RLP Student Orientation Day

Professional Biography

Bushra Parvin Upoma grew up in the capital city of Bangladesh, Dhaka. After completing her higher secondary certificate, she relocated to Khulna, to pursue her B. Sc degree at Khulna University where she completed her Honours in Chemistry. She then returned to Dhaka and completed her M.Sc. degree at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology. During her Master’s degree she conducted research on the fabrication of gold and silver nanoparticles decorated magnetic graphene oxide for catalytic reduction reactions. She was awarded the 2019 National Science and Technology Fellowship for her research. Following graduation, she joined Department of Chemistry at Bangladesh University of Textile as a part-time Lecturer. In 2021, she joined government research institute, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research as a Research Fellow. There she synthesized graphene-based catalyst to treat wastewater in terms of antibiotics removal. She recently commenced her career as a PhD researcher at The University of Queensland to fulfill her passion for research.

Presentation Description

Biosolids, which are produced as a by-product of the wastewater treatment process create a notable cost to the industries due to their handling requirements. The current biosolid management processes involve significant handling costs and take up large amounts of land to operate. Hence, the management of solids at wastewater treatment plants typically involves a biological degradation system that focuses on removing organic matters. But the extent of degradation achieved during the degradation process intensely depends on the nondegradable organic (NDO) content of the solids which becomes the residue that is ultimately dewatered and transported. This NDO content significantly influences the performance of a well operated process as well as determining the solids handling cost. To promote a more rapid and efficient biosolids handling process, it is necessary to accurately quantify the NDO content in biosolids. There has been a lot of research in the breakdown of degradable organics, but why and how the NDO contents are forming, has not been addressed well in technology or past research. NDO contents accumulate in sludge and over time they can alter the sludge properties by making it more difficult to dewater, so it is essential to develop an improved understanding of how various nondegradable organics influence biosolid properties. This will lead to the identification of better processing methods to reduce NDO material in biosolids as well as enhance predictability of different sludges behaviour through treatment processes and reduce the current risk in biosolid process.

Professional Biography

I’m a Perth-based environmental professional with 15 years experience in the water industry, specialising in wastewater treatment and resource recovery. I’m currently working part-time as a Senior Asset Planner for Water Corporation, where my recent work developing a Wastewater Greenhouse Emissions Mitigation Strategy led me to pursue a PhD with University of Queensland’s School of Chemical Engineering. I started as a remote candidate in Jan 2024, and my project takes a holistic view of greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment, aiming to quantify and then optimise emissions from different sources across full-scale facilities, by weighing mitigation strategies against potential impacts to other sustainability outcomes. I’ve had a passion for collaborative research throughout my career, and particularly in interpreting research to improve real-world outcomes in the industry. Previous research has included health and environmental risk assessments of pathogens and emerging contaminants (including PFAS) in wastewater, and in sustainable aquaculture development.

Presentation Description

Wastewater treatment and resource recovery is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions globally; nitrous oxide created by nitrogen removal has a climate impact around 300x that of carbon dioxide; and methane recovered from sludge treatment around 28x; so even small process emissions can have significant consequences. Centralised urban systems are also highly energy intensive, from both the electricity used to operate treatment process, and also the embodied energy contained within the materials used in their operation, construction and maintenance.

This presentation will outline my PhD project, which aims to quantify and then optimise all major sources of emissions from large, centralised water resource recovery facilities, by weighing emissions mitigation against potential impacts to other sustainability outcomes, including effluent and biosolids quality for reuse and discharge, and operational and capital costs. Potential research methods and tools will be discussed, together with the full-scale facilities and monitoring equipment that will be used in the project.

Professional Biography

Habiba is a chemical engineer and worked for more than 9 years in the oil and gas sector with particular focus on safety and risk assessment. She received a Master’s in Engineering Management from RMIT University in 2022. Habiba is a recipient of the RTP scholarship in 2022 in RMIT University. Being passionate about climate and sustainability, Habiba pursued her research to produce energy from waste to ensure sustainability and promote a circular economy. Habiba hopes to produce effective results by diverting waste from landfills and reducing carbon emissions and pursue a career in climatic change, sustainability.

Presentation Description

Rapid urbanisation and industrialisation, coupled with an ever-growing population and changing lifestyle resulted in the consumption of fossil reserves at an exponential rate. Given the finite nature of fossil fuel resources and the adverse impacts associated with their excessive usage, research in the last decade focused on identifying alternative energy sources that could balance demand and supply and promote sustainability. In recent years, biomass-based energy production, particularly focusing on lignocellulosic biomass, has emerged as a potential solution. Compost reject, a category of lignocellulosic biomass, rather than ending up in landfills, can be converted to biogas and other valuable products. Being a readily available, inexpensive and renewable source, the generation of energy and platform chemicals from compost reject appears promising.

This presentation mainly focuses on pretreatment techniques that can be applied to compost reject and finding out the optimized ratios with food organics and sewage sludge to enhance bio methanation potential. In addition, the correlations proposed in this study consider crucial parameters, such as BOD and COD, and could assist in the accurate prediction of BMP. Furthermore, the study focuses on the various pretreatment strategies for compost reject and provides an understanding of how these pretreatment strategies would benefit wastewater treatment plants in minimizing greenhouse gas emissions and production of platform chemicals.

