KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Zhaoyin WANG
Tsinghua University, China
Biography:
Zhaoyin WANG (Oct. 1951, Shandong, China) is professor of Tsinghua
University and the Chairman of the Advisory Council of the
International Research and Training Center on Erosion and Sedimentation
(UNESCO). He is president of the World Association of
Sedimentation and Erosion Research (WASER). He was elected in 2011
and 2013 as the vice president of IAHR and the chairman of the division
of Hydro-environment of IAHR. Dr. Wang was the chief editor of the
“International Journal of Sediment Research” from 1996 to 2013. He was
one of the initiators of the IAHR journal “International Journal of
River Basin Management”. He is associate editor of “Journal of
Environmental Informatics”. He is a member of the steering committee of
UNESCO International Sedimentation Initiative.
His research interests include sediment transportation, river ecology
and integrated river management. He has published 230 odd papers in
international journals and international conferences, and published 210
books and papers in Chinese journals. He is the author of 8 books on
sedimentation, integrated river management and ecology. The American
Society of Civil Engineers awarded him the 2011 Hans Albert Einstein
Award. In 1995, Dr. Zhaoyin WANG was the first
Recipient of the National Outstanding Youth Fund supported by the
National Natural Science Foundation of China for research on unsteady
flow and high sediment flow and debris flow, with the project no.
59425005. The award citation reads: ”For his unique contributions
for understanding of hyperconcentrated flows, debris flows, watershed
vegetation-erosion dynamics, stream ecology and restoration, and
integrated river basin management.” In selecting him for this award the
selection committee particularly noted significant advances that are
currently being used to address the complex environmental erosion and
sedimentation in China and all over the world.
Dr. Wang has been invited and delivered 26 keynote lectures and invited
lectures at international conferences, including IAHR congresses and
symposiums, International Symposia on River Sedimentation, and
International Symposium on Eco-hydraulics.
►Speech title "Sediment resources and eco-sedimentation"
Abstract-Sediment
is important resources. The world rivers carry 19 billion tons of
sediment to the river mouths and create more than 200 km2
of delta land annually. The gender of
deltas depends on the ratio of annual sediment load to the annual water.
A male delta develops if the ratio is high and the tidal currents are
weak. A female delta develops if the ratio is low. Male delta is
unstable and has only one or two channels flowing into the sea in
general. Female delta is stable and has multiple channels and numerous
islands. The aquatic ecology of female rivers is much better than male
rivers.
The economic development of deltas and coastal areas has resulted in
extremely high price of land. Artificial land creation with sediment has
been practiced in many countries. In female deltas the price of land is
extremely high because of navigation development. While in male deltas,
there are plenty of sediment resources. Therefore, artificial land
creation occurs both in female deltas and male deltas. The efficiency of
artificial land-creation is about 125 km2
per billion tons of sediment, more than 10 times that of natural
land-creation. The total area of artificial land in China has exceeded
10,000 km2.
About 60% of the 18,000 km long coastline of China have become man-made
coastline due to reclamation and land creation.
There is a lack of land in mountainous areas in southwestern China.
Sedimentation in barrier lakes made the river valley wide and flat,
creating land for agriculture and residence from mountains. The rate of
uplift Himalaya Mountains is different along the Yalongzangbu River
valley forming several rock barriers. Sedimentation has occurred in the
low uplift rate sections and stream bed incision has occurred in the
high uplift sections. As a result, about 500 billion m3
of sediment deposited in the high mountain river valleys over last
million years and more than 3000km2
of flat land have been created. The same stories occur in other river
valleys in western China due mostly to sedimentation in landslide dam
lakes.
"
Gustavo Santoyo
National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico
Biography: Dr. Gustavo Santoyo obtained his Doctor of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in 2005 and did postdoctoral studies during 2005-2007 at the Center for Cancer Research, NIH, USA, as well as a sabbatical year (2014-2015) at the Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada. He is currently a full-time research professor at the Institute of Chemical and Biological Research of the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, in Morelia, Mexico. His research interest is led towards plant-microbe interactions, biocontrol of fungal pathogens, development of bioinoculants for agricultural crops, and basic research on microbial diversity of extreme environments. In these research areas he has published 80 scientific publications with more than 3,800 citations and a h-factor 29. In the Academy, He has supervised more than 30 doctoral, master and undergrad thesis. Dr. Santoyo is a member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences and the National Research System (SNI) of the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) in Mexico.
►Speech title "Bacteria and fungi as bioinoculants: recent trends in the 21st-Century Sustainable Agriculture"
Abstract-The constant growth of the human population demands more and
more healthy foods. However, to produce such foods, a balance between
the environment and the society that produces them is required, this is
sustainable agriculture. And although the challenges may be diverse, in
this talk we will talk about the role that microorganisms associated
with plants play in stimulating the production and health of crops.
Laboratory and field studies have shown that plant growth promoting
bacteria and fungi, as they are widely known, exhibit mechanisms that
inhibit the growth of potential pathogens such as the production of
antibiotics, enzymes and metabolites that induce the plant's immune
system. Some of these compounds also help the plant take up nutrients
from the soil, which may not be bioavailable. These microorganisms also
produce phytohormones that regulate plant development, even under stress
conditions, including auxin, cytokinin, gibberellin, and ethylene.
Finally, there is a paradigm shift in current agricultural practices
around the world, and the use and application of bacteria and fungi as
bioinoculants (biofumigants or biostimulants) is part of that challenge.
