Funded research projects are a key element of the innovation strategy of the ECH Group. Participation in national and international funding programs enables the development of new analytical methods, automated measurement systems and future-oriented technologies.
These projects support early-stage, high-risk innovations and promote close collaboration with research institutes, industrial partners and public organizations. The results are translated directly into practical laboratory, portable and online analytical solutions, strengthening long-term technological leadership and sustainable growth.
ECOPLAS
Project title:
Measurement system with plasmonic sensor for on-site analysis of E. coli contamination for water reuse (ECOPLAS)
Funding:
Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR)
Period:
November 1, 2024 – October 31, 2027
Website:
https://www.quantensysteme.info/projektatlas/projekte/q/ecoplas
Motivation
To conserve the increasingly scarce resource of water, agriculture is seeking alternative irrigation methods. Treated wastewater represents one such alternative. Since June 2023, an EU regulation has governed the use of treated wastewater in agriculture. This regulation specifies minimum microbiological requirements that can only be met through targeted disinfection. Testing water quality using indicator organisms such as E. coli takes at least two days. Therefore, there is a need for a method that allows wastewater treatment plants, water users, and authorities to monitor treated wastewater quickly and easily.
Objectives and Innovation
Within the framework of this collaborative project, a compact, on-site analytical system will be developed that measures E. coli concentration and cell viability almost in real time. The new method will be used in extensive, practical test series to evaluate, for example, its suitability for monitoring treated wastewater or the resource-efficient control of corresponding disinfection processes
Innovation and Perspectives:
The new measuring system enables the reliable on-site monitoring of E. coli contamination in water. This facilitates the resource-efficient use of different water types, disinfection processes as needed, and energy savings in technical treatment. It forms the basis for widespread, safe use in agricultural irrigation. In the future, the system will be expanded to include additional microbiological parameters to open up new fields of application.
Projekt CS4EA
Project title:
Automated high-throughput system for the release of bound corrosive sulfur for environmental analytical applications - CS4EA
Funding:
Investment Bank of Saxony-Anhalt - Funding reference ZS/2025/08/205251
Project duration:
October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026
