Green solutions? Application of microorganisms to boost a sustainable future

 

The effects of microbes on their environment can be beneficial or harmful or inapparent with regard to human measure or observation. Microorganisms can also be purposefully harnessed by scientists to help to improve the environment, such as by responding to a pollution event. A key area is with bioremediation. This provides a potential solution for the elimination of recalcitrant contaminants from the environment. Here either aerobic or anaerobic microorganisms are deployed to remove or neutralise environmental pollutants through their natural metabolic pathways. An example of this is with addressing oil spillages.

 

The purpose of this article is to assess some areas of current research that are foremost focused on utilising microorganisms for the wider good, in terms of environmental

remediation. Here six areas of research are assessed in the form an overview of the research topic.

 

Green solutions? Application of microorganisms to boost a sustainable future,  Pharmig News, Issue 90, pp9-12

 

 Posted by Dr. Tim Sandle, Pharmaceutical Microbiology Resources (http://www.pharmamicroresources.com/)

Meet Rhodococcus ruber - the plastic digesting bacterium

 Image by Hvonwerd (Creative Commons: https://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/File:DSM_44190.jpg)

The bacterium Rhodococcus ruber eats and actually digests plastic. This has been shown in recent laboratory experiments conducted at Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ).

 

Based on a model study with plastic in artificial seawater in the laboratory, researchers (led by Maaike Goudriaan) have calculated that bacteria can break down about one percent of the fed plastic per year into carbon dioxide and other substances. This finding may explain what happens to some of the plastic in the oceans.

 

The selected bacterium R. ruber can form a biofilm on plastic in nature. It had also been measured that plastic disappears under that biofilm.

 

R. ruber initially forms a branching mycelium that breaks into shorter rods and cocci as it transitions through different growth phases. R. ruber is characteristically a Gram positive, non-motile, non-spore forming bacteria. It has diverse metabolic and nutritional capabilities depending on the strain, such as utilizing gaseous hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, complex polymers, and steroids for carbon and energy sources.

 

To demonstrate the effect, the researchers used a special plastic manufactured with a distinct form of carbon (13C) in it. The plastic was introduced to the bacteria after pretreatment with a UV lamp in a bottle of simulated seawater. The treatment with UV light was necessary because sunlight partially breaks down plastic into bite-sized chunks for bacteria.

 

Sunlight breaks down plastics on the ocean's surfaces. Floating microplastic is broken down into ever smaller, invisible nanoplastic particles that spread across the entire water column, that can then be completely broken down by bacteria. About two percent of visibly floating plastic may disappear from the ocean surface in this way each year.

 

R. ruber is an aerobic chemoorganotroph, meaning the bacterium uses organic compounds as its carbon and energy source through oxidative metabolic pathways. The organism is able to utilize gaseous hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, and xenobiotic substances, such as crude oil and plastics.

 

In time it was noted that a special version of carbon appear as carbon dioxide appeared above the water.

 

While it has been long suspected, this is the first time it has been experimentally demonstrated that bacteria can digest plastic into other molecules. R. ruber is able to use inert polymers, such as polyethylene and polystyrene, as its sole carbon source.

 

Calculations suggest that the total breakdown of plastic into carbon dioxide by bacteria per year is about one percent of the available, although this is estimate is not robust and further research is required to assess the microbial impact.

 

However, while it may appear that microbial digestion is a possible solution to the huge problem of all the plastic floating on and in our oceans the best solution is for humanity to reduce the use of plastic.

 

See:

 

Maaike Goudriaan, Victor Hernando Morales, Marcel T.J. van der Meer, et al. A stable isotope assay with 13C-labeled polyethylene to investigate plastic mineralization mediated by Rhodococcus ruber. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2023; 186: 114369 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114369

 

Posted by Dr. Tim Sandle, Pharmaceutical Microbiology Resources (http://www.pharmamicroresources.com/)

How to Make Sure Your Air is Clean

 

How do you know if your indoor air is clean? Well, there are a number of ways to tell. You can ask yourself some questions like: Do I feel sick when I'm at home? Do my children seem to have more allergies than other kids their age? Does it smell like something died in here (which is probably not the case)? If these sound like things that might be happening to you, then it's time for a change! In this blog post, we will discuss how to keep your indoor air clean and safe so that everyone in the family can breathe easy.

 

The importance of quality indoor air

 

You might be wondering why it's so important to have clean indoor air. The answer is simple: because we spend so much time indoors! According to the Environmental Protection Agency, we spend an average of 90% of our time indoors. And while that number might seem high, it's not surprising when you think about all the places we go that have indoor air—the office, the supermarket, the library, our homes. So the air we're breathing must be clean and safe.

 

Ways to improve your air indoors

 

1) Increase ventilation. Ventilation is a great way to give your indoor air a breath of fresh air. By bringing in outdoor air, you're decreasing the concentration of any contaminants that might be present.

 

2) Turn on the AC/heating. But ventilation and air conditioning can cause more problems than just adjusting the thermostat. The heat from furnaces and fireplaces, as well as dryer vents, can add to that "dead animal" smell you might be noticing in your home. Simple fixes like using a fan when drying clothes or leaving the heater vent unblocked can help.

 

3) Get plants. Believe it or not, plants can help improve your indoor air quality! Not only do they look pretty, but they also act as natural air filters, removing toxins and pollutants from the air.

 

4) Avoid smoke. If you or your family members smoke, you must do whatever you can to get the tobacco smell out of your home. Smoke can seriously impact indoor air quality and harm everyone in the family, even if they aren't smoking themselves.

 

What to check to make sure your air is clean.

 

You can do a few things daily to make sure your air is clean. Checking these things once a week is a good habit to get into:

 

1) Temperature. Make sure the temperature in your home is comfortable—not too hot and not too cold. Extremes of temperature can cause problems with your air quality.

 

2) Furnace filters. This is easy to forget about, but making sure your furnace filters are clean is important for keeping your air clean. A dirty filter will not only impact the air quality in your home, but it can also be bad for your furnace.

 

3) If you have pets, check their bedding. Your furry friends might make your home feel like a cozy place to be, but don't forget that they can also bring in a lot of allergens and other pollutants. Make sure their bedding is cleaned regularly to keep your indoor air clean.

 

4) Curtains and blinds. Dust can accumulate on window coverings, so it's important to clean them regularly.

 

5) Check your windows and doors for leaks.

 

Tips to maintaining clean air indoors.

 

Now that you know a few ways to improve your indoor air quality, it's important to practice some of these tips. Here are a few more things to keep in mind:

 

1) Ventilation is key. Make sure you have proper ventilation in your home by using fans, opening windows, and making use of exhaust fans in the kitchen.

 

2) Check your HVAC filter regularly. A dirty or clogged filter will impact your indoor air quality, so make sure you change it according to manufacturer's instructions.

 

3) Keep litter boxes clean. It might be tempting to let this one slide, but having a clean litter box is important for keeping allergens and other pollutants out of the air.

 

4) Clean your floors. Dust and dirt can accumulate on your floors, which can then be tracked around the house. Make sure you sweep and mop regularly to keep your floors clean.

 

Written by Taylor McKnight, Author for Duct Doctor

Pharmaceutical Microbiology Resources (http://www.pharmamicroresources.com/)