Author: Deep Purple

The innovative self-healing concrete derived from cellulose sourced from the DEEP PURPLE project’s demo sites is a significant advancement in sustainable construction materials.

At the DEEP PURPLE demo sites, we annually convert 438,000 cubic meters of domestic wastewater and 164 tons of organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) into raw materials. These raw materials include 260 tons of enriched biomass feedstock, 16 tons of cellulosic material, and 5 tons of biogas. Our project endeavors to showcase the feasibility of transforming these materials into five ‘consumer’ products that boast better overall sustainability scores compared to existing alternatives, ensuring proper technical performance and addressing clear market demand.

One such product is self-repairing composites formulated with cellulose fiber and PHA polymers. The presence of cracks in concrete is nearly unavoidable, leading to irreparable damage due to water-borne contaminants or aggressive compounds penetrating the concrete matrix through fissures and cracks. This damage necessitates costly repairs globally. While extensive research on self-healing materials has been conducted, many available techniques are expensive, chemical-based, and require human intervention.

Microbially induced calcium carbonate (MICP) via urea hydrolysis has emerged as a promising pathway for a wide range of engineering applications. Bacterial cells/spores, along with mineral precursors, are embedded directly into the concrete matrix during mixing. Upon crack formation, bacterial cells/spores activate in the presence of moisture and oxygen, leading to CaCO3 by-product production through bacterial metabolic processes and crack sealing.

Innovative, cost-effective, and sustainable encapsulation methods based on nanocellulose and PHA bioplastics have been developed by University of Brunel within the DEEP PURPLE project. This development has resulted in self-healing materials. The proposed solution utilizes a three-component healing system comprising polymeric material (cellulose and PHA bioplastics) impregnated with bacterial spores and mineral precursors. Upon crack formation, the polymeric capsule ruptures, facilitating oxygen penetration through cracks and fissures. Encapsulated spores activate and germinate, feeding on mineral precursors to produce calcium precipitation, ultimately sealing cracks within concrete structures.

The University of Brunel has an extensive experience in validating and standardizing processes for the development of microcapsules used in self-repairing construction materials. They have developed self-repairing biocomposites by incorporating previously developed CNF and PHA, along with microcapsules prepared by Brunel. The performance of these self-repairing biocomposites was tested under various conditions such as temperature, pressure, humidity, light, and vacuum to ensure both long-term durability and high healing performance throughout their service life.

 

Join us for an enlightening evening as DEEP PURPLE (EU-Horizon2020 project) hosts the exclusive screening of the thought-provoking documentary film, HOLY SHIT: CAN POOP SAVE THE WORLD? In the presence of the movie director Rubén Abruña. After the screening we will discuss the possibilities of waste utilization and showcase some extraordinary products from waste developed within the DEEP PURPLE project.

📅 Date: 29th of February, 2024
🕕 Time: 5 pm
📍 Location: Climate Lab

Ever wondered what happens to the food we digest after it leaves our bodies? Is it merely waste, or could it be a resource to be reused? Director Rubén Abruña takes us on a captivating journey across 16 cities on 4 continents, exploring the fascinating world of excreta. From the Parisian sewers to a massive wastewater treatment plant in Chicago, Abruña unravels the mysteries surrounding our waste. The film delves into the potential use of excreta as a fertilizer and the challenges posed by heavy metals and toxic chemicals. Can our waste be the key to solving fertilizer scarcity and promoting sustainability? Discover the answers as Abruña encounters the Poop Pirates in Uganda, explores dry toilets in Sweden, and witnesses localized treatment plants in Hamburg and Geneva. HOLY SHIT is a cinematic exploration that tackles issues of food security, environmental protection, hygiene, and climate change.

As part of the DEEP PURPLE project, we aim to recover valuable resources from mixed urban waste streams, including wastewater, sewage sludge, and organic municipal solid waste (OFMSW). Our concept revolves around a versatile, integrated, and flexible Multi-Platform Biorefinery, based on the metabolism of Purple Phototrophic Bacteria (PPB). Through this innovative approach, we extract high added-value compounds such as cellulose and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) for bio-plastics, ectoine for skin care products, and bio-fertilizer in our demo sites in Spain and the Czech Republic.

Secure your spot now before it’s too late! Click here to book your spot as we have limited capacity.

Dear Circular Economy Enthusiasts and Curious Wanderers,

Welcome to our corner of the internet, where curiosity meets circularity! Whether you’re a seasoned Circular Economy enthusiast or someone who stumbled upon this page and wonders, “Why am I here?”—you’re in for a treat.

We work diligently to engage with you and comprehend your perceptions regarding wastewater valorization. Please know that your opinions, impressions, and insights on the subject matter more than you might realize. We have designed a small survey to gather your thoughts, and it would mean a lot to us if you could kindly take the time to fill it out. You don’t need to have extensive knowledge about the topic; the crucial aspect is that we capture what you already know and present some interesting questions to assess how you perceive the work we do. Your opinions are crucial in understanding the importance of recycling practices and shaping a sustainable future.

🌍 Purpose of the Survey:

We’re on a mission to uncover insights into:

• The importance people place on wastewater valorization and organic waste to recover resources.
• Current waste water treatment and valorization practices in your community.
• The barriers hindering the transition to more sustainable practices.
• Your thoughts on the positive environmental impact of recycling wastewater and waste.
• Interest in purchasing products containing valuable components from recycling, adhering to EU safety regulations.
• Identifying concerns about using products derived from waste streams
• Assessing trust in the DEEP PURPLE process to safely remove pathogens from wastewater.

🔄 Why Your Input Matters:

Wastewater and organic waste hold hidden treasures like cellulose and nutrients that can revolutionize resource recovery. By participating, you contribute to shaping a future where waste becomes a valuable resource.

🤝 Your Anonymity Matters:

Rest assured, your responses are completely anonymous, fostering open and honest feedback. Your time investment in this survey helps build a bridge to a more sustainable future.

Please click here to access the survey.

Warm regards,

The DEEP PURPLE Team

 

Standardisation is a voluntary cooperation among industry, consumers, public authorities and other interested parties for the development of technical specifications based on consensus.

Incorporating standardisation into research and innovation processes brings important benefits: standards and the process for developing them disseminate research and innovation knowledge to industry, society, public administrations and facilitate market acceptance of innovative products while increasing their relevance and are relevant tools in a technology transfer process.

EC within its EU valorisation policy recognizes the value of standards as a crucial tool to get the most out of research results as standards “form a common language that allows researchers, people and industry to communicate, produce and commercialize products and services”.

UNE, the Spanish standardisation organisation, is leading the activities related with standards in DEEP PURPLE project. UNE’s main objective is to facilitate the acceptance and utilization by the market of the developed solutions.

