Project Portugal 2030

Summary

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are emerging water contaminants known to cause adverse health effects in humans and wildlife. Their persistence in the environment and potential for bioaccumulation raise significant concerns for water quality and ecosystem health. Consequently, efforts to mitigate their presence in water bodies are crucial for protecting human health and preserving environmental integrity. Waste2Memb aims to develop innovative bio-membranes for non-degradative (adsorption) and/or degradative (Advanced Oxidation Technology- AOTs) removal of EDCS and PFAS. To accomplish this objective, Waste2Memb intends to leverage waste for the development of carbon materials (waste-derived carbon materials - WDCM) and bio-cellulose (BC) biofilms, which will serve as precursors of integrated bio-membranes (WDCM-BC). The main scientific objectives of this proposal include: 1) WDCM Synthesis – Optimizing the development of carbon materials using locally available waste as precursors through pyrolysis, testing various combinations of experimental conditions, such as temperatures, modifications (e.g., heteroatom doping) and residue precursors (e.g., plastics, wood shavings and fruit waste). 2) Fabrication of BC using waste supplements - BC synthesis using SCOBY (symbiotic consortium of bacteria and fungi) from Kombucha tea as an inoculum and various waste-based culture media (e.g., brewery and food residues). 3) WDCM-BC membrane development - Incorporating WDCM into the BC network via an ex-situ approach, evaluating the structure and physicochemical properties of the WDCM-BC membrane and individual components. The use of immobilized functional materials for water treatment is advantageous over conventional powder, as it eliminates the need for catalyst separation from the reaction media after treatment, being more cost and energy effective. 4) WDCM-BC for the removal of EDCs and PFAS – Assessing the degradative and non-degradative potentialities of the prepared WBCM-BC membranes towards the removal of EDCs and PFAS, since WDCM materials tend to have strong adsorptive and catalytic behavior for persulfate-based AOTs. The project outlines clear objectives aimed at developing and optimizing WDCM-BC membranes for water remediation, such as enhancing membrane performance, maximizing contaminant adsorption capacity and/or optimizing persulfate activation catalysis. The proposed bio-membranes have the potential to offer a cost-effective solution for water purification, with technological interest for future commercialization in collaboration with companies, such as ADVENTECH - Advanced Environmental Technologies, Lda (www.adventech.pt), which specializes in water treatment options and is involved in collaborative R&D projects with FEUP. Furthermore, Waste2Memb holds implications for the national framework of sustainable industrial production and consumption practices, as local Portuguese businesses involved in fruit products development (e.g., Frulact), coffee vending (e.g., NVending), and beer (e.g., Super Bock) manufacture could repurpose and add value to their surplus waste, particularly for the development of WDCM-BC membranes with practical applicability in real-world water treatment scenarios.