2023-2026

Financing contract: no. 3N/30.12.2022
Period of development: 2023-2026
Nucleu Program Director: Dr. chim. Lidia Kim

Short description:

The purpose of the Nucleu Program “Essential environmental research to support the green, sustainable transition and adaptation to the principles of the circular economy, acronym ENVIRON-RES”, is to increase the institute’s competitiveness and performance in the field of environmental research and industrial ecology. The purpose of the Nucleu Program will be achieved by developing new research directions aligned to the fields of intelligent specialization that respond to societal challenges and lead to the development of collaboration with the private environment through technology transfer, knowledge transfer and involvement in collaborative innovation projects.

At the national level, in addition to contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the National Strategy for Research, Innovation and Intelligent Specialization 2022-2027, the “ENVIRON-RES” Nucleu Program aligns with the National Strategy for Circular Economy and the National Strategy for Sustainable Development of Romania 2030, contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals SDG6 – Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG14 – Aquatic Life, SDG13 – Climate Change Action, SDG4 – Quality Education, SDG9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure and SDG17 – Partnerships to achieve the goals.

At the European level, the objectives and activities proposed in the Nucleu Program align with the challenges of the European Ecological Pact (Green Deal), the Zero Pollution Action Plan for Air, Water and Soil, the Framework Directive of of water (Water Framework Directive), being complementary with calls from the Horizon Europe Program and with objectives from the EU Missions (Soil and food health, Healthy oceans, inland waters and the coastal zone, Adaptation to climate change).

The main results of the Nucleu Program aim at:

• methods/methodologies for structural identification, chemical confirmation and analytical quantification of emerging pollutants newly introduced in European legislation;
• new ecofriendly compounds with antimicrobial activity, monitoring and evaluation of the toxic impact of pharmaceutical substances with an antimicrobial role on the environment through new types of bioindicators;
• the assessment and highlighting of vulnerabilities arising from the manifestation of climate change in urban and peri-urban ecosystems in Romania;
• experimental models/specialized and sustainable technologies, intended for wastewater and sludge treatment and the utilization of renewable resources in wastewater treatment processes;
• technological solutions based on processes and natural resources for environmental ecosystem services, by extending the use of purification systems to isolated locations;
• experimental models specific to the field of water treatment intended for human consumption from underground and surface sources, according to the new regulations at the European level regarding the quality of drinking water;
• technological solutions for the recovery of waste in the context of the circular economy.