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Population growth and changes in dietary patterns place an ever-growing pressure on the environment. Feeding the world within sustainable boundaries therefore requires revolutionizing the way we harness natural resources. Microbial biomass can be cultivated to yield protein-rich feed and food supplements, collectively termed single-cell protein (SCP). Yet, we still lack a quantitative comparison between traditional agriculture and photovoltaic-driven SCP systems in terms of land use and energetic efficiency. Here, we analyze the energetic efficiency of harnessing solar energy to produce SCP from air and water. Our model includes photovoltaic electricity generation, direct air capture of carbon dioxide, electrosynthesis of an electron donor and/or carbon source for microbial growth (hydrogen, formate, or methanol), microbial cultivation, and the processing of biomass and proteins. We show that, per unit of land, SCP production can reach an over 10-fold higher protein yield and at least twice the caloric yield compared with any staple crop. Altogether, this quantitative analysis offers an assessment of the future potential of photovoltaic-driven microbial foods to supplement conventional agricultural production and support resource-efficient protein supply on a global scale.
Dorian Leger; Silvio Matassa; Elad Noor; Alon Shepon; Ron Milo; Arren Bar-Even. Photovoltaic-driven microbial protein production can use land and sunlight more efficiently than conventional crops. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2021, 118, 1 .
AMA StyleDorian Leger, Silvio Matassa, Elad Noor, Alon Shepon, Ron Milo, Arren Bar-Even. Photovoltaic-driven microbial protein production can use land and sunlight more efficiently than conventional crops. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2021; 118 (26):1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDorian Leger; Silvio Matassa; Elad Noor; Alon Shepon; Ron Milo; Arren Bar-Even. 2021. "Photovoltaic-driven microbial protein production can use land and sunlight more efficiently than conventional crops." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118, no. 26: 1.
Industrial hemp stands out as a promising candidate for clean and sustainable biomass-to-bioenergy systems due to its multipurpose, high biomass yield and resource efficiency features. In this study, different hemp biomass residues (HBRs) were evaluated as a potential feedstock for renewable biomethane production through anaerobic digestion (AD). The biochemical methane potential (BMP) of the raw and pretreated fibers, stalks, hurds, leaves and inflorescences was investigated by means of batch anaerobic tests. The highest BMP was obtained with the raw fibers (i.e., 422 ± 20 mL CH4·g VS−1), while hemp hurds (unretted), making up more than half of the whole hemp plant dry weight, showed a lower BMP value of 239 ± 10 mL CH4·g VS−1. The alkali pretreatment of unretted hurds and mechanical grinding of retted hurds effectively enhanced the BMP of both substrates by 15.9%. The mix of leaves and inflorescences and inflorescences alone showed low BMP values (i.e., 118 ± 8 and 26 ± 5 mL CH4·g VS−1, respectively) and a prolonged inhibition of methanogenesis. The latter could be overcome through NaOH pretreatment in the mix of leaves and inflorescences (+28.5% methane production).
Silvio Matassa; Giovanni Esposito; Francesco Pirozzi; Stefano Papirio. Exploring the Biomethane Potential of Different Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Biomass Residues. Energies 2020, 13, 3361 .
AMA StyleSilvio Matassa, Giovanni Esposito, Francesco Pirozzi, Stefano Papirio. Exploring the Biomethane Potential of Different Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Biomass Residues. Energies. 2020; 13 (13):3361.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSilvio Matassa; Giovanni Esposito; Francesco Pirozzi; Stefano Papirio. 2020. "Exploring the Biomethane Potential of Different Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Biomass Residues." Energies 13, no. 13: 3361.
Coupling biowaste gas recovery with single cell protein production could foster future food safety and sustainability on a global scale.
Silvio Matassa; Stefano Papirio; Ilje Pikaar; Tim Hülsen; Evert Leijenhorst; Giovanni Esposito; Francesco Pirozzi; Willy Verstraete. Upcycling of biowaste carbon and nutrients in line with consumer confidence: the “full gas” route to single cell protein. Green Chemistry 2020, 22, 4912 -4929.
