RAGC and Barrié Foundation distinguish two works done at UVigo as the best research in Galicia and award a second prize to a study from CINTECX, led by Antía Fernández Sanromán. The Royal Galician Academy of Sciences and the Barrié Foundation have just made public the winning proposals for the research awards that they jointly convene with the aim of recognizing the best research that is carried out in our community in Basic, Technical and Social Sciences. Endowed with 5000 euros each, the awards will be presented next Wednesday the 5th at the Pazo de San Roque in Santiago, coinciding with the opening of the RAGC academic year.
An innovative and sustainable process to eliminate the presence of pharmaceuticals in water
In the Technical Sciences category, a second prize was also awarded to a team from the Research Center in Technologies, Energy and Industrial Processes, Cintecx, of the University of Vigo, led by Antía Fernández. In this case, the researcher explains that the presence of persistent pharmaceutical contaminants in water, even at very low concentrations, has a significant impact on human health and the environment.
Due to their resistance and low concentration, these contaminants are not completely eliminated with conventional water treatment techniques, which generates the need to develop new processes. Thus, this work addresses the implementation of advanced oxidation processes, facilitating the transformation of contaminants into mineral substances. “This innovative approach allows good degradation rates to be achieved with reduced energy consumption and a notable minimization of the generation of metallic waste, ensuring greater sustainability and adaptability for its large-scale implementation,” they assure.