In the frame of that main objective, a new European standardization document on Extraction, production and purification of added value products from urban wastes has been drafted. The standardization document will be developed in two parts:

·       CWA 17897-1:2022 “Extraction, production and purification of added value products from urban wastes – Part 1: Production and purification of ectoine obtained from biogas” specifies an operational process for biogas bioconversion into ectoine, the extraction of the ectoine from the resulting solution and its purification.

·       CWA 17897-2: 2023 “Extraction, production and purification of added value products from urban wastes – Part 2: Extraction and purification of PHA biopolymers” that defines the process for extraction and purification of PHA bio polyesters from enriched biomass

Both documents can be downloaded free of charge in CEN-CENELEC website

On June 28th, David Renfrew (Brunel University London) took the stage at the ecoSTP event in Girona, Spain, to present an insightful circularity assessment of our  DEEP PURPLE project. Titled “Utilising Sustainable Value Propositions to Understand the Value Creation of Circular Actions in Wastewater Systems,” this presentation sheds light on the remarkable work we have accomplished and stems from a manuscript recently submitted for publication, a collaborative effort between BRUNEL and Aqualia.

The water sector plays a crucial role in the transition towards a circular economy (CE) due to its impact on clean water supply and wastewater management. However, water utilities often struggle to incorporate high-level circular economy strategies into their business models to understand the value created by circular solutions. This hampers their ability to build business cases and convince stakeholders to invest in circular wastewater technology. To address this challenge, a methodology was developed by the authors, focusing on sustainable value creation as a holistic indicator for circular wastewater systems.

Explanation/Application: The methodology was applied to assess the circular actions of a novel photobioreactor (PBR) developed as part of the H2020 DEEP PURPLE project. The PBR, named ANPHORA®, was compared to a benchmark conventional extended aeration system for wastewater treatment in rural Spain. By aligning ANPHORA®’s strategic goals with sustainable value propositions, relevant indicators were selected to evaluate its performance. The methodology emphasized minimizing costs, waste, GHG emissions, and energy demand while maximizing economic value and energy recovery from the waste stream. The selection of indicators guided the assessment of ANPHORA®’s value creation potential.

Results: The results revealed significant improvements in the performance of the ANPHORA® PBR compared to conventional treatment methods. The technology showcased reduced grid electricity demand, direct emissions, material and energy consumption, resulting in a substantial decrease in carbon footprint. Moreover, the production and sale of biofertilizers generated additional revenue streams from sludge. The ANPHORA® technology demonstrated its effectiveness in achieving the defined value creation goals, delivering economic, environmental, and social benefits.

Decision Support: The presentation also highlighted how this methodology can be integrated into decision support systems, facilitating decision-making at multiple levels. By incorporating sustainability and circularity metrics, plant operators can optimize their processes to maximize value generation. This approach enables them to consider not only conventional operating parameters but also sustainability factors when making decisions, thereby supporting the scale-up of the ANPHORA® system.

The circularity assessment presented by BRUNEL at the ecoSTP showcased the value of the developed methodology in understanding circular value creation in wastewater systems. By aligning strategic goals with sustainable value propositions, the ANPHORA® PBR demonstrated its ability to generate economic, environmental, and social value. This holistic approach to assessment provides decision-makers with valuable insights, enabling them to optimize processes and maximize the benefits of circular wastewater technologies.

 

What is the significance of local fertilizer production and the results of the DEEP PURPLE project in Europe?

There is a substantial reliance on imported inorganic fertilizers, as revealed by statistics provided by Fertilizer Europe. In 2021, Europe imported significant amounts of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potash, accounting for 32%, 65%, and 88% of their consumption, respectively. This highlights the heavy dependence of European agriculture on imported inorganic fertilizers. Secondly, the fertilizer manufacturing industry in Europe boasts a turnover of 9.8 billion euros and provides approximately 75,000 jobs. This sector contributes significantly to the region’s economy and employment opportunities. Europe’s organic market is experiencing impressive growth, with over 13 million hectares of organic farmland and 37 billion euros in retail sales. In 2021, the organic market size corresponded to 8.5 million tons of organic-derived nitrogen, 4.5 million tons of organic-derived phosphorus and 10.1 million tons organic-derived potash.

Additionally, to comply with upcoming regulatory rules aimed at preventing soil and water pollution, organic farming is expected to increase the use of coated fertilizers, representing 20% of total consumption over the next three years. This shift will contribute to reducing reliance on rock materials.

As DEEP PURPLE project proves its effectiveness in valorizing wastewater, it confirms a sustainable fertilizer production. Utilizing the vast annual generation of municipal wastewater in Europe (40,000 million m3 in 2013), it is possible to produce 15 million tons of slow-release fertilizer, recovering 450,000 tons of PO43- annually. This sustainable approach would alleviate the current need for importing rock materials.

Has the DEEP PURPLE project tested the effectiveness of its slow-releasing fertilizer?

The metabolic capabilities of Purple Phototrophic bacteria (PPB) can be directed towards C-based biorefinery for bioplastics or N-P-K-based biorefinery for organic fertilizers. DEEP PURPLE aims to demonstrate the applications of PPB fertilizers and explore potential future developments. Here are some results from tests conducted on plants using PPB fertilizers.

Why should organic fertilizers be used? What are the advantages of producing them?

Organic fertilizers offer numerous benefits. They improve soil health, organic fertilizers enrich the soil with nutrients, fostering beneficial microbial activity, enhancing soil structure and water retention capacity, and ultimately promoting overall soil health. Secondly, organic fertilizers are derived from renewable sources such as animal manure, compost, and plant-based materials. By reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizers, their use supports sustainable agricultural practices.

Unlike conventional fertilizers, organic fertilizers are free from harmful chemicals and synthetic compounds. This reduces the risk of soil and water contamination, leading to a minimized environmental impact in agriculture. Organic fertilizers also release nutrients gradually, which provides a sustained supply to plants. Moreover, the organic matter present in these fertilizers improves soil fertility, leading to increased crop yield and improved plant quality.

What complexities come in to play when treating wastewater with The Purple Phototrophic bacteria (PPB) into high-added value products like organic fertilizers?

The agronomic efficiency of organic fertilizers depends on both its chemical make-up and the capacity of microbes to convert the organic material into a form that plants can utilize. To ensure a constant quality of our fertilizers, we need to make sure that the raw materials we used, such as PPB biomass, fulfill the requirements in terms of stability and homogeneity. Using raw materials that adhere to strict stability and homogeneity requirements is crucial for guaranteeing the organic fertilizers’ high quality. In this instance, it is said that PPB biomass can be used as a raw material. Designing and running a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) under ideal PPB growth conditions is necessary to maximize the recovery of elements from waste and guarantee that the PPB biomass is of high quality.

The PPB process, for instance, can be altered by variables including temperature, light intensity, and wastewater makeup. In order to maximize the circumstances for the PPB to thrive and produce the intended results, the treatment plant must be designed and run in a certain way.

