Pilot scale micropollutant removal onto three types of granular activated carbon was tested over a period of 25 months. The columns were operated in a mode as similar as possible to the functioning of the main waterworks with the emphasis on minimizing the washing of the activated carbon layers. Sampling was performed monthly and a total of 222 micropollutants were evaluated. The columns were located at a waterworks in central Bohemia (Czech Republic). Real influent water from the river Jizera after artificial recharge and sand filtration was used. The aim of this study was to verify whether the process of micropollutant removal was suitable under the operating conditions at the waterworks. Clear seasonal patterns of micropollutant concentrations in the influent were detected. All three columns were able to effectively remove or substantially decrease the concentration of most micropollutants. The best performance was shown for the activated carbon Aquasorb 5005, which had the highest surface area and a well developed porous structure with the highest proportion of mesopores. The data were evaluated in order to identify micropollutant parameters important for their removal, and the pH-dependent octanol/water partition coefficient was identified as the key parameter. Other important parameters were charge and polar surface area of the micropollutant molecules.

Publication:
Švábová, M., Šváb, M., Vorokhta, M., Pohořelý, M., 2025. Evaluation of micropollutant removal from artificially recharged water using activated carbon. J. Hazard. Mater. 494, 138504. 

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Publication:
Maryna Vorokhta, M.I.M. Kusdhany, M. Vorochta, Martina Švábová, M. Nishihara, K. Sasaki, S.M. Lyth, 2025. Acetone adsorption on hierarchically porous carbon foams: Effect of nitrogen doping and oxygen functional groups. Chemical Engineering Journal, 521, 166784.

Publication:
Alexandra Malhocká, Martina Švábová, Tomáš Suchý, 2025. Chemotaxonomy according to leaf terpenes of eight cypress species growing in the Czech Republic in the light of modern phylogenetic classification. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 120, 104980.  

The Bytíz deposit is a part of the Příbram uranium and base-metal ore district. It is an example of a vein-type deposit with polyphase hydrothermal mineralization. Samples of uraniferous solid bitumen from Bytíz with U content up to 38 wt% are characterized petrologically, geochemically, and mineralogically using EPMA, Raman and infrared microspectroscopy. The bitumen-bearing samples consist of base-metal sulfides: galena, sphalerite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and also minor amounts of tetrahedrite, stibnite, and acanthite, associated with Mn-bearing calcite, quartz and silicates (chlorite, muscovite). Solid bitumens were found in the form of small veins and droplets, and roundish to irregular accumulations, in association with uraninite and carbonate veins.

Publication:
Tatiana Larikova, Ivana Sýkorová, Martin Racek, Martina Havelcová, Vladimír Machovič, Ladislav Lapčák, 2024. Formation and radiolytic alteration of uraniferous solid bitumen related to hydrothermal base-metal mineralization in the Bytíz deposit, Příbram district, Czech Republic. International Journal of Coal Geology 293, 2024, 104590.

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Publication:
N. Kostkova, Maryna Vorokhta, M. Kormunda, R. Pilar, G. Sadovska, P. Honcova, E. Mikyskova, J. Moravkova, P. Sazama, 2024. Controlling the structure of nitrogen-doped zeolite-templated carbon for CO2 capture based on the synthesis conditions, Microporous and Mesoporous Materials 379, 113286. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micromeso.2024.113286

Publication:
Karoui O., Andrejkovičová S., Pato P., Patinha C., Perná I., Řimnáčová D., Hajjaji W., Ascenão G., Rocha F., Mlayah A. (2024): Alkali‑activated geopolymers based on calcined phosphate sludges and metakaolin. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 31,
45138–45161. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-34025-y

Publication:
Karoui O., Andrejkovičová S., Pato P., Patinha C., Řimnáčová D., Perná I., Hajjaji W., Rocha F., Mlayah A. (2024): Foamed phosphate by-product based geopolymers and dye adsorption efficiency. Applied Clay Science 257, 107446. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2024.107446

Publication:
Perná I., Novotná M., Hanzlíček T., Šupová M., Řimnáčová D. (2024): Metakaolin-based geopolymer formation and properties: The influence of the maturation period and environment (air, demineralized and sea water). Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry 134, 415–424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiec.2024.01.005

Publication:
K. Holcová, F. Scheiner, Martina Havelcová, P. Kraft, L. Ackerman, A. Tichá, K. Česáková, R. Milovský, 2024. Quaternary floodings in the Zanzibar Channel (NW Indian Ocean, Tanzania) – Identifying palaeoceanographic patterns and palaeoenvironment using a multiproxy study. Marine Geology 107366. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2024.107366

