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The main focus of BEEC is to develop sustainable technologies for environment remediation. Renewable energy in the form of bioelectricity and biohydrogen (H2) from bioremediation process is one of the thrust areas of research presently being pursued.
Presently bioelectricity generation from various industrial wastewaters using microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology is being pursued. The concentration is towards development of a technology to integrate with the existing treatment plant to produce sustainable energy apart from wastewater treatment. Selectively enriched mixed cultures for hydrogen production (acidogenic), acidophilic microenvironment and plain graphite electrodes were evaluated in dual and single chambered fuel cells for substrate degradation potential along with bioelectricity production using chemical wastewater as substrate. Process optimization with respect to electrode materials, membrane material, fuel cell configuration, anodic microenvironment, operation conditions, biofilm coverage on anode, etc. was being studied with various types of wastewater.
Biohydrogen production along with wastewater treatment through acidogenic fermentation using various industrial wastewaters (chemical, dairy and distillery) as substrate was studied in various reactor configurations. Reactor configuration (suspended/biofilm), mode of reactor operation (continuous/batch), inoculum preparation strategy, operating microenvironment, startup procedure, addition of co-substrate and nutrients, integration with photo-biological hydrogen production/methanogenic process, application of bioaugmentation and self-immobilization [on mesoporous material (SBA15)/activated carbon] strategies, etc. were studied for effective hydrogen production. Presently, work is being pursued on evaluation of biohydrogen production potential utilizing vegetable and agro-wastes as substrate.
Apart from this, basic and applied research on soil bioremediation, advanced biological wastewater treatment, enzyme production and its application to bioremediation, value added products from wastes and bioagumentation strategy to enhance process efficiency also being pursued.
The home page: http://www.iictindia.org/
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Research 
