THERESA PCP – Project FactsheetTotal cost: $5.3 MillionCORDIS - EU research resultsStart date: 1 September 2025End date: 31 August 2029Backgro...

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THERESA PCP – Project Factsheet
Total cost: $5.3 Million
CORDIS - EU research results
Start date: 1 September 2025
End date: 31 August 2029

Background
Hospital wastewater (HWW) is a critical source of environmental and public health risks. It contains high concentrations of pharmaceuticals such as cytostatic drugs, antibiotics, and X-ray contrast agents, along with pathogens and significant loads of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and genes (ARG). Current municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are not designed to remove these contaminants, leading to their accumulation in natural water bodies, soil, food chains, and ultimately drinking water supplies.

Challenge
Conventional WWTPs fail to eliminate hospital-derived pollutants.
HWW is a hotspot for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) development and dissemination.
Existing treatment technologies are fragmented, with no single, comprehensive solution available.
Hospitals require on-site, sustainable, and cost-effective systems that minimize ecological impact while ensuring public health protection.

Objective
The THERESA PCP project will launch a pre-commercial procurement (PCP) process to design, develop, and test an integrated, environmentally sustainable on-site treatment system for HWW. The system must:
* Effectively remove cytostatic drugs, antibiotics, and X-ray contrast agents.
* Eliminate ARB and ARG at source.
* Operate efficiently, cost-effectively, and with minimal environmental footprint.
* Provide scalable and replicable solutions across healthcare institutions.

Expected Outcomes
Prototype demonstration of an innovative HWW on-site treatment system:
• Development of modular pilot units deployable directly within hospital premises.
• Integration of advanced treatment technologies such as advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), membrane bioreactors (MBRs), activated carbon adsorption, ozonation, and UV disinfection.
• Targeted removal of cytotoxic drugs, contrast agents, and persistent pharmaceuticals.
• Incorporation of biological barriers and novel filtration for the inactivation of ARB and ARG.
• Full-scale prototype demonstration in at least two hospital environments, testing under real operational conditions.
• Continuous monitoring of effluent quality with smart sensors and data-driven control systems.
• Validation of efficiency, reliability, cost-effectiveness, and environmental sustainability against EU water quality and AMR reduction standards.
Validated technology portfolio for comprehensive pollutant removal.
Contribution to reducing AMR spread and improving public health safety.
Best practice framework for hospitals to integrate sustainable wastewater management.
Policy and regulatory input for EU and international adoption.

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