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April 22, 2025 - GTU Office of Press and Public Relations
GTU’s young researchers Buse Bıyıklı and Rıfat Buğra Bildiri, master’s students at the Gebze Technical University (GTU) Institute of Biotechnology, are awarded second place at the TechXtile Challenge Design Competition with their project Naturalg, which focuses on the recovery of textile wastewater.
GTU Students Recognized for Their Nature-Friendly Innovation Buse Bıyıklı and Rıfat Buğra Bildiri have achieved significant success at the sixth edition of the “TechXtile Challenge Design Competition,” held on April 18, 2025, under the coordination of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), organized by the Uludağ Textile Exporters’ Association (UTİB), and supported by the Republic of Türkiye's Ministry of Trade. Their project, “Naturalg: Microalgae Cultivation in Textile Wastewater and Production of Bio-Based Products”, has received the second-place award in the “Level-Up” category.
A Sustainable Model: Naturalg The Naturalg project aims to reduce the environmental threats caused by textile production. By using biochar as a “bio-adsorbent,” the project removes harmful chemicals and dyes from wastewater, preventing damage to nature. In doing so, it proposes a system that is both environmentally friendly and economically sustainable.
The purified wastewater environment is then made suitable for microalgae cultivation. The resulting microalgae biomass carries economic value, making Naturalg a project that aligns with circular economy principles, uniting environmental and financial sustainability.
Full Support from Academic Advisors The Naturalg initiative is being carried out under the guidance of GTU Institute of Biotechnology Faculty Members Assoc. Prof. Müge İşleten-Hoşoğlu, Asst. Prof. Bahar Yıldız-Kutman, and Asst. Prof. Ümit Barış Kutman. These academic advisors not only support the students scientifically, but also emphasize the project's potential social and environmental impact.
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