Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences

Z7_NQ5E12C0LOF160QDKRNCOGGJA1

Research group

Spanish

Environmental Remediation and Biocatalysis Research Group

Academic Unit: Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences

Colombian Ministry of Science

A1

Call

833 GrupLAC

OECD

Area

Natural sciences

Subarea

Chemical sciences

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Strategic Focus

Our purpose is to develop and apply practical and economical methods based on photochemical, sonochemical, or electrochemical processes to treat chemical and biological pollutants in water. Therefore, researching viability of technologies in a given context, assessing the mechanisms and routes of degradation of pollutants, identifying the by-products of degradation, and assessing the biodegradability and toxicity degree of waters before, during, and after treatment are of particular interest to us.

Research Lines and/or Areas

Biocatalysis.
Environmental Electrochemistry.
Advanced Oxidation Photochemical Processes.
Sonochemistry.
Valorization of Waste.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Group Coordinator

Ricardo Antonio Torres Palma, PhD

PhD in Chemistry.

Université de Savoie, France.

Coordinator's Email

ricardo.torres@udea.edu.co

Research Group Email

grupo.girab@udea.edu.co

Scientific Cooperation

Collaborative Relationships

University of Surrey (England).
École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (Switzerland).
Universidad de Zaragoza (Spain).
Universitat Jaume I (Spain).

Universitat of Valencia (Spain).
Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería (Peru).
Félix-Houphouët-Boigny University of Cocody (Côte d'Ivoire).

Highlighted Projects

Antibiotics and resistant bacteria removal in hospital wastewaters using advanced oxidation technologies.
Development and assessment of an electrochemical system assisted with sunlight for the elimination of emerging pollutants in waters.
Treatment of the hospital wastewaters in Côte d’Ivoire and Colombia by advanced oxidation processes.

Key Research Findings

More than 100 publications in indexed journals in the last ten years, which have over 4000 citations (the highest in Colombia and one of the most outstanding in Latin America concerning water treatment). A patent pending. Transfer of knowledge developed in the Group to England, Côte d’Ivoire, Spain, and Peru.

Services and/or Products Portfolio

Diagnosis and characterization of waters.
Development and assessment of treatment systems to eliminate emerging pollutants.
Treatment of hospital wastewaters.