The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a series of global development goals proposed by the United Nations in 2015, which aim to guide countries to promote sustainable development between 2015 and 2030. These goals include 17 items in total, covering the three dimensions of society, economy and environment, and strive to eliminate poverty, protect the earth, and promote peace and prosperity. Each goal sets specific indicators, aiming to ensure that everyone shares the fruits of development through global cooperation and partnerships, while addressing global challenges such as climate change and environmental degradation. The SDGs provide a comprehensive framework to inspire countries to take action to achieve a better future.
We have chosen three specific Sustainable Development Goals, hoping to make a positive contribution to the path of sustainability
By removing phosphates from wastewater, we can significantly improve water quality and reduce eutrophication, thereby protecting the health of water resources and ecosystems. This process not only lowers pollution risks but also provides communities with safer drinking water, promoting public health and enhancing quality of life.
Our technology recycles phosphates from wastewater, achieving resource reuse and reducing the demand for new raw materials. This not only lowers the negative environmental impact of industrial activities but also promotes sustainable production and consumption patterns. By improving resource utilization efficiency, we contribute to advancing the green economy and reducing resource waste.
By reducing the surplus of nutrients in water bodies, we can effectively prevent algal blooms and protect the ecosystems of aquatic organisms. This measure helps maintain biodiversity and ensures the stability and health of aquatic ecosystems, thereby supporting sustainable fisheries and marine resource management.
Through the promotion of these goals, we hope to make a positive impact on environmental protection, resource management, and ecological balance, contributing to the vision of sustainable development.
In Sustainable Development Goal 6, we aim to promote Target 6.1 (ensuring universal access to safe and affordable drinking water by 2030), Target 6.3 (improving water quality by reducing pollution, halving untreated wastewater, and significantly increasing global recycling and safe reuse), and Target 6.a (expanding international cooperation and capacity-building support for water and sanitation activities in developing countries by 2030).
Our project seeks to improve water quality by removing phosphates from wastewater, thereby reducing pollution risks and providing safer water sources for communities. Utilizing Phosphate Binding Protein (PBP) technology, we effectively eliminate phosphates, mitigating eutrophication. This not only maintains water quality but also supports ecosystem stability, promoting sustainable water resource management. We hope to make a positive contribution to drinking water safety and environmental protection in our communities.
We conducted a field study at the Nanhuyuan Greenway in Hongshan District, Wuhan. Here, we observed severe eutrophication in the small lakes beside the main water body, even discovering dead fish along the shore. This situation raised our awareness of the critical importance of water purification. Protecting water health is essential not only for ecological balance but also for the quality of life in surrounding communities. We hope our project can contribute to improving water quality and restoring the ecological environment.
We discussed our observations with Teacher Duan from Wuhan University, who explained that the green, translucent water in the lake does not indicate cleanliness; rather, it results from a microalgae bloom that ultimately leads to fish deaths. While the government is actively addressing water pollution, Teacher Duan believes our project can effectively support improvements. Through our technology, we aim to reduce eutrophication, promote water quality restoration, and enhance ecosystem health.
We had an in-depth interview with Mr. Deng Qing from the Xingche Environmental Protection Organization. He shared his efforts in protecting lake water sources, noting that he initially could only report factories discharging wastewater. Mr. Deng emphasized the need for a dual approach: stopping factory pollution while raising public awareness of water source protection, alongside developing technologies for purification. He highlighted their close cooperation with the government and suggested we provide recommendations to advance lake water purification policies.
During our conversation, we discussed the pollution issues identified in our research, and Mr. Deng indicated that we could share this information to address the challenges together. We exchanged WeChat contacts and became volunteers for the organization, working collaboratively to promote water source protection.
We visited a wastewater treatment plant to learn about their phosphate treatment efforts. The facility manager explained that they not only treat wastewater but also purify lake water, returning the treated water back to the lake. They use microbial treatment methods in the lake water processing, which piqued our interest. The manager expressed great confidence in our project, believing that if our technology is successfully developed, we could collaborate on phosphate resource recovery. This potential partnership could enhance purification efficiency and promote sustainable water resource management.
After the visit, we expressed our desire to volunteer for a day at the plant. This opportunity allowed us to gain an in-depth understanding of the entire wastewater treatment process and observe how staff efficiently handle and purify wastewater. This experience not only gave us a clearer view of water resource management but also strengthened our passion and sense of responsibility for environmental protection. Through this hands-on experience, we solidified our mission to promote water purification and sustainable development.
In our discussions with Mr. Deng from the environmental organization, we realized that, in addition to optimizing technology to address water pollution, raising public awareness of environmental protection is equally crucial. Therefore, we went to Donghu in Wuhan to promote our project, collect feedback, and encourage everyone to strengthen their commitment to protecting water sources. Only by reducing water pollution can we ensure access to safe drinking water.
During our interactions, some expressed concerns about the use of genetically modified microorganisms in environmental management. We clarified that our project only utilizes the products of microorganisms and does not release genetically modified organisms. However, there were still concerns regarding the cost of this technology.
After careful consideration, we confirmed that the implementation costs of our project are relatively low. To ensure sustainability, we will continue to optimize our plans to reduce costs. This will allow us to promote our project in a more economical way, facilitating the recovery and reuse of phosphate resources and further advancing sustainable development.
Finally, we organized a water source cleanup activity at Donghu, aiming to promote water resource protection and ecological restoration through our efforts. During the cleanup, we not only collected trash but also raised awareness among local residents about water pollution issues. We hope this action inspires more people to pay attention to water resource protection and work together to create a cleaner, more sustainable future.
We created bookmarks to promote the use of phosphate-free laundry detergent, aiming to raise public awareness about water resource protection. These bookmarks encourage people to choose environmentally friendly, phosphate-free options. Through this initiative, we hope to effectively communicate the importance of sustainable living and inspire more individuals to engage in water source protection efforts.
