Mi-Hy is a circular hydroponic-bioelectrical system (BES) designed for urban agriculture. It integrates carbon and nitrogen metabolism in plants to optimize their transformation into animal feed and other valuable products. This system combines BES technology, which uses electrons from biochemical reactions, with hydroponics, a method of growing plants without soil. The goal of TFNS joining the consortium is to valorise wastestreams from Mi-Hy by developing complementary bioprocess and biomaterial solutions that enhance the circularity and sustainability of the Mi-Hy system. This includes valorizing by-products from waste stream feedstock, such as urban wastewater (WW) sludge, sludge dewatering effluent (EF), hydroponics waste solution, and hydroponics sludge. These by-products still contain significant amounts of carbon and nitrogen after processing, which can be further used. Valorization routes include developing microbially-mediated processes and “green” building materials (GBMs). Two major pathways are defined as specific objectives (SO): SO1 aims to create biofertilizing products (BFP), including biostimulants, blends of biostimulants and organic fertilizers. SO2 focuses on developing novel GBMs using sludge effluents (EFs) combined with other industrial waste materials to create new ceramic blends and microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP)-based biobricks. The proposed methodology integrates bio-based principles to use renewable bioresources and nutrients, addressing environmental issues in agriculture (hydroponics, chemical fertilizers) and green building applications (e.g., high embodied energy materials like fired bricks, steel, and glass). These sectors currently rely on fossil fuels and material extraction. The valorised Mi-Hy waste streams, have potential applications in organic agriculture and the green building sector. Including TFNS, a Western Balkans (WB) institution will support the specific objective (SO3) related to the WIDERA topic.

Surveillance of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) has important role in protection of both humans and the environmental resources, which is a goal in compliance to the European Green Deal (EGD) commitment for transition of EU to zero-pollution, toxic free environment. However, there is a significant gap between countries and regions in terms of the scientific and innovative capacities needed to tackle the challenge that CECs in the environmental compartments present. Overall objective of TwiNSol-CECs is to raise scientific and innovation excellence of the Faculty of Technology Novi Sad (TFNS), Serbia, in various aspects of the CECs research, integrated in broader EU networks of excellence, and contributing to national and regional scientific and economic growth and well-being. Specific TwiNSol-CECs objectives are: 1. Stepping up the excellence of the TFNS scientific capacity and resources in field of the wide-range CECs’ surveillance and innovative removal technologies, contributing to the stronger R&I system in Serbia and WBs integrated in the EU networks of excellence, 2. Intensification of strategic networking activities of TFNS with 2 top-class leading research institutions at EU level: Spanish National Research Council, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (CSIC), Spain, and NOVA University Lisbon, NOVA School of Science and Technology (UNL), Portugal, 3. Raising reputation, research profile and attractiveness of TFNS and its staff, 4. Strengthening the research management and administration skills of TFNS, and 5. Improving the TFNS creativity in new R&I approaches for the CECs’ wide range surveillance and removal with increasing mobility of qualified scientists. The project represents a coherent set of knowledge-, skills-, experience-, and awareness- raising activities, dissemination, communication, networking, coordination, etc. for successful achieving of the project objectives.