Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Liu Cao, Chris D. Cox, Qiang He
Summary: This study identified the important role of Syntrophobacter in syntrophic propionate conversion, while the methanogen partners lacked consistency. Propionate conversion was mainly achieved through the transformation of propionate into acetate and hydrogen.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiaolong Wu, Xian Xiang, Xiaoxu Dong, Guangshuo Chai, Ziman Song, Yongxiang Wang, Jia Liu, Xinpu Han, Yajie Li, Hongbo Liu
Summary: By introducing a strategy of directly recovering organics for the production of VFAs in wastewater treatment, overall bioavailability and production rates of VFAs were greatly improved. Economic evaluations showed that this approach was promising in making wastewater treatment plants profitable, with a significant increase in the transfer of wastewater organics into VFAs compared to conventional processes.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Pablo Viveros, Leonardo Miqueles, Rodrigo Mena, Fredy Kristjanpoller
Summary: This article presents an optimized grouping strategy for wastewater treatment plants to increase asset availability and reduce maintenance interruptions, resulting in a reduction of system inefficiency.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Maria Teresa Santos, Pedro Andre Lopes
Summary: The industrial sector produces large amounts of sludge, which can be treated and recovered using various methods. Through experiments, it was found that anaerobic co-digestion followed by the production of heterogeneous catalysts for biodiesel production is the most promising method.
SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY AND PHARMACY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Andrew H. Kim, Craig S. Criddle
Summary: Anaerobic secondary treatment has the potential to achieve energy-positive operations at wastewater treatment plants with lower energy consumption compared to conventional aerobic treatment. Recovering dissolved methane and nutrients and removing sulfide during post-treatment is crucial. Direct potable reuse trains with SAF-MBR show lower energy consumption and life cycle impacts compared to activated sludge, and research on dissolved methane recovery and reduced chemical usage is highlighted for further investigation in anaerobic secondary treatment options.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kun Wang, Xiangyu Zhu, Zhengzheng Liu, Jing Wang, Baoliang Chen
Summary: Wastewater treatment plants are important sources of organochlorine pollution in surface waters. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive understanding of the molecular-level occurrence and transformation of organochlorines in these plants. In this study, a specific screening method was developed to identify the molecular composition of organochlorines. The results showed that the occurrence of organochlorines in wastewater samples was associated with the treatment units. The study also highlighted the importance of molecular structures in evaluating the fate of organochlorines and managing effluent discharge.
Review
Agricultural Engineering
Wei Wang, Jo-Shu Chang, Kuan-Yeow Show, Duu-Jong Lee
Summary: This review focuses on the application of anaerobic treatment for degrading recalcitrant compounds in wastewaters. It summarizes the recalcitrant compounds commonly found in wastewaters and their removal performance under anaerobic conditions. The study also highlights the limitation of using BOD/COD ratio to evaluate the anaerobic degradability of wastewater and calls for the development of a novel indicator to characterize the anaerobic recalcitrance of wastewater.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Siming Chen, William Arnold, Natasha Wright, Kuang Zhu, Olutooni Ajayi, Paige Novak
Summary: The feasibility of implementing encapsulation technology for the biological anaerobic treatment of high-strength wastewater was investigated. The study found that encapsulation shows promise for small-footprint anaerobic biological treatment applications, although further optimization is needed.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nhlanganiso Ivan Madondo, Sudesh Rathilal, Babatunde Femi Bakare, Emmanuel Kweinor Tetteh
Summary: The application of a bioelectrochemical system together with anaerobic additives can promote both direct and indirect interspecies electron transfer, leading to higher removal of toxic pollutants and conversion of biomass to renewable energy. This review explores the synergistic effect of bioelectrochemical systems and anaerobic additives on the anaerobic digestion of complex substrates. It highlights the mechanisms and limitations of conventional anaerobic digestion and the applicability of additives in various activities of the digestion process. The findings suggest that a bioelectrochemical system coupled with nanomaterial additives can increase biogas-methane potential compared to anaerobic digestion, indicating the potential prospects of this system for wastewater treatment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
