New technology will purify wastewater from pharmaceuticals

Wastewater from healthcare facilities contains high concentrations of pharmaceutical substances and metabolites that negatively affect the environment and human health. How to remove these hazardous substances from the water? With technology that will minimise the presence of pharmaceuticals in the wastewater and prevent their spread into the environment and direct impact on human health. Karel Havlicek from the Department of Environmental Technology, CXI TUL, talks about the development of a new technology that will help solve the problem of transport of drugs into the environment, not only meet the new EU directives on the limits of these substances in wastewater, but also contribute to the sustainability of life on the planet.

What is this "research" about?

I will be working with colleagues in the department to develop advanced technology for the treatment of wastewater produced by healthcare facilities. These are wastewaters in which significant amounts of pharmaceutical substances and various metabolites are present. The main objective is to remove these hazardous substances, which have a negative impact on ecosystems and human health, and thus prevent them from entering the environment.

What exactly will you be working on in the development?

We want to build and validate a technology based on a combination of traditional and modern water treatment methods that will ensure the effective separation of selected micropollutants (mainly pharmaceuticals) from wastewater produced by hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Simply put: we want to reduce, as far as possible, the concentration of pharmaceuticals present in the wastewater so that they cannot continue to enter the various environmental compartments and, from there, through a number of transport routes into the human body. We do not want to involuntarily 'cure' healthy individuals and increase the resistance of various micro-organisms to previously effective pharmaceutical substances.

Who is working with you? Can you name the key people in the team?

My team must include people who have many years of experience and expertise in the field of wastewater treatment. Ing. Lukáš Dvořák, Ph.D. (Head of the OTŽP Department) and Ing. Tomáš Lederer, Ph.D. are involved in the project mainly by providing very valuable knowledge and expert advice, as well as by coordinating research and development activities. In addition, the project involves researchers and laboratory technicians, without whom it would not have been possible to provide extensive laboratory and pilot work on the project. The team of the OTP is of very high quality and I appreciate the helpful and honest approach.
The project is a joint effort of the Technical University of Liberec (TUL, CXI) and PRO-AQUA CZ. On behalf of the company I have to highlight especially Ing. Libor Novák, who is another researcher in the project and without his long-standing and deep expertise it would not have been possible to solve the project in the planned scope.

How do you plan the course of this project?

The project is divided into three phases. Briefly: first, we will select materials and methods for the preparation of catalysts, analyse contaminants at different wastewater treatment plants, and test different sorbents and biomass supports. This will be followed by various laboratory tests and the development of a functional system for the treatment of wastewater from pharmaceutical substances. In the third phase, pilot tests will be carried out at a selected wastewater treatment plant and the technology will be optimised. This should culminate in the achievement of project outputs (mainly functional technology) that will be ready for real use.

What have you been working on with the team and partners since the project started?

Since the start of the project, the team has worked on the selection of materials and methods for the preparation of catalysts, the analysis of micropollutants at selected WWTPs, the testing of sorbents and the selection of biomass supports. We have created designs for what the complete technology will "look like" and how we will test the different wastewater treatment plants. The project is still in its early days, but I hope that everything is moving in the right direction.

What are your personal research ambitions?

I would really love to develop a technology that will effectively remove pharmaceuticals from wastewater. I and many others are aware of the problem that will arise in the future if the situation regarding the transport of pharmaceuticals into the environment does not improve. The EU is dealing with a new directive that regulates the limits of these substances in waste water, and we need to bring in new technologies that will be able to ensure that these limits are met.
If I do not limit myself to the ELEM project, my research ambitions are clear. I am not "just" a scientist and researcher, I also try to work and help in the commercial (application) sphere. Therefore, all research activities must be directed towards making the results applicable and making a real difference to society and our planet. Research has to make sense, and that's what I stick to!

What is most important to you in your work?

Absolutely the most important thing is the people I work with - colleagues and friends. I realise that I couldn't do it without them. The other important thing is the one mentioned in the previous question (research has to make sense!) and then the willingness to adapt - to people, to the current situation and of course to the needs of society.

I would like to wish everyone here a wonderful summer, a minimum of injuries and many unusual experiences!

Thank you for interview!