AMA StyleSilvio Matassa, Stefano Papirio, Ilje Pikaar, Tim Hülsen, Evert Leijenhorst, Giovanni Esposito, Francesco Pirozzi, Willy Verstraete. Upcycling of biowaste carbon and nutrients in line with consumer confidence: the “full gas” route to single cell protein. Green Chemistry. 2020; 22 (15):4912-4929.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSilvio Matassa; Stefano Papirio; Ilje Pikaar; Tim Hülsen; Evert Leijenhorst; Giovanni Esposito; Francesco Pirozzi; Willy Verstraete. 2020. "Upcycling of biowaste carbon and nutrients in line with consumer confidence: the “full gas” route to single cell protein." Green Chemistry 22, no. 15: 4912-4929.
Cheese whey (CW) and hemp hurds (HH) represent typically overabundant biowastes of food and agricultural production, and their circular management is crucial to improve both sustainability and profitability of the agri-food chain. By combining experimental biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests and literature data, the techno-economic aspects of a possible future bioenergy valorization of CW and HH through anaerobic digestion (AD) and co- digestion (coAD) were analyzed. Along the 42-days, BMP assays, CW, and HH alone rendered BMP values of 446 ± 66 and 242 ± 13 mL CH4·g VS−1, respectively. The application of coAD with CW and HH at a 70:30 ratio allowed to enhance the biomethane production by 10.7%, as compared to the corresponding calculated value. In terms of economic profitability, the valorization of HH as biomethane in a dual-purpose hemp cultivation could potentially enable net profits of up to 3929 €·ha−1, which could rise to 6124 €·ha−1 in case of coAD with CW. Finally, by projecting the biomethane potential from current and future available CW and HH residues in the national context of Italy, a total biomethane yield of up to 296 MNm3·y−1 could be attained, offering interesting perspectives for the sustainability of key sectors such as transportation.
Stefano Papirio; Silvio Matassa; Francesco Pirozzi; Giovanni Esposito. Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Cheese Whey and Industrial Hemp Residues Opens New Perspectives for the Valorization of Agri-Food Waste. Energies 2020, 13, 2820 .
AMA StyleStefano Papirio, Silvio Matassa, Francesco Pirozzi, Giovanni Esposito. Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Cheese Whey and Industrial Hemp Residues Opens New Perspectives for the Valorization of Agri-Food Waste. Energies. 2020; 13 (11):2820.
Chicago/Turabian StyleStefano Papirio; Silvio Matassa; Francesco Pirozzi; Giovanni Esposito. 2020. "Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Cheese Whey and Industrial Hemp Residues Opens New Perspectives for the Valorization of Agri-Food Waste." Energies 13, no. 11: 2820.
Pure (single) cultures of microorganisms and mixed microbial communities (microbiomes) have been important for centuries in providing renewable energy, clean water and food products to human society and will continue to play a crucial role to pursue the Sustainable Development Goals. To use microorganisms effectively, microbial engineered processes require adequate control. Microbial communities are shaped by manageable deterministic processes, but also by stochastic processes, which can promote unforeseeable variations and adaptations. Here, we highlight the impact of stochasticity in single culture and microbiome engineering. First, we discuss the concepts and mechanisms of stochasticity in relation to microbial ecology of single cultures and microbiomes. Second, we discuss the consequences of stochasticity in relation to process performance and human health, which are reflected in key disadvantages and important opportunities. Third, we propose a suitable decision tool to deal with stochasticity in which monitoring of stochasticity and setting the boundaries of stochasticity by regulators are central aspects. Stochasticity may give rise to some risks, such as the presence of pathogens in microbiomes. We argue here that by taking the necessary precautions and through clever monitoring and interpretation, these risks can be mitigated.
Jo De Vrieze; Thijs De Mulder; Silvio Matassa; Jizhong Zhou; Largus T. Angenent; Nico Boon; Willy Verstraete. Stochasticity in microbiology: managing unpredictability to reach the Sustainable Development Goals. Microbial Biotechnology 2020, 13, 829 -843.
AMA StyleJo De Vrieze, Thijs De Mulder, Silvio Matassa, Jizhong Zhou, Largus T. Angenent, Nico Boon, Willy Verstraete. Stochasticity in microbiology: managing unpredictability to reach the Sustainable Development Goals. Microbial Biotechnology. 2020; 13 (4):829-843.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJo De Vrieze; Thijs De Mulder; Silvio Matassa; Jizhong Zhou; Largus T. Angenent; Nico Boon; Willy Verstraete. 2020. "Stochasticity in microbiology: managing unpredictability to reach the Sustainable Development Goals." Microbial Biotechnology 13, no. 4: 829-843.
