Marc A. Deshusses
Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Dr. Deshusses' research interests are related to the design, analysis and application of remediation, waste to energy and decentralized sanitation processes. A current focus is on novel reactors and processes for air, water and solid wastes treatment. Applications include treatment of odors and air toxics, biogas production, and novel sanitation and treatment technologies. Research interests include bioenergy and waste to energy processes, biofilms, biomolecular techniques for monitoring microorganisms in complex environments, indoor air quality, advanced oxidation processes, nanosensors, and mathematical modeling of environmental processes.
Appointments and Affiliations
- Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Duke Kunshan University
- Research Professor of Global Health
- Faculty Network Member of The Energy Initiative
Contact Information
- Office Location: 127C Hudson Hall, Durham, NC 27708
- Office Phone: (919) 660-5480
- Email Address: marc.deshusses@duke.edu
- Websites:
Education
- Ph.D. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, 1994
Research Interests
Design, analysis and application of remediation, waste-to-energy and decentralized sanitation processes, including novel reactors and processes for air, water and solid wastes treatment.
Awards, Honors, and Distinctions
- AAAS Fellow. American Association for the Advancement of Science. 2006
Courses Taught
- CEE 294: Research Independent Study in Civil and Environmental Engineering
- CEE 394: Research Independent Study in Civil and Environmental Engineering
- CEE 462L: Biological Principles in Environmental Engineering
- CEE 490: Special Topics in Civil and Environmental Engineering
- CEE 562: Biological Processes in Environmental Engineering
- CEE 690: Advanced Topics in Civil and Environmental Engineering
- CEE 691: Independent Study: Advanced Topics in Civil and Environmental Engineering
- CEE 692: Independent Study: Advanced Topics in Civil and Environmental Engineering
- CEE 780: Internship
In the News
- Studying Disease-Carrying Pathogens in Cities With Poor Sanitation (Aug 23, 2019 | Pratt School of Engineering)
- Reinventing the Toilet (Nov 5, 2018 | Duke Stories)
- Duke, RTI International Partner on Improved Global Sanitation (Aug 28, 2017)
- Energy Initiative Provides First Round of Research Seed Funding (Apr 16, 2014)
- Adventures in Synthetic Poop (Feb 6, 2014 | Duke Research Blog)
- Duke researchers design toilet that turns waste into drinking water (Jul 18, 2013 | WUNC Radio)
Representative Publications
- Hunter, B; Deshusses, MA, Resources recovery from high-strength human waste anaerobic digestate using simple nitrification and denitrification filters., The Science of the Total Environment (2019) [10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135509] [abs].
- Zhou, J; Welling, CM; Kawadiya, S; Deshusses, MA; Grego, S; Chakrabarty, K, Sensor-Array optimization based on mutual information for sanitation-related malodor alerts, Biocas 2019 Biomedical Circuits and Systems Conference, Proceedings (2019) [10.1109/BIOCAS.2019.8919132] [abs].
- Dupnock, TL; Deshusses, MA, Detailed investigations of dissolved hydrogen and hydrogen mass transfer in a biotrickling filter for upgrading biogas., Bioresource Technology, vol 290 (2019) [10.1016/j.biortech.2019.121780] [abs].
- López de León, LR; Deaton, KE; Deshusses, MA, Miniaturized Biotrickling Filters and Capillary Microbioreactors for Process Intensification of VOC Treatment with Intended Application to Indoor Air., Environmental Science & Technology, vol 53 no. 3 (2019), pp. 1518-1526 [10.1021/acs.est.8b05209] [abs].
- Farling, S; Rogers, T; Knee, JS; Tilley, EA; Brown, J; Deshusses, MA, Bioaerosol emissions associated with pit latrine emptying operations., The Science of the Total Environment, vol 648 (2019), pp. 1082-1086 [10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.147] [abs].
Additional Information
Professional Society Service:
- Member American Chemical Society, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Air and Waste Management Association, Water Environment Federation, American Society for Engineering Education
- Member [by invitation], External Advisory Committee, NASA Purdue Advanced Life Support Center NSCORT [03-06, Chair of that committee for 2003-2004]
- Co-Editor: Chemical Engineering Journal (Environmental Chemical Engineering Section)
- Editorial boards: Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology [99 - 02; 03 - present]; Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology [03 – present]
- Reviewer of a over 200 papers for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Chemical Engineering Science, Environmental Science and Technology, J. of Environmental Engineering, Environmental Catalysis, J. of the Air & Waste Management Association, Environmental Progress, J. of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology, TIBTECH, etc.