在“双碳”与可持续发展成为中国社会共识的今天，水——作为生命与工业的核心要素——正被赋予新的意义。来自丹麦的生物科技公司 Aquaporin，以自然界的水通道蛋白为灵感，将生物学与膜分离技术相融合，推动全球水处理行业迈向更绿色、更高效的新阶段。
As China moves toward its “Dual Carbon” goals and embraces sustainability as a national priority, water—essential to both life and industry—is taking on new meaning.Danish biotechnology company Aquaporin, inspired by the natural water channels found in living cells, is redefining the way we treat water by merging biology with advanced membrane technology.
Q1
您如何看待当前中国在“双碳”与可持续发展背景下的水处理方向？
How do you view the current direction of water treatment in China under the Dual Carbon and sustainability agenda?
我们观察到，中国的水处理行业正从“让水变干净”转向“让水更有价值”。
过去的关注点是污染物的去除，而今天的重点在于如何让水处理与能源、材料、数字化技术形成联动，在全生命周期中实现资源优化。
例如，在部分工业应用中，我们不仅净化水，还从溶液中回收有价值成分，让水处理不再只是成本中心，而是价值创造的环节。
这也正是 Aquaporin 所倡导的理念：通过自然启发的技术，让每一滴水都发挥出更高的价值。
What we’re witnessing in China is a transformation—from simply making water clean to making water more valuable.
In the past, the focus was on removing contaminants. Today, it’s about how water treatment can connect with energy efficiency, materials science, and digitalization, to optimize resources throughout the entire lifecycle.
For example, in many industrial applications, we don’t just purify water—we also recover valuable compounds from process streams. This represents a shift from water treatment as a cost center to water as a source of value creation.
This holistic view is central to Aquaporin’s philosophy: using nature-inspired technology to enhance the value of every drop of water.
Q2
近年来无机膜（如陶瓷膜）因马斯克的应用而受到关注，您如何看待这一趋势？
Ceramic membranes have drawn attention recently, especially after being adopted by Elon Musk’s factories. What’s your perspective on this trend?
陶瓷膜的出现确实带来了新的思考。它在工业应用中展现出高耐久、低污染、易维护的特性，代表着无机膜的一个高峰。
但我们也在进一步思考：在有机膜与无机膜之外，是否还存在“第三种膜”？
我们认为答案可能是——生物膜（Biological Membrane）。
它的逻辑就像医药行业从化学药到生物药的演进：前者依靠人工合成，后者则更遵循自然规律。
水通道蛋白（Aquaporin）正是这种自然启发的典范。它让我们看到一种更绿色、更高效的膜技术方向，也许这正是未来膜技术发展的下一步。
The adoption of ceramic (inorganic) membranes indeed brings fresh thinking to the industry. Their high durability, low fouling potential, and ease of maintenance show strong advantages in industrial applications.
But we’re asking a deeper question: Is there a “third type” of membrane beyond organic and inorganic?
We believe the answer may lie in biological membranes.
It’s similar to the evolution from chemical drugs to biopharmaceuticals—the shift from synthetic to nature-based solutions.
The aquaporin protein itself is a perfect example: a natural, highly efficient water channel. By applying this biological principle to membrane design, we can create a greener, more efficient, and more sustainable path forward for water treatment. This could represent the next frontier of membrane innovation.
Q3
Aquaporin 的技术如今在中国主要有哪些应用？
What are the main applications of Aquaporin’s technology in China today?
我们的技术目前在两大方向上应用：
一是 获得干净的水（RO），用于饮用水、医药、半导体等高纯水场景；
Our technology is applied in two major directions:
First, producing clean water (RO) for drinking, pharmaceutical, or semiconductor use.
二是 从液体中提取水分（FO），例如食品浓缩、药品制备、资源回收等。
Second, extracting water from liquids (FO) in processes like food concentration, drug formulation, and resource recovery.
简单来说，一种是“把水留下”，一种是“把水拿走”。
这两种看似相反的应用，其实体现了同一个核心理念——以自然的方式更精准地控制水的流动。
这种双向思维，使我们的技术能够跨越传统行业边界，在能源、医药、新材料甚至新能源提锂等领域找到新价值。
In simple terms, one application keeps the water, while the other removes it.
