Environmental Biotechnology is a joint research activity at Telemark University College and Telemark Technological R&D Centre (Tel-Tek), directed by Professor PhD Rune Bakke. International activities include: Cooperation with University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka; Cooperation with Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China. Laboratory facilities include: Biogas and Water treatment.

Fundamental research

Fundamental research activities include:

Biofilm

• Studying suspended and fixed biological aggregates
• Transport phenomena, chemistry, biology, ecology, mathematical modeling

Suspended and fixed biological aggregates are studied as an important support for our applied research. We regard transport phenomena, chemistry, biology, ecology and mathematical modeling as the most important disciplines to be applied to get a better grasp of the fundamental mechanisms involved in bioreactors and in the aquatic environment.

- Roald Kommedal (presently associate professor at University of Stavanger) defended his PhD thesis "Degradation of polymeric and particulate organic carbon in biofilms" in our institute Februar 2004.

- Carlos Dinamarca (presently associate professor in our faculty) defended his PhD thesis "Homoacetogenic H2 Consumption in Fermentative Hydrogen Production Processes" in our institute October 2010.

Applied activities

Applied research acitivities include:

• Biogas research http://eng.tel-tek.no/Energy/Biogas
• Monitoring: Samples, sensors, etc. related to bioreactors, biogas and water treatment processes
• Biofouling: Industrial and medical biofouling, focused on how biofilms form and behave, and how they can be influenced, limited, removed and monitored
• Ecology: How we can develop and improve technology to make society more sustainable, as well as studying and optimizing treatment processes to improve the ecology of aquatic environments
• Pollution treatment & recovery of resources: Our activity is focused on waste treatment processes that can be optimized both in the local perspective and in a global environmental perspective. Advanced model (computer) based monitoring and control concepts represent the core of our technology platform. Anaerobic bioreactors developed to recover energy, nutrients and water from organic waste is the main activity at the moment with 1 Post Doc and 4 PhD positions involved. Several full scale applications are based on our research: Generation and co-generation plants, based on food waste, sludge, manure, industrial wastewater and landfills.

- P.G. Rathnasiri (presently at University of Moratuwa) defended his PhD thesis ”Anaerobic digestion process using membrane integrated micro aeration” in our institute October 2009.

- P. Deshai C. Botheju (presently a Post Doc in our faculty) defended his PhD thesis ”Effects of Free Oxygen on Anaerobic Digestion” in our institute November 2010.

