top of page
Dr Ana Castro-Castellon chemical and environmental scientist
Ana Castro-Castellón, Ph.D. AMRSC

Improving water quality for people and the environment

Delivering environmental solutions

Ana created AquaCyan® Consultants Ltd. to improve water quality for people and the environment; to protect and restore water-related ecosystems; and to deliver tested, innovative and environmental solutions. Ana's training spans Biomedical Sciences from the Pontifical Javeriana University, Bogota, Colombia to a DPhil in Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the University of Oxford.  She moved from South America to Europe, graduated in Biological Sciences specializing in Zoology, and an MSc in Microbiology and Parasitology from the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain. Having moved to the UK few years later, Ana completed an MSc by Research in Ecology and Ecosystems Change from the University of Bristol, UK, which was followed by her DPhil. 

Dr Castro-Castellón expertise in environmental and water-related topics is underpinned by her academic research interests and experience in the water industry: Wessex Water, Thames Water and Welsh Water focus on water quality, regulation and environmental remediation. Ana has led, managed and collaborated on a number of projects including topics on: microbiology, limnology, biogeochemistry, hydrobiology, wetland, freshwater ecology and water treatment processes.  Some specific projects are water contamination, environmental impact of ostrich farms, management of cyanobacteria/algal blooms in reservoirs and lakes, pollution pathways, constructed wetlands, biofilters and bioreactors for water treatment.

Her interdisciplinary background as chemist/environmental engineer and aquatic ecologist are in the field and laboratory; including traditional and nature-based solutions for water treatment processes, ecological surveys of catchment, lentic and lotic systems. Her professional experience includes auditing, optimizing asset performance and the operation of generic treatment processes e.g. coagulation, filtration disinfection; and specific e.g. nitrate, iron removal plants to prevent process, chemical or biological failures. She also provided technical advice on monitoring systems for raw, processed and treated water; data analysis and risk assessments. Dr Castro-Castellón has overseen the limnology of over 10 surface reservoirs, the quality performance of 14 potable water treatment works with production output from 2-180 Ml/d and monitoring of 81 drinking water storage reservoirs. She responded to and managed "out of hours" emergency events for the Thames Valley region. She was the Senior Scientist for an algal biotechnology company: "I-Phyc".

,

Ana recently worked as a Researcher for Cardiff University for the METAL_SoLVER project; was a Visiting Research Fellow at Bath Spa University, and collaborates with the project RESPiRES. Ana is certified in diatoms (2020), microalgae and cyanobacteria identification (2006). A reviewer for a number of scientific peer-reviewed journals.

Publications collects Ana's selected published work and other communication activities.

Anchor 1
bottom of page