Projects

PAPILLONS' overall aim is to shed light on the sustainability of plastic use in European agriculture in terms of emissions of micro- and nanoplastics, leakage of their chemical additives, and the impact of this on the soil. Through novel applications of the latest in analytical chemistry, materials science, computer modelling and nanofabrication technologies, we elucidate the sources, behavior and impacts of particles at micro- and nanoscale.

Plastic pollution in freshwater environments is a pressing global concern due to its ability to accumulate in the environment. The long-term impacts of this pollution on freshwater ecosystems are still to understand. In PATTERN project, we aim to understand how plastics can influence nutrient composition and the natural exchanges in biological information, with a focus on the biofilms colonizing plastic’s surface. We aim to rate the environmental relevance of these processes and to assess the threshold at which plastic pollution disrupts freshwater ecosystem functioning.

Most people think of invasive species only as a nuisance with negative impacts on biodiversity and costs to society. However, some invasive species may also bring benefits, making it difficult to decide on the management strategy.

The overall goal of the project is to help ensure that the new international treaty to combat plastic pollution is effective and that it takes into account the needs and circumstances of developing countries and economies in transition. Among other things, the project supports an independent coalition of scientists working to ensure that the agreement is based on independent, up-to-date research. 

The program aims to map the levels of pollutants present in a fjord in a densely populated area and how the pollution is concentrated in the food web in the fjord system.

PROLAND addresses the sources of plastic pollution in agricultural soils. In the project, four important sources that may add plastic pollution to farm soils will be investigated: sewage sludge, compost and biogas digestate, the use of agricultural plastics, and atmospheric deposition. Concentrations of plastic, the types of plastic polymers, and plastic-associated chemicals will be quantified in agricultural soils from different areas of Norway. Assessments of what risks the microplastics, plastic additives, and pesticides may pose to soil ecosystems will be considered. Various exposure and mobility studies will be carried out in the laboratory.

An increased use of Citizen Science (CS) on environmental issues requires strengthened reflexive practice among all actors, across roles, involved in CS projects. 

This project is a bilateral cooperation between research institutions in the three Baltic states and the Norwegian Institute for Water Research on lake restoration.

RiskAOP (Quantitative Adverse Outcome Pathway Assisted Risk Assessment of Mitochondrial Toxicants) is granted by the Research Council of Norway (RCN, grant No. 301397) as an independent ground-breaking (FRIPRO) project for young researcher talents. 

The Nordic Council of Ministers has launched a research programme running from 2021-24, encouraging the Nordic countries to work together and enhance their knowledge base on nature-based solutions, restoration, climate mitigation and blue/green infrastructure. 

S-ITUATION is the first of five projects under this programme.

Practical knowledge about nature-based solutions in the the Nordic countries from eight different pilot projects.

Can new filter types provide better results in environmental DNA monitoring? In the SAFIPO project, researchers are investigating whether alternative filters and pore sizes can contribute to better monitoring of environmental DNA.

Beyond freshwater generation: Mineral extraction from seawater desalination brine and seawater greenhouse (SG) farming (Salt-Mine)

The screening programme is our first instance of investigating the occurrence of new types of pollutants. The results are used to assess the need for new regulations and whether the investigated substance should be included in the other monitoring programmes.

Norsk infrastruktur for dronebasert forskning, kartlegging og overvåking i kystsonen. Innovasjon innen dronebasert forskning.

NIVA leads the task “Monitoring and assessing environmental interactions”, and will evaluate the ecosystem effects of large-scale offshore seaweed farming.

Increasing water scarcity is one of the biggest challenges worldwide. The reuse of the effluents of wastewater treatment plants constitutes a significant and constantly available water resource that can be used for purposes such as irrigation. However, municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants face an increasing amount of emerging pollutants.

SINOPLAST II shall contribute to reduced plastic waste and marine litter originating from China. The project partners shall achieve this through establishing a whole life-cycle framework for plastics for policy makers, improving the capacity for integrated land-ocean management of plastics, and through improving the knowledge of plastics from a global perspective. The project will thus support the implementation of the new global plastics treaty.

SIREN (Integrated system for simultaneous recovery of energy, organics and nutrients and generation of valuable products from municipal wastewater) will develop a system that recovers energy, organics and nutrients from municipal wastewater while simultaneously generating valuable products.

SmartLagoon (Innovative modelling approaches for predicting Socio-environMentAl evolution in highly anthRopized coasTal LAGOONs) is about understanding the interrelationships of socio-economic activities and environmental degradation and vice versa for the case of the Mar Menor coastal lagoon in Spain.