Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SYMBIOREM (Symbiotic, circular bioremediation systems and biotechnology solutions for improved environmental, economic and social sustainability in pollution control)
Berichtszeitraum: 2022-09-01 bis 2024-02-29
The SYMBIOREM project is a research initiative focused on bioremediation. Set against the backdrop of a world grappling with environmental challenges, the project’s primary objective is to develop innovative solutions for bioremediation, a process that uses natural organisms to neutralize pollutants in the environment.
SYMBIOREM addresses urgent environmental pollution by harnessing plant-microorganism symbiosis. With escalating threats to biodiversity and human health, it aims to restore ecosystems by leveraging symbiotic relationships to break down pollutants. This project stems from the pressing need to combat pollution's adverse effects on nature and society.
The SYMBIOREM project aims to tackle pollution in five types of contaminated environments:
1. Industrial Brownfields: These are abandoned industrial sites left contaminated with various pollutants due to the shift from industrial to service-based economies. The project is working on sites in Spain, Austria, and Poland.
2. Mixed Solid Waste Landfills: These landfills contain a mix of pollutants that can leach into soil and groundwater. The project is testing treatment methods in Austria and Spain.
3. Urban Diffuse Pollution of Surface Water Bodies: This refers to pollution from various urban sources, such as road runoff and sewer overflow, which degrade freshwater ecosystems. The project is working on sites in London, UK, and Wroclaw, Poland.
4. Agricultural Drainage: This involves pollution from excess nutrients in agricultural runoff, leading to issues like eutrophication and sediment buildup. The project is targeting sites at Lake Neusiedl, Austria, and Central Valley, California, USA.
5. Marine Sediments: European seas are facing large-scale contamination, degrading coastal ecosystems. The project is focusing on the Baltic Sea, which provides insights for both coastal and freshwater bodies.
SYMBIOREM explores reusing cleaned soil, water, nutrients, and metals, engaging citizens and stakeholders in site assessment, sample collection, and analysis. It fosters a sense of responsibility and ownership by publishing technical guides and creating materials for citizen engagement. Ensuring safety, it combines technical measures with community participation and education to safeguard bioremediation sites for humans and wildlife.
In simple terms, SYMBIOREM is working to clean up different types of polluted environments using nature-based solutions. It’s all about making our world a cleaner, healthier place to live. The project sets the stage for a future where humans and nature coexist harmoniously, each benefiting the other in a perfect symbiosis.
SYMBIOREM addresses urgent environmental pollution by harnessing plant-microorganism symbiosis. With escalating threats to biodiversity and human health, it aims to restore ecosystems by leveraging symbiotic relationships to break down pollutants. This project stems from the pressing need to combat pollution's adverse effects on nature and society.
The SYMBIOREM project aims to tackle pollution in five types of contaminated environments:
1. Industrial Brownfields: These are abandoned industrial sites left contaminated with various pollutants due to the shift from industrial to service-based economies. The project is working on sites in Spain, Austria, and Poland.
2. Mixed Solid Waste Landfills: These landfills contain a mix of pollutants that can leach into soil and groundwater. The project is testing treatment methods in Austria and Spain.
3. Urban Diffuse Pollution of Surface Water Bodies: This refers to pollution from various urban sources, such as road runoff and sewer overflow, which degrade freshwater ecosystems. The project is working on sites in London, UK, and Wroclaw, Poland.
4. Agricultural Drainage: This involves pollution from excess nutrients in agricultural runoff, leading to issues like eutrophication and sediment buildup. The project is targeting sites at Lake Neusiedl, Austria, and Central Valley, California, USA.
5. Marine Sediments: European seas are facing large-scale contamination, degrading coastal ecosystems. The project is focusing on the Baltic Sea, which provides insights for both coastal and freshwater bodies.
SYMBIOREM explores reusing cleaned soil, water, nutrients, and metals, engaging citizens and stakeholders in site assessment, sample collection, and analysis. It fosters a sense of responsibility and ownership by publishing technical guides and creating materials for citizen engagement. Ensuring safety, it combines technical measures with community participation and education to safeguard bioremediation sites for humans and wildlife.
