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	Author	Mozo, I.; Lacoste, L.; Aussenac, J.; De Cocker, P.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Sperandio, M.; Caligaris, M.; Barillon, B.; Martin Ruel, S.
	Title	Towards application of mainstream deammonification on municipal wastewater in warm and cold areas			Type	P3 Proceeding
	Year	2016	Publication		Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	4 p. T2 - WEF/IWA Nutrient Removal and Recovery Co
	Keywords	P3 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:151136			Serial	8679
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Meerburg, F.A.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Roume, H.; Seuntjens, D.; Pieper, D.H.; Jauregui, R.; Vilchez-Vargas, R.; Boon, N.
	Title	High-rate activated sludge communities have a distinctly different structure compared to low-rate sludge communities, and are less sensitive towards environmental and operational variables			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2016	Publication	Water research	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	100	Issue		Pages	137-145
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	High-rate activated sludge processes allow for the recovery of organics and energy from wastewaters. These systems are operated at a short sludge retention time and high sludge-specific loading rates, which results in a higher sludge yield and better digestibility than conventional, low-rate activated sludge. Little is known about the microbial ecology of high-rate systems. In this work, we address the need for a fundamental understanding of how high-rate microbial communities differ from low-rate communities. We investigated the high-rate and low-rate communities in a sewage treatment plant in relation to environmental and operational variables over a period of ten months. We demonstrated that (1) high-rate and low-rate communities are distinctly different in terms of richness, evenness and composition, (2) high-rate community dynamics are more variable and less shaped by deterministic factors compared to low-rate communities, (3) sub-communities of continuously core and transitional members are more shaped by deterministic factors than the continuously rare members, both in high-rate and low-rate communities, and (4) high-rate community members showed a co-occurrence pattern similar to that of low-rate community members, but were less likely to be correlated to environmental and operational variables. These findings provide a basis for further optimization of high-rate systems, in order to facilitate resource recovery from wastewater.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000378448800014	Publication Date	2016-05-08
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0043-1354; 1879-2448	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:139914			Serial	8035
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Meerburg, F.A.; Rahman, A.; Van Winckel, T.; Pauwels, K.; De Clippeleir, H.; Al-Omari, A.; Murthy, S.; Boon, N.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
	Title	Fast and furious : optimization and validation of high-rate contact stabilization (HiCS) for recovery of organics from sewage			Type	P3 Proceeding
	Year	2016	Publication		Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	3 p. T2 - WEF/IWA Nutrient Removal and Recovery Co
	Keywords	P3 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:151132			Serial	7958
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Meerburg, F.A.; Boon, N.; Van Winckel, T.; Pauwels, K.T.G.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
	Title	Live Fast, Die Young: Optimizing Retention Times in High-Rate Contact Stabilization for Maximal Recovery of Organics from Wastewater			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2016	Publication	Environmental science and technology	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	50	Issue	17	Pages	9781-9790
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	Wastewater is typically treated by the conventional activated sludge process, which suffers from an inefficient overall energy balance. The high-rate contact stabilization (HiCS) has been proposed as a promising primary treatment technology with which to maximize redirection of organics to sludge for subsequent energy recovery. It utilizes a feast famine cycle to select for bioflocculation, intracellular storage, or both. We optimized the HiCS process for organics recovery and characterized different biological pathways of organics removal and recovery. A total of eight HiCS reactors were operated at 15 degrees C at short solids retention times (SRT; 0.24-2.8 days), hydraulic contact times (t(c); 8 and 15 min), and stabilization times (t(s); 15 and 40 min). At an optimal SRT between 0.5 and 1.3 days and t(c) of 15 min and t(s) of 40 min, the HiCS system oxidized only 10% of influent chemical oxygen demand (COD) and recovered up to 55% of incoming organic matter into sludge. Storage played a minor role in the overall COD removal, which was likely dominated by aerobic biomass growth, bioflocculation onto extracellular polymeric substances, and settling. The HiCS process recovers enough organics to potentially produce 28 kWh of electricity per population equivalent per year by anaerobic digestion and electricity generation. This inspires new possibilities for energy-neutral wastewater treatment.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000382805800097	Publication Date	2016-08-02
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0013-936x; 1520-5851	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:138270			Serial	8176
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Meerburg, F.A.; Boon, N.; Van Winckel, T.; Pauwels, K.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
	Title	The age of wastewater mining : selection for sludge with a maximum capture potential for organics in a high-rate contact stabilization system			Type	P3 Proceeding
	Year	2015	Publication		Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	3 p. T2 - IWA Resource Recovery Conference, 30 Aug
	Keywords	P3 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:151144			Serial	7428
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Liu, X.; Van Winckel, T.; Kjellerup, B.V.; Takacs, I.; Sturm, B.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Al-Omari, A.; Murthy, S.; De Clippeleir, H.
