Miguel Angel Martínez, Ana Jordan-Paiz, Sandra Franco et al.

Nucleic Acids Research • 2019

Abstract Synthetic genome recoding is a new means of generating designed organisms with altered phenotypes. Synonymous mutations introduced into the protein coding region tolerate modifications in DNA or mRNA without modifying the encoded proteins. Synonymous genome-wide recoding has allowed the synthetic generation of different small-genome viruses with modified phenotypes and biological properties. Recently, a decreased cost of chemically synthesizing DNA and improved methods for assembling DNA fragments (e.g. lambda red recombination and CRISPR-based editing) have enabled the construction of an Escherichia coli variant with a 4-Mb synthetic synonymously recoded genome with a reduced number of sense codons (n = 59) encoding the 20 canonical amino acids. Synonymous genome recoding is increasing our knowledge of microbial interactions with innate immune responses, identifying functional genome structures, and strategically ameliorating cis-inhibitory signaling sequences related to splicing, replication (in eukaryotes), and complex microbe functions, unraveling the relevance of codon usage for the temporal regulation of gene expression and the microbe mutant spectrum and adaptability. New biotechnological and therapeutic applications of this methodology can easily be envisaged. In this review, we discuss how synonymous genome recoding may impact our knowledge of microbial biology and the development of new and better therapeutic methodologies.

Silvia Monroy, Aitor Larrañaga, Aingeru Martínez et al.

Microbial Ecology • 2023

Abstract Ongoing global warming is expected to alter temperature-dependent processes. Nevertheless, how co-occurring local drivers will influence temperature sensitivity of plant litter decomposition in lotic ecosystems remains uncertain. Here, we examined the temperature sensitivity of microbial-mediated decomposition, microbial respiration, fungal biomass and leaf nutrients of two plant species varying in litter quality. We also assessed whether the type of microbial community and stream water characteristics influence such responses to temperature. We incubated alder ( Alnus glutinosa ) and eucalypt ( Eucalyptus globulus ) litter discs in three streams differing in autumn–winter water temperature (range 4.6–8.9 °C). Simultaneously, in laboratory microcosms, litter discs microbially conditioned in these streams were incubated at 5, 10 and 15 °C with water from the conditioning stream and with a water control from an additional stream. Both in the field and in the laboratory, higher temperatures enhanced litter decomposition rates, except for eucalypt in the field. Leaf quality modified the response of decomposition to temperature in the field, with eucalypt leaf litter showing a lower increase, whereas it did not in the laboratory. The origin of microbial community only affected the decomposition rates in the laboratory, but it did not modify the response to temperature. Water quality only defined the phosphorus content of the leaf litter or the fungal biomass, but it did not modify the response to temperature. Our results suggest that the acceleration in decomposition by global warming will be shaped by local factors, mainly by leaf litter quality, in headwater streams.

Ana Mellado, Lourdes Morillas, Antonio Gallardo et al.

New Phytologist • 2016

Summary Parasitic plants are important drivers of community and ecosystem properties. In this study, we identify different mechanisms by which mistletoe ( Viscum album subsp. austriacum ) can affect soil chemical and biological properties at different temporal stages of parasitism. We quantified the effect of parasitism on host growth and the number of frugivorous mutualists visiting the host canopy. Then we collected, identified, and weighed the organic matter input underneath tree canopies and analyzed its nutrient content. Simultaneously, we analyzed soil samples under tree canopies and examined the chemical properties, microbial abundance, and functional evenness of heterotrophic microbial communities. Mistletoe increased the amount, quality, and diversity of organic matter input beneath the host canopy, directly through its nutrient‐rich litter and indirectly through a reduction in host litterfall and an increase in bird‐derived debris. All these effects gave rise to enriched hotspots able to support larger and more functionally even soil microbial communities beneath parasitized hosts, the effects of which were accentuated after host death. We conclude that mistletoe, together with the biotic interactions it mediates, plays a key role in intensifying soil resource availability, regulating the functional evenness, abundance, and spatial distribution of soil microbial communities.

Elsa Fuentes, Rafael Carballeira, Beatriz Prieto

Applied Sciences • 2021

Local granite has been used throughout history in Galicia (NW Spain), forming the basis of much of the region’s architecture. Like any other rock, granite provides an ecological niche for a multitude of organisms that form biofilms that can affect the physical integrity of the stone. In this study, for the first time, characterization of the microbial consortium forming biofilms that developed on historical rural granite buildings is carried out using a combination of culture-dependent and next generation sequencing (NGS) techniques. Results pointed to differences in biofilm composition on the studied rural granite buildings and that of previously analyzed urban granite buildings, especially in terms of abundance of cyanobacteria and lichenized fungi. Exposure was corroborated as an important factor, controlling both the diversity and abundance of microorganisms on walls, with environmental factors associated with a northern orientation favoring a higher diversity of fungi and green algae, and environmental factors associated with the west orientation determining the abundance of lichenized fungi. The orientation also affected the distribution of green algae, with one of the two most abundant species, Trentepohlia cf. umbrina, colonizing north-facing walls, while the other, Desmococcus olivaceus, predominated on west-facing walls.

John Varcoe, Claudio Avignone-Rossa, Robert CT Slade

ECS Meeting Abstracts • 2014

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology is under development for electricity production for cleansing of waste waters, but also for direct use of the electricity in bio-electrochemical systems (BES) geared to produce high added value products (e.g. acetate and other complex organics from CO 2 ). The presentation will detail systematic examination of the chemical and biological variables in such systems. Both cation and anion exchange membranes of a range of controlled thickness as anode compartment and air cathode separator membrane will be outlined, with the accompanying variations in performance of otherwise similar cells. Both types of membrane can be readily tailored by their production using radiation-induced grafting of appropriately functionalized precursors and subsequent conversion to ionic head groups with accompanying ion-exchange properties. From extensive studies of a range of closely related MFCs, the role of variations in the composition of anode biofilms in operational MFCs have been characterized and compared to the population in suspension [1]. Film composition has been followed using DDGE, identifying the range of microbes present and variations in film composition during operation. Diversity of the community has been found to correlate with cell performance, and hence can be used as a predictor of cell behavior [2]. Identification of the make-up of microbial communities in operating MFCs has led to studies of the electrogenic activities of individual strains, and of their interactions when more than one species is present, detecting synergistic or antagonistic relationships. Data on microbial oxidative activity (metabolic profiling) using a range of substrates and a Biolog instrument (multi-well UV-vis spectrometer) have characterized the behaviors of a range of species (e.g. C. denitrificans and B. graminisolvens ) not normally considered of significance for power production in MFCs, both as single strains and in combination. “Synthetic communities” derived from these studies are indeed active in production of electricity in MFCs, with product analysis carried out by ion chromatography. A basic outline of the proposed metabolic profile of a synthetic community has been proposed, with individual species being classified as fermentative or electrogenic. The presence of fermentative species may lead to higher power output, contrary to previous orthodoxy. The potential for use of a complex waste (distiller’s dried grains with solubles, DDGS) for production of electricity or in the bio-electrochemical production of high added value products is also under investigation, with useable power densities being achieved Acknowledgements The UK’s SUPERGEN Biological Fuel Cells Consortium (8 univeristies) is led by RS and is funded by Research Councils UK (RCUK) under EPSRC grant EP/H019480/1 . Further work in MFC science at Surrey is funded by RCUK under EPSRC grant EP/I004882/1 and BBSRC grant BB/J01916X/1. References [1] N Beecroft, F Zhao, JR Varcoe, RCT Slade, A Thumser, C. Avignone-Rossa. Dynamic changes in the microbial community composition in microbial fuel cells fed with sucrose. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 93 , 423 – 437 (2012). [2] J.P. Stratford, N.J. Beecroft, R.C.T. Slade, A. Gruning, C. Avignone-Rossa. Anodic microbial community diversity as a predictor of the power output of microbial fule cells. Bioresource Technol. 156 , 84-91 (2014).

