Monitoring of environment quality is requesting the development of new devices and integrated measuring platforms that would allow either discrete or online analysis of pollutants and other important parameters. In this context the development of sustainable, innovative and cost effective devices such as biosensors is of great interest. Between the various kinds of biosensors those based on recent development of nanotechnology and taking advantages of nanomaterials are quite interesting being a great offer to the field of environment industry. To achieve the requested parameters for their application in environment monitoring these devices should be REASSURED: Real-time connectivity, Ease of specimen collection, Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User-friendly, Rapid, Robust, Equipment-free, Delivered to those who need it. How to design simple plastic/paper-based biosensor architectures through printing or stamping? How to tune their analytical performance upon demand? How one can couple nanomaterials with paper/plastics and what is the benefit? Which are the perspectives to link these simple platforms and detection technologies with mobile communication? I will try to give responses to these questions through various interesting examples with extreme interest for environment applications including virus, bacteria, toxins, pesticides, heavy metals. These devices and related technologies are related to ubiquitous methods that even allow fast preparation/fabrication of these devices in the places in need. In addition, given their simplicity and easy using (results observed/obtained by naked eye, one-push-button-only device or a smartphone) engagement of citizens in environmental monitoring would be achieved. This is quite important and will allow for democratising of the monitoring systems that would further improve the quality of our environment.
Prof. Arben Merkoçi
Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia (ICN2)
Barcelona, Spain
Arben Merkoçi is currently ICREA Professor and director of the Nanobioelectronics & Biosensors Group at Institut Català de Nanociencia i Nanotecnologia (ICN2), part of Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST). Prof.Merkoçi is member of the Academy of Sciences of Albania and director and coordinator of NANOALB (www.nanoalb.al), the regional network of nanoscience and nanotechnology. After his PhD (1991) at Tirana University (Albania), in the topic of Ion-Selective-Electrodes (ISEs) Dr. Merkoçi worked as postdoc and senior researcher/invited professor in the field of nanobiosensors and lab-on-a-chip technologies in Italy, Spain, USA and since 2006 at ICN2. Prof. Merkoçi research is focused on the design and application of cutting edge nanotechnology and nanoscience based cost/efficient biosensors. The paper/plastic-based nanobiosensors involve integration of biological molecules (DNA, antibodies, cells and enzymes) and other (bio)receptors with micro- and nanostructures/motors and applied in diagnostics, environmental monitoring or safety and security. He has published around 310 peer review research papers (H index: 73 WOS; 85 GS), supervised 30 PhD students and has been invited to give plenary lectures and keynote speeches in around 200 occasions in various countries. Prof. Merkoçi is Co-Editor In-Chief of Biosensors and Bioelectronics (Elsevier), the major international journal in the field and member of Editorial Board of other journals. He is co-founder of two spin-off companies, PaperDrop (http://paperdropdx.com/) dedicated to nanodiagnostics and GraphenicaLab (http://graphenicalab.com/) to electronic printing. See more details on his group and CV at: https://icn2.cat/en/nanobioelectronics-and-biosensors-group https://www.icrea.cat/security/files/researchers/files-maintenance/full_cv_amerkoci_0.pdf http://www.nanobiosensors.org/group-leader/
We have been in a carbon age where fossil fuels have heavily and increasingly been used since industrial revolution and ended up with so many challenges linked to energy, environment and economy in general. As everyone knows, humanity needs clean air, clean water, clean food and clean energy. It has been apparent that energy is really the key in all these domains and needs to be generated, converted, stored, transported/ transmitted and utilized in a sustainable manner which requires sustainable energy systems developed accordingly. The key question here is how to establish the energy equation? The answer is that we need to primarily set it up with renewable energy options and hydrogen energy technologies. Since the carbon age is coming to an end, there is a strong need to develop a hydrogen-based economy which is introduced as hydrogen age by Prof. Dincer. That’s why the COVID-19 pandemic is even considered a turning point for this transition. Most of the countries have signed the international agreements to be carbon neutral by 2050 to combat global warming/climate change and achieve sustainable societies. There have been global efforts in many countries since last year to begin developing strategic plans and road maps accordingly for transitioning to hydrogen based economic system from an oil dominated economy and find technological ways to make it as smooth as possible. In this regard, there are two key requirements: materials and technologies. Furthermore, the most critical requirement here is the production of green (clean) hydrogen which is expected come out of renewable energy sources for hydrogen production. This plenary presentation will introduce new directions and dimensions in sustainable energy solutions, consider the entire spectrum of energy from generation to utilization, discuss the key methods and technologies for hydrogen production, dwell on challenges, opportunities, technological dimensions and future directions. It will also address the need for deploying renewable energy systems for hydrogen production in an integrated fashion. Moreover, the role of hydrogen for various sectors will be discussed.