We aim to promote the development of Target 12.2 (sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources by 2030), Target 12.4 (environmentally sound management of chemicals and all waste throughout their lifecycle by 2020, significantly reducing their emissions to air, water, and soil to minimize adverse impacts on human health and the environment), Target 12.5 (substantially reducing waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse by 2030), and Target 12.8 (ensuring that people worldwide have relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and living in harmony with nature by 2030).
Our project utilizes Phosphate Binding Protein (PBP) technology to efficiently remove and recover phosphates from wastewater, promoting resource reuse. We not only purify water sources and reduce potential harm to human health and the environment but also effectively achieve the recovery and utilization of phosphates from wastewater. The recovered phosphates can be used as agricultural fertilizers, decreasing reliance on natural mineral phosphorus resources and alleviating the global phosphate resource shortage crisis. Furthermore, by reducing eutrophication in water bodies, our project significantly diminishes water pollution and waste generation. These collective measures contribute to sustainable water resource management and enhance the ecological environment.
We communicated with our chemistry teacher, Mrs. Xia, Mrs. Liang from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Wuhan University, and Professor Kira Homola from the Department of Chemistry at UCLA. In our discussions with them, we learned about the complexity of the current chemical methods for phosphorus resource recovery. To this end, we decided to use biological methods for phosphorus adsorption recovery. Finally, we also improved the project under their advice, combining our phosphate binding protein (PBP) with NHS-activated agarose beads, which not only reduced the cost of phosphorus recovery, but also achieved reusability.
We conducted research with the WHHS-China team at a tea plantation and discovered water pollution issues surrounding the area. The reservoir used for irrigation showed signs of eutrophication, opening new avenues for our project's application. Our technology can not only purify lake water sources but also treat water in agricultural reservoirs to prevent further pollution from spreading to the surrounding soil. The recovered phosphates can be used as agricultural fertilizers, helping to expand phosphate reuse and reduce waste, thus promoting sustainable agricultural development. Our project aims to improve water quality while supporting the health of the agricultural ecosystem.
Based on our findings, we communicated with the tea plantation managers, suggesting they avoid using phosphate fertilizers on rainy days. We pointed out that rainwater could wash away fertilizers, leading to resource waste and reduced effectiveness. This recommendation not only enhances phosphate utilization efficiency but also minimizes potential water pollution. Through this dialogue, we hope to assist the tea plantation in better managing soil and water resources, fostering sustainable agricultural practices.
We also created posters and conducted interviews to promote our project and raise awareness about sustainable development. We aim to make people realize that water purification is closely tied to everyone's daily lives. By enhancing social awareness, we advocate for reducing littering, which not only lowers phosphate pollution but also fosters public understanding and practice of sustainable living in harmony with nature. We believe that only through collective participation can we truly achieve water resource protection and improve the ecological environment.
We aim to promote Target 14.1 (preventing and significantly reducing various forms of marine pollution by 2025, especially pollution from land-based activities, including marine litter and nutrient pollution) and Target 14.5 (protecting at least 10% of coastal and marine areas by 2020 according to national and international laws and based on the best available scientific information).
Our project effectively reduces algal blooms by removing excess phosphates from water bodies, improving water quality and helping to maintain underwater habitats. By mitigating eutrophication, we not only promote the recovery of healthy aquatic ecosystems but also protect the diversity of marine life. These measures provide crucial support for ecological balance and sustainable water resource management.
We interviewed two teachers from the College of Resources and Environment at South-Central University for Nationalities. They noted that our project has the potential to reduce eutrophication, decrease marine pollution, and protect marine areas, thereby helping to maintain underwater habitats and biodiversity. However, they also cautioned us to consider the safety of the project, particularly the potential for ecological imbalance due to improper technology application and the possible impacts on non-target organisms during the treatment process.
We spoke with Dr. Yang Xiaojie from the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences to discuss safety concerns related to our project. She emphasized the importance of understanding how different materials impact water sources and considering whether damage to our systems, if deployed in external environments, could pose potential hazards. Currently, our project focuses primarily on wastewater treatment, but as it develops, we will gradually establish comprehensive facilities to ensure safe and effective processing of external water sources.
We also visited the Aquatic Biology Museum and engaged with researchers from Hubei University. They expressed that our project has the potential to assist in addressing eutrophication, thereby improving water quality and the ecological environment. They recognized the Phosphate Binding Protein (PBP) technology we are using, believing it will effectively remove excess phosphates from water and promote the restoration of aquatic ecosystems. This exchange bolstered our confidence in the project.
During this process, we participated in the museum's educational activities, sharing the importance of aquatic species conservation with visitors. Through these explanations, we aimed to raise public awareness about underwater ecosystems and emphasize the critical role of protecting aquatic organisms in maintaining ecological balance and water quality.
Our team is dedicated to promoting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly by removing excess phosphates from wastewater to improve water quality and reduce eutrophication. This will effectively protect water resources and ecosystems, lower pollution risks, provide safer drinking water for communities, and promote public health. Additionally, our technology enables the recovery and reuse of phosphates from wastewater, reducing the demand for new raw materials and thus fostering sustainable production and consumption patterns. By enhancing resource efficiency, we contribute to the advancement of a green economy and the reduction of resource waste.
In the future, we plan to continuously optimize our technology and facilities to ensure safe application in a wider range of environments. Furthermore, we will strengthen collaboration with universities and research institutions to expand the practical applications of our project and raise public awareness about water resource protection. Through these efforts, we hope to play a greater role in achieving sustainable development goals and promoting the restoration of ecological environments and the healthy development of aquatic ecosystems. Our vision is to collaboratively create a cleaner and more sustainable future.