(Neal) Tai-Shung Chung
Honorary Chair Professor, Jade Mountain Chair Professor, Graduate
Institute of Applied Science and Technology, National Taiwan University
of Science and Technology (NTUST); Emeritus Professor, National
University of Singapore (NUS); Fellow, Academy of Engineering Singapore
Biography: Prof. Neal Tai-Shung Chung is a Jade Mountain Chair professor at Graduate Institute of Applied Science and Technology, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST), Taiwan. Before joining NTUST, he was a Provost’s Chair Professor at the ChBE dept of National University of Singapore in 2011-2021. His research focuses on polymeric membranes for clean water, clear energy and pharmaceutic separation. In 2005-2008, he worked as a Senior Consultant for Hyflux, led and built its membrane research. He became a Fellow in the Academy of Engineering Singapore in 2012 and received IChemE (Institute of Chemical Engineers, UK) Underwood Medal for exceptional research in separations and Singapore President’s Technology Award in 2015. He was ranked as No. 7 in Chemical Engineering worldwide by the list of “the top 2% scientists in the world” published by Stanford University in 2020, http://www.globalauthorid.com/WebPortal/EliteOrder. 2020 and the top 0.1% of scholars on Water Purification over the past 10 years, as "World Expert" by Expertscape in 2021. Water Purification: Worldwide - Expertscape.com. His H-index = 121 (Scopus) or 139 (Google Scholar) (Sept 21, 2022). He is an editorial board member of more than 20 journals including J. Membrane Science, Env. Sci. & Tech., AIChE J, Separation & Purification Techno., I&EC Research, and many others.
►Speech title "Advanced nanocomposite membranes for clean energy and clean water applications"
Abstract-Clean water, clean energy, global warming and affordable healthcare are four major concerns globally resulting from clean water shortages, high fluctuations of oil prices, climate changes and high costs of healthcare. Clean water and public health are highly related, while clean energy is essential for sustainable prosperity. Among many potential solutions, advances in membrane materials and technology are one of the most direct, effective and feasible approaches to solve these sophisticated issues. Membrane technology is a fully integrated science and engineering which consists of materials science and engineering, chemistry and chemical engineering, separation and purification phenomena, environmental science and sustainability, molecular simulation, process and product design. In this presentation, we will introduce and summarize our efforts on nanomaterials for membrane development in the fields of clean water and clean energy production. Various material and fabrication strategies to enhance membrane performance will be discussed. We will also discuss other emerging membrane technologies for water reuse, seawater desalination, osmotic power generation, H2 production and CO2 capture.
Xu Zhihong
Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
Biography:
I have published 374 refereed journal and
conference papers (including 314 journal papers) and 2 books, with 115
refereed papers (including 114 journal papers) in the past 5 years. In
the past 30 years since completion of my PhD project in January 1991, I
have undertaken research projects extensively in: (a) biogeochemical
processes of carbon (C) and nutrients in terrestrial ecosystems from
agricultural, agroforestry and forest ecosystems in Australia, China,
Europe and USA; (b) development and application of innovative stable
isotope, biomolecular and physiological techniques for assessing both
genetic and environmental controls of plant water and nutrient use
efficiency; (c) soil fertility and plant nutrition; (d) development and
application of advanced stable isotope, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)
and biomolecular techniques for studying biogeochemical processes of C
and nutrient cycling which underpin ecosystem productivity and
sustainability; (e) environmental management and food security; and (f)
innovative tree ring technologies for unravelling long-term and complex
impacts of climate change and local management/historical episodes on
biogeochemical cycles, ecosystem productivity and sustainability.
I have secured more than $22M of external funding support, with most
coming from national competitive grants (including 9 Australian Research
Council (ARC) Linkage grants, 4 ARC LIEF grants and 3 ARC Discovery
grants). I am currently co-supervisor of 2 postdoctoral and research
fellows, 12 PhD students, and 5 visiting scientists, with 25
postdoctoral research fellows, 35 PhD and 4 M. Phil / M.Sc. students, 24
visiting scientists and 5 honours students successfully completing their
projects under my co-supervision.
I was a member of the ARC College of Experts (2008-2010) and of the ARC
Research Evaluation Committee for the 2012 Excellence in Research for
Australia (ERA 2012). Since 2006, I have served as the Chair for the
Forest Soils Working Group of International Union of Soil Science. I am
currently the Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Soils and Sediments (SCI IF
2020: 3.308), Editor of Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. (SCI IF 2020: 4.223),
Coordinating Editor of Environ. Geochem. Health. (SCI IF 2020: 4.609),
and a member of Pedosphere (2020 IF: 3.911) Editorial Board. I regularly
review manuscripts for more than 86 international journals, including
the leading international journals for environmental (e.g. Global Change
Biol. & Environ. Sci. Technol.), forestry (e.g. Tree Physiol. & For.
Ecol. Manage.), and soil sciences (e.g. Soil Biol. Biochem. & Geoderma).
I have been appointed as the Overseas Correspondence Assessor for
Selection of the prestigious Outstanding Professorships – “Changjiang
Scholars Program” with Chinese Leading Universities under the China
Ministry of Education (2005-), and an Overseas Assessor for the Chinese
Academy of Sciences (CAS) (2004-). I am also a regular assessor of
research grant applications from leading international funding bodies
(e.g. National Science Foundation of USA, Natural Science and
Engineering Research Council of Canada, Canada Foundation for
Innovation, and the International Science Foundation in Sweden). I have
been appointed as an Adjunct Professor in the CAS research institutes
and leading universities in China; and have undertaken a series of high
quality international research projects with leading scientists in
Canada, China, Europe and USA.
Citation Statistics (Web of Science: 16/03/2022): h-index – 48; total
citations: 8147 (>5000 for papers published since I joined Griffith as a
professor in 2004).
