The Heavy Metal Bio-recovery and Valorization (HMBV) project develops an innovative and eco-friendly biotechnology based on the exploitation of microbial biosorption for removing heavy metals from electroplating wastewaters.

The initiative moves from the cellular ability to adsorb heavy metals onto extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and the possibility to convert the metal-binding biomass into high value metal salts and metal-organic complexes with catalytic abilities.