Recovery of metals and minerals is essential for today’s technology needs.  But what is the best option to achieve this in an environmentally friendly manner? Plants versus bacteria for biorecovery is the topic for our Science Café in September. Our two speakers will tell us more about how bacteria and plants can help us to recover these precious metals and minerals while reducing contamination on land and wastewater. Two birds with one stone, one could say.   

Dr Annemerel Mol is an assistant professor at the Biorecovery Group of Environmental Technology. Her research revolves around the recovery and crystallization of sulfur. Recently, she won the prestigious VENI grant to expand her research towards Selenium recovery.

Dr Antony van der Ent is an assistant professor at the Laboratory of Genetics. He is an expert in hyperaccumulator plants and their elemental visualization using synchrotron techniques, which means that his work alternates between fieldwork in remote areas and experiments at the world’s most high-tech synchrotron facilities. Last year, he received the prestigious VIDI grant to study Selenium uptake in plants. His research has been highlighted in a documentary called “Superplants”.