BUDAPEST UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMICS

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY

H-1111 Budapest, Szt. Gellért sq. 4.

 

Project Co-Director: Dr. Katalin Gruiz

Tel/Fax: 463-2347/ 463-2598

E-mail: gruiz.mkt@chem.bme.hu

Short description of the Department of Agricultural Chemical Technology

The BUTE, as one of the largest Hungarian higher education institutions regards its mission the differentiated, multilevel, wide based quality education, research and development.

The Department of Agricultural Chemical Technology belongs to the Faculty of Chemical Engineering, and has been involved in the research and teaching for 25 years in the field of biotechnology, environmental biotechnology and microbiology. The Department plays main role in the education of bioengineers, chemical engineers, environmental engineers and medical-biological engineers at graduate and postgraduate levels.

The research of the Department refers to several domains of bioengineering and biotechnology as well as environmental engineering such as:

A microbial cell type culture collection is maintained at the Department. Innovative technologies connected to waste water treatment, hazardous waste treatment, soil and sediment remediation have been developed. Pilot scale experiments are carried out in the Environmental Innovation Laboratory and the Biotechnological and Fermentation Pilot Hall of the Department.

Short decsription of the group, which participates in the project:

Focal point of the ongoing research is the design of remediation technologies and the intensification of bioremediation by increasing the bioavailability of organic compounds and the activity of the microorganisms. Application of CDs in bioremediation is one of the technologies of great promise. Basic and applied research is performed in cooperation with CYCLOLAB on the effect of CDs on remediation of contaminated soil

On the other hand the group deals with the establishment of scientific basis of ecological and human risk assessment and give guidance for decision making.

The group organises international courses for students and researchers, and participates in international research projects. In the last 5 years environmental assessment of 12 contaminated sites has been carried out with risk assessment and risk characterisation. Our aim is to establish the scientific basis of ecological and human risk assessment and give guidance for decision making. Basic and applied research is going on on the field of soil remediation and ecotoxicological testing of soil and sediment.

Bioremediation is considered as a technology of basic importance in contaminated soil treatment. Decision support system for the selection of bioremediation technologies is searched, included aspect of economics and ecology. Criteria for “humbled” soil remediation (environmentally and ecologally acceptable) is to be established.

International and Hungarian projects:

OMFB-PHARE - TDQM - Eco-Chem Risk, No. 1111

PHARE 101 Ecological risk assessment of micropollutants in the Danube sediment

University of Bologna - Soil bioremediation, risk assessment of contaminants

Water Quality Institute, Horsholm, Denmark – Risk assessment of Danube sediment

University of Zürich – Bioremediation of contaminated soil: research and summer courses

NATO Sfp-973720 A new bioremediation technology for contam. military sites: pilot and field application

OMFB-Biotechnologia 2000- Terra Humana BIO-00096/2000

OMFB-Biotechnologia 2000 – Methods to monitor bioremediation processes BIO-00066/2000

HPCFCT-1999-00159: EU5-Improving of Human Potential Programme, High Level Scientific Conference

Studies and research reports:

Microbial upgrading of waste water treatment I.-II., 1987

Investigation of the microflora of tannery waste-water containing heavy-metals, 1988

Technology for biological treatment of waste-waters with high fat-content, 1989

Biotechnologies for upgrading waste water and sludge treatment I.-II., 1989 - 1990

Biological treatment of soils contaminated with oil, 1990

Heavy-metal contam. in Toka-valley: identificaton of main sources, recultivation of soils and surface waters, 1991

New ecotoxicological test methods of soil and sediment, containing heavy-metal, 1993

Decontamination of wastes containing chlorinated hydrocarbon, 1993

Bioremediation of contaminated soil, 1993

Biotechnologies for in situ soil treatment at the Tatabánya Mines I-II., 1992 - 1993

Risk assessment of the World EXPO site, Hungary, Budapest, 1994

Environmental survey of galvanisation plant in Csepel, 1994

Assessment, pilot experiments and a remediation plan of a site contamin. with transformer oil in Hejôcsaba, 1995

Ecotox. and microbiol. investigation of an industr. waste disposal site in Csepel, Hungary, Budapest, 1995

Assessment, pilot tests and remediation plan of a site contaminated by breaking of a heating oil pipe, 1995

Ecol. risk assessm. of pollution by heavy metals and org. micro-pollutants in the Danube area, EU Project, 1996-97

ECO-CHEM RISK; Risk assessment on Danube sediment, a PHARE Project, 1996-97

Soil remediation - Course Lecture, Bologna, Italy, 1998

Environmental Risk Assessment - Course Lecture, Bologna, Italy, 1998

Survey on a waste disposal site in Budapest, Hungary, 1998

Risk Assessment of the tailing dump of a former uranium mine, 1998

Bioremediation of soil contaminated with coal-tar oil, 1998-99

Contaminated land policy and risk management – Course lecture, Ravenna, Italy, 1999

New cyclodextrin biotechnology for the remediation of contaminated soil, 1998-99

Bioleaching type technology for soil contaminated with heavy metals, 1998-99

Integrated monitoring system for a catchment area at Gyöngyösoroszi, 1999