"iPolytech Conference: Water Challenges Workshop": INRTU and Harbin Institute of Technology Discussed Environmental Engineering Initiatives
INRTU and Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) held a workshop “iPolytech Conference: Water challenges workshop” to exchange experience in the field of environmental engineering. Participants discussed the issues of water conservation and realization of scientific and technological projects. The universities are preparing to launch a joint educational program “Ecology and Green Technologies” in 2025.
Rector of INRTU Mikhail Korniakov welcomed the guests fr om HIT. He noted that the purpose of the workshop was to outline the directions of joint work of the two universities.
“Harbin Institute of Technology, like us, is a member of the Association of Technical Universities of Russia and China. INRTU staff visited the School of Environment of the HIT in December 2023, and the idea to hold a workshop in Irkutsk and Harbin arose at the same time. We chose a particularly significant topic – water resources management. It is symbolic that the first meeting is taking place near Lake Baikal, the largest source of fresh water. The next event is planned for the summer of 2025 in Harbin,” stated Mikhail Kornyakov.
Evgeny Semenov, Head of “Baikal” Project Office, spoke at the plenary session.
“All implemented projects touch upon the problems of water resources, as water is a component of almost all modern industries. That is why in June 2023 we made a proposal to open the International Clean Water Center. It is expected to be a place wh ere competencies in the field of water quality technologies and reduction of anthropogenic load on nature will be united. The main participants of the organization will be INRTU and Harbin Institute of Technology. Thanks to the cooperation of universities it will be possible to promote scientific knowledge through the development of unique technologies", emphasized Evgeny Semenov.
Elena Zelinskaya, Professor of the Department of Mineral Processing and Environmental Protection, shared that effective measures to preserve Lake Baikal are territorial planning and integrated monitoring.
“We focus on utilization of production and consumption waste as the main source of Baikal pollution. We could find common ground in the fight against microplastics,” Elena Zelinskaya addressed her colleagues fr om Harbin.
Svetlana Timofeeva, Head of the Department of Industrial Ecology and Life Sciences, continued the topic. She noted that environmental problems of the Baikal region began in 1950-1970, when the volume of natural resources involved in production increased and the ecosystem deteriorated over the decades. That is why scientists focused on conservation technologies, wastewater reuse, fire diagnostics and development of regulations. The department has achieved great success in bioremediation (purification of water and soil with the help of plants and microorganisms).
“We are investigating the ability of plants to absorb and accumulate antibiotics and heavy metals from soils and water bodies. The method also serves as an alternative to traditional mining technologies. We also invite colleagues from Harbin Institute of Technology to get involved in projects on phytomining and the development of composite sorbents,” Svetlana Timofeeva explained.
The School of Environment of HIT was introduced by Prof. Sun Kai, who described the key developments of the department in its 100 years of existence. There are 159 people working in four departments, an experimental center and two development implementation offices. The School holds winter and summer scientific schools and invites INRTU for cooperation.
“With INRTU we can have successful projects on labor safety and green technologies. Together with Prof. Liu Bingfeng, we are open to proposals on our topic – research of mechanobactericidal surfaces. Prof. Wang Wei is ready to cooperate on the deep treatment of wastewater from ammonia based on gas permeable membrane technology.
Specialists from different countries work at the School of Environment, and we would like to invite supervisors from your university. We will be glad to see publications of INRTU scientists in the Environmental Science and Ecology journal", noted Sun Kai.
Alexander Kononov, Vice-Rector for Research at INRTU, specified that the two universities intend to implement joint projects and take part in competitions for interstate grants.
As part of the workshop, Elena Davydova, Sustainable Development Manager of LLC “EuroSibEnergo-Hydrogeneration” (part of En+), discussed the cooperation between business, science and the public in the field of sustainable development.
"In cooperation with scientists, the company has implemented a program to protect Lake Baikal. This program includes conducting expeditions to collect data and monitor changes in the lake.
Since 2010, En+ has been organizing a national environmental action called "360" to clean and green the areas wh ere it operates. We have also been supporting public initiatives in sustainable development for four years.
In addition, there is an association called "Baikal without plastic", which consists of 30 organizations, including INRTU and Irkutsk State University. The association is working to ban disposable plastic tableware and phosphate-based household chemicals in Baikal. They are also working on developing infrastructure for separate waste collection and promoting conscious consumption", Elena Davydova informed.
The presentations were also made by Associate Professor of the Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology Elena Filatova, Alexander Chugunov, PhD student, and Elvira Vasilevich, Associate Professor of the Department of Engineering Communications and Life Support Systems.
Vladimir Moroz, Head of the Department of Environmental Engineering of Brest State Technical University (Republic of Belarus), joined the workshop via video link.
