Clean water
UNICEF estimates that over 2.2 billion people worldwide do not have access to clean drinking water. Micro-organisms are responsible for a host of waterborne diseases, but simultaneously offer solutions in purifying water and improving sanitation. Biofertilizers offer promising solutions for reduced nutrient runoff and wastewater recycling. As well as applying microbes to combat the problem, applied microbiologists can use their knowledge of health and disease to reduce cases of waterborne disease.
News
Materials of the future can be extracted from wastewater
Researchers are revolutionizing what biomass from wastewater treatment plants can be used for. Biopolymers from bacteria can be a sustainable alternative to oil-based products, and phosphorus and other minerals can also be harvested.
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NewsWHO in Lebanon working to stop cholera spread amid conflict
On 16 October, the Ministry of Public Health of Lebanon confirmed a cholera case. Authorities are investigating the extent of the disease’s spread, gathering samples from the patient’s contacts, and assessing potential water contamination.
CareersA Day in the Life of a Microbiologist at ACEWATER
My journey began in 2020 as a PhD student in Environmental Microbiology at Redeemer’s University, and I’ve since been immersed in the fascinating world of microbiological research. My work at the African Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ACEWATER) presents a variety of challenges and rewards as I explore the ...
NewsViruses are teeming on your toothbrush and shower head
There’s a jungle of ‘untapped biodiversity’ in the bathroom, a new study finds.
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News
Second round of polio vaccination in the Gaza Strip aims to vaccinate over half a million children
The second round of an emergency polio vaccination campaign is scheduled to start on 14 October 2024 in Gaza, to vaccinate an estimated 591 700 children under ten years of age with a second dose of the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) vaccine.
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NewsSludge sequencing reveals novel species and genetic diversity
A study sequencing activated sludge has unearthed a plethora of antibiotic resistance genes and has pointed to the existence of previously unknown microbial species.
NewsBioengineer awarded $3.4M for project to end polio
Bioengineer Kevin McHugh has been awarded $3.4 million for a project to incorporate protection against poliomyelitis into the combination vaccine that protects against five common and dangerous childhood diseases.
NewsZooplankton go ‘Eew!’ to cleaning feces-contaminated water
Scientists were recently surprised to find that the natural community of zooplankton — tiny, aquatic animals known to graze on bacteria — present in freshwater and saltwater do not clean water that is contaminated with fecal microorganisms.
NewsWHO launches global strategic plan to fight rising Aedes-borne arboviral diseases
The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched the Global Strategic Preparedness, Readiness and Response Plan (SPRP) to tackle dengue and other Aedes-borne arboviruses.
NewsWastewater bacteria can break down plastic for food
Researchers have discovered how cells of a Comamonas bacterium break down plastic for food. First, they chew the plastic into small pieces, then secrete an enzyme that breaks down the plastic further, and finally use a ring of carbon atoms as a food source.
NewsStudy shows how emissions from Brazilian Pantanal’s soda lakes contribute to climate change
Characterized by high pH and salinity, these soda lakes have practically dried up because of rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and wildfires. The study shows how the local microbial community influences greenhouse gas emissions.
NewsGrazing zooplankton severely impacted by nanoplastic particles - but cyanobacteria unaffected
Researchers who studied how nanoplastic affects aquatic organisms in lakes and rivers found that some species are being wiped out, while others – such as cyanobacteria that contribute to algal blooms – are completely unaffected.
NewsSwedish research on antibiotic pollution becomes UN declaration after 17 years
In 2007, researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden published the first in a series of studies showing massive pollution with antibiotics from pharmaceutical factories in India. In connection with the ongoing UN General Assembly in New York, a declaration was approved that underlines the risks and calls for measures ...
NewsScientists boost denitrification of wastewater with biochar-based substrate
An innovative study has unveiled a substantial development in wastewater treatment technology. The innovative approach to improving denitrification in constructed wetlands uses a novel biochar-based substrate.
NewsExperts discover the deadly genetics of cholera, which could be key to its prevention
Experts have used a cutting-edge computational approach to discover the genetic factors that make the bacteria behind cholera so dangerous - which could be key to preventing this deadly disease.
NewsWastewater monitoring can detect foodborne illness
Results of a new study suggest sewage monitoring could provide early warning of foodborne disease outbreaks to public health authorities.
NewsOrigami paper sensors could help early detection of infectious diseases in low-cost test
Researchers have developed an innovative new method for identifying biomarkers in wastewater using origami-paper sensors, enabling the tracking of infectious diseases using the camera in a mobile phone.
NewsComputer-aided biology can be deployed to develop tailored microbe communities
Researchers inspired by natural lichens want to develop the microbial networking manifested here as an example for future applications, as a contribution toward establishing interdisciplinary methods and technologies for CO2-negative processes.
NewsAvian flu found in wastewater of 10 Texas cities through virome sequencing
Avian influenza A(H5N1) virus, which spread to cattle and infected 14 people this year, has been detected using virome sequencing in the wastewater of 10 Texas cities.
NewsWhat’s really ‘fueling’ harmful algae in Florida’s lake Okeechobee?
Lake Okeechobee is the largest lake in Florida and the second largest in the Southeastern United States. Over the past two decades, blooms of blue-green algae (Microcystis) have emerged in the lake and have been flushed into nearby urban estuaries, causing serious environmental and public health issues.
CareersCaleb investigates the potential for wastewater surveillance of yellow fever virus in his Summer Placement
Second year medical student Caleb Morin reveals what happened during his Applied Microbiology International-sponsored Summer Placement at the University of Galway investigating wastewater surveillance for monitoring yellow fever virus.
NewsRecreational tubing and swimming leave microbial impact on streams
Researchers found that swimming and tubing on a Colorado creek over a busy Labor Day weekend can have a short-term effect, increasing the levels of metals, human gut-associated microbes and substances from personal care products.
NewsA chemical cocktail of micropollutants amplified the effect of algal toxins causing mass fish mortality on the River Oder
Researchers investigating summer 2022’s environmental disaster on the River Oder, which killed up to 60 per cent of fish biomass, have been able to detect more than 120 organic micropollutants in the water samples.
