Current Projects

1. Innovative Nanotechnological Treatment Process for Reclaimed Wastewaters
2. Biotransformation of Bagasse into protein-rich animal feed
3. Nano-photacatalitic disinfection and treatment of treated effluent from sewage treatment plant
4. Improvement wastewater reclamation and reuse through integrated innovative membrane and nano-photolysis processes.
5. Metabolic flux network in the fermentative hydrogen production process
6. Biological Hydrogen Production from Biomass Wastes Using Activate Sludge Microorganisms
7. Production of protein-rich animal feed from solid winery wastes
8. Carbon nano-particles induced thermal tolerant Zymomonas mobilis for ethanol production from waste biomass
9. Production of Biodegradable Polyhydroxyalkanoate Polymer using Advanced Biological Wastewater Treatment Process Technology
10. An Integrated Biotechnological Process for Production of Lactic Acid from Carbohydrate-Waste Streams by Rhizopus sp.
11. Removal of Toxic Organic Pollutants from Industrial Wastewater by Australian Clay Mineral Adsorbents
12. Fungal Biomass Protein, a Valuable Bioproduct Derived from a Treatment Process for Winery Waste Streams
13. Bioaugmentation of Membrane Bioreactor Process for Treatment of Chlorophenol Contaminated Wastewater
14. Bioethanol, a potential “green” energy derived from bagasse in sugarcane industry
15. An Integrated Biotechnological Process for Production of Fungal Biomass Protein and Treatment for Food Industrial Waste Streams

Project 1. Innovative Nanotechnological Treatment Process for Reclaimed Wastewaters

The aim of this research is to develop an innovative nanotechnology treatment process for wastewater reclamation. This emerging technology shows the promise to be able to effectively replace conventional tertiary and disinfection treatment processes. The innovative treatment includes nanofiltration by porous materials, and nanocatalysts via photocatalysis advanced oxidation processes as alternative means to improve the removal efficiency of biological and chemical contaminants for wastewater reuse. Objectives of this study are:

• Identification and determination of mechanisms of adsorption, filtration, degradation and disinfection with respect to nanomaterials and process conditions.
• Investigation of optimum operating conditions with regard to varying material properties.
• Determination of the process configuration and modules either as a stand alone treatment or integrated treatment process of nanoporous filtration and photocatalysis.
• Investigation of modelling system to maximise process performance for the potential of upgrading to large scale operation.

Project 2. Biotransformation of Bagasse into protein-rich animal feed

Sugarcane bagasse, a fibrous residue of can stalks left over that crushing and extraction of the juice from the sugarcane, is one of the largest cellulosic agro-industrial by-products. Bagasse consists of approximately 75% cellulose and hemicellulose. Chemically, bagasse contains about 50% cellulose, 30% pentosans and 2.4% ash. Because of its low ash and high sugar content, bagasse offers numerous advantages in comparison to other crop residues such as rice and wheat straws as feedstock for usage in microbial bioconversion processes. Also, in comparison to other agricultural residues, bagasse can be considered as a rich solar energy reservoir due to its high yields, which offers a suitable carbon source for biotechnological production.

This project is to develop a solid state biotech-process to transfer bagasse into biomass protein, making bagasse as protein-rich animal feed. The research will develop a technology that is environmentally friendly and adds value to the Australian sugar industry via pollution reduction and biomass protein production. It is expected that sugarcane companies can gain enormous economic, environmental and social benefits by:

• Selling byproducts for sugarcane industries with low cost, but high value animal feed, which has improved protein contents upon to 30-50% and digestability over 85%.
• Reduction of pollution problem caused by sugarcane industrial residuals.
• Recovery of renewable resources from wastes, and
• Market value of the protein-rich animal feed for farmer and fish industries.