Publication:
Martina Švábová, Marek Šváb, Maryna Vorokhta, 2024. Comparison of microwave and thermal reactivation of spent activated carbons: A pilot scale demonstration. Journal of Water Process Engineering 67, 106189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2024.106189

Publication:
Tatiana Larikova, Ivana Sýkorová, M. Racek, Martina Havelcová, V. Machovič, L. Lapčák, 2024. Formation and radiolytic alteration of uraniferous solid bitumen related to hydrothermal base-metal mineralizationin the Bytíz deposit, Příbram district, Czech Republic. International Journal of Coal Geology 286, 104590. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2024.104590

Publication:
V. Suchý, Ivana Sýkorová, J. Zachariáš, K. Brabcová Pachnerová, P. Dobeš, Martina Havelcová, I. Rozkošný, Q. Luo, W. Cao, J. Wu, P. Mácová, A. Viani, I. Světlík, D. Maxa, 2024. Solid bitumen as an indicator of petroleum migration, thermal maturity, and contact metamorphism: a case study in the Barrandian Basin (Silurian - Devonian), Czech Republic. International Journal of Coal Geology 286, 104493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2024.104493

Publication:
Maryna Vorokhta, M. I. M. Kusdhany, Martina Švábová, M. Nishihara, K. Sasaki, S. M. Lyth, 2025. Hierarchically porous carbon foams coated with carbon nitride: Insights into adsorbents for pre-combustion and post-combustion CO2 separation, Separation and Purification Technology 354, 129054. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2024.129054

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Publication:
Řimnáčová D., Bičáková O., Moško J., Straka P., Čimová N. (2024): The effect of carbonization temperature on textural properties of sewage sludge-derived biochars as potential adsorbents. Journal of Environmental Management 359, 120947. 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120947

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Publication:
Jiří Mizera, Vladimír Strunga (2024): Proximal ejecta of the putative parent impact crater for Australasian tektites at the Bolaven Plateau. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 121, e2400122121. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2400122121

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With the exception of a fly and a mite from the Triassic of Italy, all Mesozoic amber arthropods are from the Cretaceous. Late Jurassic Lebanese amber from Aintourine revealed a completely preserved adult coccid male (wing length 0.8 mm), Jankotejacoccus libanogloria gen. et sp. n., the earliest record of a plant sucking scale insect. Associated plant material included the cheirolepidiaceans Protopodocarpoxylon, Brachyphyllum and Classostrobus, plus Classopolis pollen, suggesting a forested temporary swamp habitat with ferns, tree ferns, water ferns, tall araucarian and ginkgoacean trees and shrubs. (Sub)tropic lateritic soil with vegetation debris underwent incomplete microbial decomposition in an anoxic water environment of peat swamp development. Strata-associated marine organisms support the Kimmeridgian age revealed by zircons. The discovery opens a new field of research in Jurassic amber fossils.

Publication:
P. Vršanský, H. Sendi, J. Kotulová, J. Szwedo, M. Havelcová, H. Palková, L. Vršanská, J. Sakala, Ľ. Puškelová, M. Golej, A. Biroň, D. Peyrot, D. Quicke, D. Néraudeau, P. Uher, S. Maksoud, D. Azar, 2024. Jurassic Park approached: a coccid from kimmeridgian cheirolepidiacean Aintourine Lebanese amber. National Science Review, nwae200. https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwae200

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Publication:
Švábová M., Šváb M., Vorokhta M., 2024. Comparison of microwave and thermal reactivation of spent activated carbons: A pilot scale demonstration, Journal of Water Process Engineering 67, 106189.

Publication:
Martina Havelcová, Ivana Sýkorová, Petr Rajlich, 2024. Structural analysis of fossilized tree trunks from the Miocene Mydlovary Formation of the South Bohemian Basin (Czech Republic). Palaeoworld 34, 100886.

Publication:
Daniela Řimnáčová, Alexandra Malhocká, Martina Havelcová, Hendrych J., Zuzana Weishauptová, 2024. Physicochemical characteristics of natural and anthropogenic inorganic and organic solid porous materials: Comprehensive view. Materialia 33, 101973.

