The main purpose of this ETN is to initiate and enforce multidisciplinary cooperation between research groups of Comenius University Bratislava (CUB), Ghent University (UGent) and Tartu University (UT). Scientific perspective of the formed network is (i) to address the negative environmental and health impacts of water pollution by organic contaminants of emerging concern (e. g. micropollutants and pharmaceuticals) and (ii) to use plasma-based nitrogen fixation to reuse the water in agriculture. Therefore, this ETN is aimed to educate new experts in the related fields of plasma water treatment, wastewater treatment, analytical chemistry and other fields; exchange knowledge and enhance collaboration between partners, prepare joint project proposals, conduct exploratory research via short-term scientific missions (STSM) and inform the broader audience (e,g, policymakers) of the importance of (i) and (ii). For this purpose, we plan to organize training schools and conduct STSMs, prepare and enrich both online, such as MOOCs, and in person learning resources taught at each partnering university, prepare popular science materials in journals, radio or TV. The activities are strengthened by cooperation with other institutions and enterprises, such as wastewater treatment plants, wastewater treatment technology companies, and startups for analytical organic pollutants measurements.
Participants and Stakeholders
Coordinator
University of Tartu
Other Partner Institutions
Ghent University
Comenius University Bratislava
Team Composition
- Dr. Indrek Jõgi, University of Tartu, Associate Professor, Head of the Laborator of Plasma Physics
- Dr. Ivar Zekker, University of Tartu, Research Fellow, Chair of Colloidal and Environmental Chemistry
- Prof. Stijn Van Hulle, Ghent Univesrity, Department of Green Chemistry and Technology
- Dr. Anton Nikiforov, Ghent University, Senior Researcher, Department of Applied Physics
- Prof. Zdenko Machala, Comenius University in Bratislava, Division of Environmental Physics
- Prof. Andrea Ševčovičová, Comenius University in Bratislava, Full professor in biology, Department of Genetics
- Dr. Olivier Monfort, Comenius University in Bratislava, Associate professor in chemistry, Department of Inorganic Chemistry
Stakeholders/External Partners
Tartu Waterworks
Seeneseeme/Seeneliha/Majaseen Businesses (Estonia)
Tectero BV (Belgium)
MM Revital, a.s. (Slovakia).
Objectives
1. Provide opportunities for the knowledge exhange and training of experts in the related fields of plasma science, analytical chemistry, wastewater treatment, as well as for university students and the wider public.
2. Establish an efficient collaboration in science and education between the partnering research groups with the aim of applying for additional funding from Horizon Europe water-related or circular economy projects.
Contact
Contact person
Dr Indrek Jõgi, Associate Professor at the University of Tartu,
Project Website: http://enviro.fmph.uniba.sk/planted/index.php
Highlights of the Project
The removal of micropollutants from the water is challenging and existing removal methods have deficiencies which limit their efficiency. The combination of different methods can address these problems but requires knowledge exhange by experts of different research fields. The project brings together scientists from water treatment technologies, biotechnologies and plasma chemistry and helps to train a new generation of experts with broader knowledge base and versatile skill set.