Research themes

resource
recovery

In the Resource Recovery theme new technology is developed to harvest nitrogen from waste streams like urine and industrial wastewater in the form of ammonia that is converted to e.g., ammonium sulphate. Another focus is electrochemically harvesting of phosphate from a phosphate rich waste stream from the dairy industry in the form of hydroxyapatite.

As a continuation of studies on microbial fuel cells and microbial electrolysis cells, the bio-anode is studied in case of intermittent control to improve store of energy in the biofilm. Bio-anodes can also be used for a biological cell for harvesting of ammonia.

Team members

Coordination & management

Michel Saakes

Theme coordinator Resource recovery, Sustainable carbon cycle

Pieter Hack

Theme manager

Research staff

Research documents

Research projects

Widya Prihesti Iswarani

Electrochemical nutrient recovery improvement and scaling prevention

Wageningen University

Simona Pruiti

Optimising electrochemical phosphate recovery

Wageningen University
Publications

S. Canizales, L. Hilderink, M. Apkhazava, H. Temmink, R.H. Wijffels, M. Janssen

Cyanophycin Production in Turbidostat Cultivation of Cyanobacteria under Phosphorus Limitation on Synthetic Urine Media

Algal Research 72 (103143): 103143 (2023)

S. Canizales, P. Chen, H. Temmink, R.H. Wijffels, M. Janssen

Cyanobacteria Cultivation on Human Urine for Nutrients Recovery

Algal Research 71 (103064): 103064 (2023)

B. Korth, J. Pereira, T. Sleutels, F. Harnisch, A. ter Heijne

Comparing theoretical and practical biomass yields calls for revisiting thermodynamic growth models for electroactive microorganisms

Water Research;120279 (2023)

S. Georg, A.T. Puari, M.P.G. Hanantyo, T. Sleutels, P. Kuntke, A. ter Heijne, C.J.N. Buisman

Low-Energy Ammonium Recovery by a Combined Bio-Electrochemical and Electrochemical System

Chemical Engineering Journal (Lausanne, Switzerland: 1996) 454 (140196): 140196 (2023)

M. Rodrigues, S. Molenaar, J. Barbosa, T. Sleutels, H.V.M. Hamelers, C.J.N. Buisman, P. Kuntke

Effluent PH Correlates with Electrochemical Nitrogen Recovery Efficiency at Pilot Scale Operation

Separation and Purification Technology 306 (122602): 122602 (2023)

M. Rodrigues, M. Roman, A. ter Heijne, T. Sleutels, E.R. Cornelissen, A. Verliefde, C.J. N. Buisman, P. Kuntke

Characterization of the Organic Micropollutants Behavior during Electrochemical Ammonia Recovery

Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, no. 109613: 109613 (2023)

M. Rodrigues, T. Sleutels, P. Kuntke, C.J.N. Buisman, H.V.M. Hamelers

Effects of Current on the Membrane and Boundary Layer Selectivity in Electrochemical Systems Designed for Nutrient Recovery

ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 10 (29): 9411–18 (2022)

L. Yang, M. Soares da Costa, Z. Zhan, M. Saakes, R.D. van der Weijden, C.J.N. Buisman

Electrochemical Phosphorus Removal and Recovery from Cheese Wastewater: Function of Polarity Reversal

ACS EST Engg. (2022)

J. Pereira, S. de Nooy, T. Sleutels, A. Ter Heijne

Opportunities for Visual Techniques to Determine Characteristics and Limitations of Electro-Active Biofilms

Biotechnology Advances 60 (108011): 108011 (2022)

F. Ferrari, M. Pijuan, S. Molenaar, N. Duinslaeger, T. Sleutels, P. Kuntke, J. Radjenovic

Ammonia recovery from anaerobic digester centrate using onsite pilot scale bipolar membrane electrodialysis coupled to membrane stripping

Water Research, 218(118504), 118504 (2022)

J. Pereira, S. Pang, C. Borsje, T. Sleutels, B. Hamelers, A. ter Heijne

Real-Time Monitoring of Biofilm Thickness Allows for Determination of Acetate Limitations in Bio-Anodes

Bioresource Technology Reports 18 (June): 101028 (2022)

Y. Wang, P. Kuntke, M. Saakes, R.D. van der Weijden, C.J.N. Buisman, Y. Lei

Electrochemically Mediated Precipitation of Phosphate Minerals for Phosphorus Removal and Recovery: Progress and Perspective

Water Research 209 (117891): 117891 (2022)

J. Pereira, Y. Mediayati, H.P.J. van Veelen, H. Temmink, T. Sleutels, B. Hamelers, A. Ter Heijne

The Effect of Intermittent Anode Potential Regimes on the Morphology and Extracellular Matrix Composition of Electro-Active Bacteria

Biofilm 4 (100064): 100064 (2022)

M. Rodrigues, R. Jensen Lund, A. ter Heijne, T. Sleutels, C.J.N. Buisman, P. Kuntke

Application of Ammonium Fertilizers Recovered by an Electrochemical System

Resources, Conservation, and Recycling 181 (106225): 106225 (2022)