One of the main challenges for the 21st century is to balance the increasing demand for high-quality proteins while mitigating environmental impacts. In particular, cropland-based production of protein-rich animal feed for livestock rearing results in large-scale agricultural land-expansion, nitrogen pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. Here we propose and analyze the long-term potential of alternative animal feed supply routes based on industrial production of microbial proteins (MP). Our analysis reveals that by 2050, MP can replace, depending on socio-economic development and MP production pathways, between 10–19% of conventional crop-based animal feed protein demand. As a result, global cropland area, global nitrogen losses from croplands and agricultural greenhouse gas emissions can be decreased by 6% (0–13%), 8% (−3–8%), and 7% (−6–9%), respectively. Interestingly, the technology to industrially produce MP at competitive costs is directly accessible for implementation and has the potential to cause a major structural change in the agro-food system.
Ilje Pikaar; Silvio Matassa; Benjamin L. Bodirsky; Isabelle Weindl; Florian Humpenöder; Korneel Rabaey; Nico Boon; Michele Bruschi; Zhiguo Yuan; Hannah Van Zanten; Mario Herrero; Willy Verstraete; Alexander Popp. Decoupling Livestock from Land Use through Industrial Feed Production Pathways. Environmental Science & Technology 2018, 52, 7351 -7359.
AMA StyleIlje Pikaar, Silvio Matassa, Benjamin L. Bodirsky, Isabelle Weindl, Florian Humpenöder, Korneel Rabaey, Nico Boon, Michele Bruschi, Zhiguo Yuan, Hannah Van Zanten, Mario Herrero, Willy Verstraete, Alexander Popp. Decoupling Livestock from Land Use through Industrial Feed Production Pathways. Environmental Science & Technology. 2018; 52 (13):7351-7359.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIlje Pikaar; Silvio Matassa; Benjamin L. Bodirsky; Isabelle Weindl; Florian Humpenöder; Korneel Rabaey; Nico Boon; Michele Bruschi; Zhiguo Yuan; Hannah Van Zanten; Mario Herrero; Willy Verstraete; Alexander Popp. 2018. "Decoupling Livestock from Land Use through Industrial Feed Production Pathways." Environmental Science & Technology 52, no. 13: 7351-7359.
One of the major “sustainability challenges” is to manage the unprecedented demands on agriculture and natural resources to match the increasing human population and consumption of nutritious protein and calories, while dramatically decreasing the environmental footprint in order to maintain the resilience of our planet. Global nitrogen pollution is of particular concern and is already beyond the Earth system’s safe operating space. To meet the world’s future food security, food production needs to be doubled by 2050 and as such will result in further increasing human pressure on the global nitrogen cycle. We argue that there is an urgent need for re-engineering of the anthropogenic nitrogen cycle in order to find a long-term sustainable solution. Firstly, the massive production of plant protein to be upgraded to animal protein has a far too heavy water and land-use footprint to be sustainable. It seriously threatens our freshwater resources by inducing harmful algal blooms through inefficient nutrient use. Secondly, it leads to large scale deforestation in biodiversity hotspots such as the Amazon and Sub-Saharan Africa. Third, the current production chain of plant and animal protein depends strongly on the implementation not only of fertilisers but also of pesticides, pharmaceuticals (e.g., antibiotics), and disinfectants, which indirectly are documented to create phenomena such as multiple antibiotic-resistant bacteria and lower immunological defence and the presence and accumulation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in agricultural soils. We argue that the line of direct protein production as animal feed or even for human consumption by using microorganisms is a welcome opportunity to alleviate the very significant burden that the contemporary food production systems have on our planet.
Ilje Pikaar; Silvio Matassa; Korneel Rabaey; Bronwyn Laycock; Nico Boon; Willy Verstraete. The Urgent Need to Re-engineer Nitrogen-Efficient Food Production for the Planet. Managing Water, Soil and Waste Resources to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals 2018, 35 -69.
AMA StyleIlje Pikaar, Silvio Matassa, Korneel Rabaey, Bronwyn Laycock, Nico Boon, Willy Verstraete. The Urgent Need to Re-engineer Nitrogen-Efficient Food Production for the Planet. Managing Water, Soil and Waste Resources to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals. 2018; ():35-69.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIlje Pikaar; Silvio Matassa; Korneel Rabaey; Bronwyn Laycock; Nico Boon; Willy Verstraete. 2018. "The Urgent Need to Re-engineer Nitrogen-Efficient Food Production for the Planet." Managing Water, Soil and Waste Resources to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals , no. : 35-69.
