Understanding, monitoring, and remediating the spread of chemical, microbiological and plastic pollution in drinking water treatment plants
Programme: Horizon Europe
Number: 101082015
Acronym: NIAGARA
Coordinator. INSTITUTO TECNOLOGICO DEL EMBALAJE, TRANSPORTE Y LOGISTICA (ITENE – Spain)
Time of solving: 11/2023 – 10/2027
Summary: NIAGARA compiles all the necessary approaches to provide a comprehensive response to the phenomenon of spread of pollution (chemical, microbiological and plastic) from drinking water sources to human exposure, through the Driking Water Treatment Plants. These approaches and their solutions are:
(1) Real-time monitoring. NIAGARA will develop multi-analyte biosensors able to quantify simultaneously 4 highly concerning pollutants of very different chemical nature: BPA, imazalil, H. pylori and paracetamol/ibuprofen. Using pre-concentration units, detection limits will reach pg/mL for chemicals and 10-100 viable cells for H. pylori, which are below harmful levels for human exposure.
(2) Remediation. A removal and disinfection system based on a tandem formed by two IEDS biofilters (immobilized-enzymes degradation systems) and a UV/TiO2 photoreactor. With this solution, we will achieve total removal of the 4 analytes (concentrations below detection limits of water laboratory techniques) and a Total Organic Carbon removal of >70%, exceeding current State of Art. The DBPs formed will be identified, and their appearance mechanisms and toxicity will be predicted.
(3) A fast and cost-effective method for real-time monitoring of the propagation of these 4 contaminants using a hydraulic model that exceeds the performance of current methods (seconds vs weeks, > 60% accuracy).
These solutions will be validated up to a pilot scale (TRL=5) in a case study in the city of Valencia, in a DWTP, and using the drinking water supply system of district #9 (Jesús), with the participation of the Municipal Drinking Water Company, and accomplishing safety and sustainability-by-design.
Finally, the Communication and Exploitation plan has been specially designed to have an clear projection ouside EU to enhance its competitiveness in the water sector and to foster its position and role in the global water scene, with the participation of previously established EU and non-EU networks.
Development of Carbon Farming in the Central Europe
Programme InterReg CE
Project ID: CE0100255
Acronym: Carbon Farming CE
Coordinator: Kmetijski inštitut Slovenije
Programme priority: P2 – Cooperating for a greener central Europe
Time of solving: 04/2023 – 03/2026
Project summary: Project will contribute to climate neutrality with development of agriculture-related solutions for capturing CO2 from the air and deploying it into the soil. This will be done by introduction and uptake of “carbon farming” practices, business models, monitoring solutions and policies for storing GHC as soil organic carbon (SOC). Project will result in enhanced role of agricultural sector to reduction of greenhouse emissions and contribution to climate neutrality of Central Europe.
Empowering EU Rural Regions to scale-Up and adopt small-scale Bio-based solutions: the transition towards a sustainable, regenerative, inclusive and just circular bioeconomy
Programme: Horizon Europe
Number: 101060618
Acronym: RuralBioUp
Coordinator: AGENZIA PER LA PROMOZIONE DELLA RICERCA EUROPEA (APRE – Itálie)
Time of solving: 2022–2025
Summary: Climate change will require concerted innovative ideas and actions at the local/regional level. A sustainable European bioeconomy will not only ensure the protection of the environment and biodiversity, but will also drive the renewal of European industries, the modernisation of primary production systems and lead to the creation of jobs, particularly in rural areas, through the active participation of all regional stakeholders in their local bioeconomies. RuralBioUp project will strengthen the cooperation among regional key actors and knowledge holders, empowering them to establish an inclusive and long-lasting ecosystem (the RuralBioUp Regional Hubs) to support the mainstreaming of bio-based business models in rural areas. In particular, RuralBioUp will establish 9 Regional Hubs (30 stakeholders per Hub) in 6 EU countries, that will co-design and implement 9 Action Plans on 18 value chains. Regional Hubs will be empowered by RuralBioUp's partners with mentoring, coaching and training activities in the implementation of their Action Plans. Thanks to this, at least (a.l.) 1.000 innovators will be supported (through networking events and study visits) and a.l. 50 new collaborations fostered (e.g. partnership agreements between companies and/or farmers, solutions funded, etc.) to adopt small-scale bio-based solutions in rural areas. The project will leverage synergies between existing EU networks (EuBioNet, BioEast, etc.), clusters, and regional organisations and will build upon previous research results (Power4Bio, BE-RURAL, Enabling, Transition2Bio, Biovoices, etc.) by integrating and extending the existing knowledge and data in order to propose different rural business models and new biobased value chains in the targeted regions, through the realisation of a digital tool (the RuralBioUp One-Stop-Shop) supporting regional actors to take science-based and informed decisions.
