What's new?
New Joint Master in "Industrial Catalysis and Sustainable Energy"
In the framework of launching a new Master's program in Industrial Catalysis and Sustainable Energy, developed in collaboration with Sorbonne University, a delegation from the Department of Chemistry of Democritus University of Thrace (Prof. N. Kokkinos, Prof. E. Apostolidou, and Asst. Professors K. Ladomenou, C. Nannou, and A. Tolkou) visited Sorbonne University in Paris from May 21–25, 2025. The visit aimed at establishing the academic and scientific foundations of this joint initiative, fostering institutional ties, and setting the groundwork for a high-quality postgraduate program addressing current challenges in catalysis and sustainable energy.
We are proud to announce the active participation of our research group in the International Hybrid Conference on Crisis and Disaster Governance, Planning, and Resilience (ICPCDGR 2026), a prestigious international forum bringing together scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and postgraduate students from around the world to explore innovative solutions and strategic frameworks at the intersection of risk, security, crisis governance, disaster planning, and resilience. The conference is built upon the strategic academic collaboration between the Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH) and York University (Canada), formally structured under the Greece 2.0 — Recovery and Resilience Facility (OPS TA 5180665, Action Code 16289).
We are particularly delighted to share that our group contributed five presentations to this multidisciplinary conference, reflecting our commitment to broadening our scientific engagement beyond analytical chemistry and environmental science, and embracing the wider societal dimensions of sustainability, resilience, and risk governance.
We congratulate all contributing members and look forward to the stimulating discussions and collaborations that will emerge from this outstanding event.
Invited lecture
We are pleased to announce that our group was represented at an insightful event about organic micropollutants, PFAS and pharmaceuticals, organized by SCIENCE ME and University of Ioannina, on Wednesday, 29 April 2026, at the "Karolos Papoulias" Conference Center, University of Ioannina.
The lecture was delivered by our Group Leader, Asst. Professor Christina Nannou and was entitled "Removal of Pesticide Residues from Tomatoes in the Context of the Farm-to-Fork Strategy: Evaluation of Household and Industrial Processing Treatments Using QuEChERS–LC-HRMS".
The invitation to deliver a keynote presentation highlights the growing recognition of food safety and environmental analytical chemistry within broader resilience and sustainability frameworks, further strengthening the interdisciplinary profile of our research group.
Editor's Choice Article
Honored to see our review article selected as a 2025 Editor's Choice Article by the Editors of Separations 🎖️
📄 Towards Greener Sample Preparation: A Review on Micro-QuEChERS Advances and Applications in Food, Environmental, and Biological Matrices
Grateful to my co-authors and the Editors for this recognition.
Topics include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Integrated soil–water–agri-food monitoring strategies (One Health, exposure pathways).
- Sampling design, representativeness, and spatiotemporal variability.
- Green and high-performance sample preparation (QuEChERS variants, SPE, microextraction, DES/NADES, etc.).
- LC–HRMS/GC–HRMS workflows: target, suspect, non-target screening.
- Transformation products, metabolites, and effect-directed analysis links.
- Data processing, chemometrics, identification confidence, and reporting standards.
- QA/QC plans, validation, matrix effects, and measurement uncertainty.
- Harmonization, interlaboratory comparisons, and decision-making for risk assessment/regulation.
Topics include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Source control and safer-by-design strategies (e.g., green chemistry)
- Occurrence and fate of ECs across the water–food nexus
- Circular economy interventions (water reuse, biosolids/compost, recycling)
- Sustainable agriculture and irrigation quality management
- Food processing, packaging, and food contact materials
- Risk assessments and One Health-oriented assessments
- Decision-support and prioritization frameworks
Upcoming Events
The Department of Chemistry at Democritus University of Thrace is pleased to announce the organization of an International Summer School, held in collaboration with the Department of Chemistry at Sorbonne University.
The Summer School is entitled "Bio-Inspired Molecules and Materials for Medicinal Applications and Sustainability." The program will be conducted in English and will take place from June 22 to July 1, 2026, in Kavala, Greece.
This interdisciplinary program aims to bring together students, researchers, and academics interested in the design and application of bio-inspired molecules and advanced materials for medicinal and sustainable technologies. The course will include lectures, discussions, and interactions with leading researchers in the field.
Further information regarding the program, registration, and participation is available here:
Contact: +30 2510 462 225 // Bio3Ms@chem.duth.gr