Article
Engineering, Environmental
Alessio Fenu, Lennert Dockx, Van Damme Sandra, Wynants Frederik, Kirke Verhaeghe, Van Laer Koen, Roels Joris, Delgado Rosalia
Summary: Glycerol is commonly used for denitrification in wastewater treatment, but it is inefficient in non-acclimatized biomass. This study found that the acclimatization of biomass to glycerol is driven by the microbial enrichment of specific bacteria. However, this strategy leads to nitrite accumulation and unexpected nitrous oxide emissions.
WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Celine Lavergne, Polette Aguilar-Munoz, Natalia Calle, Frederic Thalasso, Maria Soledad Astorga-Espana, Armando Sepulveda-Jauregui, Karla Martinez-Cruz, Laure Gandois, Andres Mansilla, Rolando Chamy, Maialen Barret, Lea Cabrol
Summary: Freshwater ecosystems play a significant role in methane emissions and this study investigated the effects of temperature on microbial community structure and methane production pathways in sub-Antarctic lake sediments. The research found that temperature had a significant impact on methane production rates, particularly when methanogenic precursors such as acetate and H-2/CO2 were introduced.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Shu Li, Bao Qi, Wan Wang, Xueyan Peng, Andrey A. Gontcharov, Bao Liu, Qi Wang, Yu Li
Summary: The study identified the bacterial communities associated with the plasmodia of six myxomycetes species and found that while the bacterial composition varied among species, there was a high similarity in the functional composition of the bacterial communities. The enrichment for gram-negative and aerobic bacteria in plasmodia suggests that myxomycetes may selectively recruit certain bacteria from the environment.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alice Delacuvellerie, Tosca Ballerini, Laura Frere, Sabine Matallana-Surget, Bruno Dumontet, Ruddy Wattiez
Summary: Plastics accumulate in the polluted Mediterranean Sea, forming the plastisphere. The composition of microbial community on plastic is influenced by the sampling site and polymer chemical composition. Enrichment cultures show the presence of plastic-degrading microorganisms with potential role in plastic degradation.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maria Takman, Ola Svahn, Catherine Paul, Michael Cimbritz, Stefan Blomqvist, Jan Struckmann Poulsen, Jeppe Lund Nielsen, Asa Davidsson
Summary: This study examined a full-scale membrane bioreactor (MBR) with ultrafiltration and granular activated carbon (GAC) for the potential reuse of treated water as drinking water or for irrigation. The MBR removed most of the bacteria, while the GAC removed a significant amount of organic micropollutants. Seasonal variations in inflow and infiltration resulted in concentrated influent during summer and diluted influent in winter. The effluent concentrations of E. coli met irrigation water standards but exceeded drinking water standards in Sweden.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Wenke Zhang, Xiaoquan Fan, Haobo Shi, Jian Li, Mingqian Zhang, Jin Zhao, Xiaoquan Su
Summary: In this study, a comprehensive method called Qscore was proposed to evaluate the performance of 16S rRNA amplicons in microbial profiling. The method integrated factors such as amplification rate, taxonomic annotation, sequence type, and length. Evaluation of a wide range of microbe species and microbiomes showed that the Qscore-suggested parameters resulted in high precision in microbiome profiling. This study has significant implications for guiding future microbiome studies and enabling the reuse of massive sequence data.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Philip M. Roveto, Adwaith Gupta, Andrew J. Schuler
Summary: The study showed that surface skewness has significant impacts on biofilm development, with surfaces with negative skewness promoting nitrite oxidation and biomass growth. Analysis of 16s rRNA gene sequencing revealed differences in bacterial populations, and PCoA analysis indicated divergence between populations on skew and flat surfaces.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Nerea Uri-Carreno, Per H. Nielsen, Krist V. Gernaey, Qian Wang, Ulla Gro Nielsen, Marta Nierychlo, Susan H. Hansen, Lisette Thomsen, Xavier Flores-Alsina
Summary: Membrane-Aerated Biofilm Reactors (MABRs) are an effective alternative for wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) with enhanced nitrogen removal capacity and reduced energy consumption. This study demonstrates the impact of oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) on the performance of MABRs, showing that low ORP conditions can hinder nitrification. By increasing ORP and replacing/cleaning membranes, nitrification rates and the abundance of nitrifying organisms were significantly improved. The study also suggests that low ORP conditions promote the reduction of iron and sulfur compounds, leading to deposition in the biofilm and inhibiting nitrifiers growth.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Kayla M. Williamson, Brandie D. Wagner, Charles E. Robertson, Mark J. Stevens, Marci K. Sontag, Peter M. Mourani, J. Kirk Harris
