Prof. Dr. İLKNUR DURUKAN

Prof. Dr. İlknur Durukan is a faculty member in the Department of Environmental Engineering at Hacettepe University, conducting pioneering research at the intersection of environmental chemistry, analytical chemistry, and sustainable water and waste management. She began her academic career with her undergraduate studies in Chemistry at Hacettepe University from 1997–2001, followed by her master's degree from 2002–2005 and her doctoral studies from 2005–2012. Her doctoral thesis focused on the spectrometric analysis of atmospheric aerosol samples.

Prof. Durukan's academic work encompasses the fields of environmental and analytical chemistry, with a particular focus on advanced spectrometric techniques (atomic absorption spectrometry, emission spectroscopy, absorption spectroscopy), sample pre-enrichment strategies, microextraction methods, and adsorption techniques in complex matrices. His research areas include environmental engineering, environmental chemistry, water pollution and control, soil and groundwater pollution, analytical chemistry, separation methods, and spectroscopic techniques.

Professor Durukan, who has more than 30 articles indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus databases, is primarily known for his research impact in the development of green and innovative analytical methods. His methods for trace metal analysis using atomic absorption spectrometry, such as solidified floating organic droplet microextraction (SFODME) and ultrasound-assisted emulsification, are used for the trace-level determination of metals such as cobalt, lead, mercury, and gold in environmental samples (especially water and mining waste). These studies have pioneered the development of low-cost, high-efficiency, and environmentally friendly analytical processes.

His research projects, both conducted and contributed to, include topics such as lead migration from food packaging to water, trace metal separation via cloud point extraction, and the development of advanced extraction-spectrometry methods for environmental monitoring. These studies build a strong bridge between analytical chemistry and environmental engineering applications.

Prof. Durukan also continues his research on the integration of green chemistry principles into environmental monitoring and treatment technologies; focusing particularly on real-time spectrometric monitoring and sensor-based quality control in industrial wastewater systems. In the future, he aims to contribute to closed-loop water systems, zero liquid discharge, and resource-efficient water management goals by transferring laboratory-scale innovations (e.g., new adsorbent materials, environmentally friendly extraction techniques) to industrial applications.