A recent study by John N. Kuhn, professor and associate chair in the Department of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering at USF, has been selected for Wiley’s Research Headlines. The publication, “Experimental, Economic, and Life Cycle Carbon Footprint Assessment of Low-Cost Adsorbents for Siloxane Removal from Landfill Gas,” appears in Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy and examines a key challenge in renewable energy systems.
Rarosue Amaraibi, a 2024 USF Ph.D. graduate now at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, is the paper’s first author. Additional co-authors include USF Emeritus Professor Babu Joseph and Bryce Reynolds.
The selection of this study for the Wiley Research Headlines highlights its relevance within the global research community. Wiley’s twice-monthly publication features studies from more than 1,600 journals and is distributed to over 2,500 journalists, expanding the research’s visibility across academic, industrial, and public sectors.
The study explores cost-effective materials, such as clinoptilolite and biochar, for removing siloxane compounds from landfill gas. These impurities—originating from products like cosmetics and cleaning agents—can damage energy recovery equipment, posing economic and operational challenges.
“Recovering energy from landfill gas presents significant opportunities, but contaminants like siloxane compounds remain a challenge,” Kuhn says. “These compounds, commonly found in personal care products, have posed unique obstacles in recent years.”
Kuhn’s research evaluates the adsorption capacity, economic feasibility, and environmental impact of these low-cost adsorbents. It also analyzes their life cycle carbon footprints and suggests modification techniques to improve performance, providing potential pathways for scaling these solutions. The selection of this study reinforces USF’s commitment to research in environmental and energy systems.
“We appreciate funding from the Hinkley Center for Solid Waste Management, as well as support from the National Science Foundation and the Environmental Research and Education Foundation for undergraduate and graduate research,” Kuhn says.
Through this recognition, Kuhn’s work reaches a broad audience of scientists, policymakers, and industry leaders. Wiley distributes Research Headlines through its newsroom, EurekAlert, and social media platforms, ensuring the study’s impact extends beyond academia.
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