Project 3. Nano-photacatalitic disinfection and treatment of treated effluent from sewage treatment plant

Reuse of the treated wastewater from sewage treatment plants (STPs) has become significantly important in Australia due to dwindling water resources. The poor quality of the wastewater has limited its use for agriculture and aquaculture. This project aims to develop a solar nano-photocatalytic tertiary wastewater treatment process for disinfection and mineralization of the treated wastewater from STPs, making the wastewater suitable as a water resource. The newly developed nano-fibre catalysts and photocatalytic technology will be used and further developed in this novel process. The research will focus on the water quality objectives in terms of technical reliability, and economic and environmental sustainability.

The aim of this project is to develop a cost-effective nano-photocatalytic treatment process for disinfection of microorganisms and mineralization of organic pollutants in the treated wastewater. Nano-TiO2 catalysts and photo-reactor system recently developed by the research team will be used and further developed into a pilot plant process. The objectives of the bench scale investigations are to:

• Determine the kinetics of inactivation of microorganisms and mineralization of organic compounds
• Optimize key physical, chemical and biological parameters on the disinfection and organic degradation
• Identify the oxidation efficiency with respect to solar irradiation duration and interruption
• Optimize the operation conditions: hydraulic retention time in photo-reactor (feeding rate) and a cross flow filtration (flow velocity)
• Determine optimal process operation (batch and/or continuous) mode and strategy.

Project 4. Improvement wastewater reclamation and reuse through integrated innovative membrane and nano-photolysis processes.

Water scarcity problems are rapidly increasing due to population growth, pollution and climate change. The utilisation of alternative water sources like reclaimed stormwater and municipal wastewater is one of the most obvious and promising options in integrated water management. Major concerns about the safety of this exploitation route are connected to microbial and chemical contaminants occurring in wastewater.

Membrane bioreactors (MBR) have demonstrated to be particularly suitable for advanced biological treatment of wastewater with superior performances in removing suspended solids, organic pollutants and pathogens. Moreover, the operational flexibility of this technology allows its integration with other processes (such as advanced oxidation processes – AOPs, catalytic reactors, nanofiltration, etc.). The use of AOPs for the removal organic persistent micro-pollutants has been extensively studied, but the adoption of UV lamps and ozone require prohibitive energy consumption. The application of solar photo-catalytic processes based on newly developed nano-materials can open new opportunities for the development of low-cost integrated processes for water reclamation and reuse. Proposed activities include:

• Running of a lab-scale MBR and assessment of general performance and removal efficiency of some model PPs;
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of selected solar photo-catalyst in removing model PPs from spiked water and biologically treated wastewater;
• Integration of the MBR with the solar-AOP process.

Project 5. Metabolic flux network in the fermentative hydrogen production process

Hydrogen is an environmentally friendly and high efficient energy source. Its production by dark fermentation from renewable resources will contribute to the world energy supply and green environment protection. However, the limitation of fermentative hydrogen production is the low yield of hydrogen. It is expected that hydrogen production yield can be improved significantly using metabolic engineering to redirect the metabolic pathway towards hydrogen formation. This project aims to analyse metabolic flux network associated with hydrogen production to understand enzymatic and metabolic activities in different fermentation environment, consequently to develop a metabolic engineering strategy to optimise the fermentative hydrogen production process. This research is to obtain a better understanding of metabolic flux network in the fermentative hydrogen production process. According to that, specific objectives are to:

• redirect metabolic pathway that will fulfil the optimum H₂ production;
• determine extracellular fluxes and activity of key enzymes during the H₂ producing fermentation process;
• analyse the metabolic flux network in the H₂ producing fermentation process;
• enhance H₂ production by metabolic engineering.

The outcome of this project will enhance and extend knowledge in metabolic flux network associated with hydrogen production by strict anaerobes. It will also be expected to develop a better strategy for hydrogen production from renewable resources or even waste materials.

