Can industrial water be used for longer without increasing the chemical burden on the environment? This is the question being explored by Inna Trus, Doctor of Technical Sciences and Associate Professor at the Department of Ecology and Plant Polymers Technology of the Faculty of Automation, Industrial Engineering and Ecology at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. She has been awarded a Borys Paton Scholarship of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
The topic of her research is “Developing Environmentally Safe Technologies to Protect Industrial Water Circulation Systems.” The project builds on many years of research conducted at the Department of Ecology and Plant Polymers Technology at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute in the fields of water treatment, wastewater purification, resource-efficient water use, and the development of environmentally safe technologies.
As freshwater scarcity increases and environmental regulations become more stringent, businesses are increasingly adopting water reuse practices. This helps reduce pressure on water resources and the environment while lowering production costs. Water reuse is made possible by closed-loop or partially closed-loop water circulation systems. Although this approach conserves water resources, it also presents challenges: over time, dissolved salts accumulate in the water, deposits form on equipment surfaces, metal corrosion occurs, and microorganisms and biological fouling may develop. Mineral deposits impair heat transfer, reduce equipment efficiency, increase energy consumption, and lead to additional cleaning and maintenance costs. One effective solution is to use specialized chemical agents known as antiscalants, which prevent scale formation. However, conventional agents often contain phosphorus-based compounds, and their use requires careful consideration of their potential environmental impact.
Inna Trus’s research takes a comprehensive approach. She studies not only the ability of chemical agents to prevent scale formation but also their corrosion-inhibiting and biocidal properties. Particular attention is given to so-called “green” antiscalants — natural organic compounds derived from plant-based raw materials. One strand of her research focuses on identifying formulations that can effectively protect equipment while reducing the chemical burden on water systems. Another distinctive feature of the young scientist’s work is the combination of traditional experimental research with machine learning methods to comprehensively analyze experimental data and develop predictive models of reagent performance. This will help determine optimal application conditions and achieve the best possible results.
It is worth noting that the importance of this research is particularly evident in Ukraine, where the reliability of industrial and municipal infrastructure, energy efficiency, and the responsible use of water resources are becoming increasingly critical. A technology that enables water to be reused for longer, equipment to operate more efficiently, and the adverse environmental impact of chemical agents to be reduced addresses several sustainable development goals at once.
This is the central idea behind Inna Trus’s research: protecting industrial equipment and protecting the environment should not be competing priorities. Modern water management technologies must ensure both production efficiency and the conservation of water resources. The research being conducted at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute with the support of a Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine scholarship is focused on finding this balance.