Both approaches are based on the same core principle: controlling the movement of water naturally and precisely.
This dual-function concept allows Aquaporin’s technology to cross traditional industry boundaries—from household and industrial purification to lithium extraction and beyond.
Q4
在AI与新材料的浪潮中，您认为水处理行业将迎来哪些新变化？
With the rise of AI and advanced materials, what new challenges and opportunities do you see for the water industry?
这是非常有趣也极具挑战性的问题。AI 的发展不仅推动了算力的爆发，也带来了新的“用水革命”。
AI 工厂、芯片制造、冷却系统等都对高品质用水提出了前所未有的要求。水质已不再是辅助条件，而是核心生产因素。
与此同时，今年诺贝尔化学奖授予了金属有机框架（MOF）结构的相关研究，它让我们重新思考材料科学与水处理的交叉。
未来，我们希望通过与不同学科——AI、化学、材料、生物学——的深度融合，不仅优化膜材料本身，还能让工业更绿色，让系统更智能，让效率更高。
水处理的未来，一定是多学科协同的结果。
This is an exciting and transformative time. The rapid development of AI is not only increasing computational power but also reshaping water demand.
AI factories, chip manufacturing, and cooling systems all require ultra-pure water, turning water quality into a core production factor rather than a mere utility.
At the same time, the recent Nobel Prize in Chemistry for Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) materials reminds us of the value of interdisciplinary innovation.
We’re exploring how breakthroughs in AI, chemistry, materials science, and biology can converge in water treatment—not just to improve membranes, but to make industry greener, smarter, and more efficient.
The future of water technology lies in this cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Q5
中国市场对 Aquaporin 的意义是什么？未来有哪些重点方向？
What does the Chinese market mean to Aquaporin? What are your future priorities here?
中国是全球最具活力的市场之一，也是创新实践的沃土。
这里的产业场景丰富，从民用饮水到工业再利用，从新能源到医药制造，都为我们提供了广阔的应用空间。
更重要的是，中国在政策层面积极推动绿色转型，地方政府与科研机构也非常开放。
我们正在与多方伙伴共建联合研发平台，探索如何让水通道蛋白技术更好地服务中国的可持续发展需求。
未来，我们将继续深化“本地创新 + 全球协作”的模式，从自然中学习，用自然的方式回馈自然，让每一次水的流动都更清澈、更有意义。
China is one of the world’s most dynamic and innovative markets. It offers diverse industrial scenarios—from household water purification to industrial reuse, pharmaceuticals, and new energy—each with unique water challenges.
Equally important, China’s strong policy direction toward sustainability and its openness to global collaboration make it an ideal environment for innovation.
We are working closely with local research institutes, enterprises, and government partners to co-develop and localize Aquaporin’s technology, ensuring it contributes meaningfully to China’s sustainable water solutions.
Moving forward, our focus will remain on “local innovation with global collaboration.”
We aim to learn from nature, give back to nature, and make every flow of water cleaner, smarter, and more meaningful.
结语 Closing Thoughts
从自然界的水通道到工业中的高效分离，Aquaporin 以“自然之力”推动水科技的变革。
正如这位负责人所说：“真正的创新，不只是净化水，而是让水与世界产生新的连接。”
在中国这片充满活力的土地上，Aquaporin 正与更多伙伴一道，共同描绘一幅清澈、绿色、可持续的未来蓝图。
From the natural water channels inside living cells to the industrial systems shaping our modern world, Aquaporin is redefining the boundaries of water technology through the power of nature.
As the Head of Aquaporin China summarizes:
“True innovation is not only about cleaning water—it’s about creating new connections between water, technology, and life.”
In China, Aquaporin is not just participating in a market—it’s helping shape a sustainable, cross-disciplinary future for water.
“Aquatech China大咖说”栏目聚焦水业前沿，对话全球领军企业决策者及行业专家，分享市场趋势洞察与学术创新内容。Aquatech China致力于打造高效商贸平台，深化产业交流合作，助力业界探索发展机遇，携手共创未来水世界。
部分图文来源：Aquaporin
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