Project description
Turning dirty water into clean energy
When algae grow uncontrollably in water, they release toxins that harm the environment, aquatic life, and human health. At the same time, tiny toxic chemicals called micropollutants build up in freshwater, posing health risks even in small amounts. One cause of algalblooms is nitrate pollution. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the ENRAOR project is developing a new electrochemical system that converts harmful nitrates into useful ammonia and removes dangerous micropollutants from drinking water and wastewater. Using advanced membrane technology, it offers an energy-efficient way to improve water quality and protect the environment, all in one simple process.
Objective
Water scarcity and contamination are the major challenges threatening the human health and sustainable development of our society. One of the utmost concerns comes from the imbalance of the global nitrogen cycle due to anthropogenic nitrate water contamination. High concentrations of nitrate in water bodies can cause eutrophication issues, leading to negative effects on biodiversity, fisheries, and recreational activities. Similarly, the contamination of freshwater systems by chemical compounds such as micropollutants (MPs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from industrial and human activities is also receiving significant public attention. These organic pollutants are believed to raise considerable toxicological concerns, even though most are present at low concentrations in the environment. Eliminating pollutants from water using electricity is becoming an attractive approach for water treatment. Meanwhile, electrochemical nitrate reduction to ammonia (NH₃) (NO₃RR) using renewable energy has gained intensive interest as a method to close the nitrogen cycle. This research project, undertaken at Institut Européen des Membranes (IEM), aims to integrate nitrate reduction to ammonia with the removal of micropollutants/PFAS from both drinking water and wastewater in a bipolar membrane electrolyser. This advanced, highly synergistic system is poised to tackle two of the most pressing global challenges—energy-efficient ammonia production and the water scarcity crisis—simultaneously. By converging the processes of nitrate reduction and micropollutant/PFAS elimination into a single operation, our proposed method not only signifies a leap towards mitigating climate change effects but also promises a substantial enhancement in water quality, addressing the urgent need for safe and accessible water.
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.
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries fisheries
- engineering and technology environmental engineering water treatment processes wastewater treatment processes
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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-2024-PF-01
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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.
75794 Paris
France
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.