Scholar Biography
Dr Indira de Menezes Castro
Elimination at source of biocidal agents from fresh water environments by TiO2 photocatalysis

“Did you know that pesticides contaminate water and can cause irreversible health issues? I can make this water clean.”
Indira is a Hydro Nation PhD scholar registered in the School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences at the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen. Her PhD is focused on developing a pilot scale modular photocatalytic treatment unit that can be deployed for source management of biocide discharge, i.e. in drainage channels, waste gutters, rural SuDS, or waste water ponds. Over the course of her studies she will investigate the effects of titanium dioxide photocatalysis on the degradation of several commonly occurring types of biocidal agents.
Prior to starting the Hydro Nation Scholarship, she was involved in researches involving the removal of cyanobacteria and their toxins from water using different approaches, including photocatalytic treatment. Indira’s work experience also includes water and wastewater quality analysis. Indira holds a BSc in Environmental Engineering with a focus on environmental sanitation at the Federal University of Ceará in Fortaleza, Brazil and she completed a Master's degree in Civil Engineering with a focus on water quality from the same university.
Knowledge Exchange Outputs
- Oxidative stress in the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa PCC 7813: Comparison of different analytical cell stress detection assays
- World Water Day Poster - Elimination at source of biocidal agents from freshwater environments by TiO2 photocatalysis
- HNS Welcome Event Presentation - Elimination at source of biocidal agents from freshwater environments by TiO2 photocatalysis
- Scottish Freshwater Group Spring 2021 Meeting Presentation - Scale-up of a photocatalytic treatment unit for degradation of biocidal agents at source
- Novel Approach to Controlling Toxic Cyanobacteria: Effect of 365 nm UV-A LED Irradiation on Six Microcystis Aeruginosa Strains and their Eleven Associated Microcystins (Poster)
- Photocatalytic removal of nine pesticides by g-C3N4 coated recycled glass beads and economical UV-A 365 nm LEDs (Presentation)
- Scale-up of a photocatalytic reactor for the degradation of pesticides at source (Poster)
- Scale-up of a photocatalytic reactor for the degradation of pesticides at source (Poster)