Johana Grajales, BSc in Environmental Sciences by Technological University of Pereira (Colombia), studied her MSc in Hydro Science and Engineering at the Dresden University of Technology (Germany).
As an undergraduate, she worked as a research assistant in the water and sanitation research group in Colombia. When she moved to Germany and finished her MSc she worked at the Saxon State Agency of Environment, Agriculture and Geology in Dresden in a project about natural attenuation assessment at hydrocarbon contaminated sites. Johana worked as Early-Stage Researcher in the Advocate Marie Curie Initial Training Network doing her PhD "In-situ remediation of contaminated sites using permeable reactive multi barriers (PRmB) systems"
Developing her PhD within this programme is giving her the opportunity to work in a multidisciplinary and international team with people from all parts of the world and from different disciplines. This experience is enriching both professionally and personally.
Being involved in the ADVOCATE project is signifying a profitable exchange of research ideas, acquisition of important scientific skills and techniques that are being part of an amazing experience within the Marie Curie Programme.
Johana Grajales
Project Research Fellow
Why did you choose to start a PhD? What did you learn from it?
Answer. From the moment I got my bachelor's degree, I started working as a research assistant. I enjoy the learning process and like the everyday challenges the research career involves. Doing a PhD was an opportunity to prove to myself I could carry out independent research. From the process, I've learnt to live with disappointment and to be resourceful to solve the day to day problems.
Your research is in line with Franklin's. You are using laboratory, field and modelling studies to identify the most effective strategy for in situ sustainable remediation of groundwater contaminated with tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE) compounds using permeable reactive multi-barrier (PRmB) systems at the waterworks of Nowa Dęba (South-East Poland). Can you explain to us where those pollutants are from, the health risk, and how the permeable reactive multi-barrier system works?
Yes, the pollutants are coming from a former metal-works and ammunition factory located south-west from the waterworks. They represent a high risk due to the fact that the contaminants flow directly from the source towards the waterworks. In fact, the contaminants have been already detected in some wells. It is a serious threat to the inhabitants of Nowa Deba which are supplied with this water. Due to the seriousness of the threat, the waterworks needs urgent measures to stop the further spread of contaminants. From previous studies, it has been demonstrated that natural attenuation of the contaminants will take around 95 years due to the high concentrations present at the site and the low biodegradation potential. The idea with the PRB technology is to intercept the flow path of the contaminants and treat them in-situ. The technology possesses advantages over other technologies due to the fact that it is a passive technology which doesn't need external energy to operate.
Your first results show that the feasibility studies indicated that the installation of a PRmB system may be effective to reduce TCE and PCE concentration under the site-specific conditions. Currently, do you have new results?
Yes, we are testing the reactive materials to be placed in the barrier. Our aim is to select low-cost materials to reduce the instalment and operation costs of the technology. Currently, we have finalized laboratory studies and we are setting up the field demonstration of the technology. We have pre-selected two materials that have shown to reduce the concentration of the contaminants up to 97%.
Within a year, what results will you expect?
I will have the full-scale design of the barrier and I will start working on modelling to assess the long term performance of the technology.
Which would be the next step?
I will concentrate my work in the field demonstration of the technology to derive the design parameters of the barrier.
About your future, where would you like to develop your professional career? Where will you see yourself?
I'd like to continue with my research career and I see myself doing a postdoc in the following years.
If you had to describe yourself in a phrase, what would it be?
Persistence is the key to success!
