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- 4 Material und Umwelt (440)
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In-vivo mutagenesis of the rock inhabitant Knufia petricola by a customized Ac/Ds transposon system
(2023)
Microcolonial black fungi ubiquitously inhabit sun-exposed natural and man-made surfaces of our planet. To promote genetic studies, CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing was implemented in the rock-inhabiting fungus Knufia petricola (Eurotiomycetes/ Chaetothyriales). Now efficient targeted mutagenesis of K. petricola - as a representative of the polyphyletic group of black fungi - enables the elucidation of extremotolerance, oligotrophism, unusual types of cell division, mineral weathering and symbiotic interactions. Even more progress on assigning functions to yet unknown genes can be achieved by a forward genetics approach. We chose the two-component Activator/Dissociation (Ac/Ds) transposon system from maize for generating K. petricola insertional mutants by in-vivo mutagenesis. For the optimal use of this genetic tool, an inducible promoter i.e, from the metabolism-independent Tet-on system, was combined with the AcTPase-coding sequence enabling the regulatable transposition of the resistance cassette-containing Ds transposon. In total, six auxotrophic Ac/Ds starter strains containing the Ds transposon at different position of ade2, ura3 or ppt1 were generated. The cultivation of these strains with doxycycline for induction of TET::Ac and subsequent selection of cells on ADE/URA/LYS-lacking media resulted in prototrophic colonies (revertants) for most Ac/Ds strains. Amplicon sequencing of excision sites revealed characteristic footprint patterns, proving that the transposon jumped. For identifying unknown Ds re-insertions sites, the thermal asymmetric interlaced (TAIL)-PCR was successfully implemented. First identified Ds re-insertion sites suggest that the distribution pattern may depend on the excision site. Currently, transposition frequencies and genome-wide distribution of re-insertion sites are studied in different Ac/Ds starter strains to identify the best candidate for generating saturated mutant libraries. This transposon mutagenesis strategy is also interesting for studying other black fungi, because once the Ac and Ds components are integrated in the genome, the fungus ‘only’ needs to be cultivated for generating insertional mutants.
The exponential rise in the number of fungal genomes sequenced by next-generation sequencing techniques makes it necessary to increase efforts to correctly annotate and assign gene functions. There are two possibilities to explore a genome and its gene functions. The hypothesis-based method proves the function of already existing gene/allele candidates by targeted mutagenesis - so called reverse genetics. The basis of forward genetics approaches is the random mutagenesis of the genome, followed by screening of obtained mutants for the phenotype of interest, and identification of the mutated genes in the respective mutants. This strategy is hypothesis-generating, means it is necessary to verify the relationship between the detected mutations and the observed phenotype by targeted mutagenesis of the identified gene. We developed a toolbox for editing the genome of the rock inhabitant Knufia petricola [Eurotiomycetes, Chaetothyriales] that allows the study of the phenotypic characteristics of black fungi such as the regulation of pigment synthesis, general stress responses, oligotrophy, and the unusual modes of cell division by advanced reverse and forward genetics approaches. The toolbox includes the annotated genome sequence of strain A95, efficient strategies for CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing and live-cell imaging using genetically encoded fluorescent proteins, as well as protocols for -omics approaches and for simulation of mineral weathering. A forward genetics approach using transposon mutagenesis is currently developed for identifying essential genes. The established protocols and knowledge gained from K. petricola form a starting point for making other fungi from extreme environments accessible to genetic manipulation.
Dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN) melanin is produced by diverse Ascomycetes via slightly differing biosynthetic routes. The polyketide synthases (PKS) release the heptaketide YWA1, the hexaketide AT4HN or the pentaketide T4HN. The first two products are deacetylated by ‘yellowish-green’ hydrolases to T4HN, and T4HN is further converted by a core set of enzymes to DHN. Final polymerization steps are accomplished by multicopper oxidases. DHN melanogenesis is often regulated in a spatial and temporal fashion resulting e.g., in melanized reproduction and survival structures of the foliar plant pathogen Botrytis cinerea (Schumacher 2016, Mol Microbiol). In contrast, a polyphyletic group of Ascomycetes (microcolonial fungi/ black yeasts) dwelling in hostile habitats such as bare rock surfaces in hot and cold deserts, exhibits constitutive melanogenesis. Here, DHN melanin builds a protective layer around all vegetative cells thus contributing to the survival of diverse environmental stresses even without specialized reproduction structures. For studying the relevance of constitutive DHN melanogenesis for tolerance of abiotic and biotic stresses, adhesion to substrates and subsequent damage of colonized surfaces, the rock-inhabiting fungus Knufia petricola was chosen as gene functions in this fungus can be studied by CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing. The putative melanogenic genes were identified in the genome of K. petricola, deleted to confirm their involvement in DHN melanogenesis and co-expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae for reconstruction of the synthesis pathway. Phenotypes of DHN-deficient mutants are studied. Here, we will discuss the role of the DHN melanin layer on the outer cell wall in tolerating UV irradiation.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are chemicals which were developed to improve humanity’s quality of life. Due to their high chemical stability and resistance to degradation by heat or acids, PFAS were used in a variety of consumer products. The continuous use of PFAS in household products and the discharge of PFAS from industrial plants into the sewer system resulted in the contamination of effluents and sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) (Roesch et al. 2022). Since sewage sludge is often used as fertilizer, its application on agricultural soils has been observed as a significant entry path for PFAS into the environment, specifically in our food chain. In Germany the sewage sludge/biosolid application on agricultural land was banned with the amendment of the German Sewage Sludge Ordinance and by 2029 sewage sludge application will be totally prohibited. However, phosphorus (P) from sewage sludge should still be recycled in WWTPs of cities with a population larger than 50,000 residents. To produce high-quality P-fertilizers for a circular economy, PFAS and other pollutants (e.g. pesticides and pharmaceuticals) must be separated from sewage sludge. Due to the strong diversity of industrial PFAS usage it is not clear if a safe application of novel recycled P-fertilizers from WWTPs can be guaranteed. Therefore, we analyzed various sewage sludges and wastewater-based fertilizers. Sewage sludge (SL) samples from various WWTPs in Germany and Switzerland, six sewage sludge ashes (SSA) from Germany, six thermally treated SL and SSA samples with different additives (temperatures: 700-1050 °C), two pyrolyzed SL samples (temperature: 400 °C) and two struvite samples from Germany and Canada were analyzed. The goal was to quantify PFAS in sewage sludges and wastewater-based P-fertilizers with the sum parameter extractable organic fluorine (EOF) by combustion ion chromatography (CIC). The results were compared with data from classical LC-MS/MS target analysis as well as selected samples by HR-MS suspect screening. The EOF values of the SLs mainly range between 154 and 538 µg/kg except for one SL which showed an elevated EOF value of 7209 µg/kg due to high organofluorine contamination. For the SSA samples the EOF values were lower and values between LOQ (approx. 60 µg/kg) and 121 µg/kg could be detected. For the pyrolyzed SLs no EOF values above the LOQ were detected. Moreover, the two wastewater-based struvite fertilizers contain 96 and 112 µg/kg EOF, respectively. In contrast to the EOF values, the sum of PFAS target values were relatively low for all SLs. Additional applied PFAS HR-MS suspect screening aimed to tentatively identify PFAS that could contribute to the hitherto unknown part of the EOF value. The majority of the detected fluorinated compounds are legacy PFAS such as short- and long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCA), perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSA), polyfluoroalkyl phosphate esters (PAPs) and perfluorophosphonic acids (PFPA). Moreover, fluorinated pesticides, pharmaceutical as well as aromatic compounds were also identified, which are all included in the EOF parameter. Our research revealed that the current PFAS limit of 100 µg/kg for the sum of PFOS + PFOA in the German Fertilizer Ordinance is no longer up to date. Since the number of known PFAS already exceeds 10,000, the ordinance limit should be updated accordingly. Recent regulations and restrictions on using long-chain PFAS (≥C8) have resulted in a significant shift in the industry towards (ultra-)short-chain alternatives, and other, partly unknown, emerging PFAS. Ultimately, also fluorinated pesticides and pharmaceuticals, which end up as ultrashort PFAS in the WWTPs, have to be considered as possible pollutants in fertilizers from wastewater, too.
