Dr. Theodoros Triantis is a Senior Researcher at the Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (INN) of NCSR-Demokritos, Athens, Greece. His research centers on Advanced Oxidation/Reduction Processes (AOPs/ARPs) and Environmental Chemistry. In the field of AOPs/ARPs, he focuses on photocatalysis using polyoxometalates and TiO₂, investigating the degradation of toxic organic pollutants and elucidating the underlying reaction mechanisms. By systematically evaluating the photocatalytic activity of novel nanostructured catalysts, his work advances water treatment technologies and supports safer, more sustainable environmental practices.

A significant part of his work examines the chemical transformation of emerging pollutants, such as cyanotoxins and taste-and-odor compounds, in the presence of reactive species (RS). These RS are produced through homogeneous AOPs. Methods include UV photolysis, UV/Cl₂, sonolysis, and steady-state γ-radiolysis. Using radiolysis, Dr. Triantis studies the fundamental reactions between selected RS and target compounds. This approach provides valuable insights into primary reaction pathways and the environmental fate of hazardous substances.

In Environmental Chemistry, Dr. Triantis develops and validates advanced analytical methods to detect emerging organic pollutants in water, food, and environmental samples. These methodologies use modern sample preparation techniques, such as solid-phase extraction (SPE) and solid-phase microextraction (SPME), along with gas or liquid chromatographic separation. Detection relies on tandem mass spectrometry, including GC-MS and LC-MS/MS, which significantly improves sensitivity and selectivity.

Specifically, he has developed and validated: • Advanced analytical techniques for determining environmental pollutants (e.g., LC-MS/MS, GC-MS); • Multi-class methods for the simultaneous determination of cyanotoxins in water, biomass, plant, or fish tissue samples using SPE and LC-MS/MS; • Analytical methods for identifying odor-causing compounds (such as geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol), which serve as potential markers for cyanotoxins in water, employing SPME and GC-MS. Building on his expertise and available infrastructure, Dr. Triantis has recently expanded his research into two areas. First, he focuses on advanced characterization of volatile and odor-active compounds in microalgae using mass spectrometry and olfactometry. Second, he works on developing analytical workflows for targeted, suspect, and untargeted screening of toxic environmental pollutants, with a focus on cyanobacterial secondary metabolites. These efforts use advanced instrumentation, including GC-MS/MS, LC-MS/MS, and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The goal is to improve understanding of environmental contamination and support effective monitoring strategies. He also has deep knowledge and experience in quality assurance and quality control in chemical analysis. He is the Scientific Supervisor and Quality Manager of the Environmental Analysis Laboratory (LEAD), INN. The lab is accredited according to ISO 17025:2017 for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), cyanotoxins and explosives in environmental samples (Cert. No: 580-6). Dr. T. Triantis has published 67 articles in high-quality, peer-reviewed journals, 19 book chapters, edited 3 books and co-authored 35 conference proceedings and 114 conference abstracts (Citations: 4095, h-index 36 (Google Scholar)). During his long-term research experience, he has been involved in 31 European and National research projects. He served as Principal Investigator in four of them. He has supervised or co-supervised several PhD and MSc students.