His current research interests include: Biotransformation of organic micropollutants in wastewater treatment plants; Optimization and control of Anaerobic co-digestion; Development of innovative wastewater treatment plants; Biorefinery (Selective production of VFA and Bioplastics production).
He has coordinated or participated in 48 research projects founded by European Union (22), Spanish Commission of Science and Technology (18) and Galician Regional Government (8). He has been the coordinator of the COST Action ”Conceiving Wastewater treatment in 2020” (Water 2020). Coordinator of the Spanish network Novedar_Consolider. 16 relevant research projects with companies in the areas of treatment of industrial and municipal wastewater.
Prof. Lema is Doctor Honoris causa by the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaiso (Chile) since 2015; Appointed as Honorary Professor of the University of Queensland (Australia) in 2018 and he is the current president of the Royal Galician Academy of Sciences,.RAGC (2019).
Personal web pages and scientific profiles:
www.usc.es/cretus/juan-m-lema-rodicio
http://www.usc.es/biogroup/users/juan-m-lema
Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4042-453X
Relevant publications:
Gonzalez-Gil, L., Carballa, M., Corvini, P.F.-X., Lema, J.M.(2019). Reversibility of enzymatic reactions might limit biotransformation of organic micropollutants. Science of the Total Environment, 665:. 574-578
Gonzalez-Gil, L., Krah, D., Ghattas, A.-K., Carballa, M., Wick, A., Helmholz, L., Lema, J.M., Ternes, T.A.(2019) Biotransformation of organic micropollutants by anaerobic sludge enzymes.Water Research, 142 :202-214.
Braz, G.H.R., Fernandez-Gonzalez, N., Lema, J.M., Carballa, M.(2019). Organic overloading affects the microbial interactions during anaerobic digestion in sewage sludge reactors. Chemosphere. 129: 323-332.
Gonzalez-Gil, L., Mauricio-Iglesias, M., Carballa, M., Lema, J.M.(2018). Why are organic micropollutants not fully biotransformed? A mechanistic modelling approach to anaerobic systems. Water Research, 142:115-128.
Regueira, A., González-Cabaleiro, R., Ofiţeru, I.D., Rodríguez, J., Lema, J.M.(2018). Electron bifurcation mechanism and homoacetogenesis explain products yields in mixed culture anaerobic fermentations. Water Research, 141:349-356.