	Title	Pinpointing bioflocculation limitations for enhanced carbon management in high-rate activated sludge			Type	P3 Proceeding
	Year	2017	Publication		Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	6 p. T2 - WEF Nutrient Symposium 2017, 12 - 14 Jun
	Keywords	P3 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:151118			Serial	8384
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Lindeboom, R.E.F.; Ilgrande, C.; Carvajal-Arroyo, J.M.; Coninx, I.; Van Hoey, O.; Roume, H.; Morozova, J.; Udert, K.M.; Sas, B.; Paille, C.; Lasseur, C.; Ilyin, V.; Clauwaert, P.; Leys, N.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
	Title	Nitrogen cycle microorganisms can be reactivated after Space exposure			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2018	Publication	Scientific reports	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	8	Issue		Pages	13783
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	Long-term human Space missions depend on regenerative life support systems (RLSS) to produce food, water and oxygen from waste and metabolic products. Microbial biotechnology is efficient for nitrogen conversion, with nitrate or nitrogen gas as desirable products. A prerequisite to bioreactor operation in Space is the feasibility to reactivate cells exposed to microgravity and radiation. In this study, microorganisms capable of essential nitrogen cycle conversions were sent on a 44-days FOTON-M4 flight to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and exposed to 10(-3)-10(-4) g (gravitational constant) and 687 +/- 170 mu Gy (Gray) d(-1) (20 +/- 4 degrees C), about the double of the radiation prevailing in the International Space Station (ISS). After return to Earth, axenic cultures, defined and reactor communities of ureolytic bacteria, ammonia oxidizing archaea and bacteria, nitrite oxidizing bacteria, denitrifiers and anammox bacteria could all be reactivated. Space exposure generally yielded similar or even higher nitrogen conversion rates as terrestrial preservation at a similar temperature, while terrestrial storage at 4 degrees C mostly resulted in the highest rates. Refrigerated Space exposure is proposed as a strategy to maximize the reactivation potential. For the first time, the combined potential of ureolysis, nitritation, nitratation, denitrification (nitrate reducing activity) and anammox is demonstrated as key enabler for resource recovery in human Space exploration.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000444501200063	Publication Date	2018-09-07
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	2045-2322	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:153641			Serial	8309
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Lindeboom, R.E.F.; De Paepe, J.; Vanoppen, M.; Alonso-Fariñas, B.; Coessens, W.; Alloul, A.; Christiaens, M.E.R.; Dotremont, C.; Beckers, H.; Lamaze, B.; Demey, D.; Clauwaert, P.; Verliefde, A.R.D.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
	Title	A five-stage treatment train for water recovery from urine and shower water for long-term human Space missions			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2020	Publication	Desalination	Abbreviated Journal	Desalination
	Volume	495	Issue		Pages	114634
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	Long-term human Space missions will rely on regenerative life support as resupply of water, oxygen and food comes with constraints. The International Space Station (ISS) relies on an evaporation/condensation system to recover 74–85% of the water in urine, yet suffers from repetitive scaling and biofouling while employing hazardous chemicals. In this study, an alternative non-sanitary five-stage treatment train for one “astronaut” was integrated through a sophisticated monitoring and control system. This so-called Water Treatment Unit Breadboard (WTUB) successfully treated urine (1.2-L-d−1) with crystallisation, COD-removal, ammonification, nitrification and electrodialysis, before it was mixed with shower water (3.4-L-d−1). Subsequently, ceramic nanofiltration and single-pass flat-sheet RO were used. A four-months proof-of-concept period yielded: (i) chemical water quality meeting the hygienic standards of the European Space Agency, (ii) a 87-±-5% permeate recovery with an estimated theoretical primary energy requirement of 0.2-kWhp-L−1, (iii) reduced scaling potential without anti-scalant addition and (iv) and a significant biological reduction in biofouling potential resulted in stable but biofouling-limited RO permeability of 0.5 L-m−2-h−1-bar−1. Estimated mass breakeven dates and a comparison with the ISS Water Recovery System for a hypothetical Mars transit mission show that WTUB is a promising biological membrane-based alternative to heat-based systems for manned Space missions.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000582172900007	Publication Date	2020-09-15
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0011-9164	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	9.9	Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 9.9; 2020 IF: 5.527
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:171514			Serial	6523
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Lindeboom, R.E.F.; Clauwaert, P.; Alloul, A.; Coessens, W.; Christiaens, M.; Vanoppen, M.; Rabaey, K.; Verliefde, A.R.D.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
	Title	Water and nutrient recovery from combined urine and grey water treatment in Space			Type	P3 Proceeding
	Year	2015	Publication		Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	3 p. T2 - IWA Resource Recovery Conference, 30 Aug
	Keywords	P3 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:151143			Serial	8747
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Kerckhof, F.-M.; Sakarika, M.; Van Giel, M.; Muys, M.; Vermeir, P.; De Vrieze, J.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Rabaey, K.; Boon, N.
	Title	From biogas and hydrogen to microbial protein through co-cultivation of methane and hydrogen oxidizing bacteria			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2021	Publication	Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	9	Issue		Pages	733753
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	Increasing efforts are directed towards the development of sustainable alternative protein sources among which microbial protein (MP) is one of the most promising. Especially when waste streams are used as substrates, the case for MP could become environmentally favorable. The risks of using organic waste streams for MP production–the presence of pathogens or toxicants–can be mitigated by their anaerobic digestion and subsequent aerobic assimilation of the (filter-sterilized) biogas. Even though methane and hydrogen oxidizing bacteria (MOB and HOB) have been intensively studied for MP production, the potential benefits of their co-cultivation remain elusive. Here, we isolated a diverse group of novel HOB (that were capable of autotrophic metabolism), and co-cultured them with a defined set of MOB, which could be grown on a mixture of biogas and H2/O2. The combination of MOB and HOB, apart from the CH4 and CO2 contained in biogas, can also enable the valorization of the CO2 that results from the oxidation of methane by the MOB. Different MOB and HOB combinations were grown in serum vials to identify the best-performing ones. We observed synergistic effects on growth for several combinations, and in all combinations a co-culture consisting out of both HOB and MOB could be maintained during five days of cultivation. Relative to the axenic growth, five out of the ten co-cultures exhibited 1.1–3.8 times higher protein concentration and two combinations presented 2.4–6.1 times higher essential amino acid content. The MP produced in this study generally contained lower amounts of the essential amino acids histidine, lysine and threonine, compared to tofu and fishmeal. The most promising combination in terms of protein concentration and essential amino acid profile was Methyloparacoccus murrelli LMG 27482 with Cupriavidus necator LMG 1201. Microbial protein from M. murrelli and C. necator requires 27–67% less quantity than chicken, whole egg and tofu, while it only requires 15% more quantity than the amino acid-dense soybean to cover the needs of an average adult. In conclusion, while limitations still exist, the co-cultivation of MOB and HOB creates an alternative route for MP production leveraging safe and sustainably-produced gaseous substrates.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000697897900001	Publication Date	2021-09-06
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	2296-4185	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:180591			Serial	7985
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Ilgrande, C.; Mastroleo, F.; Christiaens, M.E.R.; Lindeboom, R.E.F.; Prat, D.; Van Hoey, O.; Ambrozova, I.; Coninx, I.; Heylen, W.; Pommerening-Roser, A.; Spieck, E.; Boon, N.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Leys, N.; Clauwaert, P.
