Clean&Circle - A delegation from Tongji University, Shanghai visited Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" and the "Clean & Circle" Competence Center

Friday, 23 June 2023

At the beginning of the week, from June 17 to 20, 2023, a delegation from Tongji University (Shanghai) visited Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” and the Clean & Circle Competence Center in connection with a bilateral project funded by the Bulgarian Science Fund: “Microbiome Research in Biogas Production from the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste.”

The Chinese team, led by Prof. Ping-Jing Xi, presented their university, ongoing activities, and scientific-technological directions. Presentations were also given by Prof. Fan Lu, Prof. Hua Zhang, and Assistant Prof. Wei Peng. Discussions focused on concrete actions and future projects in innovative areas of clean technologies and environmental biotechnology, including the use of artificial intelligence for municipal solid waste management, production of biodegradable materials for circular waste utilization, studies on the methanogenesis-relevant archaea genus Methanosarcina, and research on air pollutants and greenhouse gas reduction associated with waste storage and transport.

The Bulgarian team, led by Prof. Yana Topalova, also presented some of the most advanced scientific areas at the Clean & Circle Competence Center, such as bioremediation technologies with algorithms for removing various toxic pollutants, optimized methanogenesis technologies with mobile management applications, plasma technologies for wastewater and landfill leachate treatment, and technologies for processing sludge from treatment plants into augmented biofertilizers with special microbiological additives. Assistant Prof. Mihaela Kirilova presented recent research from the “Microbiome Research in Biogas Production from the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste” project, which has been accepted for publication in the high-impact journal Reviews in Environmental Science and BioTechnology (Impact Factor 14.28).

During the discussion, Prof. Topalova outlined opportunities for future partnerships between the two teams and highlighted the broad potential of the emerging Clean & Circle Competence Center. Key outcomes from the meeting included:

Completion of the microbiome research project with the creation of a digital bioindicator technology model.
Exchange of samples between China and Bulgaria to test logistical pathways and future scientific-technological collaboration.
Planning future joint projects, including AI integration in waste processing in Sofia, microplastic research, biodegradable material applications in anaerobic digestion, and composting.
Reciprocal visit of Prof. Topalova’s team to Tongji University in Shanghai in the second half of September 2023.
Collaboration under the Erasmus program, including student and faculty exchanges, and exploring opportunities for Chinese student training at Sofia University’s Faculty of Biology.

The visit concluded with a working lunch featuring traditional Bulgarian cuisine. In the afternoon, the Chinese partners were introduced to the new equipment at the Competence Center, followed by a tour of Sofia University’s main building and the St. Cyril and St. Methodius National Library, leaving a strong impression of the university’s spirit and scientific-technological potential.

Discussion between Bulgarian and Chinese teams