Contact Dr Luca Alibardi
- Tel: +44 (0) 1234 754328
- Email: l.alibardi@cranfield.ac.uk
- Twitter: @LucaAlibardi
- ORCID
- ResearchGate
Areas of expertise
- Biomass and Waste
- Waste Management and Resource Efficiency
- Water Science and Engineering
Background
Dr Alibardi holds a degree and a PhD in Environmental Engineering from the University of Padova (IT). His PhD focused on innovative treatments of tannery sludge and the project was sponsored by Acque del Chiampo S.p.A., a water company treating the industrial wastewater from the tanning pole of Arzignano, Vicenza - Italy.
After his PhD, Dr Alibardi continued to work at the University of Padova as a research fellow with research activities mainly focusing in the field of biological hydrogen production from organic waste. He also worked on a project for the co-treatment of source segregated wastewater and organic waste (AquaNova concept) with a pilot installation in a mountain hut (EnergiaNova project).
During his time at the University of Padova Dr Alibardi developed expertise in the evaluation of Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP tests) of different organic substrates, analysis and technical support for public bodies and private companies active in the field of anaerobic digestion for waste or agricultural products and residues.
Dr Alibardi joined Cranfield University in 2015 as Research Fellow and worked as seconded within the Innovation Team of Severn Trent Water to deliver research and development projects for the UK Water Sector.
Current activities
Dr Alibardi's research interests centre on the development of separation technologies and systems integration to lead on the transition towards the circular and hydrogen economies. He is active in the definition of the role of hydrogen to decarbonise the wastewater sector and on the development of the concept of biorefinery for the waste management sector. He works in the area of energy recovery systems from wastewater network to understand the wider impact of these systems and on the use of coarse separation systems as an alternative to conventional membranes to develop combined membrane-biological processes to sustain the recovery of added value products from waste materials.
Dr Alibardi is Centre Manager of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Water Infrastructure and Resilience (WIRe - www.cdtwire.com).
He is Co-Leader of the Task Group on Waste Biorefinery of the International Waste Working Group (IWWG - www.iwwg.eu).
Clients
Anglian Water
Scottish Water
Severn Trent Water
Yorkshire Water
EPSRC
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Alibardi L, Strazzabosco A & Cossu R. (2025). Characterisation and anaerobic digestion of fat, oil and grease (FOG) waste from wastewater treatment plants. Journal of Environmental Management, 375
- Loveridge F, Schellart A, Rees S, Stirling R, Taborda D, .... (2022). Heat recovery and thermal energy storage potential using buried infrastructure in the UK. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Smart Infrastructure and Construction, 175(1)
- Alibardi L, Vale PCJ & Bajón Fernández Y. (2021). Full-scale trials to achieve low total phosphorus in effluents from sewage treatment works. Journal of Water Process Engineering, 40(April)
- Alibardi L, Astrup TF, Asunis F, Clarke WP, De Gioannisc G, .... (2020). Organic waste biorefineries: looking towards implementation. Waste Management, 114
- Abdel-Aal M, Villa R, Jawiarczyk N, Alibardi L, Jensen H, .... (2020). Potential influence of sewer heat recovery on in-sewer processes. Water Science and Technology, 80(12)
- Bianchi L, Kirwan K, Alibardi L, Pidou M & Coles SR. (2019). Recovery of ammonia from wastewater through chemical precipitation. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 142(3)
- Hargreaves AJ, Vale P, Whelan J, Alibardi L, Constantino C, .... (2018). Correction to: Coagulation–flocculation process with metal salts, synthetic polymers and biopolymers for the removal of trace metals (Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn) from municipal wastewater. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, 20(5)
- Hargreaves AJ, Vale PCJ, Whelan J, Alibardi L, Constantino C, .... (2018). Coagulation–flocculation process with metal salts, synthetic polymers and biopolymers for the removal of trace metals (Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn) from municipal wastewater. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, 20(2)
