Studies related to environmental science are mostly interdisciplinary and combine aspects of many fields of science including chemistry, physics, biology and many others. It follows from the complex issues taking place in the environment, demanding a comprehensive solutions.  

In this field, several research groups in Gdańsk University of Technology (Gdańsk Tech) are focused on: 

  • analysis of types and magnitude of negative influence of human activities (including the industry) on each element of the environment (air, water, soil, noise, vibrations, electric field etc.). 
  • understanding of phenomena taking place in the environment 
  • assessment of cumulative impacts 
  • environmental impact assessment of anthropological activities (including advanced modelling and prediction of the magnitude of the impacts in local and transgenic scale) 
  • identification and monitoring of chemical compounds introduced into the environment as well as their environmental fate, pollution control. In situ measurements in places of waste gases and effluent discharge into the environment. Development of new analytical chemistry methods based on modern analytical techniques (gas chromatography - GC, high performance and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography – HPLC and UPLC, mass spectrometry – MS, inductively couple plasma mass spectrometry ICP-MS, multidimensional separation techniques like GCxGC and LCxLC as well as hyphenated techniques). Studies on passive sampling devices. New developments in automatic analyzers and systems for on-line monitoring – such as electronic nose systems 
  • assessment of exposure on toxic compounds in human leaving environment – indoor air quality issues, emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from toys and other accessories 
  • minimization of the negative environmental impacts of human activity- wastewater treatment technologies (biological treatment processes, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) – ozonation, catalytic and photocatalytic processes, application of persulfates, peroxone based processes, cavitation based AOPs), waste gases abatement (adsorption – including studies on new types of adsorbents like pristine and modified carbon nanotubes, asphalthenes, absorption – including studies on new types of absorbents like ionic liquids(ILs) and Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs), catalytic treatment), treatment of polluted soil (by microorganism – including bacteria and yeast, as well as plants), waste management and valorization (waste biomass bio- or chemical conversion to useful chemicals or energy carriers; new processes for utilization of electronic wastes, including batteries as source of metals) 
  • green chemistry idea (green solvents like DESs; green analytical chemistry – new procedures aimed to minimize use of chemicals, including organic solvents; miniaturization – lab on chip approach, microextraction techniques; protocols for evaluation of greenness of techniques, methods and processes; utilization of environmentally friendly chemicals in industrial processes) 
  • renewable energy sources (clean energy, photovoltaics, application of bioprocesses for production of energy carriers like biogas, biohydrogen) 

Research groups in Gdańsk Tech - active in the field of environmental sciences - are publishing in top (highest rank worldwide) JCR journals like: Journal of Hazardous Materials, Chemical Engineering Journal, Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, Green Chemistry, Journal of Cleaner Production, Science of Total Environment, Chemosphere, Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, Water Resources and Industry, Analytical Chemistry, Journal of Molecular Liquids, Journal of Chromatography A. 

Keywords: wastewater treatment, waste gases treatment, environmental monitoring, waste management, pollutants, sustainable development, advanced oxidation processes.