Project description
‘Electric’ bacteria eliminate waste and generate electricity
Modern industrial processes have caused widespread pollution of soil and water across the globe that can seriously affect ecosystems and human health. Efforts to decontaminate or remediate these sites are costly, complex and energy-consuming. Bioremediation, which uses microbes like bacteria and fungi to break down toxic pollutants into harmless substances, is less expensive and more sustainable than other remediation alternatives. The GREENER initiative is developing a low-cost hybrid solution that integrates bioremediation with microbial fuel cell technology. These electrically active microbes will not only clean up but also produce electricity.
Objective
Increasing chemical pollution seriously compromises the health of ecosystems and humans worldwide. Hazardous compounds, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals and emerging pollutants contaminate soils/sediments, ground and surface waters. To prevent/minimise the risks associated with the accumulations of these chemicals in the environment it is key to establish low-cost/green methodologies for the treatment and redevelopment of contaminated areas. Several physico-chemical methods have been explored to remove pollutants in the environment, but these are complex, energy consuming or expensive. The exploitation of the capability of bacteria, fungi and phototrophs to transform toxic contaminants into harmless end-products, can lead instead to cheap and sustainable bioremediation alternatives.
GREENER proposes the development of innovative, efficient and low-cost hybrid solutions that integrate bioremediation technologies with bio-electrochemical systems (BES). BES, such as microbial fuel cells, break down organic contaminants through the action of electroactive bacteria while generating electrical current. We will investigate the synergetic effect of different bioremediation strategies and demonstrate effective pollutants removal in water and soil/sediments, while generating side products of interest, such as bioelectricity. The type and entity of contamination, along with the specific physico-chemical/microbial characteristics of the environment to be depolluted, will feed into a decision-making toolbox. The latter will allow the establishment of ad hoc integrated solutions, which will take into account effectiveness of biodegradation, costs, environmental risks and social aspects. Fundamental research will be performed at lab-scale, while pilot-tests will be used to proof the scaling-up feasibility for field applications. Environmental benefits and risks, compared to standard remediation approaches, including energy efficiency, will be investigated.
Fields of science
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencespublic health
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriology
- natural scienceschemical scienceselectrochemistrybioelectrochemistry
- engineering and technologyenvironmental biotechnologybioremediation
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsfuel cells
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
09001 Burgos
Spain
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Participants (23)
Legal entity established in a non-associated third country that is not eligible for funding under Article 10 of the Regulation (EU) No 1290/2013 laying down the rules for participation and dissemination in Horizon 2020.
212013 Zhen Jiang
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80805 MUNCHEN
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
143 42 NEA FILADELFEIA
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
R93 V960 Carlow
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Legal entity established in a non-associated third country that is not eligible for funding under Article 10 of the Regulation (EU) No 1290/2013 laying down the rules for participation and dissemination in Horizon 2020.
Qingdao
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28013 Madrid
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
47441 Moers
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
3018 Wijgmaal
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
28031 Madrid
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Participation ended
06000 Nice
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
1000 Ljubljana
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X91 K0EK Waterford
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Legal entity established in a non-associated third country that is not eligible for funding under Article 10 of the Regulation (EU) No 1290/2013 laying down the rules for participation and dissemination in Horizon 2020.
Jinan
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7000 Mons
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613 00 Brno Sever
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08225 Terrassa
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Legal entity established in a non-associated third country that is not eligible for funding under Article 10 of the Regulation (EU) No 1290/2013 laying down the rules for participation and dissemination in Horizon 2020.
Nanjing
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28049 Madrid
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BA2 7AY Bath
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Participation ended
CV1 2TT Coventry
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
09124 Cagliari
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GU2 7XH Guildford
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28033 MADRID
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