CRC Researchers publish paper in Nature

University of Queensland’s researchers, including CRC Regional Executive Director, Professor Jurg Keller and Program Leader, Professor Zhiguo Yuan, have had their article published in the July edition of Nature. The article describes the discovery of a new form of organism capable of consuming methane and also reducing nitrogen-related compounds. The newly discovered microbial process turns methane into carbon dioxide while breathing nitrate instead of oxygen. The publication is the culmination of nearly 10 years of research collaboration between the University of Queensland’s Advanced Water Management Centre (AWMC) and the Australian Centre for Ecogenomics.

“This finding could potentially play an important role in the regulation of emissions of methane, a strong greenhouse gas, from aquatic environments to atmosphere, and also has great potential to revolutionise biological wastewater treatment,” said Professor Yuan, who also leads the CRC for Water Sensitive Cities research program: Future Technologies.