Making biodegradable microbial flocculants (EPS) from wastewater

Water scarcity impacts many regions in the world. To reduce the pressure on freshwater sources, we must treat and reuse water in efficient and safe ways. Therefore, (waste)water needs to be treated accordingly to close the water loop/gap. The treatment of (waste)water demands innovative solutions that use non-toxic chemicals, generate less polluting waste streams, and reduce the carbon footprint. Flocculants such as polyacrylamide (PAM) are extensively used in applications such as drinking water production, wastewater treatment, and soil conditioning. However, these flocculants are produced from fossil sources and, therefore, have a high carbon footprint. Additionally, their fate in the aquatic environment is uncertain and such flocculants may degrade into toxic monomers. This project aims to produce well-defined, non-toxic and biodegradable microbial flocculants from wastewater. Production of such flocculants will combine low carbon footprint valorisation of organic pollutants in wastewater with the contribution to safe environment and sustainable water treatment.