►Speech title "Global convergence of non-linear responses in tree growth to climate change"
Abstract-Tree water use efficiency (WUE) has increased globally in the past 150 years, but this has not been translated into global increases in tree growth consistently in space and time. Complex and dynamic forest ecosystems would respond non-linearly to climate change with multiple factors over a long period, and can have tipping points or critical boundaries / thresholds at which a sudden shift to a contrasting dynamic regime might occur. However, prediction of such critical points / thresholds before they are being reached is extremely difficult. Indeed, our comprehensive studies undertaken in the last 15 years (mostly unpublished) have shown for the first time that long-term tree growth of beech and oak in temperate central Europe (Belgium) responded non-linearly to rising atmospheric carbon (C) dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) limitation. This is due to the increasing mean annual temperature and decreasing summer rainfall during 1840s–1990s. It is the initial CO2 fertilisation and then warming-induced water limitation that control tree growth under climate change. This would result in decreased forest CO2 assimilation and increasing atmospheric CO2, leading to accelerated global warming and increasing water limitation. We have tested the CO2 fertilisation - warming-induced water limitation model globally, and our exciting major findings (unpublished) have highlighted that there is a global decline in tree growth beyond the tipping points of atmospheric CO2: average atmospheric CO2 tipping point at 327.5 ppm or reached in ca. 1972 for tropical tree species, with the corresponding mean tipping points of 340.5 ppm or 1981 (Mediterranean), 341.3 ppm or 1982 (temperate), 349.0 ppm or 1987 (arid), 353.7 ppm or 1990 (subtropical) and 363.5 ppm or 1997 (boreal). It is interesting to note that the atmospheric CO2 tipping points for a given biome (such as temperate) would be influenced by both biotic (e.g. tree species and age) and abiotic factors (e.g. water and N availability), but there is a global convergence of atmospheric CO2 tipping point at 346.0 ppm or in 1986, which is surprisingly approaching to the theoretical or model-predicted atmospheric CO2 tipping point of 350 ppm.
Miklas Scholz
Lund University, Sweden
Biography: Prof. Miklas Scholz, cand ing, BEng (equiv), PgC, MSc, PhD, DSc, CWEM, CEnv, CSci, CEng, FHEA, FIEMA, FCIWEM, FICE, Fellow of IWA, Fellow of IETI, has published four books and 283 journal articles. Prof. Scholz has total citations of over 9577 (above 5225 citations since 2017), resulting in an h-index of 49 and an i10-Index of 180. A bibliometric analysis of all constructed wetland-related publications and corresponding authors with a minimum number of 20 publications and 100 citations indicates that Miklas is on place 5 in the world of about 70 authors (including those who have sadly passed away). In 2019, Prof. Scholz was awarded EURO 7M for the EU H2020 REA project Water Retention and Nutrient Recycling in Soils and Streams for Improved Agricultural Production (WATERAGRI). He received EURO 1.52M for the JPI Water 2018 project Research-based Assessment of Integrated approaches to Nature-based SOLUTIONS (RAINSOLUTIONS).
►Speech title "Novel Water Retention and Nutrient Management Technologies and Strategies Supporting Agricultural Water Management in Continental, Pannonian and Boreal Regions
Abstract-Urgent water and food security challenges, particularly in continental and boreal regions, need to be addressed by initiatives such as the Horizon 2020-funded project WATer retention and nutrient recycling in soils and streams for improved AGRIcultural production (WATERAGRI). A new methodological framework for the sustainable management of various solutions resilient to climate change has been developed. The results indicate that the effect of the climate scenario is significantly different for peatlands and constructed wetlands. The findings also highlight that remote-sensing-based yield prediction models developed from vegetation indices have the po-tential to provide quantitative and timely information on crops for large regions or even at the local farm scale. Verification of remotely sensed data is one of the prerequisites for the proper utilization and understanding of data. Research shows that current serious game applications fall short due to challenges such as not clarifying the decision problem, the lack of use of decision quality indicators and limited use of gaming. Overall, WATERAGRI solutions improve water and food security by adapting agriculture to climate change, recycling nutrients and providing edu-cational tools to the farming community. Farmers in small agricultural catchments benefit directly from WATERAGRI, but over the long-term, the general public does as well.
Korneel Rabaey
Ghent University, Belgium
Biography:
Korneel Rabaey (20/11/1977) is professor at the Center for Microbial
Ecology and Technology (CMET), Department of Biotechnology at Ghent
University as well as honorary professor at The University of
Queensland. He is one of the founders of CAPTURE
(www.capture-resources.be ), a center focusing on resource recovery in
the fields of Water, Carbon Capture and Utilization and Plastics to
Resource. He is founder of HYDROHM (www.hydrohm.com), a company focusing
on electrification in the water sector. His main research efforts are
on:
1. Resource recovery from wastewater, particularly metals and nutrients
2. Decentralized treatment technology
3. Bio-electrochemistry and electrochemistry for bioproduction and
bioremediation
4. Microbial protein production as a novel route for carbon neutral or
negative feed, food or polymer
Typically a combination of electrochemical and/or microbial approaches
is used to achieve formation of added value products. He is the author
or co-author of over 200 refereed articles attracting over 34000
citations, listing him as an ISI Highly Cited Researcher. He is Fellow
of the International Water Association and was laureate of the Royal
Academy (Belgium) in 2016. He is executive editor in chief of
Environmental Science & Ecotechnology, as well as Editorial Advisory
Board member for Environmental Science & Technology.