Conventional plant and meat protein production have low nitrogen usage efficiencies and high energy needs. Microbial protein (MP) is an alternative that offers higher nitrogen conversion efficiencies with low energy needs if nitrogen is recovered from a concentrated waste source such as source-separated urine. An electrochemical cell (EC) was optimized for ammonia recovery as NH3/H2 gas mixtures usable for MP production. Undiluted hydrolyzed urine was fed to the caustic-generating cathode compartment for ammonia stripping with redirection to the anode compartment for additional ammonium extraction. Using synthetic urine at 48 A m–2 the nitrogen removal efficiency reached 91.6 ± 2.1%. Tests with real urine at 20 A m–2, achieved 87.1 ± 6.0% and 68.4 ± 14.6% requiring 5.8 and 13.9 kWh kg N–1 recovered, via absorption in acid or MP medium, respectively. Energy savings through accompanying electrolytic H2 and O2 production were accounted for. Subsequently, MP was grown in fed-batch on MP medium with conventional NH4+ or urine-derived NH3 yielding 3.74 ± 1.79 and 4.44 ± 1.59 g CDW L–1, respectively. Dissolution of gaseous NH3 in MP medium maintained neutral pH in the MP reactor preventing caustic addition and thus salt accumulation. Urine-nitrogen could thus be valorized as MP via electrochemical ammonia recovery.
Marlies E.R. Christiaens; Sylvia Gildemyn; Silvio Matassa; Tess Ysebaert; Jo De Vrieze; Korneel Rabaey. Electrochemical Ammonia Recovery from Source-Separated Urine for Microbial Protein Production. Environmental Science & Technology 2017, 51, 13143 -13150.
AMA StyleMarlies E.R. Christiaens, Sylvia Gildemyn, Silvio Matassa, Tess Ysebaert, Jo De Vrieze, Korneel Rabaey. Electrochemical Ammonia Recovery from Source-Separated Urine for Microbial Protein Production. Environmental Science & Technology. 2017; 51 (22):13143-13150.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarlies E.R. Christiaens; Sylvia Gildemyn; Silvio Matassa; Tess Ysebaert; Jo De Vrieze; Korneel Rabaey. 2017. "Electrochemical Ammonia Recovery from Source-Separated Urine for Microbial Protein Production." Environmental Science & Technology 51, no. 22: 13143-13150.
The Haber Bosch process is among the greatest inventions of the 20th century. It provided agriculture with reactive nitrogen and ultimately mankind with nourishment for a population of 7 billion people. However, the present agricultural practice of growing crops for animal production and human food constitutes a major threat to the sustainability of the planet in terms of reactive nitrogen pollution. In view of the shortage of directly feasible and cost-effective measures to avoid these planetary nitrogen burdens and the necessity to remediate this problem, we foresee the absolute need for and expect a revolution in the use of microbes as a source of protein. Bypassing land-based agriculture through direct use of Haber Bosch produced nitrogen for reactor-based production of microbial protein can be an inspiring concept for the production of high quality animal feed and even straightforward supply of proteinaceous products for human food, without significant nitrogen losses to the environment and without the need for genetic engineering to safeguard feed and food supply for the generations to come.
Ilje Pikaar; Silvio Matassa; Korneel Rabaey; Benjamin Leon Bodirsky; Alexander Popp; Mario Herrero; Willy Verstraete. Microbes and the Next Nitrogen Revolution. Environmental Science & Technology 2017, 51, 7297 -7303.
AMA StyleIlje Pikaar, Silvio Matassa, Korneel Rabaey, Benjamin Leon Bodirsky, Alexander Popp, Mario Herrero, Willy Verstraete. Microbes and the Next Nitrogen Revolution. Environmental Science & Technology. 2017; 51 (13):7297-7303.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIlje Pikaar; Silvio Matassa; Korneel Rabaey; Benjamin Leon Bodirsky; Alexander Popp; Mario Herrero; Willy Verstraete. 2017. "Microbes and the Next Nitrogen Revolution." Environmental Science & Technology 51, no. 13: 7297-7303.
