Avoiding the environmental spread of contaminants of emerging concern using hybrid systems to treat urban wastewater

AStUtE is committed to advancing wastewater treatment processes for environmental protection by developing alternative strategies to avoid the release/discharge of contaminants of emerging concern in water bodies, in line with the European Green Deal's zero pollution ambition.
AStUtE aims to explore two promising strategies: (I) the development of multi-specialized CECs-degrading granules, produced through the immobilization of a range of CECs-degrading microbial strains into a biobased matrix, that will be used to bioaugment a granular sludge reactor; (II) the development of alternative waste-derived sorbents materials collected from industry or nature, to be used to assemble adsorption-based units that will be coupled to granular sludge units, originating an hybrid system.
AStUtE aims to contribute for minimizing the harmful effects of WWTP effluents discharge on receiving water bodies, thus protecting ecosystems and the biodiversity within the surrounding environments. Collectively, the project outcomes will benefit the environment, economy, and society.