People

Chemical Engineering from the UASLP-1999. M.Sc. Chemical Engineering in the field of Bioseparations (UASLP-2001). She holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering focused on Environmental Biotechnology. She staterd to work at IPICyT from September 2006 to date.

Dr. Arriaga' broad research interests are related to the treatment of volatile organic compounds in biofilters and in hybrid systems based on advanced oxidation processes (UV/O3/TiO2/ZnO) coupled with biofilters. A current focus is on the production of recombinant proteins linked to the biofiltration of highly hydrophilic VOC. Research interests also include mathematical modeling of biofiltration process and biofiltration of indoor air pollutants like formaldehyde. She is also interested in the treatment of bioaerosol emitted from biofilters by advanced oxidation processes.

Prof. Sonia Arriaga has taking a Sabbatical Leave (2014) in Aalborg University in the Center for Microbial Communities www.cmc.aau.dk in order to learn about cultivation-independent techniques for the identification of microorganisms in biofilms and also, to leaarn about their ecophysiological characterization using techniques like SIP, MAR, DAPI, FISH, MAR-FISH and qPCR/RT-qPCR.

Ph.D Students

Octavio Saucedo Lucero (octavio.saucedo@ipicyt.edu.mx)

"Treatment of hexane vapors using hybrid systems based on photocatalytic systems (TiO2/ZnO) coupled with biofilters".

The biological treatment of highly hydrophobic volatile organic compounds like hexane has limmitations due to the low mass transport from the gas phase to the liquid/biofilm phase. The use of an advanced oxidation process for the pre-treatment of hexane and with the objective to produce soluble by-products could present advantages and eliminate the limitations of biofilters for the treatment of highly hydrophobic VOC . Thus, the objective of Octavio's thesis is focused on the study of the use of hybrid systems based on advanced oxidation process coupled with a biofiltration process to enhance the degradation of hexane vapors.

Teresa García Pérez (teresa.garcia@ipicyt.edu.mx)

"Effect of the addition of ozone pulses on the bofilm composition during the biofiltration of gaseous formaldehyde" .

In order to implement a new strategy to prevent or reverse the cloggingof the biofiltration systems due to microbial overgrowth, we studied the effect of the addition of ozone pulses on the removal efficiency of formaldehyde and on the elimination of excessive biomass in the system.

Rodolfo Palomo (rodolfo.palomo@ipicyt.edu.mx)

Effect of operational parameters over methanol biofiltration coupled with the production of heterologous endochitinase.

Biofiltration coupled with protein production is a process in which a volatile organic compound is degradated and thus assimilated by a microorganism in order to produce higher amounts of biomass, thus increasing its protein content. If the microorganism used is modified genetically, it could be possible to produce an extracelular protein in the leacheate culture that is spread continuously into the biofilter. The success of this concept is due to P. pastoris, a methylotrophic yeast with a proteomic system easy to manipulate from DNA level.Thus, it’s possible to produce a heterologous proteins (in this case Endochitinase 42) and degrade methanol in just one step. The aim of this particular work is to study the effects of operational parameters such as pH, [nitrogen source] and methanol loading rate on the efficiency of the system through a response surface methodology.

Guadalupe Maldonado Diaz (maria.maldonado@ipicyt.edu.mx)

"Molecular analysis during the biofiltration of formaldehyde under de addition of ozone pulses".

The project is focused on the study of the microbial ecology using techniques such as: DGGE and PCR during the biofiltration of formaldehyde in order to follow the changes in the microbial population of this system. Also, it is important to study the effect of ozone addition on the biofilm thickness and thus in the microbial detachment (EPS and cells).

Lucero Jimenez Martínez (calabacita21623@hotmail.com)

Lucero is a visiting student from the Universidad del Mar at Puerto Angel, Oaxaca.

“Study of the robustness of the biofiltration of toluene vapors: loading shock conditions and air interruptions effects" .

The aim of this project is to assessing the response of a biofiltration process to the interruption of aireation and toluene inlet and also to study the recovery of the performance of a biofitler after an interruption period.

Master Students

Bachelor Students

Edgardo Valenzuela Reyes (ei.valenzuelar@gmail.com)

Molecular analysis of the microbial ecology during the biofiltration of n-hexane: Effects of inlet load and pH

Edgardo studied Biochemical Engineering at the Durango Institute of Technology and is currently completing his final research project at the Potosino Research Institute of Science andTechnology (IPICyT). His research focus is understanding the relationship between a microbial ecosystem and a biofilter’s ability to remediate volatile organic compounds. Specifically, Edgardo has used biomolecular techniques such as Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction and Denaturant Gradient Gel Electrophoresis to evaluate the performance of perlite-packed reactors used to treat n-hexane vapors. The goals of this research are to improve the performance of biological treatment systems and to understand the behavior of microbial communities in response to diverse operational conditions.

Isaac Pérez Arriaga (superheroe@mom.edu.mx)

...Expert in making his mother happy!!

"Syndrome from the Incredibles"