Radiofrepolis - Dr. Kor Bicakci

Research Goal

RADIOFREPOLIS intends to investigate the occurrence and transformation of target Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products by applying an innovative and energy-efficient Radio Frequency Sludge Pretreatment followed by anaerobic digestion as the first time in the literature for moving towards non-toxic environment.

Why RADIOFREPOLIS is important now?

Sludge management in wastewater treatment plants is still one of the most pressing issues due to dramatic increases in sludge production, high sludge disposal costs (more than 50% of the total operating cost) and increasing stringent regulatory restraints. Agricultural use of stabilized municipal wastewater sludge (biosolids) is reported as the most sustainable, cheapest and beneficial disposal option. Prior to sludge recycling to soil, treatment sludge must be stabilized to reduce risks and to convince the public on its benefits and safety. As an energy-efficient process, anaerobic digestion is a common practice for sludge stabilization. Despite technological advancements in anaerobic digestion process (e.g. pretreatment) prior to anaerobic digestion), presence of “emerging micropollutants” such as Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) is a potential human and environmental health threats against the beneficial reuse of biosolids. These pollutants can be accumulated in sludge, soil, groundwater, drinking water system, animal and human body. Therefore, Europe needs to take action to safeguard the Union's citizens from environment-related pressures and risks to health and well-being and to protect, conserve and enhance the Union’s natural capital within objectives of the EU 7th Environment Action Programme.

Project number: 843320

Project acronym: RADIOFREPOLIS

Project title:An Innovative and Energy-Efficient Radio Frequency Pretreatment on Emerging Micropollutants and Transformation Products in Anaerobic Sludge Digestion for Waste Reuse

Call/Topic: Individual Fellowships


Type of action: Global Fellowships (MSCA-IF-GF 2018)

Granted by: Research Executive Agency by the European Commission

Grant amount: EUR 242 709.12


Beneficiary/Coordinator (Return Host): Boğaziçi University (BU) - Institute of Environmental Sciences

Partner Organisation (Outgoing Host): University of British Columbia (UBC) - School of Engineering, Bioreactor Technology Group

Timescale: 36 months (24 months at University of British Columbia (UBC) - Canada and 12 months at Bogazici University (BU) - Turkey)

REA

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 843320.