Ing. Vojtěch Kouba, Ph.D.

Finished projects:

• GAČR Ladderosome - 20-13766S – Unique ladderane phospholipids in anammox bacteria: potential valuable product from wastewater 2020–2022
• TAČR Microgenel – Elimination of micropollutants and antibiotic resistence genes from the environment and human health 2018–2020
• GAČR 17-25781S – Physiological reaction of anammox bacteria to cold shocks 2017–2019
• TAČR TA04020951 – Biological production of methanol from waste methane 2015–2017

Awards

• 2022 - 1st prize for best scientific oral presentation at conference "Odpadové vody 2022" in Slovakia
• 2020 - Laureate of French Embassy Award for excellent research on climate protection “MOPGA 2020”, 1st place
• 2019 - 1st prize for the best poster presentation at conference 11th Eastern European Young Water Professionals Conference 2019; 3rd prize for the best poster presentation at conference VODA 2019 Poděbrady
• 2018 - 1st prize for the best scientific oral presentation at conference "Odpadové vody 2018" in Slovakia
• 2016 - 1st prize for best scientific oral presentation at conference "Odpadové vody 2016" in Slovakia
• 2015 - 1st prize for best poster presentation at international conference 12th IWA Specialized Conference on Design, Operation, and Economics of Large Wastewater Treatment Plants. Prague, Czech Republic
• 2014 - 2nd prize for best oral scientific presentation at conference "Odpadové vody 2014" in Slovakia; Laureate of the Unipetrol Prize for the best MSc thesis in the field providing benefits to the industry

Other areas of interest:

• I lead MSc and BSc theses, let me know if interested or if you just want to take part in exciting research topics
• Robotic Spectro analyzer Gallery with ECM module – if you want to use it, let me know, I will gladly teach you
• Ongoing collaborations with industry
• Introductory session to new Ph.D. students
• Support of publishing at the department – regular Writing Sessions, feedback on manuscripts to impacted journals
• Since 2021 - Member of the senate of Faculty of Environmental Engineering
• Since 2022 - Vice-chairman of the senate of Faculty of Environmental Engineering

Publications:

Articles:

