ORCID Profile
0000-0003-1869-1180
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Environmental Technologies | Environmental Engineering | Chemical Engineering | Polymers and Plastics | Materials Engineering | Water And Sanitary Engineering | Bioprocessing, Bioproduction and Bioproducts | Environmental Science and Management | Membrane and Separation Technologies | Environmental Engineering Modelling | Environmental Technologies | Polymers | Civil Engineering | Chemical Engineering Not Elsewhere Classified | Environmental Biotechnology not elsewhere classified | Timber, Pulp and Paper | Industrial Biotechnology | Wood Fibre Processing | Ecosystem Function | Environmental Engineering not elsewhere classified | Chemical Engineering not elsewhere classified | Environmental Impact Assessment | Crop and Pasture Biomass and Bioproducts | Water Treatment Processes | Sustainability Accounting and Reporting | Industrial Microbiology (incl. Biofeedstocks) |
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Reconstituted Timber Products (e.g. Chipboard, Particleboard) | Environmentally Sustainable Manufacturing not elsewhere classified | Waste management | Environmental Lifecycle Assessment | Consumption Patterns, Population Issues and the Environment | Prevention and treatment of pollution | Plastics in primary forms | Management of Water Consumption by Mineral Resource Activities | Management of Water Consumption by Energy Activities | Organic Industrial Chemicals (excl. Resins, Rubber and Plastics) | Industrial chemicals and related products | Water transport | Urban and Industrial Water Management | Ecosystem Assessment and Management of Urban and Industrial Environments | Residential Energy Conservation and Efficiency | Expanding Knowledge in Engineering | Sustainability Indicators
Related Links
Publications
Defection, recruitment and social change in cooking practices: Energy poverty through a social practice lens
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2017
The confounding effect of nitrite on N2 O production by an enriched ammonia-oxidizing culture
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 18-06-2013
DOI: 10.1021/ES4009689
Abstract: The effect of nitrite (NO2(-)) on the nitrous oxide (N2O) production rate of an enriched ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) culture was characterized over a concentration range of 0-1000 mg N/L. The AOB culture was enriched in a nitritation system fed with synthetic anaerobic digester liquor. The N2O production rate was highest at NO2(-) concentrations of less than 50 mg N/L. At dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration of 0.55 mg O2/L, further increases in NO2(-) concentration from 50 to 500 mg N/L resulted in a gradual decrease in N2O production rate, which maintained at its lowest level of 0.20 mg N2O-N/h/g VSS in the NO2(-) concentration range of 500-1000 mg N/L. The observed NO2(-)-induced decrease in N2O production was even more apparent at increased DO concentration. At DO concentrations of 1.30 and 2.30 mg O2/L, the lowest N2O production rate (0.25 mg N2O-N/h/g VSS) was attained at a lower NO2(-) concentration of 200-250 mg N/L. These observations suggest that N2O production by the culture is diminished by both high NO2(-) and high DO concentrations. Collectively, the findings show that exceedingly high NO2(-) concentrations in nitritation systems could lead to decreased N2O production. Further studies are required to determine the extent to which the same response to NO2(-) is observed across different AOB cultures.
Environmental Benefits and Burdens of Phosphorus Recovery from Municipal Wastewater
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 10-07-2015
DOI: 10.1021/ES505102V
Abstract: The environmental benefits and burdens of phosphorus recovery in four centralized and two decentralized municipal wastewater systems were compared using life cycle assessment (LCA). In centralized systems, phosphorus recovered as struvite from the solids dewatering liquid resulted in an environmental benefit except for the terrestrial ecotoxicity and freshwater eutrophication impact categories, with power and chemical use offset by operational savings and avoided fertilizer production. Chemical-based phosphorus recovery, however, generally required more resources than were offset by avoided fertilizers, resulting in a net environmental burden. In decentralized systems, phosphorus recovery via urine source separation reduced the global warming and ozone depletion potentials but increased terrestrial ecotoxicity and salinization potentials due to application of untreated urine to land. Overall, mineral depletion and eutrophication are well-documented arguments for phosphorus recovery however, phosphorus recovery does not necessarily present a net environmental benefit. While avoided fertilizer production does reduce potential impacts, phosphorus recovery does not necessarily offset the resources consumed in the process. LCA results indicate that selection of an appropriate phosphorus recovery method should consider both local conditions and other environmental impacts, including global warming, ozone depletion, toxicity, and salinization, in addition to eutrophication and mineral depletion impacts.
Surprises up the energy ladder
Publisher: The University of Queensland
Date: 16-03-2017
Enrichment of denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidizing microorganisms
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-2009
DOI: 10.1111/J.1758-2229.2009.00083.X
Abstract: The microorganisms responsible for anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) coupled to denitrification have not been clearly elucidated. Three recent publications suggested it can be achieved by a denitrifying bacterium with or without the involvement of anaerobic methanotrophic archaea. A key factor limiting the progress in this research field is the shortage of enrichment cultures performing denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation (DAMO). In this study, DAMO cultures were enriched from mixed inoculum including sediment from a freshwater lake, anaerobic digester sludge and return activated sludge from a sewage treatment plant. Two reactors, operated at 35°C and at 22°C, respectively, showed simultaneous methane oxidation and nitrate reduction after several months of operation. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene clone libraries from the 35°C enrichment showed the presence of an archaeon closely related to other DAMO archaea and a dominated bacterium belonging to the yet uncultivated NC10 phylum. This culture preferred nitrite to nitrate as the electron acceptor. The present study suggests that the archaea are rather methanotrophs than methanogens. The highest denitrification rate achieved was 2.35 mmol NO3 (-) -N gVSS(-1) day(-1) . The culture enriched at 22°C contained the same NC10 bacterium observed in the culture enriched at 35°C but no archaea.