Selected publications

• Bakke R., Hagman E., Ollestad P.H., Sele K. 2000. Nutrient removal in combined bioreactors and wetland systems in Norway. J. Env. Sci. & Health. 34, 10, pp75-82.
• Ydstebø, L., Kommedal, R., Bakke R. 2000. Seasonal Variations in Nutrient Removal in Cold Climate Constructed Wetlands. 7th international conference on Wetland systems for water; Proceedings; pp. 129 - 134.
• Bakke. R., Kommedal R. and Kalvenes S. 2001. Quantification of biofilm accumulation by an optical approach. J. Microb. Meth., 44, pp13-26.
• Villaverde S., Lacalle M.L., García P.A., Bakke R., and Fdez-Polanco F. 2001. Total nitrogen removal from UASB effluents highly loaded with nitrogen in a continuous activated sludge reactor operated with short cycle aeration. 9th World Congress on Anaerobic Digestion 2001. Antwerpen, Belgium.
• Bakke R. and Hustvedt P.R. 2001. Arealavrenning og økologiske rensetiltak på Jæren. Vann, 4, pp327-331.
• Kommedal R., Bakke R., Dockery J. and Stoodley P. 2001. Modelling production of extracellular polymeric substances in a Pseudomonas aeruginosachemostat culture. Wat. Sci. Tech., 43, 6, pp129-134.
• Bakke R. 2003. Miljøvernministeren må feie for egen dør. Kronikk om miljøforvaltning i Aftenposten 11.8. pp 7.
• Peiris B. R. H., Rathnasiri P.G., Johansen J.E., Kuhn A. and Bakke R. 2005. ADM1 Simulations of hydrogen production. Oral Pres. Proceedings, 4th Int. symp. on Anaerobic Digestion of Solid Waste, Copenhagen, Denmark.
• Peiris B. R. H., Rathnasiri P.G., Johansen J.E., Kuhn A. and Bakke R. 2005. ADM1 with modifications for Bio-hydrogen Simulations. Oral Pres. Proceedings, 1st int. workshop on Anaerobic Digestion Model No. 1, Copenhagen, Denmark.
• Rathnasiri P.G., Johansen J.E., Drangeid C.B. and Bakke R. 2005. Transient co-digestion plant behavior. Oral Pres. Proceedings, 4th Int. symp. on Anaerobic Digestion of Solid Waste, Copenhagen, Denmark.
• Johansen J.E. and Bakke R. 2005. Enhancing hydrolysis with microaeration. Oral Pres. Proceedings, 4th Int. symp. on Anaerobic Digestion of Solid Waste, Copenhagen, Denmark.
• Rathnasiri P.G., Dinamarca C. and Bakke R. 2005. Membrane controlled micro-aeration in digesters. Poster Presentation. Proceedings, 4th Int. symp. on Anaerobic Digestion of Solid Waste, Copenhagen, Denmark.
• Braskerud B.C., Tonderski K.S., Wedding B., Bakke R., Blankenberg A.-G.B., Ulén B., and Koskiaho J. 2005. Can constructed wetlands reduce the diffuse phosphorus loads to eutrophic water in cold temperate regions? J. of Env. Quality 34:2145-2155.
• Kommedal R., Milferstedt K, Bakke R. and Morgenroth E. 2006. Effects of Initial molecular weight on removal rate of dextran in biofilms. Wat. Res. 40: 1795-1804.
• Johansen J.-E. and Bakke R. 2006. Enhancing hydrolysis with microaeration. Wat. Sci. Tech. 53, No. 8: 43-50.
• Peiris B. R. H., Rathnasiri P.G., Johansen J.E., Kuhn A. and Bakke R. 2006. ADM1 Simulations of hydrogen production. Wat. Sci. Tech. 53, No. 8: 129-137.
• Dinamarca C., Johansen J.E. and Bakke R. 2006. Challenges in fermentative hydrogen production. 6th EcoBaltica conf., St.Petersburg, Russia.
• Bakke R. and Hogland W. 2006. Environmental engineering and management education. 6th EcoBaltica conf., St.Petersburg, Russia.
• Zhao H., Johansen J.E., Kuhn A. and Bakke R. 2006. Biogas from fruit residues. 6th EcoBaltica conf., St.Petersburg, Russia.
• Chai Q., Bakke R. and Lie B. 2006. Object-oriented modeling and optimal control of a biological wastewater treatment process. Proceedings. Oral Pres. 8th IAESTED Control and Application conf., Montreal, Canada.
• Chai Q., Bakke R. and Lie B. 2006. Optimal control of a biological wastewater treatment process with intermittent aeration. Proceedings. Oral Pres. SIMS Simulation and Modeling 2006 conf., Helsinki, Finland.
• Greer T., Li Y., Song Y., Wu W., Botheju D. and Bakke R. 2007. Full scale process design for energy recovery from apple waste at a juice factory. Proceedings. Oral Pres. Eco-Tech 2007 conf., Kalmar, Sweden.
• Song Y., Greer T., Li Y., Wu W., Botheju D. and Bakke R. 2007. Biogas potential from apple waste. Oral Pres. Proceedings. Oral Pres. Eco-Tech 2007 conf., Kalmar, Sweden.
