Vasil A Gaisin, Corina Hadjicharalambous, Izabela Mujakic et al.

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) • 2025

Bacterial contractile injection systems (CISs) are multiprotein complexes that facilitate the bacterial response to environmental factors or interactions with other organisms. Multiple novel CISs have been characterised in laboratory bacterial cultures recently; however, studying CISs in the context of the native microbial community remains challenging. Here, we present an approach to characterise a new, bioinformatically predicted CIS by directly analysing bacterial cells from their natural environment. Using cryo-focused ion beam milling and cryo-electron tomography (cryoET) imaging, guided by 16S amplicon sequencing, we discovered that thermophilic Chloroflexota bacteria produce intracellular CIS particles in a natural microbial hot spring mat. We then found a niche-specific production of CIS in the structured microbial community using an approach combining shotgun metagenomics, proteomics, and immunogold staining. Bioinformatic analysis and imaging revealed CISs in other extremophilic Chloroflexota and Deinococcota. This Chloroflexota/Deinococcota CIS lineage shows phylogenetic and structural similarity to previously described cytoplasmic CIS from Streptomyces and probably shares the same cytoplasmic mode of action. Our integrated environmental cryoET approach is suitable for discovering and characterising novel macromolecular complexes in environmental samples.

Diego Rojas-Gätjens, Alejandro Arce-Rodríguez, Fernando Puente-Sánchez et al.

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) • 2020

Abstract In this work, we characterize the geochemistry and microbial community of Bajo las Peñas, a neutral (pH 6.5-7.4), hot spring (T = 62.0-68.0°C) located near Turrialba Volcano, Costa Rica. The microbiota at its two sources belongs mainly to the family Aquificae, comprising OTUs closely related to the genera Sulfurihydrogenibium , Thermosulfidibacter , Thermodesulfovibrio and Thermocrinis which is consistent with the presence of moderate levels of sulfate (243-284 mg/L) along the stream. We determined a dramatic shift in the microbial community just a few meters downstream of the sources of the hot spring (15-20 meters), with a change from sulfur related chemoautotrophic (e.g. Sulfurihydrogenibium and an OTU closely related to Thermodesulfovibrio ) to chemoheterotrophic prokaryotes (e.g. Meiothermus , Nitrososphaera , Thermoflexus , Thermus ). Thus, in this neutral hot spring, the first level of the trophic chain is associated with photosynthesis as well other anaerobic CO 2 fixing bacteria. Then, thermotolerant chemoheterotrophic bacteria colonize the environment to degrade organic matter and use fermentative products from the first level of the trophic chain. Our data demonstrate how quickly the microbial community of an ecosystem can change in response to environmental variables and sheds light on the microbial ecology of less common circumneutral pH hot springs.

T Slosser, E Markert, M Wenick et al.

Research Square • 2023

Abstract Aerobic ammonia oxidation is crucial to the nitrogen cycle, and is only known to be performed by a small number of bacterial lineages (Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria, or AOBs) and a single clade of archaea (Ammonia Oxidizing Archaea, or AOAs) belonging to the Nitrososphaera class of Thaumarchaeota. Most characterized AOA originate from marine or wastewater environments, but this may represent only a limited subset of the full diversity of this clade. Here, we describe several genomes of AOA from metagenomic sequencing of a hot spring microbial mat, representing several poorly characterized basal lineages that may be important for understanding the early evolution of archaeal ammonia oxidation.

G. Pillot, O. Amin Ali, S. Davidson et al.

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) • 2020

Abstract Deep-sea hydrothermal vents are extreme and complex ecosystems based on a trophic chain. We are still unsure of the identities of the first colonizers of these environments and their metabolism, but they are thought to be (hyper)thermophilic autotrophs. Here we investigate whether the electric potential observed across hydrothermal chimneys could serve as an energy source for these first colonizers. Experiments were performed in a two-chamber microbial electrochemical system inoculated with deep-sea hydrothermal chimney samples, with a cathode as sole electron donor, CO 2 as sole carbon source, and nitrate, sulfate, or oxygen as electron acceptors. After a few days of culture, all three experiments showed growth of electrotrophic biofilms consuming the electrons (directly or indirectly) and producing organic compounds including acetate, glycerol, and pyruvate. Within the biofilms, the only known autotroph species retrieved were members of Archaeoglobales . Various heterotrophic phyla also grew through trophic interactions, with Thermococcales growing in all three experiments as well as other bacterial groups specific to each electron acceptor. This electrotrophic metabolism as energy source driving initial microbial colonization of conductive hydrothermal chimneys is discussed.

Gunter Wegener, Massimiliano Molari, Autun Purser et al.

Research Square • 2023

Abstract Hydrothermal vents transport hot fluids rich in potential microbial energy sources into the water column. Here, we describe two deep-sea mounds with hydrothermal venting on the Gakkel Ridge in the ice-covered Central Arctic Ocean. Both mounds showed fresh pillow basalts and mineralization of metal sulfides. Vent fauna were rare, but locally filter feeders and opportunists grazing microbial mats were abundant. The hydrothermal plumes rose up to 800 m into the deep Arctic Ocean, and in the non-buoyant plume phase, rates of microbial carbon fixation were up to 50 times higher than values for background seawater. In the Polaris plume, sulfide and hydrogen supported the growth of the chemoautotrophs SUP05 and Candidatus Sulfuriomonas pluma. At the Aurora vents, the hydrogen oxidizer Ca. S. pluma dominated, whereas metal sulfide precipitation reduced the bioavailability of sulfide in the plume. There was no evidence for methane consumption at either site. Our results demonstrate the dominance of hydrogen as an energy source in Arctic hydrothermal vents.

Jorge Daniel Taillant

Glaciers • 2015

It’s mind-boggling (and a bit scary) to consider that while most of our planet’s surface is covered with water, only about 2–3% of this water is actually freshwater—that is, water that we can drink. That means that most of the world’s water (about 98%) is of no use for human consumption or for agriculture. But perhaps a more startling statistic that few actually realize is that of this minuscule percentage of water that is actually apt for consumption, three-fourths of it is packed away in dense millenary ice located in the polar ice caps; this is water that we will probably never see in fresh liquid form. Except for documentaries we see occasionally on television about fearsome adventurers who traveled to Antarctica or to the ice sheets of the North Pole, most of us have never ventured (and probably never will) to the North or South Pole where this ice is located. These are rather inhospitable places of our planet that we could only tolerate on extremely nice days and only for a few days at best, if we were ever able to get there at all. We hear about the polar caps melting due to climate change. We see images of penguins in the Southern Hemisphere or polar bears in the north suffering from a warming climate, and we even see entertaining animated movies about these obscure and rapidly changing environments and how odd creatures adapt or succumb to these changes. We hear from many media sources, from scientists and from environmentalists, that enormous ice masses at the poles are melting fast and breaking away into our oceans. James Balog, a photographer and cryoactivist, recently produced a documentary film called Chasing Ice, which incredibly captured the calving (the collapse) of a chunk of glacier ice half the size of Manhattan Island, breaking off from the Ilulissat Glacier and rolling into gelid waters off Greenland. Pieces of glacier ice more than 200 meters (650 ft) tall—as tall as skyscrapers—suddenly sank, vanished, resurfaced, and bounced around in the water as this colossal glacier crumbled into the sea. Since then, much larger calvings have been reported around the world.

Sun Zhenqi, Wang Shijin

• 2023

Taking the Yangtze River Source Basin (YRSB) and Shule River Basin (SRB) as two typical cases, the sustainability of the water resources in these two basins was evaluated using the Level of Water Stress (LWS) from Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.4.2, and the regulating effect of the glacier runoff on the LWS was quantified. From 2000 to 2030, the level of socioeconomic development in the YRSB is low, and the total water consumption is only about 0.18×10 m whereas the SRB has a relatively high level of socioeconomic development and total water consumption is about 10×10 m , i.e., 50 times higher than that in the YRSB. For the above reasons, the SRB’s LWS is much higher than the YRSB’s, resulting in a very low sustainability of water resources. As natural assets, glaciers flow downstream in runoff mode, so compensation at the watershed scale should be considered. In the basin, the optimal allocation of water resources is needed. At the inter-basin scale, the compensation mechanism of glacier water resources needs to be improved.

Jessica Mulvogue

Studies in World Cinema • 2023

Abstract In “Cinema Seen from Etna”, Jean Epstein makes an enigmatic comparison between cinema and the volcano. In witnessing the exploding Etna, Epstein proclaims that he saw cinema itself. This essay examines this connection between cinema and the volcano through an exploration of Werner Herzog’s documentary Into the Inferno (2016) and Malena Szlam’s geological films ALTIPLANO (2018) and MERAPI (2021). Drawing on literature in environmental humanities – especially those on the lithic and the elemental – I think the cinema through the volcano to arrive at the proposition that cinema, at least a certain kind of ‘volcanic cinema’, is a means of approaching something we might call ‘volcanic thinking’. This is a thinking alongside the elements, one that bears particular affinity with the sometimes explosive churning of rock and fire, a thinking that is necessary and critical for our volatile age.

Alex Burkert, Thomas A. Douglas, Mark P. Waldrop et al.

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) • 2018

Abstract Permafrost hosts a community of microorganisms that survive and reproduce for millennia despite extreme environmental conditions such as water stress, subzero temperatures, high salinity, and low nutrient availability. Many studies focused on permafrost microbial community composition use DNA-based methods such as metagenomic and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. However, these methods do not distinguish between active, dead, and dormant cells. This is of particular concern in ancient permafrost where constant subzero temperatures preserve DNA from dead organisms and dormancy may be a common survival strategy. To circumvent this we applied: (i) live/dead differential staining coupled with microscopy, (ii) endospore enrichment, and (iii) selective depletion of DNA from dead cells to permafrost microbial communities across a Pleistocene permafrost chronosequence (19K, 27K, and 33K). Cell counts and analysis of 16S rRNA gene amplicons from live, dead, and dormant cells revealed how communities differ between these pools and how they change over geologic time. We found clear evidence that cells capable of forming endospores are not necessarily dormant and that the propensity to form endospores differed among taxa. Specifically, Bacilli are more likely to form endospores in response to long-term stressors associated with permafrost environmental conditions than members of Clostridia, which are more likely to persist as vegetative cells over geologic timescales. We also found that exogenous DNA preserved within permafrost does not bias DNA sequencing results since its removal did not significantly alter the microbial community composition. These results extend the findings of a previous study that showed permafrost age and ice content largely control microbial community diversity and cell abundances. Importance The study of permafrost transcends the study of climate change and exobiology. Permafrost soils store more than half earth’s soil carbon despite covering ∽15% of the land area (Tarnocai et al 2009). This permafrost carbon is rapidly degraded following thaw (Tarnocai C et al 2009, Schuur et al 2015). Understanding microbial communities in permafrost will contribute to the knowledge base necessary to understand the rates and forms of permafrost C and N cycling post thaw. Permafrost is also an analog for frozen extraterrestrial environments and evidence of viable organisms in ancient permafrost is of interest to those searching for potential life on distant worlds. If we can identify strategies microbial communities utilize to survive permafrost we can focus efforts searching for evidence of life on cryogenic cosmic bodies. Our work is significant because it contributes to an understanding of how microbial life adapts and survives in the extreme environmental conditions in permafrost terrains across geologic timescales.

Luyao Kang, Yutong Song, Rachel Mackelprang et al.

• 2024

Permafrost, characterized by its frozen soil, serves as a unique and ecologically significant habitat for diverse microorganisms. Understanding the intricacies of their community structure and functional attributes is crucial for predicting the response of permafrost ecosystems to climate change. However, large-scale evidence regarding microbial profiles and their differences across soil strata remains limited. Here we analyze microbial structure and metabolic potential in permafrost deposits based on 16S rRNA and metagenomic data obtained from a ∼1,000 km permafrost transect on the Tibetan Plateau. We find that microbial communities exhibit apparent discrepancy in structure among soil depth, with a decline in alpha diversity and an increase in spatial variation along soil profile. Microbial assemblages are primarily governed by dispersal limitation and drift, with dispersal limitation being more pronounced in permafrost layer. We also observe that functional genes related to reduction reactions, including nitrate reduction, denitrification, polysulfide reduction, sulfide reduction, tetrathionate reduction, Fe reduction, and methanogenesis, are enriched in the permafrost layer. Taxa involving in redox reactions are more diverse in the permafrost layer and contribute highly to community-level metabolic profiles, reflecting higher redox potential and more complicated trophic strategies for microorganisms in permafrost deposits. These findings provide new insights into the large-scale stratigraphic profiles of microbial community structure and biogeochemical processes and laying the groundwork for future endeavors that elucidate microbial responses to environmental change in permafrost regions.