Rural energy planning remains out-of-step with contemporary paradigms of energy access and development
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2017
Enhanced methane production from algal digestion using free nitrous acid pre-treatment
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2016
Rapid quantification of intracellular PHA using infrared spectroscopy: An application in mixed cultures
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2010
DOI: 10.1016/J.JBIOTEC.2010.09.939
Abstract: Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is proposed for a method for rapid quantification of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) in mixed culture bacterial systems. Spectra from 122 s les from a wide range of PHA production systems were studied. The spectra were collected in a library that was used to calibrate a partial least squares (PLS) model linking FT-IR spectra with PHA content in the biomass. The library of spectra contained s les with a range of total PHA content (0.03-0.58 w/w) as well as varying compositions (poly-(3-hydroxyvalerate) (3HV) content of 0-63% in Cmol basis). A robust PLS model was developed using calibration data from a erse range of systems and PHA content. Coupling this model with FT-IR spectra has been shown to be applicable for predicting PHA content in mixed culture production systems. The method was used to reliably determine PHA content in biomass from a new, independent PHA production system with a standard error of prediction (RMSEP) value of 0.023 w/w, despite the complexity of the matrices. This method reduces the analytical time for PHA quantification down to under 30 min (5 min handling time was achieved when FT-IR equipment was immediately available), and eliminates hazardous waste by-products. The work has demonstrated a level of accuracy and reproducibility in quantifying PHA in mixed culture systems similar to that obtained from the GC analytical technique. Further work is required to enable the use of the method to analyze crystallinity related factors that may be useful towards quantifying poly-(3-hydroxybutyrate) and poly-(3-hydroxyvalerate) (3HB/3HV) composition. The method has been shown to be suitable for rapid quantification in large scale applications and in its present form is reliable for routine process monitoring.
Enhanced triacylglyceride extraction from microalgae using free nitrous acid pre-treatment
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2015
How Does Energy Efficiency Affect Urban Water Systems?
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Date: 2015
The chemomechanical properties of microbial polyhydroxyalkanoates
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2013
Thermal properties and crystallization behavior of fractionated blocky and random polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymers from mixed microbial cultures
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-05-2014
DOI: 10.1002/APP.40836
Elucidating Finance Gaps through the Clean Cooking Value Chain
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 15-02-2023
DOI: 10.3390/SU15043577
Abstract: The current supply of finance to enable universal access to clean fuels and technology for cooking does not match the scale of Sustainable Development Goal 7’s access challenge. To date, little attention has been given to the modalities of funding the clean cooking transition at the macro level. Grounded in a review of academic and recent grey literature, this study’s research objective was to provide a granular understanding of gaps in finance flows and financial instruments, mapped against the innovation cycle of companies that provide clean cooking solutions. In the context of wide-ranging barriers to the clean cooking sector’s development, we found a chronic shortfall of finance for companies at the early stages of their business growth and poorly targeted public finance to support innovation and mitigate risk for later-stage investors. This is exacerbated by limited data sharing and knowledge exchange among a small number of funders. We recommend reforms to public funding for clean cooking enterprises, especially for research, development and demonstration (RD& D) and innovation, to mitigate risk for later-stage investors, as well as more effective data sharing, to help catalyse sufficient, appropriate finance through the value chain for universal access.
Decreasing activated sludge thermal hydrolysis temperature reduces product colour, without decreasing degradability
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2008
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2008.08.019
Abstract: Activated sludges are becoming more difficult to degrade in anaerobic digesters, due to the implementation of stricter nitrogen limits, longer sludge ages, and removal of primary sedimentation units. Thermal hydrolysis is a popular method to enhance degradability of long-age activated sludge, and involves pressure and heat treatment of the process fluid (150-160 degrees C saturated steam). However, as documented in this study, in a full-scale system, the use of thermal hydrolysis produces coloured, recalcitrant compounds that can have downstream impacts (e.g., failure of UV disinfection, and increased effluent nitrogen). The coloured compound formed during thermal hydrolysis was found to be melanoidins. These are coloured recalcitrant compounds produced by polymerisation of low molecular weight intermediates, such as carbohydrates and amino compounds at elevated temperature (Maillard reaction). By decreasing the THP operating temperature from 165 degrees C to 140 degrees C, THP effluent colour decreased from 12,677 mg-PtCo L(-1) to 3837 mg-PtCo L(-1). The change in THP operating temperature from 165 degrees C to 140 degrees C was shown to have no significant impact on anaerobic biodegradability of the sludge. The rate and extent of COD biodegradation remained largely unaffected by the temperature change with an average first order hydrolysis rate of 0.19 d(-1) and conversion extent of 0.43 g-COD(CH4)g-COD(-1).
Developing professional researchers: Research students' graduate attributes
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 03-2007
Imagining an interdisciplinary doctoral pedagogy
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 07-2006
The connection between water and energy in cities: a review
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 05-2011
DOI: 10.2166/WST.2011.070
Abstract: We have only rudimentary understanding of the complex and pervasive connections between water and energy in cities. As water security now threatens energy and economic security, this is a major omission. Understanding the water-energy nexus is necessary if we want to contribute to solving water and energy issues simultaneously if we want to stop moving problems from one resource dimension to another. This is particularly relevant in the Australian context where energy use for water supplies is forecast to rapidly escalate, growing around 300% from 2007 levels, by 2030. This paper presents a literature review with an aim of characterising the research to date with a particular focus on cities, the major centres of consumption and growth. It systematically analyses a wide range of papers and summarises the erse objectives, dimensions, and scale of the research to-date together with knowledge gaps. There are many major gaps. These include energy use associated with water in industrial and commercial operations as well as socio-political perspectives. A major gap is the lack of a unifying theoretical framework and consistent methodology for analysis. This is considered a prerequisite for quantitative trans-city comparisons.
