The Environment Research Group
Mission
The Environment Research Group (ENVRG) at MTEC aims to develop and utilize materials technology toward a comprehensive solution for emerging pollutants. Research and development (R&D) to enhance the competitiveness of Thai products and commercial sectors for green and circular economy, as well as to drive the development of technologies toward sustainable productions are being conducted.
The ENVRG offers consultation to industrial sectors on product solutions and developments. Additionally, raising awareness to Thai producers in relation to trade-partner countries’ environmental regulations and assisting Thai producers to adapt to the changing world are conducted on a regular basis. Our main target groups include:
- Manufacturers in the electrical, electronic automotive , furniture, home decoration and packaging supply chains.
- Thai stakeholders involved in environmental technologies, such as recyclers, waste treatment and abatement stakeholders, and producers/providers of machineries, tools, materials, and services for the environment.
Core technologies
- Intelligence-based, Material-based Solutions
- Pollutant Analytics
- Surface Engineering of Environmental Porous Materials
- Materials Characterization
- Phytoremediation
- Biological Wastewater Treatment
Structure of the ENVRG
1. SMARTest Research Team (SMAT)
Mission
The SMAT team focuses on research and development of material technology to reduce health and environmental impacts from emerging pollutants via the following 3 approaches;
- Develop material technologies to solve pollution problems caused by hazardous waste, for instance, development of alternative materials to replace those containing hazardous substances.
- Develop material technologies to reduce pollutant emissions, such as development of materials with unique properties to harvest energy from nature and the environment.
- Develop material technology to meet the demand for environmentally friendly materials, for example, development of new material production processes that reduce pollution and production cost.
2. Material-System-Environment Team (MSET)
Mission
The Material-System-Environment Team (MSET) team focuses on research and development of knowledge in system design and application of material technology to monitor and restore the environment especially in water. Additionally, the team focuses on delivering easy to process, non-toxic to the environment and minimize chemical’s involvement in research and development of environmentally friendly technologies for waste materials from agriculture or power plants industry (e.g. rice husk ashes and coal ashes).
Research scope
1. Research and develop material technologies to minimize negative impacts to the environment.
2. Develop analytical techniques and testing methods for new knowledge and information in the field of materials for the environment.
3. System design and application of material technology to reduce impact to the environment.
4. Research and develop technology to improve the quality of life.
5. Research and develop guidelines for resource management and utilization.
6. Develop networks of environmental enterprises.
7. Deliver knowledge and raise awareness to Thai producers about partner countries’ environmental regulations, and assist Thai producers to adapt to the changing world.
8. Participate in the drafting of national and international standards and guidelines related to restricted substances in products and materials.
Research Highlights and Activities
- A completed edition of National (Thailand) Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Inventory, 2nd Edition, and a draft of National (Thailand) Management Plan for Implementing the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, 2nd Edition.
- Development of networks of environmental enterprises.
- A communication network of chemical in product system “ChemSHERPA” for Thai industrial sectors.
- Development of infrastructures on characterization of hazardous contaminations in products.
- Development of research for identification of emerging pollutants and solutions.
- Technological development in waste utilization and biological water treatment system.
Main analytical equipment
- Gas chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)
- High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
- Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)
- Ion Chromatography (IC)
- Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR)
- Ultraviolet-Visible-Near Infrared (UV-VIS-NIR) Spectrometry
- Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (ED-XRF) Spectrometry
- Glow Discharge Spectroscopy (GDS) & GD-Profiler
- Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA)
- Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES)