Sylvain Monteux,

• 2021

<p>Considering the potential positive feedback between climate warming and the release of greenhouse gases following the increased decomposition of the organic matter stored in permafrost soils as they thaw is an important challenge for the upcoming climate change assessments. While our understanding of physico-chemical constraints on thawing permafrost SOM decomposition has vastly improved since IPCC’s fifth assessment report, biotic interactions can still be the source of large uncertainties. Here we discuss the effects of two biotic interactions in the context of thawing permafrost: rhizosphere priming effect and microbial functional limitations. Rhizosphere priming effects are still-unclear mechanisms that result in increased SOM decomposition rates in the vicinity of plant roots. We consider these effects through the PrimeSCale modeling framework, discussing its predictions and its limitations, in particular which observations and data should be acquired to further improve it. Microbial functional limitations were recently evidenced in permafrost microbial communities and consist in missing or impaired functions, likely due to strong environmental filtering over millennial time-scales. We present what this mechanism can imply in terms of permafrost soil functioning and briefly discuss what could be the next steps before its inclusions in modeling efforts.</p>

H. Link, G. Chaillou, A. Forest et al.

• 2012

The effects of climate change on Arctic marine ecosystems and their biogeochemical cycles are difficult to predict given the complex physical, biological and chemical interactions among the ecosystem components. To predict the impact of future changes on benthic biogeochemical fluxes in the Arctic, it is important to understand the influence of short-term (seasonal to annual), long-term (annual to decadal) and other environmental variability on their spatial distribution. In summer 2009, we measured fluxes of dissolved oxygen, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, soluble reactive phosphate and silicic acid at the sediment-water interface at eight sites in the southeastern Beaufort Sea at water depths from 45 to 580 m to address the following question and hypotheses using a statistical approach: (1) What is the spatial variation of benthic boundary fluxes (sink and source)? (2) The classical proxy of benthic activity, oxygen flux, does not determine overall spatial variation in fluxes. (3) A different combination of environmental conditions that vary either on a long-term (decadal) or short-term (seasonal to annual) scale determine each single flux. And (4) A combination of environmental conditions varying on the short and long-term scale drive the overall spatial variation in benthic boundary fluxes. The spatial pattern of the measured benthic boundary fluxes was heterogeneous. Multivariate analysis of flux data showed that no single or reduced combination of fluxes could explain the majority of spatial variation. We tested the influence of eight environmental parameters: sinking flux of particulate organic carbon above the bottom, sediment surface Chl a (both short-term), porosity, surface manganese and iron concentration, bottom water oxygen concentrations (all long-term), phaeopigments (intermediate-term influence) and Δ13Corg (terrestrial influence) on benthic fluxes. Short-term environmental parameters were most important for explaining oxygen, ammonium and nitrate fluxes. Long-term parameters together with Δ13Corg signature explained most of the spatial variation in phosphate, nitrate and nitrite fluxes. Sediment pigments and Δ13Corg levels in surficial sediments were most important to explain fluxes of silicic acid. The overall spatial distribution of fluxes could be best explained (57%) by the combination of sediment Chla, phaeopigments, Δ13Corg, surficial manganese and bottom water oxygen concentration. We conclude that it is necessary to consider long-term environmental variability in the prediction of the impact of ongoing short-term environmental changes on the flux of oxygen and nutrients in Arctic sediments. Our results contribute to improve ecological models predicting the impact if climate change on the functioning of marine ecosystems.

Delene Oosthuizen, Mathew Seymour, Lara Atkinson et al.

Research Square • 2022

Abstract Inventories of biodiversity are crucial for helping support conservation efforts, yet the deep sea, which is the largest biome on earth remains vastly understudied. Recent advances in molecular detection methods offer alternative techniques for studying inaccessible ecosystems, including those at depth. In this study we utilized environmental DNA metabarcoding, a first for studying deep-sea benthic environments in southern Africa, to assess the biological diversity and possible effect of trawling on these communities in the study area. Utilising sediment samples collected across a depth gradient and targeting a region of the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene, we recovered 444 OTUs across a wide array of species and genera, although many OTUs could only be assigned to higher taxonomic levels. Results showed that biodiversity differed significantly across depth, suggesting that even at relatively small spatial scales (~ 6 km) eDNA derived biodiversity detected variation linked to the depth gradient. No significant effects of trawling could be detected from eDNA analyses. Comparison of the OTU database with known species inventories from the sampled area revealed little overlap, highlighting the need for expanding barcoding efforts of deep-sea species to aid future eDNA survey efforts. Overall our results suggest that, with increased barcoding efforts, a combined approach of eDNA metabarcoding and physical sampling could capture a greater proportion of benthic deep-sea biodiversity. This provides provides additional opportunities to underpin conservation and management decision-making in the region, such as evaluating potential sites for future protection.

C. Skajem

ADIPEC • 2023

Although international shipping is critical to global trade, maritime transport is a major source of air pollution, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Despite progress in recent years, the maritime sector still relies almost entirely on fossil fuels. At present, atmospheric emissions fossil fuel powered ships include sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM), and carbon dioxide (CO2). According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations agency responsible for preventing air pollution by ships, maritime shipping is responsible for 18 to 30% of NOx, 9% of SOx, and 3.5-4 % of CO2 emissions worldwide. In addition, the maritime risk management and environmental assessment organization RightShip projects, that if no abatement action is taken, global CO2 emissions may increase 50 to 250% by 2050 because of shipping growth. In April 2018, the IMO adopted a non-binding agreement to reduce CO2 emissions. Suggested carbon reduction strategies include improving fuel quality and engine emission standards as well as using new technologies, such as fuel cells.

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International Journal of Sustainable Water and Environmental Systems • 2016

Lignocellulose is considered as an abundant source of carbohydrates that can be used to produce renewable fuels and chemicals such as biomethane, which have economic and environmental advantages over fossil resources. However, conventional bioprocesses are based on the use of fresh water. Finding a new way to minimize the need for fresh water is economically important. This study focuses on the feasibility of bioenergy production from local mangroves plant using sea water biorefinery concept. Samples of Avicennia marina were collected from the coastal areas in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. Based on anaerobic fermentation, inoculum was added to batch system that had sea water and the sampled biomass of 1.09g. Gas chromatography analysis had showed an increment in the biomethane production over an incubation period of initially of forty eight days at 37 ̊C and the last and highest reading reached 52.8 mlCH4/gVS by day 48.

J. K. M. Appah, E. Dillane, A. Lim et al.

Research Square • 2021

Abstract In the Porcupine Bank Canyon, Lophelia pertusa and Madrepora oculata are the main framework-forming corals producing three dimensional structures which provide a home for a range of benthic fauna and microbial communities. To understand the roles and functions that microbes perform in coral health in the Porcupine Bank Canyon, three groups of samples (corals, sediment and water) were collected between 600–800 m depth. DNA was extracted from these samples and metabarcoding was performed on the V3-V4 region of the 16S RNA gene using Illumina technology. The coral microbiome showed greater microbial diversity than both the surrounding sediment and water communities. The genera Pseudomonas , Pseudoalteramonas and Photobacterium were the bacterial communities conserved at 100% coverage of coral samples whereas at the order-level classification Clostridiales, Bacteroidales, Flavobacteriales, Rhodobacterales and Rickettsiales were in high abundance in all the coral samples. A disproportionate distribution of probiotic and pathogenic bacterial groups at the different levels of classification was observed on the corals. Corals do not appear, at present, to be stressed by climate induced changing environmental conditions in the upper Porcupine Bank Canyon. Overall, the corals in the Porcupine Bank Canyon are in a healthy state despite the detection of pathogenic bacterial groups. However, the current trend of climate change and subsequent deep-sea warming could shift the bacterial composition towards a more dominant pathogenic bacterial community, with serious implications for coral health and stability of this important ecosystem.

