Thesis topic:
Characterization and coagulation of pollutants in drinking water treatment
Motivation
Natural organic matter (NOM) is commonly present in surface water reservoirs. However, with regard to drinking water, NOM content is undesirable because of its negative impact on organoleptic properties of water and more importantly due to its health effect associated to the formation of DBPs (disinfection by-products). A large proportion of NOM often consists of algal organic matter – AOM, which is associated to the proliferation of algal blooms. Another current problem is the presence of anthropogenic micropollutants in water.
Solution
Coagulation/flocculation followed by separation of suspension is an essential step in drinking water treatment. However, the efficacy of the process depends on a range of factors, including the character of pollutants. The aim of the work is to enhance coagulation efficiency of selected polluting agents and their mixtures and to describe the relationships between the coagulation behaviour and the properties of interacting compounds.
Education
- 2012 – 2015: Charles University in Prague, Master’s in Ecology and Environmental Protection, Master’s thesis: Interactions between proteins and humic substances
during coagulation - 2013: Aarhus University, Denmark, Semester Exchange Program in Agroenvironmental Management
- 2009 – 2012: Charles University in Prague, Bachelor’s in Ecology and Environmental Protection
- 2001 – 2009: Grammar School of Jiří Orten, Kutná Hora
Participation on teaching
Publications
- Novotna, K., Cermakova, L., Pivokonska, L., Cajthaml, T., Pivokonsky, M., 2019. Microplastics in drinking water treatment – Current knowledge and research needs. Science of the Total Environment 667, 730-740.
- Pivokonsky, M., Cermakova, L., Novotna, K., Peer, P., Cajthaml, T., Janda, V., 2018. Occurrence of microplastics in raw and treated drinking water. Science of The Total Environment 643, 1644-1651.
- Baresova, M., Pivokonsky, M., Novotna, K., Naceradska, J., Branyik, T., 2017. An application of cellular organic matter to coagulation of cyanobacterial cells (Merismopedia tenuissima). Water Research 122, 70–77.
- Novotná, K., Barešová, M., Čermáková, L., Načeradská, J., Pivokonský, M., 2016. Effect of cyanobacterial peptides and proteins on coagulation of kaolinite. European Journal of Environmental Sciences 6(2), 83–89.
- Pivokonsky, M., Naceradska, J., Brabenec, T., Novotna, K., Baresova, M., Janda, V., 2015. The impact of interactions between algal organic matter and humic substances on coagulation. Water Research 84, 278-285.