SCERA will disrupt the current water treatment by a sustainable and environmentally-friendly system, either for contaminant elimination at its source or at the end of the pipe, potentially coupled to solar energy and adapted to industrial needs.
Several advances in the involved technologies are expected:
- New ways of producing porous ceramic nanostructures through nanotechnology.
- New methods of measuring and eliminating contaminant contents through real-time electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and thermal degradation.
Pollution Control
The new nanostructured device will efficiently preconcentrate contaminants in-situ. The use of real-time measurements using EIS will allow, for the first time, the non-selective fast detection of compounds present in water during treatment, which can be easily used as a preventive awareness system.
Pollution Prevention
Another scientific impact is the possibility to use thermal degradation to eliminate contaminants retained in the nanostructured and functionalized ceramic.
The proposed technology is cost-effective and thus applicable in all countries for contamination remediation, especially useful for upgrading the quality of surface and drinking water in areas with scarce and polluted resources.
Impact and Innovation
The SCERA project aims to create valuable results such as:
- Knowledge, methods, and patents that could significantly impact and revolutionize water monitoring and treatment.
- Easier-to-use, deploy, and maintain solutions for water purification.
The smart ceramic nanostructure, when installed at contamination sources (e.g., industrial effluents, landfill leachates) or wastewater treatment plant effluents, would eliminate contaminants on-site, thus reducing their impact on ecosystems.
Alignment with Environmental Goals
Our proposal aligns with the ecological transition and aims to combat pollution beyond current regulations, benefiting the environment and society. It also seeks to develop guidelines for technology implementation, aiding environmental agencies in achieving the ‘Zero pollution’ goal set by the European Union.
The reduction of contaminant discharges into receiving water bodies aligns with EU directives on Environmental Quality Standards and contributes to pharmaceutical pollution control. Additionally, it supports biodiversity conservation efforts and adheres to the One Health concept, promoting the health of ecosystems, biodiversity, and human populations.