Development, mathematical modelling, simulation, optimization and control of biochemical processes and combined technologies integrating physicochemical and biological processes for the treatment of municipal and industrial wastewaters and solid wastes. The research interests are focused on the development of innovative or improved environmental technologies for the management of liquid and solid wastes based on the fundamental understanding and modeling of the key mechanisms of the prevailing processes, on the simulation and optimization of their performance.

Tertiary Wastewater Treatment

The removal of nutrient compounds, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, from municipal wastewaters has become mandatory in the recent years, as the consequences resulting from their disposal on receiving waters have been documented. The emphasis on the specific research field is on delineating the key mechanisms of the processes (nitrification, denitrification, enhanced biological phosphorus removal) through which microbial populations bring about the desired removal of these pollutants, development of appropriate kinetic models and optimization of wastewater treatment processes (Bardenpho, A2/O, SBRs, etc), that are used for municipal tertiary wastewater treatment.

Oxidation and Biodegradation of Xenobiotic

Many constituents contained in municipal and mainly in industrial wastewaters may not be biodegraded by standard processes such as the activated sludge process. Moreover, they may influence significantly the process microbiology, and in many cases they could pass through the process either unconverted, or metabolised to other compounds that could be persistent and/or toxic in the environment. We focus our attention on examining the possibility of using a suitable combination of advanced chemical oxidation processes (e.g. ozonation, photooxidation etc.) and appropriate biological processes (aerobic and/or anaerobic) for the complete removal of these constituents. Our research has been focused on the complete conversion of specific chemicals such as azo-dyes, pharmaceuticals (e.g. antibiotics) and personal care products etc.

Solid Waste Treatment and Management

In the development of integrated management of municipal solid wastes special emphasis is given on the application of biological processes for the recycling/exploitation of the organic fraction of municipal solid wastes and on recovery/utilization of its calorific potential. Our emphasis has been on the use of aerobic composting for stabilization/recycling and anaerobic digestion for biogas production from solid wastes. Also, we are working on using modern environmental tools and techniques such as Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA) and Geographical Information Systems (G.I.S.) coupled with optimisation methods for developing schemes for the optimal integrated management of municipal solid wastes.

Other Research Activities

Other activities include: (a) development of a Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) for the treatment of ship wastewaters, (b) detoxification of olive-mill wastewaters through the use of white-rot fungi, (c) development of a process for treating motor-oil regeneration wastewaters.