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Project title

Azbio: sustainable valorisation of agri-food wastewaters

Primary Funding Agency

Science Foundation Ireland

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

Environmental Protection Agency

Lead Organisation

Science Foundation Ireland (UCC)

Lead Applicant

Niall Coughlan

Project Abstract

The valorisation of Irish agri-food wastewaters remains a considerable challenge, especially as quantities increase in line with expansion of the sector, along with the production of new wastewaters (e.g., novel liquid anaerobic-digestates and filtered/fractioned slurries). Multitiered indoor cultivationsystems situated in industry settings have demonstrable potential to boost sustainability of the agri-food sector. The Azbio (Azolla-Bioreactor) project will optimise remediation of high-nutrient wastewaters derived from the agri-food sector through secure multitiered indoor cultivation of Azolla using infrastructure already in place at UCC, while developing new multi-species bioreactors for greater system efficacy based on naturally occurring ecological-interactions. In addition to its rapid growth and high protein content, secondary plant bio-compounds generated by Azolla have been linked to reduced methane production when ingested by ruminants. To better exploit higher yields, bio-compounds and %- protein will be determined for plants cultivated on different wastewaters under varied growth conditions. The use of waste Azolla biomass as a peat alternative for horticulture will also be assessed. Azbio will be the foundation for implementation of Azolla and/or complementary species groupings for wastewater valorisation and provide a platform for exploration of Azolla as a high-protein dietary supplement to diminish ruminant methane production, with waste biomass as a peat alternative.

Grant Approved

�272,078.50

Research Hub

Green and Circular Economy

Research Theme

n/a

Start Date

01/10/2023

Initial Projected Completion Date

30/09/2027