MOBILES
Monitoring and Detection of Biotic and Abiotic Pollutants by Electronic, Plants and Microorganisms Based Sensors
MOBILES is a research and innovation project funded by the EU Horizon Europe programme.
Project duration: September 2024 – February 2028
About project
MOBILES, a short for Monitoring and Detection of Biotic and Abiotic Pollutants by Electronic, Plants and Microorganisms Based Sensors, is a research and innovation project funded under the EU Horizon Europe Programme.
The Mobiles consortium aims to develop electronic and organism-based biosensors to monitor organic chemicals, antimicrobial resistance bacteria, and pathogens, and to study the environmental performance of these technologies. Furthermore, soil metagenomic analysis will be conducted on contaminated soils across Europe, and a metagenomic database will be constructed in order to identify a pool of genes linked to soil specific soil pollutants.
Modern Consumption and Soil Health Crisis
Our reliance on disposable products harms the environment, as modern lifestyles and population growth drive increased use of energy, electronics, and chemicals. This leads to waste accumulation and widespread ecological damage. In the EU, 60-70% of soils are unhealthy (EU Mission: A Soil Deal for Europe, online) due to persistent pollutants like pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and toxic heavy (e.g., arsenic, lead, mercury). These contaminants disrupt ecosystems, reduce crop yields, contaminate food and water, and pose serious risks to public health.
EU Mission: A Soil Deal for Europe, online
Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria and the Need for Rapid Detection
The widespread use of antibiotics has increased antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria in water, causing 33,000 deaths annually in the EU and 700,000 globally (WHO,2019 online). Slow, costly lab-based detection methods highlight the need for portable, rapid tools to identify pollutants like hormones, pesticides, heavy metals, and pathogens.
Project Objectives
The MOBILES consortium aims to provide on-site
and portable diagnostic tools for rapid assessment
of biotic and abiotic pollutants in soil, water, and air
Develop electronic biosensors
for detecting organic chemicals, AMR bacteria, and pathogens using eco-friendly materials.
Develop organism-based biosensors
using genetically modified plants, bacteria, and marine diatoms to monitor organic and inorganic pollution.
Study environmental performance
of these biosensors using real samples from polluted areas.
Conduct metagenomics analysis
analyzing microbiota in polluted areas reveals gene clusters and genetic diversity directly from environmental samples. This helps assess microbial functions and provides genetic markers to quickly evaluate soil and land health.
Perform safety tests
to assess the environmental impact of the modified organisms and developed devices.
The MOBILES project is structured around three interconnected pillars, each contributing to the development of innovative technologies for environmental management. These pillars focus on measuring, analysing, and studying pollutants and pathogens to create new tools for managing hazardous chemicals and organisms. Therefore, MOBILES will provide both a list of important biological markers (metagenomics analysis) for environmental monitoring and the tools (biosensors) to quickly detect them.
