All Waste Management articles
-
NewsMicrobes frozen in ancient rubbish heaps help reconstruct ancient Greenlanders’ farms, seal hunts, and toilets
The microbiome of ancient middens in Greenland sheds new light on the daily life of Paleo-Inuit and old Norse communities. Researchers say the middens in the cold Arctic acted like long-term natural experiments, with human- and animal-associated bacterial signals remaining detectable many centuries later.
-
NewsRice husk biochar catalyst breaks down antibiotic pollutant in minutes
A new biochar supported cobalt oxide catalyst rapidly removes levofloxacin from water while revealing a key reaction mechanism for cleaner wastewater treatment.
-
NewsBiochar’s hidden electron power could unlock cleaner pollution control and energy recovery
A new review highlights how biochar’s natural redox properties may help overcome key barriers to large-scale environmental applications.
-
NewsIndigenous mushroom transforms agricultural waste into food
An edible, seasonal mushroom in Eastern Nigeria has nutritional and therapeutic potential but is poorly researched. New research suggests that domestication of Lentinus squarrosulus using waste materials, specifically sawdust, could boost food production and provide employment opportunities for farmers and small businesses.
-
NewsWine’s leftovers could help wean chicken farms off antibiotics
Every year, millions of gallons of wine are pressed, leaving behind a mountain of pulpy residue that wineries struggle to dispose of. Now, researchers say this overlooked byproduct could serve as a replacement for the antibiotics routinely added to chicken feed.
-
NewsSunlight and PVC pipes create a hidden driver of antibiotic resistance
New research shows that chemicals leaching from everyday PVC—especially after exposure to sunlight—can dramatically speed up the spread of resistance genes between bacteria. The effect was strongest at low to moderate concentrations, where the leachate triggered bacterial stress responses without killing the microbes.
-
NewsSelf-renewing bacteria offer new hope for heavy metal cleanup
Scientists have revealed a powerful bacterial defense strategy against Cd toxicity. The team found that Stenotrophomonas sp. H225 sheds Cd-laden cell wall fragments and rebuilds new protective layers through a process involving the mtgA gene.
-
News‘Living plastic’ activates and self-destructs on command
Living plastics that self-destruct on command incorporate activatable, plastic-degrading microbes alongside the polymers. The latest study used two bacterial strains that worked together and completely broke down the material within just six days, without making microplastics.
-
NewsHemp waste biocomposites offer a lower-carbon alternative for packaging and agricultural films
A new study explores how hemp hurd can be converted into microfiber-based biocomposites for packaging films and agricultural mulch films, and shows anaerobic digestion delivers the best environmental outcome for hemp hurd-based bioplastic systems.
-
NewsCrab shell by-products could help regulate the marine lifetime of biodegradable plastics
Researchers show that crab shell by-products can reduce the breakdown rate of biodegradable plastics in seawater by altering the microbial communities that colonize their surfaces, known as the plastisphere.
-
NewsCosmetics from waste? New microbial discovery could enable more sustainable production of high-value chemical products
Researchers have made a key discovery about how certain bacterial strains produce a set of economically valuable chemicals — opening the door to new, more sustainable production methods. A family of molecules could be made via bacterial fermentation instead of from palm oil, as they are today.
-
NewsHot spring microbiomes could transform industrial CO2 waste into valuable products
Researchers found that microbiomes inhabiting terrestrial hot springs are naturally adapted to conditions that closely resemble industrial waste streams: high temperatures, elevated concentrations of CO2, and chemically challenging environments.
-
NewsIs asphalt bad for our health? And can algae help?
Scientists studying how asphalt emissions impact respiratory health are also working on less toxic, lower-emitting asphalt formulations. One project involves growing a strain of algae that could reduce VOC emissions using wastewater from a treatment plant.
-
NewsHong Kong’s waters at risk from over-the-counter drug pollution
A recent study of Hong Kong’s river and estuary systems has uncovered an overlooked major source of water pollution: common over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. Accessible, everyday OTC drugs accounted for up to 85% of pharmaceutical pollution in these waters during the wet season.
-
NewsEnzyme produced by fungus may replace chemicals in the paper industry
Fungal xylanase can be obtained by cultivating the microorganism in sugarcane bagasse or wheat bran. The solution is a non-polluting alternative for bleaching cellulose pulp, which currently uses a toxic chemical.
-
NewsTurning algae waste into powerful filters: New biochar membranes clean wastewater more efficiently
A new study has developed a sustainable filtration technology that transforms microalgae waste into high-performance membranes capable of removing pollutants and bacteria from wastewater. The innovation could offer a greener and more efficient solution for municipal water treatment.
-
NewsBiochar and beneficial fungi team up to detoxify toxic red mud and restore soil health
A new study has revealed a promising nature-based strategy to clean up red mud, one of the world’s most hazardous industrial wastes, by combining biochar with beneficial soil fungi to target specific pollutants and revive damaged soils.
-
NewsPork bones to the rescue: Healing arsenic-poisoned rice paddies with engineered char
A newly published paper explores exactly what happens when agricultural lands are treated with micro- and nano-scale bone char (MNBC). It proves that adding just a small amount of this specially processed biochar triggers a massive biological revival in toxic soil.
-
NewsUnlocking the phosphorus puzzle: How microplastics and hydrochar change the way rice paddies feed
A fresh look at the soil microbiome reveals that the key to freeing up phosphorus locked away in the ground relies heavily on the type of carbon we add, whether that is treated animal waste or, surprisingly, synthetic plastic pollution.
-
NewsTrace levels of food pathogen do not always translate to health risk, says study
Ultra-sensitive food safety tests may drive food waste and unavailability with limited public health benefit, according to a study. These food safety measures and ultra-sensitive tests may drive edible food being thrown away, excessive packaging, and extra costs for consumers.