The problem of microplastics (MPs) in the environment has been an emerging concern to the world in recent times. This is because the migration of MPs in the environment has been identified as deleterious culprits of the entire ecosystem and by extension may cause a decrease in life expectancy and quality of life in humans, fauna, and flora. This threat is seriously militating against the continuous existence and well-being of the entire ecosystem. Therefore, this research attempts to provide a solution to this global problem through the application of amino-functionalized zeolite series/phosphoric acid-coffee waste biochar (AFZ) for the removal of polystyrene MPs in solutions, drinking water, and wastewater. Findings from this research showed that AFZ removed 4.78 to 4.85 mg g–1 of polystyrene MPs from solutions at 20 to 50 °C, respectively. This was achieved by a combination of chemisorption and physisorption mechanisms via hydrophobic interactions between the π-electrons of the sp2 carbon orbital and π–π aromatic moieties of AFZ and the π-electrons of the polystyrene MPs and electrostatic attraction between AFZ and polystyrene MPs, respectively. Surface characterization of AFZ before and after its uptake of polystyrene MPs revealed that functional moieties such as C–H, C–O, C=C, N–H, Al–O, and Si–O was majorly responsible for the adsorption process. Hence, this research revealed that AFZ has potential to treat polystyrene MP-contaminated drinking water and wastewater.
Der Lehrstuhl für Siedlungswasserwirtschaft ist in die Ausbildung von Studierenden (Bachelor und Master) des Umwelt- und Bauingenieurwesens involviert. Schwerpunkte in der Forschung sind die städtische Wasserversorgung, die Abwasserbehandlung und Energierückgewinnung, das Wasserrecycling, Entwässerungssysteme, die industrielle Abwasserreinigung und der Urbane Water-Food-Energy-Nexus.
Wir suchen für unser Team ab April 2024, für 5 Stunden pro Woche (befristet), 2 HiWi - WEF Nexus Lecture SoSe 2024.
Wir freuen uns auf Ihre aussagekräftigen Unterlagen. Senden Sie diese bitte per E-Mail an Frau Dr. Daphne Keilmann-Gondhalekar (d.gondhalekar@tum.de) bis spätestens 22. März 2024 mit dem Betreff „HiWi“.
Datenschutzhinweise der TUM: Wir freuen uns über Ihr Interesse an der Technischen Universität München und Ihre Bewerbung für die ausgeschriebene Stelle. Sie haben uns mit Ihrer Bewerbung personenbezogene Daten übermittelt. Beachten Sie bitte hierzu unsere Datenschutzhinweise gemäß Art. 13 Datenschutz-Grundverordnung (DSGVO) zur Erhebung und Verarbeitung von personenbezogenen Daten im Rahmen Ihrer Bewerbung, abrufbar unter https://portal.mytum.de/kompass/datenschutz/Bewerbung/.
Der Lehrstuhl für Siedlungswasserwirtschaft ist in die Ausbildung von Studierenden (Bachelor und Master) des Umweltingenieurwesens und Bauingenieurwesens involviert. Schwerpunkte in der Forschung sind die städtische Wasserversorgung, die Abwasserbehandlung und Energierückgewinnung, das Wasserrecycling, Entwässerungssysteme, die industrielle Abwasserreinigung und der Urbane Water-Food-Energy-Nexus. In enger Abstimmung mit den zuständigen Ingenieur*innen ist unsere Versuchsanstalt mit lehrstuhleigener Werkstatt eine essentielle Stütze unserer Forschung durch die gemeinsame Planung und Realisierung von experimentellen Versuchsanlagen im Bereich Wasser- und Abwasserbehandlung vom Labor- bis in den technischen Maßstab.
Wir suchen für unser Team ab 1. Mai 2024, in Vollzeit (40 Stunden pro Woche), unbefristet, eine/n Bachelor of Science (FH/HAW) in Mechatronik, Elektrotechnik oder vergleichbar (w/m/d)
Wir freuen uns auf Ihre aussagekräftigen Unterlagen. Senden Sie diese bitte per E-Mail an Herrn Prof. Dr. Konrad Koch (k.koch@tum.de) bis spätestens 1. April 2024 mit dem Betreff „Mechatroniker“.
Datenschutzhinweise der TUM: Wir freuen uns über Ihr Interesse an der Technischen Universität München und Ihre Bewerbung für die ausgeschriebene Stelle. Sie haben uns mit Ihrer Bewerbung personenbezogene Daten übermittelt. Beachten Sie bitte hierzu unsere Datenschutzhinweise gemäß Art. 13 Datenschutz-Grundverordnung (DSGVO) zur Erhebung und Verarbeitung von personenbezogenen Daten im Rahmen Ihrer Bewerbung, abrufbar unter https://portal.mytum.de/kompass/datenschutz/Bewerbung/.
