Journal of Fundamentals of Renewable Energy and Applications
Open Access
ISSN: 2090-4541
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2090-4541
+44 1300 500008
Piemonte V, Di Paola L and Russo V
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Fundam Renewable Energy Appl
Biofuels represent a sustainable option to fossil fuels, since they are sufficiently similar to them and derived from potentially
renewable, non-food sources (biological wastes). In this perspective, wastewaters high carbohydrate content can be
exploited for the biomass growth and biofuels production. Thus, classical wastewater treatments could be recast for biofuels
production from waste sludge. Two microorganisms’ phyla are able to convert nutrients in wastewater into biofuels: Microalgae,
transforming light and carbohydrates into biofuels through a photosynthetic path, and Clostridia, spontaneously present in
civil waste waters, which convert carbohydrates into methane and hydrogen through a solventogenic pattern. In this work, we
present a study about the combination of wastewater treatment plants with biofuels production (biohydrogen and biogas by
Clostridia activity). In this perspective, the wastewater remediation and reuse would come side by side with the production
of biofuels by integrating specific devices (bioreactors for biofuels production) into the consolidated technology of biological
wastewater treatment plants, with a high economical and environmental gain.
Piemonte V is an Associate Professor at the University “Campus Bio-medico” of Rome (chair on Refinery and Biorefinery Processes) and an Adjunct Professor at the
Department of Chemical Engineering of University “La Sapienza” of Rome (Chair on Artificial Organs Engineering). His research activity is primarily focused on the study
of Transport phenomena in the artificial and bioartificial organs; new biotreatment technology platform for the elimination of toxic pollutants from water and soil; Life
Cycle Assessment (LCA) of petroleum-based plastics and bio-based plastics; extraction of valuable substances (polyphenols, tannins) from natural matrices; hydrogen
production by membrane reactors for water gas shift reaction; concentrated Solar Power Plant integrated with membrane steam reforming reactor for the production of
hydrogen and hydro-methane. He has about 100 publications on chemical thermodynamics, kinetics, biomedical devices modeling, Bioreactors, LCA studies, etc.