M² group
Team members
Assoc. Prof. Olivier Monfort, PhD.
Prof. RNDr. Gustáv Plesch, DrSc.
Dr. Sridhar Gowri Sankaran
Dr. Yilan Zeng
M.Sc. Hamidrez Behtooei
M.Sc. Rida Zahid
M.Sc. Vaibhav Gehlot
M.Sc. Elaheh Saleh
About the group
The M² group is a research group which is led by Assoc. Prof. Olivier Monfort, PhD. and Dr. Martin Motola at the department of Inorganic Chemistry, FNS CU Bratislava. The group is composed of two laboratoeries: materials innovation and advances (MIA lab) and mechanisms and reactivities in remediation processes (MR2P lab). In other words, the M² group is focused on fundamental research of nanomaterials for environmental applications such as innovative wastewaters treatment, production of green energy (like hydrogen), and biomedical applications.
More info about the scientific research of Assoc. Prof. Olivier Monfort (MR2P lab) along with its context: CLICK HERE
About the PIs
Olivier Monfort is a French scientist, who got his PhD from Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University Bratislava (FNS CU). He performed two postdoctoral fellowships in France at (i) Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes, where he worked on the remediation of soil contaminated by PCBs, and (ii) at the prestigious CNRS in the Institut de Chimie de Clermont-Ferrand, where he worked on the photochemically induced processes for wastewaters treatment. In 2020, he decided to come back to his alma mater, where he recently became an Associate Professor and where he created the M² group with Martin Motola. Martin Motola got his PhD from FNS CU and he performed more than two years postdoctoral stay at the Centre of Material and Nanotechnologies, University of Pardubice, in the prestigious group of Dr. Macáka. He came back to his alma mater in 2021.
The M² group in numbers
Over the last years, the PIs have shown their high scientific activity through the publication of articles in top international peer-reviewed journals, and they are currently the leaders of several national and international scientific projects. Together, they are leading a research group consisting of 2 postdoctoral fellow and 4 PhD students, who are the cornerstones of the M² group's success.
PhD and postdoc calls
We are looking for motivated PhD candidates (M/F, Slovak or another nationality, preferentially under 30) to join our research group (Deadline for pre-application: April 24th 2026). The MR2P team (directed by O. Monfort) is currently investigating heterogeneous AOP catalysis and mechanistic elucidations of wastewaters treatment (Euraxess PhD call). Similarly, we are looking for an excellent MSCA PF candidate (Euraxess call - deadline for pre-application: May 22nd 2026).
We are hiring
We are currently seeking BSc. and MSc. students who are interested in joining our research group. We have opened the topics for MSc. and BSc. theses in the field of advanced water purification using nanomaterials! Do you want to get involved in scientific research in the field of water protection and sustainability? If yes, you are the ideal candidate.
Our main research focus
- Fundamental research in the field of wastewaters treatment
- Mechanistic elucidation of innovative advanced oxidation processes (AOPs)
- Preparation, characterisation and development of nanomaterials
Why joining us?
- Work on impactful projects that address global water challenges
- Collaborate with leading experts in the field of wastewaters treatment and nanomaterials
- Be part of a dynamic and supportive research team
What do we offer?
- Working conditions in an international environment
- Comprehensive training in materials, physical and analytical chemistry
- Personal and professional development to achieve further academic goals
How to apply?
- Just DM olivier.monfort@uniba.sk or martin.motola@uniba.sk
Our website
Just click here: M² group
List of financed projects
COST action No. CA23104: Mainstreaming water reuse into the circular economy paradigm (Water4Reuse)Project No. APVV-21-0039: Photochemically versatile materials for water treatment
COST action No. CA25132: MXene-based catalysts for sustainability chemical challenges (MXeneCatSus)
Project VEGA No. 1/0319/23: Photoinduced production of hydrogen from biomass using anodic nanostructures
Project No. SK-FR-22-0002: Solar-active nanostructured materials for innovative remediation of water contaminated by pharmaceuticals
Project No. SK-CN-23-0002: Innovative iron-based photoactive materials for sustainable wastewaters treatment
List of publications from last year (2025)
Y. Zeng, M. Motola*, Silica-based nanopesticides vs. non-nano formulations: A comparative study for sustainable agriculture, Environmental Science: Nano 12 (2025) 4471-4490. https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EN00408J
S. Atri*, O. Monfort*, Ti3C2Tx MXenes as pioneering nanomaterials for high-performance photoelectrodes in solar water splitting, ChemistrySelect 10 (2025) e02361. https://doi.org/10.1002/slct.202502361
