{"id":2587,"date":"2025-05-30T11:05:45","date_gmt":"2025-05-30T11:05:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/impress-he.eu\/?p=2587"},"modified":"2025-06-13T10:24:57","modified_gmt":"2025-06-13T10:24:57","slug":"duckweed-a-solo-act-or-team-player-in-wastewater-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/impress-he.eu\/nn\/2025\/05\/30\/duckweed-a-solo-act-or-team-player-in-wastewater-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Duckweed: A Solo Act or Team Player in Wastewater Treatment?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Duckweed is known for its remarkable ability to remove nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus from water quickly and efficiently. It can even absorb certain metals and organic pollutants. But when wastewater is rich in sugars, oils, or fats, like many waste streams from the agri-feed industry, duckweed struggles to thrive on its own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take dairy processing wastewater, for example. This by-product from cheese, yoghurt, or milk powder production contains high levels of lactose, a sugar that duckweed can\u2019t easily break down. So, does this limit duckweed\u2019s potential in wastewater treatment and valorisation?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Absolutely not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Smarter, Two-Step Approach<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At University College Cork<\/a>, researchers from the NewTrients<\/strong> project have developed a clever two-stage system that combines the power of microbes and plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Step one<\/strong>: Acidogenic bacteria are used to convert lactose into valuable products such as volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). PHAs are key building blocks for bioplastics, offering a sustainable alternative to fossil-based plastics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step two<\/strong>: Once the lactose has been removed, the nutrient-rich wastewater is ideal for duckweed cultivation. Duckweed can then absorb remaining nitrogen and phosphorus while producing protein-rich biomass, perfect for use in animal feed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This cascading approach turns a once problematic waste stream into a dual opportunity: bioplastics and animal feed right from rural industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Dairy to Seafood: What\u2019s Next?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of the IMPRESS project, the UCC team is now turning its attention to seafood processing wastewater, which is especially rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), high-value compounds often used in health supplements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new goal? To design a cascading system that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n