CERSUS — the Center of Excellence in Water Management, Materials, By-products and Waste Valorisation for Circular Bioeconomy Implementation — brings together eight Romanian universities and research institutes, coordinated by the “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași.
The project connects complementary expertise and research infrastructure to develop solutions that keep resources in use, reduce environmental pressures and support the transition towards a circular bioeconomy.
Our research spans five interconnected areas:
- innovative materials for environmental applications and resource recovery;
- advanced wastewater treatment for water reuse, nutrient recovery and energy production;
- sustainable water management in recirculating aquaculture systems;
- biorefinery processes that transform wine and food industry by-products into valuable products, and
- sustainability assessment of materials, processes and resource valorisation pathways.
Together, these areas address the links between water, food, energy and materials, turning waste streams into opportunities for closing life cycles.
Eco-design, life cycle assessment, life cycle costing and risk assessment guide the development and evaluation of the proposed solutions. By integrating these approaches with experimental research, CERSUS aims to improve environmental performance, assess economic feasibility and support informed decisions on the adoption of new materials and technologies.
Beyond research, CERSUS strengthens collaboration between academia and industry, supports technology transfer and creates opportunities for training and mentoring young researchers. Through shared expertise, infrastructure and international cooperation, the Center aims to build lasting research capacity and translate scientific advances into practical benefits for society, industry and the environment.