REMAOP

The REMAOP project addresses part of the general problem of water treatment in the Mekong Delta, with a particular focus on water purification in the shrimp farming sector, which is of great socio-economic importance in the Delta. REMAOP aims at developing and validating on a pilot scale an innovative UV-ozone photocatalytic technology for the elimination of micropollutants characteristic of this type of farming (pharmaceutical products, pesticides), but also of microorganisms responsible for a significant mortality of shrimps in order to limit the quantities of antibiotics used by the farmers. The elimination must be completed in terms of chemical composition and resulting toxicity to aquatic ecosystems and the aim is to validate the technology at a pilot scale (up to 300 L/h). It is important to note that, although the project aims to eliminate both residues of chemical pollutants used in shrimp farming and biological pathogens, if the latter are effectively eliminated by the technology developed, the use of the former by farmers could be greatly reduced. This would meet the requirements of the Vietnamese authorities regarding the quality of water discharged into the Mekong River.

Based on the proof of concept demonstrated in the framework of an ARES fellowship in 2022, but also in connection with the EMES master program at the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City and the Wallonie-Bruxelles International doctoral exchange program, this project not only pursues objectives of sustainable development and perpetuation of a local activity through the improvement of practices, but also aims to strengthen the local scientific potential in the field through the training of students and PhD students.