Designing and running a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) under ideal PPB growth conditions is required to maximize the recovery of components from waste and guarantee that the PPB biomass is of high quality. The mineral and carbon content of the generated PPB biomass can be significantly influenced by the make-up of the waste stream entering the WWTP.

To maintain the security of the produced fertilizer, it is crucial to effectively sterilize the PPB biomass. This entails treating the biomass to get rid of any potentially hazardous microbes.

How does the DEEP PURPLE project aim to address the increasing demand for organic fertilizers and diversify the market by utilizing PPB biomass as a renewable source?

In the DEEP PURPLE project, our goal is to utilize PPB biomass, a renewable material, as a source of carbon and minerals to produce organic fertilizers. This innovative approach allows us to tap into valuable resources and diversify the market with new organic options. Organic fertilizers are commonly used to improve soil properties, such as fertility, stability, aeration, and microbiological activity, ensuring optimal crop development. They are compatible with organic farming and typically consist of plant compost and/or animal manure.

The strength of organic fertilizers lies in their ability to not only provide essential elements for plant growth but also improve soil properties compared to chemical fertilizers. They have a lower risk of nutrient leaching due to their slow-release nature. However, the limitations of organic fertilizers include their relatively low nutrient enrichment or imbalances between elements due to the raw materials used. As a result, organic fertilization cannot completely replace the use of chemical fertilizers but provides complementary effects on crop growth.

The market for biofertilizers has remained relatively stable in the past decade but is expected to grow due to the expansion of organic farming. While Europe is currently the main consumer of organic fertilizers, there is also increasing interest from Asian countries. Therefore, finding new renewable sources of organic matter is essential to meet the rising demand.

In our project, we leverage the hyper-accumulative PPB bacteria, which can assimilate and accumulate organics and nutrients from liquid waste streams. PPB biomass is valuable due to its low C/N ratio and enrichment in phosphorus (P). We combine this raw material with other organic substances to enhance the properties of the organic fertilizer. Our preliminary experiments have demonstrated the positive effects of PPB biomass alone and the PPB-based organic fertilizer on crop growth in controlled conditions. Initial field trials have also shown positive effects compared to unfertilized wheat plots and confirmed the absence of any toxicity. Further characterization of the fertilizer is underway to evaluate its impact on soil and plants in both controlled conditions and field settings.

References:

Forecast-2022-32

Industry-Facts-and-Figures-2022, Facts & Figures. (2022). Fertilizers Europe. Retrieved July 6, 2023, from https://www.fertilizerseurope.com/fertilizers-in-europe/facts-figures/

The EU’s organic food market: Facts and rules (infographic) | News | European Parliament. (2018, October 4).

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/society/20180404STO00909/the-eu-s-organic-food-market-facts-and-rules-infographic

Cristina González Buch, from DEEP PURPLE partner ITENE research center specialised in packaging, explains the process of treating the cellulose extracted from the wastewater in DEEP PURPLE, and preparing it for other project partners to take over from there.

In the DEEP PURPLE project ITENE is defining  decontamination procedures for the cellulose recovered from wastewater and sewage sludge, and:

1. Through an enzymatic hydrolysis process, the cellulose is transformed into fermentable sugars, to be used by another project partner to create a bio-polymer precursor.
2. Decontaminated cellulose is bleached, using a typical process of the paper industry, and reduced to a micrometric size, to be used by another project partner to become a polymer additive (to improve the final polymer).

 

The International Water Association World Water Congress and Exhibition (IWA WWCE) is the most significant water-related event worldwide and is held once in two years. In this edition, members from two of our partners participated and presented the progress and findings from their work on Deep Purple.

Patricia Zamora, Aqualia, participated in the congress with the poster about PPB biomass production and wastewater treatment in anaerobic raceways titled “Low-cost wastewater treatment for small populations using Purple Phototrophic Bacteria in anaerobic photobioreactors.” She also presented Deep Purple’s results in the workshop “High-value products based on carbon in wastewater – how do we select and is it sustainable?” within the congress program. This workshop aimed to give an overview of high-value products based on carbon in the wastewater, essential points to consider, and a model for prioritizing, including sustainability and requirements from the end users and authorities.

David Renfrew, Brunel University London, presented the Holistic Circularity Assessment Of A Biorefinery Process Utilising An Action-oriented Approach. His work detailed the methodology developed at Brunel University for completing circularity assessments of wastewater treatment and biorefinery processes. The initial results of the circularity assessment of a standalone Deep Purple wastewater treatment facility producing PPB biomass fertilizer were also presented.

IWA WWCE brings stakeholders and key contacts within the conventional water sector. Core water sector groups, such as those focused on urban water and urban water services, as well as participants from industry and agriculture, architects and urban planners, soil and groundwater experts and hydrologists, social scientists, the ICT sector, the financial sector, and others. The 2022 edition included multiple forums, a high-level political summit, and the utility operations challenge.

Please find here the 4th issue of the DEEP PURPLE Newsletter. To receive the bi-yearly update in your inbox please sign up for it here.

New sustainable routes to produced cosmetics from greenhouse gases

“Beauty comes from the insight” is one of our claims in the Deep Purple project. The link between urban solid waste, deep purple bacteria and beauty? It is a very valuable natural compound, namely ectoine. Ectoine is used in the cosmetic industry and has been proven to repair the skin´s protective barrier.

The production of ectoine out of waste-streams poses an environmentally friendly alternative compared to synthetic-based ones.

How we produce this healing agent ectoine out of waste-streams?

After thermal hydrolysis the suspension is separated into a liquid and a solid fraction. The liquid fraction is then treated with the Purple Phototrophic Bacteria (PPB). The solid fraction is transferred into an anaerobic digester, where biogas is produced.

The biogas is converted into ectoine, by using specific bacteria (i.e. halotolerant methanotrophs) able to synthesize and accumulate ectoine during the aerobic biodegradation of the CH4 present in biogas in high-mass transfer bioreactors.
The ectoine is subsequently extracted in a bio-milking process, desalted by electrodialysis and captured by ion exchange chromatography.

The researchers from our partner Activatec are involved in the optimisation of the conditions and techniques to extract and purify ectoine. Activatec uses as the main purification system, an AZURA Bio Lab System Advanced with a resin packed in a column to capture ectoine and separate it from the rest of the fermentation broth.

For the full process see figure 1 – Simplified process flow diagram for CH4-biogas bioconversion into ectoine.

Why have we decided to produce ectoine out of waste-streams?

With Deep Purple, high added-value products, like PHA, proteins, bio-H2, and ectoine can be recovered. Thus, reducing the amount of landfilled organic waste by at least 20% compared with the disposal solutions currently implemented for the same type of waste stream.

In a conventional wastewater treatment plant, all the secondary sludge is furtherly digested and converted into methane. In the Deep Purple project ectoine is recovered out of the biogas, which increases the economic balance of waste water treatment.

