The lab of Zhen (Jason) He, professor in the Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, shows valuable resources can be recovered from wastewater using dual-function electrodes that also filter water in a microbial electrochemical system.

He’s lab has developed one system that recovers and filters wastewater while creating electricity. Results from bench-scale trials were published May 6 and featured as a front cover article in the journal Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology.

He’s lab took the two processes — filtration and energy production — and combined them, integrating the filtration system into the anode electrode of a microbial electrochemical system.