All Wastewater & Sanitation articles
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NewsMicrobes in Brooklyn Superfund site teach lessons on fighting industrial pollution
Researchers discover unprecedented pollution-fighting genetic adaptations in tiny organisms inhabiting Brooklyn’s highly contaminated Gowanus Canal, revealing a potential new approach for cleaning contaminated waters and recovering valuable resources.
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NewsMulti-virus wastewater surveillance shows promise at smaller, site-specific scales
In a new study, wastewater surveillance for multiple pathogens at five different sites identified local trends that were not captured in larger surveillance programs, and some sites used the data to inform efforts to prevent disease spread.
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NewsScientists link a phytoplankton bloom to starving dolphins in Florida
In 2013, 8% of the bottlenose dolphins living in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon died. Investigations have now revealed that the dolphins may have starved because key habitats for nutritious prey were destroyed by a phytoplankton bloom driven by the accumulation of fertilizer, effluent from septic tanks, and other by-products of human activity.
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NewsUK’s first water monitoring center launched to act as early-warning system for disease outbreaks and community health
The University of Bath is launching the UK’s first early-warning public health surveillance system based on detecting tiny traces of chemicals and biological markers found in water.
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FeaturesUnder the microscope: microalgae-based bioremediation
The rapid expansion of the global human population and the increase in industrial and agricultural activities have led to severe environmental contamination. To remedy the situation, green technology has become more prevalent in recent years due to its numerous environmental benefits.
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NewsBacteria key to solar-powered method to convert sewage sludge into green hydrogen and animal feed
Scientists have developed an innovative solar-powered method to transform sewage sludge — a by-product of wastewater treatment — into green hydrogen for clean energy and single-cell protein for animal feed.
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CareersMy PhD Experience: Collaborations between academia and industry in the microbial bioremediation of marine oil pollution
Jake A Smallbone reveals how a industry collaboration as part of his PhD led to work on a real world oil spill to uncover the fascinating ways that bacterial communities respond to pollution and can be deployed as biomarkers and in bioremediation.
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NewsResearchers develop enhanced method for wastewater surveillance of antibiotic resistance
To better monitor the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance, researchers have developed a CRISPR-enriched metagenomics method for the enhanced surveillance of antibiotic resistance genes, ARGs, in wastewater.
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NewsMicrobiologist calls for urgent action on the danger of raw sewage in UK seas
A microbiologist has described how he contracted a type of bacterial pneumonia following a swim in the sea that was likely connected to an incident of sewage dumping in the area.
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NewsNew study calls for ethical framework to protect Indigenous genetic privacy in wastewater monitoring
Researchers have called for new ethical frameworks to protect Indigenous communities’ genetic privacy in the growing field of wastewater surveillance. The study examines how analysis of community wastewater raises significant privacy concerns for Indigenous populations.
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NewsVentilation fans can significantly lower the risk of inhaling bacteria particles after toilet flushing
New research finds that unhealthy concentrations of bacteria are released into the air by toilet flushing - but active ventilation with an exhaust fan reduce the risk by 10 times.
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NewsSmart bioprospecting needed to expand the search for climate-friendly microalgae
New research has highlighted microalgae’s capacity as a solution in the fight against climate change, but researchers warn that “smart microalgal bioprospecting” is needed to unlock its full potential.
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NewsScientists isolate ultra small bacterium that parasitizes archaea
Researchers have succeeded in cultivating an ultrasmall bacterial strain parasitizing archaea and classified the strain PMX.108T as new species and genus of Minisyncoccus archaeiphilus.
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NewsUrgent action needed to keep Europe polio-free, warn heads of ECDC and WHO Europe
An unusually high amount of poliovirus detections in several European countries in recent months has underscored the importance of keeping Europe polio-free.
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NewsReport: Detections of poliovirus in sewage samples require enhanced routine and catch-up vaccination and increased surveillance
Four countries in the EU/EEA and the United Kingdom have reported detections of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) in sewage samples, the first time cVDPV2 has been detected in EU/EEA countries from environmental surveillance.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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%.
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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.