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Research Statement

Our research facility is located at Ryerson University, in the heart of Toronto, in Canada. Major key areas of our research activities over the past several years have been into green technology [1-3], nanotechnology [2,3], biotechnology [4], materials engineering [3,5], bioseparation/ separation engineering [6], and polymer engineering (i.e., synthesis and characterization) [7,8]. After conducting research over several years, our research activities have recently shaped into utilizing green process and reactions that are cost-competitive and environmentally friendly to produce green products and materials in addition to green biofuels.

 

We mainly utilize renewable and sustainable resources of agro-industrial wastes such as biomass in Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) and Separate Hydrolysis and Fermentation (SHF) to produce green biomaterials, green biodegradable plastics, and green biobutanol and bioethanol [1-5]. Different pretreatment methods were intensively tested and utilized at different conditions for the conversion of agriculture cellulose and hemicellulose to monomeric sugars essential to conduct the green fermentation reactions. Biocatalysis were also broadly utilized to catalyse saccharification reactions [9].

Our research activities were evolved into introducing novel classes of bioreactors with unique designs that exhibits improved hydrodynamics of mixing characteristics and operation conditions. This class of bioreactors includes internally and externally recirculated airlift bioreactors. A least invasive techniques using Electrical Resistance Tomography were utilized to visualize the hydrodynamics of mixing on the micro and macro scales inside the bioreactors through 2D and 3D tomograms [10]. Major Research Highlights include:

Future Plans for Research

Our choice of the green renewable resources of agriculture residues was due to their availability in North America. Some research tend can be pursued in other areas by finding a widely available source of cellulose and hemicellulose that can by hydrolyzed to monomeric sugars required to conduct the green fermentation reactions detailed above. Algae are currently attracting attentions as a green resource to produce the 3rd and 4th generation of biofuels. It is one of the fastest growing organisms in the world that consumes almost twice their weight in carbon dioxide. This makes algae the most cost effective and sustainable means of carbon sequestration. Algae can be grown in freshwater, saltwater and wastewater under warm to high temperature weather conditions. Algae are known to produce biomass faster and on reduced land surface as compared with lignocellulosic biomass. In addition to biodiesel production, we will utilize algae for the production of several green products using biotechnology. The other alternative is the use of organic wastes as culture media to promote economical advantages since it reduces environment pollution and stimulates new research for science sustainability. Organic wastes can be collected from local food industries and restaurants, especially fruits and milk whey. The culture media derived can be used without supplementation with other nutrient sources. Nowadays, environmental concern is in vogue, along with the search for sustainable processes that benefit society. This work can be considered a profitable alternative, generating high-value products and contributing to decreasing disposals in the world.

Sample of Corresponding Publications

  1. Dahman, Y. and Ugwu, C. “Cost-Competitive and Environmentally Friendly Production of Green Biodegradable Plastics of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) from Renewable Resources of Agriculture Residues” Journal of Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering – Springer (Accepted – Dec. 2013; BPBSE-13-0​594).

  2. Al-Abdallah, W. and Dahman, Y. “Production of green biocellulose nanofibers by Gluconacetobacter xylinus through utilizing the renewable resources of agriculture residues” Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology (2013), 36, 1735-1743.

  3. Nakhoda, H. and Dahman, Y. “Novel Biodegradable Polyurethanes Reinforced With Green Nanofibers for Applications in Tissue Engineering. Synthesis and Characterization” Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering – Wiley (Accepted – Dec. 2013; ID CJCE-13-06).

  4. Sani, A., Dahman, Y. “Improvements in the Production of Bacterial Synthesized Biocellulose Nanofibers Using Different Culture Methods” Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology, 2009, 85(2), 151.

  5. Khan, F. and Dahman, Y. “Novel Approach for the Utilization of Biocellulose Nanofibres in Polyurethane Nanocomposites for Potential Applications in Bone Tissue Implants” Journal of Designed Monomers and Polymers, 2011, 15 (1).

  6. Dahman, Y. and Jayasuriya, K. “Preliminary Study of Binary Protein Adsorption System and Potential Bioseparation under Homogeneous Field of Shear in Airlift Biocontactor” Advances in Bioscience and Biotechnology (2013), 4, 710-718.

  7. Dahman, Y. and Oktem, T. “Optically Transparent Nanocomposite Reinforced with Modified Cellulose Nanofibre” Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 2012, 126, 188-196.

  8. Dahman, Y; Puskas, J. E.; Margaritis, A; Cunningham, M “Novel Thymine – Functionalized Polystyrenes for Applications in Biotechnology. Polymer Synthesis and Characterization” Macromolecules, 2003, 36(7), 2198.

  9. Thirmal, C. and Dahman, Y. “Comparisons of Existing Pretreatment, Saccharification, and Fermentation Processes for Butanol Production from Agricultural Residues” Canadian Chemical Engineering Journal, 2012, 90(3), 745-761.

  10. Rehman, M.; F. Mozaffari, Dahman, Y. “Dynamic and local gas holdup studies in external loop recirculating airlift reactor with two rolls of fiberglass packing using electrical resistance tomography” Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology, 2013, 88, 887 - 896.

  11. Dahman, Y. "Nanostructured Biomaterials and Biocomposites from Bacterial Cellulose Nanofibers” Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 2009, 9 (9), 5105.

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