Overview
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.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
·
2008 - Present
Civil and Environmental Engineering,
Pratt School of Engineering
Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Duke Kunshan University
·
2022 - Present
DKU Faculty
Recent Publications
Supercritical water oxidation for the destruction of recalcitrant chlorinated organic solvents: Kinetics and chlorine balances
Journal Article Journal of Supercritical Fluids · February 1, 2026 The reactivity and mineralization of six chlorinated organics (dichloromethane, trichloromethane, chlorobenzene, 2-chlorophenol, 2-chlorobenzoic acid and 1-chloro-2-nitrobenzene) serving as model recalcitrant halogenated pollutants was investigated in a la ... Full text CiteAssessing the temperature effect on the kinetics of a hydrogenotrophic methanogenic culture using a novel headspace-free methodology
Journal Article Chemical Engineering Journal Advances · November 1, 2025 Accurately determining the biological activity of hydrogenotrophic microbial cultures independently of potential gas-liquid mass transfer limitations for hydrogen is important but is challenging. In this work, a novel methodology called Pressurized Headspa ... Full text CitePretreatment Removes Organic Molecules in Anaerobic Digestates That Inhibit Algal Productivity
Journal Article ACS Es and T Water · September 12, 2025 Algal growth on anaerobic digestates enables simultaneous wastewater treatment and biomass production, but dilution water is often used to overcome algal growth inhibition in digestates. It was previously shown that aerobic bacterial pretreatment alleviate ... Full text CiteRecent Grants
Duke University Program in Environmental Health
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences · 2019 - 2029Supercritical water oxidation for PFAS destruction
Public ServicePrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2024 - 2026Development of a bacterial-algal-zooplankton process for conversion of agricultural waste into aquaculture feed
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Auburn University · 2020 - 2025View All Grants
Education, Training & Certifications
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Switzerland) ·
1994
Ph.D.