Project

Call for Partners | Resource Unchain: Recovery Solutions for Aqueous Side Streams

In a time when sustainability and efficient resource management have become essential, Wageningen Food & Biobased Research (WFBR) seeks to collaborate with industry stakeholders to innovate and implement processes for recovering valuable components from residual aqueous streams. This initiative aims not only to reduce environmental footprints but also to generate economic advantages, shifting the focus from waste management to strategic resource recovery.

Harnessing membrane technologies

WFBR's initiative focuses on exploring hybrid processes that integrate membrane separation technologies to remove, concentrate, and isolate valuable components from residual aqueous streams in the agri-food sector and other industries. Potential substances targeted for recovery include:

  • Salts
  • Inorganic acids
  • Medium-chain carboxylic acids, which are versatile in various industrial applications,
  • Polyphenols, known for their antioxidant properties
  • Amino acids, essential for chemical and pharmaceutical industries
  • Bioactive compounds such as flavonoids and carotenoids, crucial for the nutraceutical sector
  • Sugars, among others.

We prioritize membrane technologies, such as pertraction and electrodialysis, because they offer advantages such as low environmental footprint, efficient operation at ambient temperatures, low energy consumptions, and require minimal or no addition of chemicals. Their flexibility allows for scalable solutions that can be tailored to meet specific process requirements.

Key steps to enhance resource recovery

For this project, we propose the following activities:

  • Conduct assessments to identify valuable compounds and evaluate the feasibility of separation technologies.
  • Perform lab-scale testing to refine recovery parameters and improve resource quality.
  • Design and test a demonstration system to optimize recovery efficiency and evaluate real-world performance.
  • Carry out economic and environmental impact analysis to validate the benefits of the recovery process.

Collaboration with partners

We seek collaborations with companies across various sectors interested in recovering valuable compounds from their residual water flows, currently considered waste. We are also looking to partner with providers of membrane technology solutions.

The project aims to foster a public-private partnership, with partners expected to offer support both financially and through in-kind contributions.