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Extracellular Polymeric Substances from Aerobic Granular Sludge: Implications for Agricultural Use in Foliar Fertilization

Velasquez Posada, Sofia (author)

This study explores the potential use of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), commercially known as Kaumera Nereda Gum®, extracted from aerobic granular sludge (AGS), for foliar fertilization in agriculture. Koppert, a company specializing in sustainable agricultural products, is interested in using Kaumera Nereda Gum® for its...

master thesis 2023

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Turnover of the extracellular polymeric matrix of granules performing biological phosphate removal

Tomas Martinez, S. (author), Zwolsman, Erwin J. (author), Merlier, Franck (author), Pabst, Martin (author), Lin, Y. (author), van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. (author), Weissbrodt, D.G. (author)

Polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs) are responsible for enhanced biological phosphate removal (EBPR) from wastewater, where they grow embedded in a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). EPSs comprise a mixture of biopolymers like polysaccharides or (glyco)proteins. Despite previous studies, little is known about the...

journal article 2023

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Effects of thermal and enzymatic pre-treatments on the solubilisation of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and subsequent anaerobic digestion of microalgae-bacterial biomass

Cabeza, Camila (author), van Lier, J.B. (author), van der Steen, Peter (author)

Microalgae-bacteria biomass was digested through anaerobic digestion (AD) to produce biogas. Since microalgae typically have a more resistant cell wall than activated sludge (AS), its anaerobic biodegradability is limited. Therefore, three different pre-treatment techniques were evaluated for their effect on anaerobic biodegradability,...

journal article 2023

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Identification and degradation of structural extracellular polymeric substances in waste activated sludge via a polygalacturonate-degrading consortium

Hu, Zhi Yi (author), Lin, Yi Peng (author), Wang, Qing Ting (author), Zhang, Yi Xin (author), Tang, Jie (author), Wang, Shuai (author), van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. (author), Zeng, Raymond Jianxiong (author), Zhang, Fang (author)

By maintaining the cell integrity of waste activated sludge (WAS), structural extracellular polymeric substances (St-EPS) resist WAS anaerobic fermentation. This study investigates the occurrence of polygalacturonate in WAS St-EPS by combining chemical and metagenomic analyses that identify ∼22% of the bacteria, including Ferruginibacter and...

journal article 2023

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Enhancement of fire resistance and mechanical performance of polypropylene composites containing cellulose fibres and extracellular biopolymers from wastewater sludge

Kim, Nam Kyeun (author), Bhattacharyya, Debes (author), van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. (author), Lin, Y. (author)

In the present research, a bio-based flame retardant (FR) was prepared using a biopolymer derived from wastewater sludge to improve the fire performance of polypropylene (PP). Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), which were extracted from wastewater aerobic granular sludge, were absorbed into cellulose-based fibres, such as flax and...

journal article 2023

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Review of the action of organic matter on mineral sediment flocculation

Deng, Zhirui (author), Huang, Dong (author), He, Qing (author), Chassagne, C. (author)

Sediment is found throughout the world’s alluvial plain rivers, estuarine coasts and adjacent seas and is thereby a key factor in major ecosystems. Suspended mineral sediment can affect the biological activity of microorganisms and plants, by reducing light penetration in the water column or by binding to organic matter. Biological processes...

review 2022

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Contribution of extracellular polymeric substances fractions to the adsorption of silver nanoparticles by activated sludge

Xu, Yanghui (author), Ou, Qin (author), He, Qiang (author), Wu, Zhengsong (author), Ma, Jun (author), Huangfu, Xiaoliu (author)

The extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from activated sludge played significant roles in the removal of nanoparticles from wastewater. A series of batch experiments were carried out to determine the adsorption mechanism of three nano-Ag by activated sludge, as well as the contributions of EPS fractions including dissolved EPS (DEPS),...

journal article 2022

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Catabolism of sialic acids in an environmental microbial community

Tomas Martinez, S. (author), Chen, L.M. (author), Neu, Thomas R. (author), Weissbrodt, D.G. (author), van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. (author), Lin, Y. (author)

Sialic acids are a family of nine-carbon negatively charged carbohydrates. In animals, they are abundant on mucosa surfaces as terminal carbohydrates of mucin glycoproteins. Some commensal and pathogenic bacteria are able to release, take up and catabolize sialic acids. Recently, sialic acids have been discovered to be widespread among most...

journal article 2022

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Insight on how biopolymers recovered from aerobic granular wastewater sludge can reduce the flammability of synthetic polymers

Kim, Nam Kyeun (author), Lin, Richard (author), Bhattacharyya, Debes (author), van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. (author), Lin, Y. (author)

Eco-friendly flame retardants are greatly required to meet the expectations of low-toxicity, environmental compatibility and sustainability. Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), the biopolymers recovered from excess granular wastewater sludge, have been successfully incorporated into poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) by a solution casting method...

journal article 2022

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Production of nonulosonic acids in the extracellular polymeric substances of “Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis”

Tomas Martinez, S. (author), Kleikamp, H.B.C. (author), Neu, Thomas R. (author), Pabst, Martin (author), Weissbrodt, D.G. (author), van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. (author), Lin, Y. (author)

Nonulosonic acids (NulOs) are a family of acidic carbohydrates with a nine-carbon backbone, which include different related structures, such as sialic acids. They have mainly been studied for their relevance in animal cells and pathogenic bacteria. Recently, sialic acids have been discovered as an important compound in the extracellular...

journal article 2021

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Formation and ripening of alginate-like exopolymer gel layers during and after membrane filtration

