Molecular Biology Blog: The blog for research scientists and advanced students

Electrospinning is a highly versatile technique that can be used to create ultrafine fibres of various polymers and other materials, with diameters ranging from a few micrometers down to tens of nanometres. The nonwoven webs of fibers formed through this process typically have high specific surface areas, nano-scale pore sizes, high and controllable porosity and extreme flexibility with regard to the materials used and modification of the surface chemistry of the fibres. A combination of these features is utilized in the application of electrospun nanofibres to a variety of water treatment applications, including filtration, solid phase extraction and reactive membranes read more ...

References:

• Nanotechnology in Water Treatment Applications
• Lab-on-a-Chip Technology
• Real-Time PCR: Current Technology and Applications
• Environmental Molecular Microbiology
• PCR publications
• Environmental Microbiology publications
• Bacteriology

Labels: Biofilm-removal, Biomolecular-detection, Electrospinning Nanofibers, Nanobiocides, Nanobiotechnology, Nanofibers, Nanofiltration, nanotechnology, Nanozymes, Reverse-Osmosis, Wastewater-treatment, Water treatment

The membrane separation technologies of reverse osmosis (hyperfiltration) and nanofiltration are important in water treatment applications. Reverse osmosis is based on the basic principle of osmotic pressure, while nanofiltration makes use of molecule size for separation. Recent advances in the field of nanotechnology are opening a range of possibilities in membrane technologies. These include: new membrane preparation and cleaning methods, new surface and interior modification possibilities, the use of new nanostructured materials, and new characterization techniques read more ...

References:

• Nanotechnology in Water Treatment Applications
• Lab-on-a-Chip Technology
• Real-Time PCR: Current Technology and Applications
• Environmental Molecular Microbiology
• PCR publications
• Environmental Microbiology publications
• Bacteriology

Labels: Biofilm-removal, Biomolecular-detection, Electrospinning Nanofibers, Nanobiocides, Nanobiotechnology, Nanofibers, Nanofiltration, nanotechnology, Nanozymes, Reverse-Osmosis, Wastewater-treatment, Water treatment

Nanofiltration is a new type of pressure driven membrane process and used between reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration membranes. The most different speciality of nanofiltration membranes is the higher rejection of multivalent ions than monovalent ions. Nanofiltration membranes are used in softening water, brackish water treatment, industrial wastewater treatment and reuse, product separation in the industry, salt recovery and recently desalination as two pass nanofiltration system read more ...

References:

• Nanotechnology in Water Treatment Applications
• Lab-on-a-Chip Technology
• Real-Time PCR: Current Technology and Applications
• Environmental Molecular Microbiology
• PCR publications
• Environmental Microbiology publications
• Bacteriology

Labels: Biofilm-removal, Biomolecular-detection, Electrospinning Nanofibers, Nanobiocides, Nanobiotechnology, Nanofibers, Nanofiltration, nanotechnology, Nanozymes, Reverse-Osmosis, Wastewater-treatment, Water treatment

Electrospun nanofibers and nanobiocides show potential in the improvement of water filtration membranes. Biofouling of membranes caused by the bacterial load in water reduces the quality of drinking water and has become a major problem. Several studies showed inhibition of these bacteria after exposure to nanofibers with functionalized surfaces. Nanobiocides such as metal nanoparticles and engineered nanomaterials are successfully incorporated into nanofibers showing high antimicrobial activity and stability in water read more ...

from Nanotechnology in Water Treatment Applications by Cloete, TE et al. (2010)

References:

• Nanotechnology in Water Treatment Applications
• Lab-on-a-Chip Technology
• Real-Time PCR: Current Technology and Applications
• Environmental Molecular Microbiology
• PCR publications
• Environmental Microbiology publications
• Bacteriology

Labels: Biofilm-removal, Biomolecular-detection, Electrospinning Nanofibers, Nanobiocides, Nanobiotechnology, Nanofibers, Nanofiltration, nanotechnology, Nanozymes, Reverse-Osmosis, Wastewater-treatment, Water treatment

In the early days of life on earth due to the emergence of photosynthesis, the atmosphere became oxidative and so iron prevailed in its trivalent form. The consequence was that most microorganisms live today in a surrounding where the concentration of soluble iron compounds is much too low to satisfy their physiological needs. One of the possibilities to circumvent this problem is the production of so-called siderophores, compounds which can form water soluble complexes with Fe³⁺. They are released in situations of iron deficiency. Fe³⁺ possesses six coordination sites arranged in the shape of an octahedron which can accommodate three bidentate ligands. The major ligand types are catecholates, hydroxamates and alpha-hydroxycarboxylates, in the ideal case connected by adequate spacers which keep them in the correct position. Many siderophores have elaborate structures which can bind to the cell surface of the producing species. In this way pirating by competing microorganisms is rendered more difficult.

Further reading: Iron Uptake and Homeostasis in Microorganisms

Labels: Iron acquisition mechanisms, Iron transporters, Iron uptake systems, Iron-homeostasis, Iron-metabolism, Iron-uptake, Siderophore

Lab-on-a-Chip Technology
Publisher: Caister Academic Press
Editor: Keith E. Herold and Avraham Rasooly
Publication date: 2009
ISBN: 978-1-904455-46-2 (Volume 1)
ISBN: 978-1-904455-47-9 (Volume 2)

"a comprehensive view on state of the art LOC technologies ... Overall the double volume represents a comprehensive and felicitous compendium of lab-on-a-chip technologies and applications not only for the beginner going to get started development experimentally in a fast growing and innovative technology. But also the skilled specialist staying in the commercial arena might find a hugely satisfying compilation of state of the art LOC technologies and new ideas for sure. ... All in all 'Lab-on-a-Chip Technology' is a very useful reading for everyone who is interested in development and production of LOC devices" read more ...

from Rolf G. Werner in Arzneimittel-Forschung/Drug Research (2009) 59: 672-673.

Further reading: Lab-on-a-Chip Technology

Labels: Lab-on-a-Chip, Lab-on-a-Chip Technology, LOC

The technological innovation of modern molecular biology and the rapid advancement in computational science have led to a flood of nucleic acid sequence information, bioinformatic tools and phylogenetic inference methods. Phylogenetic analysis has long played a central role in microbiology and the emerging fields of comparative genomics and phylogenomics require substantial knowledge and understanding of phylogenetic analysis and computational methods.

A new book on Molecular Phylogeny explores current concepts in molecular phylogeny and their application with respect to microorganisms.

Further reading: Molecular Phylogeny of Microorganisms

Labels: Comparative genomics, Molecular Phylogeny, Molecular Phylogeny of Microorganisms, Phylogenetic analysis, Phylogenetic inference methods, Phylogenomics