The phylogeny of the Blattodea boasts a wide degree of sociality spanning from solitary cockroaches to advanced ecosystem-dominating higher termite societies. The emergence of sociality in the termites was associated with the acquisition of a diverse range of social structures and differential expression of specific gene network. Previous work has found evidence for a caste-specific social defence system in termites leading to an immune system that may favour group over individual defence. While preliminary work suggests a correlation between social transitions and a reduction of immune gene family diversity, the lack of available high-quality termite genomes hampers complete knowledge of the true diversity of immune gene evolution across termite phylogeny. Here, we report on the sequencing and assembly of 50 high-quality long-read-based genomes and 180 caste- and sex-specific brain transcriptomes across major termite and cockroach sister-branch lineage. We investigate the diversity and evolutionary history of immune genes across genomes, and the potential gene networks that have evolved with the emergence of termite sociality and some aspect of immune related behaviours.
Adipokinetic hormone (AKH) is a neuropeptide produced in the insect corpora cardiaca that plays an essential role in mobilizing carbohydrates and lipids from the fat body to the hemolymph. AKH acts by binding to a rhodopsin-like G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), the adipokinetic hormone receptor (AKHR). In this study, we tackle AKH ligand and receptor gene evolution as well as the evolutionary origins of AKH gene paralogues from the order Blattodea (termites and cockroaches). Phylogenetic analyses of AKH precursor sequences point to an ancient AKH gene duplication event in the common ancestor of Blaberoidea, yielding a new group of putative decapeptides. In total, 16 different AKH peptides from 90 species were obtained. Two octapeptides and seven putatively novel decapeptides are predicted for the first time. AKH receptor (AKHRs) sequences from 18 species, spanning solitary cockroaches and subsocial woodroaches as well as lower and higher termites, were subsequently acquired using classical molecular methods and in silico approaches employing transcriptomic data. Aligned AKHR open reading frames revealed 7 highly conserved transmembrane regions, a typical arrangement for GPCRs. Phylogenetic analyses based on AKHR sequences support accepted relationships among termite and cockroach lineages to a large extent, while putative post-translational modification sites do not greatly differ between solitary and subsocial roaches and social termites. This study provides important information not only for AKH and AKHR functional research but also for further analyses interested in their development as potential candidates for biorational pest control agents against invasive termites and cockroaches.
Insecta is one of the most diverse phyla in the animal kingdom, with species living in all types of habitats encountering an even greater diversity of pathogens and parasites. Defence strategies against such harmful threats led to a variety of molecular mechanisms, ecological shifts, and genetic innovations. Gene families underlying the molecular basis of the immune responses have evolved within the boundaries given by the species ecology. Here, we explore the evolution of some emblematic immune gene families throughout the Insecta phylum shedding light on remarkable genetic events such as gene duplication or gene loss. We followed a workflow based on the Hidden Markov model to search for immune genes in 55 high-quality genomes of insects. We highlight the emergence of group defence in social species as an ecological shift that released selection pressure on immune gene families notably in Blattodea. Further, we draw attention to certain gene families and the link between their diversity and the specificities of the species’ microbiota. Overall, we report data on immune gene diversity in insects.
Harnessing near-chromosome level quality genomes to explore the evolution of termite immunity
(2023)
The phylogeny of the Blattodea boasts a wide degree of sociality spanning from solitary cockroaches to advanced ecosystem-dominating higher termite societies. The emergence of sociality in termites was associated with the acquisition of a diverse range of social structures. Previous work has found evidence for a caste-specific social defence system in termites leading to an immune system that may favour group over individual defence. While preliminary work suggests a correlation between social transitions and a reduction of immune gene family diversity, the lack of available high-quality termite genomes hampers complete knowledge of the true diversity of immune gene evolution across termite phylogeny. Here, we report on the sequencing and near-chromosome level assembly of 48 high-quality long-read-based genomes across major termite and cockroach sister-branch lineages. We investigate the diversity and evolutionary history of immune genes across genomes, focusing particular attention on correlations between immune gene evolution and transitions in sociality over termite phylogeny.
