The research group “Environmental Engineering and Bioprocesses” of the University of Santiago de Compostela is composed of 10 teachers, 5 technicians and 35 PhD and post-doctoral students. According to the specific research topics, its members are organised in working teams to develop research activities in five different programmes financed either by the EU, Spanish and Autonomous governments or private companies. Research activities are focused on:
Production and application of ligninolytic enzymes for degradation of recalcitrant compounds
Development, monitoring and control of technologies for wastewater treatment
Environmental Management: Clean technologies and Life Cycle Assessment
Soil Bioremediation
Technology transfer for wastewater treatment and bioprocesses
The research program “Environmental Management: Clean technologies and Life Cycle Assessment” combines the application of minimization techniques in origin such as clean technologies, with a more holistic perspective by means of the use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
This environmental tool was first used at the “Environmental Engineering and Bioprocesses” group in year 2000, when a research contract was financed by Gestagua S.A. to evaluate the environmental burdens associated to the removal of pollutants in a municipal wastewater treatment plant. During 2000, several contacts with other research groups working on LCA were initiated. In addition, the National Thematic Network of Life Cycle Assessment was created in the framework of special actions promoted by the Ministry of Science and Technology as a meeting point between researchers, different institutions and industries. Our group with the leadership of Prof. G. Feijoo was in charge of its coordination (see web page: http://www.usc.es/biogrup/redciclovida.htm). The network [CICYT (PPQ2001-4089-E), CICYT (PPQ2002-12458-E) (2002-2005)] has been working for four years now and very productive meetings have been held (Barcelona 2002, Santiago de Compostela 2003 and Valencia 2004)..
During the last years, the research group has taken part in several projects related to the application of LCA, such as “Life cycle assessment of primary transformation factories: Chipboard manufacture”, “Environmental assessment and technological innovation in strategic food sectors by the application of Life Cycle Assessment”, and BIORENEW and AQUATERRE Projects, these being European projects. Besides, some research contracts have been signed with Galician companies, such as Luis Calvo Sanz S.A. (years 2002 and 2003), Gestagua S.A. (years 2001 and 2004) and Aquagest S.A. (year 2003). More information is available at http://www.usc.es/biogrup/proying3.htm
On the other hand, close cooperation with various research groups has been created with the aim of interchanging knowledge in this new field of research. The main collaborations have been established with: Ass. Professor Miquel Rigola (University of Girona), Ass. Professor Joan Rieradevall (Autonomous University of Barcelona) and Ass. Professor Rubén Irusta (University of Valladolid), the Swedish Institute of Food and Biotechnology in Gutenberg (Sweden), the School of Resources and Environmental Studies at Dalhousie University in Halifax (Nova Scotia, Canada), the Montanuniversität in Leoben (Austria) and the Environmental Centre at University of Surrey (UK).
Furthermore, the research group belongs to the Scientific and Organising Committee of the 2nd International Conference of Life Cycle Management (LCM2005) to be held in Barcelona in September.
As a consequence of the work carried out, two masters thesis have been defended on LCA (Almudena Hospido, June 2002 and Beatriz Rivela, June 2003). Dña. Almudena Hospido has presented her Doctoral Thesis: “Life Cycle Assessment as a tool for analysing the environmental performance of key food sector in Galicia (Spain): milk and canned tuna” in November, 2005.
The research related to clean technologies and LCA went further and, at the present time, it is focused on:
Wood industry
Food industry: dairy sector and canning sector
Wastewater and waste management