S. Canizales, M. Sliwszcinka, A. Russo, S. Bentvelzen, H. Temmink, A.M. Verschoor, R.H. Wijffels, M. Janssen

Cyanobacterial Growth and Cyanophycin Production with Urea and Ammonium as Nitrogen Source

Journal of Applied Phycology 33 (6): 3565–77 (2021)

A. ter Heijne, M.A. Pereira, J. Pereira, T. Sleutels

Electron Storage in Electroactive Biofilms

Trends in Biotechnology 39 (1): 34–42 (2021)

C. Borsje, T. Sleutels, W. Zhang, W. Feng, C.J.N. Buisman, A. ter Heijne

Making the Best Use of Capacitive Current: Comparison between Fixed and Moving Granular Bioanodes

Journal of Power Sources 489 (March): 229453 (2021)

Y. Lei, Z. Zhan, M. Saakes, R.D. van der Weijden, C.J.N. Buisman

Electrochemical Recovery of Phosphorus from Acidic Cheese Wastewater: Feasibility, Quality of Products, and Comparison with Chemical Precipitation

ACS ES&T Water 1 (4): 1002–13 (2021)

Y. Lei, Yang, Z. Zhan, M. Saakes, R.D. van der Weijden, C.J.N. Buisman

Electrochemical Recovery of Phosphorus from Wastewater Using Tubular Stainless-Steel Cathode for a Scalable Long-Term Operation

Water Research 199 (July): 117199 (2021)

C. Borsje, T. Sleutels, C.J.N. Buisman, A. ter Heijne

Improving the Discharge of Capacitive Granules in a Moving Bed Reactor

Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering 9 (4): 105556 (2021)

M. Rodrigues, A. Paradkar, T. Sleutels, A. ter Heijne, C.J.N. Buisman, H.V.M. Hamelers, P. Kuntke

Donnan Dialysis for Scaling Mitigation during Electrochemical Ammonium Recovery from Complex Wastewater

Water Research 201 (August): 117260 (2021)

S. Georg, C. Schott, J.R. Courela Capitao, T. Sleutels, P. Kuntke, A. ter Heijne, C.J.N. Buisman

Bio-Electrochemical Degradability of Prospective Wastewaters to Determine Their Ammonium Recovery Potential

Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments 47 (October): 101423 (2021)

M. Mollaei, M. Suarez-Diez, V.T. Sedano-Nunez, S. Boeren, A.J.M. Stams, C.M. Plugge

Proteomic Analysis of a Syntrophic Coculture of Syntrophobacter Fumaroxidans MPOBT and Geobacter Sulfurreducens PCAT

Frontiers in Microbiology 12 (November 2021)

L. Caizán-Juanarena, C. Borsje, T. Sleutels, D. Yntema, C. Santoro, I. Ieropoulos, F. Soavi, A. ter Heijne

Combination of bioelectrochemical systems and electrochemical capacitors: Principles, analysis and opportunities

Biotechnol. Adv. 39 (2020) 107456

L. Caizán-Juanarena, T. Sleutels, C. Borsje, A. ter Heijne

Considerations for application of granular activated carbon as capacitive bioanode in bioelectrochemical systems

Renew. Energy. 157 (2020) 782–792

L. Caizán-Juanarena, A. ter Heijne, J. Weijma, D. Yntema, D.A. Suárez-Zuluaga, C.J.N. Buisman

Screening for electrical conductivity in anaerobic granular sludge from full-scale wastewater treatment reactors

Biochem. Eng. J. 159 (2020) 107575

S. Georg, I. de Eguren Cordoba, T. Sleutels, P. Kuntke, A. ter Heijne, C.J.N. Buisman

Competition of electrogens with methanogens for hydrogen in bioanodes

Water Res. 170 (2020) 115292

M. Mollaei, P.H.A. Timmers, M. Suarez‐Diez, S. Boeren, A.H. Gelder, A.J.M. Stams, C.M. Plugge

Comparative proteomics of Geobacter sulfurreducens PCA T in response to acetate

formate and/or hydrogen as electron donor, Environ. Microbiol. 23 (2021) 299–315

Y. Lei, M. Saakes, R.D. van der Weijden, C.J.N. Buisman

Electrochemically mediated calcium phosphate precipitation from phosphonates: Implications on phosphorus recovery from non-orthophosphate

Water Res. 169 (2020) 115206

M. Rodrigues, T.T. de Mattos, T. Sleutels, A. ter Heijne, H.V.M. Hamelers, C.J.N. Buisman, P. Kuntke

Minimal Bipolar Membrane Cell Configuration for Scaling Up Ammonium Recovery

ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng. 8 (2020) 17359–17367

Y. Lei, E. Geraets, M. Saakes, R.D. van der Weijden, C.J.N. Buisman

Electrochemical removal of phosphate in the presence of calcium at low current density: Precipitation or adsorption