Professional Biography

Having spent more than 7 years studying in Australia, Ibrahim is deeply passionate about sustainability. He recently completed his Honours degree in Chemical Engineering at RMIT University with first-class Honours. Sponsored by the ARC Centre for Transforming Biosolids, Ibrahim was awarded the ARC Centre-Transforming Biosolid’s Scholarship in 2022. He achieved first-class Honours for his work, which centered on the production of biofuels using biochar. His contributions to honours and other research projects have resulted in his involvement in several published papers. Ibrahim aspires to leverage the skills and experience he has gained previously in the development of biosolid transformation research.

Presentation Description

Biogas produced from wastewater treatment is an important source of energy. Biogas is largely combusted and used for thermal and electrical energy generation(Kabeyi and Olanrewaju 2022). Although this route is attractive as it can be considered renewable, CO2 is still emitted to the environment. Biogas steam reforming and catalytic decomposition are two alternative processes being considered in the literature for achieving negative CO2 emissions. The basic process flow diagrams of biogas combustion, steam reforming and catalytic decomposition are given in Fig 1. In these processes, CO2 is either being separated in the pure form and used as a product or carbon is fully sequestered in the form of carbon nanomaterials. Both these processes produce hydrogen rich-gas stream which upon further cleaning can be used in fuel cell for electricity generation. This work has attempted to benchmark these processes by performing detailed material, energy, and emission analysis using Aspen plus software. Software findings illustrates that biogas reforming and biogas decompositions could be potential alternative approaches for biogas utilisation compared to direct combustion where large amount of CO2 is generated without hydrogen production. Although large amount of hydrogen is produced in reforming, this process does not reduce CO2 emission unless CO2 is purified and used elsewhere (example beverage industry). It can be also stored or sequestered underground. All of these would be difficult due to scale of operation at wastewater treatment plant and unavailability of storage, sequestration or utilisation sites within or nearby locations. This challenge can be overcome in biogas decomposition where CO2 was reduced significantly in the form of nanocarbon. Nanocarbon from biogas decomposition is a valuable product that can be utilised in-situ as adsorbent or ex-situ in applications such as capacitors, catalysis, adsorption, biomedicals, etc. Additionally, carbon is a solid product; it will be easy to transport compared to CO2. Hydrogen is also generated in the decomposition process with some high-grade heat.

Professional Biography

Julie grew up in Adelaide, South Australia, where she discovered her passion for the environment and the natural sciences. Julie completed her Honours degree in Environmental Science at the University of South Australia and Future Industries Institute. During her Bachelor degree she ventured on a research trip to Fiji, where she investigated the vegetation of three Fijian rainforest types. Her Honours research project focused on comparing analytical methods for determining arsenic contamination in regional Bendigo, Victoria. She received first class Honours with the Chancellor’s Letter of Commendation and the University of South Australia Medal in STEM. Julie relocated to Melbourne to complete her PhD at RMIT University and continue her interests in arsenic contamination in regional Bendigo.

Presentation Description

The Victorian gold rush era in the mid-1800s provided wealth but devastated the landscape. Gold mine waste is contaminated with arsenic and poses significant risk to the environment and human health. For instance, arsenic damages ecosystem functions, is carcinogenic, disrupts cardiovascular and gastrointestinal functions, causes nervous system disorders, neurological abnormalities, and reproductive difficulties.

Traditional remediation methods such as landfill, deep ploughing with clean soil, and capping are invasive, further contaminate, are expensive and soil is still depleted of nutrients. There is a need to develop environmentally sustainable techniques to remediate arsenic contamination and restore soil conditions. Phytoremediation is a technique that involves the use of plants to remediated soil arsenic. Plants can uptake arsenic and store it in their roots and shoots. Plant roots can immobilise arsenic preventing contamination of clean soil and leaching into ground water. Plants that accumulate arsenic in their shoots can be harvested which aims to decrease soil arsenic concentrations. Phytoremediation is sustainable and low cost but will need the assistance of soil amendments to improve soil conditions and plant growth.

This presentation focuses on the research project aimed at identifying an Australian native to regional Bendigo for phytoremediation of arsenic in gold mine waste. The presentation will then discuss the importance of using soil amendments such as compost, biochar, and iron, to enhance the phytoremediation and restore soil conditions.

Professional Biography

Mr Kalyan Pantha is a PhD student at Federation University. His PhD project is focused on Bioremediation of Pharmaceuticals from Wastewater streams. He holds an MSc in Water Science (2016) from University of Duisburg Essen, Germany, and a bachelor’s degree in environmental science (2010) from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Before coming to Australia, Mr Pantha worked as a Water researcher in different government and non-government organizations in Nepal for 4 years. He is very passionate on achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 (clean water and sanitation) and 3 (Good Health and Well-Being).

