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UCT PragueFETDWTEE Department People Ing. Vojtěch Kouba, Ph.D.

Ing. Vojtěch Kouba, Ph.D.

14. 7. 2025 Lucie Pokorná
 
 
 

NOW HIRING STUDENTS! RESEARCH PROJECTS WITH REAL IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT!
We offer students generously paid cooperation (scholarships, DPP, tenure) in a friendly work environment, modern laboratories, and in the field. Involves collaboration with top Czech companies. Also, suitable for undergrads of all levels. For more information on topics such as SVK, bachelor's or diploma theses, write to: koubav@vscht.cz 

Running projects:

My main topics are resource recovery, incl. water and specific substances from wastewater (ladderane lipids, N2O), elimination of micropollutants, viruses, and antimicrobial resistance in water, as well as wastewater and environmental epidemiology. In addition, I have long been dedicated to innovative technologies for removing nitrogen from wastewater (primarily the Anammox process), the implementation of which increases the energy and economic sustainability of the sewage treatment industry.

I completed my master's degree in water technology in 2014 and my doctoral degree in 2020. During my doctoral studies, I completed an internship at TU Delft in the groups of prof. van Loosdrecht and Assoc. Prof. by David Weissbrodt (2018).

Write me on koubav@vscht.cz

Finished projects:

  • GAČR Ladderosome - 20-13766S – Unikátní ladderánové fosfolipidy v bakteriích anammox: potenciální cenný produkt z odpadních vod 2020–2022
  • TAČR Microgenel – Vývoj technologie pro eliminaci vnosu mikropolutantů a genů rezistence na antibiotika do životního prostředí a lidského organismu 2018–2020
  • GAČR 17-25781S – Fyziologická reakce mikroorganismů anammox na studené šoky 2017–2019
  • TAČR TA04020951 – Biologická produkce metanolu z odpadního methanu 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

Another area of interests:

  • 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

Education

  • 2014 – 2020: PhD studies — UCT Prague (VŠCHT Praha), Faculty of Environmental Protection Technology (FTOP) — Institute of Water and Environmental Technology
  • 2012 – 2014: Master's studies — UCT Prague (VŠCHT Praha), FTOP — Master's thesis: “Application of the ANAMMOX Process for Treating Anaerobically Pre-treated Domestic Wastewater” (with distinction)
  • 2009 – 2012: Bachelor's studies — UCT Prague (VŠCHT Praha), FTOP — Bachelor's thesis: “Selective Inhibition of Nitrification in Biofilm-Based Nitritation Reactors”

Publications

  • Podzimek, T., Císařová, T., Dvořák, M., Vokatá, B., Karmann, C., Hanuš, J., Balouch, M., Malý, M., Hajšlová, J., Kouba, V., Bartáček, J., Štěpánek, F. and Lipovová, P.  2025.  Isolation of anammoxosomes from the aggregate culture of Ca. Brocadia sapporoensis and assembly of ladderane liposomes. Biotechnology and Bioengineering accepted.
  • Karmann, C., Navratilova, K., Behner, A., Noor, T., Danner, S., Majchrzak, A., Šantrůček, J., Podzimek, T., Lopez Marin, M.A., Hajšlová, J., Bartáček, J., Lipovová, P. and Kouba, V.  2025.  Mechanisms of Anammox Adaptation to High Temperatures: Increased Cyclization of Ladderane Lipids and Proteomic Insights. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering accepted.
  • Karmann, C., Čadková, D., Behner, A., Šantrůček, J., Podzimek, T., Cenjar, P., Lopez Marin, M.A., Hajšlová, J., Lipovová, P., Bartáček, J. and Kouba, V.  2024.  Outstanding enrichment of ladderane lipids in anammox bacteria: overlooked effect of pH. Journal of Environmental Management accepted.
  • 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., Bartáček, J. 2019. Úsporné odstraňování dusíku procesem anammox z kalových a splaškových odpadních vod. ENTECHO. 
  • Kouba V., Benáková A., Vejmelková D., Jeníček, P., Bartáček, J. 2019. Někdo to rád horké: Vliv teploty na výkonnost anammox kultur s různou teplotní historií. Vodní Hospodářství, (přijato/2019).
  • Kouba V., Cao Thanh H.N., Plutová B., Paulů A., Šátková B., Vejmelková D., Dolejš P., Hejnic, J., Jeníček, P., Bartáček, J. 2019. Nitritace v hlavním proudu splaškové odpadní vody po anaerobním předčištění: poloprovozní zkušenosti . Vodní Hospodářství, (vh2/2019).
  • Kouba, V., Dolejš, P., Švehla, P., Čejka, J., Vodička, O., Benáková, A., Máca, J., Jeníček, P. and Bartáček, J. (2018) Jak ušetřit na odstraňování dusíku na ČOV: 10 let zahraničních zkušeností s procesem anammox. SOVAK (5), 14-21.
  • Kouba, V., Proksová, E., Vejmelková, D., Chovancová, L., Hejnic, J., Jeníček, P., Bartáček, J. 2018. Rychlé zapracování nitritačního reaktoru upravujícího splaškovou odpadní vodu po psychrofilním anaerobním předčištění. Vodní Hospodářství, (vh1/2018).
  • 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
  • Kouba, V., Proksová, E., Vejmelková, D., Hejnic, J., Dolejš, P., Jeníček, P., Bartáček, J. 2017. Nitritace v hlavním proudu splaškové odpadní vody po psychrofilním anaerobním předčištění: dlouhodobá inhibice NOB při 12 °C. Vodní Hospodářství (vh3/2017), 4-7.
  • Kouba, V., Proksová, E., Vejmelková, D., Hejnic, J., Dolejš, P., Jeníček, P., Bartáček, J. 2017. Selektivní inhibice nitratačních bakterií sulfidy v anaerobně předčištěné splaškové odpadní vodě. Vodní Hospodářství (vh5/2017), 13-16.
  • 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., Hejnic, J., Widiayuningrum, P., Bartacek, J. 2015c. Aplikace nitritace a Anammox na anaerobně předčištěnou splaškovou odpadní vodu. Vodní Hospodářství, 17-20. 
  • ​​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