The GENOCOV team, represented by Mengqi Cheng, Liwen Yan, and Alex Gaona, showcased the FOSPHORUS project, focusing on phosphorus recovery from wastewater. They demonstrated how the side stream enhanced biological phosphorus removal (S2EBPR) system works, concentrating phosphorus for reuse by leveraging volatile fatty acids produced during biomass fermentation. The team also presented struvite, a valuable phosphorus-based mineral recovered from the process, highlighting the importance of phosphorus reutilization for sustainability.

Zainab Ul followed with her talk, Is CO₂ a Problem or an Opportunity? She emphasized the potential of capturing CO₂ from industrial emissions and converting it into useful chemicals, such as 3-hydroxypropionic acid, which is essential for bioplastics production. Her presentation highlighted the VIVALDI project’s role in transforming waste into valuable resources.

Oscar Guerrero engaged local secondary school students by presenting another aspect of the VIVALDI project, focusing on ammonium recovery from wastewater using bioelectrochemical systems. He explained how these systems utilize electrical energy and bacteria to sustainably recover ammonium.

Together, the presentations from the FOSPHORUS and VIVALDI projects highlighted innovative solutions for phosphorus recovery, CO₂ valorization, and ammonium reutilization, contributing to a more sustainable future.