To humans, trichloroethene (TCE) is a dangerous pollutant, one that recently forced two Phoenix-area municipalities to shut down their water supplies. But to a group of bacteria called dehalogenerators, TCE is like oxygen. These microorganisms take in TCE and remove the chlorine, leaving harmless ethene behind. Now a team of scientists has developed a specialized water treatment system that employs the bacteria to make water supplies safer. --by Joe Caspermeyer

As the volume of discarded computers and other electronic products increases daily, it’s posing a growing environmental hazard. ASU researchers are learning how electronic waste can be managed to minimize environmental damage while increasing the economic and social benefits of reuse and recycling. --by Joe Kullman