Magazine and paper publications
Continuing a theme from a recent post on Microbial ecology and drinking water biofiltration, two papers below are well worth a look. They are on linked topics and are published in conference proceedings, with full papers on the way: so a thought-provoking taster for what is to come. Prof Cindy …
A recent paper by the EBNet team on What is Environmental Biotechnology? notes that the discipline is widely seen as less glamorous than synthetic biology or industrial biotech, making it harder to attract staff and funding. Finding evidence for this is quite difficult, and what there is tends to be …
There have been numerous recent surveys, reports and editorials on the challenges facing new (bio)technologies for a more sustainable economy: some focusing on training and education to address the shortage of skilled and qualified people, others on facilities and funding for scale-up and implementation. But the prize for one of …
Each month we showcase 2-3 stories from our Green Stories: Microbes to the Rescue anthology, equivalent to about 30 mins in the Audiobook version. The anthology is also available as a free eBook on the Resources page. November’s choices are: Chapter 8: Microbial Intelligence by Jane Norris, UK – a short story told from a microbial …
A recent study in Water Research examining microbiomes in water filtration is central to the theme of our Water Biofilms WG, and to EBNet’s ongoing interest in complex microbial ecosystems that prevent or remediate pollution and protect public health. Prof Cindy Smith, a key figure in the University of Glasgow …
On the topic of What is Environmental Biotechnology?, some EBNet members will know that when our Green Stories: Microbes to the Rescue book first came out we had some faulty copies. Rather than throwing them away, we decided they were still useful as outreach and to raise public awareness of …
A new report from BB-REG-NET examines the breakdown of biodegradable plastics in the environment. Based on case studies in composting, agriculture and forestry, it concludes that certified biodegradable plastics break down at similar rates to their rate of entry into environment, preventing long-term accumulation. Scenarios considered include direct placement of …
This may seem a strange question, for a Network with Environmental Biotechnology as its title – but it’s one we are convinced needs addressing. We tried the animation, we have the Social Sciences WG report and presentation. Now the whole EBNet Management Team has put together a paper: What is …
An IEA Inter-Task report on Synergies for bioenergy supply chain in Bioeconomy networks describes efforts to expand the current linear value chain perspective into a broader network-based view of bioenergy and bioeconomy systems. The report introduces a framework to help identify and leverage synergies between bioenergy supply chains, biobased materials …
Every month we are highlighting selected items from our Green Stories: Microbes to the Rescue anthology, equivalent to about 30 mins in the Audiobook version. The anthology is also available as a free eBook on the Resources page. This month’s authors are both from Australia but with rather different stories to tell: Chapter 7: Interview with …
At the suggestion of one EBNet member who is particularly active in this area, a brief shout-out for the work of WASTE, which aims to catalyse scalable, system-level solutions to urgent challenges in the area of sanitation and solid waste management. WASTE is an international organisation that develops and manages …
A recent perspective paper on wastewater treatment will please many readers while ruffling a few feathers for some others. The paper notes that over the last century wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) have essentially evolved in a piecemeal way to address a number of issues, rather than adopting holistic design approaches …
A recent review paper looks at the application of anaerobic digestion (AD) for treatment of tannery wastes – including waste generated in leather production, and sludges from the treatment of tannery effluents. Leather production has historically been a notoriously polluting process, and despite technology improvements it continues to produce a …
The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) has launched a report with 10 recommendations for the sector and the UK Government to capitalise on the drive to net zero and a circular economy. The report is based on an independent review commissioned by CIWM’s Policy & Innovation Forum, looking at …
A new paper looks at innovative tools in chemical biology, and the power of combining these with multi-omics approaches to provide detailed insights into the behaviour of complex microbiomes. Highlighted techniques include bio-orthogonal non-canonical amino acid tagging (BONCAT), stable isotope probing (SIP), and Raman-activated cell sorting (RACS). These non-destructive tools …
