This transnational and transdisciplinary course will focus on two key sustainability challenges of today's societies - clean water and energy supply. The programme will bring together a European team of experts in ecology, microbiology, environmental chemistry, pollution assessment, environmental and health risk assessment, bioremediation, and waste-to-energy bioprocesses.

The course is framed by the European Commission’s Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, which sets out Europe’s zero pollution ambition, to better protect citizens, animals and the environment from harmful substances. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate a holistic understanding and approach of water pollution, and apply nature-based solutions to real-life problems.

The course will involve both virtual and face-to-face activities, including field trips and laboratory work. Hands-on class will be central for the students’ training.

This Blended Intensive Programme involves a 5-day physical mobility to Sapienza Università di Roma, which will include the following:

1. Practical lectures addressing the themes of the programme:


• Water quality evaluation and remediation/bioremediation, Nature Based Solutions
• Energy valorisation of waste

• Case Studies/examples

2. Workshops and practical classes on research design

3. Students’ group-work


4. Stakeholder seminars (and visits)


5. Field trips

6. Field and Laboratory activities

7. City tour – water exploitation at the ancient Romans’ times

Lectures and applications:

New ecological approaches to assess water quality

• Isotope fingerprints to track pollution sources and environmental changes over space and time
• Detection of Microcystin-producing cyanobacteria and naturally-occurring biodegrading bacterial community using qPCR
• Ecotoxicology testing adapted for detection of Microcystins
• Identification of antibiotic resistant bacteria and genes
• Ecotoxicology testing with macro-invertebrates
• Behavioural studies with organisms
• Non-animal alternatives (NAMS etc.)
• Identification of microbiological indicators of depollution by molecular methods
• Ecotoxicological tests in water mixtures to support chemical analysis
• Degradation tests under anaerobic conditions

 New chemical approaches to assess water quality

• Sources, occurrence and health impacts of emerging contaminants and methods for their identification
• Sensors to monitor water quality 
• Digital PCR for monitoring using molecular markers
• Non-target screening and targeted analysis

Green and nature-based solutions for pollution remediation including bioenergy production

• Green chemistry solutions for water pollution problems
• Nature based solutions for pollution remediation
• Bioremediation of emerging contaminants, phyto-assisted bioremediation
• Energetic valorisation of human activities’ residual products including: pharmaceuticals and other emerging contaminants
• Bioelectrochemical systems (BES), microbial fuel cells (MFCs), microbial electrolysis cells and anaerobic digestion in bioremediation, wastewater treatment, biofuel and biochemical production

Contamination lab - Students’ group-work


• Students with different backgrounds and nationalities (European and African) will be divided into small multidisciplinary groups (to simulate team work) to develop a project focusing on one of the specific issues addressed during the course and to propose practical activities/solutions for sustainable water management.

The virtual part will be running from 20 January to 14 February 2025. The course will comprise two phases of virtual teaching activities:

1. Before the physical mobility, from 20 to 25 January 2025, online meetings will be held in order to:

• describe the structure of the winter school, its main objectives and the groups, including students and professors presentation;

• describe the general issues of water pollution and sustainable energy production, with a focus on human and ecosystem health and climate change;

• evaluate the students’ background on basic topics and concepts and discuss the students’ motivation letter contents. Students will undergo a preliminary online questionnaire;
• establish transnational and transdisciplinary teams (students + coordinating professors + stakeholders) that will operate during the 5-days mobility;
• provide a common transdisciplinary background on innovative approaches for effective detection and removal of pollutants in sustainable water management, which will be consolidated with both theoretical and practical knowledge during the 5-day mobility;
• undertake introductory lectures:

Prof. Michelle Bloor, UofG

• Chemical Policy (Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability)
• Chemicals and sustainability

Prof. Delia Popescu, UNIBUC


• Introduction to sources, properties, occurrence, and health impacts of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on water quality

Prof. Carmen Chifiriuc, Ilda Barbu, Irina Gheorghe-Barbu, UNIBUC

• Antimicrobial resistance from the clinical to aquatic reservoirs

Prof. Reahab El-Shehawy, SU


• Cyanobacteria and Cyanotoxins as emerging contaminants: Microcystin issue /cyanobacteria detection; Microbiome in Ecotoxicology

Anna Barra Caracciolo, IRSA


• Emerging contaminants and One Health approach

• Introduction to Nature Based Solutions for pollution remediation

Prof. Antonella Marone and Giulia Massini, ENEA


• Application of Microbial Electrochemical Technologies (METs) for wastewater treatment and energy recovery
• Biodegradation of pharmaceuticals and other emerging contaminants during energy valorisation of waste (Hydrogen and biogas)

Lectures & seminars held by invited speakers and Ella C. Longiso (Wits)

Q&A sessions after each lecture/ seminar

2. After the physical mobility, online meetings will be held in order to finalise and discuss the projects to be evaluated in a conclusive online meeting.