Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology · Environmental Science
Professor Jaewook Myung's research lab specializes in microbial biotechnology and sustainable materials science, focusing on the development of biodegradable plastics using methanotrophic bacteria and the application of microbial processes in wastewater treatment and energy recovery. The lab explores novel biosynthetic pathways for polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) from methane, investigates the biodegradability of 3D-printed bioplastics, and advances microbial fuel cells and nitrogen recovery systems. A central theme is the integration of environmental sustainability with industrial applications through microbial engineering and bioprocess optimization.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
The first methanotrophic syntheses of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) that contain repeating units beyond 3-hydroxybutyrate and 3-hydroxyvalerate are reported. New PHAs synthesized by methanotrophs include poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) (P(3HB-co-4HB)), poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-5-hydroxyvalerate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (P(3HB-co-5HV-co-3HV)), and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-6-hydroxyhexanoate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) (P(3HB-co-6HHx-co-4HB)). This was achieved from a pure culture of Methyloc
In the wake of plastic pollution increasing around the world, biodegradable plastics are one of the fastest-growing segments within the global plastics market. The biodegradation of these plastics depends on diverse factors including, but not limited to, the physicochemical structure of the materials, environmental conditions, and the microbial populations involved in the biodegradation. Although laboratory-based biodegradation tests simulate natural processes, they cannot precisely mimic the na
The coupled aerobic-anoxic nitrous decomposition operation is a new process for wastewater treatment that removes nitrogen from wastewater and recovers energy from the nitrogen in three steps: (1) NH4(+) oxidation to NO2(-), (2) NO2(-) reduction to N2O, and (3) N2O conversion to N2 with energy production. Here, we demonstrate that type II methanotrophic enrichments can mediate step two by coupling oxidation of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB) to NO2(-) reduction. Enrichments grown with NH4(+) and
Thermoplastic blends are applied for three-dimensional (3D) printing to obtain improved functionality. While thermal, chemical, and mechanical properties of 3D-printed blends are typically examined, biodegradability of the 3D-printed plastics has rarely been the focus of research. In this study, we evaluated the biodegradation behavior of 3D-printed prototypes fabricated from various plastics and blends, including biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA), poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), non-biodegrada
Long-term operation of wastewater-fed, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) with cathodes made of activated carbon and stainless steel (SS) current collectors can result in decreased performance due to cathode fouling.
Cellulose has gained significant attention as a sustainable resource due to its abundance, renewability, and biodegradability, making it a promising alternative to nonbiodegradable materials. Various cellulose-based materials (CBMs) have been engineered to improve the properties of natural cellulose. However, achieving full sustainability of CBMs remains challenging, primarily on account of the intensive pretreatment and fabrication processes involved. Therefore, this review highlights recent ad
Aquatic environments account for half of global CH<sub>4</sub> emissions, with freshwater wetlands being the most significant contributors. These CH<sub>4</sub> fluxes can be partially offset by aerobic CH<sub>4</sub> oxidation driven by methanotrophs. Additionally, some methanotrophs can convert CH<sub>4</sub> into polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), an energy storage molecule as well as a promising bioplastic polymer. In this study, we investigate how PHA-accumulating methanotrophic communities enrich
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