Doctoral Themes

Pollutant Recycling and Remediation using High-Performance Carbon-based Composite Materials

Supervisors

Tiago A. Fernandes, tiago.a.fernandes@tecnico.ulisboa.pt

Alexander Kirillov, kirillov@tecnico.ulisboa.pt

Maria João Ferreira, m.joao.ferreira@tecnico.ulisboa.pt

Registration Institution

Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa

Project description

The primary purpose of this project is to design high-performance composite absorbent materials for the absorption of persistent organic pollutants (POP), such as trichloroethane (DDT), trichloropropane (TCP), glyphosate, and toxaphene, found in industrial wastewater and natural waterbodies. High-performance composite materials will be produced by combining ferromagnetic activated carbon as a solid support (in collaboration with Prof. Wagner Carvalho) with a surface layer of supramolecular receptors (in collaboration with Dr. Dzmitry Kananovich). The latter are capable of capture and transformation of the pollutants (e.g., solar-light-driven photocatalytic degradation of pollutants). The composite materials will be created through the valorization of waste and renewable feedstock (biomass residues like lignin, textile fabric, glycerol), as well as using low-waste and energy-efficient 'green' production methods. The project comprises the following objectives: 1) Preparation of Supramolecular Receptors (SR) tailored for pollutant collection from water via supramolecular (host-guest) interactions; 2) Design, synthesis & full characterization of Magnetic Activated Charcoals (MACs) from renewable feedstock; 3) Preparation and characterization of new composites (SR@MACs); 4) Degradation and remediation of pollutants. Throughout the PhD program, contacts will be established for ecotoxicological assessment of the developed materials and systems. This multidisciplinary project combines inorganic, organic, supramolecular & materials chemistry with environmental science, sustainability & engineering. The project addresses challenges of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Goals 6, 7, 9).

Keywords

Magnetic activated charcoals; Supramolecular receptors; Pollutant recycling; Environmental remediation; Water purification

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