Techno-economic assessment of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) production from methane - The case for thermophilic bioprocessing
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2016
Model development for simultaneous nitrification and denitrification
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 1999
Understanding Australian household water-related energy use and identifying physical and human characteristics of major end uses
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2016
Erratum to “The chemomechanical properties of microbial polyhydroxyalkanoates” [Prog. Polym. Sci. 38 (2013) 536–583]
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2014
Effect of nitrate and nitrite on the selection of microorganisms in the denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation process
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 16-12-2011
DOI: 10.1111/J.1758-2229.2010.00227.X
Abstract: Two cultures were inoculated with sludges taken from a parent culture containing archaea distantly related to anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME) and bacteria related to Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera, both of which have previously been found in cultures performing denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation process. The cultures were fed with nitrate and nitrite, respectively, along with methane. The nitrate-fed culture, Culture B, showed a stable microbial community composition and denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation activity. In contrast, the nitrite-fed culture, Culture A, achieved a substantial increase in the nitrite consumption rate, from 1.1 to 7.3 mmol NO2 (-) -N (g VSS)(-1) day(-1) in 90 days. Concurrent with this activity increase, the archaeal population in Culture A decreased with time, and became undetectable after 100 days, while bacteria related to M. oxyfera increasingly dominated the culture. This observation suggests that the bacteria related to M. oxyfera are more competitive for nitrite reduction compared with the archaea related to ANME. This study showed that nitrate or nitrite feeding has a significant impact on the ecology and activities of microorganisms in the denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation process. This study also revealed that nitrite overloading may have a toxic effect on the bacteria related to M. oxyfera.
The contribution of bacteria to algal growth by carbon cycling
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 23-12-2015
DOI: 10.1002/BIT.25475
Abstract: Algal mass production in open systems is often limited by the availability of inorganic carbon substrate. In this paper, we evaluate how bacterial driven carbon cycling mitigates carbon limitation in open algal culture systems. The contribution of bacteria to carbon cycling was determined by quantifying algae growth with and without supplementation of bacteria. It was found that adding heterotrophic bacteria to an open algal culture dramatically enhanced algae productivity. Increases in algal productivity due to supplementation of bacteria of 4.8 and 3.4 times were observed in two batch tests operating at two different pH values over 7 days. A kinetic model is proposed which describes carbon limited algal growth, and how the limitation could be overcome by bacterial activity to re-mineralize photosynthetic end products.
Learning from experience in the water sector to improve access to energy services
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2018
The chemomechanical properties of microbial polyhydroxyalkanoates
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2014
Production of volatile fatty acids by fermentation of waste activated sludge pre-treated in full-scale thermal hydrolysis plants
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2011
DOI: 10.1016/J.BIORTECH.2010.10.054
Abstract: This work focuses on fermentation of pre-treated waste activated sludge (WAS) to generate volatile fatty acids (VFAs). Pre-treatment by high-pressure thermal hydrolysis (HPTH) was shown to aid WAS fermentation. Compared to fermentation of raw WAS, pre-treatment enabled a 2-5x increase in VFA yield (gVFA(COD)gTCOD(-1)) and 4-6x increase in VFA production rate (gVFA(COD) L(-1) d(-1)). Three sludges, pre-treated in full-scale HPTH plants, were fermented. One was from a plant processing a mix of primary sludge and WAS and the other two from plants processing solely WAS. The HPTH plants solubilised suspended matter, evidenced by a 20-30% decrease in suspended solids and an increase of soluble COD : total COD from 0.04 to 0.4. Fermentation of the three sludges yielded similar VFA concentrations (15-20gVFA(COD) L(-1)). The yields were largely independent of retention time (1 d-6 d) and temperature (42°C, 55°C). Also, the product spectrum depended mostly on the composition of the sludge rather than on operating conditions.
Nitrous oxide generation in full-scale biological nutrient removal wastewater treatment plants
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2010
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2009.10.033
Abstract: International guidance for estimating emissions of the greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide (N(2)O), from biological nutrient removal (BNR) wastewater systems is presently inadequate. This study has adopted a rigorous mass balance approach to provide comprehensive N(2)O emission and formation results from seven full-scale BNR wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). N(2)O formation was shown to be always positive, yet highly variable across the seven plants. The calculated range of N(2)O generation was 0.006-0.253 kgN(2)O-Nper kgN denitrified (average: 0.035+/-0.027). This paper investigated the possible mechanisms of N(2)O formation, rather than the locality of emissions. Higher N(2)O generation was shown to generally correspond with higher nitrite concentrations, but with many competing and parallel nitrogen transformation reactions occurring, it was very difficult to clearly identify the predominant mechanism of N(2)O production. The WWTPs designed and operated for low effluent TN (i.e. <10 mgN L(-1)) had lower and less variable N(2)O generation factors than plants that only achieved partial denitrification.
