29th June 2023


  1. 8.00 - 9.00 Accreditation (Campus Hall)

  2. 9.00 - 10.30 Plenary opening session (Auditorium)

    - Introduction and welcome

    - Bioremediation Movie by Michael Seeger and Pepe Rovano

    - Greetings from Philippe Corvini

    - The view of European commission on Bioremediation by Silvia Maltagliati EC Policy Officer (Directorate General for Research and Innovation B1 - Circular Economy & Biobased Systems)

    - Greetings from Falko Schlottig (Dean of the School of Life Sciences FHNW)

    - Greetings from organising committee (Elisabet Aranda, Concepción Calvo, Ana Dujmovic, Ana Rita Lado Ribeiro, Olga Pastor Nunes)i

    - Scientific Keynote Lecture: Bioremediation of a Disinfection By-product: From Lab to Commercial Scale-up, by Lawrence P. Wackett. Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, USA. Introduction by Ana Rita Ribeiro

    - Company Keynote Lecture: What did we learn the last 30 years? - A Consultant View, by Thomas Held. Arcadis Germany GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany. Introduction by Elisabet Aranda

  3. 10.30 - 11.00 Coffee break. Poster Session (Hall and auditorium)

  4. 11.00 - 11.30 Keynote Lecture: Fate of C-C backbone plastics and microplastics in the environment, by Nikolas Kalogerakis. Technical University of Crete, School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Chania, Greece. Introduction by Fabio Fava (Auditorium)

  5. Session 1.


    Session 1A. Bioelectrochemical systems (Auditorium)

    Chairs: Sebastia Puig (University of Girona) and Abraham Esteve (Metfilter)

    11.30 - 11.45

    Oral communication

    - "Electrobioremediation of real groundwater polluted with chlorinated alkenes by means of electroactive biofilters" by Abraham Esteve-Núñez

    11.45 - 12.25

    Flash poster session

    - "Self-powered bioremediation of contaminated soils with Soil Microbial Fuel Cells" by Simran Kaur Dhillon

    - "Influence of polarized electrodes on the chemical-physical parameters and on the microbial community in a marine sediment polluted with polychlorinated biphenyls" by Alberto Botti

    - "Radius of influence of electrodes in soil microbial fuel cells during hydrocarbon degradation" by Azariel Ruiz-Valencia

    - "On-Site Electrobioremediation of Hydrocarbon polluted groundwater: from laboratory to scale up" by Martí Aliaguilla

    - "Killing two birds with one stone: simultaneous bioelectrochemical removal of toluene and copper from groundwater" by Marco Resitano

    - "Electrotalk between arsenic-oxidizing and nitrate-reducing bacteria in defined consortia for electro-bioremediation" by Lluis Bañeras

    - "Electric field effects on microbial degradation of waterborne naphthalene" by Jinyao He

    - "Soil TPHs bioremediation using bacterial consortia, vermicompost, and passive bioelectrochemical system: a pilot scale study" by Sandra Curiel Alegre

    Session 1B. Oil and plastic degradation (Room 02.O.18)

    Chairs: Ramon Batista Garcia (UAEM) and Tatiana Stella (M3R)

    11.30 - 11.45

    Oral communication

    - "Biodegradation of Plastic: Tracking the Assimilation of Labelled Carbon and Potential Enzymology" by Jeppe Lund Nielsen

    11.45 - 12.25

    Flash poster session

    - "iACME method for the isolation of most efficient oil degrading bacterial consortia" by Maja Zugan

    - "Bioplastic transformation by fungi to be implemented in plastic management process" by Federica Spina

    - "Microbial colonization of fishing nets: searching for plastic-degrading potential" by Rafaela Perdigão

    - "Enhancing bioplastic production in photosynthetic microbiomes: Methodology for enriching biomass in PHB-producers microorganisms" by Beatriz Altamira-Algarra

    - "Deciphering the hydrocarbon and plastic degradation potential of Rhodococcus sp. VEM48 by -omics technologies" by Balbina Nogales

    - "The potential role of microorganisms from sewage sludge composting process in the plastic degradation" by Tatiana Robledo

    - "Metagenomic analysis of native microbial communities for oil spills bioremediation" by Maria L. Bôto

    - "Improvement and monitoring of hydrocarbon polluted coastal soil bioremediation with an immobilized bacterial consortium" by Constanza Macaya


  6. 12.25 - 13.25 Lunch break (Campus Hall)

  7. 13.25 - 13.55 Keynote Lecture: Breaking Down Pharmaceuticals: Can Bacteria Keep Pace with the Challenges of Wastewater Treatment?, by Paula Castro. Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, CBQF, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Porto, Portugal. Introduction by Marc Viñas (Auditorium)

  8. Session 2.


    Session 2A. Fungal and plant systems (Auditorium)

