The aim of this project is to determine which physical features of textiles increase fibre release during washing, so they can be reengineered to minimise environmental impacts, improving the quality of bioresources such as effluent water and biosolids.

Thesis underway.

Biosolids generated during the wastewater treatment processes has become a major burden of wastewater treatment plants and an unresolved problem for major cities around the world. It is thus imperative to identify a sustainable way for the proper management of biosolids. The overarching aim of this research is to establish a robust assessment framework to estimate the environmental sustainability implications of different pathways for biosolids processing and resource recovery in an Australian context and provide information to decision makers and practitioners of the water industry on the performance of different treatment scenarios.

PhD Thesis underway by Jingwen Luo.

The project aims to investigate the impacts of biosolids biochar immobilized bacteria on soil microbial activity and diversity during arsenic phytoremediation.

Thesis underway.

Energy sector focusses to be able to meet all the requirements of sustainable national development of energy resources and efficient utilization of its diverse sources. Waste-to-energy technologies consist of various methods for extracting energy from waste materials. These methods include thermo-chemical processes such as combustion, gasification, and pyrolysis. These thermo chemical processes are highly endothermic in nature and have high energy consumption.  Fluidised bed exchangers play an important role in the “clean wastes technology” because of its high thermal efficiency, better scalability, better temperature control and high heat transfer surface area. The current project work focusses on understanding the impact of different tube configurations (size and numbers) on the fluidisation behaviour, along with heat transfer mechanisms. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling-based approach will be used to evaluate the hydrodynamics of the above system.  The results from this study, will be used to develop and establish correlations between tube size, shape, gas flow rates, and particle heat transfer mechanisms.

PhD Thesis underway by Shivani Agnihotri.

As there is lack of understanding the roles of sampling methods on measuring for volatile gas sampling from biosolids, it might cause various concern about what are we really measuring. This project aims to understand the influence of sampling methods on emission produced in Wastewater Treatment Plant, especially from biosolids. This research will inform a best practice for sampling devices, regarding the research purpose, sample types, analytes will be proposed. By addressing the potential limitations and influences of different sampling methods on emission measurement, better practice for pollutant management and resource recovery of biosolids can be achieved.

Thesis underway. 

In Australia, around 1.4 million tonnes of biosolids were produced in 2021. Land application of biosolids can promote environmental benefits such as: improve soil structure, carbon sequestration, cycling of nutrients as well as realising economic benefits through conserved landfill space, increased crop production and reduced demand for fertilizers. However, biosolids can have negative impacts on the environment if not properly managed.  Currently there is a lack of data on volatile emissions from biosolids when applied to land in Australia. Volatile emissions as well as impacting the environment can contribute to odours which reduce the community acceptance. Variations in volatile emissions can occur due to wastewater origins, biosolids processing, application methods and local conditions. This project aims to 1) identify and collate data from literature and industry on biosolids land application practices in Australia, and 2) measure volatile emissions from different biosolids, biosolids-amended soils and land application methods to inform best practice.

PhD Thesis underway by Thais Nunes Guerrero.

The biosolids industry in Australia has historically developed in response to the regional challenges, resources available and their markets perception and demands. This has resulted in a variety of priorities, management strategies and reuse applications currently operating nationally. To progress and take advantage of the recovered resources provided by the development of the biosolids industry a national framework providing a level field is required. The result would see the biosolids industry in an improved growth position, more effective utilisation of resources, more control over risk to health and the environment and improve our position nationally with adherence to our global responsibility targets. The mechanism to achieve these goals is estimated to be by the application of a non-prescriptive framework which has risk strategies built into progressive steps in the biosolids product development with strategies targeting specific end use.

PhD Thesis underway by Marilyn Braine.

Biosolids odour impacts communities and public perception of water utilities. This project will explore how microbial community mediates variability of biosolids odour and GHG emissions using new approaches. The project aims to:
1. Develop methods to characterise microbial community structure and function with metabolomics and flow cytometry.
2. Explain the role of microbial community in regulating emissions during anaerobic incubation.
3. Investigate how the microbial community mediates emissions variability under environmental gradients.

PhD Thesis underway by Andreas Pfeifle.