►Speech
title "Bioelectroremediation: electricity driven biotechnology"
Abstract-Globally, thousands of sites are polluted by contaminants that could be bioconverted to a safer form. However, due to the absence of an electron donor or acceptor, or the right biocatalyst, the contaminants remain. Bioelectroremediation is a novel approach whereby microorganisms are using electricity or solid state minerals as electron donor or acceptor to drive the bioconversions. In the ELECTRA project (http://electra.site ), teams of the EU and China developed a multitude of approaches for different classes of contaminants, ranging from nitrates and chlorinated hydrocarbons to metals. The approaches either used an engineered technology, actively driving electrical current, or relied on electromicrobial concepts in which e.g. nature based systems were electrified passively. In my presentation, I will give an overview of the key approaches and outcomes of the ELECTRA project including some of the early data obtained from the pilot trials.
Rainer Helmig
University of
Stuttgart, Germany
Biography:
Rainer Helmig is the head of the Department of Hydromechanics and
Modelling of Hydrosystems (LH2) at the Institute for Modelling Hydraulic
and Environmental Systems (IWS) of the University of Stuttgart, founded
in 2000. Since 2018, he is the spokesman of the interdisciplinary and
international Collaborative Research Centre (SFB) 1313 „Interface-Driven
Multi-Field Processes in Porous Media. Flow, Transport and Deformation”
of the University of Stuttgart, funded by the German Research Foundation
(DFG). From 2018 to 2021 he was a member of the board of directors of
the Cluster of Excellence EXC 2075 "Data-integrated Simulation Science"
of the University of Stuttgart. Before, he covered this function for 10
years in the Cluster of Excellence EXC 310 “Simulation Technology”. From
2019 to 2022, he was awarded the Magne Espedal Honorary Professorship of
the University of Bergen (Norway). In 2020, he was elected as one of the
AGU Fellows by the American Geophysical Union. Since 2021, Rainer Helmig
holds a research professorship at the University of Stuttgart.
Rainer Helmig was born in Hamm in 1957, studied civil engineering at the
University of Hanover and completed his PhD there in 1993 on the “Theory
and Numerics of Multiphase Flows in Fissured, Porous Media”. He was
promoted to professor at the University of Stuttgart in 1996 on the
subject of “Coupled Underground Flow and Transport Processes - A
Contribution to Hydrosystem Modeling”.
►Speech
title "Numerical models for evaluating the competitive use of the
subsurface: the influence of energy storage and production in
groundwater"
Abstract-The subsurface is being increasingly utilised both as a
resource and as an energy and waste repository. Historically, there have
been few issues of concern related to competition between resources,
with groundwater contamination being a notable exception. However, with
increasing exploitation, resource conflicts are becoming increasingly
common and complex. Current issues in this regard include, for example,
the long-range impact of mechanical, chemical and thermal energy storage
on groundwater resources, and the complex effects surrounding hydraulic
fracturing in both geothermal and shale gas production. To analyse and
predict the mutual influence of subsurface projects and their impact on
groundwater reservoirs, advanced numerical models are necessary.
In general, these subsurface systems include processes of varying
complexity occurring in different parts of the domain of interest. These
processes mostly take place on different spatial and temporal scales. It
is extremely challenging to model such systems in an adequate way,
accounting for the spatially varying and scale-dependent character of
these processes.
In this lecture, we will:
• give an overview of possible utilisation conflicts in subsurface
systems and of how the groundwater is affected;
• review several model coupling concepts with a focus on the author’s
work in this field. The concepts are divided into temporal and spatial
coupling concepts, where the latter are sub-divided into multi-process,
multi-scale, multi-dimensional, and multi-compartment coupling
strategies;
• describe the fundamental properties and functions of a compositional
multi-phase system in a porous medium. The basic multi-scale and
multi-physics concepts are introduced and conservation laws formulated;
• explain the numerical solution procedures for both decoupled and
coupled model formulations. Two applications of multi-physics and
multi-scale algorithms will be presented and discussed;
• present a large-scale simulation that will show the general
applicability of the modelling concepts of such complicated natural
systems, especially the impact on the groundwater of simultaneously
using geothermal energy and storing chemical and thermal energy. At the
same time, he will show that such real large-scale systems provide a
good environment for balancing the efficiency potential and possible
weaknesses of the approaches discussed.
Shaobin Wang
The University of Adelaide, Australia
Biography: Prof. Shaobin Wang obtained the degrees of BSc and MSc in Chemistry from Peking University and PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Queensland. He has been a John Curtin Distinguished Professor at Curtin University and is now a Professor at the School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, the University of Adelaide. His research interests focus on nanomaterial synthesis and application for adsorption and catalysis, fuel and energy conversion and environmental remediation. He has published more than 600 refereed journal papers with citations over 59000 and H-index= 136 (Google Scholar). He was awarded 2012 Thomson Reuters Citation & Innovation Awards in Australia and is listed as a highly cited researcher in Engineering and Chemistry in 2016-2021. He is a co-editor of Journal of Colloid and Interface Science and an associate editor of Chemical Engineering Journal Advances as well as an editorial board member of several international journals.
►Speech title"Environmental Microplastics and their Control Strategies"
Abstract-Plastics are currently used widely in our daily life; however, poor management and disposal of plastic wastes result in their ubiquity throughout the biosphere. The increasing accumulation of microplastics (MPs) or even nanoplastics in the aquatic, terrestrial and atmospheric environment has resulted in significant impacts on the life on land and in water. To date, there still lacks a comprehensive understanding of the sources, distribution, transport, and fate of MPs in different environmental compartments, which impedes the incisive establishment of efficient strategies toward addressing this problem. In this talk, I would like to discuss the wide issues of MP pollution and their control strategies and technologies. The proposed strategical solutions include cleanup strategies, targeted source control, improved plastic waste management, development of biodegradable (bio)plastics, and the investigation of various conversion/degradation approaches. I will also present the recent work of my group in conversion and degradation of MPs via catalytic processes.
