NATURE-DEMO Research Highlighted at Sustainable Solid Waste Management Conference

Andreea-Irina Ignat, PhD student at Transilvania University of Brașov (UTBV), presented NATURE-DEMO-related research at the 13th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management, held on Kos Island, Greece, from 24 to 27 June 2026.

The poster, entitled “Geochemical characterization and spatial variability of urban soils under anthropogenic pressure as a baseline for nature-based solutions”, was authored by A.I. Ignat, A.C. Savin and L. Andronic from the Department of Product Design, Mechatronics and Environment at Transilvania University of Brașov.

The study investigates the chemical composition and spatial variability of urban soils exposed to different levels of anthropogenic pressure, with the aim of establishing a reliable environmental baseline for the implementation of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS).

A total of 84 in situ measurements were carried out at georeferenced locations using portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF). The investigated sites included areas affected by intense traffic and industrial activities, locations near air-quality monitoring stations, proposed ecological restoration sites, and reference areas with lower anthropogenic influence.

The results help identify environmental pressure hotspots and provide valuable information for planning site-specific NbS interventions. Integrating soil geochemical data into urban planning can support the development of green infrastructure, vegetated buffers, phytoremediation and ecological restoration measures, contributing to pollution mitigation and more resilient urban environments.

The participation of young researchers in international scientific events is an important part of NATURE-DEMO’s dissemination activities, supporting knowledge exchange and increasing the visibility of project-related research within the scientific community.