Menu
Non-food biomass emerges as a sustainable resource to meet energy and raw material needs in the midst of the climate and energy crisis. The unit specializes in developing and demonstrating sustainable processes to convert waste and by-products into renewable energy, such as biohydrogen or biomethane, and into commercially valuable compounds, such as ectoine and other biologically active substances. With solid experience in bio-based processes, the objective is to achieve full valorization of biomass, obtain maximum added economic value, minimize environmental impact and promote the autonomy and resilience of the productive sector.
Biological hydrogen production through dark fermentation.
Upgrading of biogas through photosynthetic processes.
Upgrading of biogas through the “power-to-methane” concept.
Microaerobic processes for biogas purification.
Anaerobic digestion processes and strategies for their optimization.
Thermal hydrolysis applied to the treatment of organic waste and sludge.
Energy optimization and integration of the WWTP sludge line.
Integration of renewable energies with waste and by-product management processes.
Treatment and recovery of wastewater using low-cost technologies (microalgae, purple phototrophic bacteria).
Innovative extraction and purification processes of valuable compounds from agro-industrial waste.
Advanced fermentation and optimization of conversion processes of agri-food byproducts into biofuels and industrial chemicals.
Application of the biorefinery concept for the comprehensive recovery of agri-food waste.
Production of carboxylates through anaerobic fermentation of waste streams.
Production of microbial oils in aerobic fermenters.
Development of microbial systems for the use of alternative carbon sources in bioprocesses.
Use of new biodegradable solvents for the recovery of proteins and other biomolecules from biomass.
Desarrollo de procesos para la biodegradación y valorización de bioplásticos.Development of processes for the biodegradation and valorization of bioplastics.
González-Martín, J., Cantera, S., Muñoz, R., Lebrero, R. (2024) Indoor air VOCs biofiltration by bioactive coating packed bed bioreactors. Journal of Environmental Management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119362
Hoyos, E.G., Kuri, R., Toda, T., Muñoz, R. (2024) Innovative design and operational strategies to improve CO2 mass transfer during photosynthetic biogas upgrading. Bioresource Technology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129955
Torres-Franco, A.F., Leroy-Freitas, D., Martínez-Fraile, C., Rodríguez, E., García-Encina, P.A., Muñoz R. (2024) Partitioning and inactivation of enveloped and nonenveloped viruses in activated sludge, anaerobic and microalgae-based wastewater treatment systems. Water Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2023.120834
Shan, M., Geng, X., Imaz, I., Broto-Ribas, A., Ortín-Rubio, B., Maspoch, D., Ansaloni, L., Peters, T.A., Tena, A., Boerrigter, M.E., Vermaas, D.A. (2024) Metal- and covalent-organic framework mixed matrix membranes for CO2 separation: A perspective on stability and scalability. Journal of Membrane Science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2023.122258
Ferreyra-Suarez, D., Paredes-Vargas, L., Jafari, S. M., García-Depraect, O., Castro-Muñoz, R. (2024) Strategies and extraction pathways towards carminic acid as natural-based food colorant: A comprehensive review. Advances in Colloid and Interface Science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cis.2023.103052