Water Res. 169 (2020) 115207

M. Rodrigues, T. Sleutels, P. Kuntke, D. Hoekstra, A. ter Heijne, C.J.N. Buisman, H.V.M. Hamelers

Exploiting Donnan Dialysis to enhance ammonia recovery in an electrochemical system

Chem. Eng. J. 395 (2020) 125143

C. Borsje, T. Sleutels, M. Saakes, C.J. Buisman, A. Heijne

The granular capacitive moving bed reactor for the scale up of bioanodes

J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol. 94 (20 19) 2738 – 2748

Y. Lei, M. Du, P. Kuntke, M. Saakes, R. van der Weijden, C.J.N. Buisman

Energy Efficient Phosphorus Recovery by Microbial Electrolysis Cell Induced Calcium Phosphate Precipitation

ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng. 7 (2019) 8860 – 8867

Y. Lei, I. Hidayat, M. Saakes, R. van der Weijden, C.J.N. Buisman

Fate of calcium, magnesium and inorganic carbon in electrochemical phosphorus recovery from domestic wastewate

Chem. Eng. J. 362 (2019) 453 – 459

Y. Lei, S. Narsing, M. Saakes, R.D. van der Weijden, C.J.N. Buisman

Calcium Carbonate Packed Electrochemical Precipitation Column: New Concept of Phosphate Removal and Recovery

Environ. S ci. Technol. 53 (2019) 10774 – 10780

Y. Lei, J.C. Remmers, M. Saakes, R.D. van der Weijden, C.J.N. Buisman

Influence of Cell Configuration and Long – Term Operati on on Electrochemical Phosphorus Recovery from Domestic Wastewater

ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng. 7 (2019) 7362 – 7368

V.M. Luimstra, J.M. Schuurmans, C.F .M. de Carvalho, H.C.P. Matthijs, K.J. Hellingwerf, J. Huisman

Exploring the low photosynthetic efficiency of cyanobacteria in blue light using a mutant lacking phycobilisomes

Photosynth. Res. 141 (2019) 291 – 301

S.D. Molenaar, M. Elzinga, S.G. Willemse, T. Sleutels, A. ter Heijne, C.J.N. Buisman

Comparison of Two Sustainable Counter Electrodes for Energy Storage in the Microbial Rechargeable Battery

ChemElectroChem. 6 (2019) 2464 – 247

G. Ni, P. Harnawan, L. Seidel, A. Ter Heijne, T. Sleutels, C.J.N. Buisman, M. Dopson

Haloalkaliphilic microorganisms assist sulfide removal in a microbial electrolysis cell

J. Hazard. Mater. 363 (2019) 197 – 204

M. Rodríguez Arredondo, P. Kuntke, A. ter Heijne, C.J. Buisman

The concept of load ratio applied to bioelectrochemical systems for ammonia recovery

J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol. 94 (2019) 2055 – 2061

L. Caizán – Juanarena, I. Servin – Balderas, X. Chen, C.J.N. Buisman, A. ter Heijne

Electrochemical and microbiological characterization of single carbon granules in a multi – anode microbial fuel cell

J. Power Sources. 435 (2019) 126514
Patents

Lei Y., Saakes, M., van der Weijden, R.D., Buisman C.J.N.

Method, device and wastewater treatment system for phosphorus, such as phosphate, removal from a feed solution

NL190410

Kuntke P, Hamelers H.V.M, Sleutels T.H.J.A., Saakes M., Buisman C.J.N.

H2 recycling for ammonia recovery in electrochemical systems

NL2017383

Hamelers H.V.M., Kuntke P., Rodriguez Arredondo M., (WUR) Bijmans M.F.M., Buisman C.J.N.

Bio-electrochemical system for recovery of components and/or generating electrical energy from a waste stream and method there for

NL2014797

Molenaar S.M., Sleutels T.H.J.A., ter Heijne A., Hamelers H.V.M., Buisman, C.J.N.

Bioelectrochemical energy storage device and method for bioelectrochemical energy storage

NL2014248, WO2016050061

Kuntke P., Sleutels T., Hamelers B.H.V., Saakes M., Buisman,C.J.N.

Method for nitrogen recovery from an ammonium comprising fluid and bio-electrochemical system

NL2008090, WO2013105854, EP2802684, US2015017089, CA2863227, CN104220644

Hamelers H.V.M. Buisman C.J.N., Sleutels T.H.J.A.

Bio-electrochemical device and method for upgrading a fluid

NL2003812, WO2011062485, EP2502301

Mayer M.J.J, Hamelers H.V.M., Strik D.P.B.T.B.

Device and method for performing a biologically catalyzed electrochemical reaction

NL1035340, WO2009131452, EP2269258

resourcerecovery

Team members

Michel Saakes

Pieter Hack

Philipp Kuntke

Simona Pruiti

Widya Prihesti Iswarani

Research documents

Research partners

Related themes

resource
recovery