Study Groups, Centers and Laboratories
STUDY GROUPS
GESAD – Decentralized Sanitation Study Group
GESAD has been working for more than 15 years to develop and disseminate research into decentralized sanitation, mainly using the ecotechnology of constructed wetlands for effluent treatment, applied to various purposes and situations. The group has been encouraging the reuse of treated sewage with a view to sustainability in water management.
In addition, the group also works in Sanitation Services Management and Planning, notably with participation in relation to the Municipal Basic Sanitation Plans – PMSB, in representing UFSC on the Municipal Sanitation Council of Florianópolis/SC and on the Intermunicipal Sanitation Regulatory Agency – ARIS.
GESAD carries out activities with the support of government institutions such as FINEP, CNPq, CAPES, FUNASA and EPAGRI, as well as the private sector.
GESAD researchers provide support to the academic community by supervising work at doctoral, master’s and undergraduate level, as well as to the community outside the university, through publications and outreach activities such as events and lectures.
For more information, visit the GESAD website: https://gesad.ufsc.br/
CICLOG – Life Cycle Assessment Research Group
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies began in practice in 2002 with the project on Life Cycle Analysis of Ceramic Products in the Construction Industry. The Life Cycle Assessment Research Group at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) was formalized with the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) in 2006.
CICLOG’s mission is to develop and disseminate knowledge in the field of environmental analysis and management of the life cycle of products, processes and services, based on research into LCA methodologies and applications in Brazil. To this end, it has a multidisciplinary team of researchers. The research focuses on developing and improving the LCA methodology and its best application to Brazil’s environmental conditions.
For more information, visit the CICLOG website: https://ciclodevida.ufsc.br/
The effect of climate change on the ecotoxicology of emerging contaminants with an emphasis on nanomaterials and plastics.
This research group is associated with the Environmental Toxicology Laboratory of the Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering. One of the major problems facing regulatory bodies is establishing reliable environmental concentration limits for emerging contaminants. The toxicological effects of contaminants of emerging concern and their mixtures are poorly understood. In addition to this, climate change can bring new elements from a physical-chemical, biological and toxicological point of view. It is therefore necessary to understand the environmental interactions of these substances and their possible toxic effects under the influence of variables related to climate change. In this context, the Group has been carrying out research since 2010 into the toxicological effects of different nanoparticles, nanoplastics, drugs and mixtures thereof, using different toxicological models. As a result, it has produced significant scientific output and trained highly qualified human resources. The group’s research is carried out in cooperation with the Université du Québec à Montréal, Arizona State University, the Federal University of Fronteira Sul and the Federal University of Paraná.
COLLEGES
NEAmb – UFSC Environmental Education Center
The Environmental Education Center (NEAmb) works through extension projects. Multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary in nature, the center’s actions address ethical and socio-environmental issues using Environmental Education (EE) as its main axis. In addition, NEAmb offers technical support and shares the knowledge generated at the University with the entire community served by its projects.
In recognition of its work with environmental education in the municipality of Florianópolis, in 2019 NEAmb received two diplomas of recognition from the Florianópolis City Council. Also, since 2018, NEAmb has held a voluntary seat on the Environmental Education Technical Board of the Florianópolis Municipal Council for the Defense of the Environment.
Made up of students, fellows and volunteers, and professors from UFSC, the center was founded in 2007 and is located in the Technology Center. The center has always encouraged the participation of students from different undergraduate and postgraduate courses, believing in the enriching potential of transdisciplinarity when working with environmental education. As examples, students from sanitary and environmental engineering, design, architecture, geography, biology, medicine, field education, agronomy, civil engineering, among others, participate or have participated in the center.
NEAmb is made up of a Management Board, a Technical Board and an Advisory Board, all geared towards the smooth running of the Center’s actions and projects. The projects are developed by undergraduate and postgraduate students, members of NEAmb, with the coordination and guidance of professors and technicians from UFSC.
For more information, visit the NEAmb website: https://nucleoneamb.paginas.ufsc.br/
REMA – Ressacada Center for Environmental Research
We develop environmental and technological solutions to complex problems in the industrial and agricultural production sector. We have a multidisciplinary team that includes professionals from Environmental, Control and Automation, Chemical, Agronomic and Biotechnology Engineering – all focused on developing innovative, efficient and low-cost technological solutions.
