Resource Recovery & Circular Economy

Resource Recovery
& Circular Economy

Our biorefinery-inspired approach recovers nutrients, metals, biopolymers, and biochemicals from complex waste streams. We design integrated systems where wastes from one process become feedstocks for another, closing loops and eliminating discharge. This work directly supports the transition to a circular bioeconomy at multiple scales — from lab bench to full-scale industrial implementation.

Key platforms include struvite crystallization for phosphorus recovery from digestate; polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) bioplastic production using volatile fatty acids; and selective biosorption of rare earth elements and heavy metals from electronic waste leachates. Our techno-economic modeling identifies the key cost drivers and points to commercially viable scale-up pathways for each platform.

• Struvite and phosphorus recovery from wastewater and digestate
• Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) bioplastic production from VFAs
• Volatile fatty acid platform chemicals from mixed-culture fermentation
• Heavy metal and rare earth biosorption and bioaccumulation
• Biorefinery integration and techno-economic modeling
• Life cycle assessment and sustainability metrics for circular systems
• Resource recovery via insect farming on organic wastes