Microbial biotechnology has a long history of producing feeds and foods. The key feature of today's market economy is that protein production by conventional agriculture based food supply chains is becoming a major issue in terms of global environmental pollution such as diffuse nutrient and greenhouse gas emissions, land use and water footprint. Time has come to re‐assess the current potentials of producing protein‐rich feed or food additives in the form of algae, yeasts, fungi and plain bacterial cellular biomass, producible with a lower environmental footprint compared with other plant or animal‐based alternatives. A major driver is the need to no longer disintegrate but rather upgrade a variety of low‐value organic and inorganic side streams in our current non‐cyclic economy. In this context, microbial bioconversions of such valuable matters to nutritive microbial cells and cell components are a powerful asset. The worldwide market of animal protein is of the order of several hundred million tons per year, that of plant protein several billion tons of protein per year; hence, the expansion of the production of microbial protein does not pose disruptive challenges towards the process of the latter. Besides protein as nutritive compounds, also other cellular components such as lipids (single cell oil), polyhydroxybuthyrate, exopolymeric saccharides, carotenoids, ectorines, (pro)vitamins and essential amino acids can be of value for the growing domain of novel nutrition. In order for microbial protein as feed or food to become a major and sustainable alternative, addressing the challenges of creating awareness and achieving public and broader regulatory acceptance are real and need to be addressed with care and expedience.
Silvio Matassa; Nico Boon; Ilje Pikaar; Willy Verstraete. Microbial protein: future sustainable food supply route with low environmental footprint. Microbial Biotechnology 2016, 9, 568 -575.
AMA StyleSilvio Matassa, Nico Boon, Ilje Pikaar, Willy Verstraete. Microbial protein: future sustainable food supply route with low environmental footprint. Microbial Biotechnology. 2016; 9 (5):568-575.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSilvio Matassa; Nico Boon; Ilje Pikaar; Willy Verstraete. 2016. "Microbial protein: future sustainable food supply route with low environmental footprint." Microbial Biotechnology 9, no. 5: 568-575.
Domestic used water treatment systems are currently predominantly based on conventional resource inefficient treatment processes. While resource recovery is gaining momentum it lacks high value end-products which can be efficiently marketed. Microbial protein production offers a valid and promising alternative by upgrading low value recovered resources into high quality feed and also food. In the present study, we evaluated the potential of hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria to upgrade ammonium and carbon dioxide under autotrophic growth conditions. The enrichment of a generic microbial community and the implementation of different culture conditions (sequenced batch resp. continuous reactor) revealed surprising features. At low selection pressure (i.e. under sequenced batch culture at high solid retention time), a very diverse microbiome with an important presence of predatory Bdellovibrio spp. was observed. The microbial culture which evolved under high rate selection pressure (i.e. dilution rate D = 0.1 h−1) under continuous reactor conditions was dominated by Sulfuricurvum spp. and a highly stable and efficient process in terms of N and C uptake, biomass yield and volumetric productivity was attained. Under continuous culture conditions the maximum yield obtained was 0.29 g cell dry weight per gram chemical oxygen demand equivalent of hydrogen, whereas the maximum volumetric loading rate peaked 0.41 g cell dry weight per litre per hour at a protein content of 71%. Finally, the microbial protein produced was of high nutritive quality in terms of essential amino acids content and can be a suitable substitute for conventional feed sources such as fishmeal or soybean meal.
Silvio Matassa; Willy Verstraete; Ilje Pikaar; Nico Boon. Autotrophic nitrogen assimilation and carbon capture for microbial protein production by a novel enrichment of hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria. Water Research 2016, 101, 137 -146.
AMA StyleSilvio Matassa, Willy Verstraete, Ilje Pikaar, Nico Boon. Autotrophic nitrogen assimilation and carbon capture for microbial protein production by a novel enrichment of hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria. Water Research. 2016; 101 ():137-146.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSilvio Matassa; Willy Verstraete; Ilje Pikaar; Nico Boon. 2016. "Autotrophic nitrogen assimilation and carbon capture for microbial protein production by a novel enrichment of hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria." Water Research 101, no. : 137-146.