P. Petriskova, P. Cheng, T. Roch, H. Metivier, G. Mailhot, M. Brigante, O. Monfort*, Recycled magnetite as sustainable photo-catalyst for hydrogen peroxide and peroxydisulfate activation: Insights into efficiency and mechanism of Picloram removal in water, Catalysis Science & Technology (2025) [Advance Article]. https://doi.org/10.1039/D5CY00954E
J. Makukova, I. Kyzekova, S. Kyzek, O. Galmiz, O. Monfort, Z. Machala, A. Sevcovicova, Exploring he toxicity of Bisphenol A degraded by non-thermal plasma: Insights from Yeast, Toxicology Letters 411 (2025) 123-124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxlet.2025.07.312
S. Liu, R. Ji, H. Chen, O. Monfort, J. Guan, Y. Wu*, X. Wang*, An efficient Fe3O4/BiOCl1/3Cl2/3 heterostructure catalyst for the tetracycline degradation under visible light, ChemCatChem (2025) e01272. https://doi.org/10.1002/cctc.202501272
Y. Wu, Y. Zeng, L. Li, O. Monfort*, W. Dong*, Green Fenton-like degradation of sulfamethoxazole using chlorogenic acid under neutral conditions: A mechanistic and environmental risk perspective, Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology 7 (2025) 2296-2305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enceco.2025.10.001
Q. Wang, S. Yang, Y. Wu*, O. Monfort, W. Dong*, Nanoconfinement assists the selective generation of singlet oxygen to efficiently remove emerging organic contaminants in soil with a low consumption of oxidant, Journal of Hazardous Materials 497 (2025) 13977. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.139677
A. Nawaz*, M. Molnarova, V. V. Kusumkar, M. Galambos, S. Atri, O. Monfort, A. Fargasova, Toxicity assessment of MXene in Scenedesmus quadricaula physicochemical parameters, Water Air and Soil Pollution 236 (2025) 750. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-025-08335-x
A. Madhusudhan, T. Zelenka, L. Satrapinskyy, T. Roch, M. Gregor, P. Cheng, O. Monfort*, A comparative study of different activation methods for hydrochar: Surface properties and removal of pharmaceutcal pollution in water, Environmental Science and Pollution Research 32 (2025) 18107-18120. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-025-36706-8
J. Zheng, O. Monfort, J. Xu, Y. Shan, Q. Ding, Y. Wu*, W. Dong*, A novel CuS/persulfate/percarbonate dual-oxidant process for synergistic degradation of BPA: Crucial role of CO32-, Process Safety and Environmental Protection 198 (2025) 107116 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psep.2025.107116
F. Zazimal*, S. Atri, D. Plasienka, L. Vrana, A. Styskalik, A. Vlk, M. Caplovicova, M. Sob, O. Monfort, T. Homola, Fast plasma nanomodification of graphitic carbon nitride by amide and carboxyl groups for enhanced sulfamethoxazole degradation in wastewater: detailed experimental and DFT study, Journal of Materials Chemistry A 13 (2025) 13909-13923 https://doi.org/10.1039/D4TA08613A
F. Zazimal*, D. Plasienka, S. Atri, L. Vrana, O. Monfort, P. Stavarek, P. Kluson, M. Sob, T. Homola, Unveiling the effect of the polymerization degree of graphitic carbon nitride on the surface functionalization by low-temperature plasma: Insights from XPS and DFT study, Applied Surface Science 699 (2025) 163073 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2025.163073
Y. Zeng, M. Motola*, Rediscovering selectively etched single-walled TiO2 nanotubes: a review to reignite interest, Chemical Engineering Journal Advances 22 (2025) 100752. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceja.2025.100752
A. Chaudhry, T. Jabeen*, M. S. Kahn*, Y. Zeng, R. Ayoub, S. Javaid, M. Motola*, Photodegradation of Remazol red dye using strontium oxide nanoparticles synthesized by Stevia rebaudiana via co-precipitation method with its antimicrobial and antifungal applications, Inorganic Chemistry Communications 176 (2025) 114258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inoche.2025.114258
A. Fatima, M. S. Khan, R. Ayoub, T. Jabeen*, Y. Zeng, W. Azeem, S. Javaid, M. Motola*, Comparative study of sol-gel and co-precipitation techniques for synthesizing Calotropis Procera-mediated bismuth ferrite for biomedical and environmental applications, Results in Chemistry 15 (2025) 102149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rechem.2025.102149
J. r. Rehman*, Y. Zeng, S. Javed, O. Gohar, A. Ahmad, M. Bouyer, M. Mujahid, M. Motola*, Tailored morphology of indium-doped titania via sol-gel method for enhanced photocatalysis, Ceramics International 51 (2025) 21590-21599. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2025.02.320
S. Rauf, M. B. Hanif, Z. Tayyab, M. Veis, M. A. K. Y. Shah, N. Mushtaq, D. Medvedev*, Y. Tian*, Ch. Xia, M. Motola, B. Zhu*, Alternative strategy for development of dielectric calcium copper titanate-based electrolytes for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells, Nano-Micro Letters 17(13) (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-024-01523-0