Presentation Description

Emerging Contaminants (ECs) pose a potential risk to human health and the environment. In particular, pharmaceuticals have raised huge attention nowadays. Conventional wastewater treatment plants were not specifically designed to remove pharmaceuticals, but there are several treatment technologies which have been widely studied and implemented in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to remediate pharmaceuticals. Among the technologies, constructed wetlands (CWs) have been widely used as an alternative to other technologies. Literature suggests that use of plants and microbes can be a cost effective and sustainable treatment solution efficient in removal of pharmaceuticals. Moreover, nutrients, and environmental factors (sunlight, temperature etc) also play an eminent role on affecting the pharmaceuticals removal from CWs.

This presentation provides brief introduction, objectives, methods, and possible outcome of my project. It will also highlight the literature synthesis and meta-analysis of current pharmaceutical removal techniques and their efficacy. In addition, it provides insight into current bioremediation techniques as well as their efficacy on pharmaceuticals removal and describes methods on bioremediation.  Particularly it will focus on eco-friendly and cost-effective solution for treating pharmaceuticals and achieving stable and excellent pharmaceuticals removal from WWTPs.

Professional Biography

Lisha is a dedicated and experienced engineer with over six years of experience in evaluating and effectively managing the air pollution in several countries. Lisha came to Australia as a PhD candidate at Water Research Centre in the University of New South Wales since 2020. Her project is about the control and management of volatile gas emission from wastewater treatment process.  The outcome of Lisha’s work is in line with Theme 3 of ITTC biosolids transforming centre, which aims to transfer Australian’s biosolids towards sustainability and circular economy. Lisha is passionate about advancing environmental sustainability and building a better environment for our next generation.

Presentation Description

As a by-product of wastewater treatment, biosolids are a source of volatile emissions which can lead to community complaints due to odours and other pollution risks. Sampling methods play a significant role in collecting gas emissions from biosolids-related sources (i.e., pure biosolids, landfilling, land application and composting of biosolids). Though a range of different sampling techniques (flux hood, wind tunnel, static chamber, headspace devices) have been explored in many published papers, the management and best practice for sampling emissions from biosolids is unclear.

This paper presents a comprehensive review of sampling methods for collecting gaseous emissions from biosolids. To account for the inconsistent terminologies used to describe sampling devices, a standard nomenclature by grouping sampling devices into five categories was proposed. Literature investigating emission sampling from biosolids-related sources was reviewed. Subsequently a critical analysis of sampling methods in terms of design, advantages, and disadvantages were compiled based on literature findings and assumed mechanistic understanding of operation. Key operational factors such as the presence of fans, purge gas flow rates, insertion depth, and incubation conditions were identified and their level of influence on the measurement of emissions were evaluated. From the review, there are still knowledge gaps regarding sampling methods used to collect gases from biosolids-related sources. Therefore, a framework for the management of emission sampling methodologies based on common sampling purposes was proposed.

This critical review is expected to improve the understanding of sampling methodologies used in biosolids-related sources, by demonstrating the potential implications and impacts due to different choices in sampling methods.

Professional Biography

Marina C. Tedesco is a textile engineer with a passion for unravelling the intricate mechanisms within textiles. With over a decade of hands-on experience in the textile industry, Marina embarked on a journey to explore the realm of textile science and environmental sustainability by pursuing a PhD.

Marina’s doctoral project “Ecological Engineering of Textiles to Reduce Fibre Pollution” is dedicated to understanding the complex phenomena surrounding microfibre release, particularly during washing cycles—a prevalent issue contributing to microplastic pollution. Focused on determining the underlying textile mechanisms leading to microfibre shedding, Marina employs a multifaceted approach.

Utilizing advanced techniques, Marina meticulously examines domestic washing scenarios to pinpoint the specific textile features that induce fibre release. Moreover, her research extends to industrial washing processes, exploring their significant impact on microfibre shedding.

With a dedicated focus on water conservation and sustainability, Marina’s research is centred on minimizing the ecological footprint of the textile manufacturing sector. At the heart of this endeavour is the goal to reduce fibre release and improve the quality of crucial bioresources, particularly wastewater and biosolids. By implementing innovative source control strategies, Marina aims to utilize her findings to make textile manufacturing processes more environmentally friendly and water conscious.

Presentation Description

Textiles play a vital role in our daily lives. From cars to hospitals, construction sites to our very own clothing, they are everywhere. In fact, textile fibres constitute the most prevalent form of microplastic contamination.

Emissions of textile fibres into the environment are recognized as a potential threat to humans, wildlife, and ecosystems. This emerging contaminant is thought to affect human health when inhaled or ingested. In wildlife, they are reported to cause inflammatory processes, reduce reproduction and growth, and increase mortality rates. While research into environmental contamination and health issues in humans and wildlife is increasing, the understanding of how emissions occur and the impact of manufacturing features on fibre release is still limited.

This project aims to unravel the textile features causing fibre release, so emissions can be minimized at the source. Given that most emissions occur during laundry, experiments are being conducted in our lab’s laundromat facility to simulate real world conditions. Polyester and cotton fabrics, which collectively account for 75% of global fibre consumption, are the primary focus of evaluation. Because is believed that due to their harsher laundry methods more fibres are released during industrial laundry compared to domestic laundry, industrial laundries will also be assessed.

