Events

• sylvester
• Events
• November 20, 2024

Global Leaders Unite to Combat the Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance!!

• sylvester
• Events
• November 20, 2024

Join the Global Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance!

Mark your calendars for November 19, 2024, 14:00-15:30 CET to be part of a transformative webinar hosted by the AMR Industry Alliance for World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2024! 

This year’s theme, “Educate. Advocate. Act Now,” brings together global experts from WHO, CARB-X, and more to discuss actionable strategies for combating AMR.

Don’t miss the chance to learn from global leaders and be part of this essential dialogue!

Register here: https://counciladvisors.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pySfgLhkSTmSTbGp7M3a0A#/registration

The LIFE Pharma Detox team will participate in this event to promote sustainable solutions and support global AMR efforts.

• sylvester
• Events
• November 6, 2024

Europe’s state of water 2024: the need for improved water resilience

In the 2024 report, Europe’s State of Water: The Need for Improved Water Resilience, the European Environment Agency (EEA) highlighted the critical role of addressing pollution from industrial waste and pharmaceuticals to enhance water resilience. The report identifies industrial pollutants and pharmaceuticals as significant contributors to water quality degradation, impacting both ecological health and human safety.

Industrial activities contribute to diffuse and point-source pollution, releasing harmful chemicals into surface and groundwater. These pollutants often include hazardous substances such as heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, and compounds like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The persistence of these contaminants is a barrier to chemical water quality improvement efforts, as evidenced by only 29% of European surface waters meeting the good chemical status criteria​.

The pharmaceutical sector is also under the spotlight for its environmental impact. Medicines and personal care products often end up in waterways due to insufficient waste treatment facilities, affecting aquatic ecosystems and increasing risks for human health. Pharmaceuticals like antibiotics, hormones, and painkillers are known to disrupt biological systems in aquatic life, which can lead to reduced biodiversity and compromised water quality.

Pharmaceuticals, can be found also in urban wastewater, with 92% of the residual toxicity in urban wastewater coming from the pharmaceutical and cosmetics sectors. Attempting to manage harmful chemicals once they reach the environment is not a sustainable approach. The European Green Deal recognizes that a profound change in the production and use of chemicals is required.

The report points out improved wastewater treatment technologies and pollution prevention at source are key to reducing these impacts.

The Pharma Detox project plays a significant role in enhancing water resilience across Europe by addressing the persistent issue of pharmaceutical pollutants in aquatic environments. Incorporating advanced filtering, detoxification methods and use of Renewable Energy Resources, Pharma Detox works in line with the European Union’s Zero Pollution Plan, which highlights the need for cleaner water resources across Europe.

Download Report: https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/publications/europes-state-of-water-2024

• sylvester
• Events
• October 30, 2024

Experimental Results: Effectiveness of our prototype system in detoxifying Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients

At Life PharmaDetox, we have recently completed a series of experiments designed to evaluate the effectiveness of our prototype system in detoxifying Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). These experiments aim to demonstrate the toxicological impact of treated samples on both the environment and microorganisms. We are excited to share the preliminary results and insights occurred during this phase.

Our experiments followed standard methods, including ISO 6341:2012, Water Quality — Determination of the Inhibition of Mobility in Daphnia magna Straus (Cladocera, Crustacea) — Acute Toxicity Test, and the PHYTOTOXKIT Liquid Samples method. We tested Daphnia magna, a zooplanktonic organism widespread in lakes and streams and an important part of the aquatic food chain. In addition, three plant species—Sorghum saccharatum, Lepidium sativum, and Sinapis alba—were used to assess phytotoxicity.

Initial toxicity results for heterotrophic bacteria Daphnia magna showed that treated wastewater had lower Toxicity Units (TU) compared to untreated samples, indicating a reduced harmful impact on aquatic organisms after treatment. Furthermore, preliminary phytotoxicity results revealed that root and shoot growth inhibition was significantly higher in untreated wastewater than in treated samples.

