Newsletters   Subscription   Contributions       Newsletter issue n°1 - January 07

EDITORIAL WELCOME:

This newsletter aims to provide information about initiatives and RTD project results in relation with the FP7 activity "Environmental technologies" under the research theme "Environment (including climate change)". The newsletter will try to embrace a wide scope of scientific activities that predominantly will target technologies for managing resources, reducing risks, monitoring, preventing or treating pollution more efficiently, related to all environmental media and wastes; to clean processes leading to the phasing out of dangerous substances; to technologies for built environment management, as well as conservation and restoration of cultural heritage; to risk, performance assessment and testing of technologies.

With this newsletter we aim to reach the scientific community dealing with environmental technologies as well as a much broader community of stakeholders such as regulators, policymakers, managers, industries, scientific journalists and organisations with an interest in the subject matter. Please forward the newsletter to colleagues, friends, business partners and any other relevant contacts that you may have, and encourage them to subscribe to the newsletter (see subscription details below).

FP7 First call for proposals is launched:

The EC published on 22 December 2006 its first call for proposals under the recently adopted Seventh Framework Programme. The call FP7-ENV-2007-1 issued by the theme "Environment (including climate change)" includes in its work programme the activity "Environmental technologies". The 14 open topics for research under this activity are targeting water, soil and waste areas as well as clean technologies, built environment, cultural heritage, risk assessment and testing strategies. The indicative available budget for this activity is totalling 50 Mio€.

The deadline for proposals' submission is 02 May 2007 and the submission/evaluation will follow the one-stage procedure.

Please be informed that, in addition to the eligibility criteria mentioned in the Annex 2 of the Work Programme, the funding thresholds/scheme will be applied as eligibility criteria

The call text, work programme, guide for applicants and additional information about the call are available at: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm?fuseaction=UserSite.CooperationDetailsCallPage&call_id=6

FP7 NEWS: Registration of Experts for Research Activities

The call for experts for the Seventh Framework Programme has been launched in view to establish an appropriate database from where experts shall be selected on the basis of required skills and knowledge.

To register as an expert please visit the following link: https://cordis.europa.eu/emmfp6/index.cfm?fuseaction=wel.welcome

“Soil and Sediment Remediation: Mechanisms, Technologies and Applications”, edited by Piet Lens, Tim Grotenhuis, Greg Malina and Henry Tabak.

The publication overviews remediative technologies currently available to minimise the impact of organic and inorganic pollutants. Both in-situ (landfarming, bioscreens, bioventing, nutrient injection, phytoremediation) and ex-situ (landfarming, bio-heap treatment, soil suspension reactor) technologies for soil and sediment treatment are reviewed, form a microbiological, process technological and socio-economical point of view.

The publication is a result of a Marie Curie Euro Summer School INET (FP6), and includes contributions from the EC funded projects (FP6) IMAGE-TRAIN, BIOTOOL, SAFIRA, WELCOME, SedNet, EUROPROX and SEAREG.   

 The key sections of the book concern:

• biogeochemical characteristics of soil and sediments, with new techniques to study soil/sediment processes.
• clean up technologies for soils polluted with organic or inorganic pollutants, including preventative and remediative strategies.
• novel process applications and bioreactor designs for bioremediation.
• impact of soil pollution on society and its economic importance.

 More information about the publication is available at: http://www.iwapublishing.com/template.cfm?name=isbn1843391007

"Water Reuse System Management Manual - AQUAREC", edited by Davide Bixio and Thomas Wintgens.

The project AQUAREC “Integrated concepts for reuse of upgraded wastewater” was funded by the Fifth Framework Programme of the European Commission. Its major aim was to investigate and develop concepts and methodologies supporting rational and knowledge-based waste water reuse strategies.

This publication presents practical information on waste water reuse concepts based on actual and proved management and operational practises. A broad approach has been considered by addressing institutional, organisational, legal, economics, financial, social and environmental issues together with technological aspects. The targeted readers are mainly practitioners concerned with implementation of waste water reuse schemes, but this publication may also become ‘the wastewater reuse manual’ for decision makers, local authorities, consultants and research bodies involved in the area.

The publication is now available as printed (catalogue n° KI-76-06-016-EN-C) or PDF document (catalogue n° KI-76-06-016-EN-Z) from OPOCE at:  http://bookshop.europa.eu/.

For more information you may also contact A. Gonzalez (Avelino.Gonzalez-Gonzalez@ec.europa.eu)

Info Day - Environmental Theme, Activity 6.3, Environmental Technologies, 23rd January 2007, Brussels, Belgium

The aim of this event is to provide information on the various topics of the call. 

The Info Day will be organised in a morning plenary session, with an introduction on the 2007 Work Programme of the "Environment (including Climate Change) Theme", followed by a general presentation on the "Environmental Technologies" activity and on the novelties of FP7 regarding the rules for participation, and rounded up by a Q&A session.

