Cork as a sustainable carbon source for nature-based solutions treating hydroponic wastewaters – Preliminary batch studies

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2019-02, Vol.650 (Pt 1), p.267-276
• Main Authors: Castellar, J.A.C., Formosa, Joan, Fernández, Ana Inés, Jové, Patricia, Bosch, Montserrat Gonzáles, Morató, Jordi, Brix, Hans, Arias, Carlos A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aigües residuals; By-products; Construcció sostenible; Contact time; Cork; Denitrification; Depuració; Desnitrificació; Edificació; Instal·lacions de sanejament; Instal·lacions i acondicionament d'edificis; Nitrogen removal; Particle size; Purification; Reusing; Sewage; Suro; Sustainable construction; Wastewater; Àrees temàtiques de la UPC
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.365

Reusing by-products is an important strategy to ensure the preservation of natural capital and climate change mitigation. This study aimed at evaluating the potential of cork granulates, a by-product of winery industry, as an organic carbon (OC) source for the treatment of hydroponic wastewaters. First, chemical characterization was performed and discussed. Secondly, batch studies were performed using synthetic hydroponic wastewater to understand the role of particle size (PS), pH and contact time (CT) on the release of OC. The suberin is the major compound, representing >50%. It was noticed that a variance on the content of suberin across species, within the same species and depending on the extraction part (belly, cork and back) could be expected. >60% of the sample is composed by carbon while