Meet Vahid Saadattalab at Stockholm University, one of the researchers in MistraTerraClean He is doing research on how to make valuable products from low value biomass, such as grass cuttings.
What do you do in your research?
I work on heating carbon precursors such as grass cuttings in water and particles to obtain magnetically activated carbons for water treatment applications. Or more precise, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of carbon precursors in the presence of iron ions.
What is the goal with your research?
The institutional goal of my research is to prepare low cost carbonous materials for the treatment of waste water containing contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and hazardous inorganic chemicals, The personal goal of my PhD is: mapping a picture of the world thorough the narrow window of PhD studies and trying to criticize the current institutionalized PhD studies. I read philosophy and find out the gaps of science.
How can your research contribute to the development of the society? Who can benefit from your knowledge?
My research is based on the processing of low value biomasses such as grass cuttings. In this process, the grass cuttings are converted into valuable products, in addition, the damaging environmental effect of grass cuttings, the emission of methane and carbon dioxide is reduced.
My knowledge, leads to the public awareness about the environment and may affect the environmental decision made by politicians.
What is your role in Mistra Terra Clean?
My role in Mistra Terra Clean is the synthesis of materials such as iron impregnated hydrochars in WP1 which leads to the design of smart functional materials.
What is your next step as a researcher?
I want to continue the research in tight relation to the industry where I have more sense of environmental problems such as the release of pharmaceutical waste to the waste system and further treatment. I would be happy to join a waste treatment plant in Stockholm such as Henriksdal Wastewater Treatment Plant. I have gained enough knowledge, it is time for action.
