Preventing groundwater contamination and protecting its quality against harmful impacts of global and climate change

The impact of climate and global change is putting in danger human health and welfare, food security and biodiversity, causing migration of the population around the world. Extreme weather combined with anthropogenic activities are causing devastating floods, longest droughts, sea level rise, undernourished people, ocean acidification, wildfires, heatwaves, groundwater pollution and loss of biodiversity.

Groundwater (GW) constitutes 97% of freshwater resources worldwide. It is the main source of drinking water to many citizens, and a stable base stream of rivers and wetlands. Preventing its pollution is crucial for the protection of freshwater and soil function.

The main goal of the 48-month MAR2PROTECT project is to prevent groundwater contamination and protect its quality against the impacts of global and climate change through an integrated technological and non-technological approach centred on Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR). MAR2PROTECT will develop 1) advanced technologies for the removal and (bio)degradation of micropollutants from wastewaters and surface waters before their use for MAR, 2) innovative sensors for real-time detection of micropollutants in GW, 3) an innovative and comprehensive DSS for optimal MAR design, including tools for the assessment of MAR effectiveness based on EO techniques and on the model-based quantification of selected water security indicators, 4) an advanced tool for the prediction of the impacts of climate change on GW quality, and 5) a new technology aimed at maximizing the retention of fertilizers in crop roots, so as to integrate MAR-based approaches with the reduction of diffuse pollution from agriculture. All technologies will be tested and validated in relevant environments achieving TRL5 in 7 demo sites representing the majority of the GW panorama worldwide: 5 demo sites in the EU and 2 at international level in Tunisia & South Africa, selected so as to maximize the potential replication of the MAR2PROTECT results.

Complementing this technological approach, a consistent set of non-technological strategies based on an open multi-stakeholder engagement will be applied in the demo sites with special attention to civil society engagement for GW pollution prevention.

Thanks to its holistic approach and to the high replicability of its results, MAR2PROTECT will lead to a marked enhancement in GW protection across the EU and beyond, and to the generation of knowledge for the transition to a sustainable water management. The MAR2PROTECT consortium includes 8 partners from 6 different EU-countries and Switzerland and 2 international partners from Tunisia and South Africa: 2 Universities (UNIBO (IT), KTU (LT)), 7 RTOs (NOVA (Coordinator - PT), CIIMAR (PT), CETAQUA (ES), IHE (NL), IT (PT), ISSBAT (TN), SUWI (ZA)) and 1 Association (FEUGA (ES)). In addition, the inclusion of 3 large water utilities as associated partners will lead to a relevant enhancement of the project impact.

Sito di riferimento

https://mar2protect.eu/

Partner del progetto

• NOVA
• Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna
• IHE Delft
• CIIMAR
• FEUGA
• ISSBAT-UNIVERSITY OF TUNIS EL MANAR
• CETAQUA
• AGUAS DO TEJO ATLANTICO
• FHNW
• HERA
• KAUNAS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
• DUNEA
• AQUATEC
• INSTITUTO DE TELECOMUNICACOES
• CITY OF CAPE TOWN
• STELLENBOSH UNIVERSITY

Team di ricerca UNIBO

• Dario Frascari
• Davide Pinelli
• Vittorio Di Federico
• Valentina Ciriello
• Giulio Zanaroli
• Elena Biagi
• Laura Sisti
• Annamaria Celli
• Micaela Vannini
• Elisa Girometti
• Caterina Bosticco
• Eliana Musmeci
• Ming Cheng
• Elettra Savigni

Ambiti di ricerca DICAM

• Processi biotecnologici e chimici per l’economia circolare e la bonifica e rigenerazione di suoli, sedimenti e acque inquinati
• Acque
• Chimica dei materiali