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Unraveling the mechanisms of micro-voltage-driven fungal remediation for simultaneous removal of microplastics, antibiotics, and heavy metals
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Scientists found that adding a tiny electric charge to certain fungi supercharges their ability to clean up polluted water, removing over 95% of microplastics and lead, plus most antibiotic residue, all at the same time. This matters because our water systems often contain this messy mix of pollutants together, and this fungal method—shown to work even in real wastewater—could offer a practical, affordable way to filter out these harmful substances before they reach our drinking water or food supply.
Microplastics, antibiotics, and heavy metals are co-occurring pollutants in wastewater, posing significant environmental risks and potential threats to human health. However, there is currently no effective wastewater treatment method for this type of combined pollution. This study establishes a novel dual-chamber fungal system by leveraging fungi's remarkable capacity to degrade multiple pollutants in complex environments and their responsiveness to micro-voltage stimulation. Following treatment with this system, up to 84.28 ± 2.85% of enrofloxacin (ENR) and 95.52 ± 1.77% of Pb were removed. Meanwhile, under the trapping effect of fungal mycelium, more than 95% of polypropylene, polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics distributed in different water layer areas were removed. Multi-omics analysis revealed that micro-voltage enhanced fungal energy, amino acid, and cofactor metabolism, thereby altering fungal surface structural properties and increasing extracellular oxidase activity. These alterations improved the entrapment and aging of microplastics by fungal, while simultaneously promoting the decomposition of ENR and the mineralization/adsorption of Pb on the fungal surface. Furthermore, experiments conducted in actual wastewater confirmed the stability and security of the micro-voltage driven fungal system under practical operating conditions, including organic load and ammonia nitrogen shocks. This study offers novel insights and promising avenues for addressing combined pollution.
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Integrated bioremediation of microplastics-cadmium co-contamination via chitosan-sugarcane residue encapsulated fungal consortia
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Scientists created a special fungal team wrapped in a protective coating (made from chitosan and sugarcane waste) that can break down plastic pollution and remove toxic cadmium metal from water at the same time—even breaking down over half of one common plastic type in just 30 days. This matters because microplastics and heavy metals often pollute water together, making cleanup harder, and this eco-friendly approach tackles both contaminants at once, which could eventually mean cleaner water supplies and less of these harmful particles ending up in the food and water we consume.
Bioelectrochemistry promotes microbial activity and accelerates wastewater methanogenesis in anaerobic digestion under combined exposure to antibiotics and microplastics
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Researchers tested a bioelectrochemical system for treating wastewater contaminated with both antibiotics and microplastics, achieving 14% better treatment efficiency and methane recovery than standard methods. The electrical stimulation helped beneficial microbes thrive despite the pollutants, though it also increased some antibiotic resistance genes. This study is relevant because it addresses a real-world challenge of treating water containing multiple contaminants, including microplastics, before it reaches the environment.
Microplastic Associated Microorganisms: Isolation, Identification and Assessment of Biofilm-Based Degradation Potential
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Scientists found naturally occurring bacteria and fungi living on microplastics in polluted soil and water that can actually break down these tiny plastic particles over time. This matters because microplastics are showing up everywhere—including in our food, water, and bodies—and these microbe-based cleanup methods could offer a more natural, sustainable way to reduce plastic pollution before it accumulates further in our environment and, potentially, our health.
Engineering a capture–bioremediate–release microbial biofilm for simultaneous bioremediation of microplastics and adsorbed heavy metals
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Scientists engineered bacteria that can grab onto microplastics floating in water, neutralize toxic heavy metals (like lead and cadmium) that stick to those plastics, and then release the cleaned-up plastic particles so they can be easily collected—all in one process. This matters because microplastics often carry harmful metals together, making pollution harder to clean up, and current methods usually tackle just one contaminant at a time. Tested successfully in real polluted seawater from Hong Kong, this approach could offer a more practical way to reduce a combined health hazard that's increasingly showing up in our water and food supply.
Enhanced Co-degradation of chloramphenicol and polyvinyl chloride in water by bioelectrochemical systems
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Researchers used microbial fuel cells — devices where bacteria break down pollutants and generate electricity — to simultaneously degrade the antibiotic chloramphenicol and PVC microplastics, finding that adding a bacterial communication molecule (quorum sensing signal 3OC8-HSL) increased antibiotic removal by 78% and power output by 81% by enriching specialized degrading bacteria.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.