	Title	Reactivation of microbial strains and synthetic communities after a spaceflight to the International Space Station : corroborating the feasibility of essential conversions in the MELiSSA Loop			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2019	Publication	Astrobiology	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	19	Issue	9	Pages	1167-1176
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	To sustain human deep space exploration or extra-terrestrial settlements where no resupply from the Earth or other planets is possible, technologies for in situ food production, water, air, and waste recovery need to be developed. The Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative (MELiSSA) is such a Regenerative Life Support System (RLSS) and it builds on several bacterial bioprocesses. However, alterations in gravity, temperature, and radiation associated with the space environment can affect survival and functionality of the microorganisms. In this study, representative strains of different carbon and nitrogen metabolisms with application in the MELiSSA were selected for launch and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) exposure. An edible photoautotrophic strain (Arthrospira sp. PCC 8005), a photoheterotrophic strain (Rhodospirillum rubrum S1H), a ureolytic heterotrophic strain (Cupriavidus pinatubonensis 1245), and combinations of C. pinatubonensis 1245 and autotrophic ammonia and nitrite oxidizing strains (Nitrosomonas europaea ATCC19718, Nitrosomonas ureae Nm10, and Nitrobacter winogradskyi Nb255) were sent to the International Space Station (ISS) for 7 days. There, the samples were exposed to 2.8 mGy, a dose 140 times higher than on the Earth, and a temperature of 22 degrees C +/- 1 degrees C. On return to the Earth, the cultures were reactivated and their growth and activity were compared with terrestrial controls stored under refrigerated (5 degrees C +/- 2 degrees C) or room temperature (22 degrees C +/- 1 degrees C and 21 degrees C +/- 0 degrees C) conditions. Overall, no difference was observed between terrestrial and ISS samples. Most cultures presented lower cell viability after the test, regardless of the type of exposure, indicating a harsher effect of the storage and sample preparation than the spaceflight itself. Postmission analysis revealed the successful survival and proliferation of all cultures except for Arthrospira, which suffered from the premission depressurization test. These observations validate the possibility of launching, storing, and reactivating bacteria with essential functionalities for microbial bioprocesses in RLSS.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000475278300001	Publication Date	2019-06-04
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1557-8070; 1531-1074	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:161342			Serial	8456
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Ilgrande, C.; Leroy, B.; Wattiez, R.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Boon, N.; Clauwaert, P.
	Title	Metabolic and proteomic responses to salinity in synthetic nitrifying communities of Nitrosomonas spp. and Nitrobacter spp			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2018	Publication	Frontiers in microbiology	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	9	Issue		Pages	2914
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	Typically, nitrification is a two-stage microbial process and is key in wastewater treatment and nutrient recovery from waste streams. Changes in salinity represent a major stress factor that can trigger response mechanisms, impacting the activity and the physiology of bacteria. Despite its pivotal biotechnological role, little information is available on the specific response of nitrifying bacteria to varying levels of salinity. In this study, synthetic communities of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB Nitrosomonas europaea and/or Nitrosomonas ureae) and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB Nitrobacter winogradskyi and/or Nitrobacter vulgaris) were tested at 5, 10, and 30 mS cm-1 by adding sodium chloride to the mineral medium (0, 40, and 200 mM NaCl, respectively). Ammonia oxidation activity was less affected by salinity than nitrite oxidation. AOB, on their own or in combination with NOB, showed no significant difference in the ammonia oxidation rate among the three conditions. However, N. winogradskyi improved the absolute ammonia oxidation rate of both N. europaea and N. ureae. N. winogradskyis nitrite oxidation rate decreased to 42% residual activity upon exposure to 30 mS cm-1, also showing a similar behavior when tested with Nitrosomonas spp. The nitrite oxidation rate of N. vulgaris, as a single species, was not affected when adding sodium chloride up to 30 mS cm-1, however, its activity was completely inhibited when combined with Nitrosomonas spp. in the presence of ammonium/ammonia. The proteomic analysis of a co-culture of N. europaea and N. winogradskyi revealed the production of osmolytes, regulation of cell permeability and an oxidative stress response in N. europaea and an oxidative stress response in N. winogradskyi, as a result of increasing the salt concentration from 5 to 30 mS cm-1. A specific metabolic response observed in N. europaea suggests the role of carbon metabolism in the production of reducing power, possibly to meet the energy demands of the stress response mechanisms, induced by high salinity. For the first time, metabolic modifications and response mechanisms caused by the exposure to salinity were described, serving as a tool toward controllability and predictability of nitrifying systems exposed to salt fluctuations.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000451903700001	Publication Date	2018-11-30
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1664-302x	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:155237			Serial	8217
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Ilgrande, C.; Defoirdt, T.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Boon, N.; Clauwaert, P.