By meticulously collecting and filtering the washing effluent, I examine the mass, number, and morphology of the released fibres. This data will provide crucial insights into the emissions process. This approach seeks to address the significant environmental impact of textile production, making textile manufacturing processes more environmentally friendly and water conscious.

Professional Biography

Melody has over a decade and a half experience working across various fields including water and wastewater science, molecular biology, microbiology and virology. Her proactive approach has not only solidified her expertise but empowered her to make significant contributions to various WaterRA-funded initiatives such as the Cyanosurvey, NatVal and Smart Monitoring Projects with this research leading to several publications which she has co-authored.  She has developed a robust understanding of the Water Industry and established solid internal and external partnerships across diverse business groups.  Notably, Melody has also played a pivotal role in both researching and implementing the South Australian SARS-CoV-2 sewage surveillance program that spanned the jurisdictions of South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the border towns of NSW.  This required the ability to work in a high-pressure and demanding environment.  In 2022, Melody embarked on a PhD journey, enthusiastically supported by her employer, SA Water. This decision reflects her pursuit of further academic growth and a deeper understanding of water-related research.

Presentation Description

Access to safe drinking water, a fundamental human right vital for public health, is guided by the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG). These guidelines provide clear direction to water regulators and suppliers on monitoring and managing drinking water quality. Central to this approach is the utilization of E. coli as a key water quality indicator, with health-based targets enhancing its significance in determining treatment requirements for source waters. However, recent research challenges the conventional belief that the presence of E. coli in water always indicates faecal contamination.

The assumption that all faecal E. coli poses an equal risk is a significant limitation in current water quality assessment. Certain hosts, such as humans and cattle, carry a higher risk due to potential pathogens they may harbor. To address this, markers like Bacteroides 16S and mitochondrial 12S RNA have demonstrated their suitability in catchment screening, providing additional risk discrimination when E. coli monitoring falls short. Challenges, including low target concentrations and intensive sampling efforts, have arisen in implementing these alternative markers.

In this project, we explore the potential of passive sampling devices, known for high sensitivity in detecting low-level contaminants like SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. Simultaneously, efforts are made to enhance current filtration methods to concentrate microbial templates in water samples. If successful, passive sampling could revolutionize microbial source tracking, precisely identifying sources of faecal contamination from humans, livestock, and wildlife. This information holds the promise of guiding tailored pollution control measures, effectively reducing associated health risks within communities.

Professional Biography

Biochemical Engineer with 10 years of experience in R&D, managing full life cycle of water and wastewater treatment projects, from scoping and specifications, design and development, to testing and deployment, while resolving complex technological issues. Wastewater and recycled water treatment experience within the food industry and municipal wastewater treatment plant. During my work at Water-Gen, I managed the research and development, testing and transfer to production of Atmospheric Water from Air. As a Process Engineer at PROXA Water, I investigated and designed solutions for effluent treatment for wineries, breweries, dairies and abattoirs, by optimizing the upstream plant processes with the aim of reducing the cost associated with effluent treatment. As the Recycled Water Treatment and Quality Control Manager at Zerella Fresh, I optimised and redesigned the recycled water treatment plant, commissioned equipment, implemented new technologies and maintained the plant performances to the highest water quality standards. I focused on cost reduction of chemicals and treated water while maintaining safe working environment to the site staff. In my current role with Melbourne Water as a Senior Process Engineer at the Western Treatment Plant, I provide technical leadership for continuous improvement and optimisation of the WTP process. I ensure the most efficient and effective delivery of service outcomes (sewage treatment and recycled water services), as well as meeting regulatory, corporate, community and customer expectations. Ensure process control and performance risk is actively managed to protect delivery of service objectives, aligned with the organisation’s risk appetite.

Presentation Description

During the warmer months of the year, high nutrient concentrations, availability of light, and warm water temperatures not only promote the growth of desirable microalgae, but also contribute to unwanted cyanobacterial blooms. Microcystis is the most widely distributed cyanobacterial species produces Microcystins (MCs). The blooms impact – Prolonged Microcystis blooms at WTP have caused long periods where recycled water is unable to be supplied to customers, particularly of Class A quality. This would be particularly troubling during periods of draught when irrigators require recycled water to substitute for potable and river water. Blooms also cause problems when it accumulates in pumps and infrastructure.

The project will help the Western Treatment Plant, Melbourne Water and the wider Water industry investigating, proposing and delivering effective and environmentally friendly treatment to guarantee the removal of Microcystis and MCs. A scalable solution will help in protecting the wider sensitive eco system, guarantee the function of the lagoons and protect environmental flows and recycled water schemes.

Professional Biography

Parisa received her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science in 2001 from Zanjan University, Iran and commenced working for an established agro-industrial company as a research and development employee followed by working at a veterinary laboratory as a serology technician.

It was during this time that her interest in microbiology was sparked. She was particularly interested in the microbiology of extreme environments and found it exciting to figure out how and why some microbial groups can adapt to extreme conditions.

