Industrial and urban activities continuously release emerging and priority contaminants into aquatic and terrestrial environments. Many of these pollutants, including PFAS, pharmaceuticals, chlorinated compounds, disinfection by-products and micro(nano)plastics, are highly persistent and cannot be efficiently removed by conventional treatment technologies.

At INPROQUIMA, we develop innovative hybrid technologies that combine adsorption, electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs), process modelling and sustainability assessment to achieve efficient pollutant removal while minimizing energy consumption, chemical demand and secondary waste generation. Our research contributes to safer water reuse, contaminated-site remediation and the transition towards a circular economy.

Related works:

• Duarte, J.L.S., Hayat, A., Domínguez, C.M., Santos, A., Cotillas, S. (2026). Degradation pathways and in silico ecotoxicity assessment of meropenem by-products generated by electrochemical oxidation. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 14(5): 123814.
• Adeel, M., Hayat, A., Santos, A., Cotillas, S., Cirillo, C., Sarno, M., Venditto, V., Rizzo, L. (2026). Degradation of contaminants of emerging concern in urban wastewater by iron-activated sewage sludge-derived biochar/peroxymonosulfate: A comparison with ozonation process

  . Separation and Purification Technology, 401: 138539.

• Pérez-López, A., Domínguez, C.M., Rodríguez, S., Santos, A., Cotillas, S. (2026). Mechanistic insights into electrocoagulation-driven removal of polystyrene nanoplastics from urban treated wastewater

  . Environmental Pollution, 401: 128344.

• Pérez-López, A., Domínguez, C.M., Loor Urgilés, L.D., Martínez-Huitle, C.A., Cotillas, S., dos Santos, E. V. (2026). Enhancing nanoplastics removal and green hydrogen recovery through photovoltaic-driven hybrid electrochemical treatment of urban treated wastewater

  . Chemical Engineering Journal, 533: 174957.

• Herraiz-Carboné, M., Domínguez, C.M., Rodríguez, S., Santos, A., Cotillas, S. (2026). Sustainable management of SEAR waste emulsions from lindane production by electrochemical oxidation: performance and environmental implications

  . Journal of Environmental Management, 398: 128512

• Duarte, J.L.S., Hayat, A., De la Fuente, M., Domínguez, C.M., Santos, A., Cotillas, S. (2025). Removal of meropenem from hospital wastewater using biochar derived from grape stalks. Journal of Environmental Management, 393: 127004.
• Duarte, J.L.S., Hayat, A., Domínguez, C.M., Santos, A., Cotillas, S. (2025). Forest biomass derived biochar for effective meropenem mitigation in hospital effluents. Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, 19: 100811.
• Pérez-López, A., Domínguez, C.M., Santos, A., Cotillas, S. (2025). Removal of polystyrene nanoplastics from urban treated wastewater by electrochemical oxidation

  . Separation and Purification Technology, 363: 131139.

• Hayat, A., Duarte, J.L.S., Cruz-Gómez, F., Domínguez, C.M., Santos, A., Cotillas, S. (2025).

  Electrochemical degradation of levofloxacin in synthetic hospital effluents: insights into operating parameters, by-products formation and toxicity

  . Electrochimica Acta, 530: 146390.

• Herraiz-Carboné, M., Santos, A., Hayat, A., Domínguez, C.M., Cotillas, S. (2024). Remediation of groundwater polluted with lindane production wastes by conductive-diamond electrochemical oxidation

  . Science of the Total Environment, 926: 171848.

• Herraiz-Carboné, M., Santos, A., Checa-Fernández, A., Domínguez, C.M., Cotillas, S. (2024). Removal of organochlorine pollutants from DNAPL-saturated groundwater using electrolysis with MMO anodes

  . Chemical Engineering Journal, 486: 150238.

• Aurora Santos, David Lorenzo, Carmen M. Dominguez (2019). Book: Electrochemically assisted remediation of contaminated soils: fundamentals, technologies, combined processes and pre-pilot and scale-up applications. Chapter 10: Persulfate in the remediation of soil and groundwater contaminated by organic compounds. SpringerNature.
• Dominguez, C. M., Oturan, N., Romero, A., Santos, A., Oturan, M. A. (2018). Lindane degradation by electrooxidation process: Effect of electrode materials on oxidation and mineralization kinetics. Water Research, 135: 220-230.
• Dominguez, C. M., Oturan, N., Romero, A., Santos, A., Oturan, M. A. (2018). Removal of Organochlorine Pesticides from Lindane Production Wastes by Electrochemical Oxidation. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 25: 34985-34994
• Dominguez, C. M., Oturan, N., Romero, A., Santos, A., Oturan, M. A. (2018). Removal of lindane wastes by advanced electrochemical oxidation. Chemosphere, 202: 400-409.
• Dominguez, C. M., Oturan, N., Romero, A., Santos, A., Oturan, M. A. (2018). Optimization of Electro Fenton Process for Effective Degradation of Organochlorine Pesticide Lindane. Catalysis Today, 313: 196-202.