Objective
Problems to be solved
Contaminated land, landfills and sediments pose a serious environmental threat by polluting groundwater in the surrounding area. In 14 European countries contamination caused by uranium represents a particularly serious danger where drinking water resources might be affected. Other heavy metals and organic pollutants can also have a strongly deleterious effect on groundwater. Available technologies (e.g. pump-and-treat) fall short of solving the problem because their performance is not yet adequate for effective remediation. Permeable reactive barriers (PRB) represent a promising innovative technology for passive in-site groundwater remediation. Little is known, however, about the long-term behaviour (formation of coatings and precipitates, reduction of permeability) of PRB systems.
Scientific objectives and approach
The aim of the project is to elaborate the scientific basis for, laboratory and pilot-scale testing of and the practical application of a considerably more efficient and cost-effective in-site reactive barrier technology targeting groundwater contaminants. General objective is to evaluate and enhance the long-term performance of PRB systems, especially of those targeting heavy metals and organic contaminants using sorption and/or precipitation mechanisms. The approaches taken to meet the project objectives will be the characterisation of different reactive materials and relevant attenuation processes in the reactive matrix of the PRB and their long-term behaviour. Technological methods to enhance the long-term efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the PRB system will be developed and tested under realistic conditions. The primary model test site will be an area in southern Hungary contaminated by uranium mining - thus including a region which is due to become part of the European Union.
Expected impacts
The results of this project are expected to play a major role in establishing the permeable reactive barrier technology as an accepted, reliable and cost-effective method for the remediation of contaminated groundwater. The broad spectrum of activities within the proposal offers considerable utilisation opportunities. The investigation of potentially suitable reactive materials for specific target contaminants and the clarification of attenuation processes and ageing mechanisms will enable the optimisation of reaction conditions and barrier design. New technological developments like specially tailored contaminant-targeting ligands and electro kinetic enhancement are aimed at improving the effectiveness of the groundwater-cleaning task of PRB systems. The anticipated spread in the application of PRB systems will also necessitate regulation. As far as we are aware, the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) in Berlin is currently the only regulatory body in Europe in a position to develop guidelines and regulations on reactive barriers. The project will develop a schematic, long-term effectiveness assessment method for lifetime prediction. The results of the project will therefore also influence the future sanctioning practice of such remediation systems by the responsible authorities.
Contaminated land, landfills and sediments pose a serious environmental threat by polluting groundwater in the surrounding area. In 14 European countries contamination caused by uranium represents a particularly serious danger where drinking water resources might be affected. Other heavy metals and organic pollutants can also have a strongly deleterious effect on groundwater. Available technologies (e.g. pump-and-treat) fall short of solving the problem because their performance is not yet adequate for effective remediation. Permeable reactive barriers (PRB) represent a promising innovative technology for passive in-situ groundwater remediation. Little is known, however, about the long-term behaviour (formation of coatings and precipitates, reduction of permeability) of PRB systems.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology environmental engineering water treatment processes drinking water treatment processes
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences hydrology
- engineering and technology materials engineering coating and films
- engineering and technology environmental engineering waste management waste treatment processes
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
76128 KARLSRUHE
Germany
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.