All Wastewater & Sanitation articles
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NewsMapping the hidden gene highways of wastewater biofilms
A new study uncovers the hidden microbial connections within wastewater biofilms by combining Hi-C sequencing with multi-omics to directly map which phages and plasmids are associated with which microbial hosts.
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NewsEngineered biochar and beneficial bacteria team up to boost crop growth
Researchers have developed a specially engineered biochar made from sewage sludge that, when combined with beneficial bacteria, significantly enhances plant growth by improving how crops absorb nitrogen.
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NewsFood scientists develop new antimicrobial for cleaning and sanitizing dry-food processing equipment
New research describes a novel chemical mixture for sanitation in low-moisture environments. Scientists found that a formulation containing cyclomethicone combined with vinegar-based acetic acid was the most effective against Salmonella and Cronobacter bacteria.
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NewsScientists discover ‘consortium’ of bacteria cooperating to eat phthalate plasticizers that single microbes can’t stomach
Researchers have discovered a synergistic ‘consortium’ of plastic-eating bacteria, which can eat phthalate esters (PAEs) – plasticizers which are often found in building materials, food packages, and personal care products, but have been implicated in hormonal, metabolic, and developmental disorders and some cancers.
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NewsWhen waste becomes fertilizer: Can sludge-derived liquids reshape aquatic life in farmlands?
Hydrothermal carbonization has been proposed as a soil amendment to reduce synthetic fertilizer inputs and enhance crop productivity. Research finds it reshapes community assembly, trophic interactions, and functional expression in periphyton, with network integrity emerging as the primary driver of ecosystem functioning.
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NewsGrowing buildings in space: researchers test fungi as construction material for moon, Mars
A NASA-funded project will investigate whether certain fungi can be combined with regolith — loose rock and soil found on the surface of the moon and other planets — to create materials that could one day support construction in places other than Earth.
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News10 Years, 70% shift: Wastewater upgrades quietly transform river microbiomes
Researchers investigated how the upgrade of a WWTP influenced nitrogen-cycling microorganisms and DNA viruses in its receiving river. The research compared the river whose WWTP was upgraded during the study period against the river whose upgrade occurred prior to the study.
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News How recycled sewage could make the moon or Mars suitable for growing crops
Scientists are investigating how a solution of recycled sewage interacts with simulated lunar and Martian regolith to see if the result provides a suitable medium to grow crops. Bioregenerative life support systems consist of a series of bioreactors and filters that transform sewage into a nutrient-dense solution.
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NewsHow bacteria can reclaim lost energy, nutrients, and clean water from wastewater
A new review explores how technologies using electricity-generating bacteria—like those already piloted at the UK’s Glastonbury Festival and in field trials in Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa—could help us reclaim resources currently being flushed away.
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NewsMethane’s missing emissions: The underestimated impact of small sources
Although efforts are being made to reduce the contribution of big polluters to methane in Japan, new research suggests that smaller sources are vastly underestimated in the Osaka metropolitan area. The team found unaccounted emissions from numerous small sources, including restaurants, commercial facilities, and private residences.
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NewsThe hidden infections that refuse to go away: how household practices can stop deadly diseases
A 13-year study reveals why a deadly parasitic infection targeted for elimination in China persisted in some areas even after decades of control. The research investigated some of the last pockets of schistosomiasis in the country, finding that farming practices and unsafe sanitation contributed to disease spread.
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NewsWorld Water Day 2026: Book your free place on our Gender Equality and Water webinar
Applied Microbiology International will hold a free webinar on ‘Gender Equality and Water’ to mark World Water Day 2026 - March 18 2026. We’ll be joined by Professor Jiménez Cisneros, an expert in water management, sanitation and sustainable development, and Professor Lyla Mehta, an expert on water, sanitation, gender and development.
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NewsElevated E. coli, staph still detected in Potomac river 4 weeks after sewage spill
Nearly a month after a wastewater pipe broke and spewed hundreds of millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River just north of Washington, D.C., the latest water testing results continue to show high levels of E. coli and S. aureus, including antibiotic-resistant MRSA.
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NewsStrategic changes in water treatment could prevent disease outbreaks
A breakthrough new study shows how strategic changes in water treatment effectively treated a deadly outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease. For the first time, the study provides evidence of an outbreak being stopped by introducing disinfection to previously untreated groundwater.
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NewsTeam finds E. coli, other pathogens in Potomac River after sewage spill
Following one of the largest sewage spills in U.S. history, researchers detected high levels of fecal-related bacteria and disease-causing pathogens in the Potomac River, raising urgent public health concerns and underscoring the risks posed by aging sewer infrastructure.
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NewsLarge-scale study analyses the impact of climate on Legionnaires’ disease in Catalonia
A study has analysed the relationship between climatic conditions, the presence of Legionella in water systems and cases of Legionnaires’ disease in Catalonia. The link between these different factors highlights the need to adapt prevention and surveillance strategies in the context of climate change.
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NewsLab-grown algae removes microplastics from water
Scientists have applied a revolutionary strain of algae toward capturing and removing harmful microplastics from polluted water. The aim is to repurpose the collected microplastics into safe, bioplastic products such as composite plastic films.
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News£2.8 million research project to combat one of the world’s most urgent health threats
An ambitious new £2.8 million international programme will aim to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR) across East Africa. It will examine how environmental, social and economic factors influence the spread of drug-resistant infections in East African communities.
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NewsMethane eating microbes turn a powerful greenhouse gas into green plastics, feed, and fuel
Methane eating microbes could help turn a powerful greenhouse gas into everyday products like animal feed, green plastics, and cleaner fuels, according to a new scientific review of fast moving research on these unusual bacteria.
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NewsPine bark removes pharmaceutical residues from wastewater – an affordable way to keep antibiotics out of nature
Researchers have developed a pine‑bark–based water‑treatment medium that efficiently removes antibiotics as well as residues of blood‑pressure and antidepressant medicines from wastewater treatment plant effluent.