Prof. LIU Fanghua from Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research of Chinese Academy of Sciences visited IHB on April 19, 2018.  

Prof. LIU Fanghua from Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research of Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with Prof. Wenguang Zhou from School of Resources Environmental& Chemical Engineering at Nanchang University, paid a visit to Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB) of Chinese Academy of Sciences on April 19, 2018. During their visit, they gave presentations for IHB researchers and students.   

Prof. Liu gave a presentation with the title of "Electromethanogenesis: new mechanisms of microbial interspecies electron transfer". Interspecies electron transfer between bacteria and methanogenic archaea in anaerobic methanogenic systems has been thought to be carried out through the use of hydrogen (in the 1960s) as a medium, and subsequent formic acid (in the 1980s) was also found to have similar functions. The laboratory of Prof. Dr. Derek Lovley from the University of Massachusetts Amherst reported a new interspecies electron transfer model - "direct electron transfer between microbial species" in 2010.    

On this basis, Liu’s team discovered that methanogenesis was achieved through "direct electron transfer" between iron-reducing bacteria and methanogens, and developed a method to modify humic acid or SiO₂ on the surface of nano-magnetite. They found that the surface characteristics are the key factors for promoting direct electron transfer between iron-reducing bacteria, revealing the mechanism of nano-magnetite compensation for c-type cytochrome function, and confirming the new mechanism of “electron-driven methane generation” in coastal wetland soils. 

Prof. Zhou gave a presentation with the title of “Innovative Waste-to-Algae Technologies for Environment-enhancing Biofuel and Biobased Byproduct Production”. He introduced the advantages of wastewater-based algae system and addressed novel concepts of the coupled system from the input, process and output aspects. These innovative waste-to-algae technologies were developed using municipal wastewater and animal manure as examples. Concentrated municipal wastewater (CMW) was characterized, and lab-scale cultivation, as well as scaling up and continuous operation stability was evaluated for pre-screened native algae strains.    

By using two-stage cultivation system (heterotrophic cultivation mode dominated →self-sedimentation →photoautotrophic cultivation mode dominated), almost completely ammonia removal efficiency was achieved, without significant decrease in algal biomass concentration and lipid content. For the treatment of hog manure, continuous stirred-tank intermittent vacuum assisted thermophilic AD was development to greatly promote anaerobic fermentation efficiency.   

After the lecture, IHB scientists and students further discussed with Prof. Liu and Prof. Zhou on issues of common interest and potential cooperation. 

Prof. Wenguang Zhou from School of Resources Environmental& Chemical Engineering at Nanchang University visited IHB on April 19, 2018.