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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Continuous multimodal technologies in industrial microbiology: potential for achieving high process performance and agility

The field of industrial microbiology has great potential to tackle the most pressing challenges facing society, but today, this entails much more than classical fermentation technology followed by product upgrading. Methods are needed to confer unit-operation-level functionality and whole-system-level robustness, as well as flexibility. As examples of this concept, we focus here on methodologies often deployed at industrial scale as discrete processes—such as biological, chemical, and electrochemical unit operations—that are also capable of substantial complementarity when combined sequentially and operated continuously. A key and relatively new type of conversion step is made possible by catalyst immobilization methods at both the enzymatic and cellular level. Cases drawn from electro-fermentation for acetoin production and syngas-mediated microbial electrosynthesis of ethanol exemplify the synergy of combined operational approaches. Because modular processes can be treated as a series of reactor elements, considerable flexibility is possible. As discussed, however, not all processes are amenable to this intensification.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Response of soil bacteria to PUREX chemicals suggests biomarker utility and bioremediation potential

Chemicals involved in plutonium uranium reduction extraction (PUREX) can be released from nuclear reprocessing facilities and accumulate in the environment. We exposed chemically diverse soils to a range of concentrations of key chemicals used in the PUREX process. The responses of soil microbial communities are dependent on soil type, and tributyl phosphate exposure generates the most reproducible changes in microbial communities. We reconstructed the genomes of key bacteria and find several phosphotriesterase genes found only in Rhizobiaceae. The abundance of phosphotriesterase genes is significantly higher in samples exposed to tributyl phosphate. In conclusion, these phosphotriesterase genes may be involved in breakdown of tributyl phosphate, and a means of accessing phosphate for these bacteria.

Bioremediation↗
DOE OSTI2021

Activity-based, genome-resolved metagenomics uncovers key populations and pathways involved in subsurface conversions of coal to methane

Microbial metabolisms and interactions that facilitate subsurface conversions of recalcitrant carbon to methane are poorly understood. We deployed an in situ enrichment device in a subsurface coal seam in the Powder River Basin (PRB), USA, and used BONCAT-FACS-Metagenomics to identify translationally active populations involved in methane generation from a variety of coal-derived aromatic hydrocarbons. From the active fraction, high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) were recovered for the acetoclastic methanogen, Methanothrix paradoxum, and a novel member of the Chlorobi with the potential to generate acetate via the Pta-Ack pathway. Members of the Bacteroides and Geobacter also encoded Pta-Ack and together, all four populations had the putative ability to degrade ethylbenzene, phenylphosphate, phenylethanol, toluene, xylene, and phenol. Metabolic reconstructions, gene analyses, and environmental parameters also indicated that redox fluctuations likely promote facultative energy metabolisms in the coal seam. The active "Chlorobi PRB" MAG encoded enzymes for fermentation, nitrate reduction, and multiple oxygenases with varying binding affinities for oxygen. "M. paradoxum PRB" encoded an extradiol dioxygenase for aerobic phenylacetate degradation, which was also present in previously published Methanothrix genomes. Finaly, these observations outline underlying processes for bio-methane from subbituminous coal by translationally active populations and demonstrate activity-based metagenomics as a powerful strategy in next generation physiology to understand ecologically relevant microbial populations.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Women in Environmental Science

Despite the prominent role that women have traditionally played in environmental activism and initiatives to promote environmental justice, women’s representation in most environmental science fields remains low. The first environmental laws in the U.S., established in the 60’s and 70’s, were propelled by movements evolved out of male dominated scientific professions, mainly engineering. To this day, environmental fields are still perceived as not open to women. Yet the field being so broad, it offers many opportunities for women scientists to contribute to the advancement of science and technology needed to address the most pressing environmental issues. To this end, the Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechonology organized a session at its 2019 General Meeting entitled Women in Environmental Science that showcased the work of women leading efforts in environmental fields. The session was convened by Dr. Gemma Reguera (Michigan State University) and Dr. Arpita Bose (Washington University in St. Louis) and included 4 additional speakers whose work spans basic and applied environmental research yet impacts discovery-driven science, technology development, science policy and communication, in addition to environmental advocacy and stewardship. The talks highlighted the career path of women-led teams whose research and professional activities are contributing to the development of “biobased solutions to DOE mission challenges in energy and environment”.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Editorial: Editors’ showcase: fuels and chemicals