Summary: The study aimed to increase the sensitivity of bacterial community analysis without impacting community composition or interfering with cluster formation during sequencing. The modified PCR protocol showed increased sensitivity in detecting bacterial communities in airway samples, crucial for studying the highly variable human airway microbiome.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Xiao Zha, Panagiotis Tsapekos, Xinyu Zhu, Benyamin Khoshnevisan, Xiwu Lu, Irini Angelidaki
Summary: The study showed that utilizing biogas and discarded effluent from AD as nutrient sources to produce SCP using methanotrophic bacteria is feasible, with high yield and protein content.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Patricia Bovio-Winkler, Leandro D. Guerrero, Leonardo Erijman, Pia Oyarzua, Maria Eugenia Suarez-Ojeda, Angela Cabezas, Claudia Etchebehere
Summary: This study used a metagenomic approach to investigate the diversity and metabolic potential of Chloroflexi in three environmentally different bioreactors. The genomes of 17 new Chloroflexi species were assembled, two of which are proposed as new Candidatus genus. Common metabolic features were found in these genomes, including anaerobic metabolism, fermentative pathways, and genes coding for hydrolytic enzymes. The analysis also indicated a potential role of Chloroflexi in nitrogen conversion and adhesion.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Vikas Kumar, Inderjeet Tyagi, Abhishek Patidar, Devkant Singha, Kaomud Tyagi
Summary: This study comprehensively characterized the gut bacteria of nine thrips species collected from two geographical areas of India and attempted to elucidate the impact of different feeding habits on the gut microbiota. The results showed that the gut bacterial structure at the phylum level was similar among different thrips species, but significantly different at the genus level. The gut microbiota was involved in various metabolic pathways.
JOURNAL OF TAIBAH UNIVERSITY FOR SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kusum Dhakar, Shlomit Medina, Hamam Ziadna, Karam Igbaria, Guy Achdari, Ran Lati, Raphy Zarecki, Zeev Ronen, Guy Dovrat, Hanan Eizenberg, Shiri Freilich
Summary: Microbial communities in different crop fields respond differently to the application of the herbicide atrazine, as revealed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The nutrient-poor soil showed a different response compared to the nutrient-rich soils, both in terms of atrazine persistence and its effect on bacterial community structure and composition. Specific bacterial degraders of atrazine were more abundant in the contaminated nutrient-poor soil, while bacteria involved in nitrogen cycling were more abundant in the contaminated nutrient-rich soil. Understanding these responses can help in designing precision application strategies.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Ilse Verburg, H. Pieter J. van Veelen, Karola Waar, John W. A. Rossen, Alex W. Friedrich, Lucia Hernandez Leal, Silvia Garcia-Cobos, Heike Schmitt
Summary: The study found that the overall bacterial composition differed between clinical wastewater and non-clinical wastewater, but target taxa were not enriched in clinical wastewater. This suggests that treating clinical wastewater before release into the wastewater system would only remove a minor part of the total potential pathogen load. Most target taxa showed a decreased relative abundance after wastewater treatment, yet all investigated taxa were detected in 68% of the treated effluent samples-meaning that these bacteria are continuously released into the receiving surface water. Temporal variation was observed for specific taxa in surface water, but not in wastewater samples.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Marcel Suleiman, Francesca Demaria, Cristina Zimmardi, Boris Alexander Kolvenbach, Philippe Francois-Xavier Corvini
Summary: Pharmaceuticals accumulation in the environment is a concern for our planet and health. Little is known about the biodegradation capacity of microbial communities for multiple micropollutants. This study demonstrates the feasibility of cultivating stable microbial communities capable of degrading a mixture of highly concentrated pharmaceuticals.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Angela Cabezas, Gaston Azziz, Patricia Bovio-Winkler, Laura Fuentes, Lucia Braga, Jorge Wenzel, Silvia Sabaris, Silvana Tarlera, Claudia Etchebehere
Summary: The nitrogen cycle in Antarctic ecosystems, especially under extreme conditions, has been poorly studied. This research aimed to isolate and characterize denitrifying bacteria in different cold environments in Antarctica and found a wide range of bacteria capable of denitrification, including some with previously undescribed denitrification genes.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Felipe Eng, Lucas Tadeu Fuess, Patricia Bovio-Winkler, Claudia Etchebehere, Isabel Kimiko Sakamoto, Marcelo Zaiat
Summary: This study optimized the production of volatile fatty acids (VFA) through dark fermentation (DF) of sugarcane vinasse. The results showed the highest VFA production at a temperature of 39.6 °C and initial pH of 8.8. Microbial community analysis revealed the presence of specific microbial families associated with VFA production and consumption. This study provides a basis for vinasse management in the carboxylate platform context.
