Symbiotic, circular bioremediation systems and biotechnology solutions for improved environmental, economic and social sustainability in pollution control
The overall goal of SYMBIOREM is to improve the effectiveness, sustainability, circularity, and cost-efficiency of bioremediation and revitalization strategies for soils, sediments, surface water, and groundwater. SYMBIOREM focuses on the intersection of advanced bioremediation methods with circular bio-based systems. Twelve novel bio-based technologies and strategies are developed as modular solutions to mutually enhance bioremediation efficiency, use secondary inputs, and turn residues and contaminants into valuable resources.
The broad innovation potential of SYMBIOREM consists of a variety of technologies that can be combined in train or tandem and applied to a variety of contaminated environments. To ensure the sustainability, applicability and marketability of these technologies, SYMBIOREM integrates environmental, social, regulatory and economic assessment, with feedback loops to technology development.
SYMBIOREM elaborates new avenues for circular value creation and empowers people on the ground by involving citizens and key stakeholders in participatory research, co-design, and co-management of bioremediation sites, to facilitate bottom-up replication and increased safety and sustainability of bioremediation and revitalization strategies in aims to achieve the targets of the EU Zero Pollution Action Plan.
Expected outcomes:
- Improved bioremediation and revitalization strategies for contaminated environments, including soil, sediment, surface water, and groundwater using recent advances in biotechnology;
- New approaches for efficient bioremediation and resource recycling;
- Provide science-based evidence and bio-based solutions enabling a better assessment of pollution threats from pollutants’ remobilization to soil, sediment, surface water, and groundwater;
- Validated newly developed and effective bioremediation methods in different environmental conditions, also based on microbiome exploitation potential;
- Improved overall environmental performance (soil & sediment health, water quality, reduction of emissions);
- Improved environmental footprint and lower toxicity of processes, products and services via biotechnologies;
- Advanced assessment of effective methods of bioremediation with improved environmental, economic and social sustainability.
The role of alchemia-nova
As scientific coordinator and project monitoring, alchemia-nova will play an essential role in the whole project, being in charge of the monitoring, the risk assessment and the evaluation. In addition, alchemia will contribute to several other tasks for the development of technologies and their implementation at the demo sites.
Project coordinator
Universidad del pais Vasco / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea
Project partner
alchemia-nova GmbH
Fundación GAIKER
Kungliga Tekniska Hoegskolan
Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy We Wroclawiu
GREENOVATE! Europe
Atlantis Perivallon Kai Kainotomia Limited
Fontana Identity In Design BVBA
Techforce Innovation BV
Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna
Business Upper Austria – OO Wirthschaftsagentur GMBH
Iragaz Watin SA
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
Esterhazy Betriebe GMBH
California State University, Fresno
Brunel University London
THAMES21 Limited
Project status
Starts 09/2022, duration 48 months
Project website:
Call: HORIZON-CL6-2021-ZEROPOLLUTION-01
Topic: HORIZON-CL6-2021-ZEROPOLLUTION-01-10
HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions
Grant Agreement Number: 101060361
Overall costs: € 4,735,793.75
EU contribution: € 4,735,793.75