Structural properties and microbial diversity of the biofilm colonizing plastic substrates in Terra Nova Bay (Antarctica).

Microbial colonization on plastic polymers has been extensively explored, however the temporal dynamics of biofilm community in Antarctic environments are almost unknown. As a contribute to fill this knowledge gap, the structural characteristics and microbial diversity of the biofilm associated with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene (PE) panels submerged at 5 m of depth and collected after 3, 9 and 12 months were investigated in four coastal sites of the Ross Sea. Additional panels placed at 5 and 20 m were retrieved after 12 months.

Carbonate precipitation and phosphate trapping by microbialite isolates from an alkaline insular lake (Bagno dell'Acqua, Pantelleria Island, Italy).

The Bagno dell'Acqua lake is characterized by CO emissions, alkaline waters (pH = 9) and Eh values which indicate strongly oxidizing conditions. A typical feature of the lake is the presence of actively growing microbialites rich in calcium carbonates and silica precipitates. Mineralogy, petrography and morphology analyses of the microbialites were coupled with the analysis of the microbial community, combining molecular and cultivation approaches.

Anaerobic treatment of groundwater co-contaminated by toluene and copper in a single chamber bioelectrochemical system.

Addressing the simultaneous removal of multiple coexisting groundwater contaminants poses a significant challenge, primarily because of their different physicochemical properties. Indeed, different chemical compounds may necessitate establishing distinct, and sometimes conflicting, (bio)degradation and/or removal pathways. In this work, we investigated the concomitant anaerobic treatment of toluene and copper in a single-chamber bioelectrochemical cell with a potential difference of 1 V applied between the anode and the cathode.

Overview and Challenges of Large-Scale Cultivation of Photosynthetic Microalgae and Cyanobacteria.

Microalgae and cyanobacteria are diverse groups of organisms with great potential to benefit societies across the world. These organisms are currently used in food, feed, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. In addition, a variety of novel compounds are being isolated.