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Water is one of the most important resources worldwide. However, the diverse use of water for irrigation, industrial processes and as drinking water leads to a considerable degradation of water quality. Too often, water with its unique properties as a solvent becomes a mobile waste deposit or a means of transportation. Fortunately, the water used in this way is subject to purification in the natural water cycle and can usually be reused. In recent decades, however, the natural water cycle has become increasingly overburdened and the possibility of reuse is limited by water quality. Technologically, reuse directly after water use and treatment can be shortened without the detour via the natural water cycle. However, this will only succeed if we understand the underlying transport processes and the associated biotic and abiotic conversions. This is exactly what the staff of the institute is working on in numerous projects, which you can find on the following pages.
Projekt KoalAplan, Tag der offenen Tür H. Schönberger
Wastewater as a source of raw materials

On June 6, Minister President Winfried Kretschmann visited the KoalAplan project at the teaching and research wastewater treatment plant (LFKW) of the University of Stuttgart in Büsnau. Andrea Hille-Reichel (EBI), Peter Maurer (LFKW), and Harald Horn (EBI) informed the Minister President about the possibilities of material recovery from municipal wastewater. As part of the KoalAplan project, ammonium, hydrogen, and bioplastics (PHB) are produced from the wastewater stream at the Büsnau biorefinery.

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DVGW-StudienpreisWillow Neske
EBI FC - Karlsruhe finishes second at the Aquamasters tournament

On June 8, the second most important soccer event of 2024 (after the European Football Championship in Germany) took place in Karlsruhe: The Aquamasters - the soccer tournament for water and waste institutes in German-speaking countries. The EBI team took second place in the final. 

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Arbeitsgruppe des EBI an Förderprogramm des Landes BW beteiligtEBI
Microorganisms - Little helpers, big effect

Andrea Hille-Reichel's working group is involved in a project in the Baden-Württemberg state funding programme "Microorganisms as helpers in climate protection". The researchers want to use membrane biofilm reactors to produce chemicals from carbon dioxide and green hydrogen, with a focus on the scalability of the processes.

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Gewinnung von Energie aus Urin BUGA 2023Angela Regenbrecht
Hydrogen production from urine

Harald Horn presents the concept of the PeePower™ reactor at the 'Future of Festivals' trade fair.  Services (e.g. ticket concepts, power supply, accommodation, sanitary facilities) for festivals are offered at the trade fair in the Arena Berlin. A panel discussion (Pee and Poo Power) focussed on alternative sustainable sanitation concepts.

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