R01 / Removing pollutants from water and air

Environmental Remediation

We investigate materials for removing or transforming pollutants in liquid and gas phases. Photocatalysis, piezo-photocatalysis, photo-Fenton chemistry, and adsorption provide complementary approaches, connecting material composition, structural defects, and interfaces with environmental treatment performance.

People in this direction

Muhamad Diki PermanaSenior Researcher Dina DwiyantiLab Administrator Eko Prabowo HadisantosoDoctoral student Bibah Aksari NingsihDoctoral student Restina BemisDoctoral student YulianaDoctoral student Faradisa Amalia WahyudiMaster’s student Natasyah AprilianiMaster’s student

The questions behind the materials.

Persistent pollutants in water and air motivate the development of materials that can promote their removal or transformation. This direction brings together photocatalysis, piezocatalysis, piezo-photocatalysis, photo-Fenton chemistry, and adsorption around a shared environmental objective.

Our work includes TiO₂, ZnO, silica-supported composites, zinc silicates, and iron-containing systems. Through plant-assisted preparation, phase control, defect engineering, and composite formation, we investigate how composition, structure, and interfaces influence pollutant interactions and catalytic behaviour.

Published studies address pharmaceutical compounds including paracetamol and metformin, alongside model dyes and surfactants. Ongoing interests extend to gas-phase pollutant treatment and the coupling of mechanical stimulation with light. The material systems and operating conditions are defined for each project.

We distinguish adsorption from chemical transformation, and compare light irradiation, mechanical stimulation, and combined conditions where relevant. The aim is to connect material characteristics with measurable treatment performance and to understand the processes responsible for an observed improvement. Selective uptake and molecular discrimination are also explored under Selective Adsorption & Separation.

Research question

How do material structure, surface chemistry, and activation conditions govern pollutant removal and transformation?

Our objective: Relate material composition, phases, defects, and interfaces to treatment performance. Compare photocatalytic, piezocatalytic, and combined operation where relevant. Distinguish adsorption from pollutant transformation.