Miguel Mejias‐Ortiz, Ana Mencher, Pilar Morales et al.

Microbial Biotechnology • 2023

Abstract The recent introduction of non‐conventional yeast species as companion wine starters has prompted a growing interest in microbial interactions during wine fermentation. There is evidence of interactions through interference and exploitation competition, as well as interactions depending on physical contact. Furthermore, the results of some transcriptomic analyses suggest interspecific communication, but the molecules or biological structures involved in recognition are not well understood. In this work, we explored extracellular vesicles (EVs) as possible mediators of interspecific communication between wine yeasts. The transcriptomic response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae after 3 h of contact with a fraction enriched in EVs of Metschnikowia pulcherrima was compared with that induced by active M . pulcherrima cells. Interestingly, there is a high level of overlap between the transcriptomic profiles of yeast cells challenged by either M . pulcherrima whole cells or the EV‐enriched fraction. The results indicate an upregulation of yeast metabolism in response to competing species (in line with previous results). This finding points to the presence of a signal, in the EV‐enriched fraction, that can be perceived by the yeast cells as a cue for the presence of competitors, even in the absence of metabolically active cells of the other species.

, Marco Hartl

• 2020

The objective of this work was the improvement and control of wastewater treatment using constructed wetlands operated as Microbial Fuel Cells (CW-MFCs) and Microbial Electrolysis Cells (CW-MECs). For this purpose, eight meso-scale experimental systems were constructed. The first experiment investigated the use of CW-MFC as a bioindicator, showing that it could be used as a qualitative alarm tool for sudden COD increases. The following three experiments investigated the removal of conventional contaminants as well as organic micropollutants (OMPs) using duplicates of CW-MEC, closed-circuit CW-MFC, open-circuit CW-MFC and conventional CW-control. Results showed that CW-MEC and CW-MFC+ increased the removal of COD (7-13%) and ammonium (18-22%) when compared to the control systems. Regarding OMPs, carbamazepine, diclofenac and naproxen removal was increased by 10-17% in CW-MFC+ and CW-MEC when compared to the control, while ibuprofen removal was similar amongst treatments. Additionally, a microbial activity analysis showed that activity was 4-34% higher in CW-MFC+ as compared to CW-control, and a microbial community analysis indicated that anode and cathode communities in CW-MEC were significantly different tq other treatments, seemingly due to the effects of electrolysis. In CW-MFC+ only cathode communities were different. probably due to sampling issues at the anodes. El objetivo de esta tesis es la mejora de la eficiencia y control del tratamiento de aguas residuales mediante humedales construidos operados como sistemas bioelectroquímicos (CW-BES), tanto en su configuración de celdas microbianas de combustible (CW-MFC) como en configuración de celdas microbianas electrolíticas (CW-MEC). Para este propósito, ocho CW-BES a escala experimental de mesocosmo fueron construidos. Durante el primer experimento se investigó el uso de CW-BES operados como celdas CW-MFC como herramienta de bioindicación de la carga orgánica. En los subsiguientes experimentos se abordó el estudio de la mejora del tratamiento de contaminantes convencionales y microcontaminantes mediante la operación de CW-BES y CW-MFC y se comparó con la eliminación de los mismos con sistemas de humedales control (CW-Control). Los resultados mostraron que los CW-MEC y los CW-MFC incrementaban la eficiencia de tratamiento entre un 7-13% y entre el 18-22% respectivamente a la eliminación de la materia orgánica y el amonio. En relación a la eliminación de microcontaminantes, la eliminación de carbamacepina, diclofenaco y naproxeno mejoró entre un 1 O y un 17% en los CW-BES comparado con los sistemas control, mientras que la eliminación de ibuprofeno no mostró diferencias. El estudio de la actividad microbiana en los sistemas experimentales mostró que ésta aumenta entre un 4 y un 34% en los CW-BES. El estudio de las comunidades microbianas en los sistemas experimentales mostró diferencias significativas tanto en zona anódica como catódica de los CW-BES, comparado con los sistemas experimentales control.

Tatsuo Yagishita, Rinako Miyano, Kenichiro Tsukahara et al.

Solar Energy • 2003

The Effect of glucose addition on the current outputs of the electrochemical cells using Synechocystis sp. PCC6714 was investigated under the conditions with or without light. The current outputs increased with higher concentrations of HNQ and glucose. The current under illumination was lower than that in the dark even in the presence of 5 mM HNQ and 1 g 1−1 glucose, or 1 mM HNQ and 10 g 1−1 glucose. However, the coulombic output obtained from integration of the current was higher under illumination than in the dark under the conditions with 5 mM HNQ and 10 g 1−1 glucose. A main organic acid produced during discharge was acetic acid. The amount of acetic acid decreased, when the current outputs increased. Therefore, the current output production might compete with the production of acetic acid. Efficient system could be established by supplying both solar energy and chemical energy simultaneously.

Max Hackbarth, Tobias Jung, Johannes Eberhard Reiner et al.

