Mitigating the risk of cyanobacterial blooms in wastewater ponds. Cyanobacterial blooms in wastewater treatment plants impact on effluent quality and the utility of recycled water, posing a significant risk to the economy, the environment and public health. To understand the causes of cyanobacterial blooms in pond-based wastewater treatment plants and the risk they pose, this project will use the latest molecular techniques to examine how the microbial communities within these systems interact w ....Mitigating the risk of cyanobacterial blooms in wastewater ponds. Cyanobacterial blooms in wastewater treatment plants impact on effluent quality and the utility of recycled water, posing a significant risk to the economy, the environment and public health. To understand the causes of cyanobacterial blooms in pond-based wastewater treatment plants and the risk they pose, this project will use the latest molecular techniques to examine how the microbial communities within these systems interact with each other and their surrounding environment to form blooms and produce toxins and other harmful metabolites. Such knowledge will inform risk assessment and provide strategies for the mitigation of future bloom events, improving the security of our increasingly valuable recycled water resources.Read moreRead less
Adaptive ecotyping of the toxic cyanobacterium Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii to predict its invasive capacity. We change the world while other organisms adapt to these new conditions. Cyanobacteria (blue green algae) increasingly dominate water bodies that were previously free of these harmful blooms. To minimise the spread of these algae, this project will study the genetic basis that determines how rapidly they can evolve and adapt to a changing planet.
Australia's freshwater ecosystems: how microbial diversity and functionality influence harmful cyanobacterial blooms. Toxic cyanobacterial blooms are a constant threat to safe drinking water supplies. A bloom is a poorly understood interaction between many species and the environment. This project will investigate the entire microbial population and their physiologies present in a bloom event in order to identify potential targets for their management.
Functional Analyses of Bacteria Involved in Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal from Wastewater. The abundant growth of blue-green algae in global waterways is substantially caused by phosphorus (P) release from wastewater treatment plants. This environmental drama can be mitigated against by P-accumulating bacteria partitioning the P inside their cells. The P-removal process often fails, but since the metabolism of P-accumulating bacteria is unknown, remedial actions are based on conjecture ....Functional Analyses of Bacteria Involved in Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal from Wastewater. The abundant growth of blue-green algae in global waterways is substantially caused by phosphorus (P) release from wastewater treatment plants. This environmental drama can be mitigated against by P-accumulating bacteria partitioning the P inside their cells. The P-removal process often fails, but since the metabolism of P-accumulating bacteria is unknown, remedial actions are based on conjecture. This fundamental, knowledge-generating project will address this shortfall and will develop methods to evaluate the activity of P-accumulating bacteria, contributing substantial understanding of their metabolism. The final goal is to promote stable, reproducible P-removal from wastewater.Read moreRead less
Development and implementation of biodiversity information for sustainable management of South Australian groundwater. Clean potable water is one of the most important resources for human health and a successful economy. Increasingly, subterranean aquifers are used for storage and recovery of water. These aquifers contain dynamic ecosystems, but little is known about species composition or about the importance of the presence of various species for water quality. We will use the latest laborator ....Development and implementation of biodiversity information for sustainable management of South Australian groundwater. Clean potable water is one of the most important resources for human health and a successful economy. Increasingly, subterranean aquifers are used for storage and recovery of water. These aquifers contain dynamic ecosystems, but little is known about species composition or about the importance of the presence of various species for water quality. We will use the latest laboratory techniques and DNA identification methods to provide a template for determining ground water diversity and food web dynamics throughout Australia. This project will lead to a better understanding of how to manage ground water in a sustainable manner.Read moreRead less
The characterisation of wastewater distribution patterns for the production of decision support systems for pathogenic risk analysis in water catchments. The project will aim to collate data and map base-level distribution patterns of molecular and microbial markers of human sewage and natural/agricultural contamination with reference to diurnal and seasonal fluctuations. These data will then be used to develop decision support systems that predict contaminant dispersion and identify high-risk c ....The characterisation of wastewater distribution patterns for the production of decision support systems for pathogenic risk analysis in water catchments. The project will aim to collate data and map base-level distribution patterns of molecular and microbial markers of human sewage and natural/agricultural contamination with reference to diurnal and seasonal fluctuations. These data will then be used to develop decision support systems that predict contaminant dispersion and identify high-risk contamination sources. The diurnal collection of data is expected to show significant variations in the measured parameters associated with time of day, light intensity and temperature. Mapping of the sewage and nutrient loads throughout the year will provide base line data for identifying potential hotspots for targeting system upgrades or improved management programs.Read moreRead less
