Practical trainings, student assistants and theses

Emerging pollutants, such as pharmaceuticals and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pose significant environmental and health risks due to their persistence and bioaccumulation. Conventional treatment methods often fail to effectively remove these contaminants from water systems. This master’s thesis focuses on an advanced hybrid approach combining bioflotation with hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) to enhance pollutant removal efficiency. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of this method in degrading or separating pharmaceuticals and PFAS from contaminated water and optimizing process parameters.
Tasks:

• Selection of suitable bioflotation agents and hydrodynamic cavitation parameters for pollutant removal
• Characterization of treated water samples using analytical techniques such as HPLC and TOC analyser
• Optimization of bioflotation and cavitation conditions to enhance removal efficiency

• Field of study: Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or related field
• Experience in organic chemistry, knowledge of the techniques to synthesize compounds and to characterize them; experience in coordination chemistry, biochemistry and/or technical chemistry is advantageous
• Good oral and written communication skills in English or German
• Ability to work independently and systematically

• Working in a multi-disciplinary team
• Working place HZDR: Location Dresden and Freiberg (HIF)
• Start date: Either an immediate start or a start in Spring 2025 is possible
• Duration of the internship or thesis according to the study regulations, but at least 4 months
• Remuneration according to HZDR internal regulations, scholarship holders (e.g., ERASMUS+) are welcome

As an important element in batteries, lithium is a critical material for the future energy transition. Derivatives of the alkaloid punicine have been developed with various organic residues to specifically interact with elements such as lithium, or lithium-containing minerals, as surfactants for the upgrading of battery recycling products via flotation separation. Punicine, as a head group, represents a zwitterionic, switchable biomolecule (biosurfactant), in terms of charge via pH and in terms of radical state via UV irradiation potentially influencing its specific interaction with chemical groups or ions. This could be an important factor in ion flotation, which is used to separate ions from battery wastewater. The aim of the project is to investigate this aspect, with a focus on the specific interactions of punicine with lithium ions under the influence of irradiation. Along with ion flotation as the separation method, fundamental investigations such as calorimetry and FTIR will be employed.
We are looking for a motivated student who enjoys working with analytical methods and is eager to explore complex interrelationships.

• Student in, for example, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, etc.
• Interest in analytical methods
• First experience in the lab and working with analytical methods (FTIR, Calorimetry, etc.)

• Start date from April 2025 onwards
• Duration of the internship or thesis according to the study regulations, but at least 4 months
• Compensation possible, scholarship holders (e.g., ERASMUS+) are welcome