Bioelectrochemical systems and technologies

In bioelectrochemical systems (BES), micro-organisms are used as catalysts at anode and/or cathode electrodes. In the past two decades, many applications for BES have emerged, including recovery of nutrients from wastewaters and conversion of CO2 into organic acids. Development of BES applications requires fundamental understanding of the microbial metabolism, microbial community structures and electron transfer, as well as more applied research on the effects of electrode materials and reactor designs on process performance. In addition, modelling can be used to develop the systems towards larger-scale applications.

Marika Kokko is Associate Professor (tenure track) at the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University. She obtained her doctoral degree from Tampere University of Technology in 2013, after which she worked as a postdoctoral researcher for two years in University of Freiburg. Her research concentrates on biotechnological processes, especially on anaerobic bioprocesses, aiming at producing or recovering value added compounds from waste and side streams.