Guanajuato, Gto., October 6, 2017.- The "Colegio de Ingenieros Ambientales de México AC" recognized with the first place of its contest, for the best thesis in environmental engineering in 2017 in a doctoral level, to Pabel Antonio Cervantes Avilés, a student who graduated from the doctorate in Science and Technology and Water taught at the Division of Engineering (DI) of Campus Guanajuato of the University of Guanajuato (UG).

In an interview with Dr. Cervantes Avilés, he mentioned that the thesis "effects of the ZnO and Tio2 nanoparticles (zinc oxide and titanium oxide) in aerobic biological systems for treating residual waters", began four years ago with the direction of Dr. Germán Cuevas and Dr. Elcia Margareth Souza Brito.

The initial project tried to value the potential effect of the nanoparticles in the environment, he explained, for which they chose water treatment plants as a place they would have to pass, and was taken as universe, the treatment plant that was going to be exposed to nanoparticles released in the environment.

For that, they took samples of the treatment of Guanajuato and washed at the laboratory, meaning that the microorganisms of that mud, was depurated of nanoparticles and, the trial was controlled, he explained.

Dr. Cervantes considered that it is important for people to look at the environment, specially the new generation of products that are being commercialized and the potential effect in the long term that could cause in the environment, every time we celebrate that there are smaller devices, more efficient chemical compounds, but we don't think in what happens when those objects finalize they useful life and go into the environment.

So, the awareness of society about the responsible use of these new products, is what oriented his thesis. Sometimes, when you detect a problem, we seek for technological solutions, he said, but you end up saying that the solution is cultural and transcends because of education.

This kind of works pave the way to create an academic awareness in society, to close the gap between the technological developments that without a doubt contribute to the economy, but seeking not to affect the environment and final comprehensive solutions.

He explained that the nanoparticles are found in items such as cosmetics, sun blocks, deodorants, personal hygiene products with zinc and titanium oxide, and today, the real concentrations are uncertain, because at the lab they worked with controlled concentrations, but the work contributes to environmental engineering and opens the spectrum of the environmental effects of the nanotechnology.

Dr. Pabel revealed that during the doctorate program, he was constantly supervised by Dr. Guadalupe de la Rosa, who is in Campus León and by Dr. Antonia Luna, who is in the research center of advanced materials, who oriented him to direct his research in an appropriate way.

So, at the end of his defense for the Ph.D. degree, he enriched the research set the way to submit it to the School of Environmental Engineers of Mexico, who dictated that It was the best doctoral thesis of 2017.

Now, after his doctorate in Science and Technology of Water at the Division of Engineering of Campus Guanajuato; the doors are open to continue collaborating with the University of Soka, Japan; because they are also interested in the impact of the new generation pf products in the environment and now they are trying to find evidences that the materials are in the water.

Now, Dr. Cervantes holds a scholarship from Conacyt, and taking his postdoctoral degree at the University of California in Santa Barbara. The project consists in detecting these materials in waste water flows, since in United States you find the Center of Environmental Implication of the Nanotechnology, first of the kind in the world.

Dr. German Cuevas expressed his pride for these achievements and because DI has the doctorate in Science and Technology of Water, and the support of the Direction of Support for Research on these research lines, which is important to continue developing in the era of nanotechnology, it might solve a lot of problems, but we also must consider the impact it will have in the environment.

He considered that this research must continue, specially because Guanajuato is an industrial zone that uses the materials, as well as medicine in treatments, so he invited all the students to join this research line, which has begun to place the University of Guanajuato in the international radar.

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