Microbial community analysis during continuous fermentation of thermally hydrolysed waste activated sludge
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 2012
DOI: 10.2166/WST.2011.705
Abstract: Acidogenic fermentation of thermally hydrolysed waste activated sludge was carried out at laboratory scale in two reactors operated under different hydraulic retention times (HRT). Process performance was assessed in terms of volatile fatty acid (VFA) composition and yield. The ersity of the microbial population was investigated by constructing a 16S rRNA gene library and subsequent phylogenetic analysis of clones. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to assess the relative abundance of different bacterial groups. Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the dominant taxonomic groups representing 93% of the total sequences obtained in the reactor with 4 d HRT. A similar VFA yield (0.4–0.5 g VFACOD g SCOD−1) was obtained for the HRTs tested (1–4 d), indicating that extended retention times were not useful. Within Firmicutes, Clostridia was the major group detected in the clone sequences. These had close affiliation to Sporanaerobacter acetigenes, suggesting organisms of this group were important for hydrolysis of the protein fraction of the substrate. However, FISH analysis failed to detect the major portion of the bacteria, and this is most likely due to the lack of appropriate probes. This work emphasizes the ersity of fermentative communities, and indicates that more work is needed to identify and detect the important members.
Water-related energy in households: a model designed to understand the current state and simulate possible measures
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2013
High pressure thermal hydrolysis as pre-treatment to increase the methane yield during anaerobic digestion of microalgae
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2013
DOI: 10.1016/J.BIORTECH.2012.12.125
Abstract: Anaerobic digestion of algal biomass will be an essential component of algal biofuel production systems, yet the methane yield from digestion of algae is typically much lower than the theoretical potential. In this work, high pressure thermal hydrolysis (HPTH) is shown to enhance methane yield during algae digestion. HPTH pre-treatment was applied to both raw algae and algal residue resulting from lipid extraction. HPTH and even the lipid extraction process itself increased methane yield, by 81% and 33% respectively in combination they increased yield by 110% over that of the raw algae (18L CH4 gVS(-1) substrate). HPTH had little effect on the rate of anaerobic digestion, however lipid extraction enhanced it by 33% over that for raw algae (0.21day(-1)). Digestion resulted in solubilisation of nitrogen (and phosphorous to a lesser degree) in all cases, showing that there is potential for nutrient recycling for algal growth.
Life-cycle energy impacts for adapting an urban water supply system to droughts
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2017.10.016
Abstract: In recent years, cities in some water stressed regions have explored alternative water sources such as seawater desalination and potable water recycling in spite of concerns over increasing energy consumption. In this study, we evaluate the current and future life-cycle energy impacts of four alternative water supply strategies introduced during a decade-long drought in South East Queensland (SEQ), Australia. These strategies were: seawater desalination, indirect potable water recycling, network integration, and rainwater tanks. Our work highlights the energy burden of alternative water supply strategies which added approximately 24% life-cycle energy use to the existing supply system (with surface water sources) in SEQ even for a current post-drought low utilisation status. Over half of this additional life-cycle energy use was from the centralised alternative supply strategies. Rainwater tanks contributed an estimated 3% to regional water supply, but added over 10% life-cycle energy use to the existing system. In the future scenario analysis, we compare the life-cycle energy use between "Normal", "Dry", "High water demand" and "Design capacity" scenarios. In the "Normal" scenario, a long-term low utilisation of the desalination system and the water recycling system has greatly reduced the energy burden of these centralised strategies to only 13%. In contrast, higher utilisation in the unlikely "Dry" and "Design capacity" scenarios add 86% and 140% to life-cycle energy use of the existing system respectively. In the "High water demand" scenario, a 20% increase in per capita water use over 20 years "consumes" more energy than is used by the four alternative strategies in the "Normal" scenario. This research provides insight for developing more realistic long-term scenarios to evaluate and compare life-cycle energy impacts of drought-adaptation infrastructure and regional decentralised water sources. Scenario building for life-cycle assessments of water supply systems should consider i) climate variability and, therefore, infrastructure utilisation rate, ii) potential under-utilisation for both installed centralised and decentralised sources, and iii) the potential energy penalty for operating infrastructure well below its design capacity (e.g., the operational energy intensity of the desalination system is three times higher at low utilisation rates). This study illustrates that evaluating the life-cycle energy use and intensity of these type of supply sources without considering their realistic long-term operating scenario(s) can potentially distort and overemphasise their energy implications. To other water stressed regions, this work shows that managing long-term water demand is also important, in addition to acknowledging the energy-intensive nature of some alternative water sources.
Development of a novel electrochemical system for oxygen control (ESOC) to examine dissolved oxygen inhibition on algal activity
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2013
DOI: 10.1002/BIT.24905
Abstract: The development of an Electrochemical System for Oxygen Control (ESOC) for examining algal photosynthetic activity as a function of dissolved oxygen (DO) is outlined. The main innovation of the tool is coulombic titration in order to balance the electrochemical reduction of oxygen with the oxygen input to achieve a steady DO set-point. ESOC allows quantification of algal oxygen production whilst simultaneously maintaining a desired DO concentration. The tool was validated abiotically by comparison with a mass transfer approach for quantifying oxygenation. It was then applied to quantify oxygen inhibition of algal activity. Five experiments, using an enriched culture of Scenedesmus sp. as the inoculum, are presented. For each experiment, ESOC was used to quantify algal activity at a series of DO set-points. In all experiments substantial oxygen inhibition was observed at DO >30 mgO2 L-1. Inhibition was shown to fit a Hill inhibition model, with a common Hill coefficient of 0.22±0.07 L mg-1 and common log10 CI50 of 27.2±0.7 mg L-1. This is the first time that the oxygen inhibition kinetic parameters have been quantified under controlled DO conditions.
