Related EU Projects

Sewage contains the excreted biomarkers of endogenous human metabolism that directly reflects the exposure and stressors placed upon an entire contributing community. The quantitative measurement of these specific biomarkers in sewage from communities allows the averaged patterns of factors related to lifestyle, disease and environment to be used for the assessment of community health. The Action will develop and expand an existing pan-European inter-disciplinary network, bringing together experts from relevant disciplines interested in the application and development of using the quantitative measurement of human biomarkers in sewage to evaluate lifestyle, health and exposure at the community level. In order to achieve its objectives the Action will manage a common Europe-wide testing platform that will develop best practice, provide a significant increase in the comparable spatio-temporal resolution of available data, coordinate the development of new biomarkers in sewage with focus on new psychoactive substances and new biomarkers for the community assessment of factors such as environment, health, lifestyle and diet, and integrate sewage-based approaches with other available metrics. The Action will have a major impact on the development of this emerging field and ensure that the technology is used in a responsible and effective manner and its potentially fully exploited in collaboration with end-users.

Objectives:

Coordination Action INNOVA-MED aims to coordinate the research activities of ongoing EU and national projects dealing with development of innovative technologies for wastewater treatment and treatment and disposal of sludges and with application of innovative practices for re-use of reclaimed water and to facilitate the transfer and use of knowledge and technology in the MPC.

The main objective is to explore the synergies of the research carried out within different programmes and countries (eg. EU, WBC, DEV, NIS, MCP) and to facilitate the communication with researchers and national and regional institutions from the MPC and allow a broad dissemination and transfer of the knowledge/technology/practice to the Mediterranean area.

The specific objectives of INNOVA-MED are:

- to exploit complementarities in research objectives, methodologies and data analysis of ongoing as well recently completed EU and national projects on wastewater treatment and re-use in the EU and MPC in line with the Integrated Water Resources and Allocation Management (IWRAM) priorities indicated in the recommendations of the recent Critical Review of EU-INCO water research projects from FP4 to FP6 (Brussels, EUR 22017, Brussels, 2006)

- to facilitate efficient dissemination/exploitation of information and to improve the effectiveness in the transfer and sharing of an integrated and comprehensive knowledge on wastewater treatment and re-use technologies between EU and MPC

- to allow access to easy to use information on wastewater treatment and re-use in the Mediterranean region based on effectively share and transfer of the rational extraction of knowledge built and organized during the project

- to counteract fragmentation of the research and to improve dissemination of the RTD results, as well as public awareness on the sustainability of water by connecting research with local knowledge, policy institutions and implementing bodies in the Mediterranean region

http://www.idaea.csic.es/innova-med/reports.htm

New ED aims at closing industrial water cycles and reducing the amount of waste water streams with highly concentrated salt loads stemming from a broad range of industrial production processes by exploiting the waste components (salts) and transforming them to valuable products. This will be achieved by developing new nanoporous bipolar membranes for electrodialysis using bipolar membranes (EDBM), a new membrane module concept and by integrating this new technology into relevant production processes.

The bipolar membrane process produces acids and bases from their corresponding salts by dissociating water at the interface within the bipolar membranes. However, EDBM so far has been applied only in niche markets due to limitations of the current state of membrane and process development. Major drawbacks of the classic EDBM process are low product purity, limited current density and formation of metal hydroxides at or in the bipolar membrane. The objective of this project is to overcome these limitations by developing a new bipolar membrane and membrane module with a new water transport concept into the inner layer of the bipolar membranes.

Several promising membrane configurations will be developed and tested. New module concepts will be investigated to exploit the full potential of the new bipolar membrane technique. Integration of the developed membranes and modules into relevant production processes is an essential part of the project.

The strategic aim of New ED is inline with the vision document and strategic research agenda put forward in 2006 by WSSTP (Water Supply and Sanitation Technology Platform) on a European level that specifically asks for recovery of materials from brines, treatment of brines from specific processes and development of technologies for treatment of concentrated salt streams.

