The BioTreatED project was presented at the 53rd World Groundwater Congress of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH 2026), held in Budapest from 14 to 18 September 2026.

Alper Elçi, PhD, Professor at Dokuz Eylül University (DEU) and the DEU's Principal Investigator in the  BioTreatED project, presented preliminary results under the title “Evaluation of bio-treated manure application impact on groundwater quality using advanced reactive transport models”.

The study addresses the potential movement of hormones and endocrine-disrupting chemicals associated with manure application from agricultural soils towards groundwater. As part of BioTreatED, field monitoring data are being used to develop and calibrate a 2D HYDRUS-2D model describing water flow and hormone transport through the unsaturated zone. The modelling approach considers processes such as sorption and biochemical reactions, with further work focusing on reactive transport in the saturated zone.

The presentation highlighted the role of modelling in understanding contaminant transport and assessing potential risks to groundwater quality. It also provided an opportunity to share the project’s progress with the international groundwater community and exchange knowledge on approaches for sustainable agricultural practices and groundwater protection.