Fused filament fabrication (FFF) on desktop 3D printers is a material extrusion-based technique often used by educational institutions, small enterprises and private households. Polymeric filaments are melted and extruded through a heated nozzle to form a 3D object in layers. The extrusion temperature is therefore a key parameter for a successful print job, but also one of the main driving factors for the emission of harmful air pollutants, namely ultrafine particles and volatile organic gases, which are formed by thermal stress on the polymeric feedstock. The awareness of potential health risks has increased the number of emission studies in the past years. However, the multiplicity of study designs makes an objective comparison of emission data challenging because printer hardware factors such as the actual extruder temperature (TE) and also feedstockspecific emissions are not considered. We assume that across the market of commercial low- and mid-price FFF printers substantial deviations between actual and set extruder temperatures exist, which have a strong effect on the emissions and hence may bias the findings of exposure studies. In our last publication, we presented a standardized feedstock-specific emission test method and showed that for each investigated feedstock an increase in actual extruder temperature was accompanied by an increase in particle emissions (Tang and Seeger, 2022). Therefore, any systematic discrepancy between set and actual extruder temperature matters. In this study, we used a thermocouple and an infrared camera to measure the actual extruder temperatures at different heights. We found significant under- and overestimation of the actual extruder temperatures by the respective set temperatures in three commercial printers. This caused a broad variation of the measured total numbers of emitted particles (TP), even when the same feedstock was operated. For the determination of TP, we followed the DE-UZ 219 test guideline. In a second round we repeated the tests with all printers adjusted to exactly the same extruder temperatures, i.e., to TE=230°C for ABS and TE=210°C for PLA. All measurements were conducted in a 1 m³ emission test chamber. Particle emissions in the size range between 4 nm and 20 μm were detected. Printing on three different printer models without temperature adjustment resulted for each of the investigated feedstocks in a variation in TP of around two orders of magnitude. After temperature adjustment, this was substantially reduced to approx. one order of magnitude and hence minimizes the bias of printer hardware on the emissions. Our findings suggest that adjustment of the extruder temperature should be mandatory in emission testing standards. It also poses a more accurate benchmark and provides more reliable emission data for evaluation of indoor air quality or for health risk assessments. In addition, a proper temperature setting is in the interest of the user. Some commercial FFF printers may have a higher actual extruder temperature than displayed and unintended overheating may not only impair the print quality but may cause unnecessarily increased exposure to particle emissions.
Basic oxygen furnace slag (BOFS) is a by-product of steelmaking of which about 10.4 Mt are produced annually in the EU. BOFS is mostly used in road construction, earthwork and hydraulic engineering. However, in this use, the iron bound in BOFS is lost and the opportunity to produce higher value products from BOFS is forgone.
In recent decades, many researchers have investigated the production of both Portland cement clinker and crude iron from BOFS via a thermochemical reductive treatment. The reductive treatment of liquid BOFS causes a reduction of iron oxides to metallic iron, which separates from the mineral phase due to its higher density and can be recovered. An advantage of this process is that simultaneously the chemical composition of the reduced BOFS is adapted to that of Portland cement clinker and the hydraulic reactive mineral alite (Ca3SiO5) is formed.
In this study, German BOFS was reduced in a small-scale electric arc furnace and a low-iron mineral product rich in alite was produced. Despite a chemical and mineralogical composition similar to that of Portland cement clinker, the reduced BOFS produced less heat of hydration, and its reaction was delayed compared to Portland cement. However, adding gypsum accelerated the hydration rate of the reduced BOFS.
Further research to improve the hydraulic properties of the reduced BOFS is essential. If successful, the production of a hydraulic material and crude iron from BOFS could have economic and ecological benefits for both the cement and steel industry.
Current decontamination strategies of PFAS-burdened soils mainly consist of adsorption methods using adsorbents for fixation of PFAS in the ground. A second option is the utilization of a “pump and treat” process, cycling polluted soils through a washing plant leading to the concentration of the pollutants in the fine fraction. Only a subsequent, high-energy consuming pyrolysis process guarantees the total destruction of all fluorinated organic contaminants. These approaches are cost-intensive and not intended for the direct decomposition of all PFAS contaminants. Hence, there is a great demand for innovative developments and chemical treatment technologies, dealing with new strategies of tackling the PFAS problem. Thus, we investigated mechanochemical treatment of PFAS contaminated soils with various additives in a ball mill and analyzed the PFAS defluorination with gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), respectively, as well as the fluoride mineralization by ion chromatography (IC) and fluorine K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy.
The presentation gives general information about the European Standard EN 16516 “Construction products – Assessment of release of dangerous substances – Determination of emissions into indoor air”. This test standard was developed based on the mandate M/366 of the European commission and is a horizontal reference method for the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from different classes of construction (building) products. Specific test conditions are to be selected by the product TCs (technical committees) in a way that a product is tested under its intended condition of use.
The test is based on the use of emission test chambers which are operated at constant air change rate and climate (23°C, 50 % r.h.) over 28 days. The standard defines the conditions and requirements for the measurement including loading factor, air change rate, sampling, analysis and calculation of emission rates of the substances. A 30 m³ reference room is described which is used to calculate air concentrations from the determined emission rates.
