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Environmental Chemistry and Technology
Doctoral Programme,
Faculty of Environmental Technology
The aim of the Ph.D. study programme is to train experts with deep knowledge of environmental and related chemical and biochemical disciplines, informatics and mathematical modelling. Ph.D. studies build on this foundation and deepen knowledge in wide scale of environmental areas such as: analytical methods for monitoring the of water and air quality and soil contamination; technologies for drinking water production, wastewater treatment; sludge treatment, solid waste management and soil decontamination technologies; removal of air pollutants. An important part of the study is also the prevention of all forms of waste, recycling and recovery as renewable resources. Students are trained in solution of complex research projects. CareersAlumni of the doctoral study programme Environmental Chemistry and Technology will acquire extensive theoretical and especially practical experimental knowledge and skills in the field of environmental protection technologies focused on protection of water, air and waste treatment and recycling. They are able to apply effectively this knowledge and skills in practice. Alumni can obtain and process the latest scientific information from the world electronic databases, can independently plan research activities, design and conduct experiments, evaluate the results obtained and prepare their own valuable publications and presentations in both Czech and English. Alumni are able to formulate new scientific hypotheses and to prepare proposals for their study in the form of grant projects. Alumni also have experience in teaching activities in the context of engaging in the undergraduate and master studies. The graduate extends his / her managerial skills within the framework of consulting activities, which he / she provides to students during the preparation of their bachelor and master theses. Graduates find employment in research, education, design and other institutions, in state administration from local environmental departments to ministries. They will also find employment as managers and technologists of companies operating water, waste and energy infrastructure and in industrial companies. Programme Details
Ph.D. topics for study year 2025/26Cultivation of microalgae for the valorization of digestate from agricultural biogas plants
AnnotationThe dissertation focuses on the valorization of digestate from agricultural biogas plants for the cultivation of selected microalgae species. Low-cost continuous flow photobioreactors will be designed and employed for the cultivation process, followed by an assessment of the potential use of the resulting microalgal biomass for anaerobic fermentation. A key outcome of the research will be data on the growth of selected microalgae species under various temperature and light conditions. Advanced identification and mitigation of methane from sewer network and wastewater treatment plants
AnnotationMethane leaks in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and in the sewer network contribute to a large extent to CH4 emissions from agglomerations, but are not currently systematically mapped. At the same time, methane is about 30 times more effective as a greenhouse gas than CO2, its effect is manifested in a shorter period of time, and large water management companies in particular are now realistically motivated to map and reduce their carbon footprint. The goal of the project is the mitigation of methane emissions from wastewater management processes, including sewage networks and WWTPs, which is an inevitable step towards reducing GHG emissions and making more efficient use of emitted methane. With the highly sensitive and methane-specific LiDAR, we will identify the main sources of leaks in the sewage network as well as the sludge and gas management of the WWTP. We will design a smart unit (mainly developed by project partner) to prevent the formation of methane already in the sewage network using aeration. We will create an advanced mathematical model to eliminate methane emissions from the main line of wastewater treatment. We will oxidize the methane in the waste gases from digested sludge storage in an optimized biofilter and partially convert it into biomass. Testing and optimization of quaternary treatment methods for removal of micropollutants from wastewater
AnnotationDirective (EU) 2024/3019 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2024 on urban waste water treatment, which introduces an obligation for Member States to ensure, by 2045 at the latest (but under certain conditions from 2033 onwards), the removal of selected micropollutants with an efficiency of at least 80% in the so-called quaternary treatment stage. This obligation applies at least to wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with a capacity exceeding 150,000 population equivalents (PE), but may also be relevant for WWTPs for agglomerations larger than 10,000 PE. It can be assumed that with the implementation of quaternary treatment at individual WWTPs, there will be great interest in the development of new and optimisation of existing quaternary treatment methods in the coming years. This dissertation focuses on the testing and optimisation of quaternary treatment methods for the removal of micropollutants from wastewater. The main emphasis will be placed on finding the most suitable sorbents (activated carbon, zeolites, biochar) and their regeneration. Other processes combined with sorption and optimised in this dissertation will be biological decomposition (MBBR, biofilters) and ozonation. The candidate will also deal with the change in ecotoxic properties of wastewater treatment plant effluent due to quaternary treatment. |
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Updated: 20.1.2022 16:26, Author: Jan Kříž