The production of electricity from biogas will soon turn more expensive than electricity production from solar or wind power, which requires research on innovative uses of biogas. The conversion of biogas into ectoine, a raw material for cosmetic industry with a market value higher than 1000 euros/kg represents a promising route for biogas valorization.

The economic interest around ectoine from waste-streams

The utilization of biogas as raw material for the production of ectoine entailed a 3- to 6- fold decrease production costs when compared to the currently established industrial processes.

Is the production and use of our ectoine safe?

Sometimes confusion unfolds about the safety concerning microbial based products such as ectoine. Let´s get one thing out of the way; there is no ‘genetic engineering’ in creating ectoine. Halotolerant methanotrophs can be found in nature. Genetically engineered microbes require special permits and containment and generally aren´t used in waste management plants.

Our partner RNB, the laboratory specializing in the creation of global cosmetic solutions, incorporates more than 100 quality assurance controls. This way, they assure safe cosmetic products.

There are no concerns about the final purification of ectoine coming from the use of biogas as a carbon source for fermentation. The purification process involves multiple intensive membrane filtration, ionic exchange and precipitation steps that make the contamination of the final ectoine product with bacteria impossible.

What have we achieved so far?

A new methanotrophic bacterial consortium enriched from a Spanish salt lake was enriched within the Deep Purple Project. Approximately, 0.5 biomass per gram of CH4 with 8% of ectoine inside can be produced by this bacterial consortium. In addition, the continuous production of ectoine from biogas and the subsequent bio-milking was validated in a 20 L bioreactor.

Upscale of the methane to ectoine bioconversion process and the construction of a 4 m3 demo bioreactor at Las Dehesas waste treatment plant, by our partner Institute of Sustainable Processes (ISP) of the University of Valladolid (UVa) with an actual biogas treatment capacity of 14.4m3/d and an estimated ectoin production of 2kg per year.

Further Goals

RNB will produce 2 cosmetic products with ectoine obtained from urban waste streams in the RNB laboratories located in Valencia. The cosmetic product will be produced with a minimum content in ectoine of 0.1g/100 g cosmetic. At least four formulations incorporating ectoine at various percentages will be developed. Cell based toxicity assessment of the derived ectoine products will be carried out using human epidermal keratinocytes and/or human fibroblasts cell cultures.

For more information check out our publications:

“Influence of operational conditions on the performance of biogas bioconversion into ectoines in pilot bubble column bioreactors”
“Ectoine Production from Biogas in Waste Treatment Facilities: A Techno-Economic and Sensitivity Analysis”
“Elucidating the key environmental parameters during the production of ectoines from biogas by mixed methanotrophic consortia”

Other sources:

• Bordel S, Pérez R, Rodriguez E, Cantera S, Fernandez-González N, Martínez M.A, Muñoz R (2020). Halotolerance mechanisms of the methanotroph Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum. Biotechnololgy and Bioengineering. 117(11): 3459-3474. https://doi.org/10.1002/bit.27506
• Cantera S, Phandanouvong-Lozano V, Pascual C, Garcia-Encina P, Lebrero R, Hay A, Munoz R (2020) A systematic comparison of ectoine production from upgraded biogas using Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum and a mixed haloalkaliphilic consortium. Waste Management. 102: 773-781. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2019.11.043
• How Biotechnology Is Making the Beauty Industry More Sustainable – Coveteur: Inside Closets, Fashion, Beauty, Health, and Travel

In DEEP PURPLE wastewater is transformed into valuable raw material for the production of biofertilizers with the help of Purple Phototrophic Bacteria (PPB). Groupe Roullier investigates the efficiency and safety of PPB biomass as raw material for formulation of biofertilizers in pellets. The MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) has been created and heavy metal analysis has confirmed its non-toxicity in the biofertilizer. So it’s proven that the PPB biomass is not toxic for biofertilizers production.

PPB biomass comes from urban biowaste, i.e., domestic wastewater treatment and complies with limit values in sludge for use in agriculture (Directive 86/278/86).

The PPB biomass shows high ratio NPK ranging from 100:25:27 to 100: 93:18 and is obtained by a low-energy intensive process by avoiding the use of oxygen (compared to that of conventional wastewater treatment). Pellets from PPB biomass have been produced for five field trials running in Italy, France and Spain with spring wheat and maize.

 

“Influence of operational conditions on the performance of biogas bioconversion into ectoines in pilot bubble column bioreactors” is the title of a recently published paper in Bioresource Technology within the DEEP PURPLE project.

HIGHLIGHTS
– Low biomass concentrations resulted in an increase in the ectoines yields.
– The increase in Cu2+ and Mg2+ concentrations did not enhance ectoines synthesis.
– The use of ammonium instead of nitrate as N source induced biomass decay.
– The increase in CH4 concentration did not enhance ectoines yields.
– Low NaCl concentrations enhanced CH4 biodegradation but reduced ectoines yields.

Please find more information and the link to the open access on the DEEP PURPLE publication here

Standardisation is a voluntary cooperation among industry, consumers, public authorities and other interested parties for the development of technical specifications based on consensus.

The European Union has an active standardisation policy that promotes standardisation in support of Better Regulation and as a tool for European competitiveness. Voluntary, consensus-based standards play a major role in promoting innovative products and services by facilitating access to market, reducing costs, enabling interoperability between new and existing products, services and processes, creating large scale markets, building confidence among consumers and disseminating research results.

UNE, the Spanish standardisation organisation, is leading the activities related with standards in DEEP PURPLE. UNE’s main objective is to facilitate the acceptance and utilization by the market of the developed solutions.

In the frame of that main objective, the drafting of a new standardization document on Extraction, production and purification of added value products from urban wastes has been agreed. The standardization document will be developed in two parts:
–        Production and purification of ectoine obtained from biogas
–        Extraction and purification of PHA biopolymers

The KOM of the workshop agreement took place last 17th of May. The experts involved appointed Mª Rosario Rodero from UVA as chairperson and Jose Luis Moltó from ACTIVATEC, as vicechair person.

The draft documents are expected to be submitted to CEN next October for a 30-day public comments period. After the analysis of received comments, the final document will be available on CEN CENELEC website.

Additional information is available on CEN website and also can also be requested to UNE at email address egayo@une.org.

The workshop organized by CEN and CENELEC defines novel processes on production and purification of added value products. The workshop will specify extraction and purification processes of two added value products, that will be included in two CWAs:

– ectoine obtained from biogas
– polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) biopolymers from wastewater

Online kick-off meeting on 17th of May 2022, from 10.00 to 12.00 CEST.
People interested to participate in the kick-off meeting can contact Ms. Elena GAYO (egayo@une.org).

All interested parties are invited to submit comments on the draft Project Plan to the Workshop secretary, Ms. Elena GAYO (egayo@une.org), by Friday 13 May 2022.