The standard EN 16516 enables the evaluation of construction products regarding their emissions into indoor air under defined and comparable conditions. The evaluation includes the determination of identified target compounds, non-identified target compounds, volatile carcinogenic compounds and the sum values TVOC, TSVOC and R.
Glutaraldehyde is widely used as a disinfectant and preservative, but little is known about its effects on bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics and the selection of tolerant phenotypes. We found that short-term exposure to sub-inhibitory levels of glutaraldehyde makes E. coli resistant to high doses of bactericidal antibiotics from different classes. This tolerance is associated with delayed, heterogeneous regrowth dynamics and global transcriptome remodeling. We identified over 1200 differentially expressed genes, including those related to antibiotic efflux, metabolic processes, and the cell envelope. The cells entered a disrupted state likely due to the unspecific mode-of-action of glutaraldehyde. Despite this unregulated response, we identified several differentially expressed genes not previously associated with antibiotic tolerance or persistence that induce antibiotic tolerance when overexpressed alone. These findings highlight how the unspecific mode-of-action of disinfectants can make bacteria temporarily resistant to antibiotics. They have implications for settings where disinfectants and antibiotics are used in close proximity, such as hospitals and animal husbandry, and for the selection dynamics of tolerant pheno- and genotypes in fluctuating environments where microorganisms are exposed to these substances, such as sewage systems. A trade-off arises from overcoming the disrupted state as quickly as possible and maintaining antibiotic tolerance.
Glutaraldehyde is widely used as a disinfectant and preservative, but little is known about its effects on bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics and the selection of tolerant phenotypes. We found that short-term exposure to sub-inhibitory levels of glutaraldehyde makes E. coli resistant to high doses of bactericidal antibiotics from different classes. This tolerance is associated with delayed, heterogeneous regrowth dynamics and global transcriptome remodeling. We identified over 1200 differentially expressed genes, including those related to antibiotic efflux, metabolic processes, and the cell envelope. The cells entered a disrupted state likely due to the unspecific mode-of-action of glutaraldehyde. Despite this unregulated response, we identified several differentially expressed genes not previously associated with antibiotic tolerance or persistence that induce antibiotic tolerance when overexpressed alone. These findings highlight how the unspecific mode-of-action of disinfectants can make bacteria temporarily resistant to antibiotics. They have implications for settings where disinfectants and antibiotics are used in close proximity, such as hospitals and animal husbandry, and for the selection dynamics of tolerant pheno- and genotypes in fluctuating environments where microorganisms are exposed to these substances, such as sewage systems. A trade-off arises from overcoming the disrupted state as quickly as possible and maintaining antibiotic tolerance.
Die Europäische Kommission präsentierte am 11. Dezember 2019 den European Green Deal, ein Konzept mit dem Ziel, bis zum Jahr 2050 als erster Kontinent Klimaneutralität zu erreichen. Mit Inkrafttreten der Verordnung (EU) 2021/1119 des Europäischen Parlaments und des Europäischen Rates am 29. Juli 2021 zur Schaffung des Rahmens für die Verwirklichung der Klimaneutralität („Europäisches Klimagesetz“), ist dieses, sowie das Ziel der Reduzierung der Nettotreibhausgasemissionen um mindestens 55 % bis 2030 in der Gesetzgebung der Europäischen Union verankert. Die Stahlindustrie in der Europäischen Union mit ca. 57 Mio. t Nettotreibhausgasemissionen im Jahr 2020, die annähernd 2 % der Emissionen der Europäischen Union ausmachen (Inklusive Energie: 127 Mio. t; 4 %), bekennt sich zur erheblichen Reduzierung der CO2-Emissionen