A "Critical review and assessment on the preparation of experimental as well as commercially available bipolar membranes" has been prepared and will be made available through scientific publications. The executive summary summarizes the extent of the review. http://www.new-ed.eu/uploads/media/NEW_ED_Deliverable_D.1.1_executive_summary.pdf

A "Market study of potential applications for the developed technologies and products" has been prepared and will be made available through scientific publications. The executive summary summarizes the extent of the review. http://www.new-ed.eu/uploads/media/NEW_ED_Deliverable_D.4.1_executive_summary.pdf

This deliverable is a final report of preparation and characterization of structured interfaces in bipolar electrodialysis membranes for enhanced water-splitting productivity. Here the four manufacturing approaches followed within the project were compared and contrasted.

This deliverable is part of WP2 of the project, which dealt with module design and module construction. Here reduction of parasitic current along with design and manufacturing of resistant spacers is reported. CFD computations as well as electrical circuit simulations were performed to help decide upon the most appropriate spacer design. In addition, limiting current density experiments were carried out to evaluate the manufactured spacers.

The report deals with the possibilities of the treatment of large ecologically relevant process and wastewater streams by bipolar electrodialysis systems developed within the New ED project. Here results from a lab-scale study applying the new bipolar membrane concept are presented. The case-study was conducted on the process water of the project partner Bayer Material Science. Bayer process water contains significant amount of sodium chloride which is emitted at the end of the polycarbonate production line.

In the final project report, the executive summary summarizes the extent of the report. http://www.new-ed.eu/uploads/media/New-ED_final-project-report_executive_summary.pdf

The main aim of the project is to promote the use and encourage the use and the market penetration of aquaTest-MO product, a new water quality monitoring and control product for WWTPs based on an eco-innovative on-line monitoring of the effluent, resulting from a research project. The aquaTest-MO product allows WWTPs to run affordable on-line monitoring scheme of the process, deriving in higher quality of treated water (less time to detect problems, less time for solving problems), meaning an increased productivity of the whole system and a faster water quality control loop.

Global warming and environmental pressures are endangering not only Europe's coasts but also the habitats and human development around them. For Europe to monitor its seas and coasts effectively and address these pressures, the continent's coastal observatories must join forces and work closely together. With this in mind, the EU-funded JERICO (Towards a joint European research infrastructure network for coastal observatories) project gathered European coastal observatories and encouraged joint research initiatives and standardisation through a unified European organisation for data management.

Work began by taking stock of existing technology and methods, best practices and key challenges in order to lay down a common vision and strategy for coastal observatories. Project partners harmonised operation and maintenance methods by carrying out technical studies on various observing systems. They delivered best practice guidelines and quality control standards, and introduced ways to enhance the service components of coastal observatories via technological improvements and innovation. Transnational access was offered to several unique European coastal observatories and calibration facilities for international research and technology development. This enabled scientists and engineers to freely access coastal infrastructures not otherwise available in their homelands. Transnational activities also helped to foster joint research initiatives across national boundaries. The JERICO team evaluated the management of distributed data from other infrastructures and European projects. It set up a dissemination platform to boost the visibility of JERICO and raise the awareness of industry, academia and government. JERICO introduced a networked infrastructure based on an end-to-end coastal monitoring process, from data acquisition to dissemination. It will improve environmental monitoring efforts and improve predictions of climate-related impacts.

Article:

http://cordis.europa.eu/docs/results/262/262584/final1-articl-int-inov_jerico.pdf

Final presentation:

http://cordis.europa.eu/docs/results/262/262584/final1-presentation-jerico-recto-verso.pdf

Progress in marine science supported by European joint coastal observation systems: The JERICO-RI research infrastructure: DOI: 10.1016/j.jmarsys.2016.06.004

Deliverables:

http://www.jerico-ri.eu/project-information/deliverables/

As well as being detrimental to life in an aquatic ecosystem, increases in hypoxia also affect the wider environment. Under hypoxic conditions, substantial losses in biodiversity, ecosystem function, and services such as fisheries, aquaculture and tourism can occur and additional greenhouse gases may be released from the ocean seafloor. The EU-funded HYPOX project took the first steps towards implementation of a global observation system for better understanding oxygen changes in aquatic systems. Researchers monitored oxygen depletion and associated processes in target areas, which differed in oxygen status and sensitivity to change. They included the deep Arctic Ocean, the semi-enclosed waters of the Black and Baltic Seas, fjords, and lagoons and land-locked lakes.