Project 6. Biological Hydrogen Production from Biomass Wastes Using Activate Sludge Microorganisms

Hydrogen is a clean and high efficient energy. This study is aimed at examining the feasibility of biological hydrogen production from an organic waste stream by hydrogen producing bacteria isolated and enriched from pretreated digested activated sludge. The research will focus on getting a better understanding of the biochemical mechanisms, metabolic pathways effecting on the intermediate and end-products, leading to high hydrogen productivity and yield. The specific objectives of this study include:

• Isolate, purify and identify hydrogen producing microorganisms and key hydrogenase from activated sludge
• Identify and descript the genetic evolution information and sequence of the hydrogenase gene, induced inhibition genes and genes associated with maturation
• Identify and characterize the biochemical mechanisms, metabolic pathways and fermentative kinetics to determine substrate-production interactions and explore their functions of microbial growth, organic degradation and formation of intermediates and end products.

Project 7. Production of protein-rich animal feed from solid winery wastes

The Australian wine industry produces a substantial quantity of wastes containing high levels of carbohydrate-rich organics, which are biodegradable and naturally rich in nutrients, making them ideal substrates for biomass protein production. This project aims to identify suitable fungal microorganisms to biotechnologically transfer the winery wastes into animal feed with high protein content and detestability. The overall goal of the project is to develop a biotechnological treatment process integrated with biomass protein production from the winery wastes. The research will develop a technology that is environmentally friendly and adds value to the Australian winery industry via pollution reduction and biomass protein production.

The key steps of this project are:

1. identification and characterization of winery waste streams in terms of types of carbohydrates, nutrients, digestibility and biological availability
2. screening and selection of fungal microorganisms, based on their ability to utilise winery wastes as substrates, contents and digestiability of proteins produced and requirement of growth conditions
3. determinaiton of enzymetic and metabolic activities involved in substrate uptake and saccharification, cell growth, protein sysnthesis
4. optimization of growth conditions
5. design of solid sate fermentation bioreactor.

This project will be carried out through two multi-faceted approaches to (i) the analysis of the process integration phenomena in at bench scale process to optimize the saccharification of sugar and cellulose-based carbohydrates and protein expression and synthesis and (ii) integration of metabolic engineering with biochemical process for the high level expression and secretion of heterologous protein, resulting in enhancing yield and productivity.

Project 8. Carbon nano-particles induced thermal tolerant Zymomonas mobilis for ethanol production from waste biomass

Recent advances in nanotechnology have promoted the development and production of carbon nanomaterials with unique characteristics for industrial and biomedical uses. Carbon nanoparticles (CNP), including carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, nanofibers and nanoparticles, possess high surface area and unusual surface chemistry and reactivity, offer new R&D opportunities and applications in nano-biotechnology. This project aims to evaluate the impact of CNP on thermal tolerance of microbial communities, such as ethanol producing Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Zymomonas mobilis, or cellulose/xylose utilizing fungi. This research involves assays of metabolism and some TEM characterization.

The research is to demonstrate that Z. mobilis can be modified through the use of nano-particles to increase its thermal tolerance, leading to a novel cost-effective SSF process for ethanol production from organic wastes. As a new discovery, the nano-partical induced Z. mobilis needs to be further studied for its microbial performance and mechanisms in the SSF process. Specific aims of this research are to:

1. determine the effect of carbon nano-particles on the growth of Z. mobilis at high temperatures
2. identify precisely the variations of fluidity and integrity of the cell membrane exposed to nano-particles
3. clarify the molecular nature of thermal tolerance, the thermal stability of genetic materials including DNA structure and sequence mutagenesis, and thermostability of enzymes
4. determine the metabolic regulation at high temperature induced by carbon nano-particles
5. assess fermentation performance of the carbon nano-particles induced Z. mobilis in laboratory ethanol fermentation system at high temperatures

Project 9. Production of Biodegradable Polyhydroxyalkanoate Polymer using Advanced Biological Wastewater Treatment Process Technology

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) have been considered as promising candidates for biodegradable polymers. Of the many PHAs, we are particularly interested Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHB-co-PHV). Currently, the major limitation for the success of PHAs in commercial applications remains the production costs. The aim of this project is to develop a viable process for producing (PHB-co-PHV), from an innovative aerobic-anaerobic biological wastewater treatment process, ‘treating’ high-strength food industry effluent.

