BMRex Project

European Innovation Council funded project aiming at development of novel biocatalytic cross-flow platform capable to capture and degrade suspended contaminants such as micro and nano plastics.

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Day one of the EIC - European Innovation Council
Linkedin – 03/06/2026

Day one of the EIC - European Innovation Council Summit: done. ✅
We’ve spent the day deep in discussions about the future of BMRex technology. But after a day of intense panels and networking, the team deserves a little time to unwind. 🥂
Tonight, we’re heading to the EIC After Hours Party to celebrate the hard work behind our progress.
For the BMRex team, it feels like the perfect moment to reflect on our journey so far. We’ve reached a new level of focus and synergy, and honestly? We’re just getting started. 🚀
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wearing and washing a synthetic t-shirt
Linkedin - 27/05/2026

Did you know that the simple act of wearing and washing a synthetic t-shirt or jacket is now the leading source of microplastic pollution in advanced economies?
As macro-plastic waste management gets highly efficient across Europe, attention is shifting to an invisible culprit: synthetic textiles.
Recent EU data reveals a striking paradox. In regions with advanced waste infrastructure, textile-related activities account for over 95% of microplastic emissions leaking into our soil.
🔄 The Environmental Loophole
Every time we wash clothes like polyester or nylon, mechanical friction and detergents release hundreds of thousands of microscopic fibers. Wastewater treatment plants do an amazing job capturing them, but they often end up in sewage sludge—which is then applied to agricultural land as fertilizer.
....
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Benasque at the BMRex Meeting

Linkedin - 14/05/2026

Great few days in Benasque at the BMRex Meeting - Biocatalytic Membranes for Micro/Nano-Plastic Removal. BMRex Project
It was truly inspiring to meet colleagues from the consortium, discuss the latest progress of the project, and exchange ideas on biocatalysis, membrane systems and sustainable technologies for micro- and nanoplastic remediation.
Beyond the science, the meeting was exceptionally well organised and hosted in an amazing venue at the Centro de Ciencias de Benasque Pedro Pascual, surrounded by the Pyrenees , a perfect environment for scientific discussion and collaboration.
Thanks to all colleagues and organisers for the stimulating discussions and excellent atmosphere throughout the meeting. Looking forward to the next steps of the project.
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infographic to show friends and family
Linkedin – 03/01/2026

Trying to find an interesting topic to talk about at the hashtag#Christmas dinner table that isn't politics, work stress and etc? Especially one that the kids (and the grown-ups!) will love? No worries... We've got you covered! 😉

We made this children-oriented infographic to show friends and family what we're doing in a super simple way. Feel free to print some copies and use it at your family gathering!

And most importantly, as a bonus, you'll have a huge chance to get some plastic hashtag#Recycling helpers highly active all year round!

hashtag#HappyHolidays and upcoming hashtag#Christmas festivities 🎄🎁 from the whole hashtag#BMRex consortium!

Let’s hashtag#BeatPlasticPollution and keep plastic out of the water! 🌊
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PROJECT

The proliferation of plastic in the 20th century has led to a critical environmental and health crisis. A significant portion of plastic waste fragments into microplastics (less than 1 mm) and subsequently into nanoplastics (less than 0.1 µm). These particles now saturate our ecosystems, infiltrating our food chains and posing a direct threat to planetary health.


Current water treatment technologies are insufficient to address this pervasive threat. BMRex introduces a paradigm shift. Funded by the European Innovation Council, BMRex is developing a novel biocatalytic cross-flow platform engineered to not only capture but completely degrade suspended micro- and nanoplastic contaminants. This project moves beyond mere filtration to offer a definitive solution for eliminating these pollutants from the water cycle.

Project

ACTION

To secure a sustainable future, the plastics economy must evolve into a circular system that retains the value of plastics while eliminating the environmental burden of its waste. The scientific community has identified enzymatic degradation as a promising pathway to break down micro- and nanoplastics. However, deploying these enzymes effectively in the complex environment of wastewater streams presents a formidable challenge.

To solve this challenge, the BMRex consortium is engineering a novel biocatalytic cross-flow system. This technology creates a controlled environment for highly efficient enzymatic reactions that target and degrade suspended plastic pollutants. The outcome will be the most efficient and scalable technology for removing micro- and nanoplastic pollutants, offering a sustainable and environmentally benign solution for water purification. Our innovative approach is fast and scalable, featuring antimicrobial properties to prevent biofouling, and is fully adaptable for both domestic and industrial wastewater treatment.

