The predoctoral researcher Mario Jiménez Conde has won the first prize for the best poster presentation during the WETPOL 2019 congress, held from 17 to 21 of in Aarhus, Denmark. In his work, the young researcher studies the removal of nitrate from a contaminated wetland located in Carpio (Valladolid) through Microbial Electrochemical Technologies (MET) using organic waste as an electron donor.

Jiménez Conde holds a degree in Environmental Sciences from the University of Salamanca and a master’s degree in Hydrology and Water Resources Management (University of Alcalá, Spain). Since January 2019, he has been working at METfilter company carrying out an industrial doctorate funded by the Regional Government of Madrid under the supervision of Dr. Abraham Esteve-Núñez. His research is aimed at exploring strategies based on bioelectrochemistry to eliminate nutrients from contaminated wetlands.

The metland concept

In addition to the award-winning communication, during WETPOL 2019, the Bioe group presented four papers aimed at explaining the concept and operation of metland, a device that integrates MET with the biofilter used by standard constructed wetlands. The treatment is based on the metabolism of electroactive bacteria, with a high potential in the field of wastewater. The concept was born during the H2020 iMETland project, aimed to the construction and validation of a full-scale application for the treatment of urban wastewater in small communities with a zero cost in energy while obtaining pathogen-free water suitable for irrigation.

WETPOL is a biennial symposium that brings together in each edition scientists and professionals from all over the world who work in biogeochemical processes in natural and constructed wetlands. The objective is to improve the understanding of the role that these systems play in the processing of nutrients and contaminants, and to discuss and demonstrate how they will be in the future.

Microbial electrochemical strategy for removing nutrients from eutrophic wetlands. Mario Jiménez-Conde, Amanda Prado de Nicolás and Abraham Esteve-Núñez.