    Chairs: Simona Di Gregorio (University of Pisa) and Roman Toth (Cenvis)

    13.55 - 14.40

    Oral communication

    - "Metatranscriptomics-derived laccase-mediator system for organic pollutants biotransformation: from experimental observations to quantum chemical predictions" by Yaochun Yu

    - "Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on pharmaceuticals removal in constructed wetland" by Zhongbing Chen

    - "Response of planted systems with Phragmites australis to remove pharmaceuticals - bioaugmentation can enhance the process?" by Joana Fernandes

    14.40 - 15.10

    Flash poster session

    - "Removal of sulfamethoxazole by different immobilized laccase-mediator strategies" by Sergio Zamora-Martin

    - "Insight into the degradation mechanisms of sulfamethoxazole in anoxic biofilters amended with wood chips and iron chips" by Tongxin Ren

    - "Up-scaling mycoremediation for the cleanup of total petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil: insights from the Life MySOIL project" by Ilaria Chicca

    - "Increased production of pathogenic, airborne fungal spores upon exposure of a soil mycobiota to chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbon pollutants" by Cristina Silva Pereira

    - "Evaluation of different phytoremediation strategies in a trace element contaminated mine soil under Mediterranean semi-arid climatic conditions" by Rafael Clemente

    - "Installation, commissioning and operation of an injectable in situ permeable reactive barrier to prevent PFAS at a European airport" by Marcello Carboni

    Session 2B. Bioactive pollutants (Room 02.O.18)

    Chairs: Andrea Franzetti (University of Milano) and Robin Kyclt (Abitec)

    13.55 - 14.40

    Oral communication

    - "A multi-omics survey of the bacterial degradation of the persistent fluorinated fungicide fludioxonil" by Diogo Alexandrino

    - "Designing social bioinoculants for bioremediation with Bsocial" by Jessica Purswani

    - "Application of earthworms for stimulating herbicide mineralization in soil: Uncultured Planctomycetaceae and Sphingomonadaceae as key players" by Marcus A. Horn

    14.40 - 15.10

    Flash poster session

    - "Design of a biopurification system for the on-farm removal of pesticides used in coffee crops" by Carlos E. Rodriguez-Rodriguez

    - "Coalescence of microbial communities showing pesticides degradation potential: new tools for bioremediation" by Sylvia Thieffry

    - "Study of the effect of sulfamethoxazole on microbes in continuous and intermittent Up Flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket reactors" by Helena Nadais

    - "Analysing microbial community dynamics and pharmaceuticals degradation in lab-scale MBRs under fluctuating micro-pollutant concentration" by Francesca Demaria

    - "Potential of enriched cultures to degrade paroxetine and bezafibrate: microbial community characterization through culture-dependent and independent methods" by Alexandre van Heerden

    - "Doing it together: microbiomes for the hexachlorocyclohexane depletion in the environment" by Giacomo Bernabei

    - "Metagenomic insights into bacterial populations and mechanisms driving the biodegradation of azaarenes in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarboncontaminated soils" by Maria Jordán


  9. 15.15 - 15.40 Coffee break. Poster Session. (Hall and auditorium) maya

  10. 15.40 - 16.10 Keynote Lecture: Field and biochemical limitations of anaerobic degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, by Rainer Meckenstock. Universität Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany. Introduction by Jesus Gonzalez López (Auditorium)

  11. Session 3.


    Session 3A. Chlorinated compounds (Auditorium)

    Chairs: Michael Seeger (Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria) and Aleksandra Bogdan (Avecom)

    16.10 - 17.25

    Oral communication

    - "Integrated study of a novel Dehalobacter strain degrading trichloromethane and 1,1,2-trichloroethane" by Jesica Soder-Walz

    - "Enhancement of biotransformation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans using secondary plant metabolites" by Robin Kyclt

    - "Outlining the best remediation strategy at a multi-focus site where both shallow and deep aquifers are contaminated by chlorinated ethenes" by Natàlia Blázquez-Palli

    - "Towards rapid and sensitive biomonitoring tools for bioremediation: Digital Droplet PCR as third generation quantification tool for the biomonitoring" by Bruna Matturro

    - "Life cycle assessment as a tool to evaluate new bioremediation technologies" by Benjamine Belloncle

    Session 3B. PAHs and oil (Room 02.O.18)

    Chairs: Fabio Fava (University of Bologna) and Alfredo Pérez de Mora (TAUW)

    16.10 - 17.25

    Oral communication

    - "Tracking gene expression, metabolic profiles, and biochemical analysis in the halotolerant basidiomycetous yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa EXF-1630 during benzo[a]pyrene and phenanthrene biodegradation under hypersaline conditions" by Nilda del Carmen Sanchez Castellanos

