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
Traditional herb boosts fish health and immunity, study reveals
A groundbreaking study reveals how the traditional herb Picria fel-terrae (PFL) can significantly improve fish health. When added to fish feed at just 0.1% concentration for six weeks, the herb maintained healthy gut structure while reducing inflammation.
Read story
NewsCholera kills more people for second consecutive year, while prevention and treatment available
The World Health Organization (WHO) has published its global cholera statistics for 2024, showing an increase in both the number of people who fell sick and died from the disease. Reported cholera cases rose by 5% and deaths by 50% in 2024 compared to 2023.
NewsPeanut shell biochar composite shows promise for removing antibiotic-resistant bacteria from aquaculture wastewater
Researchers have developed a novel, low-cost catalyst that efficiently removes antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) from aquaculture wastewater, offering a potential new solution to one of today’s most pressing environmental and public health challenges.
NewsDe-mystifying common misconception about the prevalence of Legionella bacteria
There is a common misconception that Legionella is only found in air conditioners and water towers - however, a new study has found people are likely exposed to the bacteria through other sources, including through soil.
More Clean water
News
Bacteria that ‘shine a light’ on microplastic pollution
Researchers have developed a living sensor that attaches to plastic and produces green fluorescence. In an initial test on real-world water samples, the biosensor could easily detect environmentally relevant levels of microplastics.
More clean water
NewsStudy detects multidrug-resistant KPC-producing bacteria in Chilean wastewater for the first time
A team of Chilean researchers has identified, for the first time in the country, the presence of KPC-type carbapenemase-producing bacteria in wastewater samples from the Greater Concepción Metropolitan Area.
NewsNew study finds concerning sea star response to an algal neurotoxin
Researchers found potentially concerning concentrations of the neurotoxin domoic acid in sea stars even in the absence of the algal blooms that are thought to drive DA outbreaks.
NewsWelsh mine microbes mapped to help heat homes
Welsh scientists have mapped the hidden microbes thriving in south Wales’s abandoned coal mines, helping to overcome obstacles to using mine water to heat Britain’s homes.
NewsStudy exposes sewage contamination locations threatening West Hawai’i coral reefs
New research reveals the extent to which sewage pollution threatens the fragile coral reef ecosystems of West Hawaiʻi Island. Researchers pinpointed locations where high levels of fecal bacteria associated with populated coastal areas are driving worsening contamination.
NewsStudy reveals the microbial battlegrounds within estuaries - and the part played by microplastics
Estuaries are known hotspots for biodiversity and are turbulent mixing zones where freshwater and seawater microbes confront one another. Source: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this true-color image of the Baltic Sea ...
NewsEnvironmental antibiotic resistance unevenly addressed despite growing global risk, study finds
Antibiotic resistance in the environment is a growing and largely overlooked crisis receiving inconsistent attention, according to a new study. Worryingly few studies have explored how antibiotic resistance spreads in the air, oceans or green spaces.
NewsDancing against the current: Microbial survival strategy
In scalding hot water rushing through narrow channels, some bacteria have evolved a surprising survival technique: they cling to surfaces, stand upright, and sway rhythmically—like tiny street dancers fighting the flow.
NewsImperfect underground processes help filter wastewater in Florida Keys
Researchers find that microbial and other processes do not completely clear wastewater shallowly injected into groundwater of potentially harmful contaminants.
NewsNew study: Powerboats can impact lakes below the surface, stimulating algaL growth
Large surface waves produced by powerboats are a mainstay for recreational watersports. A new study shows that beneath the surface, factors such as propeller thrust and other types of waves can impact delicate lakebed ecosystems.
NewsBacterial signaling molecule that choreographs flip between biofilm and motility could transform biotechnology and medical applications
A bacterial signaling molecule involved in flipping the switch between sessile and motile forms could offer huge potential in improving probiotics, boosting wastewater treatment and producing therapeutic compounds.
NewsEconomic evaluation of wastewater surveillance for COVID-19 testing in long-term care settings
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed enormous pressure on healthcare systems and economies around the world, with particularly severe impacts on vulnerable groups like residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs). One key lesson from the pandemic is that early detection and treatment can lower hospitalization and death rates while also cutting ...
News‘Major leap in bioelectronic sensing’: researchers turn bacteria into tiny pollution detectors
Researchers have engineered E. coli to act as living multiplexed sensors, allowing these genetically modified cells to detect and respond to multiple environmental toxins simultaneously by converting their biological responses into readable electrical signals.
NewsRisk of deadly diarrheal diseases in children set to worsen as climate changes
Diarrhoea remains one of the most serious health threats to young children in the Global South, and new research shows that climate change is set to worsen the risk substantially.
NewsTiny artificial cells can keep time, study finds
A team of researchers has shown that tiny artificial cells can accurately keep time, mimicking the daily rhythms found in living organisms like cyanobacteria. Their findings shed light on how biological clocks stay on schedule despite the inherent molecular noise inside cells.
NewsDecoding the blue: Advanced technology realizes potential in harmful algal bloom monitoring
Researchers have developed a powerful new method to detect harmful blue-green algae in freshwater lakes. Their method can identify toxin producing blue-green algae before they become damaging in recreational waters and pose threat to public health.
NewsStudy of water bodies frequented by wild birds reveals presence of antimicrobial resistance genes in nine in 10 samples
The first UK study to monitor antimicrobial resistance and influenza viruses in water bodies has revealed that 92% of samples contained genes for resistance to colistin, an antibiotic of last resort.
NewsTiny soil microbes turn detective to uncover the timeline of oil spill contamination
Scientists in Belfast and Nigeria have developed a diagnostic tool that deploys microbes to uncover the timeline of crude oil contamination in soils.