• 2020

<p>In the last 40 years, bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) have been increasingly discussed within the scope of debates about sustainable energy sources and production of value added chemicals independent of fossil sources. Since the produced current in microbial fuel cells as well as the turnover rates in microbial electrosynthesis cells are dependent on the biocatalysts´ activity, control of the growing biofilm plays a major role in BESs. Moreover, the knowledge about the interplay between biofilm development and electrochemical parameters is crucial for optimizing these sytems.</p> <p>In the last 3 years, various electroactive biofilms (anodic and cathodic) were cultivated and characterized in a versatile and house made lab-scale flow cell system as well as in a rotating disc biofilm contactor (RDBC). Both systems allow for control of substrate (liquid and gaseous), and nutritional conditions as well as hydrodynamics and other physical parameters. The monitoring of biofilm development was conducted non-invasively by means of optical coherence tomography (OCT). For cathodic biofilms, quantitative analysis of generated 3D OCT data sets revealed a correlation between substratum coverage and measured current density. The increase of substratum coverage led to a decrease of measured current density due to less abiotic redox processes on the cathode surface. A stable current density was achieved when a substratum coverage of 99 % was reached. Furthermore, calculated biofilm accumulation rates could also be correlated with the substratum coverage. The overall biofilm accumulation rate decreased when the substratum was fully covered. Both correlations support the hypothesis that the availability of electrons from the cathode surface is a limiting factor in microbial electrosynthesis.</p> <p>A 10-liter RDBC was designed to continuously harvest biomass from the electrode to extract intracellularly stored products. In future, this approach could be applied for biotechnological processes. Additionally, the RDBC can be used to obtain reliable mass balances and turnover rates because of its larger scale.</p>

Rusul M. Khazaal, Zainab Z. Ismail

Journal of Petroleum Research and Studies • 2020

In this study, a steady-state bioelectrochemical model was developed to simulate thecorrelation between the acting overpotential and the produced current that is accounting foranode polarization. This study aimed to analyze the performance of a dual-chamberedmicrobial fuel cell (MFC) equipped with two bio-anodes and fueled with real refinery oilysludge having a COD concentration of 13890 mg /L. Anode polarization data revealed amaximum current density of 6.07 A/m3 of the substrate at an overpotential of 1.83 V. Inaddition, the behavior of the experimental measurements revealed the dominance of theohmic losses in the overall anode overpotential compared to activation and mass transferlosses, respectively. On the other hand, the suggested mathematical model was verifiedsignificantly by the obtained experimental data, achieving a determination coefficient (R2)of 0.96. Actual sustainable energy was also obtained using the reductive decrease of anodepotential (RDAP) and it was found that the sustainable energy for this correspondingsystem can be attained when applying 17.6 KΩ as the external resistor.

Hanyu Tang, McKenzie Burns, Mohan Qin

Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology • 2024

The impact of ion competition on nitrate removal from contaminated groundwater using membrane-based bioelectrochemical systems is investigated.

