The WeTreat Project: Advancing Wetland-Based Solutions for Micropollutant Removal in Wastewater Treatment

ABSTRACT Background: Micropollutants (MPs), including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and industrial chemicals, are emerging contaminants that persist in aquatic ecosystems, posing risks to biodiversity and human health. Conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) often fail to effectively remove these compounds, leading to their accumulation in water bodies. Constructed wetlands (CWs) offer a promising, nature-based alternative by harnessing plant-microbe interactions to degrade and sequester pollutants. However, optimizing CW efficiency requires selecting plant species with high MP uptake and metabolic transformation capacities. Expected Results: The WeTreat project aims to optimize CW performance by selecting and propagating wetland plant species with superior MP bioremediation potential. Through in vitro cultivation techniques, we seek to enhance the resilience and phytoremediation capacity of key species, including Phragmites australis, Arundo donax, and Sarcocornia perennis. We anticipate that selected plants will demonstrate high MP uptake, efficient translocation, and metabolic transformation of compounds such as carbamazepine, diclofenac, metoprolol, and PFAS. Additionally, pilot-scale CWs in real-world conditions will provide insights into long-term efficiency and scalability, allowing for practical implementation in wastewater treatment facilities. Conclusions: By advancing plant-based phytoremediation strategies, WeTreat contributes to the development of sustainable wastewater treatment solutions that improve water quality, mitigate MP pollution, and support biodiversity conservation. Our findings will inform best practices for CW implementation, providing a cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach to water purification while enhancing climate resilience in aquatic environments. Acknowledgements: The project WeTreat is supported by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Programme under the 2023 Joint Transnational Call of the European Partnership Water4All (Grant Agreement n°101060874)”, and by national granting authorities. In Luxembourg, it is supported by the Luxembourg National Research Fund through the INTER/WATER24/18713542/WeTreat and 18713542 grants. In the Netherlands, it is funded by the Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (EP.1564.24.04), and in Italy, by the Ministry of Universities and Research (WATER4ALL23_00044). In Portugal, funding is provided by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology–FCT (https://doi.org/10.54499/Water4All/0011/2023), with additional support from projects https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/04326/2020; https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDP/04326/2020, and https://doi.org/10.54499/LA/P/0101/2020.