Biocatalytic membranes for micro/nano plastic degradation within waste water effluents (BMRex)

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The impact of the high global demand for plastics in the 20th century is causing major problems for the environment and our health. Currently, one third of all plastic waste generated ends up on land or in freshwater. In fact, our seas and oceans already contain millions of tonnes of plastic which, over time, disintegrate into microplastics (particles smaller than 1 millimetre in size), and these break down further into nanoplastics (particles smaller than 0.2 micrometres in size). These microplastics and the nanoparticles generated pose a great threat to life on this planet, from plants and animals to humans, as they end up entering our food chains and therefore our organisms.?A change in the so-called plastic economy is essential, which must evolve into a system that preserves the value and benefits of plastics, eliminating their waste and the problems they generate. To this end, work is being done on the use of enzymes capable of degrading micro- and nanoplastics and preventing them from escaping into the environment. However, the complexity and breadth of plastics pose a major challenge for the development of real solutions that will lead to real progress in this field. In this context, the BMRex project aims to achieve significant progress by deploying a novel biocatalytic reactor design capable of degrading microplastic pollutants in environmentally and economically sustainable way. In addition, the BMRex project is expected to provide a new impetus for the removal of other critical pollutants (such as heavy metals, disinfectants, pharmaceuticals or other hormonally active chemicals), but also to have a potential impact on applications related to energy (catalysts, flue gas purification, etc.) and sustainable bio-manufacturing (pharmaceutical and food industries).?