Research Overview

My research interests are focused on the application of chemical engineering principles to the development of improved, more sustainable and environmentally-friendly processes, with particular focus on biological processes with open mixed cultures.

My current areas of research are the following:

- innovative processes for chemicals (ethanol, organic acids, hydrogen, methane) and energy production from lignocellulosic biomass and organic waste;

- biological wastewater treatment: process optimisation aimed at minimisation of reactor volume and energy consumption and maximisation of energy recovery through combination of aerobic and anaerobic processes; biodegradation of xenobiotics;

I have published 57 papers on international peer-reviewed journals which have received over 2,300 citations and my h-index is 25. I have published 1 book, 2 book chapters and 2 patents. I have over 60 papers or abstracts published as conference proceedings. I have reviewed papers for over 50 international scientific journals, for various conferences and research proposals for several organisations. I am in the Editorial Board of the journal "Process Safety and Environmental Protection". I have written over 100 internal industrial documents on various chemical engineering topics.

I am currently supervising 3 PhD students. The full list of my papers and citations is available here.

Research Funding and Grants

• European Commission, “Add your Value” (co-I, with Alfonso Martinez-Felipe (PI), Claudia Fernandez-Martin, John Paterson, Waheed Afzal and David Vega-Maza), £46,406, 2019;
• Scottish Funding Council, “Conversion of wastewaters and organic waste into chemicals, energy and organic fertiliser.”  Studentship for Rita Noelle Moussa. (PI, with Graeme Paton), £159,816, 2019;
• FoodWasteNet “Assessment of waste allium biorefinery comparing three extraction methods prior to anaerobic digestion”, (lead for University of Aberdeen, co-I with Sheffield Hallam University, Bangor University and two industrial partners), £10,000 for University of Aberdeen (£62,609 total value), 2018
• The Leverhulme Trust, Centre for Doctoral Training in "Sustainable Production of Chemicals and Materials" (Scientific Lead, with 23 other academics), £1,050,000, 2018 
• Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW), Research and Development Project "Water and the circular economy-where is the greatest sustainable economic benefit for resource recovery in the water cycle?" (PI, with Josie Geris), £37,409, 2018 
• University of Aberdeen, Global Challenges Internal Fund "Production of bioenergy and smart materials from palm tree waste in Malaysia" (co-I, with Alfonso Martinez-Felipe (PI), Claudia Fernandez-Martin and David Vega-Maza), £9,850, 2018
• Scottish Funding Council, Business Interaction Voucher "Anaerobic digestion of crab waste" (PI), £5,000, 2017
• Scottish Funding Council, Business Interaction Voucher "Experimental investigation of an innovative process for the valorisation of raw cheese whey" (PI), £5,000, 2016
• Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, Research Incentive Grant "Feasibility of anaerobic digestion of garden waste to produce ethanol, hydrogen and volatile fatty acids" (PI), £7,500, 2015
• Anaerobic Digestion Network (a BBSRC Network), Business Interaction Voucher "Anaerobic digestion of vegetable waste from the food industry" (PI), £5,000, 2015
• Interface Food and Drink Competition "An innovative process for the conversion of wastewaters from the food and drink industry into biofuels and chemicals" (PI), £40,000, 2015
• Brathdair Ltd "An enhanced treatment process for pot ale" (PI), £5,500, 2015
• University of Aberdeen, Knowledge Exchange and Commercialisation Award "An innovative process for the conversion of wastewaters from the whisky industry into biofuels and chemicals" (PI), £10,000, 2015
• Interface Food and Drink Proof of Principle "An Enhanced Treatment Process for Pot Ale" (PI), £25,000, 2014
• Encompass Kick Start Award "Sequencing Batch Reactor to assess water treatment performance: laboratory translation to field deployment" (PI), £5,000, 2014
• Encompass Kick Start Award "Feasibility of solid separation and evaporation for pot ale treatment" (PI), £10,000, 2014
• Interface Food and Drink "Experimental study on the biotreatability of food industry effluents" (PI), £10,000, 2014
• Energy Technology Partnership (ETP), "Experimental investigation of an innovative process for the treatment of wastewaters from the food and drink industry" (PI),£ 5,000, 2013
• Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR), “Olive oil mill effluents as a renewable feedstock for biodegradable polymers production through a sequential anaerobic-aerobic process” 2006-2007
• Advanced Institute for Prevention and Safety in Workplaces (ISPESL), “Preparation of technical sheets on the most frequently used unit operations in Italian short-medium enterprises, with information on principles, vessels and equipment, control systems, graphical schemes and technical regulations”, 2003-2004
•  ISPESL, “Use of olive oil mill effluents as secondary feedstock for agro-chemical industry and as soil amendments” 2003-2004
•  MIUR, “Production of biodegradable polymers from wastes through activated sludge enriched under periodic conditions” 2001-2002
•  ISPESL, “Influence of activated sludge operating parameters on microbial population dynamics for bulking and foaming control” 2000-2002
•  National Agency for Environmental Protection (ANPA), “Development of mathematical dynamic and structured models for design and management of activated sludge plants”, 2000-2001
• ISPESL, “Development of biological tests for toxicity monitoring in aquatic ecosystems, natural and/or artificial, subject to industrial and/or municipal contamination” 2000-2001

Also, I have been PI or Co-I in 5 research grants funded by industry