Stimuli-Responsive Biopolymers for Water Treatment and Remediation
Smart Biopolymers for Smarter Water Remediation.
About This Course
Water pollution caused by heavy metals, dyes, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and emerging contaminants demands innovative, sustainable solutions beyond conventional treatment methods. Stimuli-responsive biopolymers, derived from natural sources such as cellulose, chitosan, alginate, starch, and proteins, offer eco-friendly alternatives due to their biodegradability, tunable chemistry, and functional responsiveness. These materials can change their structure or affinity in response to environmental triggers, enabling smart adsorption, controlled desorption, and reuse.
This workshop covers the fundamentals and applications of smart biopolymer systems for water remediation. Participants will explore how polymer chemistry, functionalization, and composite design influence contaminant capture and release. Case studies will include heavy metal removal, dye adsorption, oil–water separation, and responsive membranes/hydrogels. Dry-lab learning will emphasize material selection, performance analysis, adsorption modeling, and scalability considerations for real-world water treatment systems.
Aim
This workshop aims to introduce participants to the design and application of stimuli-responsive biopolymers for advanced water treatment and environmental remediation. It focuses on how biopolymers respond to external stimuli (pH, temperature, ions, light, redox conditions) to enable selective adsorption, controlled release, and regeneration. Participants will learn material design principles and performance evaluation strategies relevant to sustainable water technologies. The program bridges materials science with environmental engineering needs.
Workshop Objectives
- Understand the principles of stimuli-responsive biopolymers and smart materials.
- Learn how different stimuli affect polymer behavior and contaminant interactions.
- Analyze adsorption, desorption, and regeneration mechanisms.
- Evaluate performance metrics for water treatment applications.
- Explore scale-up, reusability, and sustainability considerations.
Workshop Structure
Day 1: Smart Biopolymers Basics + Use-Case Mapping
- What “smart” means: stimuli-responsive materials (pH, temperature, light, enzymes, ions, redox)
- Key biopolymers: cellulose/nanocellulose, chitosan, alginate, starch, gelatin, lignin, pectin
- How smart behavior is built: functionalization, blending, crosslinking, composites
- Environmental use-cases overview: water treatment, pollutant sensing, soil remediation, packaging, oil–water separation
- Material selection logic: matching pollutant type + environment + recovery/reuse
Hands-on: material–application decision sheet
Mini task: choose one application (e.g., fluoride removal / dye adsorption / oil spill) and propose a smart biopolymer system.
Day 2: Fabrication + Functional Performance (Capture/Respond/Release)
- Fabrication routes: films, beads, hydrogels, aerogels, membranes, coatings
- Functional components: chelators, amines, carboxyls, thiols, cyclodextrins, biochar, clays, metal oxides
- Mechanisms: adsorption, ion exchange, chelation, photocatalysis support, flocculation
- Performance metrics: capacity, selectivity, kinetics, pH effect, reusability, regeneration cycles
- Simple modelling: isotherms/kinetics overview (Langmuir/Freundlich, pseudo-1st/2nd order)
Hands-on: Excel templates for adsorption curves + isotherm fitting
Mini task: interpret a dataset and calculate removal % + capacity + reuse performance.
Day 3: Deployment, Sustainability, and Research-Grade Reporting
- Scaling & deployment: batch vs flow systems, column design basics, membrane modules
- Stability & safety: leaching risks, biodegradation, microbial resistance, lifespan
- Field constraints: turbidity, competing ions, temperature, real wastewater complexity
- Sustainability lens: life cycle thinking, regeneration chemicals, disposal/end-of-life
- Standards & reporting: what to include for publishable/industry-ready work
Tools / Hands-on: 1-page report template + “minimum data checklist”
Mini task: create a 1-page environmental performance report (material → method → results → reuse → field plan → limitations).
Who Should Enrol?
- Doctoral Scholars & Researchers: PhD candidates seeking to integrate computational workflows into their molecular research.
- Postdoctoral Fellows: Early-career scientists aiming to enhance their data-driven publication profile.
- University Faculty: Professors and HODs interested in modern bioinformatics pedagogy and tool mastery.
- Industry Scientists: R&D professionals from the Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical sectors transitioning to genomic-driven discovery.
- Postgraduate Students: Final-year PG students looking for specialized research-grade exposure beyond standard curricula.
Important Dates
Registration Ends
01/28/2026
IST 07:00 PM
Workshop Dates
01/28/2026 – 01/30/2026
IST 08:00 PM
Workshop Outcomes
Participants will be able to:
- Identify suitable biopolymers and stimuli for specific water contaminants.
- Understand adsorption and release mechanisms in responsive polymer systems.
- Interpret performance data such as removal efficiency and reusability.
- Propose smart biopolymer-based solutions for water remediation challenges.
- Evaluate sustainability and scalability of biopolymer treatment systems.
Fee Structure
Student Fee
₹1799 | $70
Ph.D. Scholar / Researcher Fee
₹2799 | $80
Academician / Faculty Fee
₹3799 | $94
Industry Professional Fee
₹4799 | $110
What You’ll Gain
- Live & recorded sessions
- e-Certificate upon completion
- Post-workshop query support
- Hands-on learning experience
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