Energy implications of the millennium drought on urban water cycles in Southeast Australian cities
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 06-06-2017
DOI: 10.2166/WS.2017.110
Abstract: During the Millennium Drought in Australia, a wide range of supply-side and demand-side water management strategies were adopted in major southeast Australian cities. This study undertakes a time-series quantification (2001–2014) and comparative analysis of the energy use of the urban water supply systems and sewage systems in Melbourne and Sydney before, during and after the drought, and evaluates the energy implications of the drought and the implemented strategies. In addition, the energy implications of residential water use in Melbourne are estimated. The research highlights that large-scale adoption of water conservation strategies can have different impacts on energy use in different parts of the urban water cycle. In Melbourne, the per capita water-related energy use reduction in households related to showering and clothes-washing alone (46% reduction, 580 kWhth /yr) was far more substantial than that in the water supply system (32% reduction, 18 kWhth /yr). This historical case also demonstrates the importance of balancing supply- and demand-side strategies in managing long-term water security and related energy use. The significant energy saving in water supply systems and households from water conservation can offset the additional energy use from operating energy-intensive supply options such as inter-basin water transfers and seawater desalination during dry years.
Household analysis identifies water-related energy efficiency opportunities
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2016
A systemic framework and analysis of urban water energy
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2015
Microaerophilic conditions support elevated mixed culture polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) yields, but result in decreased PHA production rates
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 2012
DOI: 10.2166/WST.2012.086
Abstract: For commercial polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production the objective is to maximise the fraction of feedstock that ends up as polymer, and minimise biomass growth. In this paper, oxygen limitation was applied to achieve this. Intracellular PHA content in mixed cultures in batch systems operated with low and high DO was compared. It is shown that in microaerophilic conditions a higher fraction of substrate is accumulated as PHA in comparison to high DO conditions, evidenced by elevated intracellular PHA content: in the order of 50% higher in the early stages of accumulation. However, the accumulation capacity is not affected by DO. The PHA content in biomass in both the low and high DO systems reached approximately 35%. The time taken for the PHA content in the low DO system to reach capacity was three times longer than in the high DO system.
N2 O production rate of an enriched ammonia-oxidising bacteria culture exponentially correlates to its ammonia oxidation rate
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2012
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2012.03.043
Abstract: The relationship between the ammonia oxidation rate (AOR) and nitrous oxide production rate (N(2)OR) of an enriched ammonia-oxidising bacteria (AOB) culture was investigated. The AOB culture was enriched in a nitritation system fed with synthetic anaerobic digester liquor. The AOR was controlled by adjusting the dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH levels and also by varying the initial ammonium (NH(4)(+)) concentration in batch experiments. Tests were also performed directly on the parent reactor where a stepwise decrease/increase in DO was implemented to alter AOR. The experimental data indicated a clear exponential relationship between the biomass specific N(2)OR and AOR. Four metabolic models were used to analyse the experimental data. The metabolic model formulated based on aerobic N(2)O production from the decomposition of nitrosyl radical (NOH) predicted the exponential correlation observed experimentally. The experimental data could not be reproduced by models developed on the basis of N(2)O production through nitrite (NO(2)(-)) and nitric oxide (NO) reduction by AOB.
Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification in bench-scale sequencing batch reactors
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-1996
Value-added bioplastics from services of wastewater treatment
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 09-2015
DOI: 10.2166/WPT.2015.063
Abstract: Pilot and prototyping scale investigations were undertaken in order to evaluate the technical feasibility of producing value-added biopolymers (polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs)) as a by-product to essential services of wastewater treatment and environmental protection. A commonly asked question concerns PHA quality that may be expected from surplus biomass produced during biological treatment for water quality improvement. This paper summarizes the findings from a collection of investigations. Alongside the summarized technical efforts, attention has been paid to the social and economic networks. Such networks are needed in order to nurture circular economies that would drive value chains in renewable resource processing from contaminated water amelioration into renewable value-added bioplastic products and services. We find commercial promise in the polymer quality and in the process technical feasibility. The next challenge ahead does not reside so much any more in fundamental research and development of the technology but, rather, in social-economic steps that will be necessary to realize first demonstration scale polymer production activities. It is a material supply that will stimulate niche business opportunities that can grow and stimulate technology pull with benefit of real life material product market combinations.
Crystallisation and fractionation of selected polyhydroxyalkanoates produced from mixed cultures
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.NBT.2013.05.005
Abstract: Poly[R-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-(R-3-hydroxyvalerate)] (PHBV) copolymers were produced from mixed cultures of biomass (activated sludge) fed with acetic acid (HAc) and propionic acid (HPr). Feeding was performed in such a way as to produce materials with a wide range of monomer compositions and microstructures. Solvent-cast thin films of these materials have recently been shown to exhibit a narrow range of mechanical properties similar to those of the homopolymer poly(R-3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) [1]. In this work, more detailed analyses of the thermal and crystallisation properties of these mixed-culture polyesters have revealed that they like comprise complex blends with broad compositional distribution of random and/or blocky copolymers of very different 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) contents and melting temperatures and thus have very different respective crystallisation kinetics. This blend complexity was confirmed by solvent fractionation of selected s les. The findings support the hypothesis that overall mechanical properties of these complex copolymer blend materials will be strongly influenced by the more rapidly crystallising components that form the matrix within which the slower crystallising components exist as microdomains. New opportunities in the material development of PHAs are likely to be found in establishing and exploiting such structure-function relationships.