, Marta Fernández Gatell

• 2024

(English) Freshwater is an extremely scarce yet essential resource for all life forms on planet Earth. Its quality directly impacts the development of human societies as well as the ecosystems balance and health. However, the main causes of freshwater and, consequently, environmental pollution are related to human activities such as agriculture, land use changes or poor water treatment. Therefore, proper treatment of wastewater before disposal is crucial for preserving the quality of the receiving natural environment. Furthermore, the importance of the metabolic activity of microorganisms in both the natural environment and wastewater treatment systems shall be highlighted as they govern the biogeochemical cycles. Indeed, microbial activity is considered as good environmental quality indicator. Given the actual water emergency situation, techniques allowing for fast and efficient monitoring and control of parameters/indicators related to water quality and microbial activity in ecosystems are required. The use of sensors and biosensors might be a good strategy to achieve this goal. Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) are devices capable of generating a small electric current driven by the metabolic activity of electroactive microorganisms. BES, among many other uses, have also been applied as biosensors, for assessing organic substrates and toxic compounds. Therefore, the main objective of this Thesis is to assess the feasibility of using bioelectrochemical systems (BES) for efficient water resources monitoring and control. More specifically, to determine the potential of various types of BES for estimating parameters related to both water quality and the activity of microbial populations inhabiting a given ecosystem. Constructed wetlands (or treatment wetlands, TW) are natural wastewater treatment systems that have been used as a context environment throughout the present Thesis. The results obtained in the first part of the Thesis demonstrate that the implementation of BES in treatment wetlands increases the enzymatic and aerobic activity of the microbial communities, which in turn is related to a better treatment efficiency of these systems compared to conventional ones, i.e., without BES. Subsequently, in the second part, the applicability of different bioelectrochemical systems as biosensors for microbial activity and water quality was evaluated. Regarding the use of MFCs and M3Cs as biosensors, the experiments indicate that both systems can be used to estimate microbial activity and organic matter concentration. Specifically, the parameters that can be estimated with better precision are ATP content and organic matter concentration (measured as chemical oxygen demand, COD), although good results have also been achieved for biomass (measured as volatile solids, VS) and enzymatic activity biosensing. In addition, M3Cs offer better stability, precision, and sensor lifespan compared to MFC ones. Furthermore, the use of current peaks generated during the discontinuous operation of the BES offers better results in terms of sensitivity and precision compared to continuous signal, although information processing is more tedious. Demonstrating that the discontinuous operation of BES is also useful as a biosensing tool allows for widening their applicability to environments in which water saturation conditions are met intermittently. Finally, from the study conducted in a full-scale treatment plant where several MFCs were implemented and used as biosensors, it is found that the BES scaling up is traduced in a decrease of sensor’s precision. However, it allows to determine not only microbial activity and organic matter concentration but also the clogging state of the treatment bed and its hydraulic conductivity. In conclusion, although still in its investigation infancy, bioelectrochemical systems-based biosensors can be used as a holistic monitoring system, at least in water treatment systems, for improving water management and control. (Català) L'aigua dolça disponible és un bé extremadament escàs però essencial per a qualsevol forma de vida a la Terra. La seva qualitat impacta directament en les poblacions humanes i en la salut i equilibri dels ecosistemes. Malgrat tot, la principal causa de la seva contaminació i, en conseqüència, de la dels ecosistemes naturals, és l'activitat humana. És evident, doncs, que el sanejament adequat de l'aigua residual abans de ser abocada al medi receptor és de capital importància per preservar-ne la qualitat i salut. Per altra banda, l'activitat metabòlica dels microorganismes que habiten tant ambients naturals com els sistemes de sanejament d'aigua és també crucial. De fet, l'activitat microbiana es considera un bon indicador de la qualitat d'un ecosistema. Per tot això, i donada l'actual situació d'emergència hídrica, es requereix de tècniques que permetin un monitoratge i control ràpids i eficients dels paràmetres relacionats amb la qualitat de l'aigua i l'activitat microbiana dels ecosistemes. L'ús de sensors i biosensors pot ser una bona estratègia per aconseguir-ho. En aquest sentit, els sistemes bioelectroquímics (BES, per les seves sigles en anglès) són instruments capaços de generar un petit corrent elèctric gràcies al metabolisme dels microorganismes electroactius, que, entre molts altres usos, s'han aplicat també com a biosensors. Així doncs, l'objectiu principal d'aquesta Tesi és avaluar la viabilitat dels sistemes bioelectroquímics per a un millor monitoratge i control dels recursos hídrics. Concretament, es pretén determinar el potencial de diversos tipus de BES per a l'estimació de paràmetres relacionats amb la qualitat de l'aigua i amb l'activitat microbiana de les poblacions que habiten un ecosistema. Els aiguamolls construïts (o de tractament) són sistemes naturals de tractament d'aigua residual que s'han utilitzat com a sistema de context en aquesta Tesi. Els resultats obtinguts en la primera part de la Tesi demostren que la implementació de BES en aiguamolls construïts incrementa l'activitat enzimàtica i la respiració aeròbica de les comunitats bacterianes, la qual cosa, al seu torn, està relacionada amb una major eficiència de tractament d'aquests sistemes en comparació als convencionals. En la segona part de la Tesi, s'ha avaluat l'ús de diferents BES com a biosensors de l'activitat microbiana i de la qualitat de l'aigua. Els resultats obtinguts demostren l'aplicabilitat de MFCs i M3Cs com a biosensors per a aquesta finalitat. Concretament, els paràmetres que es poden estimar amb més precisió són el contingut d'ATP i la concentració de matèria orgànica, tot i que els resultats també són molt bons per a la biosensorització de la biomassa i de l'activitat enzimàtica. A més, les M3C ofereixen millor estabilitat, precisió i vida útil en comparació a les MFC. Per altra banda, l'ús dels pics de corrent que es generen en l'operació en discontinu d'un BES proporciona més sensibilitat i precisió en comparació al corrent en continu tot i l'augment en el processament d'informació. Demostrar que l'operació en discontinu dels BES és igualment útil com a eina de biosensorització permet ampliar l'aplicabilitat d'aquests biosensors a ambients que estan saturats d'aigua de manera intermitent. Finalment, s'ha estudiat l'ús de MFCs com a biosensors en una planta de tractament d'escala real. D'aquest estudi se'n conclou que l'increment de la dimensió del biosensor provoca una disminució de la precisió d'aquest. Malgrat això, permet determinar no només l'activitat microbiana i la concentració de matèria orgànica, sinó també la colmatació del llit de tractament i la seva conductivitat hidràulica. En conclusió, i malgrat que encara es trobi en un estat incipient de desenvolupament, els biosensors basats en sistemes bioelectroquímics poden utilitzar-se com a sistema de monitoratge i control holístics, almenys en sistemes de tractament, per a la millora de la gestió de l'aigua. (Español) El agua dulce disponible es un bien extremamente escaso pero esencial para cualquier forma de vida en la Tierra. Su calidad impacta directamente en las poblaciones humanas y en la salud y equilibrio de los ecosistemas. La principal causa de su contaminación, y, en consecuencia, de la de los ecosistemas naturales, es la actividad humana. Es evidente, pues, que el adecuado tratamiento del agua residual antes de su disposición al medio es de capital importancia para preservar su calidad y salud. Por otro lado, la actividad metabólica de los microorganismos tanto en el ambiente natural como en los sistemas de saneamiento del agua es también crucial. De hecho, la actividad microbiana se considera un buen indicador de la calidad de un ecosistema. Por lo expuesto, y dada la actual situación de emergencia hídrica, se requiere de técnicas que permitan un monitoreo y control rápidos y eficientes de los parámetros relacionados con la calidad del agua y la actividad microbiana de los ecosistemas. El uso de sensores y biosensores puede ser una buena estrategia para conseguirlo. En este sentido, los sistemas bioelectroquímicos (BES, por sus siglas en inglés) son instrumentos capaces de generar una corriente eléctrica gracias al metabolismo de los microorganismos electroactivos, que, entre muchos otros usos, se han aplicado también como biosensores. Así pues, el principal objetivo de esta Tesis es evaluar la viabilidad de los sistemas bioelectroquímicos para un mejor monitoreo y control de los recursos hídricos. Concretamente, se pretende determinar el potencial de varios tipos de BES para la estimación de parámetros relacionados con la calidad del agua y con la actividad microbianas de las poblaciones que habitan un ecosistema. Los humedales artificiales (o de tratamiento) son sistemas naturales de tratamiento de aguas residuales que se han usado como sistema de contexto en esta Tesis. Los resultados obtenidos en la primera parte de la Tesis demuestran que la implementación de BES en humedales artificiales incrementa la actividad enzimática y la respiración aeróbica de las comunidades microbianas, lo que, a su vez, está relacionado con una mayor eficiencia de tratamiento de estos sistemas en comparación con los convencionales. En la segunda parte de la Tesis, se ha evaluado el uso de diferentes BES como biosensores de la actividad microbiana y de la calidad del agua. Los resultados obtenidos demuestran la capacidad de MFCs y M3Cs como biosensores para este propósito. Concretamente, los parámetros que se pueden estimar con más precisión son el contenido de ATP y la concentración de materia orgánica, aunque también se han obtenido buenos resultados para la biosensorización de la biomasa y de la actividad enzimática. Además, las M3C ofrecen mejor estabilidad, precisión y vida útil comparadas con las MFC. Por otro lado, el uso de los picos de corriente que se generan en la operación en discontinuo de un BES proporciona más sensibilidad y precisión en comparación con la corriente en continuo a expensas de un aumento del procesado de información. Demostrar que la operación en discontinuo de los BES es igualmente útil como herramienta de biosensorización, permite ampliar la aplicabilidad de estos biosensores a ambientes que están saturados de agua de manera intermitente. Finalmente, se ha estudiado el uso de MFCs como biosensores en una planta de tratamiento de escala real. De este estudio se concluye que el incremento de tamaño del sensor provoca una disminución de la precisión del mismo. A pesar de ello, permite determinar no solo la actividad microbiana y la concentración de materia orgánica, sino también la colmatación del lecho de tratamiento y su conductividad hidráulica. En conclusión, y aunque aún en un estado inicial de desarrollo, los biosensores basados en sistemas bioelectroquímiccos pueden usarse como sistema de monitorización y control holísticos, al menos en sistemas de tratamiento, para la mejora de la gestión del agua.

Kazuko Tanaka, Reita Tamamushi, Teruo Ogawa

Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology. Biotechnology • 1985

Abstract Substantial electric output was delivered from the bioelectrochemical fuel‐cells operated under anaerobic conditions by Anabaena variabilis strain M‐2 and 2‐hydroxy‐1,4‐naphthoquinone. There was a linear relationship between the coulombic output of the fuel‐cells operated in the dark and the glycogen content of the organisms. The coulombic output was increased substantially in the light; the increase was observed even in the absence of CO 2 . Oxygen was evolved by Anabaena cells under the operating conditions of the fuel‐cells. The results demonstrated that the source of electricity obtained from the fuel‐cells is endogenous glycogen in the dark and both glycogen and electrons produced by photosynthetic oxidation of water in the light.

