Materials and methods for the treatment/remediation of contaminated water and soil
Within the framework of scientific projects, the materials and the methods suitable for the treatment of toxic and radioactive waste and treatment/remediation of contaminated water and soil are investigated. The research is focused on novel synthetic, mineral, and low-cost materials suitable for the separation of pollutants and other elements of interest. Following global trends in waste recycling and protection of natural resources, the beneficial use of waste materials and byproducts is explored through their application as sorbents, neutralizing agents, and soil additives. The impact of physical, chemical, and combined treatments on the performance of the materials is investigated, as well as the effects of different factors influencing the efficiency of sorption in aqueous media, in situ metal immobilization in the soil, and soil extraction. For the analysis and optimization of the process factors, mathematical models and statistical approaches are being implemented. Chemical analyses, instrumental methods, and different leaching protocols are employed for the determination of the sorption mechanisms and the stability of the immobilized forms of pollutants. Research topics are multidisciplinary, with both fundamental and practical significance.
Air pollution and protection from toxic chemicals Activities in the Laboratory include research of protection from toxic chemical spices such as contaminants that are present in the ambient air in the form of gases and respirable particulate matter, research related to protection from pesticides, biocides and nanoparticles in the ambient and occupational environment and protection from chemical accidents. We study chemical hazards by utilizing the so-called “full chain approach” in which we observe hazards from source, dispersion, and transformation all the way to the exposure in different microenvironments and related health effects. Special interest is devoted to the following broad range of topics: air pollution and associated interactions in ambient air, air pollution monitoring-site selection and application of optimal methods and devices for the analysis of various air pollutants, novel sensors and devices for air pollutants monitoring (e.g., low-cost sensors), air pollution modelling (source apportionment using receptor models, LUR modelling,…), indoor air pollution in different microenvironments, respirable particulate matter sampling and composition analyses, particle count and size distribution in the indoor and outdoor environment, modelling of human exposure to different air pollutants, risk assessment from exposure to toxic chemicals and nanoparticles, health impact assessment and personal protection from exposure to the toxic chemical.