Biodegradation in a soil environment of activated sludge derived polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHBV)
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2012
Energy use for water provision in cities
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2017
The effect of water demand management in showers on household energy use
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2017
Food waste consequences: Environmentally extended input-output as a framework for analysis
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2017
The effect of pH on N2O production under aerobic conditions in a partial nitritation system
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2011
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2011.08.055
Abstract: Ammonia-oxidising bacteria (AOB) are a major contributor to nitrous oxide (N(2)O) emissions during nitrogen transformation. N(2)O production was observed under both anoxic and aerobic conditions in a lab-scale partial nitritation system operated as a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The system achieved 55 ± 5% conversion of the 1g NH(4)(+)-N/L contained in a synthetic anaerobic digester liquor to nitrite. The N(2)O emission factor was 1.0 ± 0.1% of the ammonium converted. pH was shown to have a major impact on the N(2)O production rate of the AOB enriched culture. In the investigated pH range of 6.0-8.5, the specific N(2)O production was the lowest between pH 6.0 and 7.0 at a rate of 0.15 ± 0.01 mg N(2)O-N/h/g VSS, but increased with pH to a maximum of 0.53 ± 0.04 mg N(2)O-N/h/g VSS at pH 8.0. The same trend was also observed for the specific ammonium oxidation rate (AOR) with the maximum AOR reached at pH 8.0. A linear relationship between the N(2)O production rate and AOR was observed suggesting that increased ammonium oxidation activity may have promoted N(2)O production. The N(2)O production rate was constant across free ammonia (FA) and free nitrous acid (FNA) concentrations of 5-78 mg NH(3)-N/L and 0.15-4.6 mg HNO(2)-N/L, respectively, indicating that the observed pH effect was not due to changes in FA or FNA concentrations.
Mathematical modelling of prefermenters - I. Model development and verification
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-1999
A laboratory investigation of interactions between denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation (DAMO) and anammox processes in anoxic environments
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 03-03-2015
DOI: 10.1038/SREP08706
Abstract: This study investigates interactions between recently identified denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation (DAMO) and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) processes in controlled anoxic laboratory reactors. Two reactors were seeded with the same inocula containing DAMO organisms Candidatus Methanoperedens nitroreducens and Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera and anammox organism Candidatus Kuenenia stuttgartiensis. Both were fed with ammonium and methane, but one was also fed with nitrate and the other with nitrite, providing anoxic environments with different electron acceptors. After steady state reached in several months, the DAMO process became solely rimarily responsible for nitrate reduction while the anammox process became solely responsible for nitrite reduction in both reactors. 16S rRNA gene licon sequencing showed that the nitrate-driven DAMO organism M. nitroreducens dominated both the nitrate-fed (~70%) and the nitrite-fed (~26%) reactors, while the nitrite-driven DAMO organism M. oxyfera disappeared in both communities. The elimination of M. oxyfera from both reactors was likely the results of this organism being outcompeted by anammox bacteria for nitrite. K. stuttgartiensis was detected at relatively low levels (1–3%) in both reactors.
Quantifying water-energy links and related carbon emissions in cities
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 12-2011
DOI: 10.2166/WCC.2011.005
Abstract: To date, key water–energy connections have not been systematically quantified. Nor has their potential for contributing to greenhouse gas mitigation been evaluated. Lack of knowledge of these links, particularly within cities, is viewed as a major limitation to energy-sensitive urban water management and integrated urban design. This paper fills part of this void. The key contribution is a new conceptual model coupled with a systematic review of the connections of influence. Drawing on Australian and international data, the results provide a structured estimate of water-related energy use and associated emissions in a hypothetical city of 1,000,000 people. This demonstrates that water-related energy use accounts for 13% of total electricity and 18% of the natural gas used by the population in the average case. This represents 9% of the total primary energy demand within Australia or 8% of total national territorial greenhouse gas emissions. Residential, industrial and commercial water-related energy use constitutes 86% of water-related greenhouse gas emissions. We conclude that urban water is a significant and overlooked lever that could significantly influence urban energy consumption.
Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates in open, mixed cultures from a waste sludge stream containing high levels of soluble organics, nitrogen and phosphorus
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2010
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2010.06.043
Abstract: In this study, the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) from waste activated sludge (WAS) was evaluated. PHAs were produced from fermented WAS pretreated via high-pressure thermal hydrolysis, a stream characterised by high levels of nutrients (approximately 3.5 g N L(-1) and 0.5 g P L(-1)) and soluble organics. PHA-storing organisms were successfully enriched at high organic loading rates (6 g COD(sol) L(-1) d(-1)) under aerobic dynamic feeding in sequencing batch reactors at a sludge retention time of 6 d with a short feast length less than 20% of the cycle, and a maximum substrate concentration during feast of 1 g COD(VFA) L(-1). The biomass enrichment, characterised by a decrease in species evenness based on Lorenz curves, provided a biomass that accumulated 25% PHA on a dry-biomass basis with yields on VFA of 0.4 Cmol Cmol(-1) in batch tests. The PHA consisted of ∼70 mol% 3-hydroxybutyrate and ∼30 mol% 3-hydroxyvalerate, and presented high thermal stability (T(d) = 283-287 °C) and a molecular mass ranging from 0.7 to 1.0 × 10(6) g mol(-1). Overall PHA storage was comparable to that achieved with other complex substrates however, lower PHA storage rates (0.04-0.05 Cmol PHA(-1) Cmol X(-1) h(-1)) and productivities (3-4 Cmol PHA L(-1) h(-1)) were probably associated with a biomass-growth and high-respiration response induced by high levels of non-VFA organics (40-50% of COD(sol) in feed) and nutrients. PHA production is feasible from pretreated WAS, but the enrichment and accumulation process require further optimisation. A milder WAS pretreatment yielding lower levels of non-VFA organics and readily available nutrients may be more amenable for improved performance.