Find more information here

Patricia Zamora Bonachela from FCC Aqualia presented “a novel photo-biorefinery concept based on Purple Phototrophic Bacteria for Mixed Urban Bio-waste Treatment” at the IWA Leading Edge Conference on water and wastewater technologies in Reno (USA).
The conference took place from 27th of March until 2nd of April 2022 and is known as the cutting-edge water technology event for sharing the latest insights into how pioneering science, technological innovation and leading practices will shape the major transformation in water management that is underway. The conference covers the most breakthrough findings in water science and technology through the whole water cycle. Technical sessions were divided into:

DRINKING WATER TREATMENT TRACK
Adapting Water Supply Systems for Climate Resilience
Alternative Technologies for Indirect and Direct water Potable Reuse
Emerging Technologies for Digital Water
Pre-treatment Techniques for Desalination

WASTEWATER TREATMENT TRACK
Emerging Technologies that Enable High Effluent Quality and Resource Recovery
Emerging Contaminants: Microplastics, Pharmaceuticals, Personal Care Products (PPP) and Antibiotic Resistance
Wastewater Based Epidemiology
Treatment of Complex and High Strength Wastewaters

“Make the most out of waste” – that is our claim in the Deep Purple project. During the last months we have put attention to the topic of biomass and the enrichment with Purple Phototrophic Bacteria on our social media channels. Find a summary of the most significant content below:

In the DEEP PURPLE project, mixed urban waste streams, namely wastewater, sewage sludge and the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) is used for the recovery of valuable resources. Currently, the majority of urban biowaste in the EU is incinerated or landfilled.

By using Purple Phototrophic Bacteria (PPB) in wastewater treatment, the amount of landfilled organic waste can be reduced by at least 20% compared to disposal solution(s) currently implemented for the same types of waste streams, such as anaerobic methanation of OFMSW and activated sludge wastewater treatment plants

In addition, the enriched PPB biomass is transformed into valuable compounds for chemicals and materials like PHA (Polyhydroxyalkanoates), ectoine and cellulose in a versatile, integrated and flexible Multi-Platform Biorefinery. This approach increases productivity and cost-efficiency and reduces the carbon footprint compared to existing, conventional solutions.

Purple Phototrophic Bacteria live for resource recovery
PPB are essentially growth-driven bacteria. They do not oxidize or reduce the resources. Instead, they fully assimilate them for their growth.
In an aerobic treatment, around 60% of the total organics is converted into CO2. Therefore, only 40% of the liquid fraction can be effectively transformed into biomass. In contrast, close to 100% of the organics in wastewater are assimilated and/or accumulated by PPB.
These adaptable microorganisms allow to produce different end-products, depending on feedstock availability and features, environmental conditions, market demand, etc. The transition from a bioplastic-based refinery into a biomass (fertilizers)-based refinery is possible, as rapid conversion of the photobiorefinery operation is feasible to quickly meet market demands.

Biomass process & treatment technologies
The use of PPB for wastewater treatment is an emerging technology that enables the recovery of organics, nitrogen and phosphorous from wastewater streams in a single treatment step by biomass concentration.
Microbial technologies need pre-treatment of the waste feedstock to ease its conversion into valuable products, comparable to “cooking” the residues for them. Just like in any other wastewater treatment plant, other technologies such as sieving, settling or thermal hydrolysis are involved. After the thermal hydrolysis, the suspension is separated into a liquid and a solid fraction. The liquid fraction is then treated with the PPB, while the solid fraction is transferred into an anaerobic digester.

The main operational parameter in this context is the organic loading rate (OLR), which can be easily controlled by the amount of OFMSW that is being hydrolysed and fed into the photobioreactor. The OLR serves to tune up the COD/N/P relationship (Chemical Oxygen Demand / Nitrogen / Phosphorus) of the inlet wastewater, controlling the nutrients limitation of the biological process. When the process is submitted to nutrients limitation (mainly P), the PPB use the excess of organics to build up PHA that can be extracted as bioplastics. On the contrary, a COD/N/P ratio close to the physiological ratio of the PPB can maximize biomass growth, thereby increasing the potential production of biomass-based organic fertilizers production. Even high P concentrations and irradiation intensity can be tuned up for optimizing P accumulation as polyphosphate, thereby obtaining high-P organic fertilizers. Moreover, diverse valorisation possibilities are presented both by the biogas conversion into valuable products as well as the valorisation of the cellulose recovered from wastewater.

The DP project is still in its infancy, but many researchers are working on an optimization of the process, thereby revealing promising results.

Photobioreactor

In DEEP PURPLE, the very first treatment plant with the use of PPB in Europe and the biggest in the world will be built. The aim is to scale-up the PPB anaerobic photobioreactor from a state-of-the art treatment capacity of 30 m3 /d wastewater (TRL6) to up 600 m3 /d, which will be the largest PPB photobioreactor constructed so far.
In a conventional wastewater treatment plant, all the secondary sludge is further digested and converted into methane, with a net efficiency of 50-60%. By contrast, DEEP PURPLE attempts to convert almost the 100% of the PPB biomass into bioproducts, comprising both the PHA accumulated during the photoheterotrophic metabolism, as well as the rest of the biomass with high N, P and K composition that will be transformed into organic fertilizers.

DEEP PURPLE will set up two biorefinery platforms in two different locations to produce sustainable biomass feedstock for several industrial sectors.

The DEEP PURPLE demo sites will convert 438,000 m3 of domestic wastewater and 164 tons of OFMSW into raw matters: 260 tons of enriched biomass feedstock, 16 tons of cellulosic material and 5 tons of biogas yearly for further transformation into raw bio products.

By treating wastewater from 10,000 inhabitants in a DEEP PURPLE photobiorefinery, up to 200 kg of biofertilizers could be produced and 2,500m3 of treated water delivered. Besides, 1,000 kg CO2/day emission would be avoided and the energy surplus could power 400 households.

Optimization of the reactor’s operation is one of the highest challenges in DP as the work includes mixed microbial cultures and competence between microbial communities is unavoidable.

For more information, check out our publications:
“Coupling thermal hydrolysis with anaerobic digestion and photo-fermentation”
“Alkalinity as key factor in domestic wastewater treatment by mixed cultures of purple phototrophic bacteria”

“Ectoine Production from Biogas in Waste Treatment Facilities: A Techno-Economic and Sensitivity Analysis” is the title of a recently published paper in the ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering within the DEEP PURPLE project.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• This work constituted the first techno-economic study of the large-scale production of ectoine from biogas in waste treatment plants
• The utilization of biogas as raw material for the production of ectoine entailed a 3- to 6- fold decrease of production costs when compared to the currently established industrial processes
• The results indicated a high profitability of the process with a payback time below 3 years in all the scenarios evaluated, motivated by the wide difference between biogas-based ectoine production costs (158-275 €/kg) and the current ectoine market price (600-1000 €/kg)
• In contrast to other bioprocesses, the biogas-to-ectoine process showed a high economic robustness towards changes on water, energy, labor, and transportation costs
• This study demonstrated that large-scale production of high added-value products from biogas represents a highly profitable alternative to the current utilization of biogas as energy source, but also a much more feasible valorization pathway than the production of low added-value bioproducts

Please find more information and the link to the open access on the DEEP PURPLE publication here

“Circular Bioeconomy in the Urban Waste Management: the Role of the Public Administration” was the title of a bioworkshop that took place at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos on 14th of December 2021. It was also possible to attend the event online.