	Title	Media optimization, strain compatibility, and low-shear modeled microgravity exposure of synthetic microbial communities for urine nitrification in regenerative life-support systems			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2019	Publication	Astrobiology	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	19	Issue	11	Pages	1353-1362
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	Urine is a major waste product of human metabolism and contains essential macro- and micronutrients to produce edible microorganisms and crops. Its biological conversion into a stable form can be obtained through urea hydrolysis, subsequent nitrification, and organics removal, to recover a nitrate-enriched stream, free of oxygen demand. In this study, the utilization of a microbial community for urine nitrification was optimized with the focus for space application. To assess the role of selected parameters that can impact ureolysis in urine, the activity of six ureolytic heterotrophs (Acidovorax delafieldii, Comamonas testosteroni, Cupriavidus necator, Delftia acidovorans, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Vibrio campbellii) was tested at different salinities, urea, and amino acid concentrations. The interaction of the ureolytic heterotrophs with a nitrifying consortium (Nitrosomonas europaea ATCC 19718 and Nitrobacter winogradskyi ATCC 25931) was also tested. Lastly, microgravity was simulated in a clinostat utilizing hardware for in-flight experiments with active microbial cultures. The results indicate salt inhibition of the ureolysis at 30 mS cm(-1), while amino acid nitrogen inhibits ureolysis in a strain-dependent manner. The combination of the nitrifiers with C. necator and V. campbellii resulted in a complete halt of the urea hydrolysis process, while in the case of A. delafieldii incomplete nitrification was observed, and nitrite was not oxidized further to nitrate. Nitrate production was confirmed in all the other communities; however, the other heterotrophic strains most likely induced oxygen competition in the test setup, and nitrite accumulation was observed. Samples exposed to low-shear modeled microgravity through clinorotation behaved similarly to the static controls. Overall, nitrate production from urea was successfully demonstrated with synthetic microbial communities under terrestrial and simulated space gravity conditions, corroborating the application of this process in space.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000492817700004	Publication Date	2019-10-28
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1557-8070; 1531-1074	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:164663			Serial	8215
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Ilgrande, C.; Christiaens, M.; Clauwaert, P.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Boon, N.
	Title	Can nitrification bring us to Mars? The role of microbial interactions on nitrogen recovery in Life Support Systems			Type	A2 Journal article
	Year	2016	Publication	Communications in agricultural and applied biological sciences	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	81	Issue	1	Pages	74-79
	Keywords	A2 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	The development cost-effective life support technologies is a highly relevant topic for space biology. Currently, food and water supply during space flights is currently restricted by technical and economic constraints: daily water consumption of an average crew of 6 members is about 72 L, with an estimated cost of 2,160,000 d-1. To reduce these costs and sustain long term space missions, the European Space Agency designed MELiSSA, an artificial ecosystem based on 5 compartments for the recycling gas, liquid and solid waste (Lasseur et al., 2011). In the CI stage, crew and inedible solid waste is fermented by thermophilic anaerobic bacteria, producing volatile fatty acids (VFAs), CO2 and ammonium (NH4+). In the CII compartment the VFAs are converted into edible biomass, using the photoheterotroph Rodospirillum rubrum. Afterwards, the nitrifying CIII unit converts toxic levels of ammonia/ammonium into nitrate, which enables the effluent to be fed to the photoautotrohopic CIV stage, that provides food and oxygen for the crew (Godia et al., 2002). The highest nitrogen flux in a Life Support System is human urine. As nitrate is the preferred form of nitrogen fertilizer for hydroponic plant cultivation, urine nitrification is an essential process in the MELiSSA loop. The development of the Additional Unit for Water Treatment or Urine NItrification ConsortiUM (UNICUM) requires the selection and characterization of the microorganisms that will be used. The key microorganisms in the biological treatment of urine are heterotrophs, for the hydrolysis of urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide, Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria (AOB), for the ammonia oxidation into nitrite and Nitrite Oxidizing Bacteria (NOB), for the conversion of nitrite into nitrate. The strains were selected according to predefined safety (non sporogenic and BSL 1) and metabolic (Ks, μmax) criteria. To evaluate functional consortia for space applications, ureolysis, nitritation and nitratation of the selected microorganisms and synthetic communities were elucidated. Additionally, urine is a matrix with a high salt content. Unhydrolised urine's EC ranges from 1.1 to 33.9 mS/cm, the mean value being 21.5 mS/cm (Marickar, 2010), while hydrolysed urine can reach higher levels, up to 75 mS/cm. This conditions could inhibit microbial metabolism, therefore the effect of salinity on urine nitrification was also elucidated.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1379-1176	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:151151			Serial	7573
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Han, M.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Al-Omari, A.; Wett, B.; Bott, C.; Murthy, S.; De Clippeleir, H.
	Title	Uncoupling the solids retention times of flocs and granules in mainstream deammonification : a screen as effective out-selection tool for nitrite oxidizing bacteria			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2016	Publication	Bioresource technology	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	221	Issue		Pages	195-204
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	This study focused on a physical separator in the form of a screen to out-select nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) for mainstream sewage treatment. This separation relied on the principle that the NOB prefer to grow in flocs, while anammox bacteria (AnAOB) reside in granules. Two types of screens (vacuum and vibrating) were tested for separating these fractions. The vibrating screen was preferred due to more moderate normal forces and additional tangential forces, better balancing retention efficiency of AnAOB granules (41% of the AnAOB activity) and washout of NOB (92% activity washout). This operation resulted in increased NOB out-selection (AerAOB/NOB ratio of 2.3) and a total nitrogen removal efficiency of 70% at influent COD/N ratio of 1.4. An effluent total nitrogen concentration <10 mg N/L was achieved using this novel approach combining biological selection with physical separation, opening up the path towards energy positive sewage treatment. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000386241000025	Publication Date	2016-09-08
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0960-8524	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:138157			Serial	8705
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	Author	Han, M.; Seuntjens, D.; Al-Omari, A.; Takacs, I.; Meerburg, F.; Murthy, S.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; De Clippeleir, H.
	Title	Water and process parameters as controllers for the ammonia to nitrite oxidation rate ratio in activated sludge			Type	P3 Proceeding
	Year	2017	Publication		Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	3 p. T2 - IWA 2017 Conference on Sustainable Waste
	Keywords	P3 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:151110			Serial	8748
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Han, M.; De Clippeleir, H.; Al-Omari, A.; Wett, B.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Bott, C.; Murthy, S.