In order to maximise the knowledge generated by HYPOX, partners deployed a variety of reliable long-term sensors on different platforms for in situ monitoring of oxygen depletion and associated parameters. Targeted field campaigns were conducted to investigate the environmental impacts of hypoxia. These impacts included the effect of hypoxia on the distribution of seafloor organisms as well as on biological and chemical processes involved in the large-scale cycling of elements. The consortium also adopted and refined numerical tools for predicting hypoxia and for separating natural variability from man-made changes. Existing long-term monitoring data was also analysed to better understand the history of a water body's oxygenation status. Core samples were taken from the seabed of the Black Sea, as well as lagoons and lakes. These enabled scientists to examine the past, since a record of earlier biological and chemical conditions are preserved in the sediment. Project results and modelling expertise will serve as a basis for accurate forecasts of oxygen depletion. This in turn will contribute to the planning of appropriately tailored climate change adaptation methods. Studies of previously eutrophied systems, such as the Swiss lakes, show how a reduction in nutrients from human activities can help alleviate the problem of oxygen depletion. HYPOX has provided European policy and decision makers with the necessary knowledge of oxygen depletion in aquatic systems. This enables them to develop effective sustainable development strategies and negotiate internationally binding treaties.

Final report:

http://cordis.europa.eu/docs/results/226/226213/final1-hypox-m19-36-final-report-120803-200dpi.pdf

Data portal:

http://hypox.pangaea.de/front_content.php?idcat=414

The Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) initiative, now called Copernicus, provides valuable climate and weather information to various end users, including academia and business. One of these services, namely wind and wave forecasting, can be improved by integrating ocean wave data and by linking atmosphere and ocean models. Funded by the EU, the MYWAVE (A pan-European concerted and integrated approach to operational wave modelling and forecasting - a complement to GMES MYOCEAN services) project aimed to complete the groundwork needed to establish new GMES products that will offer users a more complete picture of the world's oceans.

Research was geared towards improving wind and water data handling and improving the physics of current wave models. It also produced new and more accurate wave forecasts using earth observations and defined standard methods for ocean wave modelling. Various local-area models were coupled to provide more accurate wind-wave interactions and incorporated better physical modelling of water on the ocean surface. Several new sources of data also contributed to the model, including satellite radar data and ocean wind data. Researchers also improved data assimilation through the use of neural networks and these sources used to cross-validate and remove errors in the model. Project partners focussed on implementing a fully assembled forecasting tool that employs the data and algorithms produced. The tool will reduce uncertainty in global system models and pave the way for the inclusion of ocean waves into GMES services. In addition, MYWAVE proposed a verification system to accompany delivery of wave forecasts via a Marine Core Service. It set out working procedures, data formats and governances that are compatible with the existing MYOCEAN verification system that will transfer into the Copernicus programme. The project provided improved wave models which were made available for assessment by national meteorological services and integration into operational services provided to European users. As the well as the intrinsic value of accurate wave forecasts for industry and local authorities MYWAVE will also have significant scientific benefits.

Open Access Publications:

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Open Access Database:

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Marine environments are threatened by pollution through a variety of activities, both directly and indirectly. The varying types, sources, levels and impacts of pollution in marine environments make it very difficult to develop efficient monitoring tools. In addition, monitoring strategies need to be adapted de-pending on the “use” of the marine environment (e.g., aquafarming, tourism, transport) or for the quality of marine environments as natural ecosystems themselves. The major aim of the BRAAVOO project and its contribution to the Ocean of Tomorrow program (FP7-OCEAN-2013) is to develop innovative solutions for measurement of high impact and difficult to measure marine pollutants. In contrast to classical environmental analytics, which is based on site sampling, ex-situ sample extraction and purification, and high-end sophisticated compound detection, the strategy of BRAAVOO is to provide near real-time in-situ sampling and analysis.