For more information, visit the REMA website: https://rema.ufsc.br/
LABORATORIES
LAUTEC – Urban Rainwater and Compensatory Techniques Laboratory
The Urban Rainwater and Compensatory Techniques Laboratory at the Federal University of Santa Catarina works in the field of urban rainwater management. Its main focus is on research and development of sustainable solutions for drainage in Brazil. We are very clear about the need to disseminate a culture of sustainability in drainage and how important this issue is for the country, which is still too often adopting hygienic and outdated solutions. Helping to change this paradigm is our focus
LAUTEC works in two main areas: 1) Urban drainage management/stormwater management: developing management processes to improve the performance of municipalities in urban drainage and stormwater management; and 2) Technological development of urban drainage control structures: research aimed at designing and testing compensatory/alternative techniques to improve their performance in controlling volumes and reducing urban drainage water pollution.
For more information, visit the LAUTEC website: https://lautec.ufsc.br/
LCQAR – Air Quality Control Laboratory
Human population growth and technological development have contributed to an excessive increase in atmospheric pollution, considerably affecting all forms of life on the planet. The accumulation of atmospheric pollutants (mainly those of anthropogenic origin) has caused serious problems for the population and the competent environmental bodies. In the search for solutions to these problems, the Air Quality Control Laboratory (LCQAr) was created.
As a result of the Odor Management in Oil Refineries project (Project 60049: Odor Management in Oil Refineries Contract CENPES: 650.2.146.00-7 (01/12/2000), the Air Quality Control Laboratory (LCQAr) was created through the initiative of professors Henrique Lisboa and Paulo Belli, within the structure of the Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (ENS). It was approved at the ENS Board meeting on December 17, 2002.
The LCQAr is the Air Quality Control Laboratory of the Federal University of Santa Catarina and covers everything from emissions studies to olfactometry, working with public research organizations, industries and bodies concerned with air pollution control. Our team includes professors, undergraduates, master’s and doctoral students who work on teaching, research and extension projects in the field of air quality. All the work is currently coordinated by Professor Leonardo Hoinaski.
For more information, visit the LCQAr website: https://lcqar.ufsc.br/novo/
LABEFLU – Laboratory of Liquid and Gaseous Effluents
LABEFLU carries out studies into biotechnological processes and social technologies for effluent treatment, management and resource recovery. The laboratory conducts research into conventional, advanced and natural aerobic and anaerobic systems for the treatment of liquid and gaseous effluents. In addition to removing organic matter, nutrients and toxic compounds from effluents, the research group focuses on recovering resources such as biomaterials, molecules of interest, energy and nutrients, both from effluents and from residual biomass. Thus, LABEFLU proposes to add value to biological processes by applying the concept of biorefinery to wastewater treatment units. The research group is strongly aligned with social technologies for resource management, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. Thus, both technological development and its social insertion are covered in the studies carried out by the research group.
The main technologies studied at LABEFLU are biological treatment processes, such as activated sludge or granular sludge reactors, macrophyte ponds (lemnas), upflow anaerobic reactors and biodigesters. From this perspective, wastewater treatment plants are considered “biofactories” which, in addition to treating wastewater, produce value-added materials and energy, resulting in social, economic and environmental benefits.
For more information, visit the LABEFLU website: https://labeflu.ufsc.br/
LabHidra – Hydraulics Laboratory
The Hydraulics Laboratory (LabHidra) provides support for the development and testing of hydrometric equipment and for the analysis of water-sediment samples, as well as serving as a support space for activities related to the research line in Hydraulics and Applied Hydrology of the Postgraduate course in Environmental Engineering.
It has a total area of 135.00 m² and a 9.80 m² area with computers for preparing teaching material and hydraulic simulations. For practical classes, the laboratory has a bench with a sink, an auxiliary table, a whiteboard, cabinets with displays of hydraulic parts and four teaching modules: 1) Load loss module; 2) Pump module; 3) Orifice and nozzle module; and 4) Channel module.
For more information, visit the LabHidra website: https://labhidra.paginas.ufsc.br/
LaHiMar – Maritime Hydraulics Laboratory
The Maritime Hydraulics Laboratory at the Federal University of Santa Catarina is a CNPq research group founded in 1995. The laboratory’s facilities are dedicated to receiving online data from physical monitoring to numerical modeling of the processes under study. The laboratory’s scope includes scientific research into the physical phenomena of the maritime environment, with an emphasis on the coastal zone. The LaHiMar team has a multidisciplinary research group made up of researchers and collaborators from the fields of oceanography, engineering and physics, as well as partnerships with research entities such as EPAGRI and UFSC laboratories that work in complementary areas of knowledge.
