During his PhD studies, Javier Romero Gil researched the recovery and valorization of biopolymers from wastewater treatment for the development of new biomaterials. Wastewater contains large amounts of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that are typically treated as waste, despite their potential as renewable raw materials. He focused on using ionic liquids as new solvents to extract, identify and regenerate these biopolymers into films and fibers with new properties derived from EPS for different applications.
The results provide new insights into the processing of wastewater biopolymers and demonstrate viable strategies for converting low-value wastewater streams into higher value bio-based sustainable materials, contributing to a circular economy approach in materials science.

The PhD study was completed at the Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Thursday, 5^th of March 2026 at 13:00
Place: Building 1170, room 347, Lecture Theatre Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 3, 8000 Aarhus C
Title of PhD thesis: Biomaterial development using Extracellular Polymeric Substances from Activated Sludge
Contact information: Javier Romero Gil, e-mail: jrg@bce.au.dk, tel.: +45 71 86 37 54
Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Britt-Marie Wilen, Department Water Environment Technology, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
Associate Professor Francisco Miguel Portela Gama, Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Portugal
Associate Professor Bekir Engin Eser (chair), Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Denmark
Main supervisor:
Associate Professor Thomas William Seviour, Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Denmark
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Technical Sciences/GSTS, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, 8000 Aarhus C.