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Chair of Sanitary Engineering and Water Recycling
AQUA-Study Award
Dipl.-Ing. Asya Drenkova-Tuhtan, M.Sc., from
Bulgaria graduated from the master program
Water Resources Engineering and Management
(WAREM) and is now a researcher at the Chair of
Sanitary Engineering and Water Recycling. She
has been awarded with the AQUA-Study Award
2011 from the Foundation AQUA of the Faculty of
Civil- and Environmental Engineering of the University
of Stuttgart.
The AQUA Foundation annually awards a prize to a student
of the water-related subjects at the Faculty of Civil-
and Environmental Engineering at the University of
Stuttgart. The award recognizes outstanding academic
achievement, meaning excellent diploma, master and
doctoral theses, as well as student commitment. The
AQUA-Study Award 2011 was awarded to Ms. Asya
Drenkova-Tuhtan in recognition of her outstanding
academic achievements and her master thesis „Application
of Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles in Wastewater
Treatment“. At a high scientific level and with great
commitment, she has made an innovative contribution
to the municipal wastewater treatment.
With the aim to investigate the applications of zerovalent
nano-iron as a sorbent and a reducing agent
in the municipal wastewater treatment, laboratory
tests have been conducted to determine to what extent
poorly biodegradable pollutants in wastewater can
be converted or eliminated by nZVI (nanoscale zerovalent
iron). For the examined pollutants the conventional
wastewater treatment shows no or nearly no
effect. Furthermore, the suitability of the iron nanoparticles
as an alternative to eliminate phosphate was
investigated. The kinetics and other parameters were
determined until optimal conditions and a phosphate
elimination of> 95% were achieved. Three different
commercial nZVI products were analyzed and compared.
In addition, the potential of nZVI for the elimination
of 9 frequent micropollutants in the domestic
wastewater at different pH values was investigated as
well as, the efficiency of nZVI to bind some selected
heavy metals. The achieved elimination rate was very
high (> 90%), particularly for heavy metals and some
organic micropollutants. Furthermore, the separation
of the nanoparticles by means of sedimentation,
filtration, and magnetic separation was investigated.
The AQUA - Study Award 2010 was awarded to
Karen Mouarkech, from Lebanon and a graduate
of the master program Air Quality Control, Solid
Waste and Waste Water Process Engineering
(WASTE), in recognition of her outstanding academic
achievements and her master thesis „Determination
of suitable substrates originating
from wastewater treatment processes for biological
hydrogen production by dark fermentation
at various process conditions.“
With a high degree of initiative and systematic work,
she has mastered the complex issue that requires both
a broad basic knowledge and a deeper understanding
of anaerobic treatment processes.
Abstract of the Master Thesis:
Hydrogen fuel is an environmentally friendly gas. The
production of hydrogen from substances derived from
wastewater treatment is therefore a sustainable process.
Therefore, various substrates (primary sludge,
secondary sludge, wastewater from the sugar production,
wastewater from the beer production) were
examined with regard to the possible production of
hydrogen. Experiments with primary and secondary
sludge were done in a 4-liter experimental reactor at a
temperature of 35°C, at different pH values, and different
„Food to Microorganism Ratios“ (F: M). This way
methane was produced. The sludge was pretreated by
heating and acidification which inhibited the methanogenesis
and a minimal amount of hydrogen could
be produced. In general, it was found that an acidic
medium is required for the highest hydrogen production.
With wastewater from the sugar production the
highest hydrogen production was achieved. Further investigations
will be carried out.
In 2010 and 2011, two students were awarded.
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