0000-0002-8499-3331 About
Dr. P. Hanumantha Rao completed his Ph.D. in Microalgal Biotechnology from the University of Madras in the year 2009. He holds the position of Associate Professor of Microbiology in Madras Christian College, and serves as Associate Dean of Research since 2021. His doctoral research was focused on implementing phycoremediation technology for treating industrial wastewaters at the pilot/industrial scale. He joined Madras Christian College in 2012 and his current research interests are mass cultivation and biomass production of freshwater and marine microalgae, immobilized microalgae cultivation, carbon biocapture using microalgae, and phycoremediation. During 2010–12, Dr. Rao was in-charge of algae biofuels pilot plant of Aban Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. (Biotechnology Division), Chennai, and worked in association with Murdoch University, University of Adelaide, SQC Pty. Ltd. Australia, and Muradel Pty. Ltd. Australia.
Dr. Rao has filed six Indian patents and one international patent. He is now collaborating with an algal industry for technology transfer to commercialize one of his filed patents. He is also providing consultancy services on phycoremediation technology for wastewater treatment. His major research contributions include the designing of a novel photobioculture device for supercapture of CO2, ecofriendly formulations for commercial applications to control algal blooms, a filter-based phycoremediation process, phycoremediation of polluted lotic and lentic aquatic ecosystems, enhanced phycoremediation strategies for improved kinetics, integrated open suspended and immobilized cultivation systems, zero-discharge microalgae cultivation technology, integrated and high-efficient harvesting technology for suspended cultivation systems, and phycovolatilization of heavy metals.
Dr. Rao was one of the authors in two conference papers presented in “Algae Biomass Summit” – the world’s leading annual algal meet. He serves in the editorial board of Indian Hydrobiology and served as a reviewer for Scientific Reports (Nature), Electronic Journal of Biotechnology (Elsevier), International Journal of Phytoremediation (Taylor and Francis), Indian Hydrobiology (Krishnamurthy Institute of Algology), Indian Journal of Experimental Biology (CSIR-NISCAIR), Environmental Science and Pollution Research (Springer), 3 Biotech (Springer), Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy (Springer), World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology (Springer), Discover Applied Sciences (Springer) and CLEAN – Soil, Air, Water (Wiley). He served as a technical expert (microbiology) for TÜV SÜD Management Service GmbH, Munich, Germany, during 2016-2022.
Employment
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Madras Christian College2012 - Present
Education
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University of Madras Ph.D.
Projects & Funding
Projects & funding information is unavailable.
Publications (22)
- Activated Microalgae–Activated MLSS Bacteria Consortium Synergistically Improves Phycoremediation Kinetics: A Parallel Bio‐Activation Approach for Effective Wastewater Treatment and Biomass Production Save
- A pilot study assessing a nano-based commercial culture medium for microalgal mono- and polyculture Save
- An integrated high-rate algal pond ̶ immobilized algal biomat reactor (HRAP ̶ IAB) for rapid phycoremediation and biomass production – A loop and non-retrofit approach Save
- Immobilized microalgae cultivation systems: Pros and cons concerning environmental impact assessment (EIA) Save
- Microalgae-mediated pollutant removal from wastes of pharmaceutical and personal care products industry—Current trends Save
- Microalgal pigments as natural hues in environmentally-sustainable and commercially-prospective biopaints Save
- A sustainable process train for a marine microalga-mediated biomass production and CO2 capture: A pilot-scale cultivation of Nannochloropsis salina in open raceway ponds and harvesting through electropreciflocculation Save
- Evaluation of various waste substrates for biofilm formation and subsequent use in aerobic packed-bed reactor for secondary treatment of domestic wastewater Save
- Phycoremediation: Role of Algae in Waste Management Save
- Bioremediation of Aquaculture Water using Nitrifying Bacteria-Microalga Consortium with Special Reference to Ammoniacal Nitrogen Save