Shaping the future bioeconomy across sectoral, governmental and geographical levels
Programme: Horizon Europe
Number: 101060252
Acronym: ShapingBio
Coordinator: FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V. (Německo)
Time of solving: 2022–2025
Summary: The overall aim of ShapingBio is to support and accelerate bioeconomy innovation and the deployment of new knowledge in the EU and its member states. ShapingBio aims to provide evidence-based and concrete information and recommendations for better policy alignment and stakeholder actions to realize the cross-sectoral potential of the bioeconomy and to reduce the fragmentation across bio-based sectors and food system and policies across regions, domains and governance levels. These actions contribute significantly to the bioeconomy strategy and Action Plan, the farm to fork strategy, the EU Green Deal policy priorities and the EU's Climate ambition for 2030 and 2050. For that purpose, ShapingBio aims to create a better understanding and information basis of the bioeconomy innovation eco-systém by providing a comprehensive mapping and analysis of initiatives, structures, policy instruments and key gaps related to the topics policy and governance, applied R&D and technology transfer, (cross-sectoral) collaboration and financing across the EU macroregions and different sectors. This will be carried out in close collaboration with various types of stakeholders from different sectors, by ensuring the involvement of all the relevant actors. Multi-actor groups will be set up to support policy advice design, but also to propose new forms of matchmaking, networking and knowledge-transfer. Those propositions will be implemented and tested in around twenty events. Based on these actions, recommendations for an effective governance in terms of policy instrument and their mixes will be derived as well as guidelines for different stakeholder groups for better collaboration and exploitation of bioeconomy innovations. Follow-up events will be conducted, to ensure that the recommendations are understood, actively reflected and implemented into stakeholders' activities and action plans to foster the deployment of bio-based innovations.
Www site here: https://www.shapingbio.eu/
Mobilizing European Communities of Practice in bio-based systems for better governance and skills development networks in bioeconomy
Programme: Horizon Europe
Number: 101060742
Acronym: BioGov.net
Coordinator: CIVITTA ESTONIA AS (Estonsko)
Time of solving: 2021–2024
Summary: BioGov.net project engages 10 experienced partners to mobilize local resources and stakeholders in eight EU states (Estonia, Italy, Netherland, Greece, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Portugal and Germany). The project aims strategically to support the establishment of innovative governance models in bioeconomy to achieve better-informed decision-making processes, social engagement of all actors and uptake of sustainable innovations in bioeconomy. With the specific objective to provide validated guidelines for bioeconomy training and mentoring based on case studies from 8 EU regions, BioGov.net undertakes to: - identify and assess from the perspective of using the good practices and successful case studies for novel training framework, - complete an assessment based on regional capacities, opportunities, barriers and potentials; - define regional needs and expectations, local feedstock availabilities and use, governance barriers, social and economic landscape; - identify needs for skills required by the novel business models and related social measures to enable consumers, industry and public bodies to switch to socially and environmentally responsible behaviour within their spheres (e.g. regulatory measures, corporate responsibility initiatives, education and training). The methodology of the project ensures the synergies between respektive parties, transparency of actions and inclusiveness of all actors, incl the socially vulnerable groups. Based on the collected materials, analyses and Quintuple Innovation Helix approach, the project develops guidelines for the setup of the modern and inclusive training and mentoring frameworks and programmes in specific European regions targeting the local bio-systems, regulators and policies for building the bridge between knowledge, skills, bioeconomy and good governance.
Preparing the creation of Bio-Based Education Centres to meet industry needs and boost the contribution of the bioeconomy to societal challenges
Programme: Horizon 2020
Number: 101023381
Akronym: BIObec
Coordinator: ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA (UNIBO - Itálie)
Time of solving: 2021–2024
Summary: Unlocking the full potential of the bioeconomy and its value chains requires a systematic and collaborative perspective for the development of new skills, educational approaches and organisational solutions to provide education and training services. The aim of the BIObec project is to develop a holistic framework for multi-level Bio-Based Education Centers (BBEC) flexible enough to answer the present and future needs of the industry and of the surrounding ecosystem at local, regional, national and/or international levels.
The project will design 6 BBEC pilots assuring a wide geographical coverage in Europe and addressing different topics linked to the variety of value chains and institutional contexts (vocational to university level, primary producers, processors, SMEs to MNCs). BIOBEC will clarify the needs of the different regional ecosystems and will provide detailed design, economic and financial assessment, governance plans for the educational training centres, as well as plans for life-long-learning programmes. It will also develop collaborative tools to maximize the synergies between them at the European and international level. The project will mobilise a network of 19 partners, which are leaders in Bioeconomy Education from different perspectives (ranging from academia to industry) together with a wide network of Implementation and Replication Working Groups and local stakeholders based in the EU. This network will pave the way for implementation and replication of the BBEC, in order to boost the contribution of the education sector for the development of the bioeconomy.
National programme of conservation and utilization of plant genetic resources and agro-biodiversity
Coordinator: Research Institute of Crop Production, Praha-Ruzyně
Investigator: Mgr. Tomáš Vymyslický, Ph.D.