Harry Seijmonsbergen, Sanne Valentijn, Lisan Westerhof et al.

• 2021

<p>There is a growing demand for mineral resources such as metals and rare earth elements, but global terrestrial resources are rapidly declining. Alternatively, the ocean floor provides unprecedented mining potential. However, their occurrences  in relation to ocean floor geodiversity is largely unexplored. Therefore, it is unclear what the (irreversible) potential impact of future mining is on ocean floor geodiversity.</p><p>Here, we quantify the ocean floor geodiversity of the West-Pacific ocean floor and explore the distribution of three mineral resources: polymetallic sulfides, cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts and polymetallic nodules.  We developed a workflow for the calculation of a geodiversity index composed of openly available geomorphological, sediment thickness, bathymetric and derived ocean floor roughness input data in ArcGIS Pro.</p><p>Our results show a large variety in geodiversity on the West-Pacific ocean floor, ranging from very low and low geodiversity on large plateaus and in wide trenches and throughs, to high and very high geodiversity in heterogeneous, patchy environments on shelves, basins and abyssal plains. Regression analysis results indicate that polymetallic sulfides and cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts positively correlate to the geodiversity index, while polymetallic nodules indicate a negative correlation.  Further analysis will focus on refining and expanding this method to a global extent by adding ocean floor age, a possible important factor, into the geodiversity assessment.</p><p>Our findings suggest that understanding of ocean floor geodiversity can contribute to promote sustainable mining and support conservation of the ocean floor.</p>

T. Freudenthal, G. Wefer

• 2013

Abstract. Sampling of the upper 50 to 200 m of the sea floor to address questions relating to marine mineral resources and gas hydrates, for geotechnical research in areas of planned offshore installations, to study slope stability, and to investigate past climate fluctuations, to name just a few examples, is becoming increasingly important both in shallow waters and in the deep sea. As a rule, the use of drilling ships for this kind of drilling is inefficient because before the first core can be taken a drill string has to be assembled extending from the ship to the sea floor. Furthermore, movement of the ship due to wave motion disturbs the drilling process and often results in poor core quality, especially in the upper layers of the sea floor. For these reasons, the MeBo drilling rig, which is lowered to the sea floor and operated remotely from the ship to drill up to 80 m into the sea floor, was developed at the MARUM Research Center for Marine Environmental Sciences at Bremen University. The complete system, comprising the drill rig, winch, control station, and the launch and recovery system, is transported in six containers and can be deployed worldwide from German and international research ships. It was the first remote-controlled deep sea drill rig that uses a wireline coring technique. Based on the experiences with the MeBo a rig is now being built that will be able to drill to a depth of 200 m.

Elva Escobar-Briones, Ricardo Serrão Santos, Kelsey Archer Barnhill et al.

• 2025

In October 2023, French President Emmanuel Macron requested an international scientific consultation to synthesize the ‘‘scientific evidence concerning the serious risks that the international community would take by allowing the exploitation of the deep sea.” In response, we created an international scientific committee of 17 members to compile expert advice and recommendations from deep-sea scientists and a large range of knowledge holders from around the globe. Scientific committee members were selected to represent diverse genders and geographical backgrounds, providing expertise in both natural and social sciences within the fields of deep-sea research, ocean governance, mineral resources, environmental economics, ecosystem management, and oceanography. Through a six-month consultation, the scientific committee created two outputs: (1) a brief position statement backed with signatures and (2) a longer expert question and answer document. Major themes of both outputs include the deep-sea environment, environmental impacts from deep sea mining (DSM), socio-economic aspects of DSM, potential legal issues, uncertainties, and looking to the future. Through compiling expert advice, insight, and recommendations, the findings in both outputs call for support towards a global deep-sea mining moratorium. Calls for a DSM moratorium or precautionary pause are gaining momentum internationally, led by the need for more time to conduct research to reduce uncertainties of impacts on the seafloor, the water column, and associated biodiversity. By engaging experts from across disciplines and geographies, we ensured the outputs were not only scientifically credible but also contextually relevant and globally resonant. It is through this international and transdisciplinary approach that the global deep-sea consultation was able to deliver inclusive and comprehensive insights to bridge the science-policy interface within the DSM debate.

Syafrizal Syafrizal

Scientific Contributions Oil and Gas • 2020

Petroleum that is produced from several oil wells produces a fluid containing a mixture of petroleum, natural gas and produced water. The produced water usually contains hazardous chemicals such as hydrocarbons, sulfides, ammonia, phenols and other heavy metals. One of the high pollutants in the water produced is phenol. Through a biodegradation process, the contents of phenolic compounds in the produced water are expected to be reduced so that it meets the quality standards of waste water for oil and gas exploration and production activities. This research is development of the results of previous studies using a bioreactor with a larger scale, namely 3 L. The degradation process of phenolic compounds is carried out in optimal conditions, namely: pH 7, temperature 300C, and selected simple media: NP (5: 1) derived from urea and NPK + 0.1% yeast extract. The results of this study indicated that P. aeruginos and bacterial consortium may degrade phenolic compounds very well, which was 5.3 times faster than the previous studies. The biodegradation percentage was 98.40% in P. aeruginosa and 99.03% in bacterial consortium respectively. The monod kinetics model approach was successfully carried out and gave the value of parameters ?Max, Km, YS/X, and ?d respectively of 0.6305 hours-1, 0.0280 mg/L, 7 10-7 mg/L/ CFU/mL, and 0.00575 hours-1 in P. aeruginosa and 0.3272 hours-1, 0.0355 mg/L, 6.63 10-7 mg/L/CFU/ mL, and 0.00279 hours-1 in bacterial consortium. Based on the valuesof these parameters, P. aeruginosa has better affinity and growth.

Tianxueyu Zhang, Yingchun Han, Yongyi Peng et al.

