Proiect title: Solar-Powered MBR Systems with Integrated Advanced Oxidation Processes: Combining Photo-Fenton, Hybrid Ozonation (Biochar/nZVI), and Cold Atmospheric Plasma for Sustainable Irrigation
Acronym: SCORE
Contract nr: 180 / 2026
Contracting Authority: Executive Unit for Financing Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation (UEFISCDI), Romania
Programme in PN IV: Programme 5.8. – European and International Cooperation, Subprogramme 5.8.1. – Horizon Europe
Project type: COFUND

Abstract
Access to safe and sufficient water is a key challenge in many countries, where growing water scarcity threatens human well-being and agricultural production. Conventional wastewater treatment (WWT) systems, while effective for basic parameters, often fail to remove persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as pharmaceuticals, pesticides, hormones, PFAS, and heavy metals. Their residues limit reuse opportunities and threaten health, ecosystems, and food security. SCORE proposes a low-chemical, solar-integrated tertiary treatment and compliant sludge stabilization meeting EU/African limits. SCORE will demonstrate a solar-driven treatment sequence that (i) improves the membrane bioreactor (MBR) effluent using advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) to achieve irrigation-compliant water and (ii) converts MBR sludge into a safe soil amendment. MBR sludge will be thermally conditioned eliminating pathogen and enhancing dewatering, with zeolite-assisted stabilization, to produce safe soil amendment. Environmental performance and techno-economics of the integrated schemes will be benchmarked against baselines using comparative LCA and cost analysis, covering global warming potential (GWP), chemical footprint, and water-stress impacts. The expected impact is the delivery of a compliant soil amendment, with quantified reductions in GWP and chemical footprint versus conventional baselines to inform standards and financing. Benefits include lower operating energy and chemical use, improved tomato yield and quality, safer biosolids reuse, and transferable designs for utilities and industry..

Project objective
The main objective of the project is to develop technologies for the removal of persistent organic pollutants and the immobilization of heavy metals from sludge resulting from wastewater treatment plants, through thermal treatment and zeolite-assisted stabilization, in order to produce a soil amendment that is safe for use in agriculture.

Estimated results

  • Documentation on existing technologies for sludge treatment
  • Documentation on legislation regarding the use of sewage sludge in Europe and Africa
  • Work protocols for the chemical characterization of sewage sludge
  • Sludge quality characterization report regarding nutrient content, organic matter, micropollutants, and heavy metals. Results interpretation report
  • Report on qualitative analysis of organic contaminants present in sludge
  • Report on total metal concentrations and the mobile fraction in sludge
  • Experimental report on technology for the removal of organic contaminants from sludge
  • Technology for immobilization of heavy metals in sludge
  • Experimental report on technology for immobilization of heavy metals in sludge. Results interpretation report
  • Experimental report on the use of treated sludge as an amendment for tomato cultivation
  • Results interpretation report for use in life cycle analysis
  • Results disseminated through participation in international scientific conferences and publication of ISI articles

Project start 08/07/2026
Project end 30/04/2029
Project duration 34 luni

Partners:

  • Istanbul Technical University, Turkey (project coordinator)
  • MEMSIS Environmental Technologies R&D Inc., Turkey
  • Water Research and Technologies Center, Tunisia
  • Ecole Nationale Polytechnique d’Algiers, Algeria

Budget:

  • Total budget: 838.200,00 RON
  • National funds: 711.200,00 RON
  • Co-financing: 0.00 RON
  • European Commission funds: 127.000,00 RON

Contact:
Project manager
CSI Dr. Marin Senila
Donath str., no. 67, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
E-mail: marin.senila@icia.ro; icia@icia.ro
Tel/Fax: +40 264 420590 / +40 264 667