University of Cagliari

🎓 #University;

Keywords: HTC, Sewage Sludge, Laboratory, HTH, MSW, Agroindustrial Residues, Solid Fuel, Waste valorization, Process water, Hydrochar, Toxicity

🔗 https://en.unica.it/en

📧 Gianluigi Farru – gianluigi.farru@unica.it

📧 Giovanna Cappai – gcappai@unica.it

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture (DICAAR)

🔬 Group Overview

The HTC Research Group at the University of Cagliari – Environmental Engineering investigates hydrothermal carbonization as a sustainable pathway for transforming waste streams into valuable resources. Our work focuses on understanding HTC reaction mechanisms, optimizing operating conditions for different feedstocks, and characterizing hydrochar properties to support its safe and effective use in environmental applications. We place particular attention on sewage sludge, agro-industrial by-products, and other regional biomass residues, with the goal of improving resource recovery and reducing disposal needs.

Our research also explores the potential of HTC for phosphorus recovery, nutrient concentration, and the production of materials suitable for soil improvement and environmental remediation. All activities are supported by controlled laboratory experimentation, advanced analytical techniques, and strong collaborations with local stakeholders and research networks.