Academic CentreResearch topics
- Biodegradation studies with application to soil remediation and wastewater treatment processes (nitroaromatic compounds and nitramines; crude oil; pharmaceutical compounds, pesticides and others). Air and water biofiltration in the laboratory model columns system); enzyme hydrolysis of municipal organic wastes
- Eco-toxicological testing of environmental samples in order to evaluate an efficiency and safety of biodegradation processes (germination test, long-term vegetation experiments, microbial activity, and microbiotests (algae, daphnia and others)
- Development of microbial biofertilizers with immobilized active compounds (isolation of endophytes; immobilization of microorganisms on different carriers; pot experiments and field trials; biochemical testing of soil, e.g., respiration, enzyme activity, etc.)
Team
Dr. Olga Muter, Senior Researcher, olga.muter@inbox.lv, olga.mutere@lu.lv |
MSc. ing. Andrejs Bērziņs, Researcher, andrejs54@inbox.lv |
BSc. Kristīne Kalneniece, kristine.kalneniece@inbox.lv |
BSc student Mārtiņš Kalniņš, marcuks102@gmail.com |
PhD student Laura Žorža, lau.ra@inbox.lv |
BSc. student Viktors Vibornijs viktors.vibornijs@gmail.com |
MSc student Alīna Rimkus, rimkus.alinaa@gmail.com
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Projects
2019 - 2023, Quantification of the activity of soil microorganisms in agricultural soils, in frame of the LIFE16 CCM/LV/000082 project “Climate responsible agriculture in Latvia”, Institute for Environmental Solutions
2019 - 2020, Research and development of bioremediation-based indoor air biofiltration system, in cooperation with Lafivent Ltd., funded by the agreement with Competence Center of Energy and Transport Ltd., Latvia. (project No. 1.2.1.1./18/A/001)
2018 - 2020, Development and introduction of innovative methods in clinical practice for the diagnosis and treatment of malignant tumors using molecularly targeted radionuclides produced in Latvia (sub-topic “Enhancing the resistance of Lactobacillus spp. towards oxidative stress, including gamma-irradiation”), funded by the UL Foundation and “MIKROTĪKLS” Ltd. (donation project 2201)
2016 - 2020, AMICI: Anti-Microbial Coating Innovations to prevent infectious diseases (COST Action 15114)
2015 - 2017, Establishing of the scientific capacity for the management of pharmaceutical products residues in the environment of Latvia and Norway, funded by Norway grants (project No. NFI/R/2014/010)
2014 - 2017, ResProd: Zemes dzīļu resursu izpēte - jauni produkti un tehnoloģijas (Zeme), apakšprojekts Nr. 4 „Māla materiālu inovatīvs pielietojums mikroorganismu biotehnoloģijās”, funded by the National Research Programme (project No. 2014.10-4/VPP-6/6)
2012 - 2016, Biochar as option for sustainable resource management (COST Action TD1107)
2010 - 2013, NatRes: Sustainable Use of Local Resources (Mineral Deposits, Forests, Food and Transport) – New Products and Technologies, subproject „Novel biotechnological products and technologies based on ceramics”, funded by the National Research Programme (project No. 2010.10-4/VPP-5)
2009-2012, Changes of soil biological activity during cultivation of grain in different agricultural systems, funded by the Latvian Council of Science
2009-2012, Investigation of solid state and submerged fermentation processes, funded by the Latvian Council of Science
2009-2011, EUExNet: European Explosives Network for Explosives Education and Certification of Skills, funded by the Lifelong Learning Programme, Leonardo da Vinci
2009-2010, Degradation of explosives by microorganisms, funded by the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Latvia
2005-2006, Degradation of explosives by microorganisms, funded by the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Latvia
Since 2009, Bioremediation of soils contaminated with oil, funded by JSC EKOOSTA
2009, Characterization of soil contaminated by pesticides and analysis of its possible remediation, funded by Ltd. BAO
2004-2008, Different organic wastes bioconversion in controlled solid state fermentation processes with an assessment of bacteriological risks, funded by the Latvian Council of Science
Publications
2020
Kalniņš, M., Bērziņš, A., Gudrā, D., Megnis, K., Fridmanis, D., Danilko, P., Muter, O., 2020. Selective enrichment of heterotrophic nitrifiers Alcaligenaceae and Alcanivorax spp. from industrial wastewaters. AIMS Microbiol. https://doi.org/10.3934/microbiol.2020002
2019
Berzins, A., Jansons, M., Kalneniece, K., Shvirksts, K., Afanasjeva, K., Kasparinskis, R., Grube, M., Bartkevics, V., Muter, O., 2019. Modeling the mobility of glyphosate from two contrasting agricultural soils in laboratory column experiments. J. Environ. Sci. Heal. - Part B Pestic. Food Contam. Agric. Wastes. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601234.2019.1619387
Grube, M., Kalnenieks, U., Muter, O., 2019. Metabolic response of bacteria to elevated concentrations of glyphosate-based herbicide. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.02.045
Kalnins M., Muter O., 2019. Application of enzyme activity assay for an improved enumeration of culturable nitrifiers. Environmental and Experimental Biology, THE 77th SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LATVIA, 49.
