Abir Melliti

Abir Melliti holds a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia. In 2020, she worked as a researcher at LUT University, Finland, focusing on adsorption processes for water treatment. In 2023, she began her doctoral studies at the Department of Environmental Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, within the thesis "Predictive Models for Removal of Micropollutants from Water by Novel Adsorbents".
 
Her research focuses on the development of low-cost activated carbons from biomass waste and their application to the removal of micropollutants from water, including heavy metals and pharmaceuticals. She combines adsorbent synthesis and characterization with process optimization and predictive modelling, using central composite design (CCD) and artificial neural networks (ANN). She also works on the removal of the pharmaceuticals from water by advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). She collaborates with research partners in Tunisia, Turkey and Finland, and Austria.

Ongoing Research Projects:

Recent Publications (Last 5 Years):

• Melliti, A., Kofroňová, J., Vurm, R. (2026). High-surface-area pomegranate-derived biochar for metronidazole sequestration: Comparative insights from artificial neural networks and response surface methodology. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 23. DOI: 10.1007/s13762-026-07458-w.
• McGachy, L., Škarohlíd, R., Těšínská, P., Loos, A., Melliti, A., Mocová, K. A., Kulda, T., Navrátilová, M., Vazdar, M., Vazdar, K., Kosina, J., Tarabek, J. (2026). Elucidation of pH-dependent pathways for benzophenone 1 transformation by heat-activated peroxydisulfate: A combined mechanistic and environmental assessment. ACS ES&T Water, 6(1). DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.5c01079.
• Kofroňová, J., Jiříčková, A., Jankovský, O., Luxa, J., Melliti, A., Vurm, R. (2024). Toxicity of iron-doped graphene oxide: Towards eco-friendly carbon-based nanomaterials. FlatChem, 47, 100737. DOI: 10.1016/j.flatc.2024.100737.
• Melliti, A., Touihri, M., Kofroňová, J., Hannachi, C., Sellaoui, L., Bonilla-Petriciolet, A., Vurm, R. (2024). Sustainable removal of caffeine and acetaminophen from water using biomass waste-derived activated carbon: Synthesis, characterization, and modelling. Chemosphere, 355, 141787. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141787.
• Kofroňová, J., Melliti, A., Vurm, R. (2024). Biogas digestate and sewage sludge as suitable feeds for black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae. Toxics, 12(6), 414. DOI: 10.3390/toxics12060414.
• Melliti, A., Yılmaz, M., Sillanpää, M., Hamrouni, B., Vurm, R. (2023). Low-cost date palm fiber activated carbon for effective and fast heavy metal adsorption from water: Characterization, equilibrium, and kinetics studies. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 672, 131775. DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2023.131775.
• Melliti, A., Srivastava, V., Kheriji, J., Sillanpää, M., Hamrouni, B. (2021). Date palm fiber as a novel precursor for porous activated carbon: Optimization, characterization and its application as Tylosin antibiotic scavenger from aqueous solution. Surfaces and Interfaces, 24, 101047. DOI: 10.1016/j.surfin.2021.101047.