The BRAAVOO concept of near real-time in-situ sampling and analysis is based on the use of three types of biosensors, to enable both the detection of a number of specific marine priority pollutants and also of general biological effects that can be used for early warning. The first type of biosensor uses label-free antibody-based immuno-sensing on innovative nanooptical platforms such as bimodal evanescent waveguides or asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometers. The second sensing platform consists of live bacterial “bioreporters,” which produce bioluminescence in response to chemical exposure. Finally, the photosystem II fluorescence of marine algae is exploited to monitor changes induced by toxic com-pounds.

BRAAVOO has rigorously tested the three biosensor systems for their analytical performance, responding to a set of targeted pollutants that include algal toxins, heavy metals, organic compounds related to oil, and antibiotics. To enable low-cost real-time measurements, the three biosensors were miniaturized, multiplexed and integrated into biosensing instruments, which allow simultaneous multianalyte detection. The instruments include the optical elements for biosensor signal generation and readout, the microelectronics for data storage, and specific macro- and microfluidics to expose the biosensors to the aqueous samples or calibration solutions. The modules were tested as stand-alone instruments with manual operation (e.g., sample addition manually), and were integrated in a marine buoy and an un-manned surveying vessel (USV). Integrated sensor instruments could be operated autonomously and remotely, store and transmit data to a remote observer. The performance of the stand-alone biosensors and biosensors in their integrated form was tested at field sites in Italy and Ireland, and was further bench-marked using spiked marine samples with known target compound concentrations. Comparative chemical analytics showed reasonable agreement between the two types of measurements, although limits of detection in biosensor measurements without sample pre-treatment were generally (and not surprisingly) higher than in chemical analytics with extensive sample purification and concentration.

Overall, the developed biosensors and biosensor instruments allow flexible and innovative solutions for marine monitoring in terms of efficiency (sample analysis in hours instead of the days or weeks needed for standard sampling, transport to external labs and subsequent analyses) and cost. Further bench-marking on real samples and sites will be necessary to improve the robustness of the biosensor instruments and protocols, and to validate the biosensors' responses in comparison to classical analytics.

Final Summary report:

http://cordis.europa.eu/docs/results/614/614010/final1-braavoo-final-sum-report-vs3-pu.pdf

The EU-funded GROOM (Gliders for research, ocean observation and management) project set out to fill gaps in current marine research infrastructures (RIs) for the benefit of science, industry and society. The new European infrastructure is based on several dedicated gliderports for the maintenance and operation of European gliders. GROOM scientists investigated and documented the advantages of using gliders for ocean prediction and optimal sampling in the OOSs as well as the policy and management of data collected by gliders. Authorities were approached regarding safety and legal aspects of glider operations and possible financial models were reviewed. In addition, the team carried out studies on performing synergistic experiments with other platforms and the testing of new sensors.

Project partners studied the innovation aspect of operating gliders. They analysed a variety of novel sensors available in the market and under development, as well as their readiness for gliders. These sensors pave the way for broad perspectives in the design of experiments with gliders for physical, chemical and biological ocean research. Data flow and work flow protocols and formats were developed. GROOM also defined and implemented a dedicated data management system for gliders in Europe. Trial glider deployments were undertaken to test and assess the designed fleet operation techniques. Synergies with other ocean observing platforms were also explored, including testing sensor deployment. The team analysed existing European glider infrastructure and defined a future European infrastructure for gliders based on the current state of play.

GROOM drew up a roadmap to establish and implement a European RI during the period 2015-2020. It will be most useful for academic oceanographic research and operational oceanography systems, which provide crucial information on marine activities to the commercial sector, governmental organisations and recreational users.

