All posts tagged: Wastewater

Some bacteria in wastewater can break down a common plastic

Some bacteria in wastewater can break down a common plastic

Published by skeptic

bacteria: (singular: bacterium) Single-celled organisms. These dwell nearly everywhere on Earth, from the bottom of the sea to inside other living organisms (such as plants and animals). Bacteria are one of the three domains of life on Earth. bond: (in chemistry) A semi-permanent attachment between atoms — or groups of atoms — in a molecule. It’s formed by an attractive force between the participating atoms. Once bonded, the atoms will work as a unit. To separate the component atoms, energy must be supplied to the molecule as heat or some other type of radiation. carbon: A chemical element that is the physical basis of all life on Earth. Carbon exists freely as graphite and diamond. It is an important part of coal, limestone and petroleum, and is capable of self-bonding, chemically, to form an enormous number of chemically, biologically and commercially important molecules. chemical: A substance formed from two or more atoms that unite (bond) in a fixed proportion and structure. For example, water is a chemical made when two hydrogen atoms bond to one oxygen …

US to Post Influenza A Wastewater Data Online to Assist Bird Flu Probe, Official Says

US to Post Influenza A Wastewater Data Online to Assist Bird Flu Probe, Official Says

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CHICAGO (Reuters) -The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is planning to post data on influenza A found in wastewater in a public dashboard possibly as soon as Friday that could offer new clues into the outbreak of H5N1 bird flu in cattle herds. CDC wastewater team lead Amy Kirby told Reuters on Thursday that the agency has identified spikes of influenza A, of which H5N1 is a subtype, in a handful of sites and is investigating the source. She said there is no indication of human infection with H5N1. Testing wastewater from sewers proved to be a powerful tool for detecting mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 virus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kirby said the CDC has been collecting influenza data in wastewater in about 600 sites since at least last fall to better track respiratory infections. That data can now be helpful in tracking the outbreak of H5N1 bird flu that has infected 42 dairy herds in nine U.S. states, and one dairy farm worker. Scientists are closely watching for changes in the …

‘I see cocaine in wild shrimp in Suffolk’: meet the scientist who analyses our wastewater | Life and style

‘I see cocaine in wild shrimp in Suffolk’: meet the scientist who analyses our wastewater | Life and style

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If you live in London, Dr Leon Barron knows what you’re up to. He knows what prescribed drugs you’re on – painkillers, antidepressants, antipsychotics or beta blockers – and what illicit ones you’re taking for fun. He knows if you’ve been drinking and when (“Friday and Saturday are the main ones”); perhaps even if you’re worried about your dog getting fleas. Of course, I only mean the collective “you”, the city. Barron, who leads the Emerging Chemical Contaminants team at Imperial College, has no idea what any individual is taking or doing; he explains that very clearly and carefully. He has a research scientist’s precision plus the slight wariness of someone whose research has grabbed headlines, with the inaccuracies and misinterpretations that brings (I wonder what he thought about “Prawn to be wild”, reporting his research on cocaine residue in wild river shrimps.) But he’s also infectiously enthusiastic and generous with his time, spending a whole morning taking me round his lab and through his groundbreaking work. That work is analysing the chemical composition of …

Helpful virus could save billions of gallons of wastewater produced by the oil and gas industry

Helpful virus could save billions of gallons of wastewater produced by the oil and gas industry

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Ramón Sánchez (pictured right), a doctoral candidate within UTEP’s chemistry program, has identified a novel method for treating bacteria in ‘produced water’ through the use of bacteriophages. Ricardo Bernal, Ph.D., (pictured left) is an associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UTEP and Sánchez’ doctoral advisor. (CREDIT: UTEP) The oil and gas industry generates vast quantities of wastewater, also known as produced water. A 2022 report by the Texas Produced Water Consortium estimates a staggering 168 billion gallons annually in the Permian Basin alone. This massive waste stream presents a significant challenge due to its complex chemical composition, making traditional treatment methods difficult and expensive. Bacteriophages, or phages for short, are viruses that specifically target and infect bacteria. Often lethal to a single bacterial species, phages hold immense potential for a rapid and cost-effective approach to treating produced water on an industrial scale. Ramón Antonio Sánchez, the study’s lead author and a doctoral candidate in UTEP’s chemistry program, emphasizes the potential impact. “If successful, this could revolutionize the way the oil and gas industry manages …

Can green wastewater infrastructure reduce emissions?

Can green wastewater infrastructure reduce emissions?

