– Experts from leading EU-funded projects shared advances in the detection, monitoring, and mitigation of emerging pollutants in aquatic ecosystems
– Held under the framework of the International Day against Climate Change and registered within the European Maritime Day In My Country 2025 initiative
The Horizon Europe project ONE-BLUE successfully held its online Scientific Webinar “Analysis of Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) in Environmental Matrices” on Friday, 24 October 2025, gathering European scientists, researchers, and representatives from EU-funded initiatives working on marine pollution and environmental monitoring.
Organised by Finnova Foundation and the ONE-BLUE consortium, the event provided a platform to exchange insights and strengthen collaboration among European projects addressing the challenge of emerging contaminants in marine and coastal environments.
Connecting science, innovation, and EU-funded research
The webinar opened with a welcome address by Juan Manuel Revuelta, CEO of Finnova Foundation and moderator of the session, who underlined the importance of EU funding for research and innovation on Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) and its contribution to the sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems.
Following this, Dr. Marta Llorca, Research Scientist at IDAEA-CSIC (Spain) and Co-Coordinator of ONE-BLUE, presented an overview of the project’s objectives, methodology, and ongoing research on CECs across European waters.
In the first panel, Prof. Magnus Engwall, Professor of Environmental Toxicology at Örebro University (Sweden), representing ONE-BLUE partner ORU, showcased the use of effect-based analysis and New Approach Methods (NAMs) to understand and assess the environmental impact of emerging pollutants.
Synergies across EU-funded projects tackling marine pollution
The second panel brought together representatives from four EU-funded initiatives (CONTRAST, iMERMAID, JOINABLE, and LABPLAS) to share complementary approaches to marine pollution analysis and mitigation.
- Putu Yolanda Yulikayani, PhD Student in Chemical Analysis in the Marine Environment at ILVO (Belgium), presented “Chemical Assessment Tools within the CONTRAST Project: Prioritisation and Analysis of CECs in the Marine Environment”.
- Rodrigo Sedano, European Project Manager at ITCL Technology Centre (Spain), introduced the iMERMAID project with the presentation entitled Analysis of Contaminants of Emerging Concern and Innovative Strategies to Decontaminate the Mediterranean Sea Basin.
- Davide Poletto, Executive Director of Venice Lagoon Plastic Free (Italy), presented “Ghost Boats in Venice: Environmental Concerns, Green Chemical Fingerprint, and Circular End-of-Life Solutions” under the INTERREG IPA ADRION JOINABLE project, focusing on transforming marine macroplastic waste into new secondary raw materials.
- Dr. Laura Rodríguez-Lorenzo, Research Scientist PI at the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL, Portugal), discussed the LABPLAS project, presenting “Impact of natural water matrix on the Raman Analysis of Nanoplastics” and sharing insights on advanced detection techniques for micro- and nanoplastics.
A joint discussion and cross-project collaboration
The session concluded with a joint discussion and Q&A moderated by Javier Gonzalo Young, Project Manager at Finnova Foundation, and featuring Steven Brooks, Senior Researcher at NIVA (Norwegian Institute for Water Research), alongside all panel speakers.
Participants reflected on opportunities for collaboration between EU-funded projects, harmonisation of monitoring methodologies, data-sharing practices, and the translation of scientific findings into effective environmental policies.
About ONE-BLUE
ONE-BLUE is a pioneering project funded by the Horizon Europe programme, launched in 2024 with a budget of €6.2 million. Its main goal is to protect aquatic ecosystems from emerging pollutants and climate change by fostering transnational cooperation between regions sharing seas and marine-related challenges. Through close collaboration between science and policy, the project strengthens collective efforts to restore and preserve European marine ecosystems, contributing to the development of a more sustainable blue economy. For more information, visit www.one-blue.eu and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter/X to stay up to date with the latest project news.
About Finnova Foundation
The Finnova Foundation is a European foundation based in Brussels, committed to promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and EU funding as key tools to address major social, environmental, and economic challenges. Through its work, it supports public and private entities in accessing EU programmes such as Horizon Europe, LIFE, Interreg and Erasmus+, facilitating the creation of consortia, project development, and the transfer of best practices.
With extensive experience in EU project communication, startup acceleration, and training in EU funds, Finnova acts as a bridge between innovative ideas and European Union funding opportunities. For more information, visit www.finnova.eu and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter/X, and Instagram to stay informed about our activities and open calls.