Miniatura 7 award for Dr Wdowczyk

Dr Aleksandra Wdowczyk defended her PhD in July 2022 - she wrote her thesis entitled 'Selected properties of landfill leachate in the aspect of biological treatment' under the supervision of Prof Agata Szymańska-Pulikowska. She has just been awarded a scholarship from the START programme of the Foundation for Polish Science, which supports young scientists. In the Miniatura 7 competition of the National Science Centre, she won nearly PLN 44 000 for research, that is in a way, a continuation of the topic she took up in her PhD.

– To date, there has’t been any research into the use of vegetated activated sludge systems (V-ASP) for the treatment of landfill leachate. And the problems associated with the treatment of leachate are forcing us to look for new, ecological methods of treating leachate that can be used on site – says Dr Aleksandra Wdowczyk, adding that the need for such research was also highlighted by the grant reviewers.

In the research, which should start at the beginning of June, the young scientist will test the use of V-ASP systems, which are a combination of a hydrophytic system (mimicking naturally occurring wetland systems) and an activated sludge-based system, to treat leachate from municipal landfills.

– As a result of the research activity, I would like to make a preliminary assessment of the suitability of these systems and evaluate their performance in treating leachate. I will also test whether and how different types of V-ASP system fillings affect the efficiency of leachate treatment and the formation of microbial biodiversity in the systems – explains Dr Wdowczyk.

The laboratory at the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences will create prototypes of research models that will be planted with a mixture of plants used in floating treatment systems.

– Finalizing the project could contribute to expanding knowledge of the potential use of V-ASP systems, which have so far been studied only to a limited extent. The proposed solution may allow for decentralised treatment and thus offers the possibility of applying directly at the site of leachate formation, which is important – explains Dr Aleksandra Wdowczyk and adds that she will carry out the research task in cooperation with the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw.

– I would like to thank Prof. Agata Szymańska-Pulikowska for her invaluable support and valuable guidance, which contributed to receiving funding for the research – adds Dr Wdowczyk.

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