Fields of Research (FoR)

• Environmental Sciences ( 050000 )
  
• Membrane and Separation Technologies ( 090404 )
  
• Non-automotive Combustion and Fuel Engineering (incl. Alternative/Renewable Fuels) ( 090405 )
  
• Wastewater Treatment Processes ( 090409 )
  
• Environmental Engineering ( 090700 )
  
• Environmental Technologies ( 090703 )
  
• Separation Technologies ( 400409 )
  
• Wastewater Treatment Processes ( 400410 )
  
• Chemical And Thermal Processes In Energy And Combustion ( 400402 )
  
• Environmental Engineering ( 401100 )
  
• Chemical Engineering ( 400400 )
  
• Waste Management ( 401106 )
  
• Environmental Biotechnology ( 410300 )
  
• Environmentally Sustainable Engineering ( 401102 )
  
• Bioremediation ( 410303 )
  

Research interests

Currently, I am available to supervise PhD students. Please contact me if you are interested to do a PhD on the following topics:

1. Membrane bioreactor (MBR). This can include aerobic MBR (but anaerobic is preferred) for the treatment of wastewater, Soluble microbial products characterization, partial nitrification, membrane aerated bioreactor, combination of baffled reactor and membrane bioreactor. We have a fully integrated MBR system in our laboratory to carry out this research.

2. Effects of nanoparticles on anaerobic digestion trophic groups. Anaerobic digestion is a complex multi-stage bioprocess involving various types of bacteria and methanogens for the conversion of organics to methane gas which can be harvested for energy production. Some recent evidence showed that the addition of some nanoparticles had positive impacts on some microbial communities which resulted in increased methane production during anaerobic digestion, but very little is known about how this is happening and why. This is an interesting topic that can be investigated by a PhD researcher. We have a gas chromatograph to analyze methane, HPLC to analyze various intermediates and a gas chromatograph coupled with mass spectrometry available in our laboratories to carry out this research.

My research interests include: anaerobic digestion, wastewater treatment, sludge treatment, water-energy nexus, biosolids, sustainable bioprocesses, physical and chemical treatment pre-treatments of waste activated sludge, biosorption, AB process, ultrasonication, ozonation, nitrification, partial nitrification, Anammox, molecular biology, Anaerobic membrane bioreactor, aerobic membrane bioreactor, anaerobic baffled reactor, landfill leachate, municipal solid waste, industrial wastewaters, anaerobic biodegradability, solid/liquid separation, forward osmosis, biorefineries, added-value products from organic waste, algal residues, fouling reduction in submerged anaerobic MBR using adsorbents and cleaning strategies (relaxation, backflushing), analysis of soluble microbial products (SMP) on GC-MS, food waste fermentation for biofuels production, biofuels production (biodiesel, bioethanol) and reduction of the environmental impact of biosolids (algae waste, wheat bran, coffee waste, soybean hulls, rapeseed meal): physico-chemical pre-treatments, fermentation. bioconversion of food waste to sugars using fungal fermentation

Professional memberships

Member of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE)

Currently teaching courses/programs

ENV4203 - Public Health Engineering
ENV2105 - Applied Chemistry and Microbiology
ENV4204 - Environmental Technology

Teaching experience(Tertiary)

9 Years

Research supervisor in the area of:

• Membrane and Separation Technologies ( 090404 )
  
• Non-automotive Combustion and Fuel Engineering (incl. Alternative/Renewable Fuels) ( 090405 )
  
• Wastewater Treatment Processes ( 090409 )
  
• Environmental Technologies ( 090703 )
  
• Separation Technologies ( 400409 )
  
• Wastewater Treatment Processes ( 400410 )
  
• Chemical And Thermal Processes In Energy And Combustion ( 400402 )
  
• Environmental Engineering ( 401100 )
  
• Chemical Engineering ( 400400 )
  
• Waste Management ( 401106 )
  
• Environmental Biotechnology ( 410300 )
  
• Environmentally Sustainable Engineering ( 401102 )
  
• Bioremediation ( 410303 )
  

Research topics

• modelling PFAS fate and transport in wastewater treatment plant
  
• Piggery Wastewater Treatment in an Anaerobic Baffled Reactor
  
• Toxic and Odorous Gas Abatement System Combining Slurry Sorption and Electrochemical Regeneration
  
• Effects of Nanoparticles on Anaerobic Digestion Trophic Groups
  
• Monitoring of Recalcitrant Compounds from a Wastewater Reclamation Plant by Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry
  
• PFAS removal from drinking water using electrochemical cell
  
• Novel Forward Osmosis Concentration Technology for Anaerobic Sewage Treatment
  
• Mainstream Anaerobic Treatment of Municipal Wastewater Using a Hybrid Baffled Membrane Bioreactor
  
• Forward Osmosis Technology for Resource Recovery
  
• Improving the Waste Activated Sludge Process by Combining Moving Bed Bioreactor and Membrane Bioreactor Technology Using Microbes Immobilization Techniques
  
• conversion of agrowaste to functional foods by fungal fermentation
  
• Hydrogen production from agricultural waste using anaerobic digestion with selective inhibition of hydrogenotrophs in an anaerobic baffle reactor
  
• Screening of Indigenous Strains of Fungi and Yeasts for lipids production
  
• Combustion of Landfill Waste
  
• Succinic acid production from food waste
  
• Collection, Identification and Classification of Novel Australian Fungi and Yeasts
  
• Fungal Enzymes for Plastics Biodegradation
  
• Engineered Bioreactors Technology to Produce Value-Added Products from Aquaculture Wastewater
  
• Hydrogen production from sugarcane bagasse using gasification
  
• Production of a High Nutritional Value Soybean Meal through Solid State Fermentation using Filamentous Fungi
  
• Enzymes Cocktail Production from Food Waste and its Application in the Waste Industry
  
• Methane and Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Sewage Sludge
  
• Platform Chemical Production Using Novel Biorefinery