Collaborate Disseminate
Microbial fuel cells are a promising new technology for generating electricity, but so far they’re plagued by inefficiency. Now, researchers at UCLA have found a way to wring more energy out of them, by feeding the bacteria silver to make them more con… Continue reading Silver-infused bacteria build more efficient microbial fuel cells
Aquatic environments fed by streams of discharged wastewater are inherently prone to pollutants from human activity, and that can include the consumption of drugs, legal or otherwise. A field of research is forming around this phenomenon in an effort t… Continue reading Brown trout become addicts in waters polluted with methamphetamine
Even with today’s various sewage-treatment technologies, a great deal of municipal wastewater is still released back into waterways either partially or completely untreated. According to a new study, however, plots of willow trees could be used to clea… Continue reading Willow trees used to produce helpful substances while treating sewage
Microplastics are increasingly found to be polluting oceans and waterways and causing unknown damage to the health of animals and humans. Now, a new study provides evidence there’s cross over with another looming public health threat – antibiotic-resis… Continue reading Wastewater microplastics help superbugs share dangerous genes
Nitrogen and phosphorus are two of the key pollutants that have to be removed from sewage, and doing so typically involves two separate steps. Thanks to a newly-discovered bacterium, however, both could soon be removed at once.Continue ReadingCategory:… Continue reading “New” microbe could find use in more efficient sewage treatment
Treating wastewater to cleanse it of contaminants like heavy metals is a complex task, and one that often involves a slow-going, scattergun approach. Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have now produced a mat… Continue reading New material cleans copper from wastewater with unmatched efficiency
Technologies that extend the lifespan of perishable foods could help us avoid huge amounts of waste, and scientists in Singapore have unearthed a promising new possibility in the form of chemically treated pineapple leaves. The team’s new upcycling met… Continue reading Upcycled pineapple leaves can keep food fresh and clean wastewater
After wastewater such as sewage has been processed at water treatment plants, a sandy grit is typically left over. And while that grit usually ends up in landfills, it could soon instead be used in a more eco-friendly pothole repair material.Continue R… Continue reading Wastewater grit may find use in “green” pothole filler
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are emerging as a serious public health threat, and part of the reason is that the bugs can pass resistance genes to each other. Now, researchers at Rice University have developed a system using nanoparticles wrapped in gr… Continue reading Graphene-wrapped particles kill drug-resistant bacteria in wastewater
Scientists are getting creative with new ways to produce fuels and electricity, but they can introduce their own problems too. Making biofuel from algae, for example, is showing promise, but it does create large amounts of toxic wastewater. Now, resear… Continue reading Zaps of electricity clean up wastewater from biofuel production