Summary
The aim of this proposal consists of obtaining macroporous photocatalysts based on ecogenic metal oxides (ecoMO) (ZnO/CuO) composites through the robocasting technique, but also the evaluationof the synergistic effect induced by the presence of microalgae in the removal of specific pollutants for wastewater treatment and the use of regenerated water in agriculture.
The main objectives of the project are the following:
(i) green synthesis of photo-catalysts based on metal oxides (ZnO, CuO) nanoparticles (NPs),
(ii) 3D-printing structures based on ecogenic metal oxides by robocasting,
(iii) the use of the obtained 3D photocatalytic structures based on metal oxides NPs to remove contaminants such as antibiotics or dyes from the wastewater generated by pharmaceutical/textile industry,
(iv) In vivo ecotoxicological tests to determine the baseline toxicity of synthetic/real wastewater, before and after treatment, on laboratory/greenhouse plants, as well as tests on living organisms: A. fischeri, Daphnia, zebrafish embryo toxicity test (ZETA), and acute toxicity on zebrafish eggs.
(v) the use of the microalgae to reduce the pollutant species generated during the photocatalysis process, and
(vi) the assessment of the synergistic effect induced by the 3D photocatalytic structures and microalgae at laboratory/semi-industrial/greenhouse level on synthetic wastewater (by adding drugs/dyes) and in real wastewater (treatment plants).