Commercially, PHAs are produced by bacterial fermentation. Substrate costs constituted more than 30% of the production costs for PHB-co-PHV. The utilisation of waste materials as carbon sources has the advantage that the costly disposal of the wastes can be omitted and the raw material can be obtained cheaply. The 3HV content in PHB-co-PHV is typically controlled through co-feeding propionic acid. A serial combination of the acid fermentation and the PHB-co-PHV production holds the potential for savings on purification cost and fermentation time.

Project 10. An Integrated Biotechnological Process for Production of Lactic Acid from Carbohydrate-Waste Streams by Rhizopus sp.

Lactic acid is the most widely occurring multifunctional organic acid, which has enormous applications in food and food-related industries, and great potential use for production of biodegradable and biocompatible polylactate polymers. The aim of this research is to develop an innovative biotechnological process, simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) process, which integrates the production of lactic acid with treatment of high strength food industry ‘effluent’ streams – carbohydrate waste streams. The proposed SSF process is to cultivate an identified fungal Rhizopus sp strain on the waste streams, as production substrates, leading to an environmentally friendly and economically sustainable new technology for food industry.

The research will focus on developing and using metabolic engineering and bioprocessing techniques to increase the yield of lactic acid and the cost-efficacy of waste treatment. The fundamental knowledge will be obtained by:

• Characterizing the microbial and biochemical activities of carbohydrate saccharification, substrate uptake and lactic acid formation
• Optimizing the microbial growth conditions (pH, temperature, nutrient balance) and process operation conditions
• Identifying the optimum modes and conditions of process operation
• Modelling the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process.
  

Project 11. Removal of Toxic Organic Pollutants from Industrial Wastewater by Australian Clay Mineral Adsorbents

The treatment of wastewater containing dyestuff poses considerable problems in the wastewater industry. Synthetic dyes are common water pollutants in industrial wastewater. These dyes usually contain azo-aromatic groups which are extremely environmental concerned due to their toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic properties. Moreover, the complex aromatic structures of these dyes give them physicochemical, thermal and optical stability, and cannot be effectively removed by conventional wastewater treatments.

Adsorption is the most prominent physicochemical treatment for the removal of dyes in aqueous solution, owning to its several advantages in terms of high efficiency, simple operation, and easy recovery and reuse of adsorbent. In this project, natural Australian clay minerals will be investigated as alternative adsorbents for removal of anionic dye. Different proportions of mineral mixtures will be prepared and treated under optimum condition prior being evaluated the adsorptive capability and recyclability. Australian clay materials of bentonite, kaolin and zeolite will be employed to experimentally evaluate their absorb capability for removal dye from wastewater.

Project 12. Fungal Biomass Protein, a Valuable Bioproduct Derived from a Treatment Process for Winery Waste Streams

Wine production is one of the most important industries in Australia. South Australia is the largest wine producing state in the country. The State’s wine industry is growing rapidly with an overall 77% increase in grape production from 2000 to 2005. The wine industry produces large volumes of waste streams, which pose increasing disposal and pollution problems. The treatment of this wastewater requires many successive and costly steps. In Australia, most of the existing winery waste treatment processes cause large losses of nutrient resources. These waste streams are rich in organic compounds, mainly carbohydrate-rich organics such as sugars and cellulose, which are biodegradable and naturally rich in nutrients, making them ideal substrates for biomass protein production. Since the sugar and cellulose in the winery wastewater are the major contributors to the COD, using the waste streams as substrates for the production of microbial biomass protein will reduce its pollution potential, while producing value added products.

This research aims to develop a biotechnological treatment process integrated with fungal biomass production from the winery waste streams. The outcomes of this project are i) the production of fungal biomass for use as a protein-rich animal feed; ii).the treatment of waste water to allow reuse for farm irrigation; and iii) reduced pollution of watercourses. The research will develop a technology that is environmentally friendly and adds value to the Australian winery industry via pollution reduction and fungal biomass protein production.

