The Eurecat technology centre will develop and test an in situ bioremediation technology that uses microorganisms, such as fungi and bacteria, to decontaminate soils in a more sustainable way. This approach is estimated to achieve up to an 85 percent reduction in contaminants compared to conventional methods, which rely on chemical or thermal treatments.
This new solution, which avoids the need to excavate the soil or transport it to landfill and allows operations to be carried out in situ, is designed for soils contaminated with total petroleum hydrocarbons, which can remain in the environment for decades and may affect water quality, disrupt ecosystem functionality, and pose risk to food safety.
Eurecat is applying this innovative biological approach in the European LIFE InBioSoil project, which is based on the use of microorganisms to degrade soil contaminants and is also expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent compared to other processes.
Specifically, the solution developed by LIFE InBioSoil, which is coordinated by Eurecat, tests a low-pressure injection technology using specific fungi and bacteria that break down these harmful substances.
“The aim of the project is to demonstrate that nature-based treatments can replace traditional methods that involve excavating the soil or heating it to very high temperatures,” explains Carme Bosch, Head of the Soils and Groundwater Line in Eurecat’s Water, Air and Soils Unit. “This approach allows us to decontaminate soil directly in situ, reducing costs, emissions, and environmental impact,” she adds.
Within the framework of the project, which brings together partners from Spain and Belgium, including Tecnoambiente, Injectis, and Novobiom, two pilot trials will be carried out in both countries.
In Catalonia, the trial will take place at a petrol station, while in Belgium the location will be placed within the premises of Brussels Airport. Both locations feature different geology and contamination concentrations, with the aim of validating the effectiveness of the proposed solution.
“InBioSoil offers a real opportunity to make soil decontamination more sustainable,” as “by avoiding excavation, we prevent waste generation and help restore the natural balance of the soil ecosystem,” explains Sònia Jou, the project’s technical coordinator and a researcher in Eurecat’s Water, Air and Soils Unit.
The project supports the objectives of the EU Soil Strategy for 2030 and the EU Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe,” contributing to the goals of the European Green Deal to achieve zero pollution and restore 100 percent of contaminated soils in Europe by 2050.
In addition, LIFE InBioSoil, which began in 2025 and will run until 2029, has received funding from the European Union’s LIFE Programme.
