Waste Management Laboratory
The Waste Management Laboratory was officially founded in the 31st of December 1999 and is located within the Department of Environment of the University of the Aegean, in Mytilene (Lesvos island, Greece). The main scope of the activities associated with the laboratory is to serve educational and research needs in the context of integrated waste management and especially in the estimation of quantities and qualities of different types of wastes (solid and liquids); planning, designing and monitoring the operation of treatment plants as well as analyzing and planning strategies for waste reduction, reuse and recycling. Innovative technologies are developed as well as integrated management methods for the treatment and the valorization of various types of agricultural and livestock wastes, farming and organic residues with the simultaneous formation of new products and/or energy (gas and solid fuels). Moreover, state-of-the-art environmental tools and techniques are used in conjunction with methods for analysis and simulation of systems for optimal and integrated management of municipal solid waste.
The Laboratory has extensive experience in the analysis and management of solid and hazardous wastes and has been involved in numerous research projects and consultancies providing technical support in decision making on the installation and optimisation of waste treatment methodologies and technologies. Current research focuses on the treatment of biowaste, production of biofuels, bioremediation, constructed wetlands, energy recovery for diverse types of waste, anaerobic digestion, composting, analysis and simulation of environmental systems.
Faculty
Demetris Lekkas, Professor (Laboratory Director)
Qualification: B.Sc. in Environmental Studies, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of the Aegean, Greece (1998). Ph.D., DIC in Hydrology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Imperial College London, UK. Post Doc, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Imperial College London, UK (2004). Post Doc – Pythagoras II, School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Environmental & Energy Management Research Unit – EEMRU (2006).
Research Interests: Water resources analysis and simulation, catchment hydrology, analysis and evaluation of hydrological systems, model identification and evaluation, development of tools for water quantity and quality management, time series analysis and extreme values estimation, droughts and climate change impacts assessment, integrated waste management, composting, circular economy, eco-effectiveness.
Department of Environment, University of Aegean
University Hill
Mytilene, 81100, Greece
Office 301
Phone: +30 2251036238
E-mail: dlekkas@env.aegean.gr
Petros Gaganis, Professor
Qualification: B.Sc. in Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Dept. Geology, Greece (1986) M.Sc. in Contaminant Hydrogeology, University of British Columbia, Dept. Earth and Ocean Sciences, Canada (1997). Ph.D. in Stochastic – Contaminant Hydrogeology, University of British Columbia, Dept. Earth and Ocean Sciences, Canada (2000).
Research Interests: Numerical modeling of processes involved in (i) groundwater flow in homogeneous and heterogeneous soils, and (ii) transport and natural attenuation of contaminants in the vadose and saturated zones. Optimization algorithms and methodologies in mathematical modeling of hydrologic systems, methods for quantifying the reliability of flow and transport model predictions. Stochastic methods, risk analyses regarding (i) groundwater contamination and (ii) water management problems. Integration of multidisciplinary data in risk-cost-benefit analyses and development of decision models to identify optimal management alternatives.
Department of Environment, University of Aegean
University Hill
Mytilene, 81100, Greece
Office 204
Phone: +30 2251036293
E-mail: gaganis@aegean.gr
Athanasios Stasinakis, Professor
Qualifications: B.Sc. Environmental Science, Department of Environment, University of Aegean, (1997). Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Department of Environment, University of Aegean (2002).
Research Interests: Biological and physicochemical methods for wastewater treatment. Reuse of treated wastewater and biosolids. Occurrence, fate and toxicity of organic micropollutants in sewage treatment plants and aquatic environment. Agro-wastes utilization technologies.
Department of Environment, University of Aegean
University Hill
Mytilene, 81100, Greece
Office 210
Phone: +30 2251036257
E-mail: astas@env.aegean.gr
Christos Matsoukas, Associate Professor
Qualification: B.Sc in Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (1994). Ph.D Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Cincinnati (2000)
Research Interests: Radiation transfer modeling in the atmosphere. Spatiotemporal characteristics of precipitation. Oceanic energy budget, ocean/atmosphere interactions. Athropogenic effects on the planetary energy budget and climate change
Department of Environment, University of Aegean
University Hill
Mytilene, 81100, Greece
Office 212
Phone: +30 2251036289
E-mail: matsoukas@aegean.gr
Laboratory Teaching Staff
Hrisovalantia Karagianni, Laboratory Research & Teaching Assistant
Qualifications: B.Sc. Department of Environment, University of the Aegean. MSc Environmental Policy & Management, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean
Research Interests: Environmental Policy. Decision making. Environmental education. Waste Management
Department of Environment, University of Aegean
University Hill
Mytilene, 81100, Greece
Office YA1
Phone: +30 2251036213
E-mail: hkaragianni@env.aegean.gr
Dirk Schaelicke, Laboratory Technical & Teaching Assistant
Qualifications: B.Sc. Process and Environmental Engineering, University of Applied Science, Berlin, Germany. MSc Environmental Policy & Management, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Greece
Research Interests: Waste management and utilization of biological by-products. Implementation of environmental policies. Focus: Industrial liquid waste management and wastewater treatment processes.