T. Thundat, L. A. Nagahara, P. Oden et al.

Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films • 1990

We have imaged DNA deposits that have been reacted onto a gold electrode. Our scanning tunneling microscope (STM) is operated in a three electrode cell using insulated tips. Samples are deposited at a controlled potential relative to an Ag/AgCl reference electrode. Many different adsorption geometries are observed, different substrate potentials resulting in characteristic adsorption patterns. Here, we report initial results for negative electrodes. At −2.3 V (Ag/AgCl), the DNA appears to attach to the substrate end on. As the potential is lowered towards zero volts, the DNA attaches side on, forming aggregates of decreasing complexity with decreasing substrate potential. Isolated molecules are observed near −1 V (Ag/AgCl). Below this potential, coverage is much less dense. Those molecules that adsorb do so in aggregates, which may bind in alignment with the underlying atomic structure of the substrate.

Francisco Jesus Fernandez-Morales, Yelitza Delgado, Ester Lopez et al.

Global NEST International Conference on Environmental Science & Technology • 2023

This work presents a Monod-based mathematical model able to predict the performance of a bioelectrochemical system (BES) treating Acid Mine Drainage (AMD). The BES was operated as a microbial fuel cell (MFC), in order to recover not only the metals but also all the chemical energy contained. The model was based on two different microbial populations performing electrogenic and non-electrogenic metabolisms respectively. During the MFC operation the metal contained in the AMD were the electron acceptors at the cathode. Because of that, Cu2+ and Fe3+ were reduced to Cu0 and Fe2+. The model formulation was based on a set of differential equations describing the simultaneous evolution of the main chemical components in the system. The model developed accurately predicted the concentration of the acetate and biomass at the anode, the metals at the cathode as well as the electrical current generated.

Juha Kokkonen, Elina Baillieul, John Quay

Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education • 2025

Abstract Outdoor education is often missing in formal curriculum, especially in primary education. With our experience living and working in Finland and Australia, we investigated this situation, revealing important similarities and differences relevant to understanding outdoor education. We highlight some of the differences between the two education systems that impact outdoor education, having learned more about these differences by interviewing primary school teachers involved with teaching and organising outdoor education in both Finland and Victoria, Australia. The different approaches to outdoor education in primary schools in each country illuminate the local and situated character of outdoor education. Importantly, the comparison also highlights similarities, revealing unique educational potential in outdoor education that goes untapped via the curriculum integration strategies espoused in both countries. This educational potential is expressed via the unity of (ad)venturing and environ(ment), which are often separated into physical education and environmental studies, thereby splitting outdoor education and removing the educational potential of their situated unity. Accessing this potential requires improving curricular support for teachers and schools in outdoor education, documenting unique outdoor education content in appropriate ways, and enabling access to resources available to mainstream subjects. Even though Finland and Australia are often considered education leaders internationally, as exemplified via PISA, more work in curriculum development is needed in these countries to better account for the learning that happens uniquely in outdoor education. We argue that an optional curriculum in outdoor education is required in both Finland and Australia to support the work already being done by teachers.

Ghilraen Laue, J. Claire Dean

Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Anthropology • 2022

Rock art sites around the world are disappearing due to natural weathering, vandalism, and development. In Africa, conservation problems are compounded by the continent’s colonial legacy. Conservation can no longer just be seen in the narrow sense of conserving only the rock art; rather, there is a need for “consultative conservation” that includes the broader significance of a site and accommodates all stakeholders, including local communities. In this way, we can decolonize practices and work toward ideas for sustainable African conservation. Before embarking on conservation projects, all the values and significance of a site need to be considered. There is no point conserving an object or a site unless people find meaning in that conservation. The natural deterioration of a site can be due to exposure to the elements, rain, fluctuations in humidity and temperature, biological growth both on the art and in front of it, animal activity, wildfires, and geological and seismic activity. Human activities that degrade a site include scratching or writing of graffiti, repainting or adding details to images, water or other liquids splashed on the paintings to bring out the details, smoke from fires made in the shelters, and target practice. Some of these conservation problems can be mitigated with remedial interventions, but these require the skills of professional conservators that are often expensive and out of reach for many rock art conservation projects. Conservation through the management of sites is far more common and feasible in Africa. In working toward management practices that take all a site’s significance into account, there is a need to acknowledge and work toward undoing injustices, coercions, and exploitation in both conservation practice and legislation. Rather than seeing the conservators’ way of doing things as “best practice” to be implemented from a top-down level, local conservation practices that have worked for centuries need to be considered alongside other conservation measures. Although attempts here are made to be as inclusive as possible the authors’ experience means that the focus and many of the examples given are from southern Africa.

Sandra Montaño-Salazar, Elena Quintanilla, Juan A. Sánchez

Scientific Reports • 2023

The coral microbiome conforms a proxy to study effects of changing environmental conditions. However, scarce information exists regarding microbiome dynamics and host acclimation in response to environmental changes associated to global-scale disturbances. We assessed El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-derived thermal anomalies shifts in the bacterial microbiome of Pacifigorgia cairnsi (Gorgoniidae: Octocorallia) from the remote island of Malpelo in the Tropical Eastern Pacific. Malpelo is a hot spot of biodiversity and lacks direct coastal anthropogenic impacts. We evaluated the community composition and predicted functional profiles of the microbiome during 2015, 2017 and 2018, including different phases of ENSO cycle. The bacterial community diversity and composition between the warming and cooling phase were similar, but differed from the neutral phase. Relative abundances of different microbiome core members such as Endozoicomonas and Mycoplasma mainly drove these differences. An acclimated coral holobiont is suggested not just to warm but also to cold stress by embracing similar microbiome shifts and functional redundancy that allow maintaining coral’s viability under thermal stress. Responses of the microbiome of unperturbed sea fans such as P. cairnsi in Malpelo could be acting as an extended phenotype facilitating the acclimation at the holobiont level.

Prakriti Sharma Ghimire, Shi-chang Kang, W. Sajjad et al.

Atmosphere • 2020

This study presents features of airborne culturable bacteria and fungi from three different sites (Lanzhou; LZ; 1520 m ASL, Lhasa; LS; 3640 m ASL and Qomolangma; ZF; 4276 m ASL) representing urban (LZ and LS) and remote sites (ZF) over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Total suspended particle (TSP) samples were collected with an air sampler (Laoying 2030, China) on a quartz filter. Community structures of bacteria and fungi were studied and compared among three different locations. The average levels of bacterial load in the outdoor air ranged from approximately 8.03 × 101 to 3.25 × 102 CFU m–3 (Colony forming unit per m3). However, the average levels of fungal loads ranged from approximately 3.88 × 100 to 1.55 × 101 CFU m−3. Bacterial load was one magnitude higher at urban sites LZ (2.06 × 102–3.25 × 102 CFU m−3) and LS (1.96 × 102–3.23 × 102 CFU m−3) compared to remote sites ZF (8.03 × 101–9.54 × 101 CFU m−3). Similarly, the maximum fungal load was observed in LZ (1.02 × 101–1.55 × 101 CFU m−3) followed by LS (1.03 × 101–1.49 × 101 CFU m−3) and ZF (3.88 × 100–6.26 × 100 CFU m−3). However, the maximum microbial concentration was observed on the same day of the month, corresponding to a high dust storm in Lanzhou during the sampling period. The reported isolates were identified by phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA genes for bacteria and ITS sequences for fungi amplified from directly extracted DNA. Bacterial isolates were mostly associated with Proteobacteria, Eurotiomycetes and Bacillus, whereas fungal isolates were mostly Aspergillus and Alternaria. Overall, this is a pioneer study that provides information about the airborne microbial concentration and composition of three sites over the TP region depending on environmental parameters. This study provided preliminary insight to carry out more advanced and targeted analyses of bioaerosol in the sites presented in the study.

