The research activities are related to Environmental and Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, in relation to the development and optimization of bioremediation processes for environmental matrices contaminated with organic pollutants, the enzymatic degradation and the development of enzymatic processes for the recycling and upcycling of biopolymers, the treatment and valorisation of agro-food by-products and surplus into biobased chemicals.
The ongoing projects are related to:
- Development and optimization of bioelectrochemical processes for the bioremediation of marine sediments contaminated by PCBs and other organohalides through the sequential stimulation of the reductive dehalogenation and oxidative degradation of the pollutant (H2020 project ELECTRA);
- Development of enzyme-containing biodegradable adhesives for the production of recyclable multi-layer plastic packaging (H2020 project TERMINUS);
- Development of enzymatic processes for the recycling and upcycling of biopolymers (H2020 project PRESERVE);
- Characterization of the microbial communities involved in biotechnological processes of environmental and industrial interest.