3 Ways Enzymes are Saving Water Everyday

Water Conservation

Our lives depend on water, the most valuable resource on Earth.

And, yet, learning how not to waste it is still one of the biggest challenges we face today.

Worldwide, water use has increased 1% per year for the past four decades and it’s expected to continue similarly until 2050, adding more pressure to this issue.

In this scenario, achieving efficient water use and sanitation has become a priority for health and environmental safety. And for that, enzymes have demonstrated to be promising allies.

Can Enzymes Save Water?

When an enzyme is applied to an industrial process as a means of accelerating a chemical reaction, it contributes to reducing water use because faster processes spend overall less water.

Enzymes can be used to produce natural products for multiple industries, reducing the amount of harmful chemicals released into oceans and rivers. Plus, they can replace certain ingredients in traditional formulations to increase safety and efficiency of products that need to be used with water. 

Let’s take a closer look at these advantages:

1. Accelerating Chemical Reactions

When enzymes are applied to a manufacturing process, they facilitate faster reactions, leading to reduced processing times and, consequently, lower water usage.

For example… In the textile industry, enzymes are used to enhance the efficiency of dyeing processes. By catalyzing the breakdown of dyes and facilitating their absorption onto fibers, enzymes enable shorter dyeing cycles, thereby conserving water.

2. Producing Natural Products

Enzymes are also instrumental in the production of natural products across various industries. By applying enzymes, manufacturers can streamline their production processes and minimize water consumption.

For example… In the food and beverage industry, enzymes are employed in the production of fruit juices. Enzymatic treatments help extract juice more efficiently from fruits, reducing the need for excessive water in the juicing process.

3. Contributing to wastewater treatment

Industrial downstream processes normally include the treatment of harmful or polluting compounds to avoid releasing them into the freshwater. Enzymes contribute to breaking down or degrading toxic molecules, preventing them from reaching natural water bodies such as rivers or oceans.

For example… In the textile industry, enzymes are also useful in downstream processes for water treatment, since synthetic dyes are made of polluting compounds that may damage natural environments. Enzymes such as laccases have been reported to remove dyes during these processes, reducing the environmental impact.