Debkumar

About

My research is primarily focused on Environmental Biotechnology and at the interface of Applied Microbiology and Metabolic Engineering to produce bio-based chemicals and bioenergy products from solid organic waste. During my Ph.D., I bio transformed rice bran into ferulic acid and then vanillin using metabolically engineered lactic acid bacterial isolates (Pediococcus acidilactici). In addition, I recovered secondary metabolites (red microbial pigments) from Monascus purpureus. During my visit in Hong Kong, I learned advanced techniques of anaerobic digestion, hydrogen and methane production, and volatile fatty acid extraction from acidogenic leachate during high solid anaerobic digestion of food waste, as well as evaluated the effects of biochar addition during co-digestion of food waste and sludge using a bioprocess system and CSTR.
I am currently working on municipal solid waste valorization into lactic acid and ethanol in the circular economy using an enriched culture-based approach. I am also working on UASB sludge granulation, metagenomics, and xenobiotic compound degradation in sludge. Till now I have 6.8 years of postdoctoral research experience on a national and international level, as well as 8 months of teaching experience. My research contribution has resulted in 25 journal publications, 4 book chapters, and 2 short articles. As my research progressed, I came to the realization that there were a growing number of environmental biotechnology-related questions that I still needed to explore and provide answers in the field of organic waste management with simultaneous increase in the pilot-scale production of bioplastic, biomethane, and biohydrogen keeping commercialization in mind. Additionally, I am very much interested in exploring the microbial process in organic waste management, including microbial interactions, metabolic flow transformation, key enzyme activities and the expression level of relevant genes during the process.

Employment

• Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur CSIR SRA
  2020 - 2023
• Hong Kong Baptist University Research assistant
  2019 - 2020
• Indian Institute of Chemical Technology Research assistant
  2019 - 2019
• Indian Institute of Chemical Technology National Postdoctoral Fellow
  2017 - 2019
• Jain University Assistant Professor
  2017 - 2017
• Birla Institute of Technology and Science - Hyderabad Campus Research assistant
  2016 - 2017
• Hong Kong Baptist University Senior Research Assistant
  2015 - 2016
• Chandigarh University Assistant Professor
  2014 - 2014

Education

• Punjabi University Ph.D
  2009 - 2014

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (36)

• Process optimization for development of jamun juice (Syzygium cumini L. ) fortified functional finger millet milk powder using spray drying and its characterization
  Drying Technology 2026 DOI: 10.1080/07373937.2026.2634219
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• In situ buffering and enzymatic regulation of acidogenesis in two-stage anaerobic digestion of composite vegetable waste
  Scientific Reports 2026 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-57332-5
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• Reactive extraction of lactic and acetic acids from leached bed reactor leachate and process optimization by response surface methodology
  Environmental Technology 2026 DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2023.2186272
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• Microbial Applications for Waste Valorization and Bio-Energy Production
  2026 DOI: 10.1201/9781003590156-19
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• Synergistic effects of enriched inoculum and headspace pressure on acidogenesis and its effect on methane yield in two-stage anaerobic digestion of food waste
  Renewable Energy 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2026.126141
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• Sulfonated algal hydrochar-modified PVA membranes for microbial fuel cell applications and valorization of hydrothermal by-products
  Materials Chemistry and Physics 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.matchemphys.2025.131329
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• Emerging processed food and its nutritional consequences: A critical analysis
  Advances in Food and Nutrition Research 2025 DOI: 10.1016/bs.afnr.2025.04.004
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• Recovery of purple non-sulfur bacteria-mediated single-cell protein from domestic wastewater in two-stage treatment using high rate digester and raceway pond
  Bioresource Technology 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131467
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• Sustainable enzymatic treatment of organic waste in a framework of circular economy
  Bioresource Technology 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.128487
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• Dual role of grass clippings as buffering agent and biomass during anaerobic co-digestion with food waste
  Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 2022 DOI: 10.1007/s10098-022-02355-5
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