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Launch of Societal Activities at Lima Estuary Demosite Living Lab

Launch of Societal Activities at Lima Estuary Demosite Living Lab

November 26th, marked the launch of the societal activities co-designed within our Lima Estuary Demosite Living Lab, as part of the MAR2PROTECT project. This exciting initiative was organized by our partner CIIMAR and involved students from Escola Secundária de Santa Maria Maior in Viana do Castelo, one of the participating schools in this Living Lab. 

The activity began with an engaging presentation on the importance of saltmarshes in maintaining water quality. The students were introduced to the vital role these ecosystems play in coastal sustainability and environmental health. 

As part of this ongoing initiative, next month the students will visit the Lima Estuary revegetation site, which was initiated on October 21st. During the field trip, they will observe the transplanted plots, collect water quality parameters, and gather data for classroom analysis. This hands-on experience will offer valuable insights into the restoration process and the significant impact of saltmarshes on the local environment. 

We are excited to continue developing societal activities and look forward to further community-driven environmental education through the Living Lab.  

Take a look at the photos taken during the activity! 

MAR2PROTECT at Winter School 2024: Advancing Water Sustainability

MAR2PROTECT at Winter School 2024: Advancing Water Sustainability

This week, MAR2PROTECT was delighted to actively participate in the Winter School 2024, a premier event focused on addressing pressing water challenges and showcasing cutting-edge research and solutions in the water sector. The event, which welcomed 255 participants from 22 countries, highlighted a diverse range of expertise, including 77 poster presentations and discussions led by 53 invited speakers.

Our project made significant contributions to the discussions, particularly through these key topics:

🔹 Real-Time Monitoring:
Rogério Nunes Nogueira from the Instituto de Telecomunicações presented advancements in real-time monitoring technologies, emphasizing their transformative potential for detecting and managing water contaminants efficiently.

🔹 Adsorption Processes for the Removal of Contaminants of Emerging Concern and Disinfection By-Products:
Dario Frascari from the University of Bologna shared insights into adsorption processes as innovative solutions for removing harmful pollutants and ensuring safer water quality.

🔹 Nature-Based Solutions – Natural and Constructed Wetlands to Remove Pollutants and Potentiate Water Reuse:
Marisa Almeida from the Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research in Portugal highlighted the role of wetlands in pollution removal and water reuse, aligning with MAR2PROTECT’s sustainability goals.

🔹 Digitalization in the Water Sector:
Susana Gonzalez Blanco from CETAQUA, Spain, showcased the development of a real-time virtual sensor for trihalomethanes in drinking water, a vital step in digitalizing water safety processes.

We are proud to have contributed to this remarkable exchange of ideas and strategies, furthering our mission to implement sustainable water management solutions. Together, we’re shaping a resilient water future! 💦✨

#MAR2PROTECT #WinterSchool2024 #WaterInnovation #Sustainability #Digitalization

MAR2PROTECT at the LAQV

MAR2PROTECT at the LAQV

The LAQV (Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde) has published an article about the MAR2PROTECT project!

Since February 2020, they have produced a monthly ‘Almargem Newsletter – Water Special Edition‘, which includes an opinion article or a presentation of good practice projects somehow related to the efficient use of water.

The newsletter has counted on a number of different themes like: wastewater, land management, reforestation projects, etc.

‘Almargem’s Newsletter – Special Edition Water’ reaches about 1600 readers, among Almargem’s members and newsletter subscribers.

If you wanna read all about it you can do so in the following link.

 

Eternal pollution: MAR2PROTECT at Expresso50

Eternal pollution: MAR2PROTECT at Expresso50

The MAR2PROTECT project has appeared in the media Expresso 50 (Portugal) by the hand of our project coordinator Ana Pereiro who was interviewed about the recent discoveries of chemicals in european waters.

An European consortium of journalists (Forever Polution Project) has mapped -for the first time ever- the sites in Europe where there have been found concentrations of one of the most harmful chemicals: PFAS (perfluoroalkyladesubstances).

The first studies about these contaminants are just starting in Portugal and as Ana Pereiro said for this post in Expresso 50: “We should have started working on these studies 20 years ago”. 

These substances known as “eternal chemicals” are widely used and found in the environment: more than 17.000 sites across Europe are contaminated with PFAS and about 21.000 other sites are “presumably contaminated”. 

MAR2PROTECT takes into account the EU’s planned zero pollution targets for 2030 and the impact of climate change on groundwater contamination.

The project is also working on new ways to treat or clean up chemical compounds and pharmaceuticals present in wastewater. However, for these instruments to be widely applied “it is necessary that the European legislation requires it”.

Learn more in the following link

 

MAR2PROTECT collaboration with cluster projects HORIZON-CL6-2022-ZEROPOLLUTION

MAR2PROTECT collaboration with cluster projects HORIZON-CL6-2022-ZEROPOLLUTION

MAR2PROTECT started a collaboration with cluster projects HORIZON-CL6-2022-ZEROPOLLUTION which seeks to halt and prevent pollution by focusing on:

  • Removing pollution from fresh and marine waters, soils, air, including from nitrogen and phosphorus emissions;
  • Substituting harmful chemicals;
  • Improving the environmental sustainability and circularity of bio-based systems; and 
  • Reducing environmental impacts of and pollution in food systems.  

Water Europe will play a coordinating role in setting a proposal for an action plan for the cluster.

The first meeting will be held on the 9th of March 2023 from 9:30 to 12:00.

The agenda for the first cluster meeting and the proposal for the action plan are still being developed but we will keep you posted in the future!

We also want to thank the REA and all of the participant projects: