SAFE-PFAS is developing an advanced wastewater treatment approach to capture and degrade PFAS, often referred to as "forever chemicals," before they reach rivers and the Black Sea. The solution uses bio-based sorbent materials designed to capture both long- and short-chain PFAS from treated wastewater.

Rather than simply transferring PFAS into another waste stream, the project aims to concentrate and degrade the captured pollutants while integrating monitoring to track treatment performance. The approach could provide wastewater facilities with a scalable tertiary treatment option for reducing emerging chemical pollution.

CONTATRAP is developing a modular, reusable system that captures and recovers heavy metals, nitrogen, and phosphorus directly from aquatic environments. The solution combines advanced adsorption materials with natural support structures and can be deployed in coastal areas, pollution hotspots, and industrial settings.

By treating pollution directly where it occurs, CONTATRAP aims to improve water quality while enabling resource recovery and supporting circular economy approaches. Its adaptable design offers a scalable solution for protecting aquatic ecosystems across the Black Sea region.

ARVEN ÇEVRE is developing a modular, low-cost filtration system designed to capture microplastics from industrial wastewater before they reach the marine environment. The system combines fine physical filtration with low-energy electrostatic principles and is designed to target fibers and fragments smaller than 100 micrometers.

The project also explores real-time monitoring to measure filtration performance and generate valuable pollution data. Designed for integration into existing wastewater infrastructure, the solution provides a locally developed approach to reducing land-based microplastic leakage into the Black Sea.

Aquasorb is a bio-based, floating, and retrievable water treatment system for removing nutrients and heavy metals from polluted coastal waters. The solution uses natural materials, including diatom frustules and zeolite, within modular floating units that operate through passive adsorption without external energy.

Designed for direct deployment in pollution hotspots, the system offers a flexible alternative to conventional treatment infrastructure. By capturing pollutants before they spread through aquatic environments, the innovation aims to contribute to cleaner coastal waters and healthier Black Sea ecosystems.

The Black Sea Agricultural Research Institute is developing a microalgae-based bioremediation system that captures nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural drainage water. Nutrient-rich water passes through modular reactors where microalgae naturally absorb pollutants and convert them into biomass.

The harvested biomass can then be transformed into biofertilizer and biostimulant products and returned to agriculture. By turning nutrient pollution into a valuable resource, the solution combines water treatment, circular economy principles, and sustainable farming while reducing agricultural pollution entering the Black Sea.

Uptecra's BluePulse is a decentralized marine monitoring network that transforms commercial vessels into mobile environmental sensing platforms. Autonomous BlueBox units use sensors and Edge AI to detect pollution such as hydrocarbons and microplastics while vessels travel across the Black Sea.

By using existing maritime routes instead of relying solely on fixed monitoring infrastructure, BluePulse aims to expand environmental data coverage across the basin. Real-time pollution information and mapping can help authorities identify threats, respond to incidents, and make better-informed decisions to protect the Black Sea.