Wilgince Apollon, S. Kamaraj, H. Rodríguez-Fuentes et al.

Biofuels • 2023

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the performance of a single-chamber microbial fuel cell (SC-MFC) using undiluted livestock urine (i.e. cow, goat, and sheep urine). Data showed that the MFC with cow urine reached a maximum power density of 110.72 ± 0.42 mW m−2 at the maximum current density of 230.88 ± 0.65 mA m−2 and voltage of 277 ± 0.04 mV in a polarization experiment. Whereas, in terms of the long-term operation experiment, the same reactor reached a maximum power density of 7.60 ± 0.06 mW m−2 (on day 10), with an external resistance of 1000 Ω. Besides, 44.30% of microorganisms (strains) were found in the anode of Sheep-MFC due to the association of urine with the substrate, compared to other reactors. The study's findings indicated that the composition of the livestock urine positively affected power generation in the evaluated MFCs. In addition, cow urine was the best substrate for driving MFC technology compared to other types of urine used in this study.

Anastasia S. Medvedeva, Elena I. Gudkova, Aleksandra S. Titova et al.

Environmental Science: Nano • 2024

A simple-to-manufacture and inexpensive biosensor based on a nanostructured copper electrode, mediators and immobilized yeast or bacteria is proposed for determining the biochemical oxygen demand in wastewater.

Suriyaprabha Rajendran, V. Yadav, A. Gacem et al.

Crystals • 2022

Considering that freshwater is a necessity for human life, sewage treatment has been a serious concern for an increasing number of scientists and academics in recent years. To clean industrial effluents, innovative catalysts with good adsorption, chemical stability, and physicochemical properties have been constructed. Here, a prospective microbial consortium was extracted from the wastewater and used as a low-cost catalyst that was functionalized with silver and silver-doped hydroxyapatite (Ag@HAp) nanostructures made using a sonochemical approach. The structural, optical, and crystal phases of Ag and Ag-doped hydroxyapatite (Ag@HAp) nanostructures were studied using ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) techniques. The degradation action of functionalized microbial consortia was examined against reactive orange 84 (RO84) organic discharge. Excellent efficiency for the removal of industrial effluents was found for the Ag NPs and Ag-doped hydroxyapatite (Ag@HAp) loaded with microbial consortia. A maximum of 95% of the decolorization properties of the RO84 dye were obtained in the case of microbial consortia with Ag and Ag@HAp, which was better than the consortia alone (80.32% for 5 ppm and 69.54% for 20 ppm). The consortia/Ag showed 93.34% for 5 ppm and 85.43% for 20 ppm, while was higher for consortia/Ag@HAp (95.34 and 88.43%). The use of these surface-modified nanocatalysts for wastewater treatment and waste effluents discharged from laboratories, the chemical industry, and other sources could be expanded.

Abdul Rauf Shaikh Abdul Rauf Shaikh, Ghulam Qadir Shar and Aamna Balouch Ghulam Qadir Shar and Aamna Balouch

Journal of the chemical society of pakistan • 2022

This study describes the simple and facile fabrication of silica-tagged magnetic nanostructures (Si@MNs) applied as a nanocatalyst to degrade Rhodamine-B (Rh-B) Dye from the real water samples. Fabricated material has been characterized by using different modern analytical techniques such FT-IR, SEM, XRD, ZS, ZP. According to a morphological study, the fabricated material contains a hexagonal, monoclinic shape and 68 nm in size after successful fabrication and characterization. The catalytic material has been used to degrade the Rh-B Dye. Various parameters have been optimized, such as the effect of reducing agent (NaBH4), impact of dye volume, and influence of catalyst dose to achieve the highest percentage of degradation. At optimal conditions, we get a good percentage of degradation up to 85% having good reproducibility. Fabricated catalyst has been successfully applied for actual water samples.

J. G. Price, B. Jager, L. Dancuart et al.

Handbook of Fuel Cells • 2010

Abstract While debate still rages over what the long term primary fuel source for fuel cells will be, there is no doubt that hydrocarbon fuels have a major advantage in terms of infrastructure and energy density compared to all other options. The disadvantage of these fuels lies in the fact that oil‐derived fuels are relatively expensive to convert into hydrogen and tend to be aggressive towards the fuel processor (reformer) and fuel cell catalysts. Synthetic hydrocarbon fuels, produced via the Fischer–Tropsch (FT) synthesis provide a sulfur‐ and aromatic‐free alternative to conventional hydrocarbons which are consequently more benign towards fuel cell catalysts. Currently, the technology is on a fast pace towards full commercialization, with the expectation that as much as 1 million barrels per day of capacity could be on line by the end of this decade, contingent on world economic conditions. Fuels produced using the gas‐to‐liquids technology, particularly when utilizing associated gas sources, provides an environmentally sound method of producing liquid fuels. Gasification of solid and liquid waste products may also be beneficially used to produce the synthesis gas required for the FT synthesis.

Ngo Anh Dao Ho, Sandhya Babel

RSC Advances • 2019

Different Ag( i ) solutions can be successfully reduced electrochemically to form Ag 0 deposits with dendritic and cubic structure at the cathode surface.

F. Ma, Chengcai Fu, Jing Yang et al.

Journal of Energy Engineering • 2020

AbstractSediment microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) are an alternative renewable power supply for sensors and communication. However, their low power outputs limit their practical applications. Maximum p...

Jeongjin Yeo, Yoonseok Yang

2020 International Conference on Electronics, Information, and Communication (ICEIC) • 2020

In this study, bioelectrochemical energy harvesting technology using a microbial fuel cell (MFC) is proposed which can generate electric energy from beverage residues containing abundant chemical energy. Various beverage residues (coffee, orange juice, soda, milk, yogurt, energy-drink, beer) were inoculated into the MFCs and results were observed. Output characteristics of the MFCs showed differences among all kind of beverages. These results showed that the activity of the microbes in the MFCs was varied due to differences in organic components of each beverage. However, MFCs successfully generated electric energy with all types of beverages used in the study. Moreover, there was a significant improvement in output performance compared with the control group which is inoculated with an initial substrate (vermicompost). MFCs inoculated with coffee and energy-drink generated a maximum power of above $50\ \mu\mathbf{W}$ which was 100 times higher than that of control MFC. It is expected that bioelectrochemical energy harvesting technology including MFC could be advanced into a sustainable power system beyond the pollutant treatment.

