Controlling the microbial geneatrion of nitrous oxide in wastewater treatment; a pathway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

在这个项目中，我们将采用多尺度的方法来了解和控制一氧化二氮（N2 O）排放的废水处理（WWT）细菌。这将涉及工厂规模的检测/分析与实验模型系统相结合，以了解微生物的生产和消费的N2 O在污水处理厂。学生将首先使用Comamonas acumficans作为了解污水处理细菌中N2 O生产（源）和消耗（汇）的潜在模型系统。C.厌氧微生物是污水处理中重要的异养微生物，具有快速絮凝能力，易培养，在悬浮液中和表面可形成聚集体。这些聚集体中的细胞形成了具有迷人机械特性的互连空间跨越网络，因此是从软物质和生物物理学角度研究的优秀系统。

In this project we will adopt a multiscale approach to understand and control nitrous oxide (N2O)emissions in wastewater treatment (WWT) bacteria. This will involve combining plant-scale detection/analysis with an experimental model system for understanding microbial production and consumption of N2O in WWT. The student will initially use Comamonas denitrificans as a potential model system for understanding N2O production (source) and consumption (sink) in WWT bacteria. C. denitrificans, an important heterotrophic denitrifier in WWT with rapid denitrifying ability, is easy to culture and forms aggregates in suspension and on surfaces. The cells within these aggregates form interconnected space-spanning networks with fascinating mechanical properties and so are excellent systems with which to study from a soft matter and biological physics perspective.