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Researchers have shown a transition to green wastewater treatment approaches in the US that leverages the potential of carbon financing. Switching to green wastewater infrastructure could save a staggering $15.6bn and just under 30 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions over 40 years. The comprehensive findings from Colorado State University were highlighted in a paper in Nature Communications Earth and Environment in a first-of-its-kind study. It explores the potential economic trade-offs of switching to green infrastructure and technology solutions that go beyond existing grey-water treatment practices. Built off data collected at over 22,000 facilities, the report provides comprehensive baseline metrics and explores the relationship among emissions, costs and water treatment capabilities for utility operators and decision-makers. Developing potential solutions for green wastewater infrastructure Braden Limb, the paper’s first author and a PhD student in the Department of Systems Engineering, explained: “These findings draw a line in the sand that shows the potential for adopting green wastewater approaches in this space—both in terms of money saved and total emissions reduced. “It is a starting point to understand …

Making wastewater less acidic could help the ocean capture more carbon

Making wastewater less acidic could help the ocean capture more carbon

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Altering wastewater released into the ocean could help store carbon stockphoto-graf / Alamy Reducing the acidity of the huge volumes of wastewater discharged into the oceans could be a relatively straightforward way to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and slow climate change. But early tests have spurred controversy over potential environmental consequences. Ming Li at the University of Maryland says about 100 trillion litres of wastewater are discharged into the oceans each year. Chemicals are often added to make it less acidic in order to meet environmental standards before it is discharged… Source link

A Virus Found in Wastewater Beat Back a Woman’s ‘Zombie’ Bacteria

A Virus Found in Wastewater Beat Back a Woman’s ‘Zombie’ Bacteria

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But Cole’s progress was short-lived. Her blood infection returned, and her doctors determined the phage-antibiotic combination was no longer effective. She passed away from pneumonia in March 2022, seven months after phage therapy was stopped. Cole’s case demonstrates both the hope and limitations of phage therapy. The problem this time wasn’t just bacterial evolution. When researchers ran follow-up lab tests on Cole’s blood, they found evidence of antibodies against the phage, meaning her immune system activated in a way that blocked the phage from attacking the bacteria. They suspect phage therapy may have a sort of tipping point, where giving too much of it could set off an immune reaction that prevents it from working. Madison Stellfox, a postdoctoral infectious diseases fellow at Pitt and lead author of the study, says that what they’ve learned from Cole’s case will help inform how to use phage therapy more effectively moving forward, especially as clinical trials of phages are underway at Pitt and elsewhere. “From two to four weeks is probably where we’re getting the most bang …

The Download: testing wastewater for measles, and the cost of nature

The Download: testing wastewater for measles, and the cost of nature

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Measles is back with a vengeance. In the UK, where only 85% of school-age children have received two doses of the MMR vaccine, as many as 300 people have contracted the disease since October. And cases are creeping up across the US too. Catching measles outbreaks early is tricky, though. Like many other respiratory viruses, it starts off with a cough, runny nose, fever, and achy body. The telltale rash doesn’t appear for two to four more days. By then, a person is already infectious. Very infectious, in fact. Measles is one of the most contagious diseases around. Maybe there’s a solution. The US developed a vast wastewater sampling network to detect covid during the pandemic. Could we leverage that network to provide an early warning system for measles? Read the full story. —Cassandra Willyard This story is from The Checkup, our weekly biotech and health newsletter. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Thursday. Meet the economist who wants the field to account for nature What is the true value of a …

How wastewater could offer an early warning system for measles

How wastewater could offer an early warning system for measles

Published by skeptic

Maybe there’s a solution. The US developed a vast wastewater sampling network to detect covid during the pandemic. Could we leverage that network to provide an early warning system for measles? “I actually think you could make the argument that measles is even more important to [detect] than covid or influenza or any of the other pathogens that we’re looking for,” says Samuel Scarpino, an epidemiologist at Northeastern University in Boston. Wastewater surveillance relies on standard lab tests to find genetic evidence of pathogens in sewage—DNA or RNA. When people are infected with covid, they shed SARS-CoV-2 in their stools, so it’s easy to see why it would show up in wastewater. But even viruses that don’t get pooped out can show up in the sewers.  Although measles is a respiratory virus, people shed it in their urine. They also brush their teeth and spit in the sink. They blow their noses and throw the tissue in the toilet. “We shed these viruses and we shed bacteria and fungi in so many ways that end …

A wastewater release in Japan

A wastewater release in Japan

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Procter & Gamble on Tuesday said sales of its high-end SK-II skin-care brand fell 34% in the greater China region during its latest quarter — and it blamed an unlikely culprit. With its high prices and reliance on travel retail, Japan-based SK-II has struggled as China’s economic recovery lags. But P&G executives also pointed to another factor that contributed to the brand’s cratering sales during the fiscal second quarter: anti-Japanese sentiment. In August, Japan started releasing a huge amount of treated radioactive water from its Fukushima nuclear power plant, which was hit by an earthquake and tsunami more than a decade ago. The wastewater was dumped into the Pacific Ocean, leading to strong backlash from Japan’s neighbors — including China. While Japan and the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog said the move was safe, China retaliated by banning all seafood imported from Japan. Chinese consumers followed with boycotts of Japanese brands, including P&G’s SK-II, fearing that their products would be tainted by radiation. P&G was among the companies that issued statements saying its products were safely produced as they tried to assuage …