Short name: iMERMAID
Name: “Innovative solutions for Mediterranean Ecosystem Remediation via Monitoring and decontamination from Chemical Pollution”
Instrument (Call): HORIZON-MISS-2022-OCEAN-01
Duration: 3 years (2023 – 2025)
Abstract: The Mediterranean Sea and its surrounding regions support a diverse variety of essential socioeconomic activities. It is one of the highly exploited water ways and the influence of anthropogenic activities on its marine habitats and ecosystems has grown significantly since the industrial revolution. Because of this, the Mediterranean Sea basin is very vulnerable to chemical contamination and buildup. To safeguard the Mediterranean Sea basin from contaminants for emerging concerns (CoEC), iMERMAID will integrate, coordinate, and synergize innovative preventive, monitoring, and remediation solutions. MERMAID will build an evidence-based multidimensional framework that will guide policymaking and transform societal perceptions to reduce CoEC usage, emissions, and pollution. Furthermore, next generation sensor and remediation solutions will be developed within iMERMAID to monitor and remove prioritized chemicals from its source while reducing upstream pollution. iMERMAID builds an ideal interdisciplinary team by bringing together prominent SMEs, researchers, regulators, and innovation professionals who have been essential in improving the knowledge and awareness of CoEC. Beyond state-of-the-art techniques, iMERMAID will strive to strengthen regulations against CoEC, expand economic possibilities and competitiveness, improve the standard of living for EU residents, while preventing the accumulation of chemical pollution in the Mediterranean Sea basin. iMERMAID will empower the efforts to create a zero pollution, contaminant free waters by enabling the Chemical Strategy’s goals to become a practical reality.