Environmental Engineering Lab - Cyprus University of Technology

23/10/2026

Happy to share our recent paper in ACS Omega.
"Carbon Dioxide Flushing and Zero-Valent Iron Addition during Anaerobic Digestion: Biogas Upgrading Does Not Necessarily Indicate Enhanced Biodegradation"
We studied how CO₂ flushing and zero-valent iron (ZVI) affect anaerobic digestion of real organic waste. ZVI upgraded biogas to up to 98% methane, but higher methane did not always mean more organic matter was degraded. Our key message is that digesters should be evaluated on both gas production and organic matter removal.
Well done to our PhD students in the Environmental Engineering Lab, Panagiota Karachaliou Panayiota Karachaliou and Andreas Laos, for their excellent work. Throughout this 100-day study they were highly organized and fully dedicated, carefully running and monitoring the reactors and analyzing every result. This paper is the outcome of their persistence and hard work.
This work was funded by the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF), Cyprus, under the REPowerEU Programme, project CODEVELOP-REPowerEU/1223 "Towards bioCNG as a Carbon Negative Maritime Power Source (Net-Zero-Emissions-CI)".
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.6c07244

19/10/2026

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17/10/2026

Can mixing zero-valent iron (ZVI)-metallic Iron with low doses of scrap aluminum enhance hydrogen production under near-neutral to alkaline conditions?

As the importance of sustainable hydrogen production continues to grow, exploring innovative and alternative pathways is becoming increasingly essential.

I am glad to share our latest publication in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, where we demonstrate how small additions of scrap aluminum can significantly enhance hydrogen generation from ZVI in bicarbonate-rich environments.

A special thanks to our excellent team for this great collaboration!

Antigoni Kisouri, our PhD student, for leading the experimental work; Dr. Nicolas Magnard, a postdoctoral researcher in our group through the university’s internal METADIDAKTOR programme, whose expertise in materials science and valuable contributions were instrumental to this study; and Marie-Lou Levé, who joined us from ESCOM, France, for a summer internship and demonstrated tremendous dedication and enthusiasm throughout her work.
Find more here: https://pubs.acs.org/ascecg/article/doi/10.1021/acssuschemeng.6c06503/5453181/Hydrogen-Production-from-Zero-Valent-Iron-in

26/06/2026

23/06/2026

Many thanks to the Cyprus University of Technology for its continued commitment to supporting research excellence through internal funding schemes such as the Postdoctoral Research Programme (METADIDAKTOR). I am delighted that our project "Circular Zero Valent Iron System (CiZlroS)" has been selected for funding, enabling us to further strengthen research activities within the Environmental Engineering Laboratory at CUT.
I am also pleased to welcome Dr. Nicolas Magnard to my research group. Nicolas obtained his PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Copenhagen and has held postdoctoral positions at leading European institutions, including Leiden University in the Netherlands. His expertise in advanced materials synthesis, characterization, and sustainability-oriented research will be a valuable addition to our efforts in developing innovative circular approaches for hydrogen generation, carbon capture, and wastewater treatment.

16/06/2026

It was a pleasure to participate in the 19th International Conference on Anaerobic Digestion (IWA AD19 - Valencia 2026) in Valencia, bringing together researchers, industry professionals, and practitioners from around the world working on anaerobic digestion, resource recovery, and the circular bioeconomy.
The conference provided an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas, discuss recent advances, and strengthen collaborations within the global anaerobic digestion community.
I am particularly proud of the contributions from the Environmental Engineering Laboratory at the Department of Chemical Engineering, Cyprus University of Technology. Despina Constantinou presented results from the Horizon Europe CARING NATURE project entitled "From Hygienisation to Upgrading: Zero-Valent Iron Improves Methane Recovery during 70 °C Pretreatment of Food Waste", while Panayiota Karachaliou presented a poster entitled "Two-Stage Cheese Whey Biorefinery with Anaerobic Granular Sludge: K. marxianus Ethanol and Micro-ZVI–Enhanced Caproate".
We are grateful for the continuous support provided by the Cyprus University of Technology in promoting research excellence and international scientific collaboration.
Many thanks to the organizers for an inspiring and scientifically stimulating conference. I look forward to continuing these discussions and collaborations in the future.

01/06/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Maria I. Andronikou on the successful defense of her PhD in Chemical Engineering at the Cyprus University of Technology.

During her PhD, Maria showed dedication, perseverance, and excellent scientific work through her research on metal-assisted anaerobic systems for CO₂ conversion to CH₄ and biogas upgrading under mild environmental conditions.

Her work has already led to three publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals, including Chemical Engineering Journal, Bioresource Technology, and Environmental Science and Pollution Research, with several other manuscripts currently in preparation.