Muter O., Makarenkova Galina, Vecstaudza Dagnija, Shvirksts K., Grube M., Kalnenieks U., 2019. Optimization of bacterial biomass production for bioaugmentation of the hydrocarbons contaminated sites. Research Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 14(11).
Muter, O., Khroustalyova, G., Rimkus, A., Kalderis, D., Ruchala, J., Sibirny, A., Rapoport, A., 2019a. Evaluation of the enhanced resistance of Ogataea (Hansenula) polymorpha to benzalkonium chloride as a resource for bioremediation technologies. Process Biochem. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procbio.2019.08.026
Muter, O., Pērkons, I., Bartkevičs, V., 2019b. Removal of pharmaceutical residues from wastewater by woodchip-derived biochar. Desalin. WATER Treat. https://doi.org/10.5004/dwt.2019.24108
Obuka V., Muter O., Sinka M., Klavins M., 2019. Biodegradation studies of sapropel-based composite materials. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering 660 (1), 012073.
Vihodceva S., Vibornijs V., Muter O., Sutka A., 2019. Evaluation of antimicrobial properties of hematite sphere-and wire-like nanoparticles in the visible-light process. Environmental and Experimental Biology, THE 77th SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LATVIA, 51.
2018
Berzinš, A., Mutere, O., Švinka, R., Švinka, V., 2018. Interaction of oily water with floating porous ceramic and immobilized microorganisms, Key Engineering Materials. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.762.69
Birsa, T., Kalneniece, K., Jansons, M., Kalninš, M., Ozolina, I., Berzinš, A., Švinka, V., Švinka, R., Bartkevičs, V., Muter, O., 2018. Evaluation of glyphosate ecotoxicity and biodegradability in the municipal wastewaters, Key Engineering Materials. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.762.75
Vecstaudza, D., Grantina-Ievina, L., Makarenkova, G., Kasparinskis, R., Selga, T., Steinberga, V., Stelmahere, S., Steiner, C., Muter, O., 2018. The impact of wood-derived biochar on the survival of Trichoderma spp. and growth of Secale cereale L. in sandy soil. Biocontrol Sci. Technol. https://doi.org/10.1080/09583157.2018.1450488
Vecstaudza, D., Senkovs, M., Nikolajeva, V., Mutere, O., 2018. Characteristics of an endophytic microbial consortium and its impact on rhizosphere microbiota of barley. Environ. Exp. Biol. 16, 177–183. https://doi.org/10.22364/eeb.16.17
2017
Davids, M., Gudra, D., Radovica-Spalvina, I., Fridmanis, D., Bartkevics, V., Muter, O., 2017. The effects of ibuprofen on activated sludge: Shift in bacterial community structure and resistance to ciprofloxacin. J. Hazard. Mater. 340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.06.065
Kalneniece, K., Bērziņš, A., Petriņa, Z., Ruģele, K., Salava, E., Švirksts, K., Grūbe, M., Nikolajeva, V., Mutere, O., 2017. Application of Anaerobic Digestate as Inoculum for Treatment of the Plant-Derived Wastes: Case Study. Mater. Sci. Appl. Chem. https://doi.org/10.1515/msac-2017-0008
Muter O., Grantina-Ievina L., Makarenkova G., Vecstaudza D., Strikauska S., Selga T., Kasparinskis R., Stelmahere S., Steiner C., 2017. Effect of biochar and Trichoderma application on fungal diversity and growth of Zea mays in a sandy loam soil. Environ. Exp. Biol. 15:289-296. https://doi.org/10.22364/eeb.15.30
Muter, O., Perkons, I., Selga, T., Berzins, A., Gudra, D., Radovica-Spalvina, I., Fridmanis, D., Bartkevics, V., 2016. Removal of pharmaceuticals from municipal wastewaters at laboratory scale by treatment with activated sludge and biostimulation. Sci. Total Environ. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.01.023
Muter, O., Perkons, I., Svinka, V., Svinka, R., Bartkevics, V., 2017. Distinguishing the roles of carrier and biofilm in filtering media for the removal of pharmaceutical compounds from wastewater. Process Saf. Environ. Prot. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psep.2017.08.010
Reinholds, I., Muter, O., Pugajeva, I., Rusko, J., Perkons, I., Bartkevics, V., 2017. Determination of pharmaceutical residues and assessment of their removal efficiency at the Daugavgriva municipal wastewater treatment plant in Riga, Latvia. Water Sci. Technol. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2016.528
Vecstaudza, D., Senkovs, M., Nikolajeva, V., Kasparinskis, R., Muter, O., 2017. Wooden biochar as a carrier for endophytic isolates. Rhizosphere 3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rhisph.2017.04.002
Collaboration
- Ministry of Defence, the Republic of Latvia
- Latvia Agriculture University
- Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia
- Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment „BIOR”, Latvia
- State Stende Cereals Breeding Institute, Latvia
- JSC Ekoosta, Latvia
- JSC Intergeo, Latvia
- JSC BAO, Latvia
- JSC Biotehniskais Centrs, Latvia
- Competence Centre for Energetic Materials, Sweden
- Mälardalen University, Sweden
- Tartu University, Estonia
- Riga Technical University, Institute of Silicate Materials
- Latvia State Institute of Wood Chemistry
Contacts
Head of the laboratory
Dr.biol. Olga Mutere