Scientific Research

The current scientific and research problems of the Department of Environmental Technology include the following areas:

• Heterogeneous photocatalysis
• Heterogeneous catalysis
• Application of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for degradation of pollutants in the aqueous phase
• Technologies for waste management and recycling

Heterogeneous photocatalysis

Ongoing research concerns the development of methods for obtaining and advanced characterization of new materials (nanoparticles and nanocomposites) with photocatalytic properties. Nanomaterials with photocatalytic properties can be used to produce new photocatalytic and germicidal coatings activated by radiation in the UV-vis range. Characterization of the new materials also includes evaluation of their activity in model aqueous-phase and air purification reactions (removal of model organic matter and removal of model microorganisms from the air) and evaluation of the activity of selected photocatalytic layers in subsequent reaction cycles. Among others, LEDs (emitting radiation at 375 and 415 nm) are used as radiation sources, which allows significant reduction in electricity consumption. Ongoing research work includes:

• development of a method of obtaining, characterization and attempts to clarify the mechanism of excitation of TiO2-based photocatalysts surface-modified with noble metal nanoparticles obtained by radiolysis and in microemulsion environment (cooperation with the research group of Prof. Hynd Remit of Universite Paris Sud, Laboratoire de Chimie Physique in Orsay, France),
• research on the effect of the structure of bimetallic nanoparticles (core-shell or alloy nanoparticles) on the activity of Au/Pt-TiO2, Au/ Pd-TiO2 and Au/Ag-TiO2 nanocomposites,
• development of new photocatalysts for photoconversion of glycerol (cooperation with the research group of Marek Stelmachowski, Ph.D., from the Department of Process Engineering and Environmental Protection, Technical University of Lodz, under grant 2011/01/B/ST8/07159),
• studies of the influence of electrochemical process parameters (electrolyte composition, surface preparation method, calcination conditions) on the morphology of TiO2 doped nanotubes and their activity in a model air purification reaction (toluene degradation in the gas phase)
• study of the mechanism of degradation of pollutants on modified {101} and {001} TiO2 planes (grant 2011/03/D/ST5/05284 funded by NCN in the SONATA program, grant manager: Ewelina Grabowska, PhD),
• development of a method for obtaining third-generation photocatalysts (nanocomposites of three semiconductors differing in the width of the band gap and the position of the edge of the conduction band and the valence band (grant entitled Third-generation photoactive materials and materials-based system for photocatalytic air treatment, PHOTOAIR funded by the NCBiR under the Small Grant Scheme, grant manager: Adriana Zaleska, Ph.D.),
• Research on toxicity assessment of TiO2 nanoparticles modified with noble metals (cooperation with the research group of Prof. Tomasz Puzyn from the University of Gdansk and the research group of Prof. Seishiro Hirano from the National Institute for Environmental Science, Tsukuba, Japan).

Heterogeneous catalysis

The study of hydrogenolysis of chlorinated organic compounds as a method of disposal of waste PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and other chlorinated fluorinated organic compounds. The effect of dechlorination conditions such as temperature, alkali concentration, catalyst type, and stirring rate on reaction efficiency is studied. The susceptibility to dechorination of various structures of chlorinated aromatic compounds is studied, including: the effect of the position and type of substituent at the chlorine-containing aromatic ring, the number of chlorine atoms in the dechorinated molecule. The durability of the Pd/C catalyst during hydrogenolysis is studied.

Application of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for degradation of contaminants in the aqueous phase

Ongoing research concerns the removal of hard-to-biodegrade and biologically active compounds using electro- and photo-chemical advanced oxidation methods (AOPs):

• Studying the kinetics and removal efficiency of organic pollutants by AOP methods depending on the reaction conditions.
• To study the effect of the structure of organic pollutants i.e. ionic liquids , pharmaceuticals and dyes on their electrochemical and photochemical decomposition in aqueous media.
• Study of the mechanism of decomposition of organic pollutants. Identification of oxidation intermediates by LC-MS and GC-MS techniques. Evaluation of toxicity and biodegradability.
• Modification and characterization of electrode surfaces with high oxidation potential and the application of these electrodes in analytics and environmental protection .
• Analysis of water and wastewater.

Technologies of waste management and recycling

• Methods of recovering useful metals from industrial and electronic waste.
• Use of techniques and methods of selective dissolution and extraction and electrochemical methods for the separation of metals.
• Methods of identification and determination of precious and rare metals in electronic scrap and other industrial wastes.
• Speciation analysis of metallic elements in environmental studies.
• Studies of mobility and bioavailability of metallic elements in soils of urbanized areas.
• Effects of industrial sewage sludge storage on environmental pollution by metallic elements.