Biotechnology of thiocyanate degradation: an exploration using meta-omics tools to understand the microbial communities responsible for remediation of mining wastewater

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Biotechnology of thiocyanate degradation: an exploration using meta-omics tools to understand the microbial communities responsible for remediation of mining wastewater Wastewater from gold mining, coal and steel processing, and other industrial operations often contains the chemical thiocyanate, which can be harmful to human health and the environment. In last two decades, engineering research has yielded progress toward the complete breakdown of thiocyanate by microorganisms. This work primarily focused on the chemical and physical parameters of the process and largely ignored the biology of the microorganisms involved. As a result, current efforts to harness the potential of microorganisms in the form of on-site industrial biotechnology yield inefficient and incomplete remediation. Thiocyanate is degraded by microorganisms that function within the context of complex microbial communities. Metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and metaproteomics methods allow researchers to study the metabolic capacities and activities of all organisms in such communities. Using these approaches to interrogate samples from a bioreactor treating thiocyanate in the laboratory, investigators will learn which organisms are responsible for breakdown of thiocyanate and which have the potential to degrade byproducts as well. Specifically, thiocyanate byproducts are nitrogen compounds such as ammonium and nitrate; these need to be removed prior to release or re-use of treated water. The nitrogen cycle is a biogeochemical process that also occurs in the environment and is harnessed for domestic wastewater treatment. Thus, results from this study will have the basic relevance to natural systems and may suggest improvements to wastewater treatment processes as well. Graduate and undergraduate students from the US will travel to South Africa to work in the laboratory of the collaborator, gaining valuable international experience.