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) • 2024

Abstract Deep-sea cold seeps host high microbial biomass and biodiversity that thrive on hydrocarbon and inorganic compound seepage, exhibiting diverse ecological functions and unique genetic resources. However, potential health risks from pathogenic or antibiotic-resistant microorganisms in these environments remain largely overlooked, especially during resource exploitation and laboratory research. Here, we analyzed 165 metagenomes and 33 metatranscriptomes from 16 global cold seep sites to investigate the diversity and distribution of virulence factors (VFs), antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). A total of 2,353 VFs are retrieved in 689 MAGs, primarily associated with non-pathogenic functions like adherence. Additionally, cold seeps harbor nearly 100,000 ARGs, as important reservoirs, with high-risk ARGs presenting at low abundance. Compared to other environments, microorganisms in cold seeps exhibit substantial differences in VF and ARG counts, with potential horizontal gene transfer facilitating their spread. These virulome and resistome profiles provide valuable insights into the evolutionary and ecological implications of pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance in extreme deep-sea ecosystems. Collectively, these results indicate that cold seep sediments pose minimal public health risks, shedding lights on environmental safety in deep-sea resource exploitation and research. Importance Understanding pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance in environmental reservoirs like deep-sea cold seeps is critical for assessing public health risks, particularly with increasing human activities such as deep-sea mining. This study offers the first comprehensive analysis of virulome, resistome, and mobilome profiles in cold seep microbial communities. While cold seeps act as reservoirs for diverse ARGs, high-risk ARGs are rare, and most VFs contribute to non-pathogenic ecological functions. These results highlight the minimal threat to public health posed by cold seeps, providing a reference for monitoring the spread of pathogenicity and resistance in extreme ecosystems and informing environmental safety assessments during deep-sea resource exploitation.

G. Jakobs, G. Rehder, G. Jost et al.

• 2013

Abstract. Pelagic methane oxidation was investigated in dependence on differing environmental conditions within the redox zone of the Gotland Deep (GD) and Landsort Deep (LD), central Baltic Sea. The redox zone of both deeps, which indicates the transition between oxic and anoxic conditions, was characterized by a pronounced methane concentration gradient between the deep water (GD: 1233 nM, LD: 2935 nM) and the surface water (GD and LD < 10 nM), together with a 13C CH4 enrichment (δ13C CH4 deep water: GD −84‰, LD −71‰ ; redox zone: GD −60‰, LD −20‰ ; δ13C CH4 vs. Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite standard), clearly indicating microbial methane consumption in that specific depth interval. Expression analysis of the methane monooxygenase identified one active type I methanotrophic bacterium in both redox zones. In contrast, the turnover of methane within the redox zones showed strong differences between the two basins (GD: max. 0.12 nM d–1 and LD: max. 0.61 nM d–1), with a four times higher turnover rate constant (k) in the LD (GD: 0.0022 d–1, LD: 0.0079 d–1). Vertical mixing rates for both deeps were calculated on the base of the methane concentration profile and the consumption of methane in the redox zone (GD: 2.5 × 10–6 m2 s–1 LD: 1.6 × 10–5 m2 s–1). Our study identified vertical transport of methane from the deep water body towards the redox zone as well as differing hydrographic conditions within the oxic/anoxic transition zone of these deeps as major factors that determine the pelagic methane oxidation.

C. Sanz-Lázaro, T. Valdemarsen, M. Holmer

• 2015

Increasing ocean temperature due to climate change is an important anthropogenic driver of ecological change in coastal systems, where sediments play a major role in nutrient cycling. Our ability to predict ecological consequences of climate change is enhanced by simulating real scenarios especially when the interactions among drivers may not be just additive. Based on predicted climate change scenarios, we tested the effect of temperature and organic pollution on nutrient release from coastal sediments to the water column in a mesocosm experiment. PO43− release rates from sediments followed the same trends as organic matter mineralization rates, and increased linearly with temperature and were significantly higher under organic pollution than under non-polluted conditions. NH4+ release only increased significantly when the temperature rise was above 6 °C, and was significantly higher in organic polluted compared to non-polluted sediments. Nutrient release to the water column was only a fraction from the mineralized organic matter, suggesting PO43− retention and NH4+ oxidation in the sediment. Bioturbation and bioirrigation appeared to be key processes responsible of this behaviour. Considering that the primary production of most marine basins is N-limited, the excess release of NH4+ at temperature rise >6 ° could enhance water column primary productivity, which may lead to the deterioration of the environmental quality. Climate change effects are expected to be accelerated in areas affected by organic pollution.

Ian M. Rambo, Adam Marsh, Jennifer F. Biddle

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) • 2017

Abstract Marine sediments harbor a vast amount of Earth’s microbial biomass, yet little is understood regarding how cells subsist in this low-energy, presumably slow-growth environment. Cells in marine sediments may require additional methods for genetic regulation, such as epigenetic modification via DNA methylation. We investigated this potential phenomenon within a shallow estuary sediment core spanning 100 years of age across its depth. Here we provide evidence of dynamic community m5-cytosine methylation within estuarine sediment metagenomes using a methylation-sensitive Illumina assay. The methylation states of individual CpG sites were reconstructed and quantified across three depths within the sediment core. A total of 6254 CpG sites were aligned for direct comparison of methylation states between samples, with 4235 sites mapped to taxa and genes. Our results demonstrate the presence of differential methylation within environmental CpG sites across an age/depth gradient of sediment. We show that epigenetic modification can be detected within complex environmental communities. The change in methylation state of environmentally relevant genes across depths may indicate a dynamic role of DNA methylation in biogeochemical processes.

