Prof. WU Zhenbin represented the project team at the Hubei Provincial Science and Technology Innovation Conference to accept the first-class prize of Hubei S&T Progress Award. (Credit: IHB)

On January 6, 2025, the Hubei Provincial Science and Technology Innovation Conference was held at Hongshan Auditorium in Wuhan, where the 2024 Hubei Provincial Science and Technology Awards were presented. The research project titled “Key Technologies and Applications for Improving Water Environment Quality through Synergistic Biological Ecology and Multifunctional Materials,” led by the Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, won the first-class prize for Scientific and Technological Progress. Prof. WU Zhenbin represented the project team at the conference to accept the award. 

The project, supported by various national and provincial programs, addresses critical needs in wastewater treatment, such as energy-saving and carbon-reduction, as well as improving water quality and ecosystem stability. The team developed innovative energy-efficient materials that enhance wastewater treatment while reducing carbon emissions. They also created technologies that improve water quality through biological and material-based purification methods, successfully restoring aquatic ecosystems in degraded environments. 

The project resulted in 92 patents, including 46 inventions, and led to the publication of 175 research papers. It has been applied in over 130 projects across 17 provinces and cities, including Hubei and Guangdong. This technology has significantly contributed to the improvement of water quality and the development of water ecological restoration industries across China. 

The project was completed in collaboration with several leading institutions, including the Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China Municipal Engineering Design & Research Institute, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan University of Technology, Tongji University, Shenzhen Bi Yuan Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd., and Wuhan Textile University. The key contributors to the project include WU Zhenbin, ZHOU Qiaohong, LIU Biyun, XIAO Enrong, LI Shuyuan, LIN Jing, ZHANG Yi, WU Junmei, ZHANG Liping, LIU Haiyan, CHENG Shuiping, QIU Dongru, DIAO Hongli, WANG Pei, and LIU Zisen.

A group photo of the project team (Credit: IHB)