Sustainable advanced porous microsphere materials for water treatment applications

The aim of this project is to address the issue of pharmaceutical micro-pollutants which are present in waste water sources. These pollutants have been linked with antimicrobial resistance around the world. Activated carbon (AC) is a well-known commercial material used for removal of organic and inorganic pollutants in water, which is prepared using carbonaceous precursors, including coal, peat and coconut shells. However, the use of AC is not sustainable. This project will focus on developing alternate, sustainable advanced materials for water treatment applications. A previously developed manufacturing technology for the production of highly porous glass microspheres will be applied to natural materials to manufacture highly porous microspheres from alternative, sustainable, non-resorbable glass alternatives and natural materials.