R. B. Costa, P. N. L. Lens, E. Foresti
Summary: Anaerobic technologies play a crucial role in sewage treatment and recovering marketable products from waste, but they often lead to methane oversaturation and lack of nitrogen removal. However, combining methane oxidation with denitrification processes can address both issues simultaneously.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Anna Christine Trego, B. Conall Holohan, Ciara Keating, Alison Graham, Sandra O'Connor, Michael Gerardo, Dermot Hughes, Umer Zeeshan Ijaz, Vincent O'Flaherty
Summary: This study demonstrates the feasibility of high-rate, direct treatment of low-strength municipal wastewater at low temperatures for the first time. Efficient removal of BOD from wastewater and the discovery of a highly adaptable core microbiome provide a foundation for next-generation municipal wastewater treatment.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Si Chen, Yongfeng Wang, Huicai Cheng, Terry C. Hazen, Chunguang He, Qiang He
Summary: Methanogenic processes have great potential for sustainable treatment of organic wastes, with methane as a renewable energy source. However, process instability, often caused by organic acid accumulation like propionate, hinders broader application of these processes. Bacterial populations from Syntrophobacterales and Clostridiales were found to be primary partners in anaerobic propionate conversion, while Methanosaeta and Methanoculleus archaeal populations dominated propionate-degrading communities. The identification of microbial populations specifically linked to anaerobic conversion of elevated propionate provides insight for improving process stability in methanogenic waste treatment.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yuanqin Gao, Hao Cheng, Bingcai Xiong, Hongxia Du, Lei Liu, Tadayuki Imanaka, Yasuo Igarashi, Ming Ma, Dinyong Wang, Feng Luo
Summary: This study investigated the biogeochemical transformation and environmental characteristics of mercury (Hg) in anaerobic digestion (AD) of municipal wastewater, as well as the variations of dominant microbes. The results showed that Hg(II) methylation is dominant in the early stage of AD, while methylmercury (MeHg) demethylation dominates in the later stage. Sulfate significantly inhibits MeHg formation and Hg(II) methylation by microbes. Microbial community analysis revealed that certain strains may be directly related to Hg(II) methylation and MeHg demethylation. Overall, this research provides insights into the biogeochemical transformation of Hg in AD, contributing to the scientific treatment of municipal wastewater and reducing the risk of MeHg to human beings.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
M. Concetta Tomei, Domenica Mosca Angelucci, Elisa Clagnan, Lorenzo Brusetti
Summary: Anaerobic biodegradation of toxic compounds in industrial wastewater is an attractive solution for energy and resource recovery, but faces challenges due to low kinetics compared to aerobic processes. Research on anaerobic phenol degradation focuses on microbiological and technological aspects to enhance competitiveness, with a gap still existing between aerobic and anaerobic performance. Efforts are needed to develop powerful technologies and effective strategies to improve the anaerobic process and move towards more sustainable wastewater treatment.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Chungheon Shin, Sebastien H. Tilmans, Felipe Chen, Craig S. Criddle
Summary: The study focuses on the anaerobic treatment of municipal wastewater to produce energy and low levels of biosolids. A generic model for AnMBRs is proposed, which incorporates hydrolysis and dispersed growth microbial metabolism. The model development involved acquiring key kinetic metabolic parameters, creating a matrix of metabolic processes, and developing a model to describe relevant mass balances in the system. Dynamic simulations of a pilot-scale SAF-MBR treating municipal wastewater demonstrate the utility of the model for systems-level performance predictions.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Federico Aulenta, Matteo Tucci, Carolina Cruz Viggi, Jan Dolfing, Ian M. Head, Amelia-Elena Rotaru
Summary: Direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) via electrically conductive minerals can accelerate the anaerobic oxidation of petroleum hydrocarbons at contaminated sites, paving the way for the development of more effective bioremediation approaches.
MICROBIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Oladapo Komolafe, Wojciech Mrozik, Jan Dolfing, Kishor Acharya, Lucas Vassalle, Cesar R. Mota, Russell Davenport
Summary: The study investigated the removal mechanisms and degradation rates of 28 chemicals in different biological treatment systems, finding that biodegradation was the main removal mechanism in activated sludge and WSP WWTPs. Photodegradation of the chemicals was also observed, with estrogens degrading faster under light conditions while triclosan degraded faster in the dark. All chemicals were resistant to anaerobic degradation with UASB sludge. Importantly, the predicted effluent concentrations based on the degradation rates showed good agreement with measured effluent concentrations from a previous study.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ying Xu, Thomas Curtis, Jan Dolfing, Yonghong Wu, Bruce E. Rittmann
Summary: Research findings suggest that the regulation of N-acyl-homoserine-lactones (AHLs) via quorum sensing signaling can optimize phosphorus (P) entrapment in microbial aggregates, promoting microbial growth and enhancing the community of polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) to increase both intra-and extra-cellular P capture.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Ying Xu, Philip G. Kerr, Jan Dolfing, Bruce E. Rittmann, Yonghong Wu
Summary: This study presents an approach for developing periphytic biofilm with AHLs stimulation and La loading to achieve efficient and stable phosphorus recovery from wastewater. The combination of AHLs stimulation and La loading achieved 99.0% P entrapment and a method for separate recovery of P and La from biofilms was developed.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Soil Science
Yonghong Wu, Pengfei Sun, Jan Dolfing, Chengrong Chen
SOIL SCIENCE SOCIETY OF AMERICA JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Jianwei Zhang, Jan Dolfing, Wenjing Liu, Ruirui Chen, Jiabao Zhang, Xiangui Lin, Youzhi Feng
Summary: This study identified indicator microbiomes for soil fertility and crop production based on a continuous 20-year field study. The results highlight the potential of microorganisms in informing and maximizing the functions of future agroecosystems.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Giacomo Butte, Yady Tatiana Solano-Correa, Maria Valasia Peppa, Diana Marcela Ruiz-Ordonez, Rachael Maysels, Nasser Tuqan, Xanthe Polaine, Carolina Montoya-Pachongo, Claire Walsh, Thomas Curtis
Summary: Water security has gained increasing attention at the international level, and evaluating water security requires diverse data with barriers in designing data gathering strategies. The proposed framework aims to fill existing gaps and guide practitioners towards an optimal data gathering strategy.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Dong Wu, Jue Zhao, Yinglong Su, Mengjie Yang, Jan Dolfing, David W. Graham, Kai Yang, Bing Xie
Summary: This study investigated the presence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the Taipu River catchment, a water source for a major drinking water reservoir in Shanghai. The results showed a significant decrease in ARG abundances downstream towards the reservoir, while the assembly of waterborne bacteria was influenced by temperature and dissolved oxygen conditions. The putative resistant pathogens carried mixtures of ARGs with high transmission probability, particularly with the dominant taxa in the microbial assembly.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yue Yi, Jan Dolfing, Ge Jin, XiaoYu Fang, WenHao Han, LaiYan Liu, YueQin Tang, Lei Cheng
Summary: In this study, the influence of ammonia on different methanogenic pathways was evaluated by culturing Methanosarcina barkeri with acetate, H2/CO2, and methanol. Aceticlastic methanogenesis was more sensitive to increased ammonia concentrations than hydrogenotrophic and methylotrophic methanogenesis. The results reveal the varying ammonia tolerances of M. barkeri under different methanogenic pathways, providing insights into the role of the thermodynamic potential of methanogenesis in ammonia stress tolerance and shedding light on the mechanism of ammonia inhibition on anaerobic digestion.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sichu Wang, Pengfei Sun, Junzhuo Liu, Ying Xu, Jan Dolfing, Yonghong Wu