Modelling microalgal activity as a function of inorganic carbon concentration: Accounting for the impact of pH on the bicarbonate system
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 19-10-2014
Fossil organic carbon in wastewater and its fate in treatment plants
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2013
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2013.06.002
Abstract: This study reports the presence of fossil organic carbon in wastewater and its fate in wastewater treatment plants. The findings pinpoint the inaccuracy of current greenhouse gas accounting guidelines which defines all organic carbon in wastewater to be of biogenic origin. Stable and radiocarbon isotopes ((13)C and (14)C) were measured throughout the process train in four municipal wastewater treatment plants equipped with secondary activated sludge treatment. Isotopic mass balance analyses indicate that 4-14% of influent total organic carbon (TOC) is of fossil origin with concentrations between 6 and 35 mg/L 88-98% of this is removed from the wastewater. The TOC mass balance analysis suggests that 39-65% of the fossil organic carbon from the influent is incorporated into the activated sludge through adsorption or from cell assimilation while 29-50% is likely transformed to carbon dioxide (CO2) during secondary treatment. The fossil organic carbon fraction in the sludge undergoes further biodegradation during anaerobic digestion with a 12% decrease in mass. 1.4-6.3% of the influent TOC consists of both biogenic and fossil carbon is estimated to be emitted as fossil CO2 from activated sludge treatment alone. The results suggest that current greenhouse gas accounting guidelines, which assume that all CO2 emission from wastewater is biogenic may lead to underestimation of emissions.
Biodegradability of plastics: Discussion papers. A joint collaboration between Corrs Chambers Westgarth and The University of Queensland
Publisher: The University of Queensland
Date: 07-2023
DOI: 10.14264/20D45A9
Dissolved methane in rising main sewer systems
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 12-2009
DOI: 10.2166/WST.2009.718
Abstract: At present, the potential generation of methane in wastewater collection systems is ignored under international greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting protocols, despite recent reports of substantial dissolved methane formation in sewers. This suggests that the current national GHG inventories for wastewater handling systems are likely to be underestimated for some situations. This study presents a new catalogue of field data on methane formation in rising main sewerage systems and proposes an empirically-fitted, theoretical model to predict dissolved methane concentrations, based upon the independent variables of pipeline geometry (i.e. surface area to volume ratio, A/V) and hydraulic retention time (HRT). Systems with longer HRT and/or larger A/V ratios are shown to have higher dissolved methane concentrations. This simple predictive model provides a means for water authorities to estimate the methane emissions from other pressurised sewerage systems of similar characteristics.
Inhibition by fatty acids during fermentation of pre-treated waste activated sludge
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2012
DOI: 10.1016/J.JBIOTEC.2012.02.001
Abstract: Fermentation of waste activated sludge produces volatile fatty acids (VFAs), which can be used as the carbon sources for numerous biological processes. However, product inhibition can limit extent of fermentation to VFAs. In this study, product inhibition during fermentation of waste activated sludge pre-treated by a thermal hydrolysis process (THP-WAS) was investigated. Product inhibition was confirmed as spiking reactors with high levels of a mix of VFAs prevented fermentation taking place. Various inhibition models were trialled and it was found that a threshold model (based on thermodynamics) provided the best fit between model and data. This is the first time that threshold type inhibition has been shown for a mixed substrate, mixed population system. Batch fermentations carried out with THP-WAS of different dilutions were used to evaluate the impact of different organic loadings. The threshold VFA concentration for the systems studied was determined to be 17±1gCOD(VFA)L(-1). Inhibition was shown to be due to the presence of a combination of VFAs containing 2-6 carbon atoms each. When evaluated in idually, by spiking in idual VFAs, all VFAs except for acetate had the same impact at this threshold acetate being approximately 50% as inhibitory as the other organic acids (COD basis). Based on this, a weighted model could be proposed to better represent the data. Strategies to improve overall yield could be increased production of acetate, or dilution to below the inhibitory level.
Phosphorus recovery from centralised municipal water recycling plants
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2012
In-line monitoring of thermal degradation of PHA during melt-processing by Near-Infrared spectroscopy
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.NBT.2013.10.005
Abstract: Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymer processing is often challenged by low thermal stability, meaning that the temperatures and time for which these polymers can be processed is restrictive. Considering the sensitivity of PHA to processing conditions, there is a demand for in-line monitoring of the material behaviour in the melt. This paper investigates the application of Near-Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for monitoring the thermal degradation of PHAs during melt-processing. Two types of materials were tested: two mixed culture PHAs extracted from biomass produced in laboratory and pilot scale after an acidic pre-treatment, and two commercially available materials derived from pure culture production systems. Thermal degradation studies were carried out in a laboratory scale extruder with conical twin screws connected to a NIR spectrometer by a fibre optic to allow in situ monitoring. Multivariate data analysis methods were applied for assessing thermal degradation kinetics and predicted the degree of degradation as measured by (1)H NMR (proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy). The pre-treated mixed culture PHAs were found to be more thermally stable when compared with the commercial pure culture PHAs as demonstrated by NIR, (1)H NMR and GPC (gel permeation chromatography).
