A paradigm shift in wastewater treatment is currently underway as the industry continues to seek new ways to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumption while maintaining the ability to produce high-quality effluent. Due to the rapid decrease in the cost of renewable energy, it is now practical to design devices that use renewable electrons to drive the transformation of CO2 and other waste feedstock such as wastewater into high-value products while also recovering important resources such as water, nutrients, and energy.

This presentation will discuss opportunities to leverage cutting-edge integrated electrochemical-biological technologies in diverse environmental applications for synchronized wastewater treatment, water reuse, and CO2 capture and conversion. Specifically, we will focus on our recent advancements in microbial electrosynthesis (MES) reactor design and operation that have enabled excellent production rates, titer, and energy efficiencies. Efforts towards improving reactor scalability, expanding the portfolio of products, and implementing new types of waste streams are ongoing.

Coffee Talks provide a monthly opportunity during the academic year to network, learn about pressing and emerging water-related issues, hear about ongoing water-related research, and meet new partners. In 2024/25, Water@Michigan Coffee Talks will explore the water-climate nexus.

For more information about the fall series, visit the Coffee Talks webpage: https://graham.umich.edu/wateratmichigan/coffee-talks