Gabriel Gerner

Work at ZHAW

Position

• Research Associate, Research Group of Soil Ecology
• Member of the Sustainable Impact Program Board

Focus

• Research in the field of hydrothermal carbonization for energetic and material conversion of organic side-products from animal manure and agricultural by-products, as well as municipal waste (sewage sludge).
• Investigation into the burden of microplastics on the environment and further development of analytics.

Experience

Research Assistant - Research Group Renewable Energy
Zurich University of Applied Sciences
01 / 2011 - 12 / 2015

Education and Continuing education

Education

• Master of Science in Life Sciences / Natural Resource Sciences -
  Zurich University of Applied Sciences
  09 / 2012 - 12 / 2015
• Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Sciences
  Zurich University of Applied Sciences
  09 / 2007 - 12 / 2010

Network

ORCID digital identifier

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-8584-2252

Projects

• Improving Circular Economy Practices and Food Security in the Agriculture Sector by Valorizing Organic Residues Using Thermo-Chemical Processes / Deputy project leader / ongoing
• Hydrothermal carbonization as a sustainable solution for faecal waste treatment / Project leader / completed

Publications

Articles in scientific journal, peer-reviewed

• Gerner, G., Chung, J. W., Meyer, L., Wanner, R., Heiniger, S., Seiler, D., Krebs, R., Treichler, A., Kontic, R., & Kulli Honauer, B. (2023). Hydrothermal carbonization of sewage sludge : new improvements in phosphatic fertilizer production and process water treatment using freeze concentration. Energies, 16(20), 7027. https://doi.org/10.3390/en16207027
• Chung, J. W., Gerner, G., Ovsyannikova, E., Treichler, A., Baier, U., Libra, J., & Krebs, R. (2022). Hydrothermal carbonization as an alternative sanitation technology : process optimization and development of low-cost reactor. Open Research Europe, 1(139). https://doi.org/10.12688/openreseurope.14306.2
• Gerner, G., Meyer, L., Wanner, R., Keller, T., & Krebs, R. (2021). Sewage sludge treatment by hydrothermal carbonization : feasibility study for sustainable nutrient recovery and fuel production. Energies, 14(9), 2697. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14092697
• Chung, J. W., Edewi, O. C., Foppen, J. W., Gerner, G., Krebs, R., & Lens, P. N. L. (2017). Removal of Escherichia coli by intermittent operation of saturated sand columns supplemented with hydrochar derived from sewage sludge. Applied Sciences, 7(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/app7080839
• Spataru, A., Jain, R., Chung, J. W., Gerner, G., Krebs, R., & Lens, P. N.  L. (2016). Enhanced adsorption of orthophosphate and copper onto hydrochar derived from sewage sludge by KOH activation. RSC Advances, 6(104), 101827–101834. https://doi.org/10.1039/C6RA22327C
• Chung, J. W., Foppen, J. W., Gerner, G., Krebs, R., & Lens, P. N. L. (2015). Removal of rotavirus and adenovirus from artificial ground water using hydrochar derived from sewage sludge. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 119(3), 876–884. https://doi.org/10.1111/jam.12863
• Stucki, M., Eymann, L., Gerner, G., Hartmann, F., Wanner, R., & Krebs, R. (2015). Hydrothermal carbonization of sewage sludge on industrial scale : energy efficiency, environmental effects and combustion. Journal of Energy Challenges and Mechanics, 2(2), 38–44. http://www.nscj.co.uk/JECM/issues/JECM-2-2.pdf

Other publications

• Gächter, A., Gerner, G., Hüsch, R. S., Pielhop, T., Thalmann, B., Wanner, R., Baier, U., Kronbach, J., Neira, A., Reichmuth, C., & Bernet, S. (2026). BAWIU – Biologisch abbaubare Werkstoffe in der Umwelt : Forschungsprojekt über den Einfluss und Nachweis von biologisch abbaubaren Werkstoffen in der Umwelt. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-35891
• Gerner, G., Kugler, C., & Thalmann, B. (2024). Review: Phytoremediation of potentially toxic elements in Swiss soils. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-31846
• Mehli, A., Gerner, G., Kulli Honauer, B., Baier, U., Kühni, M., Treichler, A., Winkler, D., Griffin, T., Kaiser, S., & Garcia, A. (2021). HTC Innovationscampus Rheinmühle - Pilotanlage zur hydrothermalen Karbonisierung : Prozessoptimierung & Verfahrenserkenntnisse (Schlussbericht). Bundesamt für Energie BFE. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-21929
• Krebs, R., Baier, U., Deller, A., Escala, M., Floris, J., Gerner, G., Hartmann, F., Hölzl, B., Kohler, C., Kühni, M., Stucki, M., & Wanner, R. (2013). Weiterentwicklung der hydrothermalen Karbonisierung zur CO2-sparenden und kosteneffizienten Trocknung von Klärschlamm im industriellen Massstab sowie der Rückgewinnung von Phosphor. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-4975

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