Der Lehrstuhl für Siedlungswasserwirtschaft ist in die Ausbildung von Studierenden (Bachelor und Master) des Umwelt- und Bauingenieurwesens involviert. Schwerpunkte in der Forschung sind die städtische Wasserversorgung, die Abwasserbehandlung und Energierückgewinnung, das Wasserrecycling, Entwässerungssysteme, die industrielle Abwasserreinigung und der urbane Water-Food-Energy-Nexus. Für unser Sekretariatsteam suchen wir eine/n motivierte/n Mitarbeiter/in (w/m/d) für den reibungslosen Ablauf unseres Tagesgeschäfts. Das Sekretariat wird von einer weiteren Teilzeitkraft unterstützt, mit der eine enge Abstimmung der Arbeiten stattfindet.
Wir suchen für unser Team ab 1. Mai 2024, in Teilzeit (20 Stunden pro Woche) zunächst für zwei Jahre mit der Möglichkeit einer späteren unbefristeten Weiterbeschäftigung, eine/n Teamassistent/in für unser Sekretariat (w/m/d).
Wir freuen uns auf Ihre aussagekräftigen Unterlagen. Senden Sie diese bis spätestens 4. März 2024 bitte per E-Mail an Frau Prof. Brigitte Helmreich (b.helmreich@tum.de) mit dem Betreff „Sekretariat“.
Datenschutzhinweise der TUM: Wir freuen uns über Ihr Interesse an der Technischen Universität München und Ihre Bewerbung für die ausgeschriebene Stelle. Sie haben uns mit Ihrer Bewerbung personenbezogene Daten übermittelt. Beachten Sie bitte hierzu unsere Datenschutzhinweise gemäß Art. 13 Datenschutz-Grundverordnung (DSGVO) zur Erhebung und Verarbeitung von personenbezogenen Daten im Rahmen Ihrer Bewerbung, abrufbar unter https://portal.mytum.de/kompass/datenschutz/Bewerbung/.
Das Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wirtschaft, Landesentwicklung und Energie (StMWi) fördert das gemeinsame Forschungsprojekt „Mikobiologische Methanisierung - Übergang in die kommerzielle Anwendung“ (KomMeth) der TU München und der Bayerischen Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft mit insgesamt über 1,7 Mio €. Bei der offiziellen Bescheidübergabe vor der Pilotanlage auf der Kläranlage Garching betonte Wirtschaftsminister Hubert Aiwanger die energiepolitische Bedeutung der Methanisierung als Brückentechnologie und ihr hohes wirtschaftliches Potential.
The availability of colossal amounts of phosphate in water bodies has led to serious environmental challenges all over the world. In this study, a new adsorbent was synthesized using treated kaolinite clay, pulverized eggshells, and ZnCl2 . Surface characterizationof these adsorbents showed the availability of functional moieties, morphological variations, pore sizes, particle sizes, etc. Adsorption of phosphate occurs via multiple mechanisms, comprising ligand exchange, complexation, hydrogen bonding, and electrostatic interaction, among others. The effect of pH, showed that maximum adsorption of 93.3 % was achieved at pH 3.0. It was also shown that these cost-effective adsorbents could be regenerated in six cycles, hence increasing their applicability.
The review aimed to identify differences and similarities in the adsorption process of five azo dyes [congo red (CR), reactive black 5 (RB5), methyl orange (MO), orange II (OII), and methyl red (MR)] on natural materials, biosorbents, industrial and agricultural waste, or biomass, which are alternatives of costly activated carbon and are locally available. The azo dyes were characterized and compared based on their molecular structure and weight, water solubility, acid dissociation constant, n-octanol-water partition coefficient, and maximum absorbance. RB5 and CR are diazo dyes, whereas MO, OII, and MR are mono-azo dyes. MO, OII, and MR are anionic acid dyes, RB5 is an anionic reactive dye, and CR is an anionic direct dye. CR, RB5, MR, and OII molecules contain one or more sulfonate functional group(s), but MR does not. We performed a literature review based on the following parameters: initial dye concentration, adsorbent dosage, pH, temperature, isotherm, kinetic models, thermodynamic parameters, and synergetic or competitive interactions. The azo dyes tended to adsorb best in an acidic medium and at higher temperatures. The initial dye concentration and adsorbent dosage studies indicated the importance of using an appropriate amount of adsorbent dosage for an effective removal. The studies tended to follow the Langmuir isotherm and kinetic pseudo-second-order model. Most adsorption processes were endothermic and spontaneous, leading to an increase in randomness at the solid-liquid interface. These results indicate similarities between the adsorption process of the five azo dyes. Relevant adsorption mechanisms in azo dye adsorption processes were assumed to be electrostatic forces, hydrogen bonding, and π–π interactions, among others. Nevertheless, the focus of the studies lies more on the development and characterization of adsorbent materials, not on the study of influences from the matrix “industrial wastewater”. Therefore, more research is needed to develop adsorption units for application in textile industries.