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TEAM

The BMRex project is driven by a world-class consortium of internationally recognized experts from three EU Member States and the United Kingdom. This multidisciplinary team unites scientists and technologists from biology, chemistry, materials science, and process engineering. The consortium comprises three leading Research Institutions, four renowned Universities, one innovative SME, and one major Large Company, ensuring a comprehensive blend of skills and experience to achieve our ambitious goals.

Map
INMA

Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón

The Spanish Research Council (CSIC) leads BMRex project and is represented by the Inorganic Materials Additive Manufacturing (IMAM) and Redox Active Materials (RAM) groups, which belong to the Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón (INMA).

Research in IMAM group focuses on the development and processing of novel heterogeneous chemo- and bio- catalysis systems for energy conversion and environmental remediation applications. Their experimental strategy consists in the design and processing of diverse functional devices through additive manufacturing routes.

Research in the Redox Active Materials Group focuses on addressing global challenges in healthcare and environmental stewardship through innovations in Materials Science. Their experimental strategy emphasizes molecular design and synthesis of responsive functional materials (including polyoxometalates, nanoparticles, and polymeric materials) compatible with the unique demands of areas as diverse as health, catalysis, water purification, and cultural heritage conservation.

DTU

DTU

Danish Technical University (DTU) is represented by DTU Sustain department which is one of the largest university departments in Europe specializing in Environmental and Resource technology. The department conducts research, development, and research-based consulting and provides educational programs and services to society. They specialize in new environmentally friendly and sustainable technologies, methods, and solutions, as well as on dissemination of knowledge to society and new generations of engineers.
The department’s academic breadth and multidisciplinary approach to finding solutions to complex environmental issues is reflected in the professional profile of the scientific personnel. DTU Sustain thus occupies both engineers, chemists, biologists, geologists, and physicists, who collaborate with a wide range of Danish and international partners.

https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/persons/wenjing-angela-zhang

https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/persons/claus-h%C3%A9lix-nielsen

https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/persons/nanna-b-hartmann

Johannes Gutenberg University

Johannes Gutenberg University

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is one of the leading research universities in Germany. The campus university hosts 31,000 students, 4600 researchers including 580 professors. The Mainz research campus also hosts the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and the Max Planck Institute of Polymer Research.

The Streb Group at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz is a synthetic materials chemistry group developing functional components for a diverse range of technical fields, including applications from energy conversion and storage to water purification and public health. 

Swansea University

Swansea University

Swansea University is represented by the Marine Microbial Ecology group. The Marine Microbial Ecology group is led by Dr. Eva C. Sonnenschein, who studies the molecular mechanisms that underlie the interactions in complex microbial communities associated with microalgae and microplastic, two areas of great environmental and biotechnological importance.

Within BMRex project, they lead activities on new biocatalysts for plastic degradation discovery from environmental samples.

https://www.sonnenscheinlab.com

https://www.swansea.ac.uk/staff/e.c.sonnenschein

Universidad Complutense Madrid

Universidad Complutense Madrid

Complutense University of Madrid (UCM, Spain) is represented by FQPIMA and INPROQUIMA research groups, which belong to the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering of the Faculty of Chemical Sciences.

The research scope of FQPIMA is to design and develop catalytic, enzymatic and microbial processes in the context of integrated biorefineries. This research consists in experimental and phenomenological studies of the bioprocesses and also in the simulation and modelling of the kinetics and transport phenomena involved. 

The INPROQUIMA research group deals with research in sustainable development, considering the principles of circular economy. INPROQUIMA research lines are related to industrial and environmental processes, aimed to improve the quality of products, the energy balance, the process safety, and the environmental concerns. The group’s evolution is strongly linked to the demand for knowledge in processes of industrial or environmental interest, maintaining collaborations with industrial and environmental engineering companies.

https://www.ucm.es/grupofqpima

https://www.ucm.es/inproquima

Universidade de aveiro

Universidade de aveiro

The University of Aveiro was founded in 1973 and paved the way in the creation of teaching offers in several knowledge fields. Since its beginning, University of Aveiro has evolved into one of the most dynamic and innovative universities in the country. Presently the University has more than 16000 students distributed across 16 Academic Departments and 4 Polytechnic Schools that work together in an inter-disciplinary manner according to their academic and research affinities. Its organisation and matrix structure stimulate knowledge exchange overlapping different scientific fields, promoting a useful proximity between teaching and research.
Since 2019, University of Aveiro is part of the ECIU University, together with other 13 research intensive universities, with a collective emphasis on innovation, creativity, and societal impact driving the development of a knowledge-based economy.

