Department of Environmental Assessment and Technologies

Innovating for a Sustainable Future

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Department of Environmental Technologies and Technology Transfer carries out research and technological development activities in the fields of water resource treatment, wastewater purification, waste recovery, as well as remediation of polluted soils. The main objective of the department is to identify and develop innovative solutions that support economic activities while aligning with environmental protection and sustainable resource use.

Research Directions

The department operates in four main research areas: treatment of surface and groundwater resources, wastewater purification, advanced treatment/purification technologies, and waste recovery. These directions include fundamental, exploratory, and applied experimental research, resulting in experimental studies, methods, processes, products, and environmental technologies. To implement its activities, the department is structured into six specialized research sections: Competence Section for Eco-efficiency and Sustainable Development, Green Technologies Section, Physico-chemical Treatment/Purification Technologies, Biotechnologies for Industrial and Domestic Wastewater Purification, Biotechnologies for Biomass Valorization, Technological Development Section, along with three interconnected laboratories dedicated to advanced analysis and technology testing: Microscopy Laboratory, Process Investigation Laboratory, and Molecular Biology Laboratory.

Through this complex structure, the department integrates fundamental research with technological applications, facilitating the development of innovative solutions for water treatment, wastewater purification, soil remediation, and valorization of biological and material resources.

The department conducts experimental research to support the application of pollutant removal processes from water resources intended for human consumption and the development of advanced solutions to ensure drinking water quality, in accordance with current legislative requirements, including:

Development of innovative technologies for the removal of macro- and micropollutants, both inorganic and organic, from water sources intended for drinking water production, within the context of implementing European legislation on drinking water quality.
Minimization and control of the formation of intermediate by-products resulting from the disinfection step (trihalomethanes, haloacetic acids) in the treatment chains of surface and groundwater sources.
Testing of filtering materials based on zeolites, activated carbon, and polymer membranes for the removal of heavy metals and other contaminants of concern.
Alternative technologies aimed at modernizing treatment plants.
Technologies integrating photoinduced processes for water resource treatment.
Industrial research to evaluate the efficiency of applied technologies and to develop customized technological solutions for optimizing the treatment flows of water resources intended for drinking water production, including studies for retrofitting, supplementing existing technological flows (modification of parameters, replacement and addition of reagents, testing of new products, recommendations for equipment replacement, etc.).

Experimental research focuses on promoting emerging alternative technologies and biotechnologies for the treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater. In this regard, the department develops innovative treatment technologies, protected by intellectual property rights, for pollutant removal, including:

Biotechnologies based on the utilization of natural processes and resources, as alternatives to traditional biotechnologies, aimed at supporting the wastewater treatment sector and water supply and sewerage service operators:
- Biotechnology based on the use of microalgae for wastewater treatment and resource recovery.
- Biotechnology for the treatment of wastewater from decentralized and seasonal sources, using vermifiltration (lumbrifiltration) technology in combination with phytoremediation processes.
Technology for the treatment of leachate generated from waste landfills.
Solutions to optimize the treatment flows of industrial and domestic wastewater.
Testing of materials for the removal of contaminants.
Development of customized technological solutions for the treatment of industrial and municipal wastewater with complex contamination matrices, including studies for upgrading and supplementing existing technological flows.
Studies for evaluating the efficiency of applied products and technologies, as well as developing tailored solutions for controlling biological processes involved, through monitoring microbial diversity and dynamics using molecular biology and microscopy methods.

In the context of strict regulations regarding water quality and the impact of emerging pollutants on aquatic ecosystems, the department conducts advanced research to develop and optimize innovative treatment and purification technologies. These technologies aim to efficiently remove pollutants and micropollutants, improve the performance of existing processes, and reduce environmental impact, including:

Hybrid technology based on the use of solar photocatalytic membrane reactors (PMR) for the treatment of municipal wastewater and the removal of pharmaceutical compounds.
Hybrid membrane separation and oxidation processes for the elimination of heavy metals and toxic substances.
Testing sono/sono-photo-Fenton systems to increase biodegradability and the removal efficiency of targeted compounds.
Technologies for the removal of halogenated organic compounds from wastewater through advanced oxidation and anaerobic biodegradation.

To reduce the environmental impact of waste and promote efficient resource use, the department develops and implements sustainable waste management and valorization strategies. Through advanced technologies, we aim to recover valuable materials, convert waste into useful resources, and integrate circular economy principles into industrial processes, including:

Valorization of sludge from treatment processes for energy recovery and conversion into reusable resources.
Technology to reduce metal ion content in wastewater using materials derived from biological waste (residual agricultural biomass).
Intensive thermophilic composting technology, using the residual energy of geothermal water for rapid biodegradation of organic waste (currently under validation).
Technology for obtaining renewable hydrogen resulting from the valorization of biomass resources used in wastewater treatment processes.
Solutions for waste valorization in collaboration with private partners for the development of reusable products/materials (fertilizers for agriculture, composite materials applicable in the construction industry).
Emerging technology based on ozone and sodium percarbonate, intended for sludge treatment and resource recovery.

Within its primary research directions, the department provides consulting, technical assistance, and expertise in its fields of activity. At the same time, it applies principles of eco-efficiency and industrial symbiosis to optimize the processes of industrial operators, contributing to their modernization and technological upgrading through the development of sustainable solutions that reduce environmental impact and operational costs.

Complementing the technological development laboratories, the department includes an Advanced Microscopy Laboratory for monitoring biological and physicochemical processes, utilizing techniques such as optical microscopy, stereomicroscopy, confocal microscopy, and electron microscopy:

Optical microscopy allows structural analysis of microorganisms and biological matrices, being used to monitor biological processes and evaluate the morphological characteristics of activated sludge.
Stereomicroscopy is used for observing relief in samples and analyzing surface textures at the micrometric scale, with wide applicability such as evaluating solid particles, biomass, and sediments.
Laser confocal microscopy (CLSM) enables three-dimensional analysis of biological structures by using fluorescence to highlight the distribution and interactions of cells in biological treatment ecosystems.
Electron microscopy (SEM) is used for detailed characterization of micro- and nanometric structures, including surface analysis of filter materials, biomass, and solid particles resulting from water treatment/purification and soil remediation processes.

Additionally, the department has laboratories dedicated to analytical investigations (physical-chemical parameter analysis) through conventional and instrumental chemical methods, as well as a laboratory focused on biological studies using natural biological resources—from taxonomic identification, selection, conservation, and cultivation to culture testing and biomass analysis for identifying useful product profiles (carbohydrates, pigments, lipids, proteins). Furthermore, the department integrates and develops solutions for the remediation of soils polluted with hazardous organic compounds and heavy metals by applying eco-technologies, thus contributing to the restoration of polluted lands and their integration into sustainable productive circuits.

Complementing its research activities, the department focuses on professional development and expanding international collaborations, partnering in research, training, and knowledge transfer projects. These initiatives include participation in the development of centers of excellence in the circular water economy, supporting innovation and technological acceleration for sustainable solutions, and strengthening researcher mobility and expertise in the circular economy, facilitating collaboration between the research ecosystem and the industrial sector.

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