In the afternoon, four parallel sessions (1-Water and Soil technologies; 2- Waste and Clean Processes; 3- Built Environment and Cultural Heritage; 4- Risk assessment of chemicals and alternative strategies for testing) will cover the various areas and topics of the Environmental Technologies activity in more detail. The parallel sessions are organised as brokerage events. After an introduction on the various areas of the call, each participant will be allowed to present a "flash" 3-min. presentation related to project ideas, to their competence in the specific field, or to their interest to join consortia on a given subject. An open brokerage event will complete the parallel sessions.

In the Closing Session, the Commission will respond to questions about possible subjects for future call(s).

The announcement, agenda and registration form are available at the link on CORDIS:  http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/cooperation/environment-events_en.html
For additional information, please contact Marie De Looz-Corswarem (marie.de-looz-corswarem@ec.europa.eu , fax +320202952097).

"Towards Risk Based Management of European River Basins", 24-26 January 2007, Seville, Spain

The FP 6 funded Coordination Action RISKBASE will hold it's first open General Assembly (workshop) on "Risk based management of European river basins".

In RISKBASE, leading European scientists and representatives of major, European stakeholder groups will review and synthesise the outcome of EC RTD Framework Program projects, and other major initiatives, related to integrated risk assessment-based management of the water/sediment/soil system at the river-basin scale. The goals of RISKBASE supported by this event are to provide:

- An overarching concept, generic approach and guiding principles to integrated risk based management of river basins

- Recommendations towards evolution and implementation of risk based management in national and community policies and towards implementation in management

- A proposal for the European research agenda related to risk based management.

Participation is free of charge! For more information and registration visit: www.riskbase.info

Contact email address for the workshop: track@dechema.de

"Bringing water recycling into the mainstream", 1 – 2 February 2007, Wollongong, Australia

The University of Wollongong, partner of the EU FP5 project AQUAREC, is hosting a two-days seminar in view to disseminate major achievements and combined outcome of the Australian (Oz-AQUAREC) and European AQUAREC RTD projects.

This event will showcase current knowledge and experience from around the world on technical, social and economic aspects of integrating water reuse into mainstream water management. A highlight of the program will be a professionally facilitated half-day discussion workshop.

The needs and challenges of bringing research, practice and policy together will be discussed by all speakers and participants at the workshop which will set the direction for future research and policy needs.

For more information and registration visit: www.uow.edu.au/conferences/WATER2007/Home.html

Workshop on emerging contaminants in wastewaters: Monitoring tools and treatment technologies 26-27 April 2007, Belgrade, Serbia

The 2nd EMCO workshop is aiming to:

- To facilitate the interaction with regional authorities and scientist in order to facilitate the implementation of the European environmental policy in the region

- To facilitate the dissemination of the results and outcomes of RTD projects (EMCO project and related EU projects)

The specific topics addressed in the programme are the following:

- State of the art in chemical analysis of emerging contaminants in wastewaters; overview of available methods, future trends and perspectives in instrumental analysis

- Risk assessment and new monitoring strategies

- Occurrence of emerging contaminants in wastewaters in Europe

- Elimination of emerging contaminants in wastewater treatment; treatment technologies; current status and future developments.

Additional information is available at: http://www.cid.csic.es/emco/2nd_emco_workshop.htm

The 4th International Water Association Conference on Membranes for Water and Wastewater Treatment,  15th to 17th May 2007, Harrogate, United Kingdom

The conference is looking to attract about 500 delegates from a cross section of industry and academia, with 30% of current registrations representing industry and the remainder from research institutes. Participation and contribution from some of the recently funded FP6 membrane related projects is expected.

The programme will address, amongst others:

- Membrane bioreactors (anaerobic and aerobic)
- Portable water membrane filtration
- Municipal and industrial wastewater treatment and recycling
- Organic fouling of membranes for potable water treatment
- Pre-coagulation and other treatment
- Desalination
- Simulation, modelling and control

Delegate reservations can be made with judy.vicary@conferenceorg.com.

For more information visit the Conference website at www.iwamembranes.info.

Final Harmoni-CA Forum & Conference, Brussels, Belgium 25 - 27 September 2007.

This conference intends to present lessons learned from several FP5 projects with a view of improving the integration of results from European RTD funded projects into the implementation of the Water Framework Directive.

For more info see http://www.harmoni-ca.info/Conferences/Upcoming_Meetings/Final_Harmoni-CA_Forum_and_Conference/index.php

UVREC - Innovative multi-purpose thin-film UV-Reactor (EVK1-2002-30025)

The aim of this project was to adapt innovative spraying technologies to coat surfaces with an innovative photo-catalytic active layer of good mechanical strength and high stability. 

The outcome has been the development of TiO2-coating on polymers by cold gas spraying technology (CGS) which show the best photo-catalytic activity, whereas coatings obtained by plasma spraying technologies did show enhanced photo-catalytic activity but did not match those obtained by GCS. 

Field tests confirmed the enhanced photo-catalytic effect of the produced coatings.

