April – May 2026: Lab and Field research at UJEP

In spring 2026, the UJEP research team (Dr. Karim Al Souki, PhD students Ghazwa Basma, Abdulmannan Rouchani, and Batul Hamade under the leadership of Prof. Valentina Pidlisnyuk) made a significant progress in establishing a new laboratory study and advancing field experiment within the framework of project G6094. These activities are designed to strengthen the scientific basis for  advanced phytoremediation technologies and directly contribute to the objectives of WP1, WP2 and WP4.

The team successfully initiated two laboratory experiments:

• Miscanthus × giganteus phytoremediation in hydrochar- and ash-amended brownfield soil.
  This experiment investigates the potential of M×g to remediate contaminated brownfield soil enhanced with mixture of ash and hydrochar. The study focuses on evaluating plant growth, plant stress, contaminant stabilization, soil quality improvement, and the overall effectiveness of amendments as a supporting element in advanced Phytotechnology.
• Arundo donax Phytoremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil supported by hydrochar.
  The second experiment examines the performance of A. donax cultivated in soils artificially contaminated with hydrocarbons and amended with hydrochar. Particular attention is being paid to plant tolerance, biomass production, contaminant degradation through microbial communities changes and variation in soil physicochemical properties.

Alongside laboratory activities, the UJEP team continued the maintenance and monitoring of two research plantations established in 2025:

• Miscanthus × giganteus plantation on an agricultural brownfield.
  This plantation was established on a brownfield site  of agricultural origin. The cultivation system is supported by ash derived from wood-waste combustion, and digestate, allowing researchers to assess its impact on biomass production, soil improvement, and carbon sequestration potential.
• Arundo donax plantation on an industrial brownfield.
  The second plantation is located on a brownfield of industrial origin and is planted with A. donax. In 2026 the loop plantation of M×g was established around the Arundo plantation. Plants growth is supported by commercially produced biochar manufactured from sewage sludge at the Trutnov facility. The plantation serves as a long-term demonstration site for evaluating the effectiveness of biochar-assisted Phytotechnology  under real field conditions.

The research outcomes are expected to contribute substantially to the successful achievement of the G6094 project indicators and deliverables, ensuring that all planned objectives can be fully accomplished by the project’s completion in September 2027.