The university's activities for Sustainable Development and Goal 6 presented in the reports for 2021-2022 and 2020-2021 "Lodz University of Technology on the path of sustainable development".
The Department of Molecular Engineering conducts research on self-purification of water during photochemical processes in sunlight. The photosensitised oxidation process in a heterogeneous system can compete with the photocatalytic oxidation process so commonly used.
The application of plasma catalytic nanomaterials and the use of plasmas to remove chemical and biological pollutants have a positive impact on sustainable development policies, including environmental protection.
Furthermore, the work on radiationinitiated catalytic disinfection processes, especially of wastewater containing antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes, fits perfectly into the EU-wide policy on pharmaceuticals and on reducing the spread of antibiotic resistance. The results of the study confirmed the possibility of natural solar application to remove xenobiotics, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic-resistant genes from the aquatic Ensure availability and environment.
Researchers from the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environmental Engineering and specialists from the Group Sewage Treatment Plant in Lodz are developing a monitoring, early warning and sustainable management system for sewage treatment plants that minimises emissions of pollutants into the aquatic environment.
The system will use data from the city's existing storm overflow metering and rain gauges. It will forecast the flow, concentrations and pollutant loads at the inlet to the treatment plant, allowing early warning of toxic inputs and hydraulic overloading during periods of rainfall.
The system created will allow optimal control of the treatment processes and, as a result, sustainable management of the plant.
In the educational offer of TUL there are many majors and specializations educating future engineers who are aware of the challenges connected with water management issues, depleting water resources and the need for taking action.
These include environmental engineering, chemical and biochemical engineering, architecture, construction, networks and installations in environmental engineering.
The textile industry is firmly rooted in the history of Lodz, and the ubiquitous post-industrial architecture does not allow us to forget textiles as the driving force that created and shaped this city. Like any industrial activity, textiles have a negative impact on the environment. The greatest burden on it is the enormous amount of water used and the emission of wastewater, which has a noticeable impact on the local environment. The conservation of water resources is one of the key sustainability goals that can be realised through recycling. Currently, one of the most promising methods that has implementation potential is the ozonation of wastewater in the presence of a catalyst. This research topic is being tackled by a team of scientists from the Faculty of Process and Environmental Engineering. The most important stage of the project is the generation of the catalyst. Cold plasma comes to the aid of the research, which has produced special thin-film catalysts applied to a solid substrate with an elaborate geometry. Their effectiveness has already been confirmed. The research is geared towards the development of a ready-to-implement technology showing potential for commercialisation. For the research purposes of the project, a special reactor has been developed to enable the practical application of the catalyst, including on an industrial scale. The developed technology will be submitted for patenting. For more information.
TUL's educational offer includes a number of fields of study and specialisations, educating future engineers aware of the challenges of water management, depleting water resources and the need for action.
These include:
- Environmental Engineering,
- Chemical and Biochemical Engineering,
- Architecture,
- Construction,
- Urban Networks and
- Installations in Environmental Engineering.
The Polish Academy of Sciences, 15 universities (including TUL) and the Ministry of Climate and Environment are working together to tackle drought in Poland. Representatives of these institutions signed a letter of intent to cooperate for an in-depth analysis of drought prevention measures in the country. The signing of the letter of intent also marked the inauguration of the susza.gov.pl platform, which covers the issue of drought in the country in a consolidated manner in terms of the activities of government administration and its subordinate units. The cooperation will consist in the exchange of knowledge and experience and the use of the scientific and didactic potential of the scientific community. An important element of this will be working on modern and innovative solutions and technologies to reduce the effects of drought and the scarcity of water resources in the country.
The 6th edition of the Stormwater Poland conference took place in September 2022, under the motto: It's time for rainwater! The Scientific Committee of the Conference included a representative of the TUL's Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environmental Engineering. The conference included 4 thematically diverse sessions. The first concerned specific rainwater projects and increasing rainwater retention in Upper Silesian and Zagłębie cities. The second block of the conference addressed the issue of the impact of the quality of rainwater or snowmelt runoff on receiving waters. The third session discussed the status and prospects of smart rainwater infrastructure. Attention was drawn to the recently announced 'Hydrostrateg' programme by the National Centre for Research and Development, highlighting that this is the first such fund dedicated to water in Poland and a huge development opportunity. The final session focused on the maintenance of drainage and retention systems, including good practices and technical solutions to protect drainage infrastructure from devastation and premature decapitalisation. The conference highlighted how great a challenge the increasing water shortages in our country are and that without innovation and without taking care of rainwater, we will not be able to ensure a better future for the next generations.
Freshwater scarcity is a global problem. An increase in demand for water and, at the same time, a deterioration in its quality results from the intensive development of agriculture and industry. Poland is a country particularly threatened by water scarcity; therefore, in addition to the rational use of water resources, constant control of surface water quality is also necessary. As part of a project carried out by the TUL's Faculty of Chemistry, systematic monitoring of surface water in the Lodz region has made it possible to identify the main sources of pollution and to determine the dynamics of changes in the composition of water in temporal and spatial terms in selected rivers. The results of these studies can be used by local authorities and other entities responsible for developing environmental protection and water management plans in the Lodz voivodeship. The analyses conducted should contribute to an improvement in the condition of surface waters, and thus the quality of life of the region's inhabitants.