[Cce-all-list] seminar on 11/14/2025

[Zhi Zhou]

Dear Colleagues and Students,

There will be a seminar on using algae-bacteria-fungi consortia to treat wastewater this Friday morning. The details are provided below. We welcome you to join us. Thank you.

Environmental Seminar
Synergistic Algae-Bacteria-Fungi Consortia: A Nature-Based Framework for Circular Water Systems
Dr.  A n n e s h   B o r t h a k u r
Assistant Professor, Civil Engineering, Saint Louis University

Friday, November 14, 10:30 am
HAMP G212

Abstract
Recovering valuable resources from wastewater and stormwater not only offers economic and environmental benefits but also contributes to global goals of sustainability and decarbonization. Microbial technologies have emerged as promising nature-based solutions; however, their large-scale implementation is often limited by low process efficiencies. Our research addresses this challenge by harnessing the synergistic interactions among algae, bacteria, and fungi to create multifunctional treatment systems that couple pollutant removal, carbon capture, and energy and resource recovery. In stormwater systems, we develop biofilters where algae-bacteria consortia promote nutrient recovery and CO₂ sequestration while improving water quality. In acid mine drainage, we explore the role of fungi in enhancing microbial resilience and facilitating rare earth element recovery. For wastewater treatment, we integrate anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria into anaerobic digestion to boost methane and hydrogen production while capturing carbon and recovering nutrients. These integrated, nature-inspired processes aim to transform conventional treatment systems into resource-positive, regenerative infrastructures, strengthening the economic and environmental sustainability of water management.

Biographical sketch
[A person in a blue suit  AI-generated content may be incorrect.]Dr. Annesh Borthakur is an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at Saint Louis University. His research focuses on developing nature-based and bioengineered methods to recover nutrients, carbon, and energy from wastewater, stormwater, and agricultural runoff. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he designed regenerative stormwater systems to improve water security in California. He later worked as a Postdoctoral Associate at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, developing techniques to improve bioenergy production using encapsulated microorganisms. At SLU, Dr. Borthakur develops symbiotic connections between bacteria, algae and fungi for water treatment and resource recovery. He has published 17 research papers, a book chapter, and holds a patent on his research. Through his work, he aims to build sustainable cities that support growing populations while minimizing environmental impact.




Best regards,
George

Zhi (George) Zhou, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE, ENV SP, Associate Professor, School of Civil and Construction Engineering (CCE) and School of Sustainability Engineering and Environmental Engineering (SEE), Purdue University, 550 Stadium Mall Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907, Tel: (765) 496-3559, Email: zhizhou at purdue.edu<mailto:zhizhou at purdue.edu>, Website: http://EnvironBiotechnology.com<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fenvironbiotechnology.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ccce-all-list%40ecn.purdue.edu%7C56c95503da524502eda708de20cbda37%7C4130bd397c53419cb1e58758d6d63f21%7C1%7C0%7C638984257222391941%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=HrbFPzDvxHNmLi03reEg9MyRNiAUUQWQOn82c3I1Ngw%3D&reserved=0>

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