Thesis supervisor: Judit Knisz
Location of studies (in Hungarian): Katonai Műszaki Doktori Iskola Abbreviation of location of studies: DSME
Description of the research topic:
Formulation of the research topic*
Microorganisms are present all over the Earth and can survive in the most extreme conditions. They are involved in the flow of matter and energy, play a key role in the breakdown of organic materials through their degradation processes and recycle nutrients. They can colonize our built environment as well as our natural environment, either deliberately, e.g., in wastewater treatment plants, or accidentally, e.g., in drinking water systems.
Their biodegradation potential can be exploited in wastewater treatment systems (WWTS), in which they can degrade or transform organic substances, including contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). As analytical methods evolve, more and more compounds are being detected in the environment and many of them have potentially harmful effects on aquatic ecosystems or human health; thus, it is of utmost important to understand how they are released into the environment and how their release can be prevented or reduced. WWTS effluents are the main point sources of CEC; study of on-site WWTS serving a few inhabitants makes it easier to identify factors influencing CECs biodegradation, unlike centralized systems with complex wastewater composition.
Biodeterioration is a major problem in many sectors, e.g., food industry, healthcare, oil and gas industry. The corrosive action of microbes (microbiologically influenced corrosion, MIC) causes millions of dollars of damage to the industrial sector, e.g., in oil pipelines or cooling water systems of power plants where they can damage the infrastructure and the environment by causing corrosion. Although we know more and more about microbes involved in deterioration processes, there are still many questions unanswered. The information is scarce about detection, monitoring and mitigation of MIC in many industries, and very often the impact of MICs is underestimated. Furthermore, laboratory and industrial studies are not consistent, it is very difficult to model the industrial environment in the laboratory, which makes it difficult to accurately map MIC processes and clarify the exact role microorganisms play in the biofilm.
Required language skills: magyar Number of students who can be accepted: 4
Deadline for application: 2024-03-31
2024. IV. 17. ODT ülés Az ODT következő ülésére 2024. június 14-én, pénteken 10.00 órakor kerül sor a Semmelweis Egyetem Szenátusi termében (Bp. Üllői út 26. I. emelet).
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