Her Masters project was undertaken at Extremophile lab, Tehran University, Iran (2009-2012), where she worked on the microbial diversity of hypersaline environments. This gave a good insight into the ability of the microbial community to tolerate harsh conditions. Parisa published three articles, with her main achievement being the reporting of a novel species in a new genus within the family Thermoactinomycetaceae, with the name of Salinithrix halophila.

Parisa’s true passion is working in an academic environment undertaking research, learning new technologies and connecting with a large community of scientists, therefore she decided to study abroad and undertake a PhD at RMIT University assessing the microbial ecology of post fire ecosystems.

Presentation Description

This presentation focuses on the role of microorganisms in burned soils restoration and showing the changes in their enzymatic activity which can be used to take advantage of wildfires to refine some of its huge economic costs by applying this information in enzyme producing and utilizing industries. Understanding how soil microbial communities’ change after a fire can help predict the impact on carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions. Bacteria possess significant adaptive potential due to their population sizes and quick reproduction rates. Changes in temperature and other environmental factors can trigger evolution in bacteria, equipping them with the ability to tolerate high temperatures.

Soil microbial biomass, activity, and diversity show different sensitivity to fire and how the fire’s impact on soil microbial diversity can persist in the long term. This project aims to determine if being under the sequential two-yearly burning for more than 50 years (in comparison with non-burned aria) resulted in a microbial community more capable of degrading recalcitrant C sources. In this research, plant litter decomposition will be assessed as an index of microbial activity using 3 types of commercially available tea bags: green tea, rooibos tea and dark tea (Pu-Erh tea). Due to the important role of lignin-degrading enzymes in the degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dark tea with a high PAH content will be used in this experiment for the first time as a second type of recalcitrant carbon source to assess the effect of lignin-degrading enzymes on PAHs.

Professional Biography

Praveen originally from Chennai, Southern coast of India, is deeply passionate about sustainability and circular economy and currently studying his PhD research in Global centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER) at the University of Newcastle under the supervision of Professor Megharaj Mallavarapu. Sponsored by ARC special research initiative, Praveen was the recipient of Water Research Australia’s Associate student membership in 2022. His research project received an additional financial support from Wine Australia in 2022. Before undertaking PhD, Praveen was working in sustainability, environmental engineering and solar energy sectors in India and has over 8 years of industrial experience. Praveen hopes to use the skills and related work experience he has gained over the year to pursue a career in wastewater and climate change research.

Presentation Description

Treatment of winery wastewater by conventional methods pose severe stress on the environment and efficiency of the winery operations. To combat these challenges and increase the efficiency and productivity, winery wastewater treatment requires innovative technologies all through embracing sustainability and climate change. Winery wastewater has a high nutrient content and its use directly on soils can cause severe impact on vineyards ecosystem over long term. Therefore, creating a valuable resource from wastewater and at the same time, moving to a carbon-neutral treatment process enhances the approach towards phycoremediation (Microalgae bioremediation process). In simple terms, microalgae have the potential to deliver sustainability and paradigm shift to wastewater treatment in wineries. This research work investigates the application of algal bioremediation process for winery wastewater with solar power for sustainable production of value-added products from biomass.

Professional Biography

Having completed his honours degree in Industrial Statistics at University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, Rehan’s passion lies in the fields of Data Science and Machine Learning (ML) with a focus to support corporative and real-life decision-making under uncertainty factors.  His corporative experience has improved his Python and R language skills to work with statistical models on practical applications. His current project focuses on probabilistic modelling and optimisation to support decision making under uncertainty in structured domains. Rehan is an OPTIMA Industry PhD student, based at Monash University node, working with South East Water as the industry partner. He is supervised by Assoc Prof Guido Tack and Dr Mario Boley at Monash University, and Dr David Bergmann and Dr Jonathan Crook from South East Water.

Presentation Description

Water has become a limited resource across the globe. Therefore, researchers
in both academic and corporate sectors are investigating methods for using water more sustainably. Network leakages are a common issue, where a significant amount of drinking water is lost when distributing water by a water utility provider. These water leaks represent a loss of usable drinking water.

Industry partner South East Water (SEW), a water utility provider in metropolitan Melbourne, has developed a vibration sensor device named “Sotto” to detect leaks within the network in order to reduce wastage. My project focuses on developing new optimisation algorithms to determine the optimum number and placement of Sotto sensors and other smart water network devices, minimising the overall cost of the sensors plus the cost of non-revenue water leaks. This cost optimisation problem crucially depends on the sensitivity of the Sotto devices and the leak distribution (or leak size) along the network. Hence, we will integrate suitable statistical models into the optimisation algorithms to solve the combined predict-and-optimise problem.

The proposed methods help in finding potential sensor placement locations in their network rather than placing sensors at every possible location. Hence, these methods help to save the cost of leakages in the network with a minimum set of sensors placed. Additionally, since the efficiency of the model is an aspect that is planned to be addressed, the methods can be easily implemented on a real-time basis and used for day-to-day operations.