A. Salisu, Soma Deb

2024 International Conference on Electrical Electronics and Computing Technologies (ICEECT) • 2024

One benefit of electricity generation directly in a microbial fuel cell (MFC) from waste biomass is that it can produce high-columbic efficiency green energy. The output voltage and power density of the Microbial Fuel Cell are quite low, even though it can produce green energy from waste. The output voltage ranges from 300mV to 800mV and its power density is around 100 – 2000 mW/m3. Meanwhile, most electronics devices require above 3.3 V to operate. Therefore, there is a need to boost this output voltage and power to usable levels for electronic devices. Therefore, this paper proposes various energy harvesting technologies to raise the voltage of MFC to usable form. Future work will concentrate on creating a power management system (PMS) with ultralow power consumption components that is optimized for MFC operation.

Shakeel Ahmed

Advances in Environmental Engineering and Green Technologies • 2016

There are numerous forms of energy that can gratify the needs of computing, these energies include solar, thermal, mechanical, wind, acoustic, and wave for different devices and applications. With ubiquitous computing requirements for self-powered devices such as MEMS (Micro-electromechanical systems) and these devices have narrow capacity of finite power sources and it is needed that these systems are needed to be supplied with energy for the lifetime of the system. Mostly Batteries are the main source of energy for many of these mobile systems, embedded systems and remote system applications. There is a requirement for Energy harvesting which is a method of extracting energy from the nearby environment called Environmental energy which can be used as supernumerary to electrochemical battery. Studies are being conducted to harvest energy from solar, wind, thermal, tidal and other mechanical sources which have limited lifespan. This paper serves as a study to identify various sources of energy available for harvesting centered on various technical papers available and present the work carried out by investigators in identifying them.

Tole Sutikno, Rizky Ajie Aprilianto

Intellectual Journal of Energy Harvesting and Storage • 2023

Energy harvesting systems (EHS) have been known as a concept to obtain energy from a clean source and convert it into other energy, including electricity. EHS can be classified into four sources: light, electromagnetic, thermal, and kinetic energy. Unfortunately, most harvester devices generate electricity within the low-voltage level, so voltage conditioning is needed to achieve a feasible level. Single‐ended primary‐inductor converter (SEPIC) DC-DC converter becomes one of the solutions to realize it, which works by increasing DC level voltage. In this study, the role of SEPIC DC-DC converter for HES applications focusing on three of four sources along with its harvester devices, i.e., light by PV, gradient temperature by TEG, and pressure by a piezoelectric device, are reviewed. Also, the overview of challenges and the possibility of HES obtained are described. Then, the application of each harvester device and the SEPIC DC-DC converter is explained to low-voltage EHS applications, for instance, in renewable energy power plants, street lighting, small-scale power applications, or power sources at wearable devices. Lastly, the primary issue in the SEPIC DC-DC converter and research information that may be carried out in future studies are given.

Ke Zhang, Xiangling Wu, Wei Wang et al.

Research Square • 2021

Abstract In the context of global warming, the bioelectrochemical method (microbial fuel cell MFC) was proposed for CH 4 control from CWs. The main focus is to further explore the effect of plant roots location at the electrode, plant species on CH 4 emissions, bioelectricity generation and the mechanism underlying competition between electrogenesis and methanogenesis at the anode. The results showed that the operation of MFC effectively reduced the CH 4 emissions and promoted COD removal rates. CH 4 emission was significantly higher in open circuit (6.2 mg m -2 h -1 ) than in closed circuit reactors (3.1 mg m -2 h -1 ). Plant roots at the cathode had the highest electricity generation and the lowest CH 4 emissions. The highest power generation (0.49 V, 0.33 w m -3 ) and the lowest CH 4 emissions (2.3 mg m -2 h -1 ) were observed in the reactors where Typha Orientalis was planted with plant roots at the cathode. The role of plants in strengthening electron acceptor was greater than that of plant rhizodeposits in strengthening electron donors. q-PCR and correlation analysis indicated that the mcr A genes and CH 4 emissions were positively correlated ( r=0.98, p<0.01 ), while no significant relationship between CH 4 emissions and pmoA genes was observed. More nanowires, which are conductive to electron transfer, were found when plant roots were in cathode by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Illumina sequencing revealed that more abundant exoelectrogens and denitrifying bacteria ( Geobacter , Desulfobulbu, Nitrospira and Anaerolinea) were observed when plant roots located in cathodes. Strictly acetotrophic archae (Methanosaetaceae) were likely main electron donor competitors with exoelectrogens. In addition, plant species played a more important role in CH 4 emissions and electricity generation than the plant roots location at the electrode. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen plant configuration to reduce CH 4 emissions, so as to promote sustainable development of wastewater treatment.

Chotika Sangthong, Chatchai Ponchio

Progress in Applied Science and Technology • 2023

Photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) techniques are an innovative and promising method for eliminating microorganisms. Developing and applying such advanced technologies is essential for protecting public health and the environment. Semiconductor electrode development is a major issue in the advancement of such methods. We have developed a technique for fabricating WO3-Bi2WO6 electrodes using cyclic voltammetry (CV), focusing on the efficiency of the reaction and investigating key aspects for its use in microbial degradation. The optimization of the CV method parameter and calcination temperature was conducted in order to enhance the characteristics of composite WO3-Bi2WO6 electrodes for the aqueous oxidation process. The properties of the fabricated composited WO3-Bi2WO6 electrode were analyzed by several techniques, including UV-visible spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The PEC water oxidation and total microorganism elimination efficiencies were investigated to validate the application of the developed composite WO3-Bi2WO6 electrode properties. The characteristics of the prepared composite WO3-Bi2WO6 electrodes are significantly influenced by the calcination temperature. We were able to satisfactorily verify the electrodes' properties in a reaction involving different calcining temperatures. At a calcining temperature of 450 °C, WO3-Bi2WO6 electrodes exhibited excellent PEC activity in water oxidation and electron transfer rate at the electrode surface. The composited WO3-Bi2WO6 electrode can effectively remove 96% of total microorganisms under the PEC process within 15 minutes. This study provides important background information for future work on composite semiconductor thin film preparations with potential applications in microbe eradication and environmental protection.

Jing jing Pan, Luyu Tan, Qingqing Fan et al.