Supported by: Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic
Time of solving: 2023–2027
Summary:
Within the framework of the research project „National Programme on Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources and Agro-biodiversity“ the sub-stage „Gene-pool of leguminous fodder plants“ is solved. The main aim of this project is collecting, testing and describing of leguminous species according to available descriptors. Available varieties, ecotypes and wild forms are collected, sown, tested and described. Among the tested and described species are Medicago sativa, Medicago spp., Trifolium pratense, T. repens, Trifolium spp. and other fodder crops. Also meadow species, some wild-growing endangered species and rare weed species are collected. All the seed samples are preserved in the national gene bank in the Research Institute of Plant Production in Praha-Ruzyně and they are used in the joint projects.
The main testing and evaluation species are Medicago spp., Trifolium pratense, T. repens and Trifolium spp. and other forage species. Available varieties, ecotypes and landraces are evaluation. In this time the collection of our institute have 3221 items with passports dates and from these items 2345 are available. 1631 items have the descriptive dates and 2337 items is in the store of seed samples. Previously stored genetic resources can be found on the website of gene bank in VÚRV Praha - Ruzyně: http://genbank.vurv.cz/genetic/resources/asp2/default_c.htm.
The representation of passport dates of available items in the group forage
Mechanism of Canola Pests Resistance to Insecticides, Their Initial Sensitivity to New Insecticides and Impacts of Insecticide Applications on the Development of Pest Larvae and Their Natural Enemies (QK21010332)
Coordinator: Agritec Plant Research Ltd.
Investigator: Ing. Pavel Kolařík
Supported by: National Agency for Agricultural Research - NAZV
Project duration: 2021 – 2025
Summary:
The project draft consists of five mutually connected and related objectives: 1) To analyse mechanisms of occurring resistance to pyrethroids in Czech populations of B. aeneus and P. chrysocephala. 2) To propose new methods of testing susceptibility of important oilseed rape insect pests to newly registered insecticides to be possible to state baseline levels of their susceptibility. 3) To evaluate effects of insecticides (the registered and even not yet registered ones) on insect pest ability to reproduce and create new generation (effect on fertility). 4) To assess impact of insecticide applications on natural enemies of insect pests, nontarget organisms and environment. 5) To state baseline susceptibility levels for important species of natural enemies of oilseed rape.
Thermic Sanitation of Seeds as Protection against Fungal Pathogens and Pests (QK22010200)
Coordinator: Agricultural Research Ltd., Troubsko
Investigator: RNDr. Jan Nedělník, Ph.D.
Supported by: Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic
Project duration: 2022 – 2025
Summary:
The aim of the project is to develop an equipment for physical sanitation of seeds of field and garden crops as an alternative to chemical treatment. The treatment will be primarily allocated to legumes and intercrops, which are still under-represented crops in crop rotations, although the cultivation of these crops greatly promotes diversity. The seed treatment equipment will be primarily used in organic farming or in the preparation of seed for subsidy greening, where pesticides cannot be used. It will be used also in conventional farming, where, mainly due to new legislation, there is a gradual loss of active substances usable for seed treatment and there is no substitution. Utilization can also be predicted in the treatment of seeds used for food applications, especially in terms of elimination of undesirable surface microflora.
Analysis and Modifications of Compost Application Schemes Aimed at Strengthening the Soil Protection System within the Stabilization of Production Capability
(QK22020032)
Coordinator: Agricultural Research, Ltd., Troubsko
Investigator: Ing. Barbora Badalíková
Supported by: National Agency for Agricultural Research - NAZV
Project duration: 2022 – 2024
Summary:
The aim of the project is to support the effect and quality of stable organic matter in the form of compost, identify key parameters and behavior of compost during soil surface application in terms of emissions, safety and health risks with the intention of reducing compost application costs. Objective results will have either positive or negative impact on the soil environment and production of cultivated crops and also methods for evaluating the effect of surface-applied compost with all the consequences that may occur during its utilization. The results will be the tool for a potential change in legislation in the case of compost application conditions in agricultural practice.
Importance of the Lignocellulosic Complex from Intercrops Biomass for Enhancing the Soil Environment (QK21010161)
Coordinator: Mendel University in Brno
Investigator: Ing. Antonín Kintl
Supported by: National Agency for Agricultural Research (NAZV)
Project duration: 2021 – 2025
Summary:
The project is implemented with the aim to assess the quality of plant biomass entering the soil when the intercropping system as a source of organic matter to support soil processes reflected in soil fertility is applied. The main criteria for evaluating the organic matter will be the presence of the ligno-cellulosic complex and the speed of its subsequent degradation in the soil environment. In the course of the project risks resulting from the requirement for the production of mature organic matter will be assessed as well, taking into account development stages of individual types of intercrops. A maximum time period of leaving the vegetation on lands will be specified, taking into account maturation, seed germination and the risk of weeding the subsequent crops. Another goal is to reveal all the influences that can be positively or negatively reflected in the soil moisture reserve during the growth of the intercrops.