Der Lehrstuhl für Siedlungswasserwirtschaft ist in die Ausbildung von Studierenden (Bachelor und Master) des Umwelt- und Bauingenieurwesens involviert. Schwerpunkte in der Forschung sind die städtische Wasserversorgung, die Abwasserbehandlung und Energierückgewinnung, das Wasserrecycling, Entwässerungssysteme, die industrielle Abwasserreinigung und der Urbane Water-Food-Energy-Nexus. Die Forschungsgruppe „Energieeffiziente Abwasserbehandlung“ beschäftigt sich insbesondere mit innovativen Verfahren zur Steigerung der Energieeffizienz und zur Maximierung der Energierückgewinnung aus den behandelten Reststoffen, beispielsweise in Form von energiereichem Biogas.
Wir suchen für unsere Forschungsgruppe „Energieeffiziente Abwasserbehandlung“ ab sofort zunächst zeitlich befristet für 3 Jahre zwei Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiter/innen mit Abschluss Master Umwelt-, Chemie- oder Bauingenieurwesen oder vergleichbar (w/m/d) mit Promotionsmöglichkeit
Wir freuen uns auf Ihre aussagekräftigen Unterlagen. Senden Sie diese bitte per E-Mail an Herrn Prof. Konrad Koch (k.koch@tum.de) bis spätestens 11.02.2024 mit dem Betreff „PhD KomMeth“.
Datenschutzhinweise der TUM: Wir freuen uns über Ihr Interesse an der Technischen Universität München und Ihre Bewerbung für die ausgeschriebene Stelle. Sie haben uns mit Ihrer Bewerbung personenbezogene Daten übermittelt. Beachten Sie bitte hierzu unsere Datenschutzhinweise gemäß Art. 13 Datenschutz-Grundverordnung (DSGVO) zur Erhebung und Verarbeitung von personenbezogenen Daten im Rahmen Ihrer Bewerbung, abrufbar unter https://portal.mytum.de/kompass/datenschutz/Bewerbung/
Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are commonly used in many products, such as disinfectants, detergents and personal care products. However, their widespread use has led to their ubiquitous presence in the environment, posing a potential risk to human and environmental health. Several methods, including direct and indirect photodegradation, have been explored to remove QACs such as benzylalkyldimethyl ammonium compounds (BACs) and alkyltrimethyl ammonium compounds (ATMACs) from the environment. Hence, in this research, a systematic review of the literature was conducted using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) method to understand the fate of these QACs during direct and indirect photodegradation in UV/H2O2, UV/PS, UV/PS/Cu2+, UV/chlorine, VUV/UV/chlorine, O3/UV and UV/O3/TiO2 systems which produce highly reactive radicals that rapidly react with the QACs, leading to their degradation. As a result of photodegradation, several transformation products (TPs) of QACs are formed, which can pose a greater risk to the environment and human health than the parent QACs. Only limited research in this area has been conducted with fewer QACs. Hence, quantum mechanical calculations such as density functional theory (DFT)-based computational calculations using Gaussian09 software package were used here to explain better the photo-resistant nature of a specific type of QACs, such as BACs C12–18 and ATMACs C12, C14, C18, and their transformation pathways, providing insights into active sites participating in the phototransformation. Recognizing that different advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) come with pros and cons in the elimination of QACs, this review also highlighted the importance of implementing each AOP concerning the formation of toxic transformation products and electrical energy per order (EEO), especially when QACs coexist with other emerging contaminants (ECs).
Using agricultural waste biomass and by-products (alternative substrates) for biogas production is a promising strategy to improve energy self-sufficiency in the European Union, and the sustainability of biogas production. A comprehensive study with three different types of alternative substrates was conducted on lab-scale. The methane potential of the untreated alternative substrates was 44.1–66.5% of maize silage. Promising substrate pre-treatment methods were identified, enhancing the methane potential by up to 46% and the degradation kinetics by up to 106%, respectively. Simulating the methane production in continuously operated digesters by parameters obtained in the batch tests was possible. High accuracy of the parameters was essential to obtain reliable simulation results. Applying the simulation approach to a case study revealed that the methane production is reduced by 36%–73% if the alternative substrates substitute maize silage. To analyze the economic feasibility, this was contrasted with prices for maize silage and electricity in Germany in 2022. Only maize straw showed the potential to replace maize silage during those hours that featured the 25% lowest electricity prices.