Research Square • 2022

Abstract Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) have rapidly developed into a promising technology to treat sulfate-rich wastewater that lacks electron donors. However, little is known regarding the effect of different carbon sources on the microbial community structure bioelectrochemical systems. This study sought to investigate the effect of different carbon sources (NaHCO 3 , ethanol, and acetate were employed as sole carbon source respectively) on the performance of sulfate-reducing biocathodes. The sulfate reduction efficiency enhanced by the bioelectrochemical systems was 8.09%−11.57% higher than that of open-circuit reference experiments. Furthermore, the optimum carbon source was ethanol with a maximum sulfate reduction rate of 170 mg L −1 d −1 in the bioelectrochemical systems. The different carbon sources induced significant differences in sulfate reduction efficiency as demonstrated by the application of a micro-electrical field. The dominant sulfate-reducing bacteria that use NaHCO 3 and acetate as carbon sources were Desulfobacter and Desulfobulbus , whereas those that use ethanol as carbon source were Desulfomicrobium and Desulfovibrio . Our results suggest that ethanol is a more suitable carbon source for sulfate reduction in bioelectrochemical systems.

Yohei Suzuki, Fumiaki Makino, Tomoko Miyata et al.

ChemRxiv • 2022

Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-dependent fructose dehydrogenase (FDH) from Gluconobacter japonicus NBRC3260, a membrane-bound flavohemoprotein capable of direct electron transfer (DET)-type bioelectrocatalysis, was investigated from the viewpoints of structural biology and bioelectrochemistry. As FDH provides a strong DET-type catalytic signal, extensive research has been conducted. Structural analysis using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and single-particle analysis revealed the entire FDH structure. The electron transfer (ET) pathway during the catalytic oxidation of D-fructose was investigated using thermodynamic and kinetic approaches in bioelectrochemistry, as well as structural information. Key amino acid residues that play important roles in substrate specificity and ET acceleration have also been proposed.

O San Martin

Journal of Physics: Conference Series • 2023

Abstract This paper aims to present a general overview of the social acceptance of wind energy developments in Europe and identify influential social acceptance factors. First, we show social acceptance levels for renewable energy (onshore wind) projects in selected European countries and how it varies across and within countries. In addition, we produce regional maps showing within country variations in social acceptance indicators. Second, using an econometric model, we study how different factors influence social acceptance levels. Our investigation assesses social acceptance of renewable energy developments using primary data from two comprehensive opinion surveys. The first opinion survey-conducted in September/October 2021-contains more than 16 000 observations from 8 European countries and allows us to assess how social acceptance is affected by the distance to the wind parks. The second opinion survey – conducted in June 2022 - contains more than 18 000 observations from 9 European countries and allows us to assess-through an econometric model how social acceptance is affected by a set of relevant influential factors, including perceptions, preferences towards energy suppliers, preferences for community benefits schemes, and demographic factors among others. The analysis of the information gathered for this investigation shows variations across European countries and within each of the countries covered by this study. The findings from this study might be helpful to take into consideration during the planning and development of renewable energy projects and improve targeting the work towards community engagement aiming to obtain the social license to build and operate renewable energy projects.

Azrina Karima, K. M. Hassan

Journal of Engineering Science • 2022

In developing countries, including Bangladesh, deliberate disposal of the untreated slaughterhouse wastewater causes environmental pollution and poses threat to public health. In this study, slaughterhouse wastewater was analyzed for the Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5), and faecal coliforms (E. coli) were found ranging between 1,840–3,300 mg/L, 62–619 mg/L and est.>3,400– 6,00,000 CFU/100 ml, respectively. A bench-scale treatment unit, adopting activated sludge process, was developed in the laboratory and the average treatment efficiency for BOD5 and TSS were found 67% and 39%, respectively. However, the efficiency for microbial removal performance was inconclusive. An additional duel-media granular filtration unit was developed to improve the effluent quality and the treatment efficiencies for BOD5, TSS and E. coli were improved to 90% to 100%. The study highlighted the level of pollution caused by the slaughterhouse wastewater disposal to the surrounding water bodies and how the decentralized treatment approach can improve water quality. Journal of Engineering Science 13(1), 2022, 41-50

Thirulogachandar Asokan, Jayanthi Singaram, P. Sundaram

International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development • 2018

Biodiesel is an alternative diesel fuel, which can be synthesised from renewable biological sources. Lipid production using carbon source in wastewater is an emerging process as it purely depends on waste source. In the present study, the ability of Yarrowia lipolytica to accumulate lipids using slaughterhouse wastewater as substrate was investigated. Using raw wastewater as substrate, maximum lipid content (0.43 g/L) and biomass (1.2 g/g) were obtained. Various pre-treatment methods like acid, alkaline, heat, activated carbon and sawdust treatment were performed and two-fold increase in C/N ratio was observed in combined pre-treatment of sawdust with KOH. Using pretreated wastewater, lipid accumulation was enhanced to 32% with lipid content of 0.64 g/L. Results of this study conclude that the pre-treated slaughterhouse wastewater can be employed as a better feedstock for lipid production using Yarrowia lipolytica.

Noémi N. Gönczi, Zoltán Bagi, Márk Szuhaj et al.

Preprints.org • 2023

Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) have great potential in renewable energy production technologies. BES can generate electricity via Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) or use the electric current for the synthesis of valuable commodities in Microbial Electrolysis Cells (MECs). The number of various reactor configurations and operational protocols increasing rapidly although, the industrial scale operation is still facing difficulties. This article reviews the recent BES related to literature, with special attention to electrosynthesis and the most promising reactor configurations. We also attempted to clarify the numerous definitions proposed for BESs. The main components of BES are highlighted. Although the comparison of the various fermentation systems is we collected useful and generally applicable operational parameters to be used for comparative studies. A brief overview to link the appropriate microbes to the optimal reactor design is given.

Lukasz Szydlowski, Anatoly Sorokin, Olga Vasieva et al.

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) • 2019

SUMMARY Bio-electrochemical systems can generate electricity by virtue of mature microbial consortia that gradually and spontaneously optimize performance. To evaluate selective enrichment of these electrogenic microbial communities, five, 3-electrode reactors were inoculated with microbes derived from rice wash wastewater and incubated under a range of applied potentials. Reactors were sampled over a 12-week period and DNA extracted from anodal, cathodal, and planktonic bacterial communities was interrogated using a custom-made bioinformatics pipeline that combined 16S and metagenomic samples to monitor temporal changes in community composition. Some genera that constituted a minor proportion of the initial inoculum dominated within weeks following inoculation and correlated with applied potential. For instance, the abundance of Geobacter increased from 423-fold to 766-fold between −350 mV and −50 mV, respectively. Full metagenomic profiles of bacterial communities were obtained from reactors operating for 12 weeks. Functional analyses of metagenomes revealed metabolic changes between different species of the dominant genus, Geobacter , suggesting that optimal nutrient utilization at the lowest electrode potential is achieved via genome rearrangements and a strong inter-strain selection, as well as adjustment of the characteristic syntrophic relationships. These results reveal a certain degree of metabolic plasticity of electrochemically active bacteria and their communities in adaptation to adverse anodic and cathodic environments.

Ecevit Bilgili

Journal of Pharmaceutical and BioTech Industry • 2024

The pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry continues to be one of the most important industry sectors for various reasons [...]