Soils and stream water are the major sink for metals and molecules released into the environment by anthropogenic activities. Physicochemical remediation methods are often inefficient and uneconomical at the large scale and emerging technologies based on microorganisms and enzymes are envisaged for attenuation of waste impact on the environment. However, these processes require immobilization for an efficient enzymatic activity, as well as re-usability. In this seminar I will present two approaches for degradation of dyes by laccases either encapsulating fungi in silica hydrogels or the enzyme in particles with hierarchical porosity. Finally, since the recovery of metals, especially from e-waste, is not feasible by these means, we have designed particles with hierarchical porosity for the recovery and upcycling of copper that mimic enzymatic behavior for antimicrobial applications

Contact: Yoann Roupioz