The workshop provided an opportunity to discuss the current state of urban biorefinery models and how materials can be recovered from urban waste for the productive fabric. Different politicians and technicians from local, regional and national public administrations showed the different approaches and solutions they are implementing. The main conclusion is that there is an urgent need for effective management and policy development to ensure that public actions are in line with the basic principles of the circular bioeconomy, enacted through the agreements reached within the European Union. The speakers agreed that public-private collaboration should be encouraged and research, such as the DeepPurple project or regional networks to promote the development of urban biorefineries, should be promoted.

Dr. Daniel Puyol from University Rey Juan Carlos (Madrid) and Scientific Leader of DEEP PURPLE gave a speech at the 10th annual conference of inVIVO Planetary Health (1.12.-7.12.2021) about purple phototrophic bacteria for resource recovery from organic waste sources.

Check out the video presentation (8min.) from Dr. Daniel Puyol and learn more about the power of purple phototrophic bacteria and how Ms. PPBella rocks:

Please find here the 4th issue of the DEEP PURPLE Newsletter. To receive the bi-yearly update in your inbox please sign up for it here.

14th December 2021 from 09:30 to 14:30
Universidad Rey Juan Carlos

The urban biorefinery concept came up to promote the recovery of valuable resources contained in the urban waste to be used as a raw matter within the production system. Urban waste includes municipal solid waste, excess of biomass from pruning and gardening, and the domestic wastewater. The role of the Public Administration in the management and the development of successful policies is key for guaranteeing the fitting of the public actions to the basic principia of circular bioeconomy, which are defined through the EU agreements. These agreements focus on the practical application of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 6 and 12, which have been ratified by the member States.

This Workshop will analyze the role of the Public Administration in the practical application of the urban biorefinery concept, through the participation of local, regional, and national bodies. The scope of the Workshop encompasses those geographic zones where three research projects operate, which are all based on the application of the circular bioeconomy principia on the urban waste management:
– DEEP PURPLE
– BIOTRES_CM
– REMTAVARES CM

PROGRAM
09:30 Opening – welcome
10:00 Presentation of research projects
11:00 Local panel
12:00 Coffee Break
12:30 Regional panel (Madrid and Castilla-la Mancha’s regions)
13:30 Talk-interview Ministry for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (climate change)
14:00 Closure and visit to the URJC pilot plants

Subscribe for online attendance
Subscribe and book your spot (face to face)

Find more information about the panel

Madrid Aquaenergy is a national forum that proposes to prioritize efforts to link water and energy and whose conclusions will offer ideas to promote economic recovery, prioritizing efforts in those sectors that enable job creation and sustainable growth. The event brings together public administrations, mining, health, biotechnology, renewable energy, farming and water companies, NGOs and research institutions. The goal of this forum is to form the core of a think tank that transforms water and energy and their inescapable connection to provide the administration with the necessary and sufficient arguments to justify a proposal for the revision of the Water Framework Directive.

Victor Monsalvo was invited to give a talk at the Madrid Aquaenergy Forum 2021 on 18th and 19th of November about the new generation of phototrophic raceways: biomass, bioenergy and resources from wastewater (DEEP PURPLE project).

 

The 2021 edition of the European Biotech Week, a weeklong series of events celebrating biotechnology hosted by EuropaBio, took place from September 27 until October 03. Novamont participated in the event with a webseries aimed at valorizing the role of biotechnology: one episode was dedicated to illustrate DEEP PURPLE (project’s objective, Novamont activity, role of biotechnology, possible applications).
Watch the video here

We are very happy to announce that the jury has selected DEEP PURPLE as the winner of the BBI JU Photo Competition in the category “People in bio-based industries”.

It is a great achievement, as DEEP PURPLE competed with over 170 entries for the competition. Congratulations to Novamont for submitting this prize winning photo showing a researcher preparing a culture media for the fermentation of sugars coming from waste into 1,4 bio-butanediol!

Find out more about the DEEP PURPLE project objectives and the DEEP PURPLE process here.

On the website of BBI JU you can find the other winner photos here.

See here the other photos we have submitted to the BBI JU photo competition:

The team from Universidad de Valladolid published a very interesting open access publication in the ELSEVIER Journal of Environmental Management on “Elucidating the key environmental parameters during the production of ectoines from biogas by mixed methanotrophic consortia”.

Highlights:

• Methane bioconversion into ectoine by mixed methanotrophic consortia was validated.
• The highest ectoine accumulation occurred at the lowest temperature tested (15 °C)
• A high ectoine accumulation was observed at a salinity of 9 % NaCl.
• Methylomicrobium buryatense was the main methanotroph responsible of CH4-conversion.
• Hydroxyectoine, with a higher market value than ectoine, was also biosynthesized.

Please find more information and the link to the open access on the DEEP PURPLE publication here.

Please find here the 3rd issue of the DEEP PURPLE Newsletter. To receive the bi-yearly update in your inbox please sign up for it here.

Follow the link for the online-newsletter.

In February 2021 the third DEEP PURPLE publication “Up-scale challenges on biopolymer production from waste streams by Purple Phototrophic Bacteria mixed cultures: A critical review” was published in the Elsevier Journal “Bioresource Technology” Volume 327.

The highlights are:

The production of biopolymers by purple phototrophic bacteria is reviewed.

• Understanding the underlying metabolic mechanisms for process optimization as a key.
• Special focus on polyhydroxyalkanoates and polyphosphate accumulation.
• Challenges for photobioreactors upscaling are critically defined.

Share and cite: J. Fradinho, L.D. Allegue, M. Ventura, J.A. Melero, M.A.M. Reis, D. Puyol, Up-scale challenges on biopolymer production from waste streams by Purple Phototrophic Bacteria mixed cultures: A critical review, Bioresource Technology, Volume 327, 2021, 124820, ISSN 0960-8524.

Find more information and the link to the publication here.

Standardisation is a voluntary cooperation among industry, consumers, public authorities and other interested parties for the development of technical specifications based on consensus.

The European Union has an active standardisation policy that promotes standardisation in support of Better Regulation and as a tool for European competitiveness. Voluntary, consensus-based standards play a major role in promoting innovative products and services by facilitating access to market, reducing costs, enabling interoperability between new and existing products, services and processes, creating large scale markets, building confidence among consumers and disseminating research results.

