SMART H2O - Modular System for Pollutant Absorption and Removal

Scientific Director: Prof. Luisa Pasti
Project Leader: UNIPR - CIPACK

Project Partners:

• Terra & Acqua Tech

• CNR - ISSMC

• UNIPR - CIDEA

• Consorzio Futuro in Ricerca

Granted Funding: €499,999.38
Funding Allocated to Terra&Acqua Tech Laboratory: €99,855.00

Duration: 24 months

Climate change is causing unprecedented water stress (Decree of 07/12/22 - 22A07095). Proper use and management of water are therefore crucial in a region like Emilia-Romagna, which is characterized by a high industrial density that relies on this resource across many production sectors.

The goal of the SMART-H2O project is to develop and implement a system for purifying industrial water, enabling its reuse with a focus on sustainability and circularity, while minimizing the extraction of water from surface and groundwater sources.

Building on well-established laboratory knowledge (TRL4) of innovative purification treatments, the project aims to develop, within 2 years, the first prototype plant (TRL6) of its kind, capable of reducing microbial load, heavy metals, and organic pollutants, including persistent ones (PAHs and PFAS), at an industrial scale.

The consortium of laboratories involved—CIPACK, Terra & Acqua Tech, ISSMC-CNR, CIDEA, and CFR—covers the entire value chain, from material development to the design of the entire device, and the chemical analyses needed to validate the purification process. SMART-H2O is supported by major companies in the region.

Website: Under construction