Ediar Usman

BULLETIN OF THE MARINE GEOLOGY • 2017

The analysis result of grains frequency curve and relation between grains size to cumulative have shown medium grains at Gilimanuk (Core drilling-1) and coarse grains at Ketapang (Core drilling-2). In general both of them are showed by pattern uniformity, which is represented by the similar of curve pattern. On the grain size of -2 phi as medium gravel with percentage between 6.47 to 35.88%, while core drilling -2 on the size of -2 phi between 6.86 to 61.11%.The average grains size of core drilling -1 are gravel about 21.3%, sand 60.2%, silt 5% and clay about 0.4% while core drilling-2 are characterized by 44.3%, sand 26.8%, silt 24.6% and clay about 0.6%. These result shows that at location of Core drilling -1 is dominated by sand where as at location of Core drilling -2 is dominated by gravel. These situation can be interpreted that the sediment at core drilling -2 location have influenced by strong marine current which can transport the large amount of gravel size compare to the location of Core drilling-1 which is dominated by sand. Based on the relation shape of grains size curve versus cumulative frequency shows that the sediment of Core drilling-1is interpreted as a beach sand deposits and only one sample which shows as a river sand deposits which was found at depth 0 – 3 m depth. In general, the sample of Core drilling –2 shows that the pattern of sediment tend as a beach sand deposits and only one sample which shows the combination between coastal deposits and river deposits ( 4 – 5 m depth). From this sample, the coarse to fine grains is deposited by coastal media and fine grains material (about 10%) is deposited by river media. The sample of river deposits is found as lamination because the only one which is created from combination between coastal and river depos its from all sample of core drilling-2.Keywords: core drilling, grain sediments, media transport, environmental deposition Hasil analisis menggunakan kurva frekuensi butiran serta hubungan antara besar butir terhadap kumulatif menunjukkan dominasi ukuran butiran sedang di daerah Gilimanuk (Bor-1) dan kasar di daerah Ketapang (Bor-2). Pada kedua daerah tersebut, secara umum memperlihatkan pola keseragaman, yang ditunjukkan oleh pola kurva yang sama. Pada ukuran butir -2 phi (kerikil sedang) pada Bor-1 berjumlah antara 6,47 – 35,88%, sedangkan pada Bor-2 pada ukuran -2 phi berjumlah antara 6,86 – 61,11%.Kandungan rata-rata butiran pada Bor-1 adalah: kerikil 21,3%, pasir 60,2%, lanau 5% dan lempung 0,4%, sedangkan Bor-2 adalah: kerikil 44,3%, pasir 26,8%, lanau 24,6% dan lempung 0,6%. Hasil ini menunjukkan bahwa pada Bor-1 didominasi oleh pasir dan pada Bor-2 didominasi oleh kerikil. Hasil ini dapat memberi gambaran bahwa pada Bor-2 berarus lebih kuat karena mampu menstranspor butiran kerikil dalam jumlah yang lebih besar dibandingkan dengan Bor-1 yang didominasi oleh pasir. Berdasarkan beberapa kurva hubungan antara besar butir vs frekuensi komulatif pada Bor-1 menunjukkan endapan pantai (beach sand), hanya satu contoh menunjukkan endapan sungai (river sand), yaitu contoh B1 (0 – 3m). Pada Bor-2, secara umum menunjukkan pola yang lebih mendekati endapan pantai (beach sand), hanya satu contoh menunjukkan kombinasi endapan pantai dan endapan sungai (river sand), yaitu contoh B2 (4 – 5 m). Pada contoh ini, butiran berukuran kasar sampai halus diendapkan oleh media pantai dan ukuran halus dengan persentase sekitar 10% merupakan endapan sungai. Contoh endapan sungai adalah pada B2 (4 – 5 m) ini merupakan endapan sisipan karena satu-satu terbentuk dari kombinasi pantai dan sungai dari seluruh contoh pada Bor-2.Kata kunci: pemboran inti, butiran sedimen, media transport, lingkungan pengendapan

R. Zhu, Y.-S. Lin, J. S. Lipp et al.

• 2014

Abstract. Amino sugars are quantitatively significant constituents of soil and marine sediment, but their sources and turnover in environmental samples remain poorly understood. The stable carbon isotopic composition of amino sugars can provide information on the lifestyles of their source organisms and can be monitored during incubations with labeled substrates to estimate the turnover rates of microbial populations. However, until now, such investigation has been carried out only with soil samples, partly because of the much lower abundance of amino sugars in marine environments. We therefore optimized a procedure for compound-specific isotopic analysis of amino sugars in marine sediment employing gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The whole procedure consisted of hydrolysis, neutralization, enrichment, and derivatization of amino sugars. Except for the derivatization step, the protocol introduced negligible isotopic fractionation, and the minimum requirement of amino sugar for isotopic analysis was 20 ng, i.e. equivalent to ~ 8 ng of amino sugar carbon. Our results obtained from δ13C analysis of amino sugars in selected marine sediment samples showed that muramic acid had isotopic imprints from indigenous bacterial activities, whereas glucosamine and galactosamine were mainly derived from organic detritus. The analysis of stable carbon isotopic compositions of amino sugars opens a promising window for the investigation of microbial metabolisms in marine sediments and the deep marine biosphere.

Stem Cell Research International • 2019

The dazzling weapon was tested against volunteers firing assault weapons, sniper rifles, and machine guns at targets protected by Filin from two kilometers away. All of the participants experienced difficulties aiming, and 45% had complaints of dizziness, nausea, and disorientation. Twenty percent of volunteers experienced what Russian media has characterized as hallucinations. Participants described seeing floating balls of light. But there are concerns about cloud seeding’s long-term impacts. For example, it’s unclear how making it rain in one village affects a neighboring villages, cities, etc. It’s also up for debate who “owns” the water -- such as which state or company -- that comes out of the clouds. There are also environmental questions, such as ones related to the long-term impacts of silver iodide. Although some critics may have concerns about companies impacting the weather with the International Space Station (ISS) that they are “playing God.” One of the main cause of a Climatic Changes in our recent World are artificial interventions into Global and different Local Weather from the International Space Station regulated by Russia.

P. Voosen

Science • 2017

Last week, after 13 years of exploration, NASA9s Cassini spacecraft plunged into the upper reaches of Saturn9s atmosphere at 123,000 kilometers per hour and melted away. The spacecraft9s demise, necessitated by dwindling fuel and a need to protect two of Saturn9s 62 moons from potential microbial contamination from Earth, brought forth a global outpouring of sentiment. Although pathos ruled for a day, Cassini9s scientists are eager to get back to work. The spacecraft has already revolutionized understanding of gas giants and, with its discoveries of hydrogen-rich water plumes on Enceladus and methane lakes on Titan, the potential for life to exist beyond the classic "habitable zone." But its final 22 orbits could reveal insights into Saturn9s rings and murky interior.

ASM Failure Analysis Case Histories: Air and Spacecraft • 2019

Aluminum 7075 aircraft wing tanks failed in the 1950s. Investigation (visual inspection, biological analysis, and chemical analysis) supported the conclusion that MIC was the cause of the failures. Water condensed into the fuel tanks during flight led to microbial growth on the jet fuel. Pitting attack occurred under microbial deposits on the metal surface in the water phase or at the water-fuel interface. Previously, exposure of aluminum 7075 to cultures of various isolates showed that 27 bacterial isolates and 3 fungi could seriously corrode the aluminum alloy over several weeks. No recommendations were made.

