Assistant Professor
151P Link Hall
fsabba@syr.edu
Degrees:
Ph.D., Civil and Environmental Engineering – University of Notre Dame, 2017
M.Sc., Environmental and Industrial Biotechnology – Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, 2010
B.Sc., Biotechnology for Processes and Products Innovation – University of Bari, Italy, 2007.
Areas of Expertise:
- Sustainable biological wastewater treatment
- Resource and energy recovery from waste
- Microbial nitrogen and phosphorus cycling
- Biofilms and biofilm reactors
- Mathematical modeling of bioprocesses
Our group focuses on advancing sustainable biological wastewater treatment by integrating microbial ecology, process engineering, and systems modeling. We investigate microbial nitrogen and phosphorus cycling, with an emphasis on enhancing nutrient removal performance and stability. One area of interest is biofilms and biofilm reactors, which offer opportunities for treatment intensification and selective enrichment of functional microbial communities. We develop and apply mathematical models to connect microbial population dynamics with reactor performance, enabling predictive and data-informed decision-making. Our research also explores strategies for energy and resource recovery from waste streams, helping for the development of a circular and climate-resilient water infrastructure. By bridging fundamental microbial insights with applied engineering solutions, our group aims to design and optimize next-generation treatment systems that are efficient, robust, and environmentally responsible. Through close collaboration with utilities, industry, and academic partners, we seek to accelerate the translation of research into impactful solutions for water sustainability.
Honors and Awards:
AEESP Distinguished Service Award, 2024
40 under 40 Award – American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists, 2022
Postdoc Professional Development Award, 2019
Best presentation at WWTmod Conference, Annecy (France), 2016
Selected Publications:
Downing, L., Farmer, M., Bhattarai, B., Penn, M., Kozak, J., Grabowy, J., Sabba, F. (2025), Making waves: Rethinking our mission for N2O emissions at WRRFs, Water Research X, 28:100320 | DOI: 10.1016/j.wroa.2025.100320
Sabba, F., Kassar, C., Zeng, T., Mallick, S., Downing, L., McNamara, P. (2025), PFAS in landfill leachate: Practical considerations for treatment and characterization, Journal of Hazardous Material, 481:136685| 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.136685
Sabba, F., Farmer, M., Dunlap, P., Qin, C., Barnard, J., Wells, G., Downing, L. (2025), Unlocking the potential of sidestream EBPR: exploring the coexistence of PAO, GAO and DGAO for effective phosphorus and nitrogen removal, Water Science & Technology, 91:5, 469-481 | DOI: 10.2166/wst.2025.038
Cecconi, F., Pifer, L., Sabba, F., Downing, L. (2024), Improving carbon management through maximizing hydrolysis and fermentation at water resource recovery facilities, accepted in Frontiers in Environmental Engineering, 3:1378621 | DOI: 10.3389/fenve.2024.1378621
Sabba, F., Redmond, E., Ruff, C., Ramirez, M., Campbell, P., Young, M., Downing, L. (2024), Exploring community and kinetic shifts in nitrifying microbial communities in low dissolved oxygen activated sludge facilities for energy-efficient biological nitrogen removal, ES&T Water, DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.3c00715
Farmer, M., Sabba, F., Jia, Z., Dunlap, P., Barnard, J., Qin, D., Straka, L., Kozak, J. A., Downing L., Wells, G. (2023), Confronting assumptions of phosphorus-accumulating organisms and glycogen-accumulating organisms: peaceful coexistence in a carbon-limited sidestream EBPR demonstration, ES&T Water, 3:8, 2384–2394 | DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.3c00083
Sabba, F., Farmer, M., Jia, Z., Di Capua, F., Dunlap, P., Barnard, J., Dongqi Qin, C., Kozak, J. A., Wells, G., Downing, L. (2023), Impact of operational strategies on a sidestream enhanced biological phosphorus removal (S2EBPR) reactor in a carbon limited wastewater plant, Science of The Total Environment, 857:159280 | DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159280
Sabba, F., Farmer, M., Barnard, J., Dunlap, P., Marroquin, S., Giefer, R., Budsberg, D., Downing, L. (2022), Enhancing resource recovery via cranberry syrup waste at the Wisconsin Rapids WRRF: an experimental and modeling study, Journal of Environmental Management, 323:116190 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116190