Environmental Chemistry Laboratory

The Environmental Chemistry Laboratory provides both the study process and scientific activities. The Environmental Chemistry Laboratory provides laboratory work, practical work, seminars for 5 study courses of the Department of Environmental Science at both bachelor's and master's study levels. In addition, it also provides research in the sub-field of environmental chemistry - scientific research by students, doctoral students and academic staff, promoting the implementation of the latest research methods in the field. Every year, an average of 4 bachelor's theses, 2-3 master's theses and research for 2 doctoral dissertations are developed. On average, about 100 students perform practical work in the Environmental Chemistry Laboratory per year. Scientific activities are carried out in the laboratory, both local and international scientific research projects are implemented. Cooperation with interested parties in the field of environmental chemistry is established - both companies and private individuals who are interested in the analysis of an environmental sample.

The goal of the Environmental Chemistry Laboratory is to ensure the study process and scientific activity, as well as to approbate and implement the latest environmental chemistry and environmental process research methods.

The main tasks of the Environmental Chemistry Laboratory:

• To provide laboratory work, practical classes, seminars for various study courses of the Environmental Science Department (Fundamentals of Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Technologies, Ecotoxicology, Fundamentals of Chemistry in the Context of Cultural Environment, Material Chemistry of Cultural Objects and Analytics of Their Chemical and Physical Degradation, etc.).

• To ensure research in the sub-field of environmental chemistry.

• Scientific research by students, doctoral students and academic staff

• Implementation of the latest research methods in the field.

Laboratory work for students is planned to familiarize students with analytical determination methods with which the obtained data can be used to assess the state of the environment. In laboratory work, students become familiar with spectrometric, titrimetric, chromatographic, as well as express analysis methods that are used for water samples, food samples, various environmental samples, such as plants, peat, moss, etc. samples and air analyses. Practical analyses of samples (water, air, food or environmental samples) are performed, thus introducing students to various methodologies for environmental sample analysis, laboratory work, evaluation and comparison of results. When preparing a work report, students become familiar with the significance of determining each parameter in the environmental context, with permissible limit values ​​(compare their obtained data with the permissible limit values ​​of the Cabinet of Ministers or WHO guidelines), evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the method used in laboratory work, and also find out what other methods are possible to analyze a specific environmental object.

As a result, students acquire basic skills and improve their skills in various methods of environmental sample analysis, which provides opportunities to work in environmental analysis laboratories. Improves understanding of pollution levels.
 

The Environmental Chemistry Laboratory provides an opportunity for bachelor's, master's and doctoral study program students to conduct research on the following topics:

• Research on peat properties and development of new peat-based sorbents;

• Biologically active compounds in mosses, conifers and plants;

• Research on humic substance properties and development of humic substance-containing plant fertilizers;

• Research on sapropel in Latvian lakes; practical application possibilities of sapropel;

• Research on the quality of inland waters of Latvia;

• Hydrothermal carbonization and research on the application areas of the products obtained from it;

• Environmental pollution analysis.

• Research on environmental purification options by binding toxic metallic elements, metalloids, e.g. As, pharmaceutical active substances, binding and further use of eutrophication-causing elements (e.g. P).

• Research on the development of various sorbents for environmental purification, e.g. sorbents containing biomass residues, sorbents containing MOFs, etc.

The laboratory infrastructure includes equipment for titrating water samples, spectrophotometers, UV and fluorescence spectrometers, an X-ray fluorescence analyzer, a pH meter, a conductivity meter for assessing the content of total dissolved solids, portable probes for field water research, extraction (Soxhlet) equipment, a rotary evaporator, a thermogravimeter, a preparative chromatograph Biotage and other equipment.

The Environmental Chemistry Laboratory also conducts research. Several projects are being implemented, and new project applications are regularly being prepared. Research conducted in the Environmental Chemistry Laboratory over the past 2 years:

• Chemical ecology of invasive plants as a tool for understanding their invasiveness, developing control methods and searching for new generation herbicides (InnoHerb), LZP

• Assessment of spring water quality in Latvia, LVAF

• Full-cycle processing of coniferous green biomass for obtaining high-value raw materials for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, LAD.

• Innovation of the “energy from waste” concept for a low-carbon economy: a new carbon capture technology for thermochemical processing of solid municipal waste (carbon capture and storage from waste – CCSW), ERAF

Based on the research project experiments implemented in the laboratory and their results, the latest research methods in the industry are introduced into the laboratory's daily practice, including student final theses and laboratory work.

Most important publications:

• Klavins, M., Purmalis, O., Klavina, L., Niedrite, E., Ansone-Bertina, L. (2024)  Biomass of Invasive Plants as a Resource for the Development of the Bioeconomy. BioResources, 19 (4). doi: 10.15376/biores.19.4.Klavins 

• Klavins M., Ansone-Bertina L., Krumins J., Purmalis O., Klavina L., Vincevica-Gaile Z. (2024) Hydrothermal carbonization of invasive plant biomass as a tool for its safe utilization and production of artificial humic substances. Invasive Plant Science and Management, 17 (2), pp. 86 – 94. DOI: 10.1017/inp.2024.13  

• Ansone-Bertina L., Arbidans L., Borska E., Ozola U., Purmalis O., Sarsuns K., Dobkevica L., Sarakovskis A., Klavins M., Klavins L. (2024) Modification and activation of hydrochar obtained by the hydrothermal carbonisation process of invasive plant biomass. Bioresource Technology Reports, 26, art. no. 101863. DOI: 10.1016/j.biteb.2024.101863 

• Ansone-Bērtiņa L., Arbidans L., Ozols V., Klavins M., Obuka V., Bisters V. (2022) Hydrothermal Carbonisation of Biomass Wastes as a Tool for Carbon Capture. Environmental and Climate Technologies, 26, 415-427, https://doi.org/10.2478/rtuect-2022-0032  

• Ansone‐Bertina L., Ozols V. Arbidans L., Dobkevica L., Sarsuns K., Vanags E., Klavins M. (2022) Metal–Organic-Frameworks (MOFs) containing adsorbents for carbon capture. Energies, 15, 3473. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15093473  

• Krūmiņš J.,Kļaviņš M., Ozola-Davidāne R., Ansone-Bērtiņa, L. (2022) The Prospects of Clay Minerals from the Baltic States for Industrial-Scale Carbon Capture: A Review. Minerals, 12, 349. https://doi.org/10.3390/min12030349