Paul Genz

Doctoral Researcher

The research within my PhD project focusses on the role of polar organic micropollutants in the field of wastewater reuse. With my work I support the development of the SUSKULT-process which is aiming at using the nutrients in wastewater to produce a nutrient solution for hydroponic cultivation of plants. Within the SUSKULT-process multiple treatment stages are combined to produce a nutrient solution beneficial to plant growth. My research will foster understanding of micropollutant dynamics in the source wastewater, along the treatment stages up and will elucidate potential uptake into the cultivated plants.

Investigating the centrate wastewater as the source medium for the process was the first part of my PhD project. Breaking ground for understanding micropollutant dynamics in centrate, my first study (not yet) published in the journal Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology sheds light on this rarely studied topic. The study was conducted on the wastewater treatment plant in Leipzig-Rosental and investigates the presence of potentially plant-available micropollutants in centrate and potential influencing factors on concentrations.

Moreover, I'm interested in the processes along the treatment stages that will influence micropollutant dynamics. My special focus is set on the process of electrodialysis, as it has the potential to increase nutrient concentrations in centrate while simultaneously removing micropollutants.

The project SUSKULT is funded by the BMBF in the program "Agrarsysteme der Zukunft" (FKz: 031B0728M).