Dr Korneel Rabaey
Senior Research Fellow
Contact Details
Office 620, Level 6 Gehrmann Building (60)
P +61 (0)7 3346 3222
F +61 (0)7 3365 4726
k.rabaey@uq.edu.au
Short Biography
Dr. Korneel Rabaey is regarded as one of the pioneers of the domain of microbial fuel cells(MFCs). He has extensive experience in bioelectrochemistry, anaerobic bioprocesses and environmental biotechnology in general. In 6 years of research, he has published over 30 peer reviewed articles, with as main focuses reactor design, microbial ecology and the development of novel processes based on bioelectrochemical conversions. He has been keynote speaker at several international conferences, and has been awarded several times for his work. To download Korneel's CV please click here.
Research Interests
He has a multitude of interests that all concern the interface of bacteria with soluble electron donors and acceptors. Microbial fuel cells are one exponent of these interactions, but there are many more opportunities. For that reason, we increasingly call our technology “Bio-Electrochemical Systems”. I currently work on or am involved in:
- sulfur removal via BES (Paritam Dutta)
- genetic basis for EET from an ecological perspective (Sue Read)
- nitrogen removal in BES (Bernardino Virdis)
- Ecology of acid environments with respect to EET (Ee Hoi The)
- Biochemicals production in BES (together with Rene Rozendal)
- pilot scale testing of MFC (Simone Butzer, Ampon Chumpia)
- modelling of MFC/BES (together with Jorge Rodriguez, Damien Batstone, Zhiguo Yuan)
- downstream processing of sludge hydrolysates (Shelley Brown, Aurelie Burel)
Current Projects
- ARC Discovery Project DP0879245 Extracellular Electron Transfer in Bio-Electrochemical Systems. In this project we study the microbial ecology of extracellular electron transfer on a genetic and protein basis. Together with Phil Bond, Kenneth Nealson, Nico Boon, Franz Pichler.
- ARC Discovery Project DP 0666927 Novel concept for Wastewater Treatment with Integrated Power Production based on Microbial Fuel Cells. Project co-leader for this multifaceted study involving carbon fluxes, nitrogen and sulfur removal, community analysis
- ARC Linkage Project LP0882016 Optimal Management of corrosion and odour problems in sewer systems. I manage SP7 of this $8M project.
- EPA QSEIF project “Pilot scale testing of MFCs”
- DEST – ISL project together with EU FP6 project “Neptune”
Achievement Highlights
2008
- Best case study award, YWP meeting Brisbane
- Keynote speaker at the first Microbial Fuel Cell conference
- Session convener at ISME2008 (Cairns)
- Review excellence award Environmental Science & Technology
2007
- finalist of the Eureka awards public prizes
- obtained an ARC Australian Postdoctoral Fellowship
- invited speaker at the 2007 Gordon Conference on Applied & Environmental Microbiology
2006
- senior author on MFC Methodology Paper prepared by the MFC platform
- obtained UQ Postdoctoral Fellowship
2005
2004
- International Conference Montréal: Anaerobic Digestion 2004: Student award, best lecture and paper
2003
- International Water Association – Belgian Branch: Poster prize 2003
Key Publications
Full list available at c.v.
Aelterman, P., S. Freguia, J. Keller, W. Verstraete, and K. Rabaey. 2008. The anode potential regulates bacterial activity in microbial fuel cells. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 78:409-418.
Freguia, S., K. Rabaey, Z. G. Yuan, and J. Keller. 2008. Sequential anode-cathode configuration improves cathodic oxygen reduction and effluent quality of microbial fuel cells. Water Research 42:1387-1396.
Rabaey, K., S. T. Read, P. Clauwaert, S. Freguia, P. L. Bond, L. L. Blackall, and J. Keller. 2008. Cathodic oxygen reduction catalyzed by bacteria in microbial fuel cells. Isme Journal 2:519-527.
Rozendal, R. A., H. V. M. Hamelers, K. Rabaey, J. Keller, and C. J. N. Buisman. 2008. Towards practical implementation of bioelectrochemical wastewater treatment. Trends in Biotechnology Accepted.
Virdis, B., K. Rabaey, Z. Yuan, and J. Keller. 2008. Microbial fuel cells for simultaneous carbon and nitrogen removal. . Water Research 42:3013-3024.
Clauwaert P, van der Ha D, Boon N, Verbeken K, Verhaege M, Rabaey K, Verstraete W. 2007. Open air biocathode enables effective electricity generation with microbial fuel cells. Environmental Science & Technology 41(21):7564-7569.
Freguia S, Rabaey K, Yuan S, Keller J. 2007. Electron and carbon balances in microbial fuel cells reveal temporary bacterial storage behaviour during electricity generation. Environmental Science & Technology 41(8):2915-2921.
Rabaey, K., J. Rodriguez, L. L. Blackall, J. Keller, D. J. Batstone, W. Verstraete, and K. H. Nealson. 2007. Microbial ecology meets electrochemistry: electricity driven and driving communities. The ISME journal 1:9-18.
Clauwaert P, Rabaey K, Aelterman P, De Schamphelaire L, The Pham H, Boeckx P, Boon N, Verstraete W. 2007. Biological denitrification driven by microbial fuel cells. Environmental Science & Technology 41(9):3354-3360.
Logan, B., P. Aelterman, B. Hamelers, R. Rozendal, U. Schroder, J. Keller, S. Freguia, W. Verstraete, and K. Rabaey. 2006. Microbial fuel cells: Methodology and Technology. Environmental Science & Technology 40:5181-5192.
Rabaey, K., K. Van de Sompel, L. Maignien, N. Boon, P. Aelterman, P. Clauwaert, L. De Schamphelaire, T. H. Pham, J. Vermeulen, M. Verhaege, P. N. Lens, and W. Verstraete. 2006. Microbial fuel cells for sulfide removal. Environmental Science & Technology 40:5218 - 5224.
Aelterman, P., K. Rabaey, H. The Pham, N. Boon, and W. Verstraete. 2006. Continuous electricity generation at high voltages and currents using stacked microbial fuel cells. Environmental Science & Technology. 40:3388-3394.
Rabaey, K., Clauwaert, P., Aelterman, P. and W. Verstraete. 2005. Tubular microbial fuel cells for efficient energy generation. Environmental Science and Technology. 39(20): 8077-8082.
Rabaey, K., and W. Verstraete. 2005. Microbial fuel cells: sustainable core technology. Trends in Biotechnology 23: 291-298
Rabaey, K., N. Boon, M. Höfte, and W. Verstraete. 2005. Microbial phenazine production enhances electron transfer in biofuel cells. Environmental Science and Technology 39: 3401-3408.
Rabaey, K., N. Boon, S. D. Siciliano, M. Verhaege, and W. Verstraete (2004) Biofuel cells select for microbial consortia that self-mediate electron transfer. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 70:5373-5382
Rabaey, K., G. Lissens, S. D. Siciliano, and W. Verstraete (2003) A microbial fuel cell capable of converting glucose to electricity at high rate and efficiency. Biotechnology Letters 25:1531-1535.
Current Students
PhD students
Honours
Undergraduate
- Aurelie Burel
- Florian Stiller
- Tara Thimbuthu