Join us for #EnvBiotechAware Week, 3-7 March 2025 to celebrate the work of our membership and take a closer look at our activities and achievements from the last few years.
Lunchtime Webinar
Opportunities in Biogas – a IEA Task 37 perspective, Wednesday, 5th March 1-2pm (UK)
This webinar is on the activities of IEA Bioenergy’s Task 37 Bioenergy from Biogas, including its rich catalogue of reports and case studies. It will include two presentations: a general introduction to the Task and its outputs and work programmes by current Task Leader Jan Liebetrau, and an example of a recent study highlighting potential for application of anaerobic digestion in the food and beverage sector, presented by incoming Task Leader Bernhard Drosg. These will be followed by an opportunity for questions and discussion on the Task’s future plans and other areas of interest to participants. Find the TEAMs link HERE.
Featured Working Groups
What have our Working Groups been up to? Ably led by academics whose enthusiasm translates into action, see how EBNet support has benefited these communities. Today’s featured groups:
• Anaerobic Digestion
• N2O Emissions from Environmental Biotechnologies
• Biofilms in Water: From Catchment to Tap
“I am an Environmental Biotechnologist because….”
Our Early Career Researchers span a plethora of fields, technologies, universities and topics. But they all work within EB. We asked them to respond to: ‘I am an Environmental Biotechnologist because…‘ See responses from today’s featured ECR’s:
• Georgia Waldram, Heriot-Watt University, Xiang Shi, University of Glasgow, Manpreet Bagga, Newcastle University
• Chinedu Ekechukwu, University of the West of England, Prabodhi Preethika Dehiwalage Dona, Newcastle University, Karen Fung, Heriot-Watt University
• Roman Bielski, Loughborough University
Impact
Amongst the papers and projects, workshops and webinars, many tangible outputs have surfaced to help guide the wider Environmental Biotechnology community. Today we feature:
Slow Sand Filter (SSF) Futures: This presents the main themes that emerged from a 2024 workshop hosted by the Water biofilms Working Group highlighting how SSF can remain a critical component of modern water treatment. Read the Workshop Report on Slow Sand Filter Futures, a Summary of Key Research Priorities for Advancing SSF and their Position Statement: Toward a Resilient, Low-Energy, and Ecologically-Driven Drinking Water Treatment
AD Working Group reports: Take a look at the summary of the AD WG’s and the Carbon Recycling Network’s joint project on CO2 Biomethanation as an enabling process for carbon recycling and utilisation – a critical review of gaps and opportunities for future scale-up in the UK. This short report summarises a recent workshop on New Biomethane: Exploring future pathways and technologies for biomethane production beyond biogas upgrading and will be followed by a more detailed report. Finally, read about the project on Somebody’s food: A social science approach to identify, discuss and transform on-campus food waste behaviour.
N2O Working Group reports: The WG’s Summary Report from a Scientific Workshop on Measurement of Greenhouse Gases from Sanitation and their Relationship with Microbiological Processes within Sanitation Systems outlines the findings from their January 2025 Workshop and proposes some targeted follow-up actions.Workshop Flyer is here.
Outreach
We’ve commissioned books, animations and more – all available for the wider community to be used beyond the lifetime of our Network. Take a few moments to watch, download and share today’s animation: Innovation in slow sand filtration: A sustainable solution for clean water
Did you like yesterday’s short story anthology? There is a further spin-out version containing extra stories available via the Green Stories website or from Amazon – and there are special offers for #EnvBiotechAware week. Visit and buy now: Stories from the Microbial World
Selected Case Studies
• Understanding anaerobic biodegradability of organic menstrual care products: technical feasibility and sector receptivity. Dr Yadira Bajon Fernandez, Cranfield University and Turn and Flow (BIV202002)
• Low-flow gas measurement for R&D in AD and biotechnological processes: improving accuracy, reliability and user experience. Dr Mark Walker, University of Hull and CJC Labs Ltd (BIV202402)
• Bio-engineering of water biofilter communities for enhanced degradation of dissolved organic matter. Dr Marta Vignola, University of Glasgow (POC202106)
• Mitigating N2O emissions from wastewater treatment processes. Dr Bing Guo and Prof Tao Chen, University of Surrey (POC202204)
 | Branched Zoogloea colony in activated sludge |  | Nocardia colony in activated sludge treating industrial sugar and fat rich waters |
| Images kindly provided by Prof Francisco Torrella of the University of Murcia Faculty of Biology, one of our valued group of international expert advisers | |||