DR. SANTOSH KUMAR
Experimental Programs

Core Research Pillars

Interdisciplinary research uniting bioelectrochemistry, environmental microbial kinetics, materials engineering, and clean hydrogen fuel production.

Algal Culture Array PILLAR 01

Algal Bioenergy & Biorefinery

Cultivation of resilient microalgae strains, non-thermal cell lysis, lipid extraction protocols, phototrophic biomass recovery, and downstream bio-oil synthesis.

MicroalgaeLipidsBiofuels
Cylindrical MCC PILLAR 02

Bioelectrochemical Systems (BES)

Development of photosynthetic microbial fuel cells (PMFCs), microbial electrolysis cells (MEC), and constructed wetland-microbial fuel cells (CW-MFC).

MFCMECCW-MFC
Pilot Scale MFC PILLAR 03

Wastewater & Resource Recovery

Treatment of complex hospital effluents, selective degradation of sulfamethoxazole antibiotics, heavy metal absorption, and closed-loop effluent polishing.

Hospital EffluentsRecyclingField Scale
Carbon Capture Cell PILLAR 04

Biological Carbon Capture

Design of microbial carbon-capture cells (MCCs) utilizing algal biocathodes for direct biological CO₂ sequestration without energy-intensive mechanical aeration.

MCCCO₂ FixationPhototrophs
Electro-Dark Fermentation PILLAR 05

Biohydrogen & Bioelectricity

Dark fermentation of agricultural wastes and sewage sludge integrated with electrochemical systems and purple non-sulfur bacteria for maximized H₂ yields.

BiohydrogenFermentationClean Power
Engineered Catalysts PILLAR 06

Materials, Biochar & Catalysts

Activated coke, aquacultural waste-derived biochar catalysts, rGO-emulated metcoke electrodes, and low-cost clay separator membranes for field viability.

BiocharrGO MetcokeClay Separators
Flagship Funded Program

ANRF National Postdoctoral Fellowship Project

Investigating next-generation photosynthetic microbial fuel cells and microbial carbon-capture platforms at the Environmental Science and Engineering Department (ESED), IIT Bombay.

STAGE 01

Effluent Influent

Organic wastewater and recalcitrant hospital effluents treated via electrocoagulation and anaerobic breakdown.

STAGE 02

BES Anodic Reaction

Exoelectrogenic bacteria oxidize pollutants, generating electrons, protons, and harvestable bioelectricity.

STAGE 03

Photosynthetic Cathode

Algal catholyte fixes CO₂, releasing dissolved oxygen for cathodic reduction, eliminating mechanical aeration cost.

STAGE 04

Valorization & H₂

Harvested algal biomass undergoes dark fermentation into clean biohydrogen, VFAs, and organic liquid biofertilizer.