UNE, the Spanish standardisation organisation, is leading the activities related with standards in DEEP PURPLE. UNE’s main objective is to facilitate the acceptance and utilization by the market of the developed solutions.

An initial analysis of the standardization landscape has been performed. That report includes the existing standards that can be related to DEEP PURPLE research, as well as the related standardization committees and organizations involved.

Direct communication with relevant standardisation technical committees has also begun, with the objective of disseminating the project findings and results by using the standardisation system as a fast and focused dissemination tool to the market stakeholders. General information on the project has been already shared and information on the project results is periodically transmitted. Fifteen standardization technical committees are periodically informed about DEEP PURPLE achievements.

Technical areas are:

• Wastewater treatment
• Biodegradable and compostable bioplastics
• Biosolid and cellulosic materials

As consequence of those contact, two committees (international committee ISO TC 282 “Water reuse” and Spanish committee CTN 149 “Water engineering”)  show interest for knowing more about the project and AQUALIA as coordinator attended their meeting and presented the project.

That activity has been considered very valuable as it allows to present the progress of the project in international forums very close to innovation and the market.

Dissemination activities will continue throughout the project and this will allow the identification of other committees at whose meetings the project can be presented.

 

 

Raúl Muñoz Torre from the Universidad de Valladolid explains the DEEP PURPLE project and in detail the ectoine extraction for the European Researcher’s Night in November, 27th, 2020.

The video is in Spanish, but automatic subtitles can be used for everyone to understand the very informative video.

Please find here the 2nd issue of the DEEP PURPLE Newsletter. To receive the bi-yearly update in your inbox please sign up for it here.

Follow the link for the online-newsletter.

With the development of this process to decontaminate and saccharified cellulose it will be possible to use renewable sources from waste management and wastewater treatment for the biosynthesis and bioproduction of new biomaterials.

Work is currently underway to improve the efficiency and maximize the performance of the proposed process on a pilot scale. The process parameters and variables will be improved and optimised, allowing to work in a semi-continuous or even continuous approach.

Highlights:

1.     Cellulose recovered from sewage sludge has been successfully decontaminated and saccharified.

2.     More than 85 pollutant from a wide variety of sources have been identified and quantified and though an efficient and sustainable process, more than 90% of then have been removed.

3. Following this step, an efficient method for saccharification of this decontaminated cellulose has been developed in order to obtain high concentrated 2ºG sugars solution for new biomaterials production.

For further information please contact Licionio Diaz from ITENE: Licinio.diaz@itene.com.

More information on the DEEP PURPLE objectives can be found here.

Bioconversion of biogas into ectoine in high-mass transfer bioreactors

The research carried out by UVA is validating the continuous ectoine production from biogas and biomilking process and is providing the best design configuration and new insights on the optimal operational conditions of it.

Highlights from the conversion of biogas into ectoine

1.  An effective halotolerant microbial consortium capable of accumulating ectoine was enriched.
2.  Biogas bioconversion into ectoine in bubble column reactors with internal gas recycling was achieved.
3.  An innovative ectoine bio-milking process has been validated in methanotrophs.

A one stage and two-stage processes devoted to biogas bioconversion to ectoine were validated. The influence of nitrogen loading rate, internal gas recirculation and bio-milking process was investigated, which allowed conducing the basic engineering of the demo scale plants. The process optimized allowed converting 85 % of the CH4 provided and supported an effective growth of halotolerant methanotrophs containing 3-4 % of ectoine.

For further information you can have a look at the article published about DEEP PURPLE in the RETEMA Magazine (in Spanish) or please contact Raul Muñoz at mutora@iq.uva.es.

In June the team of Universidad Rey Juan Carlos started their pilot scale photobiorefinery in Mostoles, Spain

From left to right Sandra Chacón, Denise Ramírez, John Villamil, Elena Moreno and Daniel Puyol (URJC) standing in front of the pilot photobiorefinery at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in Mostoles, Spain.

Purple Phototrophic Bacteria (PPB) enriched biomass, with the distinct purple colour.

Samples from the two pilot photobioreactors in Imhoff cones during a settling test.

📣 News, news, news …

The first issue of the DEEP PURPLE Newsletter!

Read more about our 2 publications on the use of #PPB for waste valorisation and see the pilot photobiorefinery in Mostoles.

https://mailchi.mp/deed1dde7e0c/results-from-the-first-year-of-deep-purple?e=6ba9285d82

The Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC) group has just published the open-access paper “Alkalinity, and Not the Oxidation State of the Organic Substrate, Is the Key Factor in Domestic Wastewater Treatment by Mixed Cultures of Purple Phototrophic Bacteria” with interesting results on  optimization of domestic wastewater treatment using PPB (Purple Phototrophic Bacteria) in the Special Issue “Resource Recovery from Wastewater” of the Journal Ressources, Volume 9, Issue 7.

Published: July, 20th, 2020.

Abstract

Domestic wastewater treatment by purple phototrophic bacteria (PPB) is based on the assimilative uptake of organics and nutrients into the bacterial biomass. Thereby, it strongly depends on the carbon/nutrients ratio of the wastewater. The physiological COD/N/P ratio for PPB growth in domestic wastewater makes the addition of an external organic carbon source necessary in order to allow for an efficient process. However, PPB need a source of alkalinity (as CO2) to grow on reduced organics that serves as an electron acceptor since biohydrogen production (an alternative electron sink) is inhibited by ammonium. A preliminary experiment showed that high nutrients-loading wastewater was limited by CO2 imbalance, leading to poor removal efficiencies. Subsequently, the effect of the oxidation state of the organics added as external organic carbon sources to PPB reactors treating low nutrients-loading domestic wastewater has been analyzed. Three organics were used as additives to PPB development in four consecutive batches: acetate (more oxidized), ethanol and butyrate (more reduced). The PPB population was settled and the general performance under the three situations, in terms of organics, N and P assimilation, and growth kinetics was not significantly different irrespective of the external organic carbon source. The reactors were dominated by PPB, though reduced organics allowed for dominance of Rhodopseudomonas palustris, whereas oxidized organics caused co-dominance of R. palustris and Rhodobacter capsulatus. Thereby, alkalinity (as bicarbonate), and not the oxidation state of the organics, is the key parameter for the efficient treatment of domestic wastewater by PPB.

Share and Cite

Nairn, C.; Rodríguez, I.; Segura, Y.; Molina, R.; González-Benítez, N.; Molina, M.C.; Simarro, R.; Melero, J.A.; Martínez, F.; Puyol, D. Alkalinity, and Not the Oxidation State of the Organic Substrate, Is the Key Factor in Domestic Wastewater Treatment by Mixed Cultures of Purple Phototrophic Bacteria. Resources 2020, 9, 88.