In simple terms, SYMBIOREM is working to clean up different types of polluted environments using nature-based solutions. It’s all about making our world a cleaner, healthier place to live. The project sets the stage for a future where humans and nature coexist harmoniously, each benefiting the other in a perfect symbiosis.
In SYMBIOREM, contaminated soils in the selected contaminated sites have been studied. Microorganisms capable of degrading contaminants have been isolated. Different conditions to stimulate this process have been tested, with the best results achieved using organic amendments. A DNA construct has also been designed for a specific metabolic pathway. In addition, tests have been conducted in California with saline and drought-tolerant species, aiming to remediate drainage water. Additionally, a floating treatment wetland has been successfully installed in Gallions Lake, UK. Moreover, experiments were conducted to see how adding certain substances can help remove harmful compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) found in the Baltic Sea. Lab tests have been done on mussels to study their ability to reduce nutrients and algae, including toxic cyanobacteria. Tests were also conducted to assess the impact of nanoplastics on mussels. The SYMBIOREM project is actively engaging citizens in its efforts to improve bioremediation strategies. A toolkit was developed to guide this engagement, with activities including questionnaires, discussions, and local events. In the UK, community members have been involved in various stages, from understanding pollution issues to participating in the construction of floating wetlands. Similar engagement strategies are being implemented in Poland and Austria to foster a collaborative approach to tackling environmental challenges.
SYMBIOREM's potential impact is significant, promising a paradigm shift in pollution control and environmental restoration, benefiting ecosystems worldwide for future generations.
SYMBIOREM advances bioremediation for polluted environments, offering sustainable, cost-effective pollution control through bio-based solutions. It mitigates biodiversity loss, ecosystem damage, and waste by discovering new microbial strains and efficient remediation technologies. Embracing circular economy principles, SYMBIOREM recovers 20 products from residues and improves pollution threat assessments while engaging citizens in research and awareness. Through robust assessments and dissemination, it overcomes resistance to technical solutions, fostering resource conservation and pollution mitigation. SYMBIOREM aims to revolutionize pollution control, significantly contributing to environmental science for a healthier planet. Its holistic approach addresses pollution challenges, promotes sustainable practices, and emphasizes collaborative efforts for environmental restoration and long-term ecological balance.
In this period, three results were reported, all at TRL 4. The methodology to creating water-dispersible chitosan nanohydrogels via covalent cross-linking with PEG-COOH, reported by EHU. The methodology developed by KTH focuses on phosphorus mining from marine sediments using anaerobic reactors, exploring mechanisms and microbial activities. Finally, a method for the uses of freshwater mussels for bioremediation, clearing algae and cyanobacteria was reported by CNR. Each method has been prototyped in a lab environment Water-dispersible chitosan development and phosphorus mining methodologies were documented in peer-reviewed publications.
SYMBIOREM advances bioremediation for polluted environments, offering sustainable, cost-effective pollution control through bio-based solutions. It mitigates biodiversity loss, ecosystem damage, and waste by discovering new microbial strains and efficient remediation technologies. Embracing circular economy principles, SYMBIOREM recovers 20 products from residues and improves pollution threat assessments while engaging citizens in research and awareness. Through robust assessments and dissemination, it overcomes resistance to technical solutions, fostering resource conservation and pollution mitigation. SYMBIOREM aims to revolutionize pollution control, significantly contributing to environmental science for a healthier planet. Its holistic approach addresses pollution challenges, promotes sustainable practices, and emphasizes collaborative efforts for environmental restoration and long-term ecological balance.
In this period, three results were reported, all at TRL 4. The methodology to creating water-dispersible chitosan nanohydrogels via covalent cross-linking with PEG-COOH, reported by EHU. The methodology developed by KTH focuses on phosphorus mining from marine sediments using anaerobic reactors, exploring mechanisms and microbial activities. Finally, a method for the uses of freshwater mussels for bioremediation, clearing algae and cyanobacteria was reported by CNR. Each method has been prototyped in a lab environment Water-dispersible chitosan development and phosphorus mining methodologies were documented in peer-reviewed publications.