Department of Environment, University of Aegean
University Hill
Mytilene, 81100, Greece
Office YA1
Phone: +30 2251036274
E-mail: dschael@aegean.gr
Postdoctoral Researchers
Eleftheria Klontza
Qualifications: B.Sc. Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, M.Sc. “Quality Control and Environmental Management”, School of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, PhD in Environmental Engineering School of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete
Research interests: Extraction techniques for the pre-treatment of environmental samples, Solid phase microextraction for the extraction of organic compounds from environmental samples (SPME), Determination and identification of organic compounds in environmental samples using chromatographic methods (HPLC, GC/MS), Analytical method development , Advanced oxidation processes (ozonation, photocatalytic processes) for the removal of organic pollutants from environmental samples, Treatment and valorisation of agricultural wastes, Solid waste management in ports and marinas
PhD Students
- Ioannis Daskaloudis – Energy utilization of food and agricultural waste through anaerobic digestion. (daskaloudis@env.aegean.gr)
- Alexandros Kalampokidis – Production of PHA bioplastics from different types of organic wastes using Mixed-Microbial Cultures and nanoparticles (kalampokidis@env.aegean.gr)
- Efstathia – Eleni Tzivelou – Applications of Circular Practices for the Recovery and Production of 4th Generation Biofuels Using Arthrospira platensis (envd22006@env.aegean.gr)
- Athanasia Orfanou – Development of methods and use of intelligent analysis tools for the transition to a digital circular economy (envd21003@env.aegean.gr)
A) Waste Management Department
- Portable Infrared Gas Analyser, Geotechnical Instruments GA 5000
- Laboratory Grinding Mill, Kinematica Polymix PX-MFC 90D
- Portable GPS, MAGELLAN 320
- Toximeter Gas Detector OLDHAM C2000
- Portable Ion meter. HACH, Model Sension2
- Portable Conductivity meter. HACH, Μodel Sension5
- Portable Dissolved Oxygen meter. HACH, Model Sension6
- Docking Station for data transfer of portable meters type Sension HACH
- COD vials digestion Reactor, HACH, Model 45600-18
- Portable spectrophotometer HACH, Model DR/2400
- BOD measurement system for Wastewater, AQUALYTIC incl. mobile controller, model Sensomat-Scientific AL350
- BOD cabinet, AQUALYTIC model AL185
- Measurement equipment for the determination of aerobe and anaerobe microbiological activity of liquid and soil samples, AQUALYTIC
- Soxhlet extraction device holding 6 samples, WISD
- Analytical Balance, Kern ABJ 220-4M
- Distillation device for production of deionized water, Espinar DES-3
- Stereoscope, LEICA ES2
- Test-tube vibrator, VELP
- Magnetic stirrer – hot plate, LabTech LMS1003
- Plate shaker
- Laboratory dehumidifying cabinet
- Laboratory Composter
- Peristaltic Pump, Watson Marlow 101U/R
- Peristaltic Pump, Gilson Miniplus3
- Dosing Pump, Prominent 1002 NP
- Balance, Kern VB 30 KIOSM
- Soil conductivity Meter, Hanna HI 993310
- 8 m3 cooling chamber (2-6 Cº)
B) AGRO WASTE LAB
- Biogas production unit (200lt)
- Feeding tank with mixer and pump
- Digester with mixing pump
- Hot water circulating system
- Outlet collection tank with mixer and pump
- Sludge decanter
- Fodder production unit
- Membrane bioreactor
- Photobioreactor with flatbed culture vessel (LabFors 5 LUX, InforsHT)
- Compost production unit
- Shredder
- Composting reactor
- Household composters
- Pellet production unit
- Thermal dryer
- Grinding mill
- Pelletizer
- Mobile biogas composition meter
- Composting heat sensors and recorder
- pH and ORP sensors and recorder (HACK SC200 CONTROLLER, 2DIGITAL sensors)
- Biogas flowmeter
- Calorimeter, Parr
C) Olive Processing Waste Management Department
- Olive fruit washing device, Enorrossi
- Leaf separator, Enorrossi
- Olive fruit conveyer Screw, Enorrossi
- Olive Depitter Unit, Enorrossi
- Olive oil extraction unit a) Hydraulic Olive Press, Enorrossi Model 80
- Olive oil extraction unit b) Centrifugal Decanter, Oliomio Mini TF
- Heavy load balance, Kern EDB 150k100L
- Industrial washing machine for olive press discs, Lamber
- Portable Juicer
- Deep Freezer, Liebherr GT 2102
- Analytical balance, ADAM PGW 3502e
- Laboratory Oven (high range), Nabertherm B170
- Garden Wood Shredder, ALKO NewTech 2400R
- Laboratory Oven (low range), Raypa 0 – 250 ⁰C
