The project “Technology and application of water quality improvement and steady state aquatic ecosystem construction based on synergism between biotechnology and ecotechnology”, conducted by the Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has been honored the CAS Science and Technology Promotion and Development Prize of the year 2021, according to a notice released by the CAS on January 10, 2022.    

In order to achieve the critical strategic needs of national high-quality economic and social development in the new era and water ecological health for the country, the team led by Prof. WU Zhenbin conducted systematic research and had technical breakthrough around the process optimization of sewage treatment plant, deep purification of tail water and ecological restoration of receiving water body, so as to improve the quality of water ecological environment from the whole chain of source, discharge and sink.    

The team developed a series of technologies, including the high efficient removal of  nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater using ecological and biological enhancement, a new type constructed wetland and its combination process for deep purification, biomass algae control, and steady-state construction that uses clear water grass in adverse habitats.   

So far, they have planned, designed and constructed 408 projects in 25 provinces, cities and autonomous regions, resulting in a cumulative treatment scale of 13.6886 million tons per day, COD reduction of 749,500 tons per year, TN and TP removal of 149, 800 and 7,500 tons per year, and an ecological restoration area of 224.06 square kilometers.   

The Yanling constructed wetland project in the Dongguan wetland ecological park, as a highlight of the achievement, is the largest vertical flow constructed wetland in China. It has achieved deep purification of 100,000 tons of tail water per day, and the treated effluent reached Grade IV based on China’s Environmental Quality Standards.    

Additionally, the restoration project in the Hangzhou West Lake has successfully overcame the technical bottlenecks - low transparency and "fragrant ash soil" bottom material, in water recovery restoration projects. The water transparency in the restoration area increased by more than 50 cm, and the aquatic biodiversity index increased by more than 60%. The West Lake is a "underwater forest" landscape that provides a rich and diverse landscape for four seasons, and the communities have succeeded naturally for 10 consecutive years.    

This achievement has become an exemplar of the National Major Science and Technology Program for Water Pollution Control and Treatment in lake category. In state-run media, such as CCTV, People's Daily, descriptions of the work are detailed and highly praised.   

Launched in 2014, the CAS Science and Technology Promotion and Development Prize recognizes teams that have made significant contributions to promoting CAS science and technology research for national and local needs, economic and social development, as well as in serving the national economy, social development, social welfare and other science and technology innovation activities.   

This prize was awarded to a total of 10 CAS institutes.