• Stjernholm H., Dinamarca C., Botheju D. and Bakke R. 2007. Liquid extraction of substrate from manure for efficient biogas generation. Proceedings. Oral Pres. Eco-Tech 2007 conf., Kalmar, Sweden.
• Botheju D., Svalheim Ø., Rydtun B., Johansen J-E. and Bakke R. 2007. Nutrient recovery from anaerobically digested organic wastes. Proceedings. Oral Pres. Eco-Tech 2007 conf., Kalmar, Sweden.
• Botheju D., Svalheim Ø., Rydtun B., Johansen J-E. and Bakke R. 2007. Potential of fertilizer production by nitrification of anaerobic digester effluents. Proceedings. Oral Pres. 12th European biosolids and organic resources conference, Manchester, UK.
• Zhiqiang C., Bakke R., Dinamarca C. and Wenjun W. 2007. A simple two-stage anaerobic digestion process consisting of a leach-bed and a biogas reactor used for treating agriculture organic waste. Oral Pres. 3. Int. Green Energy Conf., Västerås, Sweden.
• Botheju D., Rathnasiri P.G. and Bakke R. 2008. Biofilms on oxygen transfer membranes in membrane micro-aerated anaerobic digesters. Proceedings. Oral Pres. 8th. Int. IWA Conf. on Biofilm Technologies. Singapore.
• Dinamarca C. and Bakke R. 2008. Hydrogen Consumption in Bio-hydrogen process modeling. Proceedings. Oral Pres. SIMS Simulation and Modeling 2008 conf., Oslo, Norway.
• Botheju D. and Bakke R. 2008. Implementation of ADM1 model in Aquasim biofilm reactor compartment. Proceedings. Oral Pres. 49th SIMS Conf. on Simulation and Modeling 2008 conf., Oslo, Norway.
• Dinamarca C. and Bakke R. 2009. Apparent hydrogen consumption in acid reactors: Observations and implications. Wat. Sci. Tech. 59, No. 7: 1441-1447.
• Rathnasiri P.G., Botheju D. and Bakke R. 2009. Effects of Biofilm Formation on Oxygen Transfer Membranes in Membrane Micro-Aerated Anaerobic Digesters. Poster presentation. Final MBR Workshop, Berlin.
• Sustainable Urban Wastewater Treatment in China. 2009. Bakke R., Bo X., and Xi-quan H. Proceedings (Invited Oral Pres.) “The International Workshop on Strategy for Anaerobic Biotechnology-Anaerobic Technology from the West to the East of the Earth”, Xi’an, China: 239-243.
• Botheju, D., Lie, B., Bakke R. 2009. Modeling free oxygen effects in anaerobic digestion. Proceedings. MATHMOD 2009 - 6th Vienna International Conference on Mathematical Modeling.
• Botheju D., Li Y., Hovland J., Risberg T., Haugen H.A., Dinamarca C. and Bakke R. 2009. Oxygenated anaerobic treatment of amine wastes generated in post -combustion CO2 capture. Proceedings. 5th Trondheim Conference on CO2 Capture, Transport and Storage. Trondheim, Norway.
• Chang L., Bo X., and Bakke R. 2009. Biogas from pig manure leachate. Proceedings (Oral Pres.) “The International Workshop on Strategy for Anaerobic Biotechnology-”, Xi’an, China: 122-128.
• Bo X., Chang L. and Bakke R. 2009. Sustainability of small-scale biogas plants. Proceedings (Oral Pres.) “The International Workshop on Strategy for Anaerobic Biotechnology-”, Xi’an, China:175-182.
• Deshai B., Lie B. and Bakke R. 2009. Effects of Oxygen in Biogasification; Evaluation of ADM1-ox model against experimental data. Oral Pres., Proceedings of the SIMS 50 – Modelling and simulation of Energy Technology – 50th Conference on Simulation and Modelling, Fredericia, Denmark.
• Botheju, D., Lie. B., Bakke, R. 2009. Oxygen Effects in Anaerobic Digestion. Modelling, Identification and Control, Vol. 30, No. 4, pp. 191 – 201.
• Deshai B., Li Y., Hovland J., Risberg T., Haugen H.A., Dinamarca C., Bakke R. 2010. Effects of Oxygen in Biogasification; Evaluation of ADM1-ox model against experimental data. Oral Pres., Treatment of Amine Wastes Generated in Post -combustion CO2 Capture; Oxygenated Anaerobic Approach. Oral pres., Proceeding & accepted for journal publication, Doha, Qatar.
• Botheju, D., Li, Y., Hovland, J., Risbergb, T., Haugen, H. A., Dinamarca, C., Bakke, R. 2010. Biogasification of waste monoethanolamine generated in post combustion CO2 capture. Proceedings of the 2nd Annual Gas Processing Symposium, Doha, Qatar, Jan. 2010. (Published in the “Advances in Gas Processing, vol. 2, ISBN-13: 978-0-444-53588-7, Elsevier, 2010).
