Reimagining wastewater treatment as a renewable carbon foundry
By Prof. Peter Lammers, Arizona Center for Algae Technology and Innovation, Arizona State University
Tuesday, November 24, 2020
6:00 p.m.
On Zoom
Abstract
Carbon in municipal wastewater is currently treated through biological oxidation to CO2 with little regard for the environmental consequences. The process efficient as it consumes roughly three percent of the U.S. energy budget leading to further greenhouse gas emissions. There is no potential to improve the process using biotechnology and genetic engineering principles as conventional activated sludge consists of a wide variety of competing organisms.
The seminar will provide an overview of our work to develop polyextremophilic microalgae to replace activated sludge organisms. These organisms are eukaryotic red algae comprising three genera in the Cyanidiales clade. They are found worldwide only in acidic hot springs or acidic mine tailing/smelter sites.
The seminar will focus on three major areas: i) heterotrophic and autotrophic metabolism as it applies to wastewater sources, ii) mixotrophic approaches to the treatment of wastewater at large scales, and iii) bioreactor design principles needed to enable circular economies for designer carbon production in the future.
About the speaker
Peter Lammers is research professor in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment at Arizona State University. Current funded research addresses renewable energy production with an emphasis on a mixotrophic extremophile known as Galdieria sulphuraria. A second focus area is for mixotrophic wastewater treatment. Lammers is Principal Investigator for two Department of Energy awards: “Realization of Algae Potential” (2014-2016) and “A Novel Platform for Algal Biomass Production using Cellulosic Mixotrophy (2016-2018).
Lammers is also the chief scientist for the Algae Testbed Public Private Partnership (ATP3). He serves as associate editor of the journal Algal Research. Previous positions include Vice President for biotechnology at Solix Biosystems (2009-2010), research professor at New Mexico State University (2010-2014) and assistant, associate, and full Professor of Biochemistry at New Mexico State University (1985-2009).