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Environmental Technology
 
Recent focus has been on using biological processes to either degrade unwanted pollutants or upgrade the waste material to higher-value products. Methods have been developed for:
  • Converting lignocellulosic agro-industrial wastes (corn stover, sugarcane baggasse, wheat straw, etc.) to protein rich animal feed using the food-grade microfungus Neurospora sitophila. 
  • Design and scaleup of airlift bioreactors for high-intensity aerobic treatment of wastewater by the activated sludge method.
  • Bioremediation of soil contaminated with hydrocarbon spills and biodegradation of phenol using Pseudomonas putida.
Methods are being investigated for using microalgae and cyanobacteria for removing unwanted nutrients from wastewater.
Selected Publications

Neumegen, R.A., Fernández-Alba, A.R., Chisti, Y., Environ. Toxicol., 20, 160–164 (2005). Toxicities of triclosan, phenol and copper sulfate in activated sludge. [Reprint PDF]

Chisti, Y., Biotechnol. Adv., 22, 431–432 (2004). Environmental impact of toxic pollutants. (Editorial.) [Reprint PDF]

Moo-Young, M. and Chisti, Y., Res. Cons. Recycl., 11, 13-24 (1994). Bioreactor applications in waste treatment.

Hernando, M. D., Ejerhoon, M., Fernández-Alba, A. R., Chisti, Y., Water Research, 37, 4091–4098 (2003). Combined toxicity effects of MTBE and pesticides measured with Vibrio fischeri and Daphnia magna bioassays. [Reprint PDF]

Fernández-Alba, A. R., Hernando, M. D., Piedra, L., Chisti, Y., Anal. Chim. Acta, 456, 303-312 (2002). Toxicity evaluation of single and mixed antifouling biocides measured with acute toxicity bioassays. [Reprint PDF]

Fernández-Alba, A. R., Hernando Guil, M. D., Díaz López, G., Chisti, Y., Anal. Chim. Acta, 451, 195-202 (2002). Comparative evaluation of the effects of pesticides in acute toxicity luminescence bioassays. [Reprint PDF]

Chisti, Y., Appl. Mech. Rev., 51, 33-112 (1998). Pneumatically agitated bioreactors in industrial and environmental bioprocessing: Hydrodynamics, hydraulics and transport phenomena. [Reprint PDF]

Allsop, P. J., Chisti, Y., Moo-Young, M., and Sullivan, G. R., Biotechnol. Bioeng., 41, 572-580 (1993). Dynamics of phenol degradation by Pseudomonas putida.


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