Yu-You Li
Tohoku University, Japan
Biography: Dr. Yu-You Li (alias Gyokuyu RI) is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Tohoku University, Japan, responsible for the Lab of Environment Protection Engineering, and the person in charge of the Tohoku University Asia-Africa Environmental Leadership Program. He received his BS degree (1982) from Xian University of Architecture & Technology (China), MS degree (1985) from Tianjing University (China), and PhD (1990) from Tohoku University (Japan). Prior to assuming his present position at Tohoku University in 2003, Dr. Li had 7 years of engineering experience at the Technical Research Institute, Ataka Construction & Engineering Co. (Osaka, Japan), plus 18 years of academic experience (17 years at Tohoku University and one year at The University of Hong Kong). His research interests are wastewater treatment, solid waste management and bioenergy production, especially the anaerobic biotechnologies including methane and hydrogen fermentation. He has published over 200 journal papers and 18 books. He is currently serving as the Chairman of the Anaerobic Biotechnology Committee in Japan Society on Water Environment, a visiting researcher in the National Research Institute of Environment, Japan, and visiting Professor at the Xian University of Architecture & Technology, China.
►Speech title "The concept and pilot plant demonstration of new municipal wastewater treatment system using anaerobic membrane bioreactor and anammox"
Abstract-A
novel municipal wastewater treatment process towards energy neutrality
and reduced carbon emissions reduction was established by combining a
submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactor (SAnMBR) with a one-stage
partial nitritation-anammox (PNA), and was demonstrated in at the
pilot-scale at 25 oC, 20 oC and 15 oC. During the operation period,
excellent system performances were achieved. The Overall COD and BOD5
removal efficiencies at 25 oC were 95.1% and 96.4%, respectively, with
only 20.3 mg L-1 COD and 5.2 mg L-1 BOD5 were remaininged in the final
effluent. The total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency was 81.7%, and the
resulting 7.3 mg L-1 TN was discharged from the system. The Biogas yield
rate was 0.222 NL g-1 COD removed with a methane content range of
78-81%. Approximately 90% of influent COD was removed in the SAnMBR, and
70% of influent nitrogen was removed in the PNA. The Denitrification has
which occurred in the PNA, which enhanced overall COD and nitrogen
removal. The successful operation of this pilot-scale plant suggest
indicates strong the feasibly of SAnMBR-PNA process is suitable for
application to the treatment of in real municipal wastewater.
In this research, a pilot-scale IFAS-PN/A succeed in the treatment of
actual MWW pretreated by AnMBR at decreasing temperatures from 25◦C to
20◦C to 15◦C, leading to the following conclusions: (1) Under the NLR of
0.21-0.24 kg-N/m3/d, the NRE decreased from 79.4% to 75.7% to 65.9% when
the operating temperature dropped from 25◦C to 20◦C to 15◦C,
respectively. The insufficient treatment capacity of AOB was blamed for
the sharp reduction of NRE at 15◦C.
(2) AnAOB were enriched in biofilm and retained by carriers, AOB were
mainly distributed in flocs and retained by the sedimentation tank. The
successful biomass retention and microbial segregation compensate for
the impacts of low temperature.
Gokmen TAYFUR
İzmir Institute of Technology, Turkey
Biography: Dr. Tayfur is currently a faculty member in the Civil Engineering Department, İzmir Institute of Technology. He obtained his BSc degree from the Civil Engineering Department, Istanbul Technical University in 1985. He had his MSc and PhD degrees from the Civil Engineering Department, the University of California at Davis in 1990 and 1993, respectively. He had worked as a post doctoral researcher in LAWR Department of UC-Davis from 1993 to 1995. He worked as a Visiting Scholar at the Louisiana State University in 2004-2005 and in the University of Mississippi in 2007-2008. He has authored about 100 peer reviewed journal papers, 2 books, 12 book chapters, more than 90 conference papers. He has been serving as an Associate Editor for Journal of Hydrology, and Water Resources Management journals. His research has involved the numerical modeling of overland and channel flows, erosion and sheet sediment transport, sediment transport in alluvial channels, floods, drought, chemical transport in surface and subsurface flows, dam break flows and the application of artificial intelligence methods (ANNs, FL, GAs) in hydrological, hydraulics and water resources engineering problems.
►Speech title"Prediction Approaches and Outstanding Issues in Sediment Transport over Land Surfaces and in Alluvial Channels"
Abstract-Sediment particles are, due to rainfall-runoff processes, carried from land surfaces to rivers and then to water receiving bodies such as lakes, estuaries, and reservoirs. During this journey, they can reduce fertile soil in agricultural areas, adversely effects navigation in rivers, and fill dead storage of reservoirs, reducing economical lifespan of dams. They can furthermore degrade water quality in rivers, lakes and reservoirs. Owing to its importance, sediment transport process has been experimentally and numerically studied for decades. The experimental studies have contributed significantly to understand the basic mechanics and dynamics of sediment transport. Yet, these studies, at the same time, led to the development of many empirical equations that differ mostly, even for the same flow conditions. The advances in computational technology have led to the development of more physics-based approaches that are often expressed by differential equations. Due to the constraints in data availability and parameter estimation, these approaches can vary from point-scale to areal scale. The physics-based approaches are fundamental when the concern is to predict the spatial and temporal variation of sediment. On the other hand, when the concern is just the sedimentograph, then most recently developed artificial intelligence methods, such as the artificial neural networks, the evolutionary search algorithms, and fuzzy logic, can be useful and practical tools since they do not require heavy computational burden. No matter which approach is employed, there are outstanding issues that are still a concern of research; particle fall velocity, particle velocity, sediment transport function, form roughness, grain roughness, incipient motion, suspended sediment concentration, and movable boundary.
