Materials and Processes in Environmental Protection

The efforts of scientists from the Laboratory of Environmental Materials and Processes focus on developing new types of catalysts and adsorbents for use in environmental protection reactions. Their research aims to study the complete oxidation of volatile organic compounds (including methane), carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide adsorption, systematically emphasizing experimental evaluation and mathematical modeling of reaction kinetics. The goal is to adapt experimental techniques for developing and applying new materials while determining the mechanisms of heterogeneous catalytic reactions. 

Catalysts composed of supported metals or metal oxides with optimal efficiency for cleaning waste gas emissions are synthesized. Studies are conducted on the adsorption properties of highly efficient nanomaterials for greenhouse gas mitigation and the potential use of waste materials from the food industry, oil production, and other sectors as renewable resources. This involves processing these materials into value-added products with targeted applications in environmental protection. Additionally, research focuses on screening effective sorbents for purifying polluted water from dyes, pigments, and toxic metal ions, optimizing adsorption parameters, and elucidating adsorption mechanisms.

1. P. Vassileva, D. Voykova, D. Kichukova, T. Lazarova, G. Atanasova, D. Kovacheva, I. Spassova,
   A Highly Efficient Graphene-Based Material for the Removal of Cationic Dyes from Aqueous Solutions,
   Materials, 18(4), 2025, 853
2. R. Velinova, S. Todorova, D. Kovacheva, H. Kolev, Y. Karakirova, P. Markov, K. Tumbalova, G. Ivanov, A. Naydenov,
   Effect of TiO₂ on Pd/La₂O₃-CeO₂-Al₂O₃ Systems during Catalytic Oxidation of Methane in the Presence of H₂O and SO₂,
   Materials, 16(20) 2023, 6784
3. R. Velinova, A. Naydenov, D. Kichukova, V. Tumbalev, G. Atanasova, , D. Kovacheva, I. Spassova,
   Highly Efficient RGO-Supported Pd Catalyst for Low Temperature Hydrocarbon Oxidation.
   (Catalysts, 13(8) 2023, 2073-4344
4. P. Vassileva, V. Tumbalev, D. Kichukova, D. Voykova, D. Kovacheva, I. Spassova,
   Study on the dye removal from aqueous solutions by graphene based adsorbents,
   Materials, 16, 17, 2023
5. V. Tumbalev, D. Kovacheva, I. Spassova, R. Velinova, G. Tyuliev, N. Velinov, A. Naydenov,
   Novel Nanosized Spinel MnCoFeO₄ for Low-Temperature Hydrocarbon Oxidation,
   Nanomaterials, 12, 2022, 3900
6. N. Velikova, I. Spassova.,
   Bifunctional mesoporous hybrid sol-gel prepared silicas for CO₂ adsorption,
   Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology, 100, Springer, 2021, 326-340

Institute of Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy, Center of Catalysis and Chemical Engineering, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts