Dr. Navid Saeidi

Postdoc and project manager
Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research – UFZ
Department Technical Biogeochemistry/Department Microbial Biotechnology
Permoserstr. 15
04315 Leipzig, Germany
Phone: 0341 6025 2319 (zoom)
Fax: 0341 235 451760
Curriculum vitae
June 2023-Present
postdoc in Department Microbial Biotechnology (Part time 60%, UFZ)
May 2023-Present
Postdoc and project manager in Department Technical Biogeochemistry (Part time 40%, UFZ)
June 2021-May 2023
Postdoc in Department Environmental Engineering (UFZ)
Dec 2020-June 2021
Internship in Industry (Sensatec GmbH)
Dec 2016 – June 2021
PhD student at Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
Thesis: Improving adsorption of perfluoroalkyl acids by tailoring surface chemistry of activated carbon and electric potentials.
Supervisors: Prof. Frank-Dieter Kopinke and Dr. Anett Georgi
2013-2015
Research assistant at Semnan University, Faculty of Chemical, Gas and Petroleum Engineering, Iran.
2004-2009 (Bachelor)
2009-2012 (Master)
Bachelor of Chemical Engineering at Semnan University, Faculty of Chemical, Gas and Petroleum Engineering, Iran, thesis title: ‘‘Modeling separation of benzene from hexane by Aspen Plus”, supervisor: Prof. Mohammad Nader Lotfollahi
Master of Chemical Engineering at Semnan University, Faculty of Chemical, Gas and Petroleum Engineering, Iran, thesis title: ‘‘Preparation of granular activated carbon from powder sample for water treatment”, supervisor: Prof. Mohammad Nader Lotfollahi
Research areas
1- Water treatment:
- Development of novel water treatment technologies for removing PFAS, PMTs, micro- and nanoplastics, and other emerging contaminants from water:
> Adsorption, electrosorption, electrooxidation, catalytic degradation
- Adsorption modeling, prediction and data analysis
- Analytical studies and fate of PFAS and PMTs in environment.
2- Advanced materials and adsorbents:
- Development, functionalization, and modification of adsorbents for water treatment.
- Development of advanced porous electrodes for electrosorption and electrooxidation.
- Development of electrocatalysts for electrosynthesis processes.
3- Electrochemical synthesis:
- Production of organic compounds from reagents derived from waste and lignin-based streams.
- Development and modification of electrocatalysts.
- Design and advancement of high-performance electrodes.
4- Process engineering:
- Chemical and electrochemical process modeling via Superpro Designer and Aspen Plus.
- Electrochemical reactor design.
- Water treatment process design.
- Electrochemical process up-scaling
Projects
Projects in Department TECH
- FABEKO (postdoc and (electrochemical)process engineer)
The goal of this project is to develop a novel combined technological approach by which the soils contaminated with perfluorinated and polyfluorinated aliphatic substances (PFAS) can be effectively cleaned and PFAS entry into the groundwater is avoided. My role is to upscale the electrosorption process for real application.
Funded by BMBF.
- 2D4PFAS (postdoc and project manager)
2D4PFAS is a joint international project funded by the M-Era.Net program. 2D4PFAS aims to revolutionize the removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water, addressing global concerns through an Electro-Catch&Treat process with advanced 2D functional materials.
Funded by M-Era.Net.
Projects in Department MIBITECH
- Electrorem4Plastics (Co-PI)
This project introduces a two-step electrochemical process for efficient removal of microplastics (MIPs) and nanoplastics (NAPs) from water. The first step involves accumulating nano- and microplastics (MNPs) on porous electrodes through electrosorption, followed by releasing them as a concentrated solution. In the second step, the concentrated MNPs are mineralized in an optimized electrochemical reactor, ensuring complete degradation and minimizing toxic by-products.
Funded by internal UFZ funding program: Transfun
- SmartManure (Co-PI)
This project couples circular economy principles with environmental hazard management for liquid-manure based sustainable agriculture.
- LigNylon (Postdoc and (electro)chemical engineer)
This Project involes with electrochemical hydrogenation of lignin-derived mixtures of aromatic compounds for microbial synthesis of Nylon monomers. I work in this project and (electro)chemical engineer for up-scaling this project.
Partners: Leipzig University and DOMO Caproleuna GmbH
Funded by Transfun and Leipzig University.
Publications
Index:
You could use our publication index for further requests.
2025 (1)
- Saeidi, N., Lotteraner, L., Sigmund, G., Hofmann, T., Krauss, M., Mackenzie, K., Georgi, A. (2025):
Towards a better understanding of sorption of persistent and mobile contaminants to activated carbon: Applying data analysis techniques with experimental datasets of limited size
Water Res. 274 , art. 123032 10.1016/j.watres.2024.123032
2024 (1)
- Saeidi, N., Lai, A., Harnisch, F., Sigmund, G. (2024):
A FAIR comparison of activated carbon, biochar, cyclodextrins, polymers, resins, and metal organic frameworks for the adsorption of per- and polyfluorinated substances
Chem. Eng. J. 498 , art. 155456 10.1016/j.cej.2024.155456
2023 (2)
- Aumeier, B.M., Georgi, A., Saeidi, N., Sigmund, G. (2023):
Is sorption technology fit for the removal of persistent and mobile organic contaminants from water?
Sci. Total Environ. 880 , art. 163343 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163343 - Saeidi, N., Harnisch, F., Presser, V., Kopinke, F.-D., Georgi, A. (2023):
Electrosorption of organic compounds: State of the art, challenges, performance, and perspectives
Chem. Eng. J. 471 , art. 144354 10.1016/j.cej.2023.144354
2022 (1)
- Zhou, J., Saeidi, N., Wick, L.Y., Xie, Y., Kopinke, F.-D., Georgi, A. (2022):
Efficient removal of trifluoroacetic acid from water using surface-modified activated carbon and electro-assisted desorption
J. Hazard. Mater. 436 , art. 129051 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129051
2021 (5)
- Chen, Y., Georgi, A., Zhang, W., Kopinke, F.-D., Yan, J., Saeidi, N., Li, J., Gu, M., Chen, M. (2021):
Mechanistic insights into fast adsorption of perfluoroalkyl substances on carbonate-layered double hydroxides
J. Hazard. Mater. 408 , art. 124815 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124815 - Saeidi, N. (2021):
Improving adsorption of perfluoroalkyl acids by tailoring surface chemistry of activated carbon and electric potentials
Dissertation, Universität Leipzig, Fakultät für Chemie und Mineralogie
PhD Dissertation 6/2021
Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung - UFZ, Leipzig, 184 pp. - Saeidi, N., Kopinke, F.-D., Georgi, A. (2021):
Controlling adsorption of perfluoroalkyl acids on activated carbon felt by means of electrical potentials
Chem. Eng. J. 416 , art. 129070 10.1016/j.cej.2021.129070 - Saeidi, N., Kopinke, F.-D., Georgi, A. (2021):
What is specific in adsorption of perfluoroalkyl acids on carbon materials?
Chemosphere 273 , art. 128520 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128520 - Zhou, J., Saeidi, N., Wick, L.Y., Kopinke, F.-D., Georgi, A. (2021):
Adsorption of polar and ionic organic compounds on activated carbon: Surface chemistry matters
Sci. Total Environ. 794 , art. 148508 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148508
2020 (2)
- Georgi, A., Bosch, J., Bruns, J., Mackenzie, K., Saeidi, N., Kopinke, F.-D. (2020):
Kolloidale Aktivkohle für die In-situ-Sanierung von PFAS-kontaminierten Grundwasserleitern
altlasten spektrum 29 (6), 232 - 237 10.37307/j.1864-8371.2020.06.04 - Saeidi, N., Kopinke, F.-D., Georgi, A. (2020):
Understanding the effect of carbon surface chemistry on adsorption of perfluorinated alkyl substances
Chem. Eng. J. 381 , art. 122689 10.1016/j.cej.2019.122689
Publications before joining UFZ
- Saeidi, N., Lotfollahi, M. N. “Effects of powder activated Carbon particle size on activated carbon monolith's properties.” Materials and Manufacturing Processes, Vol (31), 1634-1638 (2016).
- Saeidi, N., Parvini, M. ‘‘Accuracy of Dubinin-Astakhov and Dubinin-Radushkevich adsorption isotherm models in evaluating micropore volume of bentonite.’’ Periodica Polytechnica Chemical Engineering, Vol (60), 123-129 (2016).
- Saeidi, N., Lotfollahi, M. N. “Effect of powder activated carbon particle size on adsorption capacity and mechanical properties of the semi activated carbon fiber.” Fibers and Polymers, Vol. 16 (3), 543-549 (2015).
- Saeidi, N., Lotfollahi, M. N. “A procedure to form powder activated carbon into activated carbon monolith.” International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Vol 81, 1281-1288 (2015).
- Saeidi, N., Parvini, M., Niavarani, Z. ‘’High surface area and mesoporous graphene/activated carbon composite for adsorption of Pb (II) from wastewater.’’ Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, Vol (3), 2697-2706 (2015).
- Saeidi, N., Lotfollahi, M. N. “A procedure for preparation of semi-activated carbon fiber without any treatment under high temperature.’’ International Journal of Engineering, Vol. 27 (10), 1515-1524 (2014).
- Saeidi, N., Parvini, M., Sarsabili, M. R. “Studying performance of Dubinin-Astakhov and Dubinin-Raduchkevic equations to evaluate nanopore volume and pore size of MCM-41 particles.” International Journal of Engineering, Vol. 27 (10), 1525-1534 (2014).
Thesis
Ph.D thesis (Leipyig University, 2021): Improving adsorption of perfluoroalkyl acids by tailoring surface chemistry of activated carbon and electric potentials
Selected oral presentations in national and international conferences
- 2D Materials in Action Symposium 2024, Dresden: Exploring the potential of 2D materials to enhance PFAS electrosorption from water.
- German Chemical Society, Water 2023, Augsburg: Electrosorption to improve the adsorption of short-chain perfluoroalkyl acids on activated carbon and on-site regeneration of the adsorbent.
- DECHEMA Symposium 2022, Frankfurt: Elimination of PFAS from washing water after on-site soil washing using electro-adsorption/desorption.
- International Conference on PFAS and Emerging Contaminants, May 2021, Leipzig: Electrosorption for the removal of perfluoroalkyl acids.
- 14th International Workshop on Impedance Spectroscopy, September 2021, Chemnitz: Reversible electro-adsorption/desorption of ionizable organic compounds from water: perfluoroalkyl acids as target compounds.
- 15th International Conference on the Sustainable Use and Management of Soil, Sediment, and Water Resources (AquaConSoil), 2019, Antwerp: Modifying the adsorption of perfluorinated alkyl compounds through surface chemistry and electrical potentials.
- 2nd Global Conference on Catalyst Chemical Engineering and Technology, September 2018, Rome: Adsorption of perfluorinated surfactants on activated carbon: Role of surface chemistry.
Patents
- Inventors: Saeidi, N., Lotfollahi, M. N., patent tile: Production of shaped activated carbon from powdered activated carbon. Patent Number: 71925, Iran.
- Inventors: Saeidi, N., Lotfollahi, M. N., patent tile: Improvement of the mechanical strength and adsorption capacity of shaped activated carbon by modifying the microparticle size. Patent Number: 82747, Iran.
- Inventors: Saeidi, N., Lotfollahi, M. N., patent tile: Production of semi-activated carbon fibers through a coating process. Patent Number: 81266, Iran.