Project 13. Bioaugmentation of Membrane Bioreactor Process for Treatment of Chlorophenol Contaminated Wastewater

Chlorophenols are hazardous and challenging pollutants which have significant environmental impact on public health and potential water reuse. The project aims to develop a novel technology for treatment of chlorophenol contaminated wastewater. The membrane bioreactor system coupled with a bio-augmented microbial consortium will deliver a highly efficient treatment process to convert the wastewater to a reclaimed water resource. Bioaugmentation is an engineering approach for the introduction of specific exogenous microorganisms to a biotreatment system to enhance metabolic capacity and to achieve maximum biodegradation performance. The overall goal for this project is to develop a biologically augmented membrane bioreactor (MBR) for treatment of chlorophenol-contaminated wastewater. This research will employ a novel approach from a biotechnological engineering perspective by application of advanced biotech-tools to understand the microbial ecology and the interactions of the augmented microorganisms, and development of a chlorophenol degrading microbial community and MBR treatment process.

Project 14. Bioethanol, a potential “green” energy derived from bagasse in sugarcane industry

Main residues from sugar millings are sugarcane bagasse. Production of each ton of raw sugar generates 5.69 ton of solids, which contain approximately 45% bagasse and are currently treated as solid wastes. Bagasse has been recognized as an important residue derived fuel. An emerging alternative is the utilization of this cellulosic feedstock for production of biofuel-ethanol, which has been considered as the prime energy. Ethanol can be produced from any sugar or starch crop, significantly from agriculture byproducts and residues, such as bagasse. Ethanol derived from biomass, one of the modern forms of biomass energy, has the potential to be a sustainable transportation fuel. The production of bioethanol from the “waste” materials will bring enormous environmental and economic benefits to sugarcane industry and society.
This project is to develop a so-called simultaneous saccharification and fermentation biotech-process to produce bioethanol from bagasse. The research will develop a technology that is environmentally friendly and adds value to the Australian sugar industry via pollution reduction and energy production. It is expected that sugarcane companies can gain enormous economic, environmental and social benefits by:

• siganificant economic benefits from selling a valuable biofuel - bioethanol - and reducing costs for waste management.
• Reduction of 20-40% total costs for production of biethanol, due to use of single stage integrated SSF process and “waste” carbon sources of bagasse
• Reduction of pollution problem caused by sugarcane industrial residuals.

Project 15. An Integrated Biotechnological Process for Production of Fungal Biomass Protein and Treatment for Food Industrial Waste Streams

The food processing industry produces an enormous amount of carbohydrate wastes, which pose increasing disposal cost and environmental challenges. These organic wastes are rich in biodegradable materials, making them suitable as substrates for production of fungal biomass protein (FBP). This research aims to develop a biotechnological treatment process integrated with FBP production from the food industrial waste streams. The outcomes of this project are i) the production of fungal biomass for use as a protein-rich animal feed; ii).the treatment of waste water to allow reuse for farm irrigation; and iii) reduced pollution of watercourses. The research will develop an environmentally friendly and economically sustainable technology that adds value to the food industry via pollution reduction and FBP production.

This project meets three very significant challenges associated with industrial development:

• to reduce and to reuse the vast amounts of organic materials presently lost as waste
• to maintain the availability of water supplies, free from contamination
• to produce environmentally sustainable energy and feedstock.

The overall goal for this project is to develop an integrated bioprocess for FBP production using previously identified strains of Aspergillus sp. and Rhizopus sp. and food processing waste streams as the substrate. An innovation is that the fungal strain can act as the enzyme producer for saccharification of the organic wastes, while secreting heterologous protein in a single stage simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process. The research will focus on developing metabolic and genetic engineering technology to enhance yield and productivity for FBP production and winery waste utilization.