    - "Bioaugmentation as Polishing Step of a Treatment Train for Remediation of an Oil Spill at a Coastal Aquifer in Spain" by Alfredo Pérez de Mora

    - "Effect of three ligninolytic fungi used for mycoremediation of TPH polluted soil on the autochthonous microbiota" by Begoña Mayans

    - "Physiological characterization of a toluene-degrading culture enriched from a BTEX-contaminated aquifer" by Maria Pinel-Cabello

    - "Treatment of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil by combination of electro-Fenton and biosurfactant-assisted bioslurry process" by Andrea Franzetti


  12. 17.25 - 18.25 Networking session - Beers at poster (Hall and auditorium)

30th June 2023



  1. 8.45 - 9.15 Keynote Lecture: Bacterial strategies to interact with metals: from mechanisms to applications, by Paula V. Morais. (Auditorium)

    Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal. Introduction by Jessica Purswani

  2. Session 4.


    Session 4A. Nature-inspired technologies (Auditorium)

    Chairs: Olga Muter (University of Latvia) and Fiora Bagnato (ENI Rewind)

    9.15 - 10.00

    Oral communication

    - "Microorganisms associated with PFAS release in an agricultural soil: Lab vs. field time scales" by Alexander Haluska

    - "Transcriptomic analysis of polyaromatic hydrocarbon degradation by the halophilic fungus Aspergillus sydowii at hypersaline conditions" by Ramón Alberto Batista-García

    - "Interactive effect of biosurfactant and biochar on the phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soil" by Achlesh Daverey

    Session 4B. Engineered biotechnologies (Room 02.O.18)

    Chairs: Sema Karakurt-Fischer (Eawag) and Alberto Leombruni (Evonik)

    9.15 - 10.00

    Oral communication

    - "Nanobioremediation approach in soil remediation" by Jose Luis Vilas Vilela

    - "Bioelectrochemical system and phytoremediation co-assisted treatment of metal(loid)s polluted groundwater" by Aqib Hassan Ali Khan

    - "Artificial biocatalytic structures can induce precipitation of toxic metals" by Dmitrii Deev


  3. 10.00 - 10.30 Coffee break. Poster Session (Hall and auditorium)

  4. 10.30 - 11.00 Keynote Lecture: What is an environmental Synthetic Biology chassis—and what it takes to become one, by Victor de Lorenzo. National Center of Biotechnology CSIC, Campus Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain. Introduction by Ken Timmis (Auditorium)

  5. Session 5.


    Session 5A. Bioremediation tools and strategies I (Auditorium)

    Chairs: Joan Garcia (UAB) and Pierre Queloz (FOEN)

    11.00 - 11.45

    Oral communication

    - "In situ bioaugmentation of sewage sludge compost with Penicillium oxalicum" by Gabriela Angeles

    - "Nitrate electro-bioremediation: From laboratory to on-site pilot plant" by Sebastià Puig

    - "Pseudomonas citronellolis lipopeptide production by clean and oily wastewater sources: culture optimization and wastewater biodisposal potential" by Argyro Tsipa

    11.45 - 12.25

    Flash poster session

    - "Digital microbiome solutions to improve organic pollutant removal" by Silvia Cretoiu

    - "Design of a decentralized multifunctional wetlands - case study in Ebro Delta" by Jofre Herrero

    - "Understanding biochemical and molecular mechanisms behind the tolerance of three emergent macrophytes used in phytoremediation of polluted groundwater" by Alberto Soto

    - "Enhanced constructed wetlands for the removal of pesticides, metabolites, adjuvants and nitrates" by Priyanka Kumari

    - "Constructed wetlands as a tool to treat emergency outflow from nuclear power plant" by Dana Komínková

    - "The performance of intensive green roofs for the treatment of greywater: the contribution of biochar and mycorrhiza inoculum" by Adam Sochacki

    - "A xenobiotic-triggered “cry-for-help” affects plant-microbes interactions and shapes root niches to accommodate polychlorinated biphenyls degrading bacteria" by Eleonora Rolli

    - "Partially-saturated constructed wetlands as performance all-rounders for the removal of household micropollutants" by Tongxin Ren

    Session 5B. Bioremediation tools and strategies II (Room 02.O.18)

    Chairs: Angeles Prieto-Fernández (MBG-CSIC) and Eduard Alesi (IEG)

    11.00 - 11.45

    Oral communication

    - "Biologics edited by machine learning to reach a healthy zero-polluted environment" by Manuel Ferrer

    - "How to find the most convenient remediation strategy at a former large industrial" by Kevin Kuntze

    - "Fluid dynamics and design verification using digital twins of a packed column bioreactor for groundwater remediation" by Anastasia August