The studied parastratotype profile of the regional Carpathian foreland (late Burdigalien) in the Hevlín quarry indicates the existence of a warm-temperate to subtropical palaeoclimate with a zonal vegetation cover of subtropical deciduous evergreen forest and warm-temperate to subtropical mixed mesophytic forest. These findings are consistent with global trends (high temperatures and high sea level) and suggest the occurrence of relatively widespread wet conditions during the Miocene climatic optimum.
The result was achieved in collaboration with the Faculty of Science of Charles University Prague, the Faculty of Science of Masaryk University Brno, the University of Bonn and Geological Institute of the CAS.

Publication:
F. Scheiner, M. Havelcová, K. Holcová, N. Doláková, S. Nehyba, L. Ackerman, J. Trubač, Š. Hladilová, J. Rejšek, T. Utescher, 2023: Evolution of palaeoclimate, palaeoenvironment and vegetation in Central Europe during the Miocene Climate Optimum. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 611, 111364, doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2022.111364
 

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Publication:
M. Vorokhta, M. I. M. Kusdhany, D. Vöröš, M. Nishihara, K. Sasaki, S.M., 2023. Microporous carbon foams: The effect of nitrogen-doping on CO2 capture and separation via pressure swing adsorption. Chemical Engineering Journal 471, 144524 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2023.144524 

Karimi, K., Kletetschka, G., Mizera, J., Meie, V., 2023. Formation of Australasian tektites from gravity and magnetic indicators. Scientific Reports 13, 12868. 
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-022-08692-5 

Malhocká, A., Švábová, M., 2023. Diversity of the terpene synthesis in the Thuja species – a comparative chemotaxonomic study. Biochemical systematics and ekology 110, 104703. 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bse.2023.104703 

Publication:
M. Vorokhta, J. Nováková, M. Dopita, I. Khalakhan, V. Kopecký Jr., M. Švábová, 2023. Activated three-dimensionally ordered micromesoporous carbons for CO2 capture. Materials Today Sustainability 24, 100509. 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtsust.2023.100509

Publication:
Mizera, J., Krausová, I., Chvátil, D., Olšanský, V., 2023. Oxygen determination in the Ti certified reference material ERM-EB090b by instrumental photon activation analysis. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
doi: 10.1007/s10967-023-09260-1

Malhocká, A., Švábová, M., 2023. A Chemotaxonomic Analysis of Terpenes Variation in Metasequoia glyptostroboides and Sequoiadendron giganteum resins. Journal of Essential Oil Bearing Plants 26. 
https://doi.org/10.1080/0972060X.2023.2280139

Publication: Klimeš J., Hussain Y., Mreyen A.S., Cauchie L., Schlögel R., Piroton V., Petružálek M., Blahůt J., René M., Meletlidis S., Havenith H.B., 2023. New insights into internal structures and geotechnical rock properties of the giant San Andrés landslide, El Hierro island, Spain. Remote Sensing 15, 1627, 1–22. 
https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15061627 

G. Sádovská, P. Honcová, J. Morávková, I. Jirka, M. Vorokhta, R. Pilař, J. Rathouský, D. Kaucký, E. Mikysková, P. Sazama, 2023. The thermal stability of carbon materials in the air: Quantitative structural investigation of thermal stability of carbon materials in air. Carbon 206, 211-225. 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2023.02.042 

Strunga, V., Sihelská, K., Lorinčík, J., Holá, M., Krausová, I., Goliáš, V., Čurda, M., Mizera, J., 2023. Natural bitumen hosted uranium mineralization: stability of the radiogenic systém. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry 332, 1597–1606. 
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-022-08692-5

Švábová M., Bičákova O., Vorokhta M., 2023. Biochar as an effective material for acetone sorption and the effect of surface area on the mechanism of sorption. Journal of Environmental Management 348, 119205. 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119205  

Publication:
Vöröš D., Baizán P. D., Slavíček K., Díaz-Somoano M., Geršlová E., 2023. Mercury Occurrence and Speciation in Sediments from Hard Coal Mining in Czechia. Journal of Hazardous Materials 459, 132204. 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132204  

M. Vorokhta, M. I. M. Kusdhany, D. Vöröš, M. Nishihara, K. Sasaki, S.M., 2023. Microporous carbon foams: The effect of nitrogen-doping on CO2 capture and separation via pressure swing adsorption. Chemical Engineering Journal 471, 144524. 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2023.144524 

Karimi, K., Kletetschka, G., Mizera, J., Meie, V., 2023. Formation of Australasian tektites from gravity and magnetic indicators. Scientific Reports 13, 12868. 
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-022-08692-5 Q2

Malhocká, A., Švábová, M., 2023. Diversity of the terpene synthesis in the Thuja species – a comparative chemotaxonomic study. Biochemical systematics and ekology 110, 104703. 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bse.2023.104703

