Project Grant 2327516

This National Science Foundation (NSF) grant award under CFDA Program 47.041 - Engineering provides $230,000 in funding to the University of Maryland, College Park to conduct collaborative research on the microbial ecology and ecophysiology of electroactive anammox communities in bioelectrochemical systems. The overarching goal is to advance the fundamental understanding of these electroactive anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) bacteria and their interactions with other microbes to guide the development of more sustainable wastewater treatment technologies. Key activities include developing electrochemical strategies to build electroactive anammox communities, understanding the microbial interactions, and elucidating the metabolic pathways involved in extracellular electron transfer-dependent anammox. The project will also provide education and training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, including those from underrepresented groups, and integrate the research findings into environmental engineering coursework at the University of Maryland and Temple University.