The Aquaelectra Consortium will investigate new techniques for the treatment of water
on March 16, 2011
The Consortium is composed by Fundación Imdea-water (Group Bioelectrogénesis), the center of the new technologies of water Foundation (Senta), Joca, purification of water of the Mediterranean (DAM) and Euroestudios enterprises, this last charge of the coordination of the project. 'aquaelectra' is funded through the programme 'Innpacto' of the Ministry of science and innovation.
In a note, Centa explains that this collaboration project pursues three objectives, develop a natural system of sewage through wetlands bioelectrogénicos, establish a system of treatment anaerobic bioelectrogénico and build a system of eliminating bioelectrogénica of nutrients (nitrogen-based).
The bioelectrogénesis is a novel process whereby certain bacteria can oxidise organic matter and transferring the electrons generated directly into conductive solid surface such as, for example, the graphite. In this way you can get and store clean energy.
In addition to its broad and extensive research history, each of the partners of the Consortium provides a number of elements for the development of this initiative. Thus, Imdea-water has a laboratory appropriate to the process of investigation of this new technology while the Centa Foundation makes available to the facilities of its experimental center located in the Sevillian town of Carrión of lawns, which will be conducted trials in field with urban wastewater.
For its part, Euroestudios enterprises, DAM and Joca bring their extensive experience in the field of infrastructure for the exploitation and the sanitation of the wastewater.
According to the Consortium, the use of aerobic microorganisms for purification of waste water is widespread, but carries with it "two of the main problems associated with the treatment of water at present: the generation of biomass in the form of activated sludge and the high energy cost of oxygen to the biological system".
