Following a year of collaborative research on greywater treatment, the GWR Project is pleased to announce the results of its joint efforts. This initiative unites researchers from three Chilean institutions—the University of Santiago de Chile, Andrés Bello University, and the University of Bío-Bío—alongside four international partner universities. the University of Cantabria, Spain; the European Institute of Membranes, University of Montpellier, France; Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru.
The partnership will present its latest innovations at the seminar, “Research into advanced treatments for greywater reuse in the context of the global water crisis.” The event will be held on Tuesday, November 25, from 8:15 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Rector Eduardo Morales Santos Research Building.
Dr. Ricardo Abejón, Usach researcher and Director of the FOVI Project (Project to Promote International Joint Collaboration for Research Institutions), emphasized the collaboration's impact: “The main activities of the FOVI Project contribute directly to the research already underway within the GWR initiative.” For example, my time at the University of Cantabria was instrumental in initiating the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of the greywater treatment train developed under the GWR Project. This allowed us to quantify the environmental impacts of our proposed treatment and compare its performance against alternative solutions. Meanwhile, doctoral student Arael Alfonso is currently at the European Membrane Institute (IEM) in Montpellier. His research focuses on advancing the mathematical modeling of the membrane distillation process to optimize its application within the proposed greywater treatment system.”
According to Dr. Abejón, “This collaboration will drive progress in applying cutting-edge treatments to greywater. It allows us to explore, in greater detail, the technologies most suited for the diverse water scenarios found globally. The initiative also focuses on capacity building in greywater management and reuse, adopting a multidisciplinary perspective across various environmental scenarios."
He also stated that the project aims to enrich the dialog surrounding water policy and regulation, fostering efficient resource management while raising public awareness of the global water crisis. This effort recognizes that access to adequate water—in both quantity and quality—is a fundamental pillar for the social, economic, and cultural development of all communities.
Research on Environmental Impact from PUCP
During the seminar, Dr. Roxana Arce (UNAB) will discuss electrochemical processes for greywater treatment, followed by Dr. Esteban Quijada (Usach), who will address the removal of emerging contaminants via sorbents. Dr. Julio Romero will present on the high-quality water potential of membrane distillation, while Dr. Ricardo Abejón explores the irrigation of green walls. To conclude the day, international expert Dr. Ian Vázquez-Rowe (PUCP) will present his findings on the environmental impacts of wastewater treatment using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
Professor Ian Vázquez-Rowe holds a PhD in Chemical and Environmental Engineering from the University of Santiago de Compostela. His distinguished career includes significant research at the Henri Tudor Public Research Center in Luxembourg; he currently serves as the Director of the Peruvian Life Cycle and Industrial Ecology Network (PELCAN), a premier research group within the Engineering Department of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru.
Regarding the collaboration with Chilean researchers, Dr. Vázquez-Rowe notes: “FOVI is one of a growing number of collaborative mechanisms that enable universities from other Latin American countries to collaborate as external partners in Chilean university projects. In our case, at the PELCAN research group at PUCP, collaboration with Ricardo Abejón's team began last year when postdoctoral student Felipe Olea visited us for a few months. The visit facilitated a deep dive into Usach’s greywater initiatives in Chile, allowing us to explore how life cycle frameworks can be used to develop sustainability benchmarks for these emerging technologies."