Adam Szymkiewicz
Gdańsk University of Technology, Poland
Biography: Adam received his MSc degree in environmental engineering from Gdańsk University of Technology (Poland) and PhD from Joseph Fourier University (Grenoble, France). He worked as an assistant professor at the Institute of Hydro-Engineering of the Polish Academy of Sciences and as a visiting researcher at the University of Stuttgart (Germany). Currently he is a full professor and head of Department of Geotechnical and Hydraulic Engineering at Gdańsk University of Technology. Adam is interested in various aspects of subsurface flow and transport modeling, including numerical schemes and upscaling methods for unsaturated and multiphase flow in heterogeneous porous media, estimation of groundwater recharge and contaminant travel time through unsaturated zone, modeling coastal aquifers and coupling of models for different hydrological compartments. He authored and co-authored over 80 journal and conference papers and a book on unsaturated flow modeling. He was also the main organizer of international scientific conferences: 25. Salt Water Intrusion Meeting (SWIM 2018) and 24. Computational Methods in Water Resources (CMWR 2022).
►Speech title"Numerical modeling of groundwater recharge"
Abstract-Groundwater recharge is the process by which water infiltrating through the vadose zone from the land surface reaches groundwater table. Accurate evaluation of the recharge rates is crucial to estimate the amount of water which can be sustainably extracted from aquifers and vulnerability of aquifers to contaminant leaching from the surface. Among many methods proposed to determine groundwater recharge, numerical modeling is gaining popularity, partly due to its capability to assess the impact of climate and land use change on groundwater resources. However, calibration of numerical models is not a trivial task, which hampers their practical use. This presentation will be focused on selected aspects of calibration and application of vadose zone flow models, based on the studies of two experimental sites in northern Poland. Particular attention will be directed to the use of multiple types of data in model calibration.
Prof.
Xinmin Zhan
National University of Ireland, Galway
Biography:
Prof. Xinmin Zhan is professor and head of discipline in Civil
Engineering at the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI Galway).
He holds a B.E. (Environmental Engineering), B. Com. (Economics) and
Ph.D. (Environmental Engineering) from Tsinghua University, China.
Before moving to NUI Galway in 2002, he conducted research in Tokyo
Institute of Technology and Gifu University in Japan and lectured in
Tsinghua University.
His research interests are (i) development of cost-effective and
efficient wastewater treatment technologies; and (ii) recovery of
organic waste and biomass for use as a sustainable and clean energy
source and for building a green agriculture industry. He has published
over 130 peer-reviewed journal papers, and a monograph Greenhouse Gas
Emission and Mitigation in Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants by
International Water Association Publishing. Prof. Xinmin Zhan has
actively secured research grants from EU, SFI, DAFM, SEAI, EPA, and
foreign funding agencies. He is a co-inventor of several wastewater
treatment technologies, two of which have been licensed to the industry.
Prof. Zhan is a highly respected academic internationally. He is an
editor of Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, and
International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation, and has edited four
special issues on livestock waste management as a guest editor. He has
been awarded Outstanding Editor Award by Frontiers of Environmental
Science and Engineering. He is a Member of the Advisory Committee,
Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, Overseas
Distinguished Professor of Guangdong Province (China). Prof. Zhan was
awarded Japan Society on Water Environment-IDEA Water Environment
International Exchange Award in 2021 and In Recognition of Excellence in
Lecturing by the Undergraduate Awards in 2012. Recently, he has been
appointed to the Engineering and Computer Sciences multidisciplinary
committee of the Royal Irish Academy.
►Speech title "How to achieve sustainable farm-scale anaerobic digestion for low-carbon agriculture: Irish experience"
Abstract-Using anaerobic digestion (AD) to recover biogas from agricultural wastes and by-products is an important solution to achieve a carbon-neutral agriculture. However, successful AD practice relies on sustainable feedstock, the way to use biogas, and effective management of digestate. In this presentation, the author will introduce the experiences and lessons learnt in Ireland, with a focus on digestate management. In Ireland, co-digestion of manure with grass silage and food wastes is economically feasible. Comprehensive quantitative analysis indicates that using AD, pig farms can transit from GHG producers to carbon-neutral. Local soil condition is a critical factor influencing the environmental sustainability of AD facilities, in particular soil phosphorus index. In order to make AD valid for areas where the local environmental regulation and soil nutrient conditions do not allow for direct land use of digestate, electrodialysis technology for nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) recovery from digestate, and dry digestion technology for separated solids digestion, are studied. Even though the presentation is based on the Irish context, the research questions discussed are recognised worldwide since the water-energy-food nexus, energy crisis and GHG emissions are global concerns.
Kurunthachalam
Kannan
New York University School of Medicine, USA
Biography: Dr. Kurunthachalam Kannan is a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine. Dr. Kannan’s research interests are in understanding sources, pathways and distribution of persistent organic pollutants in the environment. Recent research is focused on human biomonitoring and exposure assessment. Dr. Kannan has published more than 700 research articles in peer-reviewed journals, 25 book chapters and edited a book and is one of the top 5 most highly cited researchers (ISI) in Ecology/Environment in the world (H-index > 140). Dr. Kannan is a receipt of several awards and honors through his career and SETACs Weston F Roy Environmental Chemistry award in 1999. He received his PhD from Ehime University, Japan and a Bachelor’s degree from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in India. He was an editor of Environmental Chemistry section of Chemosphere, editor in chief of Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety.