In addition, a new double tube concentric UV-reactor was developed and first trials are underway.  Its area of application will be primarily water disinfection, in particular to improve spa hygiene but other areas of application are anticipated (air cleaning, odour reduction, etc.).

The coating of polymers (sheets&foils) with TiO2 by cold gas spraying resulting in photo-catalytic active polymer surfaces has been formulated as a patent.

Major publications resulting from this project are the following:

- "Induction plasma-sprayed photo catalytically active titania coatings and their characterisation by micro-Raman spectroscopy" - SURFACE AND COATINGS TECHNOLOGY

- "Cold gas spraying (CGDS) of TiO2  (anastase) powders onto polysulfone substrates, micro structural characterisation and photo catalytic efficiency" - JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY.

Contact person: R. Ballhorn (reiball@web.de)

STAMPS: Standardised Aquatic Monitoring of Priority Pollutants by Passive Sampling. EVK1-CT-2002-00119.

January 1st 2003 to March 31st 2006. Co-ordinators: Dr. Richard Greenwood, Dr. Graham Mills, University of Portsmouth, UK. http://www.port.ac.uk/stamps

The main outcome of this FP5 project include: 1) A set of calibrated low cost, commercially available samplers based on one body design but that can customised for a range of classes of pollutant by varying combinations of diffusion membranes and receiving phases. 2) The tank-based calibration procedures have been shown to be robust for two classes of pollutants in inter-laboratory trials. These devices have been found in field trials, conducted in a number of European rivers with different properties, to provide reliable estimates of time-weighted average concentrations of a range of classes of pollutants of concern.3) A national standard (BSI PAS 61:2006 Determination of priority pollutants in surface water using passive sampling) has been published and is widely available to the community involved in monitoring water quality. This should facilitate the adoption of passive sampling by managers and regulators of water quality in Europe.

The project web-site will remain available in the short term, but a new site (www.chemcatcher.co.uk, and www.chemcatcher.com ) has been purchased, and will be maintained over the next few years.

Development of an information technology tool for the management of Southern European lagoons under the influence of river-basin runoff (DITTY)

As a consequence of their location between land and the open sea, coastal lagoons receive fresh water, rich in organic and mineral nutrients derived from urban, agricultural and/or industrial effluents and domestic sewages. The DITTY project has produced and tested in 5 locations a prototype of a Decision Support System (DSS) for the management of coastal lagoons. It contains a database with historical data (with the possibility to incorporate new data), a geographical information system (GIS) with tools for data analysis and a knowledge base, created from extracting information of scenario analysis and the mathematical models (coupled river-basin-coastal lagoon) plus benchmarking exercises developed within the project. Several models were developed and implemented (qualitative loop analysis and networks, LOICZ-BM, integrated 3D biogeochemical and ecological models, watershed models) and used to set-up an integrated modelling framework as a scientific tool to support the lagoon management. An important effort was devoted to integrate the different qualitative and quantitative tools within a socio-economic context.

Scenarios analyses along with the economic analyses are providing useful insights for the Authorities in charge of the management of the lagoons. The DSS (Decision Support System), developed and implemented in close cooperation with the end-users and stakeholders, demonstrated the contribution of such a tool for management purposes. The analysis of scenarios emphasised the importance of an integrated analysis of the main economic and environmental options in the context of policy-target scenarios aiming at optimising the biological resource exploitation. This approach was first developed through close interactions with policy-makers and end-users and then implemented in each country. The feedback obtained encouraged a closer integration among institutions and end-users.

The exploitation of project results has already been started to help the creation of networks of people working on Southern European lagoons. Five national networks have been created (PlaNet in Portugal, Red Marismas in Spain, Network on Transitional Waters in France, Lagunet in Italy and ElNet in Greece), taking into account environmental and socio-economic issues within the Integrated Coastal Zone Management context. An international network (NetSEAL) has also been proposed by the project, as a federation of the national initiatives.More recently, the creation of the Baltic Lagoon Network (BALOON) has been stimulated by the DITTY project which also contributed to the first phase of the implementation plan of the Coastal Module of the Global Terrestrial Observing System (C-GTOS) of FAO.

A CD-ROM on the project, its objectives, results and outcomes has been prepared and the DSS description for the use by coastal lagoon managers and decision makers will be made available in 3 languages (http://dittyproject.org)

Contact : Prof. Thang  Do Chi (UMR CNRS-UMII 5119, Ecosystèmes Lagunaires (ECOLAG), Université de Montpellier II, cc 093 Place E. Bataillon, F-34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France)

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LEGAL NOTICE

The information and views set out in this newsletter are those of the author(s) and do not reflect necessarily the official opinion of the European Communities. Neither the European Communities institutions and bodies nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made on the information contained therein. This newsletter may be freely distributed.

See also http://europa.eu.int/geninfo/disclaimer_en.htm

EDITOR:

European Commission

DG Research, Unit I03

Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Belgium                                     © European Communities, 2007

e-mail : Avelino.Gonzalez-Gonzalez@ec.europa.eu            Reproduction is authorized provided the source is acknowledged