The MIBIREM project had the honour of participating in the BioBio 2024 – the 7th International Symposium on Biosorption and Biodegradation/Bioremediation in Prague, a significant event for researchers focusing on biosorption, bioremediation, biodegradation, and broader environmental science topics such as the circular economy and green technologies.

As part of BioBio24, MIBIREM co-organized the 2nd Bioremediation Cluster Workshop, bringing together several EU projects focused on bioremediation, including MIBIREM, SYMBIOREM, BIOSYSMO, NYMPHE, EDAPHOS, and ISLANDR. The workshop was lively and engaging, featuring an opening presentation by Nicolas Kalogerakis, a renowned expert in bioremediation. We learned about the hazards of fibers and micro-nanoplastics in agriculture and explored successful methods of agricultural decontamination, such as ecopiles.

MIBIREM Project’s Promising Microbial Solutions for Contaminant Degradation

Thomas Reichenauer, the scientific coordinator of MIBIREM, presented promising preliminary results on microbial cultures for the biodegradation of project target contaminants (PHCs, HCH/lindane, Cyanides) and microbiomes with high degradation capacities and excellent functionality. For all three groups of contaminants microbial cultures could be identified that show high degradation capacities. These cultures thus were selected for isolation and further characterisation of individual strains and for use in pilot-tests. The microbial cultures will be deposited to facilitate their use for future applications in bioremediation.

The workshop concluded with an engaging panel discussion, dynamically moderated by Victor De Lorenzo. The panel featured scientific coordinators from the cluster bioremediation projects, including MIBIREM, SYMBIOREM, BIOSYSMO, NYMPHE, EDAPHOS, and ISLANDR. This cluster workshop provided a promising platform for sharing knowledge and discussing the future of bioremediation in Europe. Key takeaways from the workshop include:

• Emphasizing the importance of success stories to build public trust in research and biotechnology. Michel Chalot of Edaphos proposed installing demo sites to engage the public in technology development.
• Highlighting the need for a holistic approach beyond bioremediation to improve overall soil health. Cosimo Masini, a MIBIREM partner of DND Biotech, stressed that soil and water are the foundation of our lives and our natural capital.
• Addressing the gap between biotechnology and implementation, calling for greater involvement from industry and intermediary producers to ensure society benefits from scientific advancements.

A Call for Action in Environmental Biotechnology Research

A key outcome of the workshop was the creation of Joint policy documenent by the cluster participants. This document calls for urgent action in Environmental Biotechnology Research in Europe, emphasizing its relevance to human health and green technologies. It advocates for a major European-funded environmental biotechnology research initiative to enhance European research leadership, foster international collaborations, and in due course benefit all of society.