Professional Biography

Shamima, who grew up in the hilly region of Bangladesh, developed a strong passion for environmental preservation from a young age. Her Bachelor degree led to the final research  being in the field of polymer composites. Both her Bachelor and Masters degrees were undertaken at the University of Dhaka, specializing in Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. During her Masters research, she earned a prestigious National Science and Technology (NST) Fellowship. After completing her Masters degree, Shamima initially worked as a scientific officer at the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR). However, her true calling was in teaching, and she embarked on a career as a chemistry lecturer at the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) in a government college. During her time as a lecturer, Shamima’s interest in research was reignited, particularly in the field of Environmental Chemistry, with a focus on waste management. This interest had its roots in her university years when she first encountered the topic of biogas in high school. Her enthusiasm for this subject continued to grow during her university studies, with Environmental Chemistry becoming her favourite subject. Shamima began her PhD research journey in January 2023 at the University of Queensland, specializing in Chemical Engineering with a focus on Biosolids.

Presentation Description

The thermal treatment of biosolids in Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) has been identified as a sustainable approach for managing solids. This treatment process produces biochar (BC) and hydrochar (HC), both of which have numerous potential applications. Notably, their integration as additives in the anaerobic digestion (AD) of waste activated sludge (WAS) and primary sludge (PS) is drawing increased attention for its potential to improve digestion efficiency. This study offers an exhaustive review focusing on the utilization of biosolids-derived BC and HC in AD, especially emphasizing their recycled use following thermal treatment at WWTPs.

A detailed systematic literature review was conducted to evaluate the potential of biosolids-derived BC and HC in enhancing the AD of WAS. This review combined existing knowledge, identified research gaps, and assessed the practicality and effectiveness of using BC and HC as AD enhancers. Complimenting the literature review, a batch experiment was conducted to observe the effects of these by-products on the mesophilic AD process of WAS. The experiment employed a specific dosage of 5 grams per liter (g/L) with an initial substrate-to-inoculum ratio (ISR) of 2:1.

This presentation will summarize the crucial insights from both the literature review and the experimental investigation. Key discussions will cover the impact of adding BC and HC to AD, including the potential benefits and associated challenges. Additionally, the presentation aims to provide direction for future research, with a focus on maximizing the beneficial use of biosolids-derived by-products to enhance the environmental sustainability of wastewater treatment practices.

Professional Biography

In October 2023, Xueying Zhang commenced her PhD at The University of Queensland, driven by a passion for carbon neutrality and net-zero emissions and a profound desire to contribute towards their realisation. She had previously completed her Bachelor of Engineering degree, majoring in Chemical Engineering, at The University of Queensland in 2022. Subsequently, she made the decisive shift into wastewater engineering by pursuing a PhD. Her project centres on the direct removal of unwanted gases (GHG, NOx, H2S) using a scrubber with a precise dosage of chemicals or a catalyst.

Presentation Description

Australian water utilities are actively pursuing the goal of achieving net-zero emissions in the coming decades. The primary greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions contributing to their carbon footprint include nitrous oxide, methane, and anthropogenic carbon dioxide. Currently, considerable efforts are underway to adapt existing treatment processes, ensuring low GHG emissions without compromising removal efficiency.

Certain plants near residential areas consistently manage emitted gases through collecting and treatment for odour removal before releasing them into the atmosphere. This presents an opportunity for end-of-pipeline treatments of fugitive emissions. Nitrous oxide (N2O), known for its solubility in water, holds the potential for oxidation or reduction to harmless forms through chemical processes. Ongoing research on catalytic reactions with N2O has shown promising results, achieving up to 90% removal efficiencies. Future investigations should focus on identifying removal efficiency, cost considerations, and the potential for commercialisation.

In sludge handling, treatments involving high temperatures, such as incineration, pyrolysis, and gasification, offer effective sludge volume and pathogen reduction. However, concerns arise from gaseous byproducts like N2O, NOX, CO2, and SO2, necessitating their removal before release. While existing commercialised gas treatment technologies like SNCR and SCR can achieve the desired removal efficiency, their high capital and operational costs present challenges. Therefore, there is a need for more economical and straightforward technologies to be researched in this domain.

Professional Biography

Originally from Lebanon, Soulayma’s academic journey commenced from the beginning of her tertiary studies at the Lebanese University with a bachelor’s in Applied Science and 2 Masters in Plant Biology and Phyto-ecology.  Soulayma then embarked on a transformative journey that led her to Melbourne in 2018 with the objective of advancing her academic journey. She secured her Master’s in Biotechnology from RMIT University, where she distinguished herself by finishing in the top 2% of the higher education graduates. Soulayma then earned the prestigious Vice Chancellor Scholarship for her PhD. Currently in her second year of doctoral studies, Soulayma’s research is dedicated to the valorisation of agricultural waste for bioplastic production where she focuses on developing a bioprocess to produce bioplastics from sugarcane bagasse. Soulayma hopes to use her experience and skills to advance knowledge on the management and recycling of sustainable resources.

