Department

• Department of Bio-Sciences and Industrial Technology

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Expertise

• Environmental technology
• Wastewater treatment
• Wastewater reuse

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Projects

• Enzubel. Optimization of the energy demand in aerobic wastewater treatment systems (2016 – 2019)
• ALteVaS. Algae technology for the treatment of drain water in greenhouse cultivation (2019 – 2021)
• Rewater4Farms: Implementation of microalgae for the treatment of wastewater in small scale farming in Ecuador (2021 – 2023)
• Move-it-lab: Construction and implementation of a mobile pilot scale wastewater treatment installation (2020 – 2023)

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Publications

• B. Decostere, E. Van Mechelen, C. Van der Heyden (2022). Assessment of microalgal species growth on wastewater of greenhouse cultivation. Conference proceeding IWA World Congress and Exhibition, Copenhagen Denmark. Submitted.
• B. Decostere, J. Van Dierdonck, C. Van der heyden (2020). Different aeration regimes in aerobic wastewater treatment for assessing the electric energy demand. Conference proceeding. 6th IWA young water professionals conference of the BeNeLux, Luxembourg.
• B. Decostere, J. Van Dierdonck, C. Van der heyden (2019). Assessment of the electrical energy demand for different aeration regimes in aerobic wastewater treatment. Conference proceeding. IWA-IDB Innovation conference on sustainable use of water: cities industry and agriculture. Guayaquil, Ecuador.
• Decostere B, Alvarado MA, Sanchez ME, Pauta GC, Rousseau D, Nopens I, Van Hulle SWH (2017). Model based analysis of the microalgal growth rate of species residing in a waste stabilization pond. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, 92, 1362-1369.
• Decostere B, Coppens J, Vervaeren H, Vlaeminck SE, De Gelder L, Boon N, Nopens I, Van Hulle SWH (2017). Kinetic exploration of intracellular nitrate storage in marine microalgae. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, part A, 52, 1303-1311.
• Decostere B, Andres A Martinez, Esteban A Sanchez, Diederik Rousseau, Ingmar Nopens, Stijn WH Van Hulle (2016). Kinetic exploration of microalgal species residing in a Waste Stabilization Pond. 1st International Conference on Biomass and Climate Change. Soria, Spain
• Decostere B, De Craene J, Van Hoey S, Vervaeren H, Nopens I, Van Hulle SWH (2016). Validation of a microalgal growth model accounting with inorganic carbon and nutrient kinetics for wastewater treatment. Chemical Engineering Journal, 285, 189-197
• Decostere B, Van Hulle SWH, Duyck M, Maere T, Vervaeren H, Nopens I (2016). The use of a combined respirometric-titrimetric setup to assess the effect of environmental conditions on microalgal growth rate. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology
• Coppens J, Decostere B, Van Hulle S, Nopens I, Vlaeminck SE, De Gelder L, Boon N (2014). Kinetic exploration of nitrate-accumulating microalgae for nutrient recovery. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 98, 8377-8387
• Decostere B, Janssens N, Alvarado A, Maere T, Goethals P, Van Hulle SWH, Nopens I (2013). A combined respirometer-titrimeter for the determination of microalgae kinetics : experimental data collection and modelling. Chemical Engineering Journal, 222, 85-93
• Gao J, Oloibiri V, Chys M, Audenaert W, Decostere B, He Y, Van Langenhove H, Demeestere K, Van Hulle S (2015). The present status of landfill leachate treatment and its development trends from a technological point of view. Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio-technology, 14, 93- 122
• Gao J, Oloibiri V, Chys M, De Wandel S, Decostere B, Audenaert W, He Y, Van Hulle S (2015). Integration of autotrophic nitrogen removal, ozonation and activated carbon filtration for treatment of landfill leachate. Chemical Engineering Journal, 275, 281-287
• De Vrieze S, Daels N, Lambert K, Decostere B, Hens Z, Van Hulle S, De Clerck K (2012). Filtration performance of electrospun polyamide nanofibres loaded with bactericides. Textile Research Journal, 82, 37-44
• Daels N, De Vrieze S, Sampers I, Decostere B, Westbroek P, Dumoulin A, Dejans P, Van Hulle S (2011). Potential of a functionalized nanofibre microfiltration membrane as an antibacterial water filter. Desalination, 275, 285-290
• Daels N, De Vrieze S, Decostere B, Dejans P, Dumoulin A, De Clerck K, Westbroek P, Van Hulle S (2010). The use of electrospun flat sheet membranes in MBR applications. Desalination, 257, 170-176
• Decostere B, Daels N, De Vrieze S, Dejans P, Van Camp T, Audenaert W, Westbroek P, De Clerck K, Boeckaert C, Van Hulle S (2010). Initial testing of electrospun nanofibre filters in water filtration applications. Water SA, 36, 151-155