Imagine the gut bacteria that help you digest food; this project does the same for the earth. It identifies special groups of microbes that 'eat' toxic chemicals like oil and cyanide in the ground. By creating a toolkit to grow and improve these microbes, the project makes cleaning up polluted land cheaper and more natural.
Conventional soil and groundwater cleanup is often too expensive and technically difficult. Many of the 324,000 contaminated sites in Europe contain persistent chemicals that remain for decades without intervention.
A toolbox containing molecular monitoring methods, isolation/cultivation techniques, and a prediction tool for bioremediation. It includes a handbook for RNA-extraction and a library of deposited degrading strains.
If you are a soil remediation contractor dealing with 324,000 severely contaminated sites in Europe — this project developed a toolbox that uses specialized microbiomes to degrade organic contaminants. This allows for eco-friendly cleaning without the need for expensive water extraction or off-site transport.
If you are a petroleum refinery operator dealing with petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) leaks in groundwater — this project developed a method to isolate and evolve degrading strains. This provides a way to treat pollution on-site using biological processes instead of costly physical removal.
If you are an industrial chemical plant dealing with cyanide or HCH contamination — this project developed a toolbox for monitoring and cultivating specific microbiomes. This helps in reducing the long-term environmental liability of persistent toxic chemicals.
Based on available project data, specific pricing is not provided, but the objective states that biological methods are more cost-effective than conventional technologies because they avoid water extraction and off-site transport.
Yes, the project includes pilot tests under real field conditions in locations such as Ploufragan, Bitterfeld, and Stockach to verify performance.
Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not mentioned, but the project focuses on the isolation, characterization, and deposition of microbiomes and strains.
It replaces or supplements physical/chemical methods by using a toolbox of molecular monitoring, cultivation techniques, and prediction tools to guide the bioremediation process.
The project runs from 2022-10-01 to 2027-03-31, with pilot tests being a final stage of the development process.
The consortium is well-balanced for commercialization, featuring a 33% industry ratio with 4 industrial partners and 1 SME. The collaboration spans 6 European countries, combining the academic rigor of 4 universities and 3 research institutes with practical industrial application, ensuring the toolbox is grounded in real-world operational needs.
Contact RTDS Verein in Austria for details on the microbiome toolbox and pilot results.
Contact us to connect with the MIBIREM consortium for pilot site opportunities.
