Description:

Abstract:  Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most important greenhouse gas, and carbon monoxide (CO) is acutely toxic.   Release of these gases must be halted.  One promising approach is microbiological valorization of CO2 and CO in off-gas streams.  Valorization means converting the CO2 or CO to valuable organic compounds that are feedstock for the chemical and energy industries.  This talk describes two distinctly different examples of valorization.  The first example is valorizing the CO2 in digester biogas using photosynthetic microalgae.  The benefits are to generate more methane (CH4) while converting the biogas (~65% CH4) to higher-value biomethane (>97% CH4).  The second example is conversion of syngas (a mixture of CO, CO2, and hydrogen (H2)) to organic acids and alcohols using CO-fermenting and chain-elongating bacteria.

Bio: Dr. Bruce E. Rittmann is Regents Professor of Environmental Engineering and Director of the Biodesign Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology at Arizona State University. His research focuses on the science and engineering needed to “manage microbial communities to provide services to society.” Services include generating renewable energy, cleaning water and soil, and improving human health. Dr. Rittmann is a member of the National Academy of Engineering; a Fellow of AAAS, WEF, IWA, AEESP, and NAI; and a Distinguished Member of ASCE. Dr. Rittmann was awarded the first Clarke Prize for Outstanding Achievements in Water Science and Technology from the NWRI, the Walter Huber Research Prize and the Simon Freese Award from ASCE, the G.M. Fair Award from AAEES, the Perry L. McCarty/AEESP Founders Award, and the Camp Applied Research Award from WEF. He is the co-winner of the 2018 Stockholm Water Prize. Dr. Rittmann has published over 880 journal articles, books, and book chapters, and he has 25 patents. With Dr. Perry McCarty, Dr. Rittmann co-authored the textbook Environmental Biotechnology: Principles and Applications (McGraw-Hill Book Co.), which is now out in its second edition.