Throughout its history, industrial microbiology has answered many challenges; food and beverage, antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, biomaterials, fuels, and chemicals, often with billions of dollars of impact on markets and society. But these efforts pale in comparison to the challenge of planetary-scale carbon management, which must balance the circularity of a carbon economy with the sequestration of excess environmental carbon. Biorefineries, integrating carbon capture with diverse bioproduct markets, offer our best route to stabilizing an unbalanced global carbon cycle while powering a robust and equitable bioeconomy.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Feedstock-efficient conversion through hydrogen and formate-driven metabolism in Escherichia coli

Product yields for biomanufacturing processes are often constrained by the tight coupling of cellular energy generation and carbon metabolism in sugar-based fermentation systems. To overcome this limitation, we engineered Escherichia coli to utilize hydrogen gas (H 2 ) and formate (HCOO - ) as alternative sources of energy and reducing equivalents, thereby decoupling energy generation from carbon metabolism. This approach enabled precise suppression of decarboxylative oxidation during acetate growth, with 86.6 ± 1.6 % of electrons from hydrogen gas (via soluble hydrogenase from Cupriavidus necator H16) and 98.4 ± 3.6 % of electrons from formate (via formate dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas sp. 101) offsetting acetate oxidation. Hydrogen gas supplementation led to a titratable and stoichiometric reduction in CO 2 evolution in acetate-fed cultures. Metabolomic analysis suggests that this metabolic decoupling redirects carbon flux through the glyoxylate shunt, partially bypassing two decarboxylative steps in the TCA cycle. Here, we demonstrated the utility of this strategy by applying it to mevalonate biosynthesis, where formate supplementation during glucose fermentation increased titers by 57.6 % in our best-performing strain. Flux balance analysis further estimated that 99.0 ± 2.8 % of electrons from formate were used to enhance mevalonate production. These findings highlight a broadly applicable strategy for enhancing biomanufacturing efficiency by leveraging external reducing power to optimize feedstock and energy use.

Biomanufacturing↗
DOE OSTI2026

A unifying equation for fermentation sustainability across the titer-rate-yield landscape

Industrial fermentation is central to the sustainable production of fuels and chemicals, yet commercial viability of emerging technologies hinges on improving fermentation titer, rate, and yield (TRY). How these metrics shape system cost remains difficult to generalize due to complex interactions among feedstocks, fermentation, separations, catalytic upgrading, waste management, and facility design. Here, we systematically map theoretical fermentation performance spaces (formed by all potential TRY combinations) for 32 representative biomanufacturing facilities—spanning distinct choices for feedstocks, fermentation regimes and products, separations, and catalytic upgrading—by simulating and evaluating them (via techno-economic analysis, TEA) under uncertainty (600,000 Monte Carlo simulations) and across TRY combinations (7500 TRY combinations for each of 32 configurations). Across this wide design and thermodynamic simulation space, we find the relationship between fermentation TRY and system cost is captured by a simple, generalizable mathematical equation (R 2 of 0.992 − 1.000 across our simulations; 0.954 − 1.000 when validated against prior studies that used different tools). We use this equation to elucidate key drivers that shape cost sensitivity to fermentation performance, generating widely applicable insights. By demonstrating a unifying relationship governs the impact of fermentation on biomanufacturing economics, this work establishes a foundation for agile, holistically predictive, resource-efficient strategies to prioritize fermentation research and development needs and accelerate commercialization of emerging biomanufacturing technologies.