bis zum Jahr 2030 und zum Erreichen der Klimaneutralität bis zum Jahr 2050. Als Schlüsselwege zur Verwirklichung dieser Zielstellung hat sie zum einen Smart Carbon Usage (SCU) und zum anderen Carbon Direct Avoidance (CDA) in einer Roadmap formuliert. SCU umfasst CO2-reduzierende Maßnahmen in bestehenden Eisen- und Stahlproduktionsprozessen, Carbon Capture and Storage- (CCS) sowie Carbon Capture and Usage-Technologien (CCU). Wohingegen bei CDA CO2-Emissionen durch erneuerbare elektrische Energie sowie wasserstoffbasierte Reduktion des Eisenerzes gar nicht erst entstehen sollen. Der CDA-Weg, der voraussichtlich beschritten werden muss, um eine klimaneutrale Stahlproduktion zu erreichen [38], geht mit einer kostenintensiven Transformation der Stahlproduktion einher, die bereits von vielen Unternehmen der Stahlindustrie eingeleitet wurde und von der im Wesentlichen die beiden in Europa vorherrschenden Stahlproduktionsrouten Hochofen-Konverter-Route und Elektrolichtbogenofen-Route betroffen sind. Die CO2-Emissionen der Hochofen-Konverter-Route, von denen der überwiegende Anteil auf den Hochofen fällt, liegen laut einer für das Jahr 2015 erstellten Studie bei 1921 kg CO2/t Rohstahl inklusive der CO2-Last der Pellets als Einsatzmaterial sowie der Emissionen der nachgelagerten Stranggießanlagen und Walzwerke. Im Hochofen wird das Eisenerz durch Kohlenstoff (C) bzw. Kohlenstoffmonoxid (CO) – welche größtenteils aus dem Koks, der dem Hochofen zusammen mit dem Möller über die Gicht zugeführten wird, stammen – unter Entstehung von Roheisen und Kohlenstoffdioxid (CO2) reduziert. Das neben dem CO2 im Prozessgas enthaltene CO wird zum Beispiel zur Energiegewinnung in peripheren Prozessen ebenfalls unter Bildung von CO2 verbrannt. Zusätzlich zur Reduktion hat der Koks unter anderem physikalische Aufgaben, wie die Errichtung eines Stützgerüstes und die Gewährleistung der Permeabilität im Hochofenprozess. Somit ist eine vollkommene Substitution des Kokses zur Vermeidung der CO2-Emissionen im Hochofen nicht denkbar. Viele Strategien der Stahlunternehmen zum Erreichen der Klimaziele verfolgen daher den Wechsel von der Rohstahlproduktion aus der Hochofen-Konverter-Route hin zur Rohstahlproduktion im Elektrolichtbogenofen (EAF – Electric Arc Furnace) mit dem Einsatz von direkt reduziertem Eisen (Eisenschwamm, DRI – Direct Reduced Iron) aus vorgelagerten Direktreduktionsanlagen, die mit Wasserstoff (H2) als Reduktionsmittel betrieben werden können. Dabei ist die Elektrostahlerzeugung kein neuer Prozess und nimmt in der europäischen Union bereits jetzt einen Anteil von ca. 44 % der Rohstahlproduktion ein, jedoch überwiegend mit Schrott als Einsatzmaterial. Bei der Elektrostahlerzeugung mit Schrotteinsatz fallen laut der oben genannten Studie von Lüngen für das Jahr 20152 410 kg CO2-Emissionen pro Tonne Rohstahl an, von denen der Großteil auf die CO2-Last der fremd bezogenen elektrischen Energie zurückzuführen ist und daher nicht im Produktionsprozess selbst entsteht. Auch die Direktreduktion wird schon seit 1972 in der weltweit zweiten und bis heute in Westeuropa einzigen Direktreduktionsanlage in Hamburg betrieben. Während hier noch mit einem Reduktionsgas gearbeitet wird, das hauptsächlich aus einem aus Erdgas gewonnenen Wasserstoff-Kohlenstoffmonoxid-Gemisch besteht, liegt eine aktuelle Kernherausforderung in der Bereitstellung des in der Größenordnung der von der Transformation betroffenen Rohstahlproduktionskapazitäten notwendigen, mit erneuerbarer elektrischer Energie hergestellten Wasserstoffs. Wird zusätzlich der Strom für das Einschmelzen im Elektrolichtbogenofen aus erneuerbaren Quellen gewonnen und werden schließlich als Brennstoff verwendete Kohle und als Brennstoff verwendetes Erdgas durch CO2-neutrale Bio-Brennstoffe ersetzt, sind sowohl für den Einsatz von mit Wasserstoff reduziertem und auf Pellets ohne CO2-Last basiertem Eisenschwamm als auch für den Einsatz von Schrott CO2-Emissionen von jeweils nur 60 kg CO2/t Rohstahl erreichbar, was eine Reduktion der Emissionen, ausgehend von der Konverter-Hochofen-Route um 97 % und ausgehend von der Schrott-Elektrolichtbogenofen-Route um 85 % bedeuten würde.
