Env. Chemistry & Microbiology (Section) includes following Groups & Topics:

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Chemistry (About the Group): 
- Fate and effects of chemicals (About the Topic)

- Hazardous materials and complex mixtures (About the Topic)

- Predictive risk assessment tools (About the Topic)

- Prevention of adverse effects in the environment (About the Topic)

Environmental Analytical Chemistry (About the Group): 
- Chemical and physical analytical tools

- Identification

- Quantification and characterisation

- Surface charge and size distribution 

Microbial Ecology (About the Group):  
- Microbial occurrences (About the Topic)

- Processes and interactions (About the Topic)

- Biodegradation of unwanted substances (About the Topic)

- Pathogens (About the Topic)

Nanotechnology & Risk (About the Group): 
- Environmental risks of engineered nanomaterials (About the Topic)

- Laboratory experiments

- Fate and effects of Nanomaterials (About the Topic)

 

About the Research Theme

Priority pollutants, xenobiotic organic compounds and organic micro pollutants are examples of names describing a very heterogenic group of pollutants consisting of metals and thousands of organic chemicals that are of rising concern in households, the urban water cycle, handling of contaminated sites, solid waste handling as well as in the environment.

The reason is that some of these compounds cause adverse effects to humans and other living organisms e.g. endocrine disruption, carcinogenicity and mutagenicity. Another man-made material of rising concern is nanomaterials, where the impact on the environment, to a large extent, is unknown.

These compounds: metals, organic micro pollutants and nanomaterials originate from releases to air, soil and water due to industrial production including use of the compounds/materials, from erosion of building materials, traffic emission, pesticide applications, emissions from commodities and goods, use of household chemicals, personal care products and pharmaceuticals, and from waste disposal. The compounds give raise to chemical pollutants in rainfall-runoff, wastewater, surface water, groundwater and soil.

The tSection Environmental Chemistry & Microbiology is dedicated to basic and applied research in two biological topics (ecotoxicology and microbiology) and two chemistry topics (analytical and environmental chemistry).  The overall aim is to gain scientific knowledge that can strongly contribute to both the identification and quantification of environmental problems caused by emissions of metals, organic micro pollutants, and nano-materials from the techno sphere to the environment.

An equally important aim is to evaluate potential actions for prevention of and/or solutions to environmental problems. The activities in the Section are divided into four research groups all contributing to the overall aim.

Theme leader: Associate Professor Stefan Trapp