Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Bioremediation00:46

Bioremediation

21.5K
Bioremediation is the use of prokaryotes, fungi, or plants to remove pollutants from the environment. This process has been used to remove harmful toxins in groundwater as a byproduct of agricultural run-off and also to clean up oil spills.
21.5K
Environmental Applications of Microorganisms01:30

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms

520
Microorganisms play a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem balance by recycling essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as supporting processes like bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and biofuel production.Microbes in Elemental CyclesIn the carbon cycle, microorganisms decompose organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide via aerobic respiration. This carbon dioxide is subsequently used by photosynthetic organisms to synthesize organic compounds, closing the...
520
Lipid Catabolism01:25

Lipid Catabolism

379
Triglycerides serve as crucial long-term energy storage molecules in microorganisms, providing a dense source of metabolic energy. Their breakdown is mediated by lipases, which hydrolyze triglycerides into glycerol and free fatty acids. Each of these components follows distinct metabolic pathways, ultimately contributing to ATP synthesis and cellular energy homeostasis.Glycerol MetabolismGlycerol, released from triglyceride hydrolysis, is phosphorylated by glycerol kinase to form...
379
Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs01:15

Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs

365
Chemolithotrophs are microorganisms that obtain energy by oxidizing inorganic molecules such as hydrogen gas (H₂), ammonia (NH₃), reduced sulfur compounds (H₂S, S²⁻), and ferrous iron (Fe²⁺). Unlike heterotrophic organisms that rely on organic carbon, chemolithotrophs transfer electrons from these inorganic donors to the electron transport chain (ETC), generating a proton motive force (PMF) that drives ATP synthesis through oxidative phosphorylation.
365
Amino Acid Catabolism01:18

Amino Acid Catabolism

434
Microorganisms rely on proteins as an essential carbon and energy source, particularly in environments with limited polysaccharides or lipids. However, proteins are too large to cross the plasma membrane unaided, necessitating enzymatic degradation. Microbes secrete extracellular proteases and peptidases that hydrolyze proteins into peptides, which can then be transported across the membrane. Once inside the cell, intracellular proteases degrade these peptides into free amino acids, which...
434

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Video Consultations for Patients Traveling Internationally for Medical Care: An Observational Study of a Tertiary Hospital in South Korea.

International journal of environmental research and public health·2025
Same author

Damage Localization and Severity Assessment in Composite Structures Using Deep Learning Based on Lamb Waves.

Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)·2025
Same author

Identification, Characterization, and Electronic Structures of Interconvertible Cobalt-Oxygen TAML Intermediates.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2024
Same author

Low-biofouling membrane bioreactor: Effects of cis-2-Decenoic acid addition on EPS and biofouling mitigation.

Chemosphere·2024
Same author

Egocentric Boundaries on Distinguishing Colliding and Non-Colliding Pedestrians while Walking in a Virtual Environment.

IS&T International Symposium on Electronic Imaging·2024
Same author

Overcoming the Interfacial Photocatalytic Degradation of Nonfullerene Acceptor-Based Organic Photovoltaics by Introducing a UV-A-Insensitive Titanium Suboxide Layer.

ACS applied materials & interfaces·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 29, 2025

Author Spotlight: Optimizing Hollow-Fiber Membranes for Continuous Liquid-Liquid Extraction of Medium-Chain Fatty Acids
06:45

Author Spotlight: Optimizing Hollow-Fiber Membranes for Continuous Liquid-Liquid Extraction of Medium-Chain Fatty Acids

Published on: August 9, 2024

1.5K

Humic acid removal and microbial community function in membrane bioreactor.

JunHee Ryu1, JaeHyun Jung2, KiYoung Park1

  • 1Department of Environmental Engineering, Konkuk University, 120, Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.

Journal of Hazardous Materials
|July 7, 2021
PubMed
Summary

This study shows that membrane bioreactors (MBR) effectively remove chemical oxygen demand from humic acid. Proteobacteria, particularly Stenotrophobacter, are key to degrading humic substances in MBR systems.

Keywords:
BiodegradationHumic acidMembrane bioreactorMicrobial community functionWater permeability

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Scaling Microalgal Biotechnology for Enhanced Biomethane Production
07:34

Author Spotlight: Scaling Microalgal Biotechnology for Enhanced Biomethane Production

Published on: March 22, 2024

2.9K
A Novel Bioreactor for High Density Cultivation of Diverse Microbial Communities
08:13

A Novel Bioreactor for High Density Cultivation of Diverse Microbial Communities

Published on: December 25, 2015

17.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 29, 2025

Author Spotlight: Optimizing Hollow-Fiber Membranes for Continuous Liquid-Liquid Extraction of Medium-Chain Fatty Acids
06:45

Author Spotlight: Optimizing Hollow-Fiber Membranes for Continuous Liquid-Liquid Extraction of Medium-Chain Fatty Acids

Published on: August 9, 2024

1.5K
Author Spotlight: Scaling Microalgal Biotechnology for Enhanced Biomethane Production
07:34

Author Spotlight: Scaling Microalgal Biotechnology for Enhanced Biomethane Production

Published on: March 22, 2024

2.9K
A Novel Bioreactor for High Density Cultivation of Diverse Microbial Communities
08:13

A Novel Bioreactor for High Density Cultivation of Diverse Microbial Communities

Published on: December 25, 2015

17.3K

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Microbiology
  • Biotechnology
  • Water Treatment

Background:

  • Humic substances are complex organic compounds found in soil and water.
  • Effective removal of humic acid from wastewater is crucial for environmental protection.
  • Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) offer a promising approach for treating refractory organic matter.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the organic removal efficiency and membrane performance in a membrane bioreactor treating humic acid.
  • To identify the microbial communities responsible for humic acid biodegradation.
  • To understand the role of microbial consortia in humic acid degradation within MBRs.

Main Methods:

  • Operation of a membrane bioreactor (MBR-H) with humic acid as the substrate.
  • Analysis of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal.
  • Microbial community analysis using 16S rRNA sequencing to examine shifts in bacterial phyla and genera.
  • Assessment of biosorption capacity and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) production.

Main Results:

  • The MBR-H achieved approximately 60% chemical oxygen demand removal.
  • Biosorption capacity reached a maximum of 29.2 mg g-1, with limited adsorption by newly produced microbes.
  • A significant shift in microbial community dominance from Actinobacteria to Proteobacteria was observed.
  • Enrichment of β-, γ-, and δ-Proteobacteria, and the genus Stenotrophobacter, indicated their vital role in humic acid degradation.
  • Increased production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) by bacteria was noted.

Conclusions:

  • Membrane bioreactors are effective in removing humic acid, with Proteobacteria playing a critical role.
  • Stenotrophobacter enrichment suggests its involvement in humic substance degradation pathways.
  • Optimizing operational parameters in MBRs is essential for maintaining membrane permeability and fostering microbial consortia capable of degrading refractory organic matter.