Project description
Phosphorus from wastewater for a circular economy
Phosphorus is an essential resource, but it is also finite. What’s more, current wastewater treatment practices often remove it rather than recover it, contributing to resource scarcity and environmental problems such as eutrophication. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the VivaPhores project will develop a circular approach to recovering phosphorus from wastewater treatment plants through the formation of vivianite, an iron phosphate mineral with applications in agriculture and advanced technologies. The project will investigate iron-to-phosphorus ratios and pH levels in different wastewater treatment configurations. Ultimately, VivaPhores is supporting sustainable phosphorus management, reducing reliance on imported phosphate rock and advancing Europe’s circular economy goals.
Objective
VivaPhores aims to develop and optimize an innovative, circular solution for P recovery from WWTPs, focusing on the controlled formation of vivianite—a valuable iron phosphate mineral with applications in agriculture and advanced technologies, including battery production. P is an essential yet finite resource, and its excessive release into aquatic environments leads to eutrophication. By shifting from conventional P removal to resource-oriented P recovery, VivaPhores contributes to closing the nutrient loop and advancing the EU Circular Economy Action Plan.The project combines experimental research and computational modelling to design and optimize vivianite-based recovery pathways. Laboratory- and pilot-scale trials will investigate key operational parameters—such as Fe/P molar ratios and pH conditions—within anaerobic digestion and return activated sludge (RAS) streams.Comparative analyses of EBPR and non-EBPR sludge will be conducted to assess recovery potential under varying WWTP configurations. These data will inform the development of a predictive model for vivianite crystallization and accumulation, supporting the scaling-up and techno-economic evaluation of the proposed solution.To ensure practical relevance, a secondment with ACCIONA, a leading non-academic partner in water technologies, will enable real-world testing of the developed system in full-scale infrastructure. This collaboration fosters two-way knowledge transfer between academic research and industry practice—supporting mutual capacity building, feedback-driven innovation, and technology readiness advancement.VivaPhores will deliver a transferable approach to sustainable phosphorus management, reducing dependency on phosphate rock imports and supporting EU policy objectives on resource efficiency, clean water, and environmental protection. Its integrated methodology and cross-sector engagement offer a replicable model for circular innovation in wastewater treatment and resource recovery.
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 wastewater treatment processes
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
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.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
08193 Cerdanyola Del Valles
Spain
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.