We are- Nº8

I N N O V A T I O N 34 I N N O V A T I O N Researchers from the Chemical and Environmental Engineering Group (GIQA) of the Rey Juan Carlos University (URJC) and the Innovation and Technology Department of Aqua- lia have developed a new was- tewater treatment system based on the circular economy. Wastewater treatment is an ideal platform for basing technological development focused on changing the production model of the circular economy. In this modern system, all surplus elements are transformed into raw material, which is incorpora- ted back into the system, potentially implying a zero-emission concept. Recently, several wastewater treat- ment alternatives have emerged based on the circular economy con- cept. One of the treatments proposes the use of PPB (Purple Phototrophic Bacteria). These microorganisms assimilate the nutrients contained in the wastewater rather than dissi- pating them. In addition, they use in- frared light as an energy source and, therefore, their recycling efficiency is very high. This novel approach to photobiore- fining has been the starting point of the URJC’s GIQA group, led by Dr. Daniel Puyol and Professors Juan Antonio Melero and Fernando Mar- tínez. The researchers have develo- ped a wastewater and liquid effluent treatment technology based on the- se PPB bacteria, in collaboration with the Innovation and Technology Department of Aqualia, represented by Frank Rogalla and Doctor Víctor Monsalvo. The technology developed by GIQA and Aqualia, called ADVANSIST, re- presents a new concept of the tradi- tional carousel-type aerobic reactors for water treatment, based on the he- terogeneous mixture of prokaryotes (unicellular and without a nucleus) and other microorganisms. These reactors have a high opera- ting cost due to the need for aeration, and generate significant emissions of both carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxi- des. In the ADVANSIST system, on the other hand, “the growth of anae- robic PPB bacteria is encouraged through the selective use of filtered infrared light, thereby overcoming the difficulties inherent in conven- tional aerobic carousel technology,” says Dr. Daniel Puyol of GIQA. Among the achievements reached with this new model, the notable in- crease of biomass inside the reactor and the consequent improvement in the production of biogas stand out, due both to the increase of biomass and to the fact that PPB bacteria are more easily digestible than other conventional biomass sources. ADVANSIST System (Carousel-ty- pe anaerobic photobioreactor): The wastewater is fed laterally. The wa- ter circulating in the reactor and the treated effluent is evacuated at the opposite end. The system has a co- ver that selects the incident wavelen- gth, giving way only to infrared light, in addition to ensuring an anaerobic environment. From the experimental phase of technological development to the construction of a demonstration plant The viability of the technology has been demonstrated by piloting for a period of one year in the wastewa- Purifying wastewater only with the help of the sun How to recover nutrients and energy in household wastewater by using bacteria? Presentación del proyecto Incover y Biosol, a la que asistieron el alcalde de la ciudad, Ramón Fernández- Pacheco, junto con el concejal de Servicios Municipales, Juan José Alonso. Carousel-type photobioreactors installed at the URJC wastewater treatment plant (Technology Support Centre, Móstoles Campus) before starting operation.