CEMESMER Project

The CEMESMER Project aimed to develop a new generation of high‑performance cements designed for the stabilization and solidification of mercury (Hg) present in water, soils and industrial waste, providing safe, effective and environmentally sustainable technical solutions for the management of this pollutant.

The project focused on advancing chemical fixation techniques for mercury, minimizing the use of contaminating reagents and enabling the effective immobilization of Hg even under high‑concentration conditions. It also addressed the technical and economic feasibility of large‑scale treatment. The solutions developed additionally show potential applicability to other heavy metals.

CEMESMER was submitted to the 2012 INNPACTO call of the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and was led by Cementos Portland Valderrivas, S.A., with the participation of a multidisciplinary consortium formed by the National Technological Centre for Mercury Decontamination, FCC Ámbito, FCC Construcción and the Eduardo Torroja Institute for Construction Science (CSIC).

The project also represented a significant step forward in knowledge transfer among industry, technology centers and research institutions, establishing technical foundations that can be extrapolated to the treatment of other heavy metals, in line with the principles of circular economy and environmental sustainability.

The National Technological Centre for Mercury Decontamination participated as a technological partner, contributing expert knowledge on mercury and leading work related to environmental assessment and the validation of Hg stabilization and solidification techniques.