Project description
Turning medicines green to reduce pollution
The medicines that save us could end up harming us if not disposed of properly. Unfortunately, the concentration of pharmaceuticals in waterways is reaching dangerous levels. In this context, the EU-funded ENVIROMED project will narrow the knowledge gap when it comes to the effect of pharmaceutical compounds, and their derivatives, on the environment. ENVIROMED will shed light on the environmental impact of such compounds, throughout their lifecycle. The findings will provide information about the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the environment, their persistence and environmental fate. The project will also aim to develop a set of technologies that enable greener and overall, more efficient pharmaceutical production.
Objective
Pharmaceuticals have undoubtably made our world a better place, ensuring longer and healthier lives. However, pharmaceuticals and their active metabolites are rapidly emerging environmental toxicants. It is thus critical that we fully understand, and mitigate where nec-essary, the environmental impact resulting from their production, use and disposal. In this direction, ENVIROMED addresses two aspects of the environmental impact of pharmaceuticals, a) impact of the processes in manufacturing the compound, and b) impact of the compound itself, during its lifecycle. The project narrows the knowledge gap when it comes to the effect of pharmaceutical compounds, and their derivatives, in the environment as it enables the better understanding the environmental impact of such compounds, throughout their lifecycle. It aims to offer (via extensive monitoring campaigns & scientific studies) information regarding occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the environment, their persistence, environmental fate, and toxicity (via in-vitro & in-vivo models) as well as application of in-silico methods to provide information about the basic risk management and fate prediction in the environment. Brief ideas about toxicity endpoints, available ecotoxicity databases, and expert systems employed for rapid toxicity predictions of ecotoxicity of pharmaceuticals will also be taken into account, in order to have a comprehensive approach to pharmaceuticals' Lifecycle Assessment (LCA). Moreover, the project aims at developing a set of technologies that enable greener and overall, more efficient pharmaceuticals production, which include: a) Green-by-design in-silico drug development; b) Novel sensing to allow reduction of rinsing chemicals and cycles; c) a robust Continuous Biomanufacturing line (CBM), which makes use of AI-enabled process optimisation and prediction, using data assimilation based on chemical sensing and energy disaggregation/monitoring. Training activities and a robust exploitation
Fields of science
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug discovery
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesdatabases
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugs
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesartificial intelligenceexpert systems
- social sciencessociologygovernancecrisis management
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinator
10707 Berlin
Germany
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Participants (15)
T12 Cork
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15125 Maroussi
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
2880 Bagsvaerd
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1040 Wien
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145 61 KIFISIA
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
89081 Ulm
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151 23 MAROUSI ATHINA
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01116 Vilnius
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
1060 Lefkosia
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
11146 Athina
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00185 Roma
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1030 SCHAERBEEK
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
4040 Linz
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157 80 ATHINA
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61440 Oberursel Taunus
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Partners (3)
2072 Saint-Blaise
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Participation ended
SK8 3GR Cheadle
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G1 2TB Glasgow
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