Total selenium removal by the activated sludge process, where selenite is reduced to colloidal elemental selenium nanoparticles (BioSeNPs) that remain entrapped in the activated sludge flocs, was studied. Total selenium removal efficiencies with glucose as electron donor (2.0 g chemical oxygen demand (COD) L(-1)) at neutral pH and 30 °C gave 2.9 and 6.8 times higher removal efficiencies as compared to the electron donors lactate and acetate, respectively. Total selenium removal efficiencies of 79 (±3) and 86 (±1) % were achieved in shake flasks and fed batch reactors, respectively, at dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations above 4.0 mg L(-1) and 30 °C when fed with 172 mg L(-1) (1 mM) Na2SeO3 and 2.0 g L(-1) COD of glucose. Continuously operated reactors operating at neutral pH, 30 °C and a DO >3 mg L(-1) removed 33.98 and 36.65 mg of total selenium per gram of total suspended solids (TSS) at TSS concentrations of 1.3 and 3.0 g L(-1), respectively. However, selenite toxicity to the activated sludge led to failure of a continuously operating activated sludge reactor at the applied loading rates. This suggests that a higher hydraulic retention time (HRT) or different reactor configurations need to be applied for selenium-removing activated sludge processes. Graphical Abstract Scheme representing the possible mechanisms of selenite reduction at high and low DO levels in the activated sludge process.
Rohan Jain; Silvio Matassa; Satyendra Singh; Eric D. van Hullebusch; Giovanni Esposito; Piet Nicolaas Luc Lens. Reduction of selenite to elemental selenium nanoparticles by activated sludge. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 2015, 23, 1193 -1202.
AMA StyleRohan Jain, Silvio Matassa, Satyendra Singh, Eric D. van Hullebusch, Giovanni Esposito, Piet Nicolaas Luc Lens. Reduction of selenite to elemental selenium nanoparticles by activated sludge. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2015; 23 (2):1193-1202.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRohan Jain; Silvio Matassa; Satyendra Singh; Eric D. van Hullebusch; Giovanni Esposito; Piet Nicolaas Luc Lens. 2015. "Reduction of selenite to elemental selenium nanoparticles by activated sludge." Environmental Science and Pollution Research 23, no. 2: 1193-1202.
The increase in the world population, vulnerability of conventional crop production to climate change, and population shifts to megacities justify a re-examination of current methods of converting reactive nitrogen to dinitrogen gas in sewage and waste treatment plants. Indeed, by up-grading treatment plants to factories in which the incoming materials are first deconstructed to units such as ammonia, carbon dioxide and clean minerals, one can implement a highly intensive and efficient microbial resynthesis process in which the used nitrogen is harvested as microbial protein (at efficiencies close to 100%). This can be used for animal feed and food purposes. The technology for recovery of reactive nitrogen as microbial protein is available but a change of mindset needs to be achieved to make such recovery acceptable.
Silvio Matassa; Damien Batstone; Tim Hülsen; Jerald Schnoor; Willy Verstraete. Can Direct Conversion of Used Nitrogen to New Feed and Protein Help Feed the World? Environmental Science & Technology 2015, 49, 5247 -5254.
AMA StyleSilvio Matassa, Damien Batstone, Tim Hülsen, Jerald Schnoor, Willy Verstraete. Can Direct Conversion of Used Nitrogen to New Feed and Protein Help Feed the World? Environmental Science & Technology. 2015; 49 (9):5247-5254.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSilvio Matassa; Damien Batstone; Tim Hülsen; Jerald Schnoor; Willy Verstraete. 2015. "Can Direct Conversion of Used Nitrogen to New Feed and Protein Help Feed the World?" Environmental Science & Technology 49, no. 9: 5247-5254.
Resources in used water are at present mainly destroyed rather than reused. Recovered nutrients can serve as raw material for the sustainable production of high value bio-products. The concept of using hydrogen and oxygen, produced by green or off-peak energy by electrolysis, as well as the unique capability of autotrophic hydrogen oxidizing bacteria to upgrade nitrogen and minerals into valuable microbial biomass, is proposed. Both axenic and mixed microbial cultures can thus be of value to implement re-synthesis of recovered nutrients in biomolecules. This process can become a major line in the sustainable “water factory” of the future.
Silvio Matassa; Nico Boon; Willy Verstraete. Resource recovery from used water: The manufacturing abilities of hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria. Water Research 2014, 68, 467 -478.
AMA StyleSilvio Matassa, Nico Boon, Willy Verstraete. Resource recovery from used water: The manufacturing abilities of hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria. Water Research. 2014; 68 ():467-478.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSilvio Matassa; Nico Boon; Willy Verstraete. 2014. "Resource recovery from used water: The manufacturing abilities of hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria." Water Research 68, no. : 467-478.