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES AND ASSESSMENTS
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Lia Paula Poloni Batista, Ana Paula Paulinetti, Antonio Djalma Nunes Ferraz Jr, Roberta Albanez, Suzana Maria Ratusznei, Claudia Etchebehere, Giovanna Lovato, Jose Alberto Domingues Rodrigues
Summary: The goal of this study was to compare the efficiency of a single-stage and two-stage system for anaerobic digestion and bioenergy production using a sequencing batch and fed-batch biofilm reactor. The results showed that the single-stage system achieved better performance with high organic matter removal, methane productivity, and yield. Temperature also influenced the microbial community diversity and the abundance of Methanosarcina genus.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AND PROCESSING-PROCESS INTENSIFICATION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Agustina Ziliani, Patricia Bovio-Winkler, Angela Cabezas, Claudia Etchebehere, Hector A. Garcia, Carlos M. Lopez-Vazquez, Damir Brdjanovic, Mark C. M. van Loosdrecht, Francisco J. Rubio-Rincon
Summary: Ca. Accumulibacter was found to be the predominant microorganism (67 +/- 5% relative FISH bio-abundance) in a lab-scale sequential batch reactor for enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) using glucose and acetate as carbon sources (1:1 COD-based ratio). The reactor showed high performance in terms of P/C ratio, phosphorous release and uptake, and overall kinetic and stoichiometric parameters for EBPR systems. The research also discovered that Ca. Accumulibacter can potentially utilize glucose as the sole carbon source for phosphate removal, challenging conventional theories.
Article
Microbiology
Patricia Bovio-Winkler, Leandro D. Guerrero, Leonardo Erijman, Pia Oyarzua, Maria Eugenia Suarez-Ojeda, Angela Cabezas, Claudia Etchebehere
Summary: This study used a metagenomic approach to investigate the diversity and metabolic potential of Chloroflexi in three environmentally different bioreactors. The genomes of 17 new Chloroflexi species were assembled, two of which are proposed as new Candidatus genus. Common metabolic features were found in these genomes, including anaerobic metabolism, fermentative pathways, and genes coding for hydrolytic enzymes. The analysis also indicated a potential role of Chloroflexi in nitrogen conversion and adhesion.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jose A. Contreras, Edgardo I. Valenzuela, Patricia Bovio-Winkler, Claudia Etchebehere, Carmen Gabaldon, Guillermo Quijano
Summary: The anaerobic oxidation of methane coupled to denitrification (N-AOM) is a promising biotechnology for reducing the environmental impact of anaerobic effluents. In this study, a continuous N-AOM reactor was used to evaluate its performance, achieving methane elimination capacity values of 20-39 g m -3h- 1 with NO3- as the electron acceptor, and 48-61 g m -3h- 1 with a mixture of NO3- and NO2-. The pH value was found to be a critical factor influencing the process. Metagenomic analysis revealed potential metabolic mechanisms involved in N-AOM.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
B. M. Dellagnezze, P. Bovio-Winkler, C. Lavergne, D. A. Menoni, F. Mosquillo, L. Cabrol, M. Barret, C. Etchebehere
Summary: The activity of methanogenic archaea is expected to be affected by warmer temperatures, leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions in the Arctic. A study was conducted to investigate microbial adaptation and tolerance to higher temperatures and acetate concentrations. The results showed that acetate amendment significantly changed the archaeal diversity, favoring methanogens from Methanosarcinales. Temperature did not have a significant influence on methanogens' diversity, indicating their adaptability to warmer conditions. The study also revealed faster microbial response to CH4 production rates at warmer temperatures, providing insights for potential biotechnological applications.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Florencia Cancela, Natalia Ramos, Davida S. Smyth, Claudia Etchebehere, Mabel Berois, Jesica Rodriguez, Caterina Rufo, Alicia Aleman, Liliana Borzacconi, Julieta G. Lopez, Elizabeth Gonzalez, German Botto, Starla Thornhill, Santiago Mirazo, Monica Trujillo
Summary: Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 variants in wastewater samples can effectively track epidemics and enhance health preparedness. Next generation sequencing of viral RNA in wastewater provides a convenient and cost-effective method to understand the molecular epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 and population dynamics of viral variants at the community level. In Uruguay, we found a transition in viral variant predominance through wastewater surveillance, which correlated with clinical surveillance from nasal swabs.
Article
Electrochemistry
Angela Cabezas, Bibiana Cercado, Habib Chouchane, Eduardo Corton, Ola Gomaa, Falk Harnisch, Janice Limson, Valeria Reginatto Spiller, Ignacio Vargas
Summary: Microbial electrochemistry and microbial electrochemical technology (MET) is a thriving interdisciplinary research field. However, capacity building in regions such as Latin America & Caribbean (LA & C) and Africa is lacking, leading to slower research and development progress in these areas compared to Europe, Asia Pacific, or North America. This article highlights the specific challenges faced by researchers in LA & C and Africa and discusses potential solutions to overcome them, emphasizing the importance of global collaboration to bridge the capacity building gap.
JOURNAL OF SOLID STATE ELECTROCHEMISTRY
(2023)