	Title	Impact of carbon to nitrogen ratio and aeration regime on mainstream deammonification			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2016	Publication	Water science and technology	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	74	Issue	2	Pages	375-384
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	While deammonification of high-strength wastewater in the sludge line of sewage treatment plants has become well established, the potential cost savings spur the development of this technology for mainstream applications. This study aimed at identifying the effect of aeration and organic carbon on the deammonification process. Two 10 L sequencing bath reactors with different aeration frequencies were operated at 25 degrees C. Real wastewater effluents from chemically enhanced primary treatment and high-rate activated sludge process were fed into the reactors with biodegradable chemical oxygen demand/nitrogen (bCOD/N) of 2.0 and 0.6, respectively. It was found that shorter aerobic solids retention time (SRT) and higher aeration frequency gave more advantages for aerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AerAOB) than nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) in the system. From the kinetics study, it is shown that the affinity for oxygen is higher for NOB than for AerAOB, and higher dissolved oxygen set-point could decrease the affinity of both AerAOB and NOB communities. After 514 days of operation, it was concluded that lower organic carbon levels enhanced the activity of anoxic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AnAOB) over denitrifiers. As a result, the contribution of AnAOB to nitrogen removal increased from 40 to 70%. Overall, a reasonably good total removal efficiency of 66% was reached under a low bCOD/N ratio of 2.0 after adaptation.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000380765500011	Publication Date	2016-04-30
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0273-1223; 1996-9732	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:135032			Serial	8062
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Han, M.; De Clippeleir, H.; Al-Omari, A.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Wett, B.; Murthy, S.
	Title	Free ammonia and/or temperature impact study on temperature-acclimated mainstream nitrification sludge			Type	P3 Proceeding
	Year	2016	Publication		Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	3 p. T2 - WEF/IWA Nutrient Removal and Recovery Co
	Keywords	P3 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:151134			Serial	7984
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Grunert, O.; Robles-Aguilar, A.A.; Hernandez-Sanabria, E.; Schrey, S.D.; Reheul, D.; Van Labeke, M.-C.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Vanderkerckhove, T.G.L.; Mysara, M.; Monsieurs, P.; Temperton, V.M.; Boon, N.; Jablonowski, N.D.
	Title	Tomato plants rather than fertilizers drive microbial community structure in horticultural growing media			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2019	Publication	Scientific reports	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	9	Issue		Pages	9561
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	Synthetic fertilizer production is associated with a high environmental footprint, as compounds typically dissolve rapidly leaching emissions to the atmosphere or surface waters. We tested two recovered nutrients with slower release patterns, as promising alternatives for synthetic fertilizers: struvite and a commercially available organic fertilizer. Using these fertilizers as nitrogen source, we conducted a rhizotron experiment to test their effect on plant performance and nutrient recovery in juvenile tomato plants. Plant performance was significantly improved when organic fertilizer was provided, promoting higher shoot biomass. Since the microbial community influences plant nitrogen availability, we characterized the root-associated microbial community structure and functionality. Analyses revealed distinct root microbial community structure when different fertilizers were supplied. However, plant presence significantly increased the similarity of the microbial community over time, regardless of fertilization. Additionally, the presence of the plant significantly reduced the potential ammonia oxidation rates, implying a possible role of the rhizosheath microbiome or nitrification inhibition by the plant. Our results indicate that nitrifying community members are impacted by the type of fertilizer used, while tomato plants influenced the potential ammonia-oxidizing activity of nitrogen-related rhizospheric microbial communities. These novel insights on interactions between recovered fertilizers, plant and associated microbes can contribute to develop sustainable crop production systems.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000473418000003	Publication Date	2019-07-02
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	2045-2322	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:160582			Serial	8674
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Grunert, O.; Robles Aguilar, A.A.; Hernandez-Sanabria, E.; Reheul, D.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Boon, N.; Jablonowski, N.D.
	Title	Fertilizer type influences dynamics of the microbial community structure in the rhizosphere of tomato and impact the nutrient turnover and plant performance			Type	A2 Journal article
	Year	2016	Publication	Communications in agricultural and applied biological sciences	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	81	Issue	1	Pages	67-73
	Keywords	A2 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	Ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms (AOB and AOA) and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) are the most important organisms responsible for ammonia and nitrite oxidation in agricultural ecosystems and growing media. Ammonia and nitrite oxidation are critical steps in the soil nitrogen cycle and can be affected by the application of mineral fertilizers or organic fertilizers. The functionality of the microbial community has a major impact on the nutrient turnover and will finally influence plant performance. The microbial community associated with the growing medium and its functionality will also be influenced by the rhizosphere and the bulk soil. In our study, we used a tomato plant with a high root exudation capacity in order to stimulate microbial activity. We studied plant performance in rhizotrons (a phentotyping system for imaging roots), including an optical method (planar optodes) for non-invasive, quantitative and high-resolution imaging of pH dynamics in the rhizosphere and adjacent medium. The horticultural growing medium was supplemented with organic-derived nitrogen or ammonium derived from struvite. The possible differences in the root structure between treatments is compared with the total root length. Destructive growing medium sampling and high throughput sequencing analysis of the bacterial abundance of the communities present in the rhizosphere and the bulk soil is used to study the growing medium-associated microbial community structure and functionality, and this will be related to pH changes in the rhizosphere and the bulk soil. Our hypothesis is that the growing medium-associated microbial community structure changes depending on the nitrogen form provided and we expect a higher abundance of bacteria in the treatment with organic fertilizer and a higher abundance of AOB and NOB in the rhizosphere in comparison to the bulk soil.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1379-1176	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:151149			Serial	7964
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Grunert, O.; Reheul, D.; Van Labeke, M.-C.; Perneel, M.; Hernandez-Sanabria, E.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Boon, N.
