Solaima Belachqer, CIESOL researcher, awarded by the OEPM for the Best Invention by a 'Woman Inventor'
Researcher Solaima Belachqer El Attar, from the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Solar Energy Research Centre (CIESOL) —a joint centre of the University of Almería (UAL) and the Plataforma Solar de Almería (PSA-CIEMAT)—, has won the prestigious award for the Best Protected Invention in the category of 'Best Utility Model by a Woman Inventor', granted by the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (OEPM).
The gala ceremony of this fifth edition, held in Madrid, was presided over by the Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, who established these awards as one of the highest national recognitions for the promotion of scientific and technological development.
The award-winning invention, entitled 'Composition for Water Purification' (Utility Model no. ES 1 310 873 U), consists of a novel chemical formulation designed for the elimination of microbial and chemical contaminants in aqueous solutions. The system efficiently harnesses solar or ultraviolet radiation to activate an advanced oxidation chemical process capable of purifying water in a sustainable way.
This solution is ideal for integration as an advanced tertiary treatment in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). It can be applied in the reuse of reclaimed water for agricultural irrigation, in the elimination of contaminants of emerging concern such as pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, pesticides, personal care products and artificial sweeteners, and finally for the advanced disinfection of bacteria.
Because it is based on components that can be added in both solid state and aqueous solution to facilitate their homogenisation, the invention stands out for its versatility, its high effectiveness and, above all, its low environmental impact, as it is designed to operate under natural sunlight.
The invention simultaneously eliminates pathogenic microorganisms and contaminants with harmful effects on human health. In addition, it prevents the accumulation of microcontaminants in ecosystems; reduces toxic by-products derived from disinfection and helps alleviate water scarcity in Spain and the Mediterranean basin through safe reuse. Furthermore, it reduces operating costs compared to conventional treatments such as chlorination and ozonation (less energy, fewer reagents).
The award-winning development is the result of excellent work at the UAL in which prominent inventors and researchers from the institution also took part: José Antonio Sánchez Pérez, Paula Soriano Molina, José Luis Casas López, José Luis García Sánchez, Ana Agüera López and Patricia Plaza Bolaños.
The award granted to Solaima Belachqer El Attar, endowed with 2,500 euros, not only recognises the technical rigour and applicability of the invention in the current context of climate crisis and water scarcity, but also fulfils one of the pillars promoted by the Ministry and the OEPM: encouraging the strategic use of Industrial Property and giving visibility to the leadership of women scientists in the transfer of technology to the market.
Solaima Belachqer El Attar is a pre-doctoral researcher at the University of Almería (UAL) associated with the CIESOL centre (Solar Energy Research Centre), where she focuses her work on the regeneration and reuse of urban and agricultural wastewater. A graduate in Industrial Chemical Engineering and holder of a Master's in Chemical Engineering from the UAL —a degree in which she obtained the award for the best academic record— she specialises in the application of advanced technologies such as solar photocatalysis and the photo-Fenton process. Throughout her career, she has actively participated in highly relevant projects such as INACUA and in the development of kinetic modelling strategies for water regeneration. She also stands out for her strong commitment to science communication, having won the third edition of the 'Three Minute Thesis' contest and regularly collaborating for five years in the European Researchers' Night.
With this award, the University of Almería and CIESOL reaffirm their position at the forefront of international research in water treatment technologies using solar energy, demonstrating how science born in classrooms and laboratories translates into real, protected and competitive solutions for the global challenges of the 21st century.
Source: news.ual.es