Pfaff, N.M. (author), Kleijn, J. Mieke (author), van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. (author), Kemperman, Antoine J.B. (author)

The properties of biofilm EPS are determined by the multiple interactions between its constituents and the surrounding environment. Because of the high complexity of biofilm EPS, its constituents' characterisation is still far from thorough, and identification of these interactions cannot be done yet. Therefore, we use gels of bacterial...

journal article 2021

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Use of near-infrared spectroscopy on predicting wastewater constituents to facilitate the operation of a membrane bioreactor

Kim, E. (author), Ćurko, Josip (author), Gajdoš Kljusurić, Jasenka (author), Matošić, Marin (author), Crnek, Vlado (author), López-Vázquez, Carlos M. (author), Garcia, H. (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author), Valinger, Davor (author)

The use of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy in wastewater treatment has continuously expanded. As an alternative to conventional analytical methods for monitoring constituents in wastewater treatment processes, the use of NIR spectroscopy is considered to be cost-effective and less time-consuming. NIR spectroscopy does not distort the...

journal article 2021

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Assessment of the impact of temperature on biofilm composition with a laboratory heat exchanger module

Pinel, I.S.M. (author), Biskauskaite, R. (author), Palova, E. (author), Vrouwenvelder, J.S. (author), van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. (author)

Temperature change over the length of heat exchangers might be an important factor affect-ing biofouling. This research aimed at assessing the impact of temperature on biofilm accumulation and composition with respect to bacterial community and extracellular polymeric substances. Two identical laboratory-scale plate heat exchanger modules...

journal article 2021

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Aerobic granular sludge contains Hyaluronic acid-like and sulfated glycosaminoglycans-like polymers

Felz, S. (author), Neu, Thomas R. (author), van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. (author), Lin, Y. (author)

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are linear heteropolysaccharides containing a derivative of an amino sugar. The possibility of the presence of GAGs in aerobic granular sludge was studied by combining SDS-PAGE with Alcian Blue staining (at pH 2.5 and 1), FTIR, mammalian Hyaluronic acid and sulfated GAG analysis kits, enzymatic digestion and specific...

journal article 2020

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Impact of metal ions on structural EPS hydrogels from aerobic granular sludge

Felz, S. (author), Kleikamp, H.B.C. (author), Zlopasa, J. (author), van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. (author), Lin, Y. (author)

Structural extracellular polymeric substances (structural EPS) can form stable hydrogels and are considered to be responsible for the stability of biofilms and aerobic granular sludge. Structural EPS were extracted from aerobic granular sludge and characterized for their gel-forming capacity with different alkaline earth and transition metal...

journal article 2020

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Structural extracellular polymeric substances determine the difference in digestibility between waste activated sludge and aerobic granules

Guo, H. (author), Felz, S. (author), Lin, Y. (author), van Lier, J.B. (author), de Kreuk, M.K. (author)

Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) technology is an alternative to conventional activated sludge to reduce the process footprint and energy consumption. Strategies for the efficient management of its produced biomass, that is grown in a granular morphology as well, need further development. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is commonly applied in waste...

journal article 2020

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A comparison between chemical cleaning efficiency in lab-scale and full-scale reverse osmosis membranes: Role of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS)

Jafari Eshlaghi, M. (author), D'haese, A. (author), Zlopasa, J. (author), Cornelissen, E. R. (author), Vrouwenvelder, J.S. (author), Verbeken, K. (author), Verliefde, A. (author), van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. (author), Picioreanu, C. (author)

Chemical cleaning is vital for the optimal operation of membrane systems. Membrane chemical cleaning protocols are often developed in the laboratory flow cells (e.g., Membrane Fouling Simulator (MFS)) using synthetic feed water (nutrient excess) and short experimental time of typically days. However, full-scale Reverse Osmosis (RO) membranes...

journal article 2020

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Flame retardant property of flax fabrics coated by extracellular polymeric substances recovered from both activated sludge and aerobic granular sludge

Kim, Nam Kyeun (author), Mao, Ningtao (author), Lin, Richard (author), Bhattacharyya, Debes (author), van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. (author), Lin, Y. (author)

In this research, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), such as EPS_flocs and EPS_granules, were successfully extracted from activated and aerobic granular sludge, respectively, and tested as bio-based flame retardant materials. Flax fabric was coated by the biopolymeric substances and its flammability was evaluated...

journal article 2020

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Towards enhanced second-generation n-butanol production from sugarcane

Zetty Arenas, A.M. (author)

Nowadays, the biotechnology industry is facing the challenge of producing suitable equivalents for petroleum-based products from renewable resources in a sustainable and economically feasible way. Finding cleaner alternatives for gasoline, fuels, and chemicals, has been the subject of research worldwide, whether for economic, geopolitical, or...

doctoral thesis 2019

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The role of the tyrosine kinase Wzc (Sll0923) and the phosphatase Wzb (Slr0328) in the production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) by Synechocystis PCC 6803

Pereira, Sara B. (author), Santos, Marina (author), Leite, José P. (author), Flores, Carlos (author), Eisfeld, C. (author), Büttel, Zsófia (author), Mota, Rita (author), Rossi, Federico (author), De Philippis, Roberto (author)

Many cyanobacteria produce extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) mainly composed of heteropolysaccharides with unique characteristics that make them suitable for biotechnological applications. However, manipulation/optimization of EPS biosynthesis/characteristics is hindered by a poor understanding of the production pathways and the...

journal article 2019