Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from waste treatment through microbiological innovation
Gaofeng Ni A *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Vic., Australia.
Dr Gaofeng Ni is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Industrial Microbiology Team Leader at the One Health Microbiology Laboratory led by Professor Chris Greening at Monash University. His expertise ranges from biotechnological innovation in industrial wastewater treatment to the molecular physiology and metabolism of microorganisms living at extreme conditions. |
* Correspondence to: gaofeng.ni@monash.edu
Microbiology Australia 44(1) 22-26 https://doi.org/10.1071/MA23006
Submitted: 26 January 2023 Accepted: 2 February 2023 Published: 1 March 2023
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of the ASM. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)
Abstract
The emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the treatment of municipal, agricultural and industrial waste occurs in virtually every city on our planet. This is due to various microbial activities at different stages of waste treatment. Traditional treatment methods have a significant environmental impact, producing methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions, in addition to demanding high energy input and having low treatment efficiencies. To address these issues, the Australian water and waste sectors are shifting towards the adoption of next-generation, carbon-neutral treatment options. Here I discuss our current knowledge gaps in mitigating GHG emissions from waste streams, with a focus on wastewater treatment plants. I highlight the application of real-time genomics to identify sources of GHG emissions, monitor mitigation efforts, assist process operation and guide plant operations. I also emphasise recent innovations of microbial processes that capture GHG from waste and upgrade them into higher value products. Ultimately, combined effort across disciplines is required to proactively mitigate the global threat of climate change.
References
[1] Czepiel, PM et al. (1993) Methane emissions from municipal wastewater treatment processes. Environ Sci Technol 27, 2472–2477.| Methane emissions from municipal wastewater treatment processes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[2] Wu, L et al. (2019) Global diversity and biogeography of bacterial communities in wastewater treatment plants. Nat Microbiol 4, 1183–1195.
| Global diversity and biogeography of bacterial communities in wastewater treatment plants.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[3] Mata-Alvarez, J et al. (2014) A critical review on anaerobic co-digestion achievements between 2010 and 2013. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 36, 412–427.
| A critical review on anaerobic co-digestion achievements between 2010 and 2013.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[4] Olivier JGJ (2022) Trends in global CO and total greenhouse gas emissions: 2021 Summary Report. PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, The Hague, Netherlands. https://www.pbl.nl/sites/default/files/downloads/pbl-2022-trends-in-global-co2-and_total-greenhouse-gas-emissions-2021-summary-report_4758.pdf
[5] Parravicini, V et al. (2016) Greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment plants. Energy Procedia 97, 246–253.
| Greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment plants.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[6] Zhang, J et al. (2021) Novel anaerobic digestion and carbon dioxide emissions efficiency analysis of food waste treatment based on SBM-DEA model. J Clean Prod 328, 129591.
| Novel anaerobic digestion and carbon dioxide emissions efficiency analysis of food waste treatment based on SBM-DEA model.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[7] Daelman, MRJ et al. (2013) Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from municipal wastewater treatment – results from a long-term study. Water Sci Technol 67, 2350–2355.
| Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from municipal wastewater treatment – results from a long-term study.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[8] Müller, C et al. (2014) Quantification of N2O emission pathways via a 15N tracing model. Soil Biol Biochem 72, 44–54.
| Quantification of N2O emission pathways via a 15N tracing model.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[9] Duan, H et al. (2017) Quantifying nitrous oxide production pathways in wastewater treatment systems using isotope technology – a critical review. Water Res 122, 96–113.
| Quantifying nitrous oxide production pathways in wastewater treatment systems using isotope technology – a critical review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[10] Delre, A et al. (2018) Emission quantification using the tracer gas dispersion method: the influence of instrument, tracer gas species and source simulation. Sci Total Environ 634, 59–66.
| Emission quantification using the tracer gas dispersion method: the influence of instrument, tracer gas species and source simulation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[11] Parravicini V et al. (2022) Full-scale quantification of N2O and CH4 emissions from urban water systems. In Quantification and Modelling of Fugitive Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Urban Water Systems (Ye L et al., eds). pp. 91–132. IWA Publishing.
| Crossref |
[12] Caniani, D et al. (2019) CO2 and N2O from water resource recovery facilities: evaluation of emissions from biological treatment, settling, disinfection, and receiving water body. Sci Total Environ 648, 1130–1140.
| CO2 and N2O from water resource recovery facilities: evaluation of emissions from biological treatment, settling, disinfection, and receiving water body.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[13] Ye L et al. (eds) (2022) Quantification and Modelling of Fugitive Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Urban Water Systems. IWA Publishing.
| Crossref |
[14] Hardegen, J et al. (2018) Methanogenic community shifts during the transition from sewage mono-digestion to co-digestion of grass biomass. Bioresour Technol 265, 275–281.
| Methanogenic community shifts during the transition from sewage mono-digestion to co-digestion of grass biomass.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[15] Hu, L et al. (2022) NosZ gene cloning, reduction performance and structure of Pseudomonas citronellolis WXP-4 nitrous oxide reductase. RSC Adv 12, 2549–2557.
