Decontaminate and bioremediate aquatic pollution

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• competent authorities and the water sector have access to effective solutions – particularly based on life sciences and biotechnology – to bioremediate and decontaminate aquatic (marine and freshwater, including groundwater) pollution and improve the resilience of aquatic ecosystems to climate change and biodiversity decline;
• local authorities have improved monitoring and management tools for the protection of marine, surface and groundwater ecosystems, against contaminants of emerging concern (CEC), especially PFAS, antimicrobial substances and microplastics;
• the impact of CEC, especially PFAS, antimicrobial substances and microplastics on marine, freshwater and groundwater ecosystems are better understood including the interlinkages of these systems.

Chemical pollution of aquatic environments from contaminants and pollutants poses risks for human and environmental health. As recent assessments of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and of the Water Framework Directive have shown, large parts of Europe’s groundwater bodies, rivers, lakes, coastal, transitional and marine waters have not reached good status and often exceed regulatory threshold levels set to avoid potential risk to human health and the environment. Continued inflow of pollutants into the aquatic environment, coupled with their ubiquity and persistent nature is increasing the risk of accumulation and long-term exposure of organisms and human beings. While pollution prevention is the most effective measure to tackle aquatic pollution, more effective action and novel solutions are needed to bioremediate and decontaminate European waters from particularly harmful and persistent substances.

Aquatic microorganisms and their communities have developed various molecular mechanisms to adapt to changing environmental conditions enabling them to degrade a wide range of pollutants. The kinetics of community evolution and their molecular mechanisms must be considered. However, the complexity of contaminated marine and freshwater environments including groundwater, where multiple pollutants often coexist as mixtures, metabolites and transformation products are created with changing properties and toxicity levels and interactions with the soil or seabed properties makes risk assessment and remediation a significant challenge. Therefore, a better knowledge of CEC interaction with the surrounding environment (mechanisms, parameters of influence, soil constituents involved) is needed to develop optimised treatment. Recent advancements in nanotechnology have created new opportunities for environmental cleaning, particularly when combined with microbial remediation. As a result, aquatic pollutant-degrading microbes enhanced by nanoparticles are becoming increasingly valuable for developing biotechnological tools that can effectively clean up contaminated environments.

Proposals should:

• develop and demonstrate novel approaches, locally adaptable and site-specific solutions for the bioremediation and decontamination of aquatic pollution at source, in rivers, lakes, coastal and groundwaters and at sea, including removal processes, management of degradation processes, ensuring the approaches do not harm the environment;
• develop and demonstrate new, effective and affordable technologies, considering particularly solutions based on life sciences and biotechnology, including microorganisms and/or microbial communities and/or nanoparticles biosynthesized by microbial activity, for the removal of pollutants, such as persistent organic pollutants, degrading pollutants (e.g. plastics, oil, hydrocarbons), marine mucilage, contaminants of emerging concern and targeted micropollutants (PFAS, pharmaceuticals, antimicrobials, pesticides and micro-and nano-plastics) from marine waters, wastewater and drinking waters and the environment including groundwater and sediments. Recovery of the biosynthesized nanoparticles will be an asset in proposals but not required;
• integrate environmental monitoring methods (including effect-based methods), building on existing methodologies, and high-resolution methods for robust risk assessment of the impact of CECs on aquatic ecosystems, as well as assessment of the improved resilience of bioremediated aquatic ecosystems to climate change;
• demonstrate pathways and interlinkages of the pollutants in aquatic ecosystems, and to develop understanding where management actions are most beneficial and needed;
• ensure transparent engagement with stakeholders and society on solutions proposed.

Proposals should bring together a wide range of relevant stakeholders, i.e., researchers, technology providers, policy makers and local competent authorities to maximise impact. Case-studies representing the regional specificities in term of climate conditions are welcomed but not required.

Proposals should ensure complementarities and avoid overlaps with relevant projects funded under Horizon Europe, including the ones funded under the Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters” and under the Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC). Projects should engage with and help build an emerging community on decontamination and bioremediation, in particular the one envisaged through the related public private initiative in the European Water Resilience Strategy.

The participation of SMEs and Start-ups in the consortia is encouraged. The JRC may contribute with its expertise related to nanotechnology/nanoparticles and environmental biotechnology particularly in metagenomics and to the effect-based methods for the chemical pollutants' detection in water.

Projects under this topic are relevant to the European Ocean Pact, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Water Framework Directive, the Groundwater Directive, the Environmental Quality Standards Directive, the European Water Resilience Strategy, the EU zero pollution action plan, the Nature Restoration Regulation, the Commission communication on Building the future with nature: Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU, the Life Sciences Strategy and the EU Biotech Act.