Reclaimed water for fish and vegetable production

El AWARE research project aims to build the first fish and vegetable production system in Europe using reclaimed water through an aquaponics method, a technique that combines the farming of aquatic animals (aquaculture) with the cultivation of plants in water without the need for soil (hydroponics).

Currently, wastewater in Europe is subjected to rigorous treatment to become reclaimed water and be legally discharged into aquifers or used as irrigation water for crops. In addition, if additional tertiary treatment units are applied, such as Advanced Oxidation Processes (PAOs), the reclaimed water obtained can reach drinking water quality levels. “There is a legal vacuum in Europe at the moment, since we can use reclaimed water in agriculture, but not in aquaculture”, comments Dr. Fabio Ugolini, coordinator of AWARE. “We want to lay the foundations for a new policy framework in favor of European aquaculture and show that the development of a new food value chain is feasible,” he adds.

Within the framework of AWARE, the team led by Professor Cristina Pablos, a researcher at the URJC Chemical and Environmental Engineering Group, will be in charge of developing water treatment technology combining different PAOs, such as anodic electro-oxidation. , UVC-LED/Chlorine and UVC-LED/Persulfates, not only intended to convert treated wastewater into reclaimed water suitable for use in aquaponics, but also within the aquaponic system. "With this, the aim is to reduce the accumulation of pathogens and any type of potentially harmful contaminant that may be generated in the water, thus improving the safety and quality of the food produced," explains the URJC researcher.

The project has just started its journey and the research team points out that its results will materialize with the installation of the first aquaponics plant in the city of Castellana Grotte (Puglia, Italy), which hopes to open its doors to the public in 2026. The AWARE consortium is the result of the international effort of twenty organizations, including universities, research centers, companies, government institutions and non-profit organizations from eight countries (Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, United Kingdom, Belgium, Greece , and Chile). This project is funded by the European Union program Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Actions (Grant Agreement n° 101084245), with a budget of 5,1 million euros, including co-financing from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Farm to Table Strategy

The European Union recognizes the need to strengthen food production systems with strategies such as From Farm to Table (From Farm to Fork), one of the key initiatives of the European Green Pact that aims to develop a sustainable and efficient food system. In this sense, the AWARE project has joined this challenge. “Imagine a sewage plant turned aquaponics farm,” says Dr. Fabio Ugolini. "With the appropriate water treatment technology, fish and vegetables can be produced in an urban way, kilometer 0, without the need for soil or natural water and reducing greenhouse gas emissions," concludes the researcher.

Writing: Irene Vega

Image: This system of aquaponics it is based on a sustainable design, since it recirculates and reuses its own waste products.
Aquaponics farms exist at different scales, from small scale at the household level, as shown in the image, to large commercial farms.

Source: GreenInBlue