Prof. Ana Lončarić Božić, Ph.D.

Project leader

Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology

University of Zagreb

Prof. Ana Lončarić Božić is responsible for the administrative, financial and research management of  the project, as well as for the management of research work within. She has ample knowledge and experience in: (i) environmental fate and behavior of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), particularly ecotoxicity, (ii) application and optimization of advanced water treatment technologies, particularly AOPs; (iii) application of advanced analytical tools for water quality characterization; and (iv) aplication of advanced computational tools for optimization and simulation of advanced water treatment systems. Accordingly, in this project she will be involved in: (i) studying the fate and behavior of MPs and other studied CECs used in the project as co-pollutants through sorption, leaching and toxicity tests; (ii) defining of experimental plans and performing of sorption and leaching tests, as well as treatment of MPs alone and MPs with co-pollutants; (iii) qualitative and quantitative analyses of MPs removal/degradation using common and advanced analytical tools; (iv) establishing the degradation pathways of selected CECs; and (v) establishing of ecotoxicity of MPs and CECs toward freshwater bioassays.

Prof. Zlata Hrnjak Murgić, Ph.D.

Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology

University of Zagreb

Prof. Zlata Hrnjak-Murgić has gained her knowledge and experience in: (i) polymer science; polymer chemistry and engineering through synthesis and preparation of polymers and polymer composites by studying structure and properties relationship for preparing new functional materials. Also, she acquired the knowledge related to stability of polymer materials by studying aging and degradation processes inducted by higher temperatures, UV irradiation and atmospheric aging. Acquainted very well with characterization techniques of various polymer materials; and (ii) application of advanced analytical tools for material characterization. Accordingly, she will be involved in: (i) preparation and characterization of MPs samples made from PE, PP and PET; (ii) aging of MPs samples made from PE, PP and PET; (iii) studying the fate and behavior of MPs and other studied CECs used in the project co-pollutants through sorption and leaching tests; and (iv) establishing the degradation pathways of selected MPs.

Assoc. Prof. Hrvoje Kušić, Ph.D.

Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology

University of Zagreb

Hrvoje Kušić has ample knowledge and experience in: (i) environmental fate and behavior of CECs using experimental and computational approaches, (ii) application and optimization of advanced water treatment technologies, particularly AOPs; (iii) application of advanced analytical tools for water quality characterization; (iv) application of advanced computational tools for optimization and simulation of advanced water treatment systems; and (v) modeling aiming at predicting environmental risks organic pollutants. Accordingly, he will be involved in: (i) studying the fate and behavior of MPs and other studied CECs used in the project as co-pollutants by computational approach; (ii) defining of experimental plans and performing of treatment of MPs alone and MPs with co-pollutants; and (iii) qualitative and quantitative analyses of MPs removal/degradation using common and advanced analytical tools.

Assist. Zvonimir Katančić, Ph.D.

Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology

University of Zagreb

Zvonimir Katančić has knowledge and experience in: (i) polymer science and engineering including characterization, structure, morphology, thermal properties and aging of various polymer materials; (ii) application of advanced analytical tools for material characterization; and (iii) application and optimization of advanced oxidation processes for water treatment. Accordingly, he will be involved in: (i) preparation and characterization of MPs samples made from PE, PP and PET; (ii) aging and characterization of MPs samples made from PE, PP and PET; (iii) studying the fate and behavior of MPs and other studied CECs used in the project as co-pollutants through sorption and leaching tests; and (iv) establishing the degradation pathways of selected MPs.

Assist. Prof.  Marin Kovačić, Ph.D.

Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology

University of Zagreb

Marin Kovačić has knowledge and experience in: (i) environmental fate and behavior of CECs using experimental and computational approaches, (ii) application and optimization of advanced water treatment technologies, particularly AOPs; (iii) application of advanced analytical tools for water quality characterization; and (iv) modeling aiming at predicting environmental risks organic pollutants. Accordingly, he will be involved in: (i) studying the fate and behavior of MPs and other studied CECs used in the project as co-pollutants by computational approach; (ii) performing of treatment of MPs alone and MPs with co- pollutants; and (iii) qualitative and quantitative analyses of MPs removal/degradation using common and advanced analytical tools.

Josipa Papac Zjačić, mag. ing. oecoing.

Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology

University of Zagreb

Josipa Papac has knowledge and experience in: (i) environmental fate and behavior of CECs, particularly ecotoxicity, (ii) application of advanced water treatment technologies; and (iii) application of advanced analytical tools for water quality characterization. Accordingly, she will be involved in: (i) aging and characterization of MPs samples made from PE, PP and PET; (ii) studying the fate and behavior of MPs and other studied CECs used in the project as co-pollutants through sorption, leaching and toxicity tests; (iii) performing of sorption and leaching tests, as well as treatment of MPs alone and MPs with co-pollutants; (iv) qualitative and quantitative analyses of MPs removal/degradation using common and advanced analytical tools; and (v) establishing of ecotoxicity of MPs and CECs toward freshwater bioassays.

Stefani Tonković, mag. ing. oecoing.

Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology

University of Zagreb

Stefani Tonković has previous experience in studying the fate and behavior of CEC's in water and in this project will be involved in: (i) preparation and characterization of MPs samples made from PE, PP and PET; (ii) aging and characterization of MPs samples made from PE, PP and PET; (iii) treatment of MPs alone and MPs with co-pollutants with different types of approach such as advanced oxidation processes as well as ferrates (VI), (iv) qualitative and quantitative analyses of MPs removal/degradation using common and advanced analytical tools; and (v) establishing of ecotoxicity of MPs and CECs toward freshwater bioassays.

Anamarija Pulitika, mag. chem.

Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology

University of Zagreb

Anamarija Pulitika has previous experience in computational chemistry and will be involved in studying the fate and behavior of MPs and co-pollutants by computational approach including: (i) modelling the sorption capacity of pristine and aged MPs (PE, PP and PET) for CECs used in the project; (ii) modelling the surface matrices of MPs as an infinite periodic surface under periodic boundary conditions; (iii) studying the nature of interactions between MPs surface and CECs; (iv) studying the correlation between structural properties of MPs and CECs, and sorption capacity, leaching and toxicity effects.

dr. sc. Antonija Tomić

postdoctoral student

Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology

University of Zagreb

Antonija Tomić has previous experience in the research and development of water treatment technologies, especially advanced oxidation processes, as well as advanced analytical techniques for determining water quality parameters and monitoring microplastics (MP). Antonija Tomić is involved in the study of the fate and behavior of MP and co-pollutants including (i) sorption and leaching tests, (ii) treatment with iron-based technologies involving Ferrate (VI) process and Fenton oxidation followed by coagulation, (iii) qualitative and quantitative analyses of MP and co-pollutants, (iv) determination of degradation pathways and removal mechanisms.

Prof. Dionysios D. Dionysiou, Ph.D.

University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati OH, USA

D. D. Dionysiou (UC, USA) is one of the world-leading experts in the field of fate and behavior of CECs and their treatment by advanced methods. Accordingly, his expertise within the research field proposed by the project will be very beneficial to the research team during entire duration and all phases of the proposed project, particularly in all experimental activities. His role within the project will be mainly advisory.

Assoc. Resear. Panagiotis Karamanis, Ph.D.

The Institute of Analytical Sciences and Physico-Chemistry for Environment and Materials (IPREM)

University of Pau, France

Panagiotis Karamanis (IPREM-UPPA, France) is highly computational chemistry expert with particular knowledge in molecular dynamic and structural modeling by DFT and QSAR. He will be involved in: (i) studying the fate and behavior of MPs and other studied CECs used in the project as co-pollutants by computational approach. Also, he will perform training in computational chemistry field to DS during his/her study visit to IPREM-UPPA.

Assist. Prof. Bakhtiyor Rasulev, Ph.D.

Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials

North Dakota State University, Fargo, USA

Bakhtiyor Rasulev (NDSU, USA) is highly profiled computational chemistry expert with particular knowledge in molecular dynamic and structural modeling by DFT and QSAR. He has previous experience in research and development projects in the areas of chemistry and physical chemistry of polymers in aqueous media.  Also, he will be involved in: (i) studying the fate and behavior of MPs and other studied CECs used in the project as co-pollutants by computational approach. 

Prof. Bruno Grassl, Ph.D.

Department of Chemistry

the University of Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, France

Bruno Grassl (IPREM-UPPA, France), is highly profiled expert in the field of polymer and analytical chemistry with particular knowledge in the monitoring of MPs and nanoplastics and establishing their fate and behavior. Hence, he will be involved in: (i) studying the fate and behavior of MPs and other studied CECs used in the project as co-pollutants by experimental approach, primarily by sharing knowledge and providing advices on new methodology to researchers from FCET. Besides, he will perform training in the field of his expertise; new methods for monitoring MPs, to DS/A during his/her study visit to IPREM-UPPA.