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:
  • Deshusses lab
  • SCWO sanitation project

Education

• Ph.D. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, 1994

Research Interests

Dr. Deshusses' broad research interests are related to the design, analysis and application of processes for the bioremediation of contaminated air, water and soils. One area of on-going research is bioreactors for air pollution control. Results from this work have resulted among others in a better fundamental understanding of how volatile organics and odors are biodegraded in waste air biofilters and biotrickling filters. It has also been used recently to convert odor control chemical scrubbers to high efficiency biotrickling filters at wastewater treatment plants. Another area of ongoing research is the development of biotreatment processes to treat groundwater contaminated with gasoline additives MTBE and TBA and rocket propellant perchlorate. Results from this work are being applied in the field. Other ongoing research include the development of gas-phase sensors based on functionalized nanomaterials, the use of biomolecular techniques for monitoring microorganisms in complex mixed cultures, fundamental study of biofouling mechanisms, biofilms, combined chemical and biological treatment of wastes, indoor air quality, and mathematical modeling of environmental bioprocesses.

Specialties

Water, Resources and Treatment
Microbial Engineering, biological remediation

Awards, Honors, and Distinctions

• AAAS Fellow. American Association for the Advancement of Science. 2006

Courses Taught

• CEE 293: 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 493: Research Independent Study in Civil and Environmental Engineering
• CEE 562: Biological Processes in Environmental Engineering
• CEE 690: Advanced Topics in Civil and Environmental Engineering

In the News

• 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

• Qiu, X; Deshusses, MA, Performance of a monolith biotrickling filter treating high concentrations of H2S from mimic biogas and elemental sulfur plugging control using pigging., Chemosphere, vol 186 (2017), pp. 790-797 [10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.08.032] [abs].
• Dupnock, TL; Deshusses, MA, High-Performance Biogas Upgrading Using a Biotrickling Filter and Hydrogenotrophic Methanogens., Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, vol 183 no. 2 (2017), pp. 488-502 [10.1007/s12010-017-2569-2] [abs].
• Thostenson, JO; Ngaboyamahina, E; Sellgren, KL; Hawkins, BT; Piascik, JR; Klem, EJD; Parker, CB; Deshusses, MA; Stoner, BR; Glass, JT, Enhanced H2O2 Production at Reductive Potentials from Oxidized Boron-Doped Ultrananocrystalline Diamond Electrodes., ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, vol 9 no. 19 (2017), pp. 16610-16619 [10.1021/acsami.7b01614] [abs].
• Schaefer, CE; Lavorgna, GM; Webster, TS; Deshusses, MA; Andaya, C; Urtiaga, A, Pilot-scale electrochemical disinfection of surface water: assessing disinfection by-product and free chlorine formation, Water Science and Technology: Water Supply, vol 17 no. 2 (2017), pp. 526-536 [10.2166/ws.2016.165] [abs].
• Deshmukh, S; Kandasamy, G; Upadhyay, RK; Bhattacharya, G; Banerjee, D; Maity, D; Deshusses, MA; Roy, SS, Terephthalic acid capped iron oxide nanoparticles for sensitive electrochemical detection of heavy metal ions in water, Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, vol 788 (2017), pp. 91-98 [10.1016/j.jelechem.2017.01.064] [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.