- Saleem M, Spagni A, Alibardi L, Bertucco A & Lavagnolo MC. (2018). Assessment of dynamic membrane filtration for biological treatment of old landfill leachate. Journal of Environmental Management, 213
- Lavagnolo MC, Girotto F, Rafieenia R, Danieli L & Alibardi L. (2018). Two-stage anaerobic digestion of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste – Effects of process conditions during batch tests. Renewable Energy, 126
- Alibardi L, Green K, Favaro L, Vale PCJ, Soares A, .... (2017). Performance and stability of sewage sludge digestion under CO2 enrichment: a pilot study. Bioresource Technology, 245(Pt A)
- Hargreaves AJ, Vale PCJ, Whelan J, Alibardi L, Constantino C, .... (2017). Impacts of coagulation-flocculation treatment on the size distribution and bioavailability of trace metals (Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn) in municipal wastewater. Water Research, 128
- Lavagnolo MC, Malagoli M, Alibardi L, Garbo F, Pivato A, .... (2017). Use of oleaginous plants in phytotreatment of grey water and yellow water from source separation of sewage. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 55
- Saleem M, Alibardi L, Lavagnolo MC, Cossu R & Spagni A. (2016). Effect of filtration flux on the development and operation of a dynamic membrane for anaerobic wastewater treatment. Journal of Environmental Management, 180
- Alibardi L & Cossu R. (2016). Pre-treatment of tannery sludge for sustainable landfilling. Waste Management, 52
- Alibardi L, Bernava N, Cossu R & Spagni A. (2016). Anaerobic dynamic membrane bioreactor for wastewater treatment at ambient temperature. Chemical Engineering Journal, 284
- Saleem M, Alibardi L, Cossu R, Lavagnolo MC & Spagni A. (2016). Analysis of fouling development under dynamic membrane filtration operation. Chemical Engineering Journal, 312
- Shah AT, Favaro L, Alibardi L, Cagnin L, Sandon A, .... (2016). Bacillus sp. strains to produce bio-hydrogen from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste. Applied Energy, 176
- Alibardi L & Ragazzi M. (2016). Biowaste to fuel – what’s leading research and applications?. Waste Management, 47(Pt A)
- Alibardi L & Cossu R. (2016). Effects of carbohydrate, protein and lipid content of organic waste on hydrogen production and fermentation products. Waste Management, 47(Pt A)
- Bajón Fernández Y, Green K, Schuler K, Soares A, Vale PCJ, .... (2015). Biological carbon dioxide utilisation in food waste anaerobic digesters. Water Research, 87
- Alibardi L & Cossu R. (2015). Composition variability of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste and effects on hydrogen and methane production potentials. Waste Management, 36
- Girotto F, Alibardi L & Cossu R. (2015). Food waste generation and industrial uses: A review. Waste Management, 45
- Alibardi L, Muntoni A & Polettini A. (2014). Hydrogen and waste: Illusions, challenges and perspectives. Waste Management, 34(12)
- Alibardi L, Cossu R, Saleem M & Spagni A. (2014). Development and permeability of a dynamic membrane for anaerobic wastewater treatment. Bioresource Technology, 161
- Favaro L, Alibardi L, Lavagnolo MC, Casella S & Basaglia M. (2013). Effects of inoculum and indigenous microflora on hydrogen production from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 38(27)
- Alibardi L, Favaro L, Lavagnolo MC, Basaglia M & Casella S. (2012). Effects of heat treatment on microbial communities of granular sludge for biological hydrogen production. Water Science and Technology, 66(7)
- Clarke WP & Alibardi L. (2010). Anaerobic digestion for the treatment of solid organic waste: what’s hot and what’s not. Waste Management, 30(10)
Conference Papers
Books
- Alibardi L & Cossu R. (2018). Leachate Generation Modeling In Cossu R & Stegmann R (eds), Solid Waste Landfilling. Elsevier.
- Alibardi L & Cossu R. (2018). 6.1 Leachate Generation Modeling In Solid Waste Landfilling. Elsevier.
- Girotto F, Alibardi L & Cossu R. (2015). Management Options of Food Waste: A Review In Biological Treatment of Solid Waste. Apple Academic Press.
- Girotto F, Alibardi L & Cossu R. (2015). Management Options of Food Waste: A Review In Biological Treatment of Solid Waste. Apple Academic Press.
- Girotto F, Alibardi L & Cossu R. Management Options of Food Waste: A Review In Biological Treatment of Solid Waste. Taylor & Francis.
