On the evening of June 6th, the 7th session of the Hongde Academy Master Lecture Series was held as scheduled in Room D-112 of the second teaching building at the Changping campus. Professor Andreja Žgajnar Gotvajn, Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, and President of the Slovenian Chemical Society, was invited to give an academic talk titled 'Emerging Micropollutants in Wastewaters.'
Professor Gotvajn first gave a systematic overview of the types and harms of micropollutants, covering pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and industrial chemicals, pointing out that even at trace concentrations, they pose risks like acute toxicity, bioaccumulation, and endocrine disruption to both ecosystems and human health. Then, she focused on the challenge that traditional wastewater treatment technologies are not very effective at removing micropollutants and went into detail about the advantages of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) and photocatalysis—high degradation efficiency and fewer by-products. During the microplastics session, the professor showed methods for identifying microplastics and explained how they can enter the human body from the environment, emphasizing that microplastics and nanoplastics have become a whole new challenge for environmental management.
This lecture is a vivid example of Hongde College promoting international cooperation in education. By directly talking with top European scholars, students not only broadened their international perspective in environmental engineering but also personally felt the crucial value of global research collaboration in tackling cross-border environmental issues. Such high-level international academic exchanges will continue to help the college nurture innovative talents with global competence.
Before the lecture started, Professor Gotvajn and his group visited Hongde College and had a deep chat with the college president Jiang Guangfeng in the meeting room. They also swapped some school-themed cultural and creativegifts.
