Incorporation of Aquaporins in Membranes for Industrial Applications

MEMBAQ is a Specific Targeted Research Project (STREP) supported by the European Commission under the Sixth Framework Programme and NMP research area 2004-3.4.1.2 "Using Nature as model for new nanotechnological processes".

Project number	NMP4-CT-2006-033234
Subject(s)	ANALYSIS AND TESTS , CHARACTERISTICAL PARAMETERS OF WATERS AND SLUDGES , DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION : COMMON PROCESSES OF PURIFICATION AND TREATMENT , SANITATION -STRICT PURIFICATION PROCESSES
Acronym	MEMBAQ
Geographical coverage	Denmark, Israel, Italy, Sweden, Spain, France
Budget (in €)	0
Programme	INCO MED (FP6) - STREP
Web site	http://www.membaq.eu/
Objectives	The goal of the MEMBAQ project is to investigate a possibility to industrially exploit these unique features. This is done by incorporating recombinant aquaporin molecules in different types of industrial membranes for water filtration. By this, the nature will be used as a model for the development of a novel nanobiotechnological water membrane technology. The goal of the project is to explore the possibilities to incorporate recombinant aquaporin molecules in different types of industrial membranes for water filtration. By this, the nature will be used as a model for the development of a novel nanobiotechnological water membrane technology. Tests of pilot membrane systems will be developed for three applications: A water purification application, an ocean energy application (salinity gradient energy) and an application for industrial wastewater reclamation and reuse. The applications will demonstrate the revolutionary industrial breakthrough in separation and filtration techniques using natural processes. For accomplishing the overall targeted objective to incorporate aquaporin into industrial membranes, the following specific objectives (scientific and technical) are defined: Expression and purification of two different types of aquaporins Atomistic Molecular Dynamics (MD) & Coarse grained simulations Design and fabrication of membrane material Incorporation of aquaporin into different nanotechnological membrane materials Visualisation of permeability using Atomic Force Microscopy Water flux measurements and specifications on membrane Membrane engineering design Implementation of membrane into a water purifying membrane for application test Implementation of membrane into an energy producing membrane for application test Implementation of membrane in a system for industrial wastewater reclamation and reuse The multi-disciplinary and cross-organisational expertises required for accomplishing the objectives are: Molecular biology Computer simulation Membrane physics Biotechnological engineering Engineering
Results	The project contains multi-disciplinary tasks within different research areas including molecular biology, computer simulation, membrane physics, biotechnological engineering, and engineering. The project management ensures close liaison and knowledge management across the multi-disciplinary groups throughout the study period.
Period	01/10/2006

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