For more information, visit the LaHiMar website: https://lahimar.ufsc.br/
LabHidro – Hydrology Laboratory
For more information, visit the LabHidro website: http://labhidro.ufsc.br/
LIMA – Integrated Environmental Laboratory;
One of the central laboratories of the UFSC Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (ENS) is the Integrated Environmental Laboratory (LIMA) which, since its creation in 1981, has been an important environment for the theoretical and practical training of undergraduate students. It is an analytical laboratory for common use, and serves undergraduate and postgraduate research in the Department on a multi-user basis, as well as subjects on the undergraduate course in Sanitary and Environmental Engineering. The analyses carried out at LIMA are geared towards teaching, research and extension. In particular, LIMA is responsible for preparing analyses for practical classes on the quality of natural and wastewater, serving an average of 120 undergraduate and postgraduate students every semester.
LIMA also has state-of-the-art equipment to assist in the development of research for the Postgraduate Program in Environmental Engineering, with 13 (thirteen) laboratories or research groups (GESAD, LABEFLU, LABHIDRO, LABTOX, LAHIMAR, LAPOA, LARA, LARESO, LAUTEC, LCQAr, REMA, RRESSA, TSGA) using LIMA’s structure for this purpose. The main analyses carried out in the laboratory are: alkalinity, acidity, dissolved organic carbon, chlorides, conductivity, total and fecal coliforms, chlorophyll, ion and gas chromatography, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, metals, ammonia nitrogen, pH, solids, surfactants, turbidity, proteins, polysaccharides, oils and greases.
For more information, visit the LIMA website: https://limaens.ufsc.br/
LARESO – Solid Waste Research Laboratory
The search for appropriate solutions to the environmental (pollution risks) and economic (energy and raw material costs) problems caused by the growing generation of solid urban and industrial waste, both at national and regional level, still has major shortcomings in terms of methodologies and technologies, and the university can make a decisive contribution to producing the knowledge needed to solve them. Thus, in Brazil, studies and research in the area of solid waste are developed to varying degrees, on the initiative of certain organizations and, sporadically, by some universities. However, these studies are carried out in a dispersed manner and do not follow a real strategy, not covering the research needs dictated by the specificity of these materials.
The Solid Waste Research Laboratory (LARESO) was set up in the Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering at the Federal University of Santa Catarina with the aim of providing solutions and new perspectives for development in the area of solid waste, in order to train human resources, produce knowledge and provide services to the community. Therefore, LARESO is a structure for studies (undergraduate and postgraduate teaching – masters and doctorate in the area of solid waste), research and the provision of services in the area of management and treatment of solid waste from urban, industrial and agricultural sources. Formally created in 1995, LARESO is made up of a team of researchers, engineers and technicians (ten professors/researchers from different institutions in Brazil and abroad, as well as 29 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students) who work under contract with public research organizations, various industries and municipalities.
For more information, visit the LARESO website: https://lareso.ufsc.br/
LAPOÁ – Water Potabilization Laboratory
The Water Potabilization Laboratory (LAPOÁ) of the Sanitary and Environmental Engineering department at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) has a research group that develops studies on water potabilization, including the development of alternative technologies to serve small communities, rural communities or low-income communities.
For more information, visit the LAPOA website: https://lapoa.ufsc.br/
LaRA – Water Reuse Laboratory
Since 1998, the Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (ENS) and the Graduate Program in Environmental Engineering (PPGEA) at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) have invested in the development of research activities focused on advanced processes and post-treatment of effluents with a view to water reuse.
In 2002, the Advanced Treatment and Water Reuse Research Group was approved and created in the Directory of Research Groups registered with the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq).
The Water Reuse Laboratory (LaRA) was created in 2003 to meet the demands in the area of Advanced Treatment Processes and Water Reuse in terms of Teaching, Research and Extension. In research, it has developed projects for the treatment of water supplies and wastewater using membrane technologies, advanced oxidative processes and adsorption processes, among others.
For more information, visit the LaRA website: https://lara.ufsc.br/
LABTOX – Environmental Toxicology Laboratory
The Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering at the Federal University of Santa Catarina began to develop the area of environmental toxicology with the creation of the Environmental Toxicology discipline in September 1996 (Ordinance No. 168/PREG/96). This led to the creation and development of the Environmental Toxicology Laboratory – LABTOX, which aims to provide support for teaching, research and extension in the area of environmental toxicology. In February 1997, LABTOX began its activities and since then, various toxicological studies related to toxic algal blooms, domestic and industrial effluents, industrial waste, and contaminants of emerging concern (pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, nanoparticles, etc.) have been or are being studied individually or in mixtures, applying different toxicological models. These studies help regulatory bodies to establish reliable environmental concentration limits. LABTOX’s current supervision is in accordance with ORDINANCE No. 262/2023/DIR/CTC, OF NOVEMBER 10, 2023.
For more information, visit the LABTOX website: https://labtox.paginas.ufsc.br/