Sara Almaeeni, Sebastian Els, Hamad Almarzooqi

• 2021

<p>The United Arab Emirates has announced its first space mission to the moon by 2024. The Emirates Lunar Mission (ELM) consists of a micro rover, named Rashid, has a main objective of traversing the mid-latitude landing site and obtaining high resolution images of the lunar surface. Such an objective necessitates careful designs of the architecture and the different systems involved to ensure smooth integration and proper operation.</p><p>The rover weigh around 10Kg and has 4 wheels that are designed to climb slopes of 20 degrees and rocks of maximum height of 10cm. Also, it is equipped with 2 wide field cameras that will be used for navigation and to increase the environmental awareness while the operator drives the rover remotely. Moreover, the rover is powered by the solar panels which are mounted in a certain angle to maximize the collecting of the solar energy. After the collection and battery charging, various regulated voltages are distributed to all subsystems.  </p><p>The Rashid rover is designed with two communications channels. The primary communications channel is the main channel used during the mission and allows for high speed bandwidth and low power consumption (on the rover). The secondary communications channel uses more power and is slower, but is not dependent on the lander and is therefore used as a backup as well as the lunar night recovery phase.</p><p>Despite being a small rover and its prime goal being a technology demonstrator, Rashid’s scientific instrument suite is substantial. The science instruments will provide data of the lunar surface environment allowing to investigate a vast variety of topics like geology of the Moon, lunar surface alteration mechanisms, Interaction of the soil with the solar wind and material suitability for future lunar missions. In this paper, the ELM mission, the rover subsystems as well as the science instruments are described in details.</p>

Florian Carlo Fischer, Dirk Schulze-Makuch, Jacob Heinz

• 2024

The Martian surface and shallow subsurface lack stable liquid water, but hygroscopic salts in the regolith, including perchlorates and chlorates, can enable the transient formation of liquid brines. Hygroscopic salts such as perchlorates have been detected on Mars1, and the presence of chlorate salts is highly likely, as indicated by the detection of chlorate in the Martian meteorite EETA790012. Chlorate salts may be even more widespread on Mars, as recent experimental research suggests that under the hyperarid climate and the abundance of iron (hydro)oxide on Mars, chloride oxidation should yield significantly more chlorate than perchlorate3. Additionally, aqueous solutions on Mars may be more likely to be formed by chlorates than perchlorates, highlighting their importance for the habitability of Mars4. Perchlorate and chlorate salts can form liquid brines through a process called deliquescence, where the hygroscopic salt attracts water from the atmosphere to dissolve itself, or through the contact of these salts with water ice. In the shallow subsurface, a thin regolith layer can prevent water ice sublimation, allowing such liquid brines to persist for extended periods. Additionally, regolith layers can shield hypothetical microbes from harmful UV radiation, making the shallow subsurface a promising potential habitat for putative microbial life on Mars.In this study, we investigated how the combined effects of (per)chlorate salts, UV irradiation, water scarcity, and regolith depth impact microbial survival under simulated Mars-like conditions. While previous studies have examined the effects of perchlorate-containing regolith and UV shielding on microorganisms, none have tested the impact of chlorate salts and regolith depths of multiple centimeters. Our Mars simulation experiments, conducted in the Mars Environmental Simulation Chamber (MESCH), described in detail by Jensen et al.5, uniquely allows for the simultaneous testing of increased salt stress due to water freezing at subzero temperatures and sublimation-induced desiccation at various sample depths. This is enabled by large sample tubes that accommodate regolith depths of up to 15 cm.We exposed vegetative cells of Debaryomyces hansenii and Planococcus halocryophilus, and spores of Aspergillus niger, to simulated Martian environmental conditions (constant temperatures of about -11°C, low pressure of approximately 6 mbar, a CO2 atmosphere, and 2 hours of daily UV irradiation). Colony Forming Units (CFU) and water content were evaluated at three regolith depths (0-0.5 cm, 1-3 cm, 10-12 cm) before and after 3- and 7-day exposure periods. Each organism was tested under three conditions, where Mars regolith simulant was inoculated with cell suspensions of the three model organisms containing either: 1) 0.5 mol/kg NaClO3, 2) 0.5 mol/kg NaClO4, or 3) no additional salt. These conditions will, in the following sections, be referred to as NaClO3, NaClO4, and salt-free samples, respectively. In addition to the samples exposed to simulated Mars-like conditions, control samples of each organism, prepared in the same way as the exposure samples, were incubated for the same periods at -15°C in a freezer under normal Earth atmospheric conditions.Our results showed that residual water content increased with depth in all three exposure experiments and for all three tested conditions. Remarkably, as illustrated in Figure 1, the survival rates of the organisms also increased with regolith depth in the NaClO3  and salt-free samples. However, survival rates in the NaClO4 samples were consistently lower across all depths, with the most significant difference observed at 10-12 cm, the depth with the highest residual water content. The proposed reason for this is the emergence of higher salt concentrations in the NaClO3 and NaClO4 samples due to the freezing of water retained in the regolith. This likely resembles realistic changes in brine concentrations in the Martian shallow subsurface. The higher survival rates in chlorate samples indicate that, for these organisms, perchlorate brines are more toxic than chlorate brines under the experimental conditions.Interestingly, in the NaClO4 samples, survival was higher at shallower depths. This can be linked to the shorter brine stability window at lower depths. Faster desiccation at lower depths prevents brines from persisting for long durations, minimizing the time salt stress is exerted on the organisms.These findings, combined with the potential widespread occurrence of chlorate salts on Mars and their higher likelihood of forming liquid brines, highlight the need for further research on this oxychlorine species. Environments enriched with chlorate salts could be more habitable and should be considered in the search for microbial life on Mars, as most research has focused on the more toxic perchlorate salt. Figure 1: The median of the survival rates of D. hansenii, P. halocryophilus, A. niger (n=2, SE), and the mean survival rate (dashed line) of the three organisms after (a) a 3-day and (b) a 7-day exposure in the MESCH. The survival rates are displayed for three sample depths, as well as for the control incubated at -15°C in the freezer, in three tested conditions: NaClO3, NaClO4, and salt-free. References:1. Hecht, M. H. et al. Detection of Perchlorate and the Soluble Chemistry of Martian Soil at the Phoenix Lander Site. Science (80-. ). 325, 64–67 (2009).2. Kounaves, S. P., Carrier, B. L., O’Neil, G. D., Stroble, S. T. & Claire, M. W. Evidence of martian perchlorate, chlorate, and nitrate in Mars meteorite EETA79001: Implications for oxidants and organics. Icarus 229, 206–213 (2014).3. Qu, S.-Y. et al. Preferential Formation of Chlorate over Perchlorate on Mars Controlled by Iron Mineralogy. Nat. Astron. 6, 436–441 (2022).4. Toner, J. D. & Catling, D. C. Chlorate brines on Mars: Implications for the occurrence of liquid water and deliquescence. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 497, 161–168 (2018).5. Jensen, L. L. et al. A Facility for Long-Term Mars Simulation Experiments: The Mars Environmental Simulation Chamber (MESCH). Astrobiology 8, 537–548 (2008).

Jimil Mehta, M. T. Shah

2023 IEEE 11th Region 10 Humanitarian Technology Conference (R10-HTC) • 2023

Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) are sophisticated and advanced systems that utilize exoelectrogenic microbes to generate bioenergy. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a crucial role in comprehending, establishing connections, modeling, and predicting both microbial diversity and process parameters, ultimately enhancing the performance of BESs. This approach utilizes cutting-edge computational algorithms that are tailored to the specific architecture of BESs, saving time and improving efficiency compared to outdated manual methods. To achieve optimal outcomes, this study aims to examine and compare existing research endeavors while emphasizing the implementation of AI concepts in the field of bioelectrochemical systems. The AI techniques implemented to predict and optimize the behavior of BES are Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Fuzzy Logic (FL), Multi Gene Genetic Programming (MGGP), and Support Vector Regression (SVR).

Jenny Palm, Anna-Riikka Kojonsaari

Research Square (Research Square) • 2020

Abstract BackgroundNew decentralized energy-generation technologies have turned economies of scale upside down while becoming more economically viable. The increased penetration of information technologies has led to new opportunities to manage infrastructure in a less hierarchical, more flexible way. Together with citizen demands for control over energy, this has put energy communities (ECs) on the agenda, potentially advancing the transition towards more sustainable energy systems, despite hindrances encountered on the way.This paper presents a case from Sweden, using participatory observations and interviews conducted during the planning of a sustainable city district built around sharing. We examined the discussions between stakeholders concerning smart energy systems and the establishment of a microgrid.ResultsWe found that the discussions of the microgrid comprised two parallel discourses, coexisting but seldomly explicitly confronted. The distribution system operator in the area promoted its solutions, while the property developers opted for a microgrid organized more as an EC. We discuss why the EC proponents apparently lost the battle in this smart grid case.ConclusionsThis paper described the energy planning process in a case study in Sweden, where two different models for building an electric microgrid can be identified: distributed energy systems and energy community perspectives. We suggest that these perspectives have different values. We conclude that interest in microgrids could shift the transition pathway towards a more decentralized system involving a variety of owners.

Augusto Montisci, Marco Caredda

Preprints.org • 2021

The electrification of rural areas of the planet has become one of the greatest challenges for sustainability. In fact, it would be the key to guaranteeing development for the poorest of the planet, but from which most of the raw material for the food market derives. The paradigm of centralized production is not applicable in these territories, because the distribution network would involve unjustifiable costs. For this reason, studies have multiplied to ensure the energy supply, especially electricity, of off-grid utilities, to guarantee energy autonomy while reducing the dependence on specialist assistance for the management of the system. In this work, a hybrid system (HRES) is proposed that combines the exploitation of solar energy with that of the wind through the use of static devices, in order to improve the system's availability and limit the cost of operation and maintenance.

Research Square • 2022

Abstract The full text of this preprint has been withdrawn by the authors due to author disagreement with the posting of the preprint. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as a reference. Questions should be directed to the corresponding author.

N. S. Sariçiftçi

AsiaChem Magazine • 2020

We want to bring the idea of conversion of CO2 into synthetic fuels (CO2 recycling) into attention, as a possible approach for transportable storage of renewable energy. Recycling of CO2 by homogeneous and/or heterogeneous catalytic approaches have been investigated with increasing emphasis within the scientific community. In the last decades, especially using organic and bioorganic systems towards CO2 reduction has attracted great interest. Chemical, electrochemical, photoelectrochemical, and bioelectrochemical approaches are discussed vividly as new routes towards the conversion of CO2 into synthetic fuels and/or useful chemicals in the recent literature. Here we want to especially emphasize the new developments in bio-electrocatalysis with some recent examples.

Yusuf Ercan ÖZERCAN

• 2025

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the Spanish grid codes and connectionprocedures, specifically focusing on Royal Decree 1183/2020 and Royal Decree 647/2020. Itexamines how these regulations facilitate the integration of energy storage systems and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology into the Spanish electricity grid, crucial for achieving the nation'sambitious renewable energy targets. The article details the administrative streamlining for gridaccess introduced by RD 1183/2020, which treats energy storage facilities akin to generationassets, and elaborates on the technical requirements for Power-Generating Modules (PGMs)outlined in RD 647/2020, transposing European network codes. It discusses the current state ofenergy storage deployment, highlighting challenges in Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)adoption despite strategic targets, and explores the potential, regulatory hurdles, and ongoingpilot projects for V2G integration. The conclusion emphasizes the need for continued regulatoryrefinement, market adaptation, and technological maturation to fully unlock the flexibility andresilience offered by these technologies in Spain's decarbonized energy future.

Wei Yang, Shaowei Chen

Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research • 2020

Natural biomass presents intriguing features, such as high abundance, rich heteroatom contents, and low costs, making them promising candidates for the preparation of heteroatom-doped carbons that ...

Seeta Ram Meena, Guman Singh Meena

Research Square • 2023

Abstract Northwestern India is mainly agrarian produced around 384.25MT/year crop residue out of that 116 MT/year burnt in the field and released lot of pollutants such as CO 2 , CO, CH 4 , NO x , NMVOC, PM 2.5 , PM 10 and other which contribute to climate change. In present paper, Introduction of energy and bioenergy in India, estimation of crop residue and bioenergy potential for each state of North-West India is discussed. India generates around 620.27 MT/year crop residues. Northwestern India alone produced 384.25 Mt/year or 62% of India crop residues. Bio-energy potential for northwestern India is 6657.29 PJ per year. States having higher bio-energy potentials are (1) Uttar Pradesh (2020.45 PJ per year), (2) Maharashtra (962.74 PJ per year), (3) Punjab (935.54 PJ per year), (4) Gujarat (598.4 PJ per year) (5) Haryana (610.94 PJ per year), (6) Rajasthan (578.59 PJ per year).The total power demand of India in 2018 was 1212 Twh and bio-fuel potential of northwestern India is 832.16 Twh, which can be satisfy around 68.66 percentage power demand of India annually.

Aqsa Rana, Gyula Gróf

Research Square • 2021

Abstract Background: Significant innovations in technology and progressing use of renewable energy sources (RES) reinforce the demand for the sustainable, continuous and abundant supply of energy to every consumer. Blockchain, as an emerging technology promises to provide temper proof, secure, transparent and decentralized energy trading mechanisms that help to provide sustainable environmental solutions by circulating economy to empower both consumers and prosumers. The rapid development of blockchain technology has gained interest from energy start-ups, innovation developers, finance suppliers, academic institutions and government. Results: This study outlines potential significance, benefits and application of blockchain technology and analyses how Pakistan can integrate blockchain technology into its distribution system to cope with current challenges. Although the substantial renewable potential of Pakistan is an opportunity to implement blockchain technology but financial management, innovative technology development and acceptance of decentralized technology are the biggest obstacles. After a detailed discussion of Pakistan's current financial position, digital market structure, energy policy and technology situation for the implication of blockchain technology, Photographic Geographical Information System (PVGIS-5) data base tool is used to estimate solar power generation capacity from prosumer community in potential areas of country like Baluchistan. Conclusion: This study recommended feasible site for solar power generation according to PVGIS tool. Then introduces a street scenario about domestic power generation and blockchain based distribution into Pakistan's energy sector like Brooklyn energy system by regulating laws, revising energy polices and suitable development subsidies.