Summary: Periphytic biofilms (PB) at the soil-water interface contribute significantly to methane emissions from rice paddies, but the mechanisms underlying this process are not well understood. This study evaluated the environmental drivers affecting the distribution of methanogenic and methanotrophic communities in rice fields along an edaphoclimatic gradient. The study found that the composition and relative abundance of these communities at the soil-water interface were weakly driven by spatial distance, soil organic carbon, soil total nitrogen, and pH. The study also identified the role of extracellular polymeric substance released by PB in reducing inter/intra-generic interactions and enhancing resilience to edaphic environment changes.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Nina Yan, Biao Hu, Zhiyu Zheng, Haiying Lu, Jingwen Chen, Xiaomei Zhang, Xizhi Jiang, Yonghong Wu, Jan Dolfing, Lei Xu
Summary: A method of preparing magnetic, recyclable biochar with minimal pore blockage was developed by loading ultrafine magnetite onto ball milled biochar and then milling it for a second time. The deposited magnetite did not significantly wrap the biochar, resulting in a decreased sorption performance. However, the extra milling step restored the surface functional groups and specific surface areas, leading to a 93.8% recovery adsorption of 84.6 +/- 2.5 mg/L on methylene blue. The recyclability of the material was not affected, and the adsorption was driven by multiple interactions. This twice-milled magnetic biochar is highly efficient for sustainable removal of aqueous contaminants.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Yuanyuan Bao, Jan Dolfing, Ruirui Chen, Zhongpei Li, Xiangui Lin, Youzhi Feng
Summary: Soil fertility affects microbial-driven plant residue decomposition and soil organic carbon formation. The composition and efficiency of bacterial communities are significantly influenced by soil fertility levels. High fertile soils select for fast but inefficient bacteria, while low fertile soils select for slow but efficient ones.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Maria Westerholm, Magdalena Calusinska, Jan Dolfing
Summary: This review summarizes discoveries in syntrophic propionate degradation research and highlights the importance of understanding the metabolic capabilities and cooperation mechanisms of syntrophic propionate-oxidizing bacteria (SPOB) for biotechnological applications and biogenic methane emissions. The review discusses the gene repertoire, metabolic pathways, and electron transfer mechanisms of SPOB, as well as the environmental conditions governing propionate oxidation in different ecosystems.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sichu Wang, Pengfei Sun, Guangbin Zhang, Neil Gray, Jan Dolfing, Sofia Esquivel-Elizondo, Josep Penuelas, Yonghong Wu
Summary: This study evaluated the contribution of periphytic biofilm (PB) to CO2 and CH4 emissions from rice paddies and found that PB played a significant role in carbon fluxes. PB fixed CO2 and promoted aerobic CH4 oxidation during its growth phase, while it increased soil organic carbon availability and methanogenic microbial community growth during the decay phase, leading to increased CH4 emissions.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Evangelos Petropoulos, Burhan Shamurad, Shamas Tabraiz, Yongjie Yu, Russell Davenport, Thomas P. Curtis, Jan Dolfing
Summary: This study demonstrates the feasibility of anaerobic sewage treatment at extremely low temperatures using UASB and AnMBR reactors. Both systems were able to meet the EU effluent standard after acclimation, with similar methane production capabilities over time. Acetoclastic methanogenesis was found to be important in both setups, with hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis predominantly observed in the UASB reactors.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-WATER RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Iain Hunter, Raz Leib
Summary: Natural movement is related to health, but it is difficult to measure. Existing methods cannot capture the full range of natural movement. Comparing movement across different species helps identify common biomechanical and computational principles. Developing a system to quantify movement in freely moving animals in natural environments and relating it to life quality is crucial. This study proposes a theoretical framework based on movement ability and validates it in Drosophila.
JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Biology
Andy Gardner
Summary: Fisher's geometric model is a useful tool for predicting key properties of Darwinian adaptation, and here it is applied to predict differences between the evolution of altruistic versus nonsocial phenotypes. The results suggest that the effect size maximizing probability of fixation is smaller in the context of altruism and larger in the context of nonsocial phenotypes, leading to lower overall probability of fixation for altruism and higher overall probability of fixation for nonsocial phenotypes.
JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Biology
Thomas F. Pak, Joe Pitt-Francis, Ruth E. Baker
Summary: Cell competition is a process where cells interact in multicellular organisms to determine a winner or loser status, with loser cells being eliminated through programmed cell death. The winner cells then populate the tissue. The outcome of cell competition is context-dependent, as the same cell type can win or lose depending on the competing cell type. This paper proposes a mathematical framework to study the emergence of winner or loser status, highlighting the role of active cell death and identifying the factors that drive cell competition in a cell-based modeling context.
JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Biology
Haruto Tomizuka, Yuuya Tachiki
Summary: Batesian mimicry is a strategy in which palatable prey species resemble unpalatable prey species to avoid predation. The evolution of this mimicry plays a crucial role in protecting the unpalatable species from extinction.
JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Biology
Jason W. Olejarz, Martin A. Nowak
Summary: Gene drive technology shows potential for population control, but its release may have unpredictable consequences. The study suggests that the failure of suppression is a natural outcome, and there are complex dynamics among wild populations.
JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Biology
Hamid Ravaee, Mohammad Hossein Manshaei, Mehran Safayani, Javad Salimi Sartakhti
Summary: Gene expression analysis is valuable for cancer classification and phenotype identification. IP3G, based on Generative Adversarial Networks, enhances gene expression data and discovers phenotypes in an unsupervised manner. By converting gene expression profiles into images and utilizing IP3G, new phenotype profiles can be generated, improving classification accuracy.
JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Biology
Beatrix Rahnsch, Leila Taghizadeh
Summary: This study forecasts the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany using a network-based inference method and compares it with other approaches. The results show that the network-inference based approach outperforms other methods in short-to mid-term predictions, even with limited information about the new disease. Furthermore, predictions based on the estimation of the reproduction number in Germany can yield more reliable results with increasing data availability, but still cannot surpass the network-inference based algorithm.
JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Biology
Rongsheng Huang, Qiaojun Situ, Jinzhi Lei
Summary: Maintaining tissue homeostasis requires appropriate regulation of stem cell differentiation. Random inheritance of epigenetic states plays a pivotal role in stem cell differentiation. This computational model provides valuable insights into the intricate mechanism governing stem cell differentiation and cell reprogramming, offering a promising path for enhancing the field of regenerative medicine.
JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Biology
Patrick Vincent N. Lubenia, Eduardo R. Mendoza, Angelyn R. Lao
Summary: This study compares insulin signaling in healthy and type 2 diabetes states using reaction network analysis. The results show similarities and differences between the two conditions, providing insights into the mechanisms of insulin resistance, including the involvement of other complexes, less restrictive interplay between species, and loss of concentration robustness in GLUT4.
JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Biology
Nuverah Mohsin, Heiko Enderling, Renee Brady-Nicholls, Mohammad U. Zahid
Summary: Mathematical modeling is crucial in understanding radiobiology and designing treatment approaches in radiotherapy for cancer. This study compares three tumor volume dynamics models and analyzes the implications of model selection. A new metric, the point of maximum reduction of tumor volume (MRV), is introduced to quantify the impact of radiotherapy. The results emphasize the importance of caution in selecting models of response to radiotherapy due to the artifacts imposed by each model.
JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Biology
Armindo Salvador
Summary: Michael Savageau's Biochemical Systems Analysis papers have had a significant impact on Systems Biology, generating core concepts and tools. This article provides a brief summary of these papers and discusses the most relevant developments in Biochemical Systems Theory since their publication.
JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