Presentation Description

Conventional plastic materials produced from non-renewable resources such as petroleum-based plastics pose serious environmental concerns due to their non-degradable nature. Each year, over 300 million tons of plastic are produced worldwide, from which at least 14 million tons end up in surface waters. In recent years, bioplastics have gained significant attention for being biodegradable, sustainable and ecofriendly alternatives to fuel derived plastics.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are bioplastics produced by microorganisms i.e., bacteria and archaea, with similar properties to synthetic plastics. Despite the increased interest in PHAs, its deployment into the market is still in early stages due to its high production cost, mainly the cost of carbon sources used in the microbial cultivation process. Thus, the need to find efficient and cheap substrates to advance the production of PHAs. Organic wastes such as agricultural waste are largely produced worldwide.  The use of these residues as alternative for PHAs production not only reduces the cost of production but also helps to preserve the limited fossil fuel resources.

Sugarcane bagasse (SCB) is one of the most abundant agricultural lignocellulosic wastes in Australia. It can be converted into PHAs due to its high content of polysaccharides. However, due to the pre-treatment step required to release sugars from bagasse and the lack of suitable production process, SCB is mainly incinerated or sent to landfill. Hence, my project focuses on enhancing the production of PHAs using SCB, as feedstock, in order to improve the feasibility of producing bioplastics at large scale.

Professional Biography

Tim is a PhD student at RMIT University. He completed his bachelors of Applied Science (biology) at RMIT, where he developed an interest in environmental science and microbial ecology. He swiftly went on to do a Masters of Biotechnology at RMIT as well, which involved a brief literature-based project on techniques for detection of microorganisms in wastewater and sewage environments. Immediately after finishing, Tim started his PhD and joined the ARC Training Centre for Transformation of Australia’s Biosolids Resource through RMIT, where he is currently researching anaerobic digestion foaming issues and contributing to the training centres project 1C: The impact of microbial ecology on operation of biosolids treatment trains. Tim hopes his work will contribute to sustainability and he envisions developing a meaningful career in the wastewater science field.

Presentation Description

Production of biogas (a renewable energy source) through anaerobic digestion is an important pathway for renewable energy generation from waste, which is especially important for moving towards a circular economy. Pressures to develop renewable energy technologies due to climate change increase the need for improvements in anaerobic digestion to keep up with other technologies.

Foaming is one of the most common operational issues in anaerobic digesters. Foaming refers to trapped gas bubbles in the sludge. It is a major issue as it can reduce biogas production, disrupt mixing and cause various safety issues. These problems increase the cost of anaerobic digestion, through clean-up and increased maintenance etc. Foaming can be caused by many factors and the mechanism is not well understood. However, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) which are produced by microbes in the anaerobic digesters are thought to be significant, as they can act as surface active agents to stabilise foam in anaerobic digestion as well as other wastewater treatments.

This presentation explains an experiment for exploring the metagenome of foaming anaerobic digesters by identifying EPS producers and EPS genes which may be linked to foaming. This experiment will provide insights into the foaming mechanism to enable development of management strategies. The presentation will address background information of anaerobic digestion and foaming as well as explain the proposed methodology.

Professional Biography

Following high school, Vaughan decided a that a gap year was in order. This gap year was intended to clarify that engineering was the ‘right’ academic choice for future vocational happiness. Following vocational experimentation in hospitality; riding motorbikes, driving trucks, staff and desks at Australia Post; 27 gap years would ultimately elapse before enrolment in a Bachelor of Environmental Engineering at Deakin University. Following graduation in 2021, Vaughan was granted a PhD research place at Deakin University to investigate water quality outcomes in water transmission and distribution systems affected by bushfires. When not at research, Vaughan satisfies a road cycling addiction and is part of a small wind farm design team.

Presentation Description

Water authorities in many bushfire prone areas have recently been challenged by compromised water supply and quality in the aftermath of unprecedented bushfires. Climate modelling predicts an escalation of bushfire weather events, significant increase in the severity and frequency of fires and an expansion of areas considered ‘fire prone’.

Bushfire typically impacts drinking water networks through thermally induced damage. Radiant heat from the fire front, combustion due to flame or ember contact and soil thermal propagation have all been observed to destroy or damage assets. Drinking water in networks exposed to extreme bushfire damage has been found to contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) well above health guideline values. VOC profiles in drinking water suggest that a combination of smoke intrusion and thermally induced chemical leaching from plastic pipes and appurtenances are the likely cause.

This presentation describes research trials developed to expand our current understanding of the impact to drinking water quality in thermally exposed PE and PVC pipes. Four key variables are applied in the research trials – plastic pipe material type, thermal exposure temperature, thermal exposure duration and duration of test water stagnation. Results of test water quality analysis collated from a matrix of key variables will inform our understanding of the impact of various bushfire scenarios on drinking water quality in plastic pipes. Further, results obtained in these trials, when combined with knowledge collected from existing literature, will subsequently be applied to develop quantitative risk consequence scoring for a new GIS compatible tool for water authority application.

Professional Biography

Vincent is a PhD candidate in the School of Computing and Information Systems at the University of Melbourne. His main research interests lie in machine learning and optimisation. His project area explores the interplay between these two fields and how they can be more tightly integrated. Vincent is affiliated to the new ARC Training Centre OPTIMA with the industry partner South East Water. The focus of his applied work is on adapting such a framework to the water sector to make more informed decisions.