Malhocká, A., Švábová, M., 2023. A Chemotaxonomic Analysis of Terpenes Variation in Metasequoia glyptostroboides and Sequoiadendron giganteum resins. Journal of Essential Oil Bearing Plants 26.  
https://doi.org/10.1080/0972060X.2023.2280139

Strunga, V., Sihelská, K., Lorinčík, J., Holá, M., Krausová, I., Goliáš, V., Čurda, M., Mizera, J., 2023. Natural bitumen hosted uranium mineralization: stability of the radiogenic systém. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry 332, 1597–1606. 
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-022-08692-5 

G. Sádovská, P. Honcová, J. Morávková, I. Jirka, M. Vorokhta, R. Pilař, J. Rathouský, D. Kaucký, E. Mikysková, P. Sazama, 2023. The thermal stability of carbon materials in the air: Quantitative structural investigation of thermal stability of carbon materials in air. Carbon 206, 211-225. 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2023.02.042  

F. Scheiner, M. Havelcová, K. Holcová, N. Doláková, S. Nehyba, L. Ackerman, J. Trubač, Š. Hladilová, J. Rejšek, T. Utescher, 2023. Evolution of palaeoclimate, palaeoenvironment and vegetation in Central Europe during the Miocene Climate Optimum. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 611, 111364.   
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2022.111364 

Machovič V., Havelcová M., Lapčák L., Mizera J., Sýkorová I., 2022. Chemical character and structure of uraniferous bitumens (Vrchlabí, Czech Republic). International Journal of Coal Geology, Volume 264, December 2022, DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2022.104137 
 

Mizera J., Havelcová M., Machovič V., Borecká L., Vöröš D., 2022. Neutron Activation Analysis in Urban Geochemistry: Impact of Traffic Intensification after Opening the Blanka Tunnel Complex in Prague. Minerals 12, 281. DOI: doi.org/10.3390/min12030281

Vöröš D., Geršlová E., Šimoníková L., Díaz-Somoano M., 2022. Late Carboniferous palaeodepositional changes recorded by inorganic proxies and REE data from the coalbearing strata: An example on the Czech part of the Upper Silesian Coal basin (USCB), Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, Volume 107, November 2022, DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2022.104789

Švábová M., Vorokhta M., 2022. Water sorption and transport in Silurian shales. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, Volume 210, March 2022,  DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2021.109980

Suchý V., Zachariáš J., Sýkorová I., Kořínková D., Pešek J., Pachnerová-Brabcová, K., Qingyong Luo, Filip, J., Světlík, I., 2022. Paleothermal history of the Blanice Graben (the Bohemian Massif, Czech Republic): The origin of anthracite in a late-Variscan strike-slip basin. International Journal of Coal Geology, 263, 104, 104129, 1-23. doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2022.104129

Rasina M., Lusens M., Racek M., Přikrylová J., Weishauptová Z., Řimnáčová D., Přikryl R., 2022. Distinction between consecutive construction phases by combined microscopic study and quantitative pore space analysis: Case study of Horn’s Bastion, Riga Castle (Latvia), Journal of Cultural Heritage, Volume 57, September–October 2022, Pages 88-96. DOI:  doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2022.08.004

Purikova O., Tkachenko I., Smid B., Veltruska K., Dinhova T.N., Vorokhta M., Kopecky V., Hanykova L., Ju X.H., 2022. Free-Blockage Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Loaded with Cerium Oxide as ROS-Responsive and ROS-Scavenging Nanomedicine. Advanced Functional Materials 32, 2208316. doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202208316

Yakovlev Y.V., Rodríguez M.G., Lobko Y.V., Vorokhta M., Kúš P., Matolínová I., Matolín V., 2022. Characterization of gas diffusion layer transport properties by limiting current approach. Electrochimica Acta, Volume 404, February 2022, DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2021.139755

René M., 2022. Investigation of accessory minerals from the Blatná granodiorite suite, Bohemian Massif, Czech Republic. In: René M. (ed.) Mineralogy, IntechOpen Ltd., London, 165–185. DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.102628

Publication: Havelcová M., Sýkorová I., René M., Mizera J., Coubal M., Machovič V., Strunga V., Goliáš V., (2022): Geology and Petrography of Uraniferous Bitumens in Permo-Carboniferous Sediments (Vrchlabí, Czech Republic). Minerals 12, 544. DOI: doi.org/10.3390/min12050544