Cohen Laboratory

Fuel from Aquatic Biomass project

Department of Biology

This research program conducted on the grounds of the City of Santa Rosa Laguna Treatment Plant explored three primary lines of investigation:

(1) utilization of native aquatic vegetation to ‘polish’ treated wastewater by removing nutrients and man-made pollutants;

(2) biofuel production via anaerobic digestion of harvested aquatic vegetation in combination with agricultural waste; and

(3) application of spent digestate as a soil amendment to promote plant growth and suppress root disease.

The process:

Overview