Engineered hydrochar for industrial wastewater quality monitoring and treatment

Biomass represents the only abundant source of renewable organic carbon which can be converted to a variety of biochemicals and biomaterials. Hydrochar is one of these biomaterials and has demonstrated its potential in a variety of applications as soil amendments, catalyst supports, and bio-adsorbents. The proposed international collaboration aims to leverage the expertise of leading research groups from Australia and Brazil to create a scientifically robust platform for undertaking world-leading research for the development of engineered hydrochar products. The initial applications to be explored will include effective industrial wastewater quality monitoring and treatment. The project fits well into the concept of the Circular Economy and is also viewed as a good practice to convert carbon source to a stable carbon sink.The outcomes from the current study will include 1) The establishment of a highly experienced research team with complementary expertise to undertake cutting edge research on hydrochar for a range of environmental applications; 2) Developing proof of concept designs for engineered hydrochar for the removal of heavy metals in industrial wastewater and biosensors for water quality monitoring; 3) Positioning of the research team to apply for larger-scale research funding to extend the research beyond the proof of concept and to build an international reputation in hydrochar research.Canada produces more biomass resources per capita than any other country. The outcomes from this project will contribute to building Canada's reputation as a world leader in the development of bioproducts and capacity for effective conversion of waste biomass to advanced biocarbon materials for improving environmental sustainability. It also contributes to bridging significant knowledge gaps in relation to the production of engineered hydrochar for application to industrial wastewater treatment whilst minimising the energy footprint. It also serves as an exemplar for the practical application of the Circular Economy concept and the move to a low-carbon society.