Find the article under this link:

https://doi.org/10.3390/resources9070088

Download the Article here:

Resources Article “Alkalinity, and Not the Oxidation State of the Organic Substrate, Is the Key Factor in Domestic Wastewater Treatment by Mixed Cultures of Purple Phototrophic Bacteria”.

An interesting article in Spanish about the DEEP PURPLE project in the RETEMA Magazine Issue March/April 2020 on “Recovery of resources from biowaste and solar energy in photo-biorefineries” by Patricia Zamora, Víctor Monsalvo, Eugenio Marín, Raúl Muñoz, Alessandro Carmona, John Villamil, Juan Antonio Melero,Fernando Martínez, Frank Rogalla, Daniel Puyol. (Aqualia, Universidad de Valladolid and Universidad Rey Juan Carlos).

You can read here to the online version or download the entire issue here.

Artículo Deep Purple_v2

 

 

Luis D. Allegue, Daniel Puyol and Juan Antonio Melero Novel, from the Group of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, published “Novel approach for the treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste: Coupling thermal hydrolysis with anaerobic digestion and photo-fermentation” in ELSEVIER, “Science of the Total Environment” with open access under a Creative Commons license, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

In this study different organic fractions of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) were used as raw material in a novel treatment process that combines thermal hydrolysis (TH) pretreatment with anaerobic digestion of the solid fraction and photo-fermentation of the liquid fraction. Specific phototrophic activity tests were performed using a mixed culture of purple phototrophic bacteria (PPB) that consumed up to 80% of the soluble organics. PPB was capable of producing polyhydroxyalkanoates, bioH2 and single-cell protein, apart from methane.

Highlights of the DEEP PURPLE publication:

• Transformation of biowaste by purple-phototrophic bacteria-based treatment
• Time had no impact on overall performance in thermal hydrolysis pretreatment.
• 15% of total solids transformed into high added-value products.
• High biomass yield achieved during photo-fermentation.

To download and view the entire publication, please follow this link.

Luis D. Allegue, Daniel Puyol and Juan Antonio Melero Novel, Novel approach for the treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste: Coupling thermal hydrolysis with anaerobic digestion and photo-fermentation. Elsevier 2020, Science of The Total Environment 714, 136845.

Dr. Daniel Puyol, scientific manager of DEEP PURPLE explaining how the University of Rey Juan Carlos is collaborating with DEEP PURPLE’s lead partner AQUALIA to develop low environmental impact technologies in many ambitious projects like DEEP PURPLE (Spanish with English subtitles available).

The University Rey Juan Carlos offers a Research Assistant position for working under the frame of the European Project DEEP PURPLE (GA No.: 837998) with the following RESPONSIBILITIES:

• To operate and maintain a pilot-scale bio-refinery consisting on: A pair of 0.5 m3 photo-bioreactors, where purple phototrophic bacteria will evolve
  Pumping units for inlet, outlet and recirculation of the plant
  A pair of settling units
  A microwave volumetric heating unit for biomass pasteurization
  A decanter for biomass dewatering
  A sludge infrared drier
• To analyse all the macroscopic parameters for the operation of the pilot-plant, including: COD, VSS/TSS, N and P forms, among others
• To analyse the biomass for agronomic characteristics and PHA content and characterization
• To analyse the pathogens reduction through standard methodologies
• To write scientific documents and preliminary reports

Offer:
– A one-year contract.
– Competitive salary.
–  Working in a high-level scientific-technical environment, with an emerging technology where the URJC is a pioneer in the EU.

Requirements:
– MS on chemical engineering, environmental engineering, environmental biotechnology, wastewater treatment or similar
–  Experience on pilot-plan operation
–  Experience on biological wastewater treatment
–  Availability to travel locally (surroundings of Madrid)
–  To be in good fit to operate large and heavy equipment
–  Proficiency in English
–  Immediate incorporation.

Valuable skills:
–  Knowledge on agronomy and fertilizers properties
–  Open mind
–  Proactivity
–  Team worker
–  Problem-solving attitude

Contact: daniel.puyol@urjc.es

Please note: Only EU researchers or foreigners with residence permit for at least one year can be accepted.

Download the entire job description: Research Assistant-DEEP PURPLE and find more information here.

SPANISH ONLY/ INVITATION ONLY/CANCELLED for now

El proyecto DEEP PURPLE (2019-2023), financiado por el programa europeo Horizonte 2020, tiene como objetivo desarrollar y validar un modelo de biorrefinería que sea capaz de aprovechar los flujos de residuos urbanos orgánicos para extraer y recuperar compuestos de alto valor añadido (ectoína, PHA o celulosa), utilizados en aplicaciones de bioplásticos, fertilizantes o cosméticos.

El Instituto Tecnológico del Embalaje, Transporte y Logística (ITENE) forma parte de este proyecto y, en este contexto, celebrará el 23 de abril de 2020 un workshop con stakeholders, al cual deseamos invitarle, con el fin de recabar información sobre los desafíos a los que se enfrentan determinadas empresas a la hora de gestionar sus residuos y, sobre esa base, evaluar posibles soluciones.

Objetivos:

Entenderlosproblemasqueafrontanaquellasempresas envasadoras de la industria agroalimentaria que cuentan con depuradoras en sus instalaciones para la gestión de sus residuos.
Evaluarcuálesdelosresiduosquegeneranestasempresas pueden ser valorizados con el fin de obtener materias primas.

Dirigido a:

Empresas envasadoras de la industria agroalimentaria con residuos de alto contenido celulósico -como, por ejemplo, envasadoras de zumos, gazpacho, cervezas y vino- que disponen de sistemas de depuración propios.

Metodología:

A través de metodologías basadas en el Design Thinking, identificaremos las oportunidades de mejora de los procesos de aprovechamiento de subproductos derivados de la transformación de las materias primas agroalimentarias. De la mano de expertos de ITENE, guiaremos a los asistentes en la búsqueda de soluciones para valorizar los residuos, siguiendo los principios de la economía circular.

Location:

ITENE, Parque Tecnológico, C/ Albert Einstein, 1, Paterna (Valencia) 46980

Contacto: cristina.gonzalez(at)itene.com

 

Want to know what DEEP PURPLE is about? Who is involved and why it is such an important project?

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Ernesto Horikoshi, Global Head of Active Ingredients, Business Segment Active Ingredients of Clariant Production France joined the DEEP PURPLE Advisory Board. Ernesto Horikoshi has over 15 years of experience in the Global Specialties Chemical Industry. He started his career in Clariant as R&D manager in Brazil working on the global development of Home and Personal Care products and the management of technical support for customers in Latin America and Asia.

After 6 years he moved to Switzerland and has held different management positions in Key Account Management, Marketing and Sales departments globally and in the EMEA region.

He has focused his career in the fields of Home and Personal Care and currently is the Head of Clariant Cosmetics Active Ingredients headquartered in Toulouse, France. Academic credentials include a Global Executive MBA and a Bachelor in Sciences of Chemistry.