Dr. Maria M. Savanović, researcher at the University of Novi Sad and member of the Association for the International Development of Academic and Scientific Collaboration (AIDASCO), will deliver a plenary lecture at the 19th International Scientific Conference “Contemporary Materials 2026”, which will be held in Banja Luka on September 10–11, 2026.
Her lecture, entitled:
“From Photocatalytic Powders to Reusable Materials: Sustainable Strategies for Water Purification”
will address an important challenge in modern environmental materials research: how to move from highly active photocatalytic powders toward systems that are easier to recover, reuse and apply in realistic water-treatment conditions.
The topic is closely aligned with several values promoted by AIDASCO, particularly interdisciplinary research, sustainability, scientific collaboration and the dissemination of research with clear societal relevance.
Sustainable materials for environmental challenges
Water contamination remains one of the major environmental challenges worldwide. Organic pollutants originating from industrial, agricultural, pharmaceutical and other human activities can persist in aquatic environments and may require advanced treatment approaches for their effective removal.
Photocatalysis has attracted considerable attention in this context because semiconductor materials such as TiO₂ and ZnO can promote the degradation of organic contaminants under irradiation. However, high photocatalytic efficiency alone is not sufficient for practical implementation.
Many commonly studied photocatalysts are used as fine powders dispersed directly in water. Although this can provide good contact between the catalyst and pollutants, it also creates an important practical problem: the photocatalyst must be separated from the treated water after the process is completed. This additional step can increase costs, complicate treatment procedures and reduce the overall sustainability of the system.
Maria Savanović’s plenary lecture will focus precisely on this transition from effective laboratory-scale photocatalysts toward recoverable and reusable materials.
From powders to immobilized photocatalysts
One strategy for improving photocatalyst handling is immobilization on suitable supporting materials.
Instead of remaining freely dispersed in water, the active photocatalytic component can be incorporated into or deposited onto a larger and more easily recoverable structure.
Such an approach can potentially improve catalyst handling, reduce material loss and facilitate reuse over several treatment cycles.
At the same time, immobilization introduces new scientific questions.
The supporting material must preserve sufficient access of both light and pollutants to the active photocatalytic sites, while also providing adequate mechanical and chemical stability.
For this reason, the development of reusable photocatalytic systems requires a careful balance between several properties:
photocatalytic activity;
stability;
accessibility of active sites;
recoverability;
ease of handling;
performance during repeated use.
This broader perspective is essential if photocatalytic technologies are to move from proof-of-concept experiments toward more practical environmental applications.
Research at the intersection of chemistry, materials science and environmental protection
The work presented in the plenary lecture combines several scientific areas.
It includes the synthesis and characterization of semiconductor-based materials, their application in the degradation of organic pollutants, and the investigation of strategies for improving their practical use through immobilization and reuse.
This type of research demonstrates why interdisciplinary collaboration has become increasingly important in modern environmental science.
Materials scientists can contribute expertise in material design and characterization, chemists can investigate degradation mechanisms and pollutant behavior, while environmental researchers can evaluate the broader relevance of the developed systems for water treatment.
Bringing these perspectives together makes it possible to evaluate materials not only according to whether they work, but also according to whether they can realistically become part of sustainable technologies.
Scientific visibility through international conferences
Plenary lectures provide an important opportunity to communicate research to a broad scientific audience.
They allow researchers not only to present individual results, but also to place those results within a wider scientific context, identify current limitations and discuss future research directions.
For AIDASCO, participation of its members in international scientific conferences is especially important because it contributes to the Association’s wider objective of supporting academic exchange and international scientific visibility.
Scientific collaboration frequently begins with communication.
Conferences create environments where researchers from different institutions and countries can exchange ideas, compare approaches and identify common research interests.
Such interactions can later develop into joint publications, research visits, project proposals and longer-term collaborations.
Environmentally sustainable materials as a shared research priority
Contemporary Materials 2026 includes a dedicated symposium on environmentally sustainable materials, alongside sessions devoted to condensed matter and solid-state physics, biomaterials and nanomedicine, and water-related research.
Maria Savanović’s lecture therefore sits naturally at the intersection of two major conference themes: advanced materials and water purification.
Its focus on reusable photocatalytic materials also reflects a broader change in how environmental technologies are being evaluated.
Increasingly, researchers are asking not only:
Can this material remove a pollutant?
but also:
Can it be recovered? Can it be reused? How stable is it? What resources are required to operate it? And can the treatment process itself remain environmentally responsible?
These questions are becoming central to the development of genuinely sustainable materials technologies.
Supporting research with societal relevance
One of the goals of AIDASCO is to promote scientific activities that extend beyond disciplinary boundaries and contribute to wider academic and societal development.
Research on water purification represents an excellent example.
It connects fundamental chemistry and materials science with environmental protection and public needs.
The development of stable, reusable and effective photocatalytic systems could contribute to more sustainable approaches for removing organic contaminants from water, while also reducing some of the practical limitations associated with conventional powdered photocatalysts.
Maria Savanović’s plenary lecture at Contemporary Materials 2026 will provide an opportunity to present this research direction to an international audience and to contribute to the broader discussion on how advanced materials can support sustainable environmental technologies.
AIDASCO is pleased to see its members actively contributing to international scientific events and presenting research that combines scientific innovation, environmental relevance and opportunities for future collaboration.
19th International Scientific Conference “Contemporary Materials 2026”
September 10–11, 2026
Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
More information about the conference is available on the official Contemporary Materials website.