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About me

I am Associate Professor (tenure track) in Bio and Circular Economy. I lead a research group Microbial Electrochemical Technologies and am also part of research groups Wastewater and Waste Engineering for Circular Economy and Water Engineering. The research of these groups focuses on environmental biotechnology and industrial biotechnology applications that enable environmental protection as well as resource recovery. My research currently focuses on microbial electrosynthesis and biomethanisation of chemicals and biofuels from carbon dioxide, anodic electrofermentation, nutrient recovery from wastewaters with, e.g. (bio)electrochemistry or hydrothermal carbonisation, and characterisation of microplastics in sludge samples. I am also doing multidisciplinary research in research projects CICAT2025 and UPCE.  

Research unit

Material Science and Environmental Engineering / Bio and Circular Economy

Funding

Most important funding instruments: Academy of Finland, NordForsk, industry and foundations.

Research career

  • Associate Professor (tenure track), Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University (10/2020 -)
  • Assistant Professor (tenure track), Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University (01/2019 – 10/2020) and Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Tampere University of Technology (09/2016 – 12/2018)
  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Tampere University of Technology (06-09/2016)
  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Germany (06/2014 – 05/2016)
  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Tampere University of Technology (03/2013 – 04/2014)
  • Postgraduate Student, Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Tampere University of Technology (10/2008 – 02/2013)
  • Research visit, Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan (09-11/2011)
  • MSc student, Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Tampere University of Technology (09/2007 – 09/2008)

Selected publications

Koskue V., Rinta-Kanto J.M., Freguia S., Ledezma P., Kokko M. Optimising nitrogen recovery from reject water in a 3-chmaber bioelectroconcentration cell . Separation and Purification Technology 2021, 118428.  

Belone M.C.L., Kokko M., Sarlin E. Degradation of common polymers in sewage sludge purification process developed for microplastic analysis . Environmental Pollution 2021, 269, 116235. 

Singh S., Rinta-Kanto J.M., Kettunen R., Tolvanen H., Lens P., Collins G., Kokko M., Rintala J. Anaerobic treatment of LCFA-containing synthetic dairy wastewater at 20°C : Process performance and microbial community dynamics . Science of the Total Environment 2019, 691, 960-968. 

Chatterjee P., Dessi P., Kokko M., Lakaniemi A.M., Lens P. Selective enrichment of biocatalysts for bioelectrochemical systems: a critical review . Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 2019, 109, 10-23.  

Kokko M., Epple S., Gescher J., Kerzenmacher S. Effects of wastewater constituents and operational conditions on the composition and dynamics of anodic microbial communities in bioelectrochemical systems . Bioresource Technology 2018, 258, 376-389.  

Sulonen M.L.K., Kokko M.E., Lakaniemi A.M., Puhakka J.A. Simultaneous removal of tetrathionate and copper from simulated acidic mining water in bioelectrochemical and electrochemical systems . Hydrometallurgy 2018, 176, 1129-138.  

Kokko M., Bayerköhler F., Erben J., Zengerle R., Kurz P., Kerzenmacher S. Molybdenum sulphides on carbon supports as electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution in acidic industrial wastewater . Applied Energy 2017, 190, 1221-1233.