24-08-2020
NOVA School of Science and Technology, through its centers CENIMAT (Materials Research Center) and UCIBIO (Applied Biomolecular Sciences Unit), is part of a consortium that received funding of half a million euros to develop the project “Eco2Covid - Development of Platforms for Detection and Monitoring of Coronavirus in Water”. In addition to NOVA School of Science and Technology, the consortium includes Tejo Atlântico, the University of Coimbra, and INOVA+.
The project aims to create an innovative platform based on nanotechnology for detecting the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in wastewater, leveraging the partners existing knowledge in the field of wastewater pretreatment and the development of biosensors.
This platform foresees the detection of the virus in an expeditious, in-situ, and low-cost way, something that was not possible until now. This tool also aims to be safe, easy to use by the different stakeholders in the process, and made up mostly of biodegradable materials, with a reduced environmental impact.
The project is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2021 and obtained funding under the temporary framework for state aid measures to support the economy in the current context of the COVID-19 outbreak.
