One person’s waste is another's treasure

Bringing Chemistry to Life

80% of waste water gets discharged untreated, which causes some of the most urgent environmental issues facing our planet. However, Dr. William Tarpeh, nominated as one of The Root 100's most influential African Americans, views waste water is an incredible resource that contains many valuable components and represents an untapped economic opportunity in our world of finite resources.

This episode is an intriguing discovery of how chemical engineering can transform our energy-intense linear economy, where materials are made, used and eventually discarded, into a new circular economy based on recovery value and a vision of eliminating waste altogether.

William and Paolo speak about how selective adsorbent resins and electrochemical processes can completely change the chemical landscape and profoundly impact the global economy. This episode is a treasure trove of examples of how chemical innovation can change the world and how great science can translate into practical applications with immediate tangible benefits for human life and the environment.

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About Your Host

Born and raised in Italy, Paolo Braiuca, a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences, co-founded a startup company after conducting research in biocatalysis in Italy and the UK. He transitioned from R&D to business development, working in commercial, product management, and marketing roles in the specialty chemicals, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical markets in Germany and the UK. A busy father of four, if asked, he’ll call himself a “maker” at heart and enjoys inventing electronic devices in his free time.