Prof. Ibrahim Dincer
Ontario Tech. University
Oshawa, Canada
Prof. Ibrahim Dincer is recognized for his pioneering works in the area of sustainable energy technologies and has authored/co-authored numerous books and book chapters, and many refereed journal and conference papers. He has chaired many national and international conferences, symposia, workshops and technical meetings. He has delivered many keynote and invited lectures. He is an active member of various international scientific organizations and societies, and serves as editor-in-chief, associate editor, regional editor, and editorial board member on various prestigious international journals. He is a recipient of several research, teaching and service awards, including the Premier's research excellence award in Ontario, Canada. During the past five years he has been recognized by Thomson Reuters as one of the Most Influential Scientific Minds in Engineering and one of the Most Highly Cited Researchers.
There is a well-proven need for reduction of GHG Footprint as well as the Nitrogen and Poisons Emissions (including SOx, O3, VOC, PMs) Footprints. The civic sector and, notably, buildings require about 40% of the overall energy consumption, and this is directly related to the released emissions, including GHG. Buildings can utilise renewable energy sources in different ways, including on-site or distributed energy supply. Renewable energy, including solar energy, heat pumps, geothermal, biomass and wind energy, attracts increasing attention in buildings to coming closer to sustainable buildings.
This presentation has been dealing with those issues to suggest progress towards sustainability. Several challenging issues have been recognised and are pointed out:
(i) Acceptable cost and Return on Investment would make the Renewable Energy System (RES) competitive without or with minimum subsidies. This is very desirable for civic and building implementation.
(ii) Follow the traditional observation: Simple is beautiful and usually efficient.
(iii) Minimised full GHG Footprints as well as Poisonous Pollution Footprints covering the period from the cradle to the grave, i.e. Influence afterlife and the trade-off of potential indoor pollution arise from the enhanced energy efficiency. Minimising emissions based just on the operation spot can provide distorted pictures.
(iv) Integration of various renewable energy sources (wind, hydro, solar) with heat and electrical energy storage systems, with grid and also backup sources of energy.
(v) Based on the efficient integration, smart energy management. The electricity preferably is synchronised by production and consumption, and only the excess of the electrical energy produced from RES to be stored.
(vi) The produced electricity has highly changing emissions content over the day and different parts of the year, and it is preferable to use energy with lover emissions content.
(vii) The footprint effects can be attributed eco-cost, which will help in evaluating the sustainability and the economic feasibility of the arrangements for renewable energy use in buildings, with long-term heat storage comprehensively
(viii) Closely to follow very fast developing and innovative field.
Prof. Jiří Jaromír Klemeš
Brno University of Technology - VUT Brno
Brno, Czech Republic
Co-Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Cleaner Production. The founder and President for 24 y of PRES (Process Integration for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction) conferences. Chairperson of CAPE Working Party of EFCE, a member of WP on Process Intensification and of the EFCE Sustainability platform. He authored and co-authored more than 700 papers, h-index reaching 65. A number of books published by Elsevier, Woodhead, McGraw-Hill; Ashgate Publishing Cambridge; Springer; WILEY-VCH; Taylor & Francis). Several times Distinguished Visiting Professor at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and University Technology Petronas, Malaysia; Xi’an Jiaotong University; South China University of Technology, Guangzhou and Tianjin University in China; University of Maribor, Slovenia; Brno University of Technology and the Russian Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology, Moscow. Doctor Honoris Causa of Kharkiv National University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute” in Ukraine, the University of Maribor in Slovenia, University POLITEHNICA Bucharest, Romania. “Honorary Doctor of Engineering Universiti Teknologi Malaysia”. Awarded with “Honorary Membership of Czech Society of Chemical Engineering", "European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE) Life-Time Achievements Award" and "Pro Universitaire Pannonica" Gold Medal.