| NosZ gene cloning, reduction performance and structure of Pseudomonas citronellolis WXP-4 nitrous oxide reductase.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[16] Liu, T et al. (2019) Enhancing mainstream nitrogen removal by employing nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation processes. Crit Rev Biotechnol 39, 732–745.
| Enhancing mainstream nitrogen removal by employing nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation processes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[17] Lim, ZK et al. (2021) Versatility of nitrite/nitrate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-DAMO): first demonstration with real wastewater. Water Res 194, 116912.
| Versatility of nitrite/nitrate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-DAMO): first demonstration with real wastewater.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[18] Nittami, T and Batinovic, S (2022) Recent advances in understanding the ecology of the filamentous bacteria responsible for activated sludge bulking. Lett Appl Microbiol 75, 759–775.
| Recent advances in understanding the ecology of the filamentous bacteria responsible for activated sludge bulking.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[19] Jetten, MSM et al. (1997) Towards a more sustainable municipal wastewater treatment system. Water Sci Technol 35, 171–180.
| Towards a more sustainable municipal wastewater treatment system.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[20] Wang, Z et al. (2022) A 20-year journey of partial nitritation and anammox (PN/A): from sidestream toward mainstream. Environ Sci Technol 56, 7522–7531.
| A 20-year journey of partial nitritation and anammox (PN/A): from sidestream toward mainstream.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[21] Le, L-T et al. (2020) Suppression of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria under the combined conditions of high free ammonia and low dissolved oxygen concentrations for mainstream partial nitritation. Environ Technol Innov 20, 101135.
| Suppression of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria under the combined conditions of high free ammonia and low dissolved oxygen concentrations for mainstream partial nitritation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[22] Jiang, H et al. (2010) Methanotrophs: multifunctional bacteria with promising applications in environmental bioengineering. Biochem Eng J 49, 277–288.
| Methanotrophs: multifunctional bacteria with promising applications in environmental bioengineering.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[23] Pieja, AJ et al. (2017) Methane to bioproducts: the future of the bioeconomy? Curr Opin Chem Biol 41, 123–131.
| Methane to bioproducts: the future of the bioeconomy?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[24] Khirsariya, P and Mewada, RK (2013) Single step oxidation of methane to methanol – towards better understanding. Procedia Eng 51, 409–415.
| Single step oxidation of methane to methanol – towards better understanding.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[25] Rao P, Muller M (2007) Industrial oxygen: its generation and use. In ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Industry. pp. 6-124–6-135. European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. https://www.aceee.org/files/proceedings/2007/data/papers/78_6_080.pdf
[26] Kalyuzhnaya MG (2016) Chapter 13. Methane biocatalysis: selecting the right microbe. In Biotechnology for Biofuel Production and Optimization (Eckert CA, Trinh CT, eds). pp. 353–383. Elsevier.
| Crossref |
[27] Cai, C et al. (2021) Roles and opportunities for microbial anaerobic oxidation of methane in natural and engineered systems. Energy Environ Sci 14, 4803–4830.
| Roles and opportunities for microbial anaerobic oxidation of methane in natural and engineered systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[28] Pikaar, I et al. (2018) Decoupling livestock from land use through industrial feed production pathways. Environ Sci Technol 52, 7351–7359.
| Decoupling livestock from land use through industrial feed production pathways.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[29] Khosravi-Darani, K et al. (2013) Microbial production of poly(hydroxybutyrate) from C1 carbon sources. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 97, 1407–1424.
| Microbial production of poly(hydroxybutyrate) from C1 carbon sources.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[30] Matassa, S et al. (2016) Autotrophic nitrogen assimilation and carbon capture for microbial protein production by a novel enrichment of hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria. Water Res 101, 137–146.
| Autotrophic nitrogen assimilation and carbon capture for microbial protein production by a novel enrichment of hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[31] Capson-Tojo, G et al. (2020) Purple phototrophic bacteria for resource recovery: challenges and opportunities. Biotechnol Adv 43, 107567.
| Purple phototrophic bacteria for resource recovery: challenges and opportunities.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[32] Hülsen, T et al. (2022) Creating value from purple phototrophic bacteria via single-cell protein production. Curr Opin Biotechnol 76, 102726.
| Creating value from purple phototrophic bacteria via single-cell protein production.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[33] Razzak, SA et al. (2013) Integrated CO2 capture, wastewater treatment and biofuel production by microalgae culturing—a review. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 27, 622–653.
| Integrated CO2 capture, wastewater treatment and biofuel production by microalgae culturing—a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[34] Rabaey, K and Rozendal, RA (2010) Microbial electrosynthesis — revisiting the electrical route for microbial production. Nat Rev Microbiol 8, 706–716.
| Microbial electrosynthesis — revisiting the electrical route for microbial production.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[35] IPCC (2022) Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (Pörtner H-O et al., eds). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, and New York, NY, USA.
| Crossref |
