Institute of Water Chemistry

The overall aims of the research and teaching activities at the Institute of Water Chemistry are directed to environmental and water protection.
Occurrence, properties and (environmental) behaviour of in particular anthropogenic chemicals and materials such as pharmaceutical residues, microplastic particles or plant protection agents are being investigated. Moreover, treatment strategies allowing the efficient removal of trace pollutants from potable water and sewage are in our research focus.
Another aspect of our investigations is dedicated to the proactive hazard assessment of novel (emerging) pollutants. These evaluations are conducted in close collaboration with users and distributors of chemicals to optimize the applied chemical products and processes. A low hazard potential for human and the environment and improved sustainability is hereby the main focus. Concepts of (waste) water treatment are being developed to avoid/reduce the emissions of chemicals in case the „benign by design“- approach cannot solve conflicts between required technological properties and low hazard profile of involved compounds.
In our international and interdisciplinary team applied research is combined with questions of fundamental research. Hereby, the development/adaption of analytical methods, the determination of structure-activity and structure-property-relationships of chemicals, the investigation of ecotoxicological effects as well as sinks (sorption and biotic and abiotic degradation) of pollutants in the environment. Moreover, the engineering of pilot plants for advanced oxidation processes as well as electrochemical degradation are realised at the institute.

The institute of Water Chemistry belongs to the department Hydrosciences  at the Faculty of Environmental Sciences  and the School Civil and Environmental Engineering  at the TU Dresden .
Since February 2018 Professor Stefan Stolte  holds the chair of Hydrochemistry and Water Technology and from April on he is head of the Institute. Concurrently Senior Professor Eckhard Worch  enters his well-deserved retirement. In summer 2019, the Junior Research Group of Dr. Marta Markiewicz is joining the institute.