PURE Lab to lead new EU-funded Water4All project: Contaminant to Commodity (C2C)
We are thrilled to announce that the PURE Lab will coordinate the newly funded Water4All project “Contaminant to Commodity (C2C): Toward a Circular Economy for Arsenic in Groundwater.”
This multi-institutional project includes Eawag (Switzerland), Wageningen University & Research (Netherlands), and MAX IV Laboratory (Sweden). Together, we will pioneer a circular approach to transform arsenic from an environmental burden into a valuable resource.
Over the course of the project, the consortium will:
Characterize the structure and composition of arsenic-rich wastes from groundwater treatment plants across Europe.
Identify the material properties that make arsenic extraction and recovery most effective.
Optimize reaction pathways to form metallic arsenic (As(0)) from extracted aqueous arsenic.
Develop novel methods to create high-value, arsenic-bearing semiconductors from upcycled As(0).
Assess environmental and health impacts through comprehensive life-cycle analysis.
Map groundwater resources across Europe with chemical conditions favorable for arsenic recovery.
By integrating chemistry, materials science, and environmental engineering, C2C aims to redefine how arsenic is managed. The project outcomes will support sustainable semiconductor manufacturing, inform regulatory guidance on arsenic waste handling, and contribute directly to the Green Transition in Europe.