applied mathematics↗
DOE OSTI2022

Comparative and pangenomic analysis of the genus Streptomyces

Abstract Streptomycetes are highly metabolically gifted bacteria with the abilities to produce bioproducts that have profound economic and societal importance. These bioproducts are produced by metabolic pathways including those for the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites and catabolism of plant biomass constituents. Advancements in genome sequencing technologies have revealed a wealth of untapped metabolic potential from Streptomyces genomes. Here, we report the largest Streptomyces pangenome generated by using 205 complete genomes. Metabolic potentials of the pangenome and individual genomes were analyzed, revealing degrees of conservation of individual metabolic pathways and strains potentially suitable for metabolic engineering. Of them, Streptomyces bingchenggensis was identified as a potent degrader of plant biomass. Polyketide, non-ribosomal peptide, and gamma-butyrolactone biosynthetic enzymes are primarily strain specific while ectoine and some terpene biosynthetic pathways are highly conserved. A large number of transcription factors associated with secondary metabolism are strain-specific while those controlling basic biological processes are highly conserved. Although the majority of genes involved in morphological development are highly conserved, there are strain-specific varieties which may contribute to fine tuning the timing of cellular differentiation. Overall, these results provide insights into the metabolic potential, regulation and physiology of streptomycetes, which will facilitate further exploitation of these important bacteria.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Growth-uncoupled propanediol production in a Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum strain engineered for high ethanol yield

Abstract Cocultures of engineered thermophilic bacteria can ferment lignocellulose without costly pretreatment or added enzymes, an ability that can be exploited for low cost biofuel production from renewable feedstocks. The hemicellulose-fermenting species Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum was engineered for high ethanol yield, but we found that the strains switched from growth-coupled production of ethanol to growth uncoupled production of acetate and 1,2-propanediol upon growth cessation, producing up to 6.7 g/L 1,2-propanediol from 60 g/L cellobiose. The unique capability of this species to make 1,2-propanediol from sugars was described decades ago, but the genes responsible were not identified. Here we deleted genes encoding methylglyoxal reductase, methylglyoxal synthase and glycerol dehydrogenase. Deletion of the latter two genes eliminated propanediol production. To understand how carbon flux is redirected in this species, we hypothesized that high ATP levels during growth cessation downregulate the activity of alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase activities. Measurements with cell free extracts show approximately twofold and tenfold inhibition of these activities by 10 mM ATP, supporting the hypothesized mechanism of metabolic redirection. This result may have implications for efforts to direct and maximize flux through alcohol dehydrogenase in other species.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Machine learning-led semi-automated medium optimization reveals salt as key for flaviolin production in Pseudomonas putida

Although synthetic biology can produce valuable chemicals in a renewable manner, its progress is still hindered by a lack of predictive capabilities. Media optimization is a critical, and often overlooked, process which is essential to obtain the titers, rates and yields needed for commercial viability. Here, we present a molecule- and host-agnostic active learning process for media optimization that is enabled by a fast and highly repeatable semi-automated pipeline. Its application yielded 60% and 70% increases in titer, and 350% increase in process yield in three different campaigns for flaviolin production in Pseudomonas putida KT2440. Explainable Artificial Intelligence techniques pinpointed that, surprisingly, common salt (NaCl) is the most important component influencing production. The optimal salt concentration is very high, comparable to seawater and close to the limits that P. putida can tolerate. The availability of fast Design-Build-Test-Learn (DBTL) cycles allowed us to show that performance improvements for active learning are rarely monotonous. This work illustrates how machine learning and automation can change the paradigm of current synthetic biology research to make it more effective and informative, and suggests a cost-effective and underexploited strategy to facilitate the high titers, rates and yields essential for commercial viability.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Perspectives on biorefineries in microbial production of fuels and chemicals

