Johan Pasos-Panqueva

Profile

I’m an engineer with extensive experience in resource recovery from wastewater, advanced modelling, and the use of algae and duckweed in bioenergy production. Currently, my research focuses on exploring biological processes for wastewater treatment alongside carbon capture and sequestration. I study how environmental and operational variables influence nutrient recovery and carbon capture using microalgae, integrating these insights into systems for biohydrogen and biogas production from food waste. My role involves designing and monitoring carbon capture systems and modelling outcomes to guide life cycle assessments and ensure the technical, economic, and environmental feasibility of our approaches.

I’m passionate about fostering collaborative projects between industry and academia, working together towards the goal of producing net-zero bioenergy solutions. During my PhD in Civil Engineering at the University of Leeds (2024), I investigate the potential of aquatic plants, especially duckweed, for nutrient recovery and the production of nutrient-rich biomass in aquaculture systems. This multidisciplinary journey has taken me to exciting collaborations with national and international partners, including fieldwpork activities in Indonesia.

My research career started in Colombia during my bachelor’s (2017) and master’s (2020) studies in Chemical Engineering, where I worked on using microalgae for bioenergy production and wastewater treatment, and explored hydrothermal processes for treating and valorising wastewater from algae-derived biofuels. I look forward to continuing my work in developing innovative, sustainable solutions to environmental challenges, and I’m excited to collaborate with like-minded professionals and researchers along the way.

Research interests

My research centers on water security and building resilience against climate change. I'm passionate about applying bioprocesses for wastewater treatment and resource recovery, transforming lab-based insights into real-world solutions through mathematical modelling. Additionally, I explore bioenergy production from waste streams and work on integrating systems that boost circularity and sustainability. Ultimately, my goal is to tackle water-related challenges by turning innovative ideas into actionable, sustainable practices.  

Current research projects:

• H2BOOST Phase 2: Biohydrogen from organic waste streams via dark fermentation. Leeds Principal Investigator (PI): Dr M A Camargo-Valero; Co-Investigators (Co-Is): Professor A Baker, Dr V Dupond, Dr C Okoro-Shekwaga.  Partners:  The Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC), Qube. Funder: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) UK, £5M.  

Past researhc projects:

• Duckweed 2: Sustainable aquaculture in Southeast Asia via nutrient recovery and bioenergy production. Leeds PI: M A Camargo-Valero; Co-Is: Professor A Baker, Dr F Prosenc. Partners: State University of Malang (Indonesia) and National Cheng Kung University (Taiwan).  Funder: WUN Global Research Group: SDGs in South Asia, £5k
• GCRF Water Hub: Water Security and Sustainable Development Hub. PI Professor R Dawson (Newcastle University); University of Leeds PI: Dr M A Camargo-Valero. Co-Is from Newcastle University, University of Leeds and University of Oxford.  Research Partners from Colombia, Ethiopia, Malaysia, India. Funder: ESRC (ES/S008179/1), £17M (UoL £1.7M).

Qualifications

• PhD in Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, UK
• MEng in Chemical Engineering, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Colombia
• BEng in Chemical Engineering, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Colombia

Research groups and institutes

• Water, Public Health and Environmental Engineering