UGent: Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET)

General expertise of the research group

The Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET) is a part of the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering at Ghent University. CMET is specialized in the study and application of mixed microbial cultures or communities and the development of technology in a context of wastewater treatment, bioproduction and others. CMET researchers focus on the one hand on the optimal management of microbial resources, on the other hand (supporting) technologies such as (bio)electrochemical systems and monitoring systems are under development.

Specific hydrogen- related expertise & research topics

• Applied Microbial Ecology
• Microbial Monitoring
• Microbial CO2 conversions
• H2 upgrading
• Hydrogen driven microbiological processes: Exploring possibilities of the microbial hydrogen metabolism to produce microbial protein (feed and food for the future), to bioremediate pollutants in (waste)water, to remove nutrients for the enhancement of drinking water biostability, …

Available equipment/tools:

• (Online) microbial analysis, based on single cell and molecular principles
• Bacterial isolation, cultivation, characterisation and ecosystem assembly
• (Bio)Reactor systems
• Pilot scale systems
• Biomass synthesis
• Standard chemical analysis (GC, IC, HPLC, …)

Participating in FL/B/EU funded projects with H2 related research

• CO2Perate
• Baekelandt project
• FWO-SB and HEC scholarship on high-rate hydrogen-driven bioprocess for CO2 bioconversions
• H2020 project Electra
• FWO-SB & SBO project Biostable on drinking water stability
• SBO project MicroDetox on micropollutant removal
• See website: research.ugent.be

Main relevant publications

1. See website: biblio.ugent.be
2. De Vrieze J, Verbeeck K, Pikaar I, Boere J, Van Wijk A, Rabaey K, et al. The hydrogen gas bio-based economy and the production of renewable building block chemicals, food and energy. NEW BIOTECHNOLOGY. 2020;55:12–8.
3. Barbosa RG, van Veelen HPJ, Pinheiro V, Sleutels T, Verstraete W, Boon N. 2021. Enrichment of Hydrogen-Oxidizing Bacteria from High-Temperature and High-Salinity Environments. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 87.(Impact factor: 4,016; Quantile: Q1)
4. Prévoteau A, Carvajal-Arroyo J, Ganigué R, Rabaey K (2020) Microbial electrosynthesis from CO2 : forever a promise? CURRENT OPINION IN BIOTECHNOLOGY, 62, 48-57. IF 2019: 8.288; Table of contents
5. Hu XN, Kerckhof FM, Ghesquiere J, Bernaerts K, Boeckx P, Clauwaert P, Boon N. 2020. Microbial Protein out of Thin Air: Fixation of Nitrogen Gas by an Autotrophic Hydrogen-Oxidizing Bacterial Enrichment. Environmental Science & Technology 54:3609-3617.(Impact factor: 7,149; Quantile: Q1)
6. Barbosa RG, Sleutels T, Verstraete W, Boon N. 2020. Hydrogen oxidizing bacteria are capable of removing orthophosphate to ultra-low concentrations in a fed batch reactor configuration. Bioresource Technology 311.(Impact factor: 6,669; Quantile: Q1)
7. Ehsani E, Dumolin C, Arends JBA, Kerckhof FM, Hu XN, Vandamme P, Boon N. 2019. Enriched hydrogen-oxidizing microbiomes show a high diversity of co-existing hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 103:8241-8253.(Impact factor: 3,67; Quantile: Q2)
8. Ramio-Pujol S, Ganigue R, Baneras Ll, Colprim J (2018) Effect of ethanol and butanol on autotrophic growth of model homoacetogens. FEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS, 365 (10), fny084. IF 2017: 1.735;
9. Puig S, Ganigué R, Batlle-Vilanova P, Balaguer MD, Bañeras Ll, Colprim J (2017) Tracking biohydrogen-mediated production of commodity chemicals from carbon dioxide and renewable electricity. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY. 228, 201 – 209. IF 2017 : 5.807;
10. Matassa S, Verstraete W, Pikaar I, Boon N. 2016. Autotrophic nitrogen assimilation and carbon capture for microbial protein production by a novel enrichment of hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria. Water Research 101:137-146.(Impact factor: 5,528; Quantile: Q1)
11. Matassa S, Boon N, Verstraete W. 2015. Resource recovery from used water: The manufacturing abilities of hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria. Water Research 68:467-478.(Impact factor: 5,323; Quantile: Q1)
12. Hosseinkhani B, Hennebel T, Van Nevel S, Verschuere S, Yakimov MM, Cappello S, Blaghen M, Boon N. 2014. Biogenic Nanopalladium Based Remediation of Chlorinated Hydrocarbons in Marine Environments. Environmental Science & Technology 48:550-557.(Impact factor: 5,481; Quantile: Q1)