All Wastewater & Sanitation articles – Page 3
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NewsDon’t build the engine, grow it: biohybrid miniature robots using living organisms
By fusing living organisms like bacteria, algae, and insects with synthetic payloads, researchers are creating living biohybrid miniature robots that self-fuel, self-repair, and navigate environments that would paralyze a rigid silicon chip.
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News American microbiologist behind global water safety breakthrough wins 2026 Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize
Professor Joan Bray Rose has been recognised for pioneering Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) as a global approach for assessing pathogen risks in water. QMRA has been adopted into global drinking water standards and enabled safe water reuse.
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News‘Safe’ fertilizer linked to extreme water quality loss in Canadian Prairies
Research has found that widespread application of the common farm fertilizer, urea, severely degrades water quality in the Canadian Prairies. Urea added to farm ponds increased growth of algae to levels 10 times higher than seen in other damaged ecosystems, such as Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba.
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NewsNameko mucilage: An eco-friendly solution for microplastic pollution
Researchers use natural mucilage from nameko mushrooms for the removal of micro- and nano-plastics from water. The mucilage is rich in polysaccharides, particularly pectin—a naturally occurring plant-based compound—which is known for its particle-binding properties.
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NewsResearchers develop new solar-powered water disinfection system
Researchers have developed a new solar-powered water disinfection system that combines several existing methods. The compact device effectively utilizes a combination of techniques that all use solar energy.
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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.
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NewsWastewater harbors high-risk antimicrobial resistance genes
Researchers found evidence of genetic material from two major bacterial groups, commonly known to exhibit high-risk resistance profiles, in wastewater samples from a large South Africa city.
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NewsNew antibiotic alternative fights foodborne salmonella
Researchers have discovered a safe and highly effective natural virus that functions like a precision-guided missile, capable of eliminating harmful Salmonella on various foods and packaging materials, showing great potential as a novel guardian for food safety.
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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.