EXPLOITING METAL-MICROBE APPLICATIONS TO EXPAND THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

ended

The vision for the M2EX EJD Network (EXploiting Metal-Microbe applications to EXpand the circular economy) is to bring together an interdisciplinary team of world-leading European researchers to tackle a highly ambitious scientific project, focusing on the chemical, molecular and biogeochemical mechanisms of microbially-mediated processes underpinned by metals, which will deliver the doctoral training of 15 early-stage researchers (ESRs) and a range of clearly-defined, high impact scientific outputs to advance the state-of-the-art around the management of metals in Europe’s 21st-century bioeconomy. The complementary research skills and training expertise within this inter-sectoral Network will ensure that the ESRs trained will be at the front of Europe’s next generation of innovative research leaders. The research topics revolve around the role, and potential, of metals in anaerobic biotechnologies for (i) metal recovery, (ii) bioremediation of waste streams containing high metal content or (iii) low metal content for biological applications. Thus, the focus of the research is on topics extended from the field of anaerobic bioprocesses. High-end analytical techniques and novel experimental approaches will be tested, and used, to provide training and an exceptional research environment in tackling the chemical, microbiological and biotechnological aspects of managing the ‘Metal Bioeconomy’. These areas will be explored along with modelling of the distribution and interactions of metals at the scale of elemental speciation (the ‘chemosphere’); cells and genomes (the ‘micro-scale’ and the “T-Elementome”); biofilms (at the scale of microbial communities and assemblages); and in anaerobic biotechnologies (the ‘technosphere’). Engaging projects have also been designed for the M2EX ESRs to investigate the fate, the role and the impact of metals on environmental quality and processes, to understand the potential of the circular bioeconomy.