December 5-11, 2023: Mission trip to Croatia

Prof. Valentyna Pidlisniuk, NDP visited Croatia on December 5-11, 2023 with a mission related the proper implementation of Mil1 of the Project. The activities were focused on overcoming the obstacles arise after Progress Meeting 1 related supplying of the contaminated biomass to be processed by physico-chemical treatment by European partners having impossible to pass the contaminated military biomass from Ukraine.

Prof. Pidlisniuk met with Sergyi Chabannyi, Director of Miscanthus d.o.o. group specialized in production of Miscanthus biomass in the commercial scale. Part of the plantations with the surface 100 m2 was established in Sisac region, Croatia where the intensive military actions happened in 1990th during Croatian war for independence. About 80.000 ha of land was recognized as post-military soil in this region. In addition, one plantation was established at the former municipal landfill and soil under plantation and biomass can be slightly contaminated by TEs. This biomass can be a proper precursor for physico-chemical treatment in the NATO project. Prof.Pidlisniuk visited Miscanthus plantations located in vicinity of Donja Gracenica, collected samples of soil and biomass; Mihaela Fridrich, on-site agronomist, passed 22 kg of Miscanthus biomass for the experiment in the project. Prof. Pidlisniuk visited Miscanthus plantation established in St.Helena, Sveti Ivan Zelina, collected samples of soil, biomass and roots for the analysis. Currently collected samples are under the research at NULP, Lviv, Ukraine.

Prof. Pidlisniuk met with prof. Zeljka Zgorelec, Department of the Agronomy and Dr. Nilola Bilandzija, Division of Agricultural Engineering, Zagreb University. The following joint research interests were discussed: 

  • Potential of the carbon sequestration of Miscanthus plantation;
  • Methodology of testing ash as a soil amendment;
  • Energy properties of Miscanthus biomass produced at the landfill.

Professor Pidlisnik proposed prof.Zgorelec and Dr. Bilandzija to join the project on the voluntarily base having ZU as a Linkage institution, the invitation was accepted.

Organization of training for project’s participants on methodology related investigation the carbon sequestration in the soil was discussed. The proposed time for the training is May-June 2024, place: Usti nad Labem. Prof. Zgorelec and Dr.Belandzija agreed to be the main Trainers at the event.