These findings present an optimistic outlook, suggesting that our treatment system could effectively reduce the environmental toxicity of pharmaceutical wastewater. Moving forward, we plan to conduct further studies to quantify these results and explore the full potential of the treatment for reducing long-term environmental impacts.

Dicotyledon mustard (Sinapis alba) seeds were incubated at 25°C (+/- 1°C) for three days. At the end of the exposure period, a photo of the test plates was taken. Following this, we analyzed and measured the germinated seeds. First, we counted the number of germinated seeds, and then measured the root and shoot lengths of the germinated seeds using an image analysis program. Finally, we calculated the percentage effect of the spiked chemical on seed germination, as well as on root and shoot growth.

We are excited about what these results mean for minimizing the environmental impact of pharmaceutical industry wastewater disposal. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue pushing the boundaries of the detoxification of APIs in wastewater.

• sylvester
• Events
• September 3, 2024

Presentation of LIFE PHARMA_DETOX at the 11th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management that was held in Rhodes Island, 19-22 June 2024

• sylvester
• Events
• September 3, 2024

Presentation of LIFE PHARMA_DETOX at the International Verdetec Environmental Technologies Exhibition, in Athens Greece, by the UNIT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (UEST) – NTUA team. March 29, 2024

• sylvester
• Events
• March 29, 2024

Our 2nd newsletter is published

Our project’s 2nd newsletter is published. Check HERE for more.

• sylvester
• Events
• February 20, 2024

Installed noticeboards at the premises of the project beneficiaries

NEVIS has crafted the noticeboard, containing comprehensive project information, in a straightforward and clear manner. Τeam members of the project beneficiaries having it installed at their premises.

• sylvester
• Events
• November 30, 2023

1st project stakeholder event in Limassol, Cyprus

On Thursday, November 16, 2023, within the framework of the implementation of the LIFE PHARMA-DETOX Research Project, co-funded by the European Union, the 1st Stakeholders Event took place at the facilities of the pharmaceutical industry Medochemie in Limassol. The purpose of the meeting was to present the Project, exchange views, and record the values, concerns, and expectations of stakeholders involved in the proper design, development, and implementation of a technological system for detoxification of wastewater from pharmaceutical industries.

The meeting was attended by professors and researchers from European universities and the University of Cyprus, representatives from the Departments of Environment and Water Development of Cyprus, City Sewerage Boards in Cyprus, and representatives from pharmaceutical companies and companies supporting pharmaceutical applications.

At the beginning of the meeting, Dr. Christakis Sergides, R&D, Innovation and CSR Director, and coordinator of the LIFE PHARMA-DETOX Project, stated that pharmaceutical substances in wastewater are recognized by the scientific community as significant pollutants. Although the quantities of pharmaceutical compounds leaking into the environment are minimal, their bioaccumulation and potential long-term impacts raise concerns, making it imperative to address them. Among these substances, antibiotics, due to the possible development of antimicrobial resistance by microorganisms, particularly cause concern.

Dr. Maria Kyriazi, Researcher at the National Technical University of Athens, presented the initial design of the proposed innovative, environmentally friendly, and economically sustainable wastewater detoxification system for the pharmaceutical industry, which could serve as a tool to address this problem. She also emphasized that special attention was given to the system's ability to operate with renewable energy sources and produce water suitable for irrigation and industrial uses.

After presenting the potential future applications of the system in other industrial sectors, the attending stakeholders were asked for their opinions on favorable conditions and possible obstacles that may arise during the operation and commercial exploitation of the proposed system. The suggestions of the stakeholders will be taken into account in shaping the future actions of the Project. The next meeting is scheduled after the installation of the system at one of Medochemie’s units and the evaluation of the initial results from its operation.

• sylvester
• Events
• November 16, 2023

15 November: 2nd project meeting at Cyprus

LIFE PHARMA-DETOX 2nd project meeting took place this morning Wednesday, 15th November 2023, in the Medochemie Ltd premises in Cyprus. The 5 partners: National Technical University of Athens, Medochemie Ltd, Aarhus University, NEVIS, University of Catania, discussed in hybrid format the progress of the project’s actions and milestones.