Within the project’s foreseen networking activities, the 1st online workshop of the LIFE Pharma Detox project was successfully completed on 17 January 2025. Hosted by Medochemie, it brought together 32 participants from different sectors to explore innovative solutions for tackling contaminants in wastewater.
Participants included researchers and professors from universities in Greece, Cyprus and Italy, as well as representatives from the oil refining sector, soil regeneration companies, pharmaceutical companies, water technology centres and wastewater treatment plants. Their active participation highlighted the growing urgency of addressing pharmaceutical contaminants, PFAS, microplastics and other contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in water systems to protect ecosystems and public health. Following productive discussion and active participation from the participants evidenced and the importance of collaboration and sharing results to inspire new ideas and partnerships.
Dr. Christakis Sergides, Coordinator of LIFE Pharma Detox and R&D, Innovation, and CSR Director at Medochemie, Cyprus, provided an overview of the project during the 1st online workshop on January 17, 2025. His presentation emphasized the project’s aims and goals, offering valuable insights into its scope and objectives.
Eleni-Alexia Giouni, a PhD candidate and member of the NTUA team, presented the technical progress of the LIFE Pharma Detox project during the first online workshop on January 17, 2025. Her presentation highlighted the experimental results, addressed the challenges faced, and outlined the next steps for the project.
During the 1st online workshop of the LIFE Pharma Detox project, Prof. Paola Verlicchi, a specialist in Environmental and Sanitary Engineering at the Department of Engineering, University of Ferrara, shared insights on the removal of Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) from hospital and municipal wastewater. Her presentation focused on both conventional and advanced treatment methods, highlighting their effectiveness and challenges.
During the 1st online workshop of the LIFE Pharma Detox project, Venelin Marinov from the Lukoil Reach Centre in Bulgaria presented the LIFE Wateroil project. His presentation emphasized process water treatment units aimed at enhancing river basin management. Additionally, he addressed strategies for controlling PFAS and microplastics in wastewater, providing valuable information into managing these pressing environmental challenges.
During the 1st online workshop of the LIFE Pharma Detox project, Jose B. Carbajo, Coordinator of the LIFE Multi-AD project, showcased a high-performance multi-stage anaerobic reactor designed for the treatment of wastewater from agri-food companies. Additionally, Prof. Dieti from the University of Cyprus presented an advanced toxicology model utilizing zebrafish technology, offering innovative approaches to toxicity evaluation.
During the 1st online workshop of the LIFE Pharma Detox project, Maria Avramidi, a PhD candidate at NTUA, presented the successfully completed results of the Water Mining project. She emphasized the emerging opportunities and capabilities of the Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) system installed in Larnaca, which is designed to treat reclaimed water while recovering valuable salts and water.