D) Radiation Department
- High purity germanium detector for radiation measurements of solid and liquid samples
- Automatic alpha/beta radiation measurement system
- Radon meter for measurements of air samples, soil gas – and water samples
- Portable NaI(Tl) detector with γ isotope detection capability
- Geiger–Müller counter
- Electronic personal dosimeters
- Electromagnetic sat finder for 30 Hz – 6 GHz (from ELF to SHF)
Collaborating academic institutions and public/private bodies
- Sanitary Environmental Engineering Division (SEED) of University of Salerno (Italy)
- IZES gGmbH (Germany)
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of Imperial College London (UK)
- Department of Energy Engineering and Fluid Mechanics, School of Industrial Engineering – ETSII Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM, Spain)
- The Cyprus Research and Innovation Center Ltd (CyRIC, Cyprus)
- Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
Ongoing research projects:
- Aegean AgroWaste Lab – Research Infrastructure for treatment and valorization of by-products and residues of agrowaste sector to produce alternative products and energy. Financed by the Operational Program “North Aegean 2014-2020”, co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Launch date 10/2018, duration 36 months (coordinating by WML)
- Intelligent Research Infrastructure for Shipping, Supply Chain, Transport and Logistics (EN.I.R.I.S.S.T) MIS: 5027930 Financed by the programme “Strengthening National Research Infrastructures Of the Operational Program Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurship Innovation (2014-2020)” EPANEK – (the new NSRF) Launch date 3/2019, duration 36 months
- Analysis of packaging materials in Solid Wastes. Financed by HERRco Launch date 4/2018, duration 48 months (coordinating by WML)
- Support and development of Waste Management practices for the Municipality of Paxos Island – Greece Municipality of Paxos Island
In the past, the WML has been involved in several research projects summarized below:
- Sustainable infrastructures for the use of biogenic residues on the example of the islands Lesbos and Chios – SusNisia. Funded by Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Germany (FKZ 16EXI2228A).
- Geo-Ergon Paideia” «Start Up Farm: Skills for future eco-farmers». European programme Erasmus+, through the Greek State Scholarship Foundation.
- Support and development of Waste Management practices for the Municipality of Paxos Island – Greece Municipality of Paxos Island
- Environmental assessment of the use of restored Solid Waste Dump (HADA) in Chios as shelter facility. The UN Refugee Agency
- Practices for integrated Municipal Waste Management for the Island of Kythnos
- Evaluation and optimization of a mobile treatment unit for Municipal Solid – Municipality of Kalamata” financed by the Municipality of Kalamata.
- ΘΑΛ-ΧΩΡ- Cross-border Cooperation for the development of Marine Spatial Planning” financed by INTERREG IVC Programme Greece-Cyprus 2007-2013.
- Reduction of operating cost of tourist corporation via sustainable management of water and energy” financed by the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF).
- Composting of the organic fraction of the municipal solid waste in the Municipality of Evrotas: Monitoring of the process
- RITTS, “Regional Innovation and Technology Transfer Strategies” – Innovation in North Aegean Region
- NAIAS “North Aegean Innovative Actions & Support” – Innovative Systems for treating Olive mil wastes
The laboratory members are responsible of the organization of scientific events such as the International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology (CEST – www.cest.gnest.org), the International Summer School on Big Data Analysis in Earth Sciences (https://summer-schools.aegean.gr/EarthBiAs2017/) and the publication of Global NEST Journal (www.journal.gnest.org; Scopus and ISI Indexed).
2025
Gkalipidou E., Deligiannis M., Gatidou G., Knight E.R., Allan I.J., Kostakis M.G., Gerokonstantis D.T., Arvaniti O.S., Thomaidis N.S., Vyrides I., Fountoulakis M.S., Stasinakis A.S. (2025) Impact of granular activated carbon, voltage application and sewage sludge pretreatment on mesophilic anaerobic digestion performance and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances removal. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 13, 117933.