	Title	Growing media constituents determine the microbial nitrogen conversions in organic growing media for horticulture			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2016	Publication	Microbial Biotechnology	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	9	Issue	3	Pages	389-399
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	Vegetables and fruits are an important part of a healthy food diet, however, the eco-sustainability of the production of these can still be significantly improved. European farmers and consumers spend an estimated Euro15.5 billion per year on inorganic fertilizers and the production of N-fertilizers results in a high carbon footprint. We investigated if fertilizer type and medium constituents determine microbial nitrogen conversions in organic growing media and can be used as a next step towards a more sustainable horticulture. We demonstrated that growing media constituents showed differences in urea hydrolysis, ammonia and nitrite oxidation and in carbon dioxide respiration rate. Interestingly, mixing of the growing media constituents resulted in a stimulation of the function of the microorganisms. The use of organic fertilizer resulted in an increase in amoA gene copy number by factor 100 compared to inorganic fertilizers. Our results support our hypothesis that the activity of the functional microbial community with respect to nitrogen turnover in an organic growing medium can be improved by selecting and mixing the appropriate growing media components with each other. These findings contribute to the understanding of the functional microbial community in growing media and its potential role towards a more responsible horticulture.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000374662600009	Publication Date	2016-03-23
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1751-7907	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:133617			Serial	8013
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Geerts, R.; Vandermoere, F.; Van Winckel, T.; Halet, D.; Joos, P.; Van Den Steen, K.; Van Meenen, E.; Blust, R.; Borregán-Ochando, E.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
	Title	Bottle or tap? Toward an integrated approach to water type consumption			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2020	Publication	Water Research	Abbreviated Journal	Water Res
	Volume	173	Issue		Pages	115578-10
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL); Centre for Research on Environmental and Social Change
	Abstract	While in many countries, people have access to cheap and safe potable tap water, the global consumption of bottled water is rising. Flanders, Belgium, where this study is located, has an exceptionally high consumption of bottled water per capita. However, in the interest of resource efficiency and global environmental challenges, the consumption of tap water is preferable. To our knowledge, an integrated analysis of the main reasons why people consume tap and bottled water is absent in Flanders, Belgium. Using Flemish survey data (N = 2309), we first compared tap and bottled water consumers through bivariate correlation analysis. Subsequently, path modelling techniques were used to further investigate these correlations. Our results show that bottled water consumption in Flanders is widespread despite environmental and financial considerations. For a large part, this is caused by negative perceptions about tap water. Many consumers consider it unhealthy, unsafe and prefer the taste of bottled water. Furthermore, we found that the broader social context often inhibits the consumption of tap water. On the one hand, improper infrastructures (e.g. lead piping) can limit access to potable tap water. On the other hand, social norms exist that promote bottled water. Lastly, results suggest that the consumption of bottled water is most common among men, older people and less educated groups. We conclude that future research and policy measures will benefit from an approach that integrates all behavioural aspects associated with water type consumption. This will enable both governments and tap water companies to devise more effective policies to manage and support tap water supply networks.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000523569000012	Publication Date	2020-01-31
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0043-1354	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	12.8	Times cited	2	Open Access
	Notes	; This was supported by a grant from Water-link. ;			Approved	Most recent IF: 12.8; 2020 IF: 6.942
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:165873			Serial	6464
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Geerts, R.; Vandermoere, F.; Halet, D.; Van Winckel, T.; Joos, P.; Van Den Steen, K.; Van Meenen, E.; Blust, R.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
	Title	Ik drink (geen) afval! Een exploratieve studie naar socio-demografische verschillen in publieke steun voor het hergebruik van afvalwater in Vlaanderen			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2020	Publication	Vlaams tijdschrift voor overheidsmanagement	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue	3	Pages	51-69
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Sociology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL); Centre for Research on Environmental and Social Change
	Abstract	In een context van stijgende waterschaarste verkennen wij, naar ons weten voor het eerst in Vlaanderen, publieke steun voor de behandeling en het hergebruik van afvalwater als drinkwater. Vlaanderen is vandaag een van de weinige regio’s waar afvalwater reeds gerecycleerd wordt voor drinkwaterdoeleinden. Dit gebeurt op kleinschalig niveau en de uitbreiding hiervan is vandaag een van de Vlaamse beleidsdoelstellingen. Internationale voorbeelden toonden echter dat een gebrek aan publieke steun een aanzienlijk obstakel kan zijn. Vaak worden gezondheids- en veiligheidsbezorgdheden aangehaald als oorzaak voor het beperkte draagvlak. Minder is geweten over de socio-demografische distributie van dit draagvlak. Daarbovenop blijft er onduidelijkheid over de samenhang tussen socio-demografische kenmerken en gezondheids- en veiligheidsbezorgdheden. Met behulp van een enquête uitgevoerd in Vlaanderen (N=2309), bestudeerden wij ten eerste deze socio-demografische verschillen op basis van bivariate associaties (gender, opleidingsniveau, leeftijd en woonplaats). Ten tweede construeerden we een padmodel om te onderzoeken of deze verschillen verklaard kunnen worden aan de hand van gezondheids- en veiligheidsbezorgdheden. Onze resultaten toonden dat publieke steun voor afvalwaterhergebruik voor drinkwaterdoeleinden in Vlaanderen beperkt is. Het draagvlak was het laagst bij oudere mensen, vrouwen, lager geschoolde groepen en mensen die niet in de Provincie Antwerpen wonen. Voor een groot deel konden socio-demografische verschillen verklaard worden door hogere gezondheids- en veiligheidsbezorgdheden bij vrouwen, lager geschoolden en mensen uit West- en Oost-Vlaanderen. Dit suggereert een gebrek aan vertrouwen in waterexperts en -technologie bij bepaalde socio-demografische groepen, wat zich vertaalt in een verminderde publieke steun voor afvalwaterhergebruik. Op basis van deze bevindingen bespreken we een aantal potentiële actiestrategieën om publieke oppositie te anticiperen en proactief publieke steun te verwerven via doelgerichte (risico)communicatie.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1373-0509	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:171478			Serial	6541
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Faust, V.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Ganigué, R.; Udert, K.M.
