Associate Professor Shihu Hu
Associate Professor

Shihu Hu

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 334 63226

Background

A/Prof Hu is an environmental scientist and engineer. He has a track record in both undertaking ground-breaking research works and applying fundamental research to develop practical solutions. A/Prof Hu's research and discoveries help established previously unrecognised links between the global carbon, nitrogen and metal cycles, as shown by his publications in Nature, Nature Microbiology and Nature Communications, which have significant implications in methane emissions from aquatic environments. A/Prof Hu has also been working intensively with water industry partners in developing novel water technologies. A/Prof Hu has worked as a CI and project manager of many industry projects (total cash budget > $14 M) in collaboration with Australian and international water utilities on sulfide control and carbon and nutrients removal and recovery in wastewater, resulting in many publications including in Science, Nature Communications, Water Research, Environmental Science and Technology.

A/Prof Hu is an Executive Committee member of UQ’s Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, which is one of the top three water research centres in the world. He has played a leadership role in the joint establishment and management of the Urban Utilities Innovation Centre since 2014, which is now regarded as the best platform for demonstration and translation of novel water treatment technology in Australia.

As an expert in new technology scale-up, he has won 10+ awards for collaborative R&D projects:

  • Australian Water Association (AWA) Queensland R&D Excellence Award 2022 for project ‘Transforming wastewater treatment in regional Australia', as a CI
  • UQ Awards for Excellence 2022 - Promoting Industry Engagement in Graduate Research, as program leader
  • AWA Queensland Infrastructure Project Innovation Award 2021 for project ‘Australia’s first municipal sidestream anammox treatment facility’, as the UQ representative
  • AWA Qld R&D Excellence Award 2020 for project ‘Zero-energy sewage treatment, harnessing the power of biogas’, as a CI and project co-leader
  • Finalist for AWA Qld R&D Excellence Award 2020 for project ‘Urban Utilities algae research project/program’, as a project CI
  • AWA Qld R&D Excellence Award 2019 for project ‘An integrated approach to iron salt use in urban water systems’, as a team member
  • UQ Awards for Excellence - Partners in Research Excellence Awards 2017
  • Queensland Urban Utilities Research Innovation Award 2017
  • AWA National R&D Excellence Award 2017 for project ‘Nitrogen removal from wastewater while maximising resource recovery potential’, as project co-leader
  • Advance Queensland Research Fellowship 2016
  • AWA Qld R&D Excellence Award 2016 for project ‘Affordable and sustainable water recycling through optimal technology integration’, as project co-leader
  • Finalist for AWA Qld R&D Excellence Award 2015 for project ‘Queensland Urban Utilities Innovation Centre', as project co-leader
  • International Water Association (IWA) Global Project Innovation Award 2014 for Project ‘Sewer Corrosion and Odour Research (SCORe) - Putting Science in Sewers’, as a team member

Teaching

WATR 6103: Advanced Wastewater and Biosolids Treatment

WATR 6105: Integrated Urban Water Management

WATR7104 Sewer Networks - Design, Operation and Maintenance

Availability

Associate Professor Shihu Hu is:
Available for supervision

Fields of research

Microbiology

Qualifications

  • Masters (Coursework) of Environmental Engineering, The University of Queensland
  • Doctor of Philosophy of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland

Search Professor Shihu Hu’s works on UQ eSpace

145 works between 2009 and 2025
All (145) Journal Article (128) Book Chapter (3) Conference Publication (7) Other Outputs (7)

101 - 120 of 145 works

2019

Journal Article

Biochar-mediated anaerobic oxidation of methane

Zhang, Xueqin, Xia, Jun, Pu, Jiaoyang, Cai, Chen, Tyson, Gene W., Yuan, Zhiguo and Hu, Shihu (2019). Biochar-mediated anaerobic oxidation of methane. Environmental Science and Technology, 53 (12) acs.est.9b01345, 6660-6668. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.9b01345

Biochar-mediated anaerobic oxidation of methane

2019

Journal Article

Growth kinetics of Candidatus ‘Methanoperedens nitroreducens’ enriched in a laboratory reactor

Lu, Peili, Liu, Tao, Ni, Bing-Jie, Guo, Jianhua, Yuan, Zhiguo and Hu, Shihu (2019). Growth kinetics of Candidatus ‘Methanoperedens nitroreducens’ enriched in a laboratory reactor. Science of The Total Environment, 659, 442-450. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.12.351

Growth kinetics of Candidatus ‘Methanoperedens nitroreducens’ enriched in a laboratory reactor