• Botheju, D., Hovland, Haugen, H. A., Bakke, R. 2010. Monoethanolamine biodegradation processes. Proceedings of the 2nd Annual Gas Processing Symposium, Doha, Qatar, Jan. 2010. (Published in the “Advances in Gas Processing, vol. 2, ISBN-13: 978-0-444-53588-7, Elsevier, 2010).
• Botheju, D., Samarakoon, G., Chen, C., and Bakke, R. 2010. An experimental study on the effects of oxygen in bio-gasification; Part 1. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Renewable Energies and Power Quality (ICREPQ 10), Granada (Spain), 23-25 March, 2010 .
• Botheju D., Svalheim, Ø. and Bakke R. 2010. Digestate nitrification for nutrient recovery. The Open Waste Management Journal, Vol. 3, pp. 1-12.
• Dinamarca C. Gañán, M., Liu J. and Bakke R. 2010. H2 Consumption by Anaerobic Non-Methanogenic Mixed Cultures. Accepted for publication in Wat. Sci. Tech.
• Botheju D., Lie. B., Bakke, R. 2010. Oxygen Effects in Anaerobic Digestion II. Modeling, Identification and Control, 2010, Vol. 31, No. 2, pp. 55-65.
• Botheju D., Li, Y., Hovland, J., Haugen, H. A. and Bakke, R. 2010. Biological treatment of amine wastes generated in post-combustion CO2 capture. In proceedings of GHGT-10, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
• Jinandasa W., Wakjera E.J. and Bakke R. 2010. Full scale process design for energy recovery from swine manure. Oral Pres. Proceedings. Linnæus Eco-Tech 2010 conf., Kalmar, Sweden.
• Bergland W., Haugen F. and Bakke R. 2010. A cost effective two stage biogas process for organic waste treatment. Oral Pres. Proceedings. Linnæus Eco-Tech 2010 conf., Kalmar, Sweden.
• Botheju D and Bakke R. 2010. Bio-gasification under partially aerated conditions; results from batch experiments. Oral Pres. Proceedings. Linnæus Eco-Tech 2010 conf., Kalmar, Sweden.
• Haugen F., Bergland W., Bakke R. and Lie B. 2010. H2 concentration control of an experimental anaerob biogas reactor. Oral Pres. Venice 2010 – Thirds international symposium on energy from biomass and waste. Venice, Italy.
• Botheju D., Lie B. and Bakke R. 2010. Simulation of a biofilm process by the ADM 1-Ox model. In proceedings of the 51st SIMS Conference on Simulation and Modeling, SIMS 2010, Oulu, Finland.
• Franke W., Granli T., Kuhn G. and Bakke R. 2010. Laboratory test method of chemicals to reduce emissions of H2S and odours in wastewater. NOSE 2010 conference proceedings. Chemical Engineering Transactions, Vol. 23.
• Botheju D. and Bakke R. 2011. Oxygen effects in anaerobic digestion – A review. The Open Waste Management Journal, Vol. 4, pp. 1-19.
• Botheju D., Li, Y., Hovland, J., Haugen, H. A. and Bakke, R. 2011. Biological treatment of amine wastes generated in post-combustion CO2 capture. Energy Procedia, Vol. 4, pp. 496-503.
• Bergland W., Botheju D., Dinamarca C. and Bakke R. 2011. Considering culture adaptations to high ammonia concentration in ADM1. In proceedings of the 52. SIMS Conference on Simulation and Modeling, SIMS 2011, Mälardalen U. Sweden.
• Botheju D., Qin Y., Vasdal K. and Bakke R. 2011. Simulation of digestate nitrification based on cow manure. In proceedings of the 52. SIMS Conference on Simulation and Modeling, SIMS 2011, Mälardalen U. Sweden.
• Haugen F., Bakke R. and Lie B. 2011. Mathematical modelling for planning optimal operation of a biogas reactor for dairy manure. Accepted for publication at IWA World Congress on Water, Climate and Energy (IWA-WCE), Dublin, 14 – 18. May 2012.
• Bakke R. Bergland W. and Hovland J. 2011. New Technology for Anaerobic Digestion, Using Granules. In proceedings of the Nordic Bioenergy Conference, Jyväskylä, Finland.
• Dinamarca, C., and Bakke, R. 2011. Process parameters affecting the sustainability of fermentative hydrogen production: A short-review. International journal of energy and environment; Volum 2.(6) s. 1067-1078.
• Dinamarca, C., Ganan, M, Liu J.; Bakke R. 2011. H2 consumption by anaerobic non-methanogenic mixed cultures. Water Science and Technology; Volum 63.(8) s. 1582-1589.
• Shuai W., Tielin W., Hovland, J., Sørensen H., Jens K.J. and Bakke, R. 2011. Anaerobic digestion of MEA reclaimer waste; analytical and process approach. Poster in proceedings of CLIMIT seminar, Oslo, Norway.