Microbes drive our complex biosphere by regulating the global ecosystem through cycling elements and energy. Humankind has barely begun leveraging this biotransformation capacity to impact global economies and ecologies. Advances in genetic engineering, molecular analysis, metabolic flux modeling, microbial consortia/biome mapping and engineering, cell-free bioproduction, artificial intelligence/machine learning and the ever expanding -omics frontiers have set the stage for paradigm changes to how humankind produces, uses, transforms, and recycles carbon and energy through microbes. Harnessing this enormous potential could drive a global bioeconomy and manage carbon at a planetary level but requires understanding and application at a grand scale across a broad range of science and engineering disciplines. The penultimate manifestation of these advances is the “bio-refinery”, which is often referenced, but is a long way from being fully developed as a global carbon management platform. Broadening the feed stocks, processing operations, and product portfolio to a sequential cascade optimizing the conversion as a whole instead of limited outputs could greatly advance deployment and stability of a bioeconomy.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Endogenous Microbial Survival in Brewed Tea

Loose-leaf bagged tea is a commonly requested beverage item that comprises up to 7% of the microbiological samples from the space food systems. As loose-leaf tea blends often contain herbs and spices that frequently have high microbial loads, they have a high failure rate as defined by the microbiological standards outlined in NASA-STD-3001, which are more stringent than the limits set for industry. Between April 2019 and September 2022, 54.8% of loose-leaf teas submitted for microbiological testing have failed, necessitating the evaluation of a variety of brands and lot numbers of each requested tea type to meet crew preference requests, which are typically specific, resulting in excess labor and material costs to provide a single product for spaceflight consumption. Attempts to identify specific brands or ingredients that are less likely to produce a failure have been unsuccessful, as to date, no trends in those measures have been identified. We have, however, noticed a trend in types of teas (spiced and herbal) which are more likely to fail. Of additional concern, hot water available for brewing tea on ISS is dispensed at a lower temperature than the CDC recommended brewing temperature. In a study we previously reported, we found that that brewing water temperature may not have a significant impact on the number of aerobic bacteria in chamomile tea, as there were no significant differences in the total microbial load between tea brewed with boiling, ISS-like, or room temperature waters. It did appear that ISS temperature water was similarly effective to boiling water against a pathogenic bacterial species. In this study, we aim to assess whether the total number of aerobic bacteria of other high-fail-rate tea types is similarly unaffected when brewing tea in room temperature or boiling water. Data from this study and the previous study, as well as additional analysis of every tea product that has been tested as part of the normal food system since April 2019, will be used to determine the expected typical microbial load for loose-leaf teas, which we will compare to existing industry limits so that we can recommend a new microbiological limit for loose-leaf teas that accurately reflects the true risk of consuming brewed teas in spaceflight.

space flight food↗
NASA NTRS1984

Site-Specific Research Conducted in Support of the Salton Sea Solar Pond Project - FY 1982 Report

The design and operation of a salt-gradient solar pond power plant at the Salton Sea presents problems not encountered at small research ponds that were built in the United States. The specific characteristics of the Salton Sea site and the desire to construct the pond using the local clay as a sealant represent major deviations from previous solar pond experience. The site-specific research in support of the plant design is described. The research activity included validation of the spectrophotometric light transmission measurement technique, a search for options for clarifying the turbid and colored water of the Salton Sea, development of water clarification specifications in terms common to industry practice, quantification of gas production from microbiological reactions in the ground, a determination of the combined effects of temperature and salinity on the permeation of the local clays, and a preliminary evaluation of material corrosion.