A novel process for removing phosphorus microbiologically from wastewater. Australia is a water limited continent, and its rivers and lakes are priceless assets, but because of climatic conditions, these are especially sensitive to blooms of 'blue green algae'. Some are highly toxic, and water containing them is unsuitable for most purposes. Current technology for P removal requires constructing complex plant configurations, and most of these operate unpredictably and unreliably. This project ....A novel process for removing phosphorus microbiologically from wastewater. Australia is a water limited continent, and its rivers and lakes are priceless assets, but because of climatic conditions, these are especially sensitive to blooms of 'blue green algae'. Some are highly toxic, and water containing them is unsuitable for most purposes. Current technology for P removal requires constructing complex plant configurations, and most of these operate unpredictably and unreliably. This project will develop and fully evaluate a revolutionarily different alternative with a fully aerobic system, capable of being added onto the end of a conventional treatment plant, making protection of rivers and streams simpler and more feasible. Read moreRead less
Biocontrol of foaming in activated sludge plants with bacteriophages. Activated sludge systems are the most widely used processes for treating wastewater in Australia. Yet most eventually suffer from episodes of bulking and foaming, where high levels of biosolids leave the plant with the treated waste, representing serious pollution hazards. Attempts to solve these problems have met with limited success.The highly novel biocontrol method proposed here will provide a specific, environmentally fri ....Biocontrol of foaming in activated sludge plants with bacteriophages. Activated sludge systems are the most widely used processes for treating wastewater in Australia. Yet most eventually suffer from episodes of bulking and foaming, where high levels of biosolids leave the plant with the treated waste, representing serious pollution hazards. Attempts to solve these problems have met with limited success.The highly novel biocontrol method proposed here will provide a specific, environmentally friendly and safe method to protect our rivers, streams and oceans form the harmful consequences of these problemsRead moreRead less
Ochre archaeomicrobiology: a new tool for understanding Aboriginal exchange. This project aims to identify the origins and movements of Australian archaeological ochre through the development of a novel tool combining genomic and chemical analysis. The geographic distribution of Australian ochre is closely linked to Aboriginal creation stories, while its physical distribution by people is evidence of cultural cooperation. Using this new archaeomicrobiological technique, the project aims to answe ....Ochre archaeomicrobiology: a new tool for understanding Aboriginal exchange. This project aims to identify the origins and movements of Australian archaeological ochre through the development of a novel tool combining genomic and chemical analysis. The geographic distribution of Australian ochre is closely linked to Aboriginal creation stories, while its physical distribution by people is evidence of cultural cooperation. Using this new archaeomicrobiological technique, the project aims to answer significant questions about past human behaviour, in terms of trade, cultural interactions, territoriality and colonisation. The method also has the potential to benefit traditional owners by contributing to repatriation projects. The collaborative detailed recording, sampling and analysis of ochre sources on traditional lands will also assist Aboriginal communities to manage this important aspect of their cultural heritage.Read moreRead less
Microbiology of Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digester (ATAD) Systems for Biosolids Disposal in Wastewater Treatment Systems. The disposal of biosolids from wastewater treatment plants is expensive and troublesome. ATAD systems utilise microbes and are claimed to overcome many of the problems of more conventional disposal methods. Two have been installed in plants in central Victoria. However, virtually nothing is known about their microbiology. The study will determine which microbial popula ....Microbiology of Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digester (ATAD) Systems for Biosolids Disposal in Wastewater Treatment Systems. The disposal of biosolids from wastewater treatment plants is expensive and troublesome. ATAD systems utilise microbes and are claimed to overcome many of the problems of more conventional disposal methods. Two have been installed in plants in central Victoria. However, virtually nothing is known about their microbiology. The study will determine which microbial populations are present and responsible for biosolids digestion, how these populations might change with changing operational conditions, and whether these changes in populations relate to production of odors. This information will enable these digesters to be better managed and operated.Read moreRead less