SCIENTIFIC CURRICULUM - Leitat

SPECIFIC RESEARCH INTERESTS
Water treatment: Alternative water treatment technologies: Electrochemical processes
(Electrocoagulation, Electrooxidation, Electrowinning and Electrodyalisis ), Nanotechnology
(nanoparticles and nanofibres for water filtration), Biotechnology (enzymes), Microalgae; Advanced
Oxidation Processes (Fenton type reactions, heterogeneous photocatalysis, Ozone); Membrane
processes (Reverse Osmosis, Microfiltration, Ultrafiltration, Nanofiltration), functionalised membranes for
selective filtration; Biological Treatments (aerobic, anaerobic), Microbial Fuel Cells, Wetlands,
Biosorption; combined treatments; high added value products recovery and valorisation.
Minimisation of water consumption: optimisation and design of new productive processes, generation
of new water resources, water reuse.
Alternative energy generation: energy production from wastewater, energy savings for water recovery.
Emergent contaminants detection and quantification: dyes, drugs, nanoparticles,...
Waste minimisation and waste valorisation: optimisation and design of new productive processes,
high-added value products isolation and valorisation.
Energy from biomass residues and wastes: feasibility analysis of biomass supply (extracting forest
biomass, biomass residues, energy crops, microalgae, sewage sludge, natural drying studies,
transportation); physical, chemical and energy valorisation of biomass (feasibility analysis:
pelleting/briquetting/chipping, combustion, gasification and pyrolysis technologies, CHP, power
generation, composting biological treatments, anaerobic digestion).
Air Quality – ODOURS: indoor and outdoor COV’s and odours studies. Chemical and sensor methods,
photocatalytic treatment of contaminated atmospheres.
Pilot plants design and construction
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): environmental assessment of a particular product or process,
development of specific methodologies for industrial sectors (tailored assessments).
Ecoproducts and Ecoprocesses
Sediment characterization (surface water) and hydrogeological studies
MOST RELEVANT PROJECTS
1. ITACA (Research on Technologies for treatment, reuse and monitoring for future sustainability of water
treatment) INNPRONTA 2011. IPT-20111020.
2. URWASTECH (Innovative Urban Waste Treatment: a sustainable approach using hydrodynamic and
biological technologies) – European Project: LIFE+ 2010. 11-I-004 LIFE+.
3. ELVISUSTECH (End Life Vehicles: Innovative and Sustainable Technology for Achieving European
Directive Targets) – European Project: LIFE+ 2009. 10-I-017 LIFE+.
4. SENSOSEP (New technologies in sensors and ejectors to improve the solid waste separation) - Regional
Project: NUCLI ACC1O 2009, RD09-1-0046.
5. REPHATER (Electrochemical water treatment pilot plant in the dairy industry with phosphate recovery).
European Project: CIP-EIP-Eco-Innovation-2008, 238976.
6. ECOMETRE (Ecological Metal Recovery). European Project: CIP-EIP-Eco-Innovation-2008, 239037.
7. SEILA: New Technologies for an efficient, ecologic and intelligent washing system for the future textiles,
CENIT 2009. CEN20091005.
8. Viability study of the reuse of water coming from WWTP in the Vallès Occidental region for industrial
uses. Regional Project: AGAUR 2008. Ref: 2008ACOM00006.
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