Florentino B. De la Cruz, Ph.D.

Senior Research Scholar and Graduate Faculty Member
Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering
North Carolina State University
915 Fitts-Woolard Hall
Raleigh, NC 27695-7908
Email: fbdelacr@ncsu.edu

ORCID Page

 

Presenting my research on "Evidence of thermophilic waste decomposition at a landfill exhibiting elevated temperature regions" at the International Symposium on Waste Management and Sustainable Landfilling, 2019, Sardinia, Italy. This research suggests that methanogenic activity at an elevated temperature landfill can be attributed to microorganisms of genus <em>Methanothermobacter</em>

Overview

The primary focus of my research is Environmental Chemistry and I have expertise in the Solid Waste Management domain. I have conducted research to understand the chemical and biological processes in solid waste treatment and disposal systems. Waste management has a critical role in achieving a sustainable built environment. Despite increasing public interest in diverting municipal solid waste (MSW) from landfills by recycling, biological treatment (composting, anaerobic digestion) and combustion, landfilling remains the dominant disposal alternative in the U.S. and many other countries throughout Asia, accounting for more than 50% of the 268 million tons of MSW generated in the US. I am interested in understanding the interaction of solid waste management systems such as landfills with natural and other engineered systems by exploring impacts on soil, air, and water quality. On a fundamental level, my research focuses on compound-level characterization of a large subset of chemicals found in leachate and landfill gas. This information has overarching implications for human health from exposure from contaminated water and air emissions.

Research Interests

  • Emerging contaminants in solid waste, soil, leachate/wastewater and landfill gas (e.g., PFAS, 1,4-Dioxane, microplastics)
  • NMR- and HRMS-based Non-target analysis
  • Chemical and biological processes in landfills
  • Waste Management and Climate Change
  • Biomass Carbon Removal and Storage (BiCRS)
  • Circular Economy
  • Sustainability