EXSIMBIO is a project inspired in the plant-microorganism symbiosis to degrade trace organic contaminants from wastewater. In nature, plants are able to detect compounds which are not related to their environment (xenobiotics). Once detected, they can stimulate the microorganisms of their surroundings to degrade such compounds. This stimulation is made via de release of chemical signals through their root exudates. Due to this phenomenon, nature-based wastewater treatment systems, such as constructed wetlands, can eliminate trace organic contaminants faster than plant-independent wastewater treatment systems (biofilm systems like slow sand-filters or MBBRs). However, constructed wetlands take plenty of space, and plants can only stimulate the microorganisms that surround them. The EXSIMBIO project wants to identify the chemical signals that plants emit via their root exudates when they are in contact with trace organic contaminants. Once identified, the chemical signals will be prepared to stimulate microorganisms (biofilms) from wastewater treatment systems. In this way, it will be possible to enhance the efficiency of constructed wetlands to degrade trace organic contaminants, reducing the space to treat wastewater. Furthermore, the addition of those signals will also increase the efficiency of plant independent wastewater treatment systems (slow sand-filters, MBBRs).
Funding: Beatriu de Pinós 2018 Grant
