and I’ve since been immersed in the fascinating world of microbiological research. My work at the African Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ACEWATER) presents a variety of challenges and rewards as I explore the ...
NewsViruses are teeming on your toothbrush and shower head
There’s a jungle of ‘untapped biodiversity’ in the bathroom, a new study finds.
NewsSecond round of polio vaccination in the Gaza Strip aims to vaccinate over half a million children
The second round of an emergency polio vaccination campaign is scheduled to start on 14 October 2024 in Gaza, to vaccinate an estimated 591 700 children under ten years of age with a second dose of the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) vaccine.
NewsSludge sequencing reveals novel species and genetic diversity
A study sequencing activated sludge has unearthed a plethora of antibiotic resistance genes and has pointed to the existence of previously unknown microbial species.
NewsBioengineer awarded $3.4M for project to end polio
Bioengineer Kevin McHugh has been awarded $3.4 million for a project to incorporate protection against poliomyelitis into the combination vaccine that protects against five common and dangerous childhood diseases.
NewsZooplankton go ‘Eew!’ to cleaning feces-contaminated water
Scientists were recently surprised to find that the natural community of zooplankton — tiny, aquatic animals known to graze on bacteria — present in freshwater and saltwater do not clean water that is contaminated with fecal microorganisms.