• Ojobe, B., Okeowo, I., Rathousky, J., Brabec, L., Maříková, T., Mikysková, E., Kofroňová, J., Vurm, R., Smrčková, Š., Ashtiani, S., Friess, K., Džuman, Z., Kouba, V. and Bartáček, J.  2024.  Efficient degradation of recalcitrant pharmaceuticals in greywater using treatment of MBR and immobilized TiO2 porous layers. ACS ES&T Water accepted.
• Dostálková, A., Zdeňková, K., Bartáčková, J., Čermáková, E., Kapisheva, M., Lopez Marin, M., Kouba, V., Sýkora, P., Chmel, M., Bartoš, O., Dresler, J., Demnerová, K., Rumlová, M. and Bartáček, J. (2024) Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 variants in Prague wastewater determined by nanopore-based sequencing. Chemosphere accepted.
• Ilic, A., Kouba, V., De Vrieze, J., Du Laing, G., Bartáček, J. 2024. Diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) as a robust and reliable technique to measure bioavailable metals in digestates. Environmental Technology & Innovation accepted.
• Karmann, C., Mágrová, A., Jeníček, P., Bartáček, J. and Kouba, V.  2023.  Advances in nitrogen removal and recovery technologies from reject water: economic and environmental perspectives. Bioresour. Technol. accepted
• Bartackova, J., Kouba, V., Dostalkova, A., Čermáková, E., Lopez Marin, M.A., Chmel, M., Milanová, M., Demnerová, K., Rumlová, M., Sýkora, P., Bartáček, J. and Zdeňková, K.  2023.  Monitoring of monkeypox viral DNA in Prague wastewater. Sci. Total Environ. accepted.
• Gajdoš, S., Zuzáková, J., Pacholská, T., Kužel, V., Karpíšek, I., Karmann, C., Šturmová, R., Bindzar, J., Smrčková, Š., Nováková, Z., Srb, M., Šmejkalová, P., Kok, D. and Kouba, V.  2023.  Synergistic removal of pharmaceuticals and antibiotic resistance from ultrafiltered WWTP effluent: free-floating ARGs exceptionally susceptible to degradation. Journal of Environmental Management accepted.
• Kouba, V., Hůrková, K., Navrátilová, K., Vejmelková, D., Benáková, A., Laureni, M., Vodičková, P., Podzimek, T., Lipovová, P., van Niftrik, L., Hajšlová, J., van Loosdrecht, M.C.M., Weissbrodt, D.G. and Bartacek, J.  2022.  On anammox activity at low temperature: effect of ladderane composition and process conditions Chem. Eng. J. accepted.
• Kouba, V., Hurkova, K., Navratilova, K., Vejmelkova, D., Benakova, A., Laureni, M., Vodickova, P., Podzimek, T., Lipovova, P., van Niftrik, L., Hajslova, J., van Loosdrecht, M.C., Weissbrodt, D.G., Bartacek, J. 2022. Effect of temperature on the compositions of ladderane lipids in globally surveyed anammox populations. Science of the total environment, accepted.
• Kouba, V., Bachmannova, C., Podzimek, T., Lipovova, P., van Loosdrecht, M.C. 2022. Physiology of anammox adaptation to low temperatures and promising biomarkers: a review. Bioresour. Technol., Accepted.
• Kouba, V., Vejmelkova, D., Zwolsman, E., Hurkova, K., Navratilova, K., Laureni, M., Vodickova, P., Podzimek, T., Hajslova, J., Pabst, M., van Loosdrecht, M.C.M., Bartacek, J., Lipovova, P. and Weissbrodt, D.G.  2021.  Adaptation of anammox bacteria to low temperature via gradual acclimation and cold shocks: distinctions in protein expression, membrane composition, and activities. Water Research, accepted.
• Vojtech Kouba, Juan Camilo Gerlein, Andrea Benakova, Marco Antonio Lopez Marin, Eva Rysava, Dana Vejmelkova & Jan Bartacek (2021) Adaptation of flocculent anammox culture to low temperature by cold shock: long-term response of the microbial population, Environmental Technology, DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2021.1950842
• Kouba, V., Svehla, P., Catrysse, M., Prochazkova, L., Hrncirova, H., Jenicek, P., Bartacek, J. 2017. How biomass growth mode affects ammonium oxidation start-up and NOB inhibition in partial nitritation of cold and diluted reject water. Environ Technol, ahead of print.
• Kouba, V.; Darmal, R.; Vejmelkova, D.; Jenicek, P.; Bartacek, J., Cold shocks of anammox biofilm stimulate nitrogen removal at low temperatures Biotechnol Prog 2017, ahead of print.
• Kouba, V., Proksova E., Wiesinger H., Vejmelkova D., Bartacek, J. 2017. Good servant, bad master: Sulfide influence on partial nitritation of sewage. Water Sci Technol, 76(5). doi: 10.2166/wst.2017.490
• Kouba, V., Vejmelkova D., Proksova E., Wiesinger H., Concha M., Dolejs P., Hejnic J., Jenicek P., Bartacek, J. 2017. High-rate partial nitritation of municipal wastewater after psychrophilic anaerobic pre-treatment. Environ Sci Technol, ahead of print. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.7b02078
• Hejnic Jakub, Dolejs Petr, Kouba Vojtech, Prudilova Andrea, Widiayuningrum Patria and Bartacek Jan. Comparing Anaerobic Treatment of Sewage at 15 °C Using UASB Reactor and Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor. Environmental Engineering Science. Volume 33, Number 11, doi: 10.1089/ees.2016.0163, ahead of print.
• Kouba, V., Widiayuningrum, P., Chovancova, L., Jenicek, P., Bartacek, J. 2016b. Applicability of one-stage partial nitritation and anammox in MBBR for anaerobically pre-treated municipal wastewater. J Ind Microbiol Biot, 43(7), 965-975. doi: 10.1007/s10295-016-1766-2
• ​Kouba, V., Catrysse, M., Stryjova, H., Jonatova, I., Volcke, E.I.P., Svehla, P., Bartacek, J. 2014a. The impact of influent total ammonium nitrogen concentration on nitrite-oxidizing bacteria inhibition in moving bed biofilm reactor. Water Sci Technol, 69(6), 1227-33. doi: 10.2166/wst.2013.757