	Title	Influence of pH on urine nitrification : community shifts of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and inhibition of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2024	Publication	ACS ES&T engineering	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	4	Issue	2	Pages	342-353
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	Urine nitrification is pH-sensitive due to limited alkalinity and high residual ammonium concentrations. This study aimed to investigate how the pH affects nitrogen conversion and the microbial community of urine nitrification with a pH-based feeding strategy. First, kinetic parameters for NH3, HNO2, and NO2– limitation and inhibition were determined for nitrifiers from a urine nitrification reactor. The turning point for ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), i.e., the substrate concentration at which a further increase would lead to a decrease in activity due to inhibitory effects, was at an NH3 concentration of 12 mg-N L–1, which was reached only at pH values above 7. The total nitrite turning point for nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) was pH-dependent, e.g., 18 mg-N L–1 at pH 6.3. Second, four years of data from two 120 L reactors were analyzed, showing that stable nitrification with low nitrite was most likely between pH 5.8 and 6.7. And third, six 12 L urine nitrification reactors were operated at total nitrogen concentrations of 1300 and 3600 mg-N L–1 and pH values between 2.5 and 8.5. At pH 6, the AOB Nitrosomonas europaea was found, and the NOB belonged to the genus Nitrobacter. At pH 7, nitrite accumulated, and Nitrosomonas halophila was the dominant AOB. NOB were inhibited by HNO2 accumulation. At pH 8.5, the AOB Nitrosomonas stercoris became dominant, and NH3 inhibited NOB. Without influent, the pH dropped to 2.5 due to the growth of the acid-tolerant AOB “Candidatus Nitrosacidococcus urinae”. In conclusion, pH is a decisive process control parameter for urine nitrification by influencing the selection and kinetics of nitrifiers.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date	2023-11-02
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access	Not_Open_Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:203306			Serial	9048
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Faust, V.; van Alen, T.A.; Op den Camp, H.J.M.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Ganigué, R.; Boon, N.; Udert, K.M.
	Title	Ammonia oxidation by novel “Candidatus Nitrosacidococcus urinae” is sensitive to process disturbances at low pH and to iron limitation at neutral pH			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2022	Publication	Water Research X	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	17	Issue		Pages	100157-11
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	Acid-tolerant ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) can open the door to new applications, such as partial nitritation at low pH. However, they can also be problematic because chemical nitrite oxidation occurs at low pH, leading to the release of harmful nitrogen oxide gases. In this publication, the role of acid-tolerant AOB in urine treatment was explored. On the one hand, the technical feasibility of ammonia oxidation under acidic conditions for source-separated urine with total nitrogen concentrations up to 3.5 g-N L−1 was investigated. On the other hand, the abundance and growth of acid-tolerant AOB at more neutral pH was explored. Under acidic conditions (pH of 5), ammonia oxidation rates of 500 mg-N L−1 d−1 and 10 g-N g-VSS-1 d-1 were observed, despite high concentrations of 15 mg-N L−1 of the AOB-inhibiting compound nitrous acid and low concentration of 0.04 mg-N L−1 of the substrate ammonia. However, ammonia oxidation under acidic conditions was very sensitive to process disturbances. Even short periods of less than 12 h without oxygen or without influent resulted in a complete cessation of ammonia oxidation with a recovery time of up to two months, which is a problem for low maintenance applications such as decentralized treatment. Furthermore, undesirable nitrogen losses of about 10% were observed. Under acidic conditions, a novel AOB strain was enriched with a relative abundance of up to 80%, for which the name “Candidatus (Ca.) Nitrosacidococcus urinae” is proposed. While Nitrosacidococcus members were present only to a small extent (0.004%) in urine nitrification reactors operated at pH values between 5.8 and 7, acid-tolerant AOB were always enriched during long periods without influent, resulting in an uncontrolled drop in pH to as low as 2.5. Long-term experiments at different pH values showed that the activity of “Ca. Nitrosacidococcus urinae” decreased strongly at a pH of 7, where they were also outcompeted by the acid-sensitive AOB Nitrosomonas halophila. The experiment results showed that the decreased activity of “Ca. Nitrosacidococcus urinae” correlated with the limited availability of dissolved iron at neutral pH.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000877925500001	Publication Date	2022-10-04
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	2589-9147	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:190944			Serial	7124
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Faust, V.; Gruber, W.; Ganigue, R.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Udert, K.M.
	Title	Nitrous oxide emissions and carbon footprint of decentralized urine fertilizer production by nitrification and distillation			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2022	Publication	ACS ES&T engineering	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	2	Issue	9	Pages	1745-1755
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	Combining partial nitrification, granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration, and distillation is a well-studied approach to convert urine into a fertilizer. To evaluate the environmental sustainability of a technology, the operational carbon footprint and therefore nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions should be known, but N2O emissions from urine nitrification have not been assessed yet. Therefore, N2O emissions of a decentralized urine nitrification reactor were monitored for 1 month. During nitrification, 0.4-1.2% of the total nitrogen load was emitted as N2O-N with an average N2O emission factor (EFN2O) of 0.7%. Additional N2O was produced during anoxic storage between nitrification and GAC filtration with an estimated EFN2O of 0.8%, resulting in an EFN2O of 1.5% for the treatment chain. N2O emissions during nitrification can be mitigated by 60% by avoiding low dissolved oxygen or anoxic conditions and nitrite concentrations above 5 mg-N L-1. Minimizing the hydraulic retention time between nitrification and GAC filtration can reduce N2O formation during intermediate storage by 100%. Overall, the N2O emissions accounted for 45% of the operational carbon footprint of 14 kg-CO2,equiv kg-N-1 for urine fertilizer production. Using electricity from renewable sources and applying the proposed N2O mitigation strategies could potentially lower the carbon footprint by 85%.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000835412700001	Publication Date	2022-07-29
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:189599			Serial	7182
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	Author	Faust, V.; Boon, N.; Ganigué, R.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Udert, K.M.