French, R. L.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Editorial: Subsurface microbiology within hydrocarbon resources or stored gases

A Research Topic on the microbiology of hydrocarbon and gas storage reservoirs has far reaching industrial applications. In recent decades, there has been a growing interest in understanding microbial communities in subsurface energy reservoirs, such as coal, oil, and shale beds. This area of research has broadened to include gas storage reservoirs for hydrogen and CO 2 . Scientists are beginning to unravel the unexpected impact microorganisms have on these systems, through changing the fluid geochemistry, the gas content, and even the permeability. By recognizing the influence of these tiny organisms on our engineered environments, we can develop better risk assessments, target mitigation strategies, expand energy production, and refine operational guidance, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable energy future.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Microbial Survival in Brewed Tea

Loose-leaf bagged tea is a commonly requested crew food item that comprises up to 7% of samples in the spaceflight food system. Tea preferences are typically specific and vary between different crew members, and there is significant interest to provide preferred food selections for the physical and mental wellbeing of the crew. Loose leaf bagged teas are made from herbs and spices that frequently have high microbial loads which do not meet the microbiological standards outlined in NASA-STD-3001. The food industry on earth does not require standards for microbial load of loose-leaf teas, because tea is brewed in boiling (100C) water, which is assumed to reduce the number of microorganisms. However, hot water from the ISS PWD is typically dispensed at a temperature between 155F (68C) and 175F (79C), which is below the suggested temperature range for safe brewing (180F/80C – 212F/100C). In this study, a commonly requested chamomile tea bags were infected with Bacillus cereus, a pathogenic, spore forming bacterium known to cause foodborne illness. Brewing B. cereus infected tea bags with boiling (212F/100C) or ISS PWD (155F/68C) temperature water showed no significant reduction in the overall microbial load of the tea (p=0.535). The addition of boiling and ISS PWD temperature water also was not sufficient to kill 100% of the infected B. cereus, and in one case of ISS PWD temperature water, B. cereus was detected at levels above a previously reported infectious dose. This study showed that the microbiological risk associated with drinking brewed tea on ISS is not reduced by the brewing process.

S G Thornhill↗
NASA NTRS2000

Planetary protection technologies at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory

This paper presents a summary of the planetary protection technology development efforts currently being conducted at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). This is a multidisciplinary effort involving JPL and NASA expertise in microbiology, material science, and analytical chemistry, in conjunction with outside, industrial academic collaborators.

planetary↗
DOE OSTI2025

R&D Effort of Geologic Hydrogen Production at the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL)

Geologic hydrogen (geoH2) is an emerging technology with massive current market interest and distinct potential to change the paradigm of hydrogen production. Two major subsurface processes influence the amount of geoH2 that are available for energy extraction: 1) geochemical reactions of H2O and Fe2+-bearing rocks which can produce hydrogen in the subsurface environment, where 2) various active microbial communities consume hydrogen as an energy source before the hydrogen reaches the surface. The net gain of hydrogen from these two competing processes dictates the production rate of geoH2. A recent study (Templeton et al., 2024) suggested that for most natural geoH2 systems, five orders of magnitude of production rate enhancement are needed to make geoH2 production economical in the near term. Effective enhancement of the production rate requires an in-depth understanding of the two geoH2 processes, in order to promote the H2-generating geochemical processes and suppress the H2-consuming microbial processes. However, current significant knowledge gaps in these two processes hinders the efforts to formulate strategies to enhance geoH2 production. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is a U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratory with the core mission of leading research, innovation, and strategic partnership to deliver solutions for a clean energy based economy. NREL's extensive research portfolio in hydrogen, bioenergy, geothermal, industrial decarbonization, and energy analysis makes us well positioned to conduct interdisciplinary research and facilitate technology deployment in the geoH2 space. In this presentation, we will discuss ongoing geoH2 research and engagement efforts at NREL, including: 1) geochemical investigation to understand the reaction mechanisms and production rate and potential of different source minerals and rocks, 2) microbiological investigation to understand methanogenesis and acetogenesis in the subsurface geoH2 environment, and identify effective inhibitors for these microbial processes, and 3) preliminary analysis for geoH2 production in the State of Minnesota, where abundant Fe-rich rocks for stimulated geoH2 production and ample opportunity to utilize geoH2 in transforming iron and steel industries are currently available.

08 HYDROGEN↗