The contamination of water sources by emerging contaminants, specifically steroid hormones, is swiftly becoming a serious threat to both humans and the environment. However, a solution has emerged in the form of perovskite oxides, which show great potential in removing these contaminants from water sources. Perovskite oxides possess remarkable adsorption and catalytic properties, making them ideal for removing a wide range of emerging contaminants from water. Their unique crystal structure and surface features provide multiple active sites for adsorbing steroid hormones, utilizing surface interactions, ion exchange, and chemisorption to capture and retain these contaminants effectively. Furthermore, perovskite oxides can catalytically degrade steroid hormones through oxidation or reduction reactions, breaking down complex molecular structures and converting them into less harmful byproducts. They can also be engineered selectively for specific contaminants, allowing for a tailored approach to water treatment. Additionally, their regenerative capabilities make them sustainable, enabling multiple cycles of use while minimizing the environmental impact of water treatment processes. Overall, perovskite oxides offer a promising solution to cleaning up water contaminated with emerging contaminants, and their effectiveness in addressing the specific challenges posed by steroid hormones is particularly noteworthy.
Heavy metals account for a notable share of soil and water body contaminations. For restoring contaminated soils, phytoremediation is considered an eco-friendly and sustainable practice. However, the implementation in the field requires a well-thought-out plant selection and comprehensive knowledge of the influence of various environmental factors. Therefore, a quantitative evaluation of 330 studies was done using a meta-analytical approach. The systematic assessment included the calculation of bioconcentration factors for roots and shoots (BCFROOT, BCFSHOOT) and translocation factors (TF) of 48 herbaceous species, as well as the identification of the most important soil and plant factors that regulate the heavy metal uptake into plant tissues. The results showed substantial variations in roots’ and shoots’ heavy metal uptake capacity among the diverse plant species. The uptake also varied depending on the type of heavy metal. Most species revealed a higher accumulation of heavy metals in roots than shoots, indicating a limited heavy metal transport from below-ground into above-ground plant parts. Among the different heavy metals, Cd showed the highest median BCFSHOOT and BCFROOT, followed by Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, and Pb, which can partly be explained by the solubility and plant availability of the elements. The strongest significant and positive correlations of heavy metal contents in plant tissues were found with the total and available soil content. Clay and silt content showed a weak negative, and sand content a slight positive correlation. Further, root, shoot and total biomass revealed weak negative correlations to the plants’ heavy metal contents. Overall, this study forms a basis for the minimum accumulation capacities of various species and thus makes an essential contribution to the planning and practical application of phytoremediation projects.
A comprehensive study was conducted to assess the influence of pyrolysis temperature (PyT) on the properties of biochar (BC) and its potential application in anaerobic digestion (AD). PyT is an essential parameter for effectively utilizing BC in full-scale AD, because PyT can develop BC properties that are necessary for improving AD performance through (I) the increment of BC porosity, (II) the adsorption and conversion of metabolites, (III) the enrichment of microbial communities, and (IV) the enrichment of functional groups. Some features of BC, such as porosity, electrical conductivity, and pore structure, increase consistently with increasing PyT. These properties have a positive effect on AD and enhancement of methane yield. The adsorption of excessive metabolites correlates with the enrichment of BC functional groups. The appearance of functional groups of BC decreases when the PyT increases. No substantial correlation (R2 < 0.1) could be found between the enhancement of methane yield and the enrichment of BC functional groups and the adsorption capacities of BC. Microbial communities are positively correlated to the increment of PyT with a moderate correlation (R) to the enhancement of methane yield. The review also identifies several knowledge gaps that necessitate further investigation.
Der Klimawandel verändert die Verfügbarkeit und Verteilung von Wasser überall auf der Erde. Um auch in Zukunft eine sichere Wasserversorgung zu gewährleisten, müssen wir neue Wege denken. Die Forschung von Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Drewes skizziert diese Wege.
Laudatio für Prof. Dr. -Ing. Jörg Drewes
Das offizielle Thema der 19. Leading Edge Conference on Water and Wastewater Technologies (LET 2024) lautet „Den Wasserkreislauf durch effiziente und innovative Technologien schließen“. Die Konferenz findet vom 24. bis 28. Juni in der pulsierenden deutschen Metropole Essen statt. Liegt im Herzen von Nordrhein-Westfalen, einem Bundesland im Westen des Landes.