	Title	Optimizing control strategies for urine nitrification : narrow pH control band enhances process stability and reduces nitrous oxide emissions			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Frontiers in environmental science	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	11	Issue		Pages	1275152-14
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	Nitrification is well-suited for urine stabilization. No base dosage is required if the pH is controlled within an appropriate operating range by urine feeding, producing an ammonium-nitrate fertilizer. However, the process is highly dependent on the selected pH set-points and is susceptible to process failures such as nitrite accumulation or the growth of acid-tolerant ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. To address the need for a robust and reliable process in decentralized applications, two different strategies were tested: operating a two-position pH controller (inflow on/off) with a narrow pH control band at 6.20/6.25 (∆pH = 0.05, narrow-pH) vs. a wider pH control band at 6.00/6.50 (∆pH = 0.50, wide-pH). These variations in pH also cause variations in the chemical speciation of ammonia and nitrite and, as shown, the microbial production of nitrite. It was hypothesized that the higher fluctuations would result in greater microbial diversity and, thus, a more robust process. The diversity of nitrifiers was higher in the wide-pH reactor, while the diversity of the entire microbiome was similar in both systems. However, the wide-pH reactor was more susceptible to tested process disturbances caused by increasing pH or temperature, decreasing dissolved oxygen, or an influent stop. In addition, with an emission factor of 0.47%, the nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from the wide-pH reactor were twice as high as the N2O emissions from the narrow-pH reactor, most likely due to the nitrite fluctuations. Based on these results, a narrow control band is recommended for pH control in urine nitrification.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	001087861500001	Publication Date	2023-10-10
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	2296-665x	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:199585			Serial	8909
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	Author	Defoirdt, T.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Sun, X.; Boon, N.; Clauwaert, P.
	Title	Ureolytic activity and its regulation in vibrio campbellii and vibrio harveyi in relation to nitrogen recovery from human urine			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2017	Publication	Environmental science and technology	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	51	Issue	22	Pages	13335-13343
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	Human urine contains a high concentration of nitrogen and is therefore an interesting source for nutrient recovery. Ureolysis is a key requirement in many processes aiming at nitrogen recovery from urine. Although ureolytic activity is widespread in terrestrial and aquatic environments, very little is known about the urease activity and regulation in specific bacteria other than human pathogens. Given the relatively high salt concentration of urine, marine bacteria would be particularly well suited for biotechnological applications involving nitrogen recovery from urine, and therefore, in this study, we investigated ureolytic activity and its regulation in marine vibrios. Thirteen out of 14 strains showed ureolytic activity. The urease activity was induced by urea, since complete and very rapid hydrolysis, up to 4 g L-1 of urea, was observed in synthetic human urine when the bacteria were pretreated with 10 g L-1 urea, whereas slow hydrolysis occurred when they were pretreated with 1 g L-1 urea (14-35% hydrolysis after 2 days). There was no correlation between biofilm formation and "motility on one hand, and ureolysis on the other hand, and biofilm and motility inhibitors did not affect ureolysis. Together, our data demonstrate for the first time the potential of marine vibrios as fast urea hydrolyzers for biotechnological applications aiming at nutrient recovery from human urine.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000416496700032	Publication Date	2017-10-30
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0013-936x; 1520-5851	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:147703			Serial	8716
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	Author	Decostere, B.; Coppens, J.; Vervaeren, H.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; De Gelder, L.; Boon, N.; Nopens, I.; Van Hulle, S.W.H.
	Title	Kinetic exploration of intracellular nitrate storage in marine microalgae			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2017	Publication	Journal of environmental science and health : part A: toxic/hazardous substances and environmental engineering	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	52	Issue	14	Pages	1303-1311
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	In this study, a recently developed model accounting for intracellular nitrate storage kinetics was thoroughly studied to understand and compare the storage capacity of Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Amphora coffeaeformis. In the first stage the identifiability of the biokinetic parameters was examined. Next, the kinetic model was calibrated for both microalgal species based on experimental observations during batch growth experiments. Two kinetic parameters were calibrated, namely the maximum specific growth rate (mu(max)) and the nitrate storage rate (k(sto)). A significant difference was observed for the nitrate storage rate between both species. For P. tricornutum, the nitrate storage rate was much higher (k(sto) = 0.036m(3) g(-1) DW d(-1)) compared to A. coffeaeformis (k(sto) = 0.0004m(3) g(-1) DW d(-1)). This suggests that P. tricornutum has a more efficient nitrate uptake ability and intracellular nitrate storage capacity and also indicates the need for determination of k(sto) in order to quantify nitrate storage.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000415634300004	Publication Date	2017-09-26
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1093-4529; 1532-4117	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:147467			Serial	8137
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	Author	De Vrieze, J.; Smet, D.; Klok, J.; Colsen, J.; Angenent, L.T.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
	Title	Thermophilic sludge digestion improves energy balance and nutrient recovery potential in full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plants			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2016	Publication	Bioresource technology	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	218	Issue		Pages	1237-1245
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	The conventional treatment of municipal wastewater by means of activated sludge is typically energy demanding. Here, the potential benefits of: (1) the optimization of mesophilic digestion; and (2) transitioning to thermophilic sludge digestion in three wastewater treatment plants (Tilburg-Noord, Land van Cuijk and Bath) in the Netherlands is evaluated, including a full-scale trial validation in Bath. In Tilburg-Noord, thermophilic sludge digestion covered the energy requirements of the plant (102%), whereas 111% of sludge operational treatment costs could be covered in Bath. Thermophilic sludge digestion also resulted in a strong increase in nutrient release. The potential for nutrient recovery was evaluated via: (1) stripping/absorption of ammonium; (2) autotrophic removal of ammonium via partial nitritation/anammox; and (3) struvite precipitation. This research shows that optimization of sludge digestion may lead to a strong increase in energy recovery, sludge treatment costs reduction, and the potential for advanced nutrient management in full-scale sewage treatment plants. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000384710500155	Publication Date	2016-07-02
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0960-8524	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:137236			Serial	8666
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