The National Research and Development Institute for Industrial Ecology (ECOIND) contributes expertise in environmental analysis, wastewater treatment, environmental biotechnology and ecotoxicology. Within CERSUS, it leads research on nutrient recovery, laboratory toxicity testing of innovative materials and grape seed oil extraction. Its activities connect pollution control and resource valorisation with environmental safety and the circular bioeconomy.
CERSUS Project Coordination
The National Research and Development Institute for Industrial Ecology (ECOIND) contributes to CERSUS through its expertise in environmental chemistry, pollution control, treatment technologies and ecotoxicological assessment. Its research team combines advanced analytical methods with experimental treatment systems and biological testing to investigate environmental performance and safety.
Within CERSUS, ECOIND contributes to innovative materials, advanced wastewater treatment, resource recovery and the valorisation of agricultural and food-processing residues. Its activities help connect technological development with reliable environmental data and the assessment of potential biological effects.
Reseach profile and expertise
ECOIND team contributes expertise in the following scientific areas of the project:
- Environmental analytical chemistry, including the determination of inorganic and organic contaminants in environmental and biological matrices.
- Pollutant mobility and transfer, investigating metal distribution, bioaccumulation and movement between water, sediments, organisms, soils and vegetation.
- Advanced wastewater treatment, including biological processes, photocatalysis, oxidation and membrane separation.
- Environmental biotechnology and bioremediation, developing treatment approaches for wastewater and contaminated soils.
- Ecotoxicology and environmental risk assessment, evaluating the effects of pollutants and innovative materials on aquatic organisms.
- Analytical method validation, including measurement uncertainty assessment and reliable characterisation of wastes and leachates.
ECOIND’s role in the consortium
WP1 — Project management and coordination
ECOIND participates in consortium governance, scientific coordination, progress monitoring and reporting. It works with the coordinator and the other partners to support project implementation and interdisciplinary collaboration.
WP2 — Innovative materials for environmental applications
ECOIND contributes to developing and characterising materials with catalytic and photocatalytic properties, carbon-based nanomaterials and porous organic–inorganic hybrid platforms.
The institute also participates in developing methods for lignin derivatisation and sustainable lignocellulosic waste valorisation, supporting the use of secondary resources as precursors for functional environmental materials.
WP3 — Advanced wastewater treatment and resource recovery
ECOIND leads the task on integrated processes for nutrient recovery from wastewater for agricultural use. This work investigates combinations of treatment and separation technologies to recover nutrients and support their reuse.
The institute also contributes to screening the environmental applications of innovative materials, integrating advanced processes for the degradation of priority and emerging pollutants, and recovering metals for sustainable industrial water management.
WP4 — Water resources management for recirculating aquaculture
ECOIND leads laboratory testing of the potential toxicity of innovative materials, including polymers, biopolymers and formulations intended for aquaculture applications. These assessments help establish their suitability before wider practical use.
The team also contributes to monitoring priority and emerging micropollutants, investigating neurotoxic effects using fish models, and developing improved recirculating aquaculture technologies.
WP5 — By-product and waste valorisation
ECOIND leads the task on developing advanced processes for grape seed oil extraction, investigating environmentally friendly approaches such as microwave-assisted and aqueous enzymatic extraction. The work includes evaluating oil quality and optimising extraction conditions.
The institute also contributes to recovering and purifying bioactive compounds, producing nutrient-rich grape seed powders, formulating plant-based supplements for fish feed, and developing innovative wine seal capsules.
WP6 — Sustainability and risk assessment
ECOIND contributes to prospective eco-design and sustainability assessments of innovative materials, advanced processes and waste valorisation pathways.
It also participates in experimental-data-based assessments of materials and valorised by-products and wastes. Its analytical and ecotoxicological expertise supports risk assessment and the refinement of life cycle impact assessment methods using project-generated toxicity data.
WP7 — Technology transfer, dissemination and training
ECOIND contributes to scientific dissemination, technology transfer, researcher exchanges and mentorship. Its training contributions cover advanced water and wastewater treatment, aquatic environmental quality assessment, and specialised methods for characterising materials, by-products and wastes.
Scientific visits and knowledge exchanges support collaboration among consortium teams and the development of young researchers.
ECOIND Team
The ECOIND team is led by Dr. Gabriela–Geanina Vasile, whose expertise spans environmental chemistry, pollution control and analytical method development. Her research investigates inorganic and organic contaminants, metal mobility in environmental matrices, waste and leachate characteristics, and the bioaccumulation and transfer of toxic substances.
The team brings together complementary expertise in environmental biotechnology, sustainable wastewater treatment, ecotoxicology, risk assessment and heterogeneous photocatalysis.
Through these contributions, ECOIND helps CERSUS connect innovative materials and processes with robust analytical evidence, biological safety assessment and practical environmental applications.
ECOIND Leading reseach team
CS I dr. Gabriela Geanina Vasile
Partner Coordinator
CS I dr. Costel Bumbac
Key person
CS II dr. Lucian Alexandru Constantin
Key person
CS I dr. Stefania Gheorghe
Key person
more about this partner’s research team
ECOIND Infrastructure
ECOIND provides analytical laboratories, ecotoxicological facilities and laboratory and pilot-scale systems for evaluating environmental technologies.
Organic pollutant analysis is supported by gas chromatography with electron capture and flame photometric detection, Thermo TSQ 8000 EVO gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, Agilent 1260/6410B liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, and HPLC systems with multiwavelength and fluorescence detection.
Elemental analysis capabilities include LC–ICP–MS, a CETAC M8000 Quick Trace mercury analyser, a PerkinElmer Avio 500 ICP–OES spectrometer and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Materials characterisation facilities include thermogravimetric analysis, FTIR spectroscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.
An accredited aquatic biobase and dedicated ecotoxicological infrastructure support investigations into the biological effects of pollutants and innovative materials.
Treatment facilities include bioreactors, photoreactors, a solar photo-oxidation installation, UV–visible reactor testing systems, a membrane separation module and a mine water pilot station. These facilities support the assessment of treatment performance from laboratory investigations to pilot-scale testing.