I would also like to sincerely thank the members of her committee, Associate Professor Georgia Antonopoulou from the University of Patras and Associate Professor Dr. Achilleas Constantinou, for their time, valuable feedback, and contribution to the process.

As her supervisor, it has been a privilege to work with Maria throughout her doctoral studies and to see her develop into an independent researcher. I am very proud of her achievements and wish her every success in the next chapter of her career.

Congratulations, Dr. Andronikou!

19/05/2026

Join us on 20 May 2026 for a seminar by Dr Eleftheria Ntagia (INRAE, France) on innovative bioelectrochemical technologies for sulfide waste treatment and biogas upgrading.

🧪 Presentation Title:
“The Egg Fix: (Bio)electrochemical Sulfide Oxidation to Treat Sulfide Waste and Upgrade Biogas”

📅 Date: 20 May 2026
🕛 Time: 12:00
📍 Venue: Andreas Themistocleous Building, Nicosia Lecture Room

Dr Eleftheria Ntagia is a junior researcher at INRAE (France), working on bioelectrochemical systems for environmental applications, including biogas upgrading, sulfide electrolysis, waste treatment, and resource recovery. Her research combines environmental biotechnology, electrochemistry, and microbiology, with experience from Ghent University and the University of Galway.

The seminar will present innovative approaches for H₂S removal, CO₂ upgrading, and sustainable waste valorisation through electrochemical and microbial technologies.

Everyone is welcome!

25/04/2026

Thank you to the Cyprus Forum for the kind invitation and the opportunity to present on anaerobic digestion and biogas in Cyprus. https://cyprusforum.cy/cities/
It was a pleasure to discuss how organic waste can support renewable energy and the circular economy. Key points from my presentation and discussion:
🔹Biogas can be used for energy — and, when upgraded, as a renewable transport fuel
🔹 It is a flexible, dispatchable complement to solar and wind
🔹 It can treat a variety of organic waste streams, including farm, agricultural, industrial, and especially source-separated organic waste
🔹 It produces digestate, which — if properly treated — can be used as compost and a soil improver
🔹 Research goes beyond biogas, exploring higher-value products through digestion, such as organic acids and bioplastics
Cyprus has strong feedstock potential. The key challenge is not only quantity, but also quality, source separation, system organisation, coordination, and a clear long-term vision.

Ευχαριστώ το Cyprus Forum για την πρόσκληση και την ευκαιρία να παρουσιάσω για την αναερόβια χώνευση και το βιοαέριο στην Κύπρο. https://cyprusforum.cy/cities/
Ήταν χαρά μου να συζητήσουμε πώς τα οργανικά απόβλητα μπορούν να συμβάλουν στην παραγωγή ανανεώσιμης ενέργειας και στην κυκλική οικονομία. Βασικά σημεία της παρουσίασης και της συζήτησης:
🔹 Το βιοαέριο μπορεί να χρησιμοποιηθεί για παραγωγή ενέργειας — και an αναβάθμιστεί, ως ανανεώσιμο καύσιμο μεταφορών
🔹 Αποτελεί μια ευέλικτη και ελεγχόμενη (dispatchable) μορφή ενέργειας, η οποία μπορεί να δράσει συμπληρωματικά προς την ηλιακή και την αιολική ενέργεια, καθώς δεν εξαρτάται από τις καιρικές συνθήκες.
🔹 Μπορεί να επεξεργαστεί μια ποικιλία οργανικών αποβλήτων, όπως γεωργικά, κτηνοτροφικά, βιομηχανικά και ιδιαίτερα διαχωρισμένα οργανικά απόβλητα
🔹 Παράγει χώνευμα (digestate), το οποίο — εφόσον υποστεί κατάλληλη επεξεργασία — μπορεί να χρησιμοποιηθεί ως κομπόστ και βελτιωτικό εδάφους
🔹 Η έρευνα προχωρά πέρα από το βιοαέριο, διερευνώντας την παραγωγή προϊόντων υψηλότερης αξίας, όπως οργανικά οξέα και βιοπλαστικά
Η Κύπρος διαθέτει σημαντικό δυναμικό πρώτης ύλης για την αναερόβια χώνευση. Η βασική πρόκληση δεν είναι μόνο η ποσότητα, αλλά και η ποιότητα, ο σωστός διαχωρισμός στην πηγή, η οργάνωση του συστήματος, ο συντονισμός και ένα σαφές μακροπρόθεσμο όραμα.

23/04/2026

I’m pleased to be speaking tomorrow, 24 April, at Cyprus Forum Cities in Limassol, where I will be discussing anaerobic digestion and its potential role in sustainable energy in Cyprus. https://cyprusforum.cy/cities/
Looking forward to the discussion. https://cyprusforum.cy/cities/

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