In March 2023, Pawel Krzeminski (NIVA) presented the SIREN project’s membrane related objectives and results in a poster session at the Imagine Membrane Conference. The conference, supported by both the North American Membrane Society (NAMS) and the European Membrane Society (EMS), gathered membrane researchers to discuss the role of membrane materials and technology within the context of the water-energy-food nexus. The presented poster discussed the role of the membranes in recovery of resources and generation of valuable products (energy, nutrients and water) from municipal wastewater. Emphasis was placed on the combinations of options identified to produce pure hydrogen gas (H2) directly from the organic matter present in raw wastewater using microbial electrolysis cells (MECs), and how nanofiltration (NF) can be used for concentration and harvesting of nitrogen, as ammonium carbonate, or has shown to sufficiently remove organic matter and nutrients enabling water reuse. The poster highlighted that the recovery and reuse of municipal wastewater brings about new challenges and concerns related to the quality of the products and water. The conference provided opportunity to foster dialogue among leading experts in the water, energy and food nexus are important for discussing actual and future challenges to utilize resources as long as possible and minimize environmental impacts.