Der Betrieb von Elektrolichtbogenöfen macht die an den Standorten vorhandenen Konverter sowie die Infrastruktur für Behandlung und Transport des Roheisens überflüssig. Die fortwährende Nutzung dieser bestehenden Anlagenstruktur dient daher unter anderem als Motivation für die Entwicklung einer zweiten Transformationsstrategie, die einen sogenannten Einschmelzer (SAF – Submerged Arc Furnace) als der Direktreduktionsanlage nachgelagerten Prozess vorsieht, in dem wiederum Roheisen erschmolzen wird, das anschließend im Konverter zu Rohstahl veredelt wird.
Die Transformation der Stahlindustrie beeinflusst einen weiteren CO2-intensiven Industriesektor, nämlich die Zementindustrie die verantwortlich ist für rund 4 % der CO2-Emissionen in der EU. Etwa zwei Drittel dieser Emissionen entfallen als Prozessemissionen auf die Entsäuerung des Rohstoffs Kalkstein (CaCO3), also auf die Abspaltung von CO2 unter Entstehung des für die Herstellung von Zementklinker notwendigen Branntkalks (CaO) als Zwischenstufe bei der Bildung der hydraulischen Phasen Tri- und Dicalciumsilikat. Als eines der fünf Themenfelder (5C-Ansatz: Clinker, Cement, Concrete, Construction, Carbonation), welche die europäische Zementindustrie entlang ihrer Wertschöpfungskette zum Erreichen der gesetzlichen Vorgaben der europäischen Union erarbeitet hat, umfasst das Feld "Cement" zum größten Teil die Reduzierung des Klinker-Zement-Faktors. Im Jahr 2017 betrug er 77 %, das heißt, dass 23 % des Klinkers durch alternative Materialien ersetzt wurden. Bis zum Jahr 2030 wird ein Faktor von 74 % und bis zum Jahr 2050 von 65 % angestrebt. Den größten Anteil an den Klinkersubstituten hat mit 33 % der Hüttensand aus der Stahlindustrie. Bei der Roheisenproduktion im Hochofen entsteht als Nebenprodukt Hochofenschlacke, die unter Zugabe von Schlackebildnern die Gangart des Möllers und mineralische Koksbestandteile abbindet, sowie weitere unerwünschte Begleitelemente wie Schwefel und Alkalien aufnimmt. Allein in Deutschland wurden im Jahr 2021 6,90 Mio. t – das entspricht 90 % der gesamten produzierten Hochofenschlacke – zu glasig erstarrtem Hüttensand granuliert. Dieser Hüttensand besitzt latent hydraulische Eigenschaften und wird daher seit mehr als 140 Jahren als Zementbestandteil eingesetzt, wodurch in Deutschland jährlich rund 4,5 Mio. t CO2-Emissionen eingespart werden. Alle Transformationsstrategien der Stahlindustrie beinhalten die notwendige Außerbetriebnahme der CO2-intensiven Hochöfen. Dies hat unter anderem zur Folge, dass die Hochofenschlacke als Nebenprodukt der Rohstahlerzeugung im Hochofen nicht mehr zur Verfügung stehen wird, wodurch die weitere Reduzierung des Klinker-Zement-Faktors erhebliche Zusatzmengen alternativer Materialien benötigen wird. Derzeit ist noch unklar, ob z.B. calcinierte Tone im benötigten Umfang erzeugt werden können.
Der Fachbereich Thermochemische Reststoffbehandlung und Wertstoffrückgewinnung der Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) und das Institut für Baustoffforschung FEhS forschen zusammen mit Industriepartnern und weiteren Forschungseinrichtungen im Rahmen zweier Projekte in den Kooperationssphären der Stahl- und Zementindustrie, die zur Bewältigung dieser Herausforderungen beitragen. Im Projekt SlagCEM wird die Produktion eines hydraulischen Zementbestandteils durch Reduktion von Konverter- bzw. Linz-Donawitz-Schlacke (LDS) untersucht. Die mit den zusätzlich aufgenommen Lichtbogenofenkapazitäten steigenden Mengen an Elektrolichtbogenofenschlacke (EOS, engl. electric arc furnace slag, EAFS) werden im Projekt DRI-EOS behandelt, welches die Produktion eines latent hydraulischen Hüttensandsubstituts zum Ziel hat.