Professor Miloš Marek Award

During the Master’s graduation ceremony held in Bethlehem Chapel on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, the Dean, Prof. Michal Přibyl, presented—for the first time and based on decree FCHI/3/2025—the Award for Outstanding Master’s Thesis to five graduates of Master’s degree programmes at the Faculty of Chemical Engineering.

In the category of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, the Professor Miloš Marek Award was granted to Ing. Karin Lovrantová. Congratulations!

Thesis title: Electrodialysis as a Process for Valorisation of Aqueous Solutions

The thesis focuses on optimizing electrodialysis for the treatment of industrial wastewater, where gypsum formation poses a major limitation for water recycling and salt concentration. Due to its low solubility and tendency to precipitate, gypsum causes fouling not only on the concentrate side but, as revealed during pilot-scale testing, also on one of the electrodes—significantly affecting process efficiency and leading to a temporary shutdown. A solution was proposed based on laboratory testing using an electrodialysis unit to identify critical issues and optimize the operating conditions. The discovery of gypsum deposition on electrodes led to the testing of alternative electrode rinse solutions, including the use of the diluate itself, which was shown to suppress gypsum scaling without negatively impacting separation efficiency or process economics. This approach also reduces chemical consumption, wastewater volume, and disposal costs. Based on the findings, a technology scheme for large-scale operation was proposed. It includes electrodialysis, water recycling, and crystallization of the concentrate, which is reused in the process. This integrated approach reduces waste generation, improves raw material utilization, and contributes to the environmentally sustainable treatment of industrial wastewater streams.