site.btaBurgas State University to Cooperate With University of Angers to Monitor Purity of Water Basins

Burgas State University (BSU) and the University of Angers in France will start cooperation in the fields of AI and ecology, BSU said on Thursday. During a working meeting in Burgas, BSU Rector Prof. Sotir Sotirov, and Angers University Rector Prof. Maxime Pontie outlined a plan for the implementation of intelligent systems that would monitor the purity of water basins in the region in real time.

The "i-Mermaid" project will be at the centre of the partnership, as it aims to develop innovative solutions for the purification and protection of water from pollutants that are not currently subject to monitoring and regulation, but carry a potential risk to humans and the environment. Within the project, innovative electrochemical sensors capable of detecting dangerous micropollutants and pharmaceutical products will be placed in Pomorie Municipality. The data from these sensors will be processed by the supercomputers of the BSU, which allow for very fast analysis and prediction of environmental risks.

The cooperation between both universities also envisions joint master's and PhD programmes, as well as an expanded exchange of personnel under the "Erasmus +" programme. Thus, young specialists from Burgas will have the opportunity to work directly in the laboratories in Angers, mastering the latest French methods in chemistry and sensorics. The cooperation with Angers University is part of BSU´s Clean & Circle Centre of Competence, which aims to make Burgas a regional leader in the circular economy and clean technologies.