Presentation Description

Our industry partner South East Water has a significant amount of pressure sewer systems installed in the Peninsula which feeds into the Boneo water recycling plant. Currently, volumes at the residential level are released without any system control. This represents a considerable amount of sewage conveyed through the sewer network and to handle for the plant, resulting in stress on the treatment processes and increased capital costs of upsized pipe and pump networks.

Volumes can be retained in pressure sewer tanks at the residential level and selectively released in a way that can optimise the flows to provide network capacity increases of the current network and improve operations of the downstream treatment plant.

We investigate combining prediction and optimisation (predict-plus-optimise) to better manage peak sewage flows. We generate realistic possible future scenarios, and then develop optimisation models to generate pumping plans that try to smooth out flows into the network.

Professional Biography

Stephanie Faulks recently graduated from Griffith University’s Bachelor of Health Science program, majoring in Environmental Health. This program ignited her passion for One Health, climate action and the application of circular economy principles in resource and environmental management. Growing up on the North-West coast of Tasmania, Stephanie has a special connection and appreciation for the region’s pristine environment, unique landscape, and rich biodiversity. Stephanie is curious about complex environmental health phenomena and new approaches to tackle them. With a desire to challenge herself, strengthen her research and modelling skills and gain experience within the water industry, Stephanie decided to continue her studies through undertaking Honours. She was fortunate to be able to co-develop her proposal with her industry sponsor and is looking forward to a challenging and rewarding year.

Presentation Description

Climate change, natural disasters, and rapid population growth are exacerbating water scarcity. Purified recycled wastewater presents a rainfall-independent means of addressing water insecurity. However, antimicrobial resistance has been identified by the water industry as a growing concern in the delivery of wastewater treatment and water recycling schemes.

Through the use and misuse of antimicrobials, resistance is growing, meaning more antimicrobials that are used to prevent and treat infections are becoming ineffective. Human exposure to antimicrobial resistance can occur through a number of environmental pathways including contact with polluted waters that contain resistant microorganisms. Research has shown that antimicrobial resistance genes are consistently being measured in treated wastewater, however, limited scientific knowledge exists to explain this phenomenon.

My proposed project aims to model the factors influencing the occurrence and fate of antimicrobial resistance genes through an advanced water treatment system. It will draw on both grey and published literature, expert opinion, and monitoring data to explore factors likely to influence the presence and persistence of antimicrobial resistance genes and the effectiveness of treatment barriers.

The knowledge gained through these multiple avenues will form the basis of a Bayesian Belief Network model to predict the presence and fate of antimicrobial resistance. It is hoped that this model can be used by stakeholders as a decision support tool to help understand and manage antimicrobial resistance in an advanced water treatment plant and supply network. The ability to incorporate uncertainty and to complement data with expert knowledge makes Bayesian Network modelling a useful tool to support environmental health risk assessment, decision-making and strategy evaluation.

Stephanie hopes her research can contribute to the globally significant challenge of antimicrobial resistance, inspiring better stewardship and conservation, ensuring antimicrobials remain effective for future generations to come.

Professional Biography

Growing up in Hangzhou, a beautiful city in southeast of China, Tianyi joined UWA for PhD. study after completing his undergraduate and master study in Zhejiang University, China. The 7 years study in Zhejiang University, Tianyi develops his passion on environmental science, takes part in 2 scientific projects and contributes to 5 papers. After getting the bachelor and master degree in Zhejiang University, Tianyi chooses to continue his PhD study at the UWA under the supervision of Prof Anas Ghadouani and Dr Liah Coggins. Now he is awarded UWA China Scholarship and UWA Top-up Scholarship and his project is associate with project 3A: linking stability, odour and production route of ARC training centre of transforming biosolids. UWA is one partner of this project.

Presentation Description

As a by-product of wastewater treatment, 1.4 million tonnes of biosolids were produced in 2021, and there is almost 1×108 tonnes of biosolids generation per year globally and this will reach 1.75×108 tonnes by 2050. Although the total amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from waste industry is less than 3% of global GHGs emissions, wastewater handling and land disposal of biosolids contribute 54% and 43% of this emission, respectively. As one kind of biosolids management solution, biosolids stockpiling contributed 13% of total biosolids produced in Australia in 2021. Research found that biosolids stockpile was the main source greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, especially for nitrous oxide (N2O), which is the most powerful GHG, contributing 300 times to global warming compared to carbon dioxide (CO2). Therefore, measures to mitigate N2O emission from biosolids stockpile should be taken. To accomplish this goal, we need to identify microorganism communities and the microbial pathways related to N2O production to determine mitigation and management solutions to decrease N2O emissions from biosolids stockpiles. The aims of this research are to: 1) determine the stockpiling physical conditions (depth, temperature, additional filler, etc.) which influence the release of N2O from biosolids; 2) develop the predictive model for the estimation of N2O production using a new rapid detection flow cytometry (FCM)-based approach technique; and 3) identify the microbial communities responsible for N2O production during biosolids stockpile and provide suggestion in its management.