2019

Journal Article

Enhancing mainstream nitrogen removal by employing nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation processes

Liu, Tao, Hu, Shihu and Guo, Jianhua (2019). Enhancing mainstream nitrogen removal by employing nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation processes. Critical Reviews in Biotechnology, 39 (5), 1-14. doi: 10.1080/07388551.2019.1598333

Enhancing mainstream nitrogen removal by employing nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation processes

2018

Journal Article

High-rate production of short-chain fatty acids from methane in a mixed-culture membrane biofilm reactor

Chen, Hui, Zhao, Lei, Hu, Shihu, Yuan, Zhiguo and Guo, Jianhua (2018). High-rate production of short-chain fatty acids from methane in a mixed-culture membrane biofilm reactor. Environmental Science and Technology Letters, 5 (11) acs.estlett.8b00460, 662-667. doi: 10.1021/acs.estlett.8b00460

High-rate production of short-chain fatty acids from methane in a mixed-culture membrane biofilm reactor

2018

Journal Article

Effect of methane partial pressure on the performance of a membrane biofilm reactor coupling methane-dependent denitrification and anammox

Cai, Chen, Hu, Shihu, Chen, Xueming, Ni, Bing-Jie, Pu, Jiaoyang and Yuan, Zhiguo (2018). Effect of methane partial pressure on the performance of a membrane biofilm reactor coupling methane-dependent denitrification and anammox. Science of the Total Environment, 639, 278-285. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.164

Effect of methane partial pressure on the performance of a membrane biofilm reactor coupling methane-dependent denitrification and anammox

2018

Journal Article

Different clusters of Candidatus 'Methanoperedens nitroreducens'-like archaea as revealed by high-throughput sequencing with new primers

Xu, Sai, Cai, Chen, Guo, Jianhua, Lu, Wenjing, Yuan, Zhiguo and Hu, Shihu (2018). Different clusters of Candidatus 'Methanoperedens nitroreducens'-like archaea as revealed by high-throughput sequencing with new primers. Scientific Reports, 8 (1) 7695, 7695. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-24974-z

Different clusters of Candidatus 'Methanoperedens nitroreducens'-like archaea as revealed by high-throughput sequencing with new primers

2018

Journal Article

A methanotrophic archaeon couples anaerobic oxidation of methane to Fe(III) reduction

Cai, Chen, Leu, Andy O., Xie, Guo-Jun, Guo, Jianhua, Feng, Yuexing, Zhao, Jian-Xin, Tyson, Gene W., Yuan, Zhiguo and Hu, Shihu (2018). A methanotrophic archaeon couples anaerobic oxidation of methane to Fe(III) reduction. The ISME Journal, 12 (8), 1929-1939. doi: 10.1038/s41396-018-0109-x

A methanotrophic archaeon couples anaerobic oxidation of methane to Fe(III) reduction

2018

Journal Article

Microbial selenate reduction driven by a denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation biofilm

Luo, Jing-Huan, Chen, Hui, Hu, Shihu, Cai, Chen, Yuan, Zhiguo and Guo, Jianhua (2018). Microbial selenate reduction driven by a denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation biofilm. Environmental Science & Technology, 52 (7), 4006-4012. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.7b05046

Microbial selenate reduction driven by a denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation biofilm

2017

Journal Article

Achieving high-level nitrogen removal in mainstream by coupling anammox with denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation in a membrane biofilm reactor

Xie, Guo-Jun, Liu, Tao, Cai, Chen, Hu, Shihu and Yuan, Zhiguo (2017). Achieving high-level nitrogen removal in mainstream by coupling anammox with denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation in a membrane biofilm reactor. Water research, 131, 196-204. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2017.12.037

Achieving high-level nitrogen removal in mainstream by coupling anammox with denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation in a membrane biofilm reactor

2017

Journal Article

Modelling the long-term effect of wastewater compositions on maximum sulfide and methane production rates of sewer biofilm

Sun, Jing, Ni, Bing-Jie, Sharma, Keshab Raj, Wang, Qilin, Hu, Shihu and Yuan, Zhiguo (2017). Modelling the long-term effect of wastewater compositions on maximum sulfide and methane production rates of sewer biofilm. Water research, 129, 58-65. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2017.11.007

Modelling the long-term effect of wastewater compositions on maximum sulfide and methane production rates of sewer biofilm

2017

Journal Article

Nutrient removal and energy recovery from high-rate activated sludge processes - Impact of sludge age

Ge, Huoqing, Batstone, Damien J