►Speech title "Pet dogs and cats as sentinels of human exposure to environmental chemicals"
Abstract-Long term, low-level exposure to toxic environmental chemicals present in consumer products and foodstuffs can interfere with hormone function and contribute to the development of diseases and adverse health outcomes. To assess exposure to toxic chemicals to which people are exposed, many developed nations have implemented nation-wide biomonitoring programs. Biomonitoring is the direct measurement of people's exposure to toxic substances by measuring the substances or their metabolites in human specimens, such as blood or urine. Whereas biomonitoring programs are gaining popularity in public health programs of regulatory agencies throughout the world, several logistical and ethical issues such as access to human populations to biospecimens such as blood and urine hinder the progress. Pets share a living environment with humans and are exposed to a wide range of environmental toxicants present in the indoor environment. Especially, pet cats and dogs have been used as sentinels of human health effects of chemical exposures. Several studies have documented the association between chemical exposure and pet health. For instance, in Minamata Bay in Japan during the 1950s, neurobehavioral symptoms were first observed in cats that consumed mercury-contaminated fish. Studies have showed a relationship between concentrations of organohalogen contaminants and diabetes in cats. Earlier studies have linked chemical exposure in pets to major diseases such as hypothyroidism, obesity, kidney diseases and cancers. A few studies have reported the prevalence of exposure to pesticides in pet dogs and cats. We collected urine from pet dogs and cats from Albany, New York, USA, and analyzed for a wide range of environmental chemicals including phthalates, bisphenols, parabens, melamine, aromatic amines, volatile organic compounds and glyphosate. Pet cats and dogs are ubiquitously exposed to a wide range of toxicants and the measured values are similar to and in some cases highest than those found in humans. The measured values were used to assess total exposure doses and risks. We show that pet animals are at risk from high exposure to some toxicants.
Hui Li
Michigan State University, USA
Biography: Dr. Hui Li is a Professor of Environmental and Soil Chemistry at Michigan State University. He has received Jackson Soil Chemistry and Mineralogy Award from Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) in 2017, and was elected as SSSA Fellow in 2018 and American Society of Agronomy Fellow in 2021. He received BS and MS degrees of Environmental Chemistry from Nanjing University, China, and Ph.D. degree of Environmental Soil Chemistry from Purdue University, USA. Dr. Li’s research program focuses on fate, transformation, bioavailability and impacts of pharmaceuticals, persistent organic contaminants and pesticides in the environment, understanding of fundamental environmental processes at molecular scale, plant uptake of organic contaminants, and development of innovative environmental remediation technology. His research program has been funded by USDA, NIH and NSF. He has published >150 peer-review journal papers in environmental science and soil science journals, with citations of more than 7200. Dr.Li is currently the editorial member of a few international journals and served as associate editor of Journal of Environmental Quality (2009-2014), and was awarded as outstanding editor (2013). Dr. Li served as chair of Soils and Environmental Quality Division, SSSA.
►Speech title "Vegetable Uptake and Accumulation of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products from Water and Soil"
Abstract-Land application of animal manure/biosolids and irrigation with treated wastewater in agricultural practice could disseminate pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the agroecosystems. The wide use of these waste resources benefits the agricultural production, such as improving soil quality, providing plant nutrients, convenient disposal of waste, and saving valuable water resource. However, the accompanied PPCPs can enter the soil environment, and accumulate in field crops and vegetables, which could pose potential risk to human health. Most PPCPs can enter plant from root uptake, with the accumulation determined by PPCPs properties, transpiration flow and their metabolism in plant. Soil pore water is the major carrier for PPCPs transport from soil to plant. Increasing transpiration stream moves more PPCPs to plant leaves. A better understanding of the fate of PPCPs in soil-water-plant systems is critically needed to model the transport of PPCPs in the environment, and evaluate their impacts to food safety and potential risks to human health.
Luke Mosley
University of Adelaide, Australia
Biography: Assoc. Prof. Luke Mosley is based at the University of Adelaide (Australia) where he leads a biogeochemical research group with several postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows. He has a PhD in environmental chemistry from the University of Otago (New Zealand). Following postdoctoral positions in the USA, New Zealand and Fiji he worked as a Principal Scientist at the South Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). In 2010 he received the South Australian Premier’s Award for his work that was critical to protect water supplies, communities and ecosystems during the extreme ‘Millennium Drought’. He teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses in soil and water chemistry, management and conservation. Along with mentoring early career scientists, Luke is passionate about using science to solve complex environmental problems for community and government, and to protect the intrinsic values and functions of natural ecosystems for future generations. His group’s current research focus includes studying nutrient dynamics in the Murray-Darling Basin, drought impacts on soil and water quality, developing new techniques to measure and manage soil acidification, and assessing the impact of sea level rise and tidal restoration on coastal soil biogeochemistry. Luke was President of Soil Science Australia from 2018-2020, and has co-authored Australian national guidances on acid sulfate soils and blue carbon in coastal wetland restoration projects. He has published over 150 peer reviewed journal publications, book chapters, and scientific reports. Currently he is an Editor of Environmental Science and Pollution Research and Associate Editor of the European Journal of Soil Science.
►Speech title "The biogeochemical effects of drought and its implications in a changing climate"
Abstract— Droughts are increasing in frequency and severity in many regions of the world due to climate change. The aim of this presentation is to provide an overview and examples of how droughts are changing biogeochemical processes in catchments, estuaries and coastal oceans. Many of the biogochemical changes during drought can be linked to changes in hydrological conditions such as drying of wet soils, reductions in surface and groundwater levels and flows, diminished floodplain wetting cycles, and reduced outflows from river systems. Increased temperature and evaporation rates due to climate change are also influential. Several case studies will be presented from the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia’s largest river system, which experienced the extreme ‘Millennium Drought’ from 1997 to 2009. In some instances the system and ecology has not readily recovered from this drought which points to alternative geochemical states being a likely consequence of climate change.