University of Aveiro research team belongs to Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), an Associated Laboratory within University of Aveiro, evaluated as “Excellent” by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). CESAM develops high-impact research on environmental and marine systems, sustainability, and human–environment interactions.
The University of Aveiro team contributes to BMRex project with expertise in the comprehensive characterization of micro- and nanoplastics and the assessment of their potential impacts on human health.

CICbiomaGUNE

CICbiomaGUNE

The Centre for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CICbiomaGUNE) is a non-profit research organization with the aim of creating, producing, promoting and applying cooperative scientific research and technological innovation in the biomaterials field. The Centre is composed of 13 international research teams conducting state-of-the-art research at the interface between chemistry, physics and biology, with particular emphasis on the properties and applications of molecular-level biological nanostructures.

As experts in biocatalysis, CICbiomaGUNE is actively contributing within BMRex project to tackle MNPs pollutant threat. 

Cetaqua

CETAQUA

Cetaqua is a model of public-private collaboration that was created to ensure sustainability and efficiency of the water cycle while taking regional needs into account.

Within the BMRex project, Cetaqua’s actively contributes within development a novel technology for wastewater pretreatment.

Repsol

Repsol

Repsol is a global multi-energy company that is leading the energy transition with its ambition of achieving zero net emissions by 2050. Present throughout the energy value chain, the company employs 24,000 people worldwide and distributes its products in more than 90 countries to around 24 million customers.

Its customer-focused product and services portfolio is capable of meeting all consumer energy needs. It leads the development of sustainable mobility solutions with increasingly efficient fuels, electric vehicle charging solutions, renewable fuels, Autogas or natural gas for vehicles. Repsol is also a major player in the power and gas market, with 1.5 million customers in Spain, and more than 1,800 MW of total installed capacity of renewable generation.

To achieve zero net emissions by 2050, Repsol is deploying an integrated model of decarbonization technologies based on enhanced efficiency, increased renewable power generation capacity, production of renewable fuels, development of new customer solutions, the circular economy, and by driving breakthrough projects to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint.

ASA

ASA

ASA Spezialenzyme GmbH is a company that has been working on biotechnological solutions for scientific and everyday problems since 1991. Their product range varies from nutrients for biogas optimization, bioremediation of groundwater and soil, to production and distribution of high activity enzymes.

As experts in research and development of novel biocatalytic approaches to challenges nowadays, ASA Spezialenzyme GmbH is actively contributing within BMRex project to tackle MNPs pollutant threat. 

IMPACT

The BMRex consortium will deliver a proof of principle (TRL 4) for a new technology capable of eliminating micro- and nanoplastics from the water cycle in a safe, efficient and industrially scalable manner. The project’s primary environmental impact lies in directly addressing the global challenge of plastic pollution.


BMRex directly contributes to the European Green Deal and the following UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030:

ODS 2030

The project also indirectly supports:

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Furthermore, the BMRex breakthrough technology platform is designed for adaptability. By modifying the active catalytic phases, it can be tuned to target other persistent contaminants, such as "forever chemicals" (PFAS). The entire development process is guided by the Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) principle, ensuring the sustainability of the reactor design, materials, and overall process.


FUNDING

European Innovation Council
European Union 

This project has received funding from Pathfinder Open 2022, a European Innovation Council (EIC) work programme that is part of Horizon Europe (grant agreement no. 101099528).

Innovate UK
Innovate UK 

This project has received funding from UK Innovation Funding Agency (UKRI) (reference no.10062709). 

The BMRex international consortium created for the development of the project has received the Pathfinder Open grant of €3,213,793.75 from the European Innovation Council (EIC) and grant of £267.683,00 from the UK Innovation Funding Agency (UKRI) to develop proposed technological approach for the efficient degradation of micro- and nanoplastics.

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