    11.45 - 12.25

    Flash poster session

    - "Assessment of vinyl chloride biodegradation in a contaminated aquifer" by Martina Bertolini

    - "Biodegradable polymeric nanocarriers for encapsulation and delivery of water-soluble nutrients in bioremediation systems" by Sara MuñanaGonzález

    - "Completed in situ bioremediation with Groundwater Circulation Wells (IEGGCW®)" by Niloufar Falakbaz

    - "Spatial distribution of microbial cells as the strategy for enhancing bioremediation processes" by Ales Lapanje

    - "Effect of temperature during traditional activated sludge wastewater treatment on the fate of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and associated genes" by Sara Ribeirinho-Soares

    -"Microalgal decolorization of azo dye wastewater: Insights into Chlorella sorokiniana's tolerance and molecular mechanisms" by Vladimira Tarbajova

    - "Rhodococcus erythropolis LP27217, a new metagenomic organism with a unique bioremediation potential" by Carolina Cruz Viggi

  6. 12.25 - 13.30 Lunch break (Hall)

  7. 13.30 - 14.00 Keynote Lecture: Advanced Resource Recovery from wastes via anaerobic digestion, by Mohammad Taherzadeh. Swedish Centre for Resource Recovery, University of Borås, Sweden. Introduction by Tatiana Robledo (Auditorium)

  8. Session 6.


    Session 6A. Macropollutants, micropollutants and metals bioremediation (Auditorium)

    Chairs: Balbina Nogales (UIB) and Thomas Held (Arcadis)

    14.00 - 14.30

    Oral communication

    - "Combining a microalgae photobioreactor with a cork-wood pellet biofilter to treat groundwater polluted by nitrates and antibiotics" by Marc Viñas

    - "Winery wastewater valorisation by Chlorella vulgaris in small scale raceway reactors" by Leonilde Marchão

    14.30 - 15.00

    Flash poster session

    - "Experimental insights into metal recovery potential: example of metallurgical wastes" by Anna Potysz

    - "Assisting nickel agromining using sustainable amendments" by Alexis Durand

    - "Copper resistance gene identification in hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria for molecular monitoring in a pilot-scale bioremediation of hydrocarbon and copper polluted soils" by Ester G. Rivera

    - "Long term phytomanagement field trials established in mine tailings of contrasting characteristics: changes in metal availability and main soil properties" by Ángeles Prieto-Fernández

    - "Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 displays a versatile aromatic catabolism and degrades benzene in the presence of heavy metals" by Roberto E. Durán

    - "Microalgal systems for wastewater tertiary treatment: a promising solution for pollutants removal, disinfection, and reduction of antibiotic resistance genes" by Joana Sousa

    Session 6B. Assisted degradation and regeneration (Room 02.O.18)

    Chairs: Antonio Serrano (IWR, University of Granada) and Marcel Alesi (IEG)

    14.00 - 14.30

    Oral communication

    - "Peptide-based biocomposites - innovative materials for recycling applications" by Nora Schönberger

    - "Vaterite particles as a tool to assess the effectiveness of bacterial consortia against recalcitrant agents" by Anatolii Abalymov

    14.30 - 15.05

    Flash poster session

    - "Tailor-made bioremediation strategies of hydrocarbon-polluted soils towards urban sustainability" by Michael Seeger

    - "Production of value-added compounds from waste lignin released form paper industry by lignin utilizing bacterial soil isolates" by Maja Zugan

    - "Upcycling tritium contaminated water through biologically assisted isotope fractionation" by Farzaneh Hosseini

    - "Influence of pH on volatile fatty acid production and microbial population from olive mill solid waste digestion" by Elena Jiménez Páez

    - "Metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analysis of a bacterial consortium for the bioremediation of hydrocarbon polluted soil" by Rafael Rivilla

    - "The third dimension in the conceptual model of a contaminated site and the application of the Soil-omic process to complex contamination, the Posidon project" by Giacomo Bernabei

    - "Effect of linear anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulphate) dosage on the nitrogen removal performance of anammox reactor - a preliminary study" by Achlesh Daverey

  9. 15.05 - 15.30 Coffee break. Poster Session (Hall and auditorium)

  10. 15.30 - 16.00 Closing Session: Closure Speech from Willy Verstraete. Introduction by Philippe Corvini (Auditorium)

  11. 16.00 - 17.00 Concluding remarks (Auditorium):

    - Best poster awards by Concepcion Calvo and Elisabet Aranda

    - Reach out award by Ken Timmis

    - Concluding remarks by Francesco Matteucci, Programme Manager on Advanced Materials and Environmental Sustainability within the EIC - EISMEA (European Innovation Council and Small and Medium enterprises Executive Agency of the European Commission)

    - Concluding remarks by Philippe Corvini and organising committee

    - Announcement of the next edition by Simona Di Gregorio