Data flow within the Glider European Research Infrastructure -  http://cordis.europa.eu/docs/results/284/284321/final1-geri-dataflow.pdf

Helping marine  science reach new depths -  http://cordis.europa.eu/docs/results/284/284321/final1-groom-international-innovation-2volets.pdf

Modular Organization of the Glider European Research Infrastructure - http://cordis.europa.eu/docs/results/284/284321/final1-geri-modular-organization.pdf

GROOM Deliverables (in general – mainly minutes of meetings etc.) - http://www.groom-fp7.eu/doku.php?id=public:deliverables

‘Permanent Ecological Moorings’ was designed as a guide for managers of coastal or marine areas and for all the administrative and associative structures who face the recurrent problems of moorings. This guide summarizes key issues and shows the various choices available as well as being a technical guide. It wants to answer the main questions that one faces while managing the diverse activities involved in mooring and anchorage.

Anchorage or mooring? The authors of this guide have voluntarily considered that the two terms are synonymous. Two categories of anchorage (or mooring) can be defined : temporary mooring and permanent mooring. A permanent mooring cannot be moved quickly or easily. A temporary mooring is (usually) an anchor stored onboard a boat (or a floating structure that needs to be clamped down) and is re-hauled onboard when the boat starts to move again.

The act of mooring with an anchor means, dropping an anchor overboard to enable the immobilization of a boat because the anchor falls and is wedged onto the bottom. When removed , this anchor will be pulled up forcibly in order to be freed from the seabed. Depending on the fragility of the seabed or of the sea life (animals or plants) that are developing there, the impact can be significant. The areas most adapted to moorings are dependent on hydrological factors (currents, wave exposure) and meteorological factors (wind exposure). Along a stretch of coast these areas are not especially numerous and the pressure of moorings on the seabed can be frequent and significant.

Every manager or organization in charge of managing a coastal marine area will be facing this choice: preserve as good as possible the seabed or allow unregulated moorings with all the potential negative results that can ensue. In addition to general boat use, the managers themselves may need to moor: their own boats, permanent floating structures ( pontoon, barge, buoy) or immersed structures (canalization , sign for diving trail). How does one choose in cases like these an ecological solution that has minimal negative impact for the environment?

This guide will help in the choice of the most adapted ecological solution depending on the environment in question. It is divided into two main parts: the description of the major environments and the technical description of various permanent ecological moorings recommended.

Five main categories of environments have been selected: sand and mud, Pebbles and cobbles, Boulders and bedrock, Coralligenous formations, and Posidonia meadows. Each environment is briefly described and its ecological importance is detailed. The sensitivity and vulnerability of each of these environments are then evaluated depending on their particular characteristics: speed of regeneration, structural complexity (its architecture), ecological role, etc. These elements should enable us to understand why one environment is more or less fragile and why it is necessary to look for alternative solutions to moor with an anchor.

The technical solutions include a description of the immersed parts (the ones laid on or pushed into the sea bed) and the parts at the surface without forgetting the connecting elements between the surface and the bottom. Advice on the installation is also given. When many solutions are possible for a given environment they are presented in a comparative table in a synthetical manner that will help the manager to choose the optimum solution taking into account the usage, the quality of the substrate, and the estimated effort involved.

Please note: if this guide shows the various choices between the different technical solutions, in no way does it pretend to be nor replace a technical manual necessary to calibrate the mooring. Further more it does not address the juridical issues attached to problems of authorization or management of moorings.

If the place for a mooring does not need to be at a precise location, a manager might then have the choice between different substrates. In order to help this choice a table summarizes the vulnerability of each environment, from the least to the most sensitive and vulnerable.

At the end of this guide three appendixes give additional information: a list of bibliographic references, a glossary and a list of contact addresses. The glossary defines the terminology used in both the descriptive environment and the technical part. This terminology is written in blue in the text. The contact appendix contains a non exhaustive list of addresses or Internet sites in the assessment, installation, sale or calibration of ecological solutions for permanent moorings.

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