Advanced technologies from upcycled wastes for on-site monitoring and remediation of natural waters and marine sediments in coastal environment

ATOS

Proposing Institution: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR)

Name of the project’s Scientific Coordinator: Manuela Melucci

E-mail address of the project’s Scientific Coordinator: manuela.melucci@cnr.it

Other ECOSISTER partners involved in the project: Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, University di Ferrara, Mister Smart Innovation

Coordinating Spoke: Spoke 1

Other Spokes involved in the project: Spoke 5

Project duration (in months): 13

Starting TRL: 5

End TRL: 7

ATECO/industrial sector of potential reference: Gestione delle acque reflue

Smart Specialization Strategy: Sustainable Energy and Environment

EU Taxonomy: Wastewater treatment and water supply

Abstract

The ATOS project is developing and validating innovative solutions for on-site monitoring, characterization, and remediation of surface waters and sediments.

Customized cartridges based on sorbent materials derived from plastic industrial waste—previously validated for drinking water treatment—are being integrated with zeolites, microorganisms, algae, and microbial products with demonstrated contaminant adsorption capacity.

These cartridges target key pollutants (PCBs, PFAS, metals, and dioxins) across a salinity range of 1.1–37.7‰ for both preconcentration and remediation.

A portable system integrating the optimized cartridges is being developed for in situ exploitation in environmentally critical areas, i.e. Taranto – Mar Piccolo, aiming to enable water remediation and preconcentration.

Grounded in a multidisciplinary and sustainability-oriented approach, the project is delivering scalable technologies and generating guidelines for water remediation and reuse, including applications in the Emilia-Romagna region.

Expected Results

Category: PROTOTYPING OF PRODUCTS, SERVICES, DEVICES, MATERIALS
Design and development of customized sorbent cartridges based on recycled polymeric materials, functionalized with zeolites, algae, and microorganisms. A prototype of multi-phase sorbent cartridges for selective adsorption of PCBs, PFAS, metals, and dioxins in surface waters.

Category: DEMONSTRATORS
Integration of the cartridges into a field-deployable, suitcase-format portable system for in situ water sampling, preconcentration, and partial remediation. Real-scale demonstrator of an autonomous system for water treatment, tested in contaminated environments (Mar Piccolo, Galeso channel).

Category: TESTING
Environmental field tests of the ATOS system under real operating conditions with different salinity levels and contamination profiles. Validation of system performance and adaptability across marine and freshwater sites with high environmental relevance.

Category: PROCESS IDENTIFICATION
Preliminary protocol for the regeneration and reuse of exhausted sorbent materials and potential recovery of adsorbed contaminants. Identification of a sustainable regeneration process to enhance material circularity and reduce operational costs.

Category: ASSESSMENT
Evaluation of the environmental sustainability and circularity of the developed materials and processes through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), to assess environmental performance and alignment with circular economy principles.

Category: PROCESS OPTIMIZATION
Optimization of both the sorbent system and its physical support structure.

Functional optimization: identification of the most effective combinations of materials for specific contaminant categories.
Structural optimization: design of sorbent holders in various sizes, shapes, and polymers to enhance efficiency and adaptability.