Koukoura, A., Galipidou, E., Gatidou, G., Zkeri, E., Fountoulakis, M.S., Stasinakis, A.S. (2026) Sewage treatment and removal of micropollutants in suspended and attached growth systems combining Chlorella sorokiniana and activated sludge. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology 101, 459-470.
2023
- Athanasiadou V., Klontza E.E., Dimitriou – Christidis P., Fountoulakis MS, Lekkas DF., (2023) Evaluation of Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis growth using cheese whey in the context of circular economy. Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy Volume 34, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scp.2023.101173
- Voukkali I., Papamichael, I., Loizia, P., Lekkas, D.F., Rodríguez-Espinosa, T; NAVARRO PEDRENO, J; Zorpas, A (2023) Waste metrics in the framework of Circular Economy (2023) Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy (WM&R) Volume 41, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X231190794
- Orfanou, S. Vakalis, C. Karelis, C Alexopoulos, Y Charalabidis, D F Lekkas (2023) Assessing the correlation between citizen science and carbon footprint: Introduction of COMPAIR’s CO2 calculator. Energies 2023, 16(17), 6228; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16176228
- Naddeo V., Tiziano Zarra, Md. Nahid Pervez, Iliana Papamichael, Antonis A. Zorpas, Chi-Wang Li, Eleftheria Klontza, Demetris F. Lekkas, Vincenzo Belgiorno (2023) A Comparative Analysis of Ecological Status Assessment in River Water Quality under the European Water Framework Directive. Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering Volume 8, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscee.2023.100477
- Kelmalis A. (2023) Assessing the emissions of short sea international shipping: a case study of the Mytilini – Ayvalık route” – Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2023) Volume 30 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-30595-5
- Tsaligopoulos A., Kyvelou SS., Karapostoli A., Bobolos N., Tsintzou T., Lekkas DF., Matsinos YG., (2023) Sound complexity on the land-sea interface: Studying the effects of noise on the waterfront of a Mediterranean metropolis (2023) Noise Mapping. Volume 10 Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1515/noise-2022-0173
- Voukkali I., Papamichael I., Economou F., Loizia P., Klontza E., Lekkas D.F., Naddeo V., Zorpas A.A. (2023), Factors affecting social attitude and behavior for the transition towards a circular economy, Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy, 36, 101276, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scp.2023.101276
- Papamichael I., Voukkali I., Loizia P., Stylianou M., Economou F., Vardopoulos I., Klontza E.E., Lekkas D.F., Zorpas A.A. (2023), Measuring Circularity: Tools for monitoring a smooth transition to Circular Economy, Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy, 36, 101330, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scp.2023.101330
- Kalantzis D., Daskaloudis I., Lacoere T., Stasinakis AS., Lekkas, DF, De Vrieze J., Fountoulakis MS. (2023) Granular activated carbon stimulates biogas production in a pilot-scale anaerobic digester treating agro-industrial wastewater. Bioresource Technology, Volume 376 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2023.128908
- Papastefanakis N., Daliakopoulos I.N., Maragkaki A.E., Tsompanidis C., Zotos N., Lekkas D.F., Manios T., Fountoulakis M.S., (2023) Application of solar drying as a pre-treatment method for storing wet feedstocks prior to use in anaerobic digesters: Effect on methane production and digestate composition. Fuel, Volume 348 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2023.128477
- Xypolias P., Vakalis S., Daskaloudis I., Lekkas DF. (2023) Hydrothermal Carbonization of Dry Anaerobic Digestion Residues derived from Food and Agro Wastes in Lesvos Island. Energies 2023, 16(12), 4619; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16124619
- Economou F., Papamichael I., Voukkali I., Loizia P., Klontza E., Lekkas DF., Naddeo V., Demetriou G., Navarro-Pedreño J., Hadjisavvas C., Zorpas (2023) Life cycle assessment of potato production in insular communities under subtropical climatic conditions. Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering Volume 8, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscee.2023.100419
- Skouloudis A., Malesios C., Lekkas DF., (2023) Notes from the field: Public views of bioplastics – findings from Greece. Circular Economy and Sustainability https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-023-00307-9
- Liakos D., Altiparmaki G., Kalampokidis A., Lekkas DF., Vakalis S., (2023) The role of hydrochar on the production of biogas and volatile fatty acids during anaerobic digestion of cheese whey wastewater. Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy Volume 35 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scp.2023.101153
