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Environmental Biotechnology and Chemistry Research Group

The Environmental Biotechnology and Chemistry Research Group focuses on the study, development, and optimization of technologies applied to the treatment of water, effluents, and waste. Its research lines cover the generation and characterization of waste and effluents, as well as the development of bioprocesses for their treatment and/or valorization. The group also evaluates the quality of environmental and productive waters and works on the development and optimization of treatment technologies.

Research activities are supported by an instrumental analytical platform, and the group integrates physico-chemical and biological remediation strategies, with strong experimental support at the laboratory scale. This enables the generation of robust and essential information to advance toward more efficient, sustainable, and circular processes.

  1. Evaluation of the generation and characterization of agricultural and agro-industrial effluents and waste. Study of the relationship between waste generation and production systems.
  2. Biological treatment of domestic, agricultural, and industrial effluents:
    • Microbiological monitoring using molecular biology techniques and physiological activity analyses.
    • Monitoring of chemical and physico-chemical parameters.
    • Development of novel processes.
  3. Development and optimization of processes for the valorization of effluents and waste to produce bioenergy (hydrogen and methane), obtain high-value chemical products, or recover nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus).
  4. Study of bioelectrochemical systems and electrogenic microbial communities for various environmental applications.
  5. Characterization of surface, groundwater, reclaimed, and drinking water quality through physico-chemical and microbiological analyses; kinetic and isotherm studies of contaminant adsorption; and development and optimization of technologies for safe water access.
  6. Study of the circularity and sustainability of processes and technologies through cost-benefit analysis and their impact on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  • Production of high-purity hydrogen in low-cost microbial electrolysis cells (MEC) using saline water
    Participants: UTEC, UNAM (Mexico), UAI (Chile)
    Funding: ANII
  • N2O emissions in Antarctica: who carries out the process at low temperatures?
    Participants: UTEC, IIBCE
    Funding: ANII

  • Hydrogen production from agro-industrial effluents using microbial electrolysis cells
    Participants: UTEC
    Funding: UTEC

  • Production of medium-chain carboxylic acids from effluents and residues in Uruguay
    Participants: UTEC
    Funding: UTEC

  • Evaluation of anaerobic digestion as a sustainable way to valorize poultry farm waste
    Participants: UTEC, IIBCE
    Funding: ANII, INIA, UTEC

  • Effluents with high pesticide concentrations: characterization and development of treatment technologies based on biofilters
    Participants: SUL, AGF, URF, UTEC
    Funding: UTEC

  • Cassava peel and sawdust biochar: a sustainable alternative for arsenic removal from water
    Participants: UNIPAMPA, CENUR, UTEC
    Funding: UTEC

  • Solar desalination: development and technical feasibility study of a solar thermal system prototype applied to water conditioning
    Participants: UTEC
    Funding: ANII

  • Specific Territorial Water Intervention – Contributing to the proper use and management of groundwater in the metropolitan region
    Participants: UTEC, UDELAR, DINAGUA, MGAP
    Funding: MGAP

  • Whey potential for hydrogen and value-added metabolites production through electro-fermentation
    Participants: Not specified
    Funding: PEDECIBA

  • Revalorization of poultry manure: Proposal and evaluation of different alternatives including energy and organic fertilizer production
    Participants: UdelaR, IIBCE, Urufertil, UTEC
    Funding: INIA

  • Novel application of Laser-Induced Graphene material
    Participants: UTEC
    Funding: UTEC

  • Filamentous bulking – causes and solutions: a microbiological perspective
    Participants: ANII, UTEC, IIBCE
    Funding: ANII

  • P-Circular: Phosphorus recovery from industrial and domestic wastewater
    Participants: UTEC, IIBCE, UDELAR
    Funding: ANII

  • Study of the generation and development of effluent treatment technologies from seed inoculation, curing, and industrial coloring
    Participants: CUS, ANAPROSE, CAMAGRO, AGF, URF, UTEC
    Funding: UTEC

  • Nitrogen recovery from agro-industrial and/or municipal waste for use in UPM wastewater treatment plant
    Participants: CTAgua, UPM, UCU, Latitud, IHE Delft, IIBCE, UTEC
    Funding: UPM

  • Solar drying and valorization of solid waste
    Participants: UTEC, OSE
    Funding: ANDE, GIE

  • Evaluation of intensive oxygen transfer technology (SDOX) applied to aerobic co-digestion of sludge and fats
    Participants: UTEC
    Funding: UTEC

  • Production of hydrogen and high value-added compounds from residual biomass fermentation and CO2 capture
    Participants: UTEC, ANII
    Funding: ANII

  • CO2 Bioconversion for Alleviating Climate Change: Focus on Microbial Consortium and Co-cultures Studies
    Participants: UTEC, ANID-Chile
    Funding: ANID-Chile

  • Networks N°190032: Electro-active bacteria: impact on microbial interactions during different anaerobic processes
    Participants: UTEC, ANID-Chile
    Funding: ANID-Chile
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