Romanovski
Valentin
National University of Science and Technology, Belarus
Biography:
Dr. Romanovski Valentin, Associate professor, Science and Research
Centre of Functional Nano-Ceramics, National University of Science and
Technology, Belarus.
His research interests include recycling of industrial wastes, water and
wastewater treatment, surface disinfection, nanotechnology in water
treatment and catalysis, pyrolysis of wastes, synthesis and
characterization of advanced materials. Dr. Romanovski Valentin is the
international reviewer for many journals such as Journal of
Environmental Chemical Engineering. His international Collaborations
proceed with various countries containing Australia, Canada, China,
India, Iran, Ireland, Georgia, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, Singapore,
Sweden, Switzerland.
There are 6 patents for invention and 16 acts of introduction into the
studying and manufacturing process, 7 pilot industrial technological
regulations. He is also the author and co-author of more than 100
scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals. Meanwhile Romanovski
Valentin held the membership of professional bodies such as
International Environmental Public Company “EcoFuture” – Founder and
Society of Chemical Industry. Additionally Dr. Romanovski Valentin has
taken the role as main executor, supervisor, co-supervisor, executor,
leading expert, project manager, scientific consultant of 16 Research
Projects and 30 Industrial Projects.
►Speech title "Value-added technologies of water treatment wastes recycling"
Abstract— Even though today the majority of waste is recycled, some of it is still largely stored. Water treatment process wastes are one of these wastes. They can be utilized in place of several commercial reagents and raw materials since, unlike most wastes, they don't include toxic fillers. Sediments after coagulating surface waters containing calcium carbonate, iron, or aluminum hydroxides, as well as waste lime mad, are examples of water treatment wastes. Other types include used ion-exchange resins and coals, as well as precipitation from the deionization process in membrane installations. For the processing of each of the aforementioned wastes, we have suggested a number of options. Nanostructured photocatalytic materials for wastewater materials were made from iron removal precipitates, and filtrates including calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and sulfur were employed as a good complex fertilizer. Additionally, technology has been developed for the one-stage, room-temperature, atmospheric-pressure to manufacture calcium sulfate anhydrite from lime mad. Technologies have been developed to process used ion-exchange resins thermochemically, producing a combination of di- and trimethylamine as well as liquid fractions with calorific values as high as 43 MJ/kg. Spent ion-exchange resins were processed to produce very efficient coagulants. They underwent testing for the technology of sewage sludge dewatering and the removal of organic and inorganic contaminants from wastewater. A detailed assessment of the potential use of waste in the manufacture of ceramic building bricks and blocks was done. All developed technologies are cost-effective. Technical requirements, technological restrictions, and feasibility studies have all been produced for the majority of the elaborated approaches.
Bertram Boehrer
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Magdeburg, Germany
Biography:
Dr. Bertram Boehrer is a senior scientist and work group leader
of“Limnophysics and Lake Modelling” at Helmholtz Centre for
Environmental Research – UFZ, Magdeburg, Germany. His research fields
include stratification of lakes, meromixis, extreme gas pressures in
lakes, properties of limnic waters, modelling water quality in lakes,
environmental fluid dynamics, field measurements in lakes, etc. Since
2010, Dr. Bertram Boehrer has been teaching staff at the Faculty of
Physics and Astronomy of the University of Heidelberg and teaches an
annual block course “Physical Limnology”.
Dr. Bertram Boehrer finished his tertiary physics education at
Heidelberg University from 1984 to 1990, earned Masters at the Institute
for Environmental Physics of the Univ. of Heidelberg and the
Limnological Institute Konstanz from 1989 to 1990 and his Ph.D. at the
University of Western Australia, Centre for Water Research from 1991 to
1996. He did Postdoc research in UFZ-section Inland Waters from 1996 to
1998.
He has been leading the scientific committee, Workshop on Physical
Processes in Natural Waters since 2016 and Co-chaired the Physical
Limnology work group of International Society of Limnology (SIL). He has
been a member of the Expert Advisory Board at the Lake Kivu Management
Programme (Rwanda, Africa) and a member in several scientific
organizations: DPG (environmental physics), AGU (Americal Geophysical
Union), ASLO (Association for the Sciences of Limnology and
Oceanography), DGL (German Society of Limnology), SIL International
Society for Limnology), International PhD referee, etc.
►Speech title "Extreme gas pressures in lakes: from the killer Lake Nyos to methane deposit in Lake Kivu"
Abstract-Several lakes show extreme loads of gases in their deep water.
In most cases, volcanic sources are responsible for the high gas charge
but also geochemical processes and decomposition of organic material
have created gas loads of concern.
We report, how reliable measurements of extreme gas loads could be
accomplished. In the case of Lake Kivu 40 billion m³ of exploitable
methane could be substantiated, while in Guadiana Pit Lake carbon
dioxide loads of nearly three liters of gas per liter of lake water were
detected. We report about possibilities to confirm high gas loads by
direct measurements of gas pressure or sound speed. In the case of
Guadiana Pit Lake, authorities followed the recommendation to remove the
gas load artificially to avert the danger of a limnic eruption, while in
the case of Lake Kivu, prescriptions for the survey of the lake have
been issued by an international expert team for the period of methane
exploitation. Finally, we show results from noble gas thermometry for
the deep water of Lake Kivu to quantitatively separate the effect of
equilibration temperatures from possible previous gas evasion by large
scale ebullition.