Enhanced lipid extraction from algae using free nitrous acid pretreatment
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.BIORTECH.2014.01.133
Abstract: Lipid extraction has been identified as a major bottleneck for large-scale algal biodiesel production. In this work free nitrous acid (FNA) is presented as an effective and low cost pretreatment to enhance lipid recovery from algae. Two batch tests, with a range of FNA additions, were conducted to disrupt algal cells prior to lipid extraction by organic solvents. Total accessible lipid content was quantified by the Bligh and Dyer method, and was found to increase with pretreatment time (up to 48 h) and FNA concentration (up to 2.19 mg HNO2-N/L). Hexane extraction was used to study industrially accessible lipids. The mass transfer coefficient (k) for lipid extraction using hexane from algae treated with 2.19 mg HNO2-N/L FNA was found to be dramatically higher than for extraction from untreated algae. Consistent with extraction results, cell disruption analysis indicated the disruption of the cell membrane barrier.
City-scale analysis of water-related energy identifies more cost-effective solutions
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2016.11.059
Abstract: Energy and greenhouse gas management in urban water systems typically focus on optimising within the direct system boundary of water utilities that covers the centralised water supply and wastewater treatment systems, despite a greater energy influence by the water end use. This work develops a cost curve of water-related energy management options from a city perspective for a hypothetical Australian city. It is compared with that from the water utility perspective. The curves are based on 18 water-related energy management options that have been implemented or evaluated in Australia. In the studied scenario, the cost-effective energy saving potential from a city perspective (292 GWh/year) is far more significant than that from a utility perspective (65 GWh/year). In some cases, for similar capital cost, if regional water planners invested in end use options instead of utility options, a greater energy saving potential at a greater cost-effectiveness could be achieved in urban water systems. For ex le, upgrading a wastewater treatment plant for biogas recovery at a capital cost of $27.2 million would save 31 GWh/year with a marginal cost saving of $63/MWh, while solar hot water system rebates at a cost of $28.6 million would save 67 GWh/year with a marginal cost saving of $111/MWh. Options related to hot water use such as water-efficient shower heads, water-efficient clothes washers and solar hot water system rebates are among the most cost-effective city-scale opportunities. This study demonstrates the use of cost curves to compare both utility and end use options in a consistent framework. It also illustrates that focusing solely on managing the energy use within the utility would miss substantial non-utility water-related energy saving opportunities. There is a need to broaden the conventional scope of cost curve analysis to include water-related energy and greenhouse gas at the water end use, and to value their management from a city perspective. This would create opportunities where the same capital investment could achieve far greater energy savings and greenhouse gas emissions abatement.
Comparison of water-energy trajectories of two major regions experiencing water shortage
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.JENVMAN.2016.06.068
Abstract: Water shortage, increased demand and rising energy costs are major challenges for the water sector worldwide. Here we use a comparative case study to explore the long-term changes in the system-wide water and associated energy use in two different regions that encountered water shortage. In Australia, South East Queensland (SEQ) encountered a drought from 2001 to 2009, while Perth has experienced a decline in rainfall since the 1970s. This novel longitudinal study quantifies and compares the urban water consumption and the energy use of the water supply systems in SEQ and Perth during the period 2002 to 2014. Unlike hypothetical and long-term scenario studies, this comparative study quantifies actual changes in regional water consumption and associated energy, and explores the lessons learned from the two regions. In 2002, Perth had a similar per capita water consumption rate to SEQ and 48% higher per capita energy use in the water supply system. From 2002 to 2014, a strong effort of water conservation can be seen in SEQ during the drought, while Perth has been increasingly relying on seawater desalination. By 2014, even though the drought in SEQ had ended and the drying climate in Perth was continuing, the per capita water consumption in SEQ (266 L /d) was still 28% lower than that of Perth (368 L /d), while the per capita energy use in Perth (247 kWh /yr) had increased to almost five times that of SEQ (53 kWh /yr). This comparative study shows that within one decade, major changes in water and associated energy use occurred in regions that were similar historically. The very different "water-energy" trajectories in the two regions arose partly due to the type of water management options implemented, particularly the different emphasis on supply versus demand side management. This study also highlights the significant energy saving benefit of water conservation strategies (i.e. in SEQ, the energy saving was sufficient to offset the total energy use for seawater desalination and water recycling during the period.). The water-energy trajectory diagram provides a new way to illustrate and compare longitudinal water consumption and associated energy use within and between cities.
The Opportunity for High-Performance Biomaterials from Methane
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 03-02-2016
DOI: 10.3390/MICROORGANISMS4010011
Abstract: Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymers are widely recognised as outstanding candidates to replace conventional petroleum-derived polymers. Their mechanical properties are good and can be tailored through copolymer composition, they are biodegradable, and unlike many alternatives, they do not rely on oil-based feedstocks. Further, they are the only commodity polymer that can be synthesised intracellularly, ensuring stereoregularity and high molecular weight. However, despite offering enormous potential for many years, they are still not making a significant impact. This is broadly because commercial uptake has been limited by variable performance (inconsistent polymer properties) and high production costs of the raw polymer. Additionally, the main type of PHA produced naturally is poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), which has limited scope due to its brittle nature and low thermal stability, as well as its tendency to embrittle over time. Production cost is strongly impacted by the type of the feedstock used. In this article we consider: the production of PHAs from methanotrophs using methane as a cost-effective substrate the use of mixed cultures, as opposed to pure strains and strategies to generate a poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) copolymer (PHBV), which has more desirable qualities such as toughness and elasticity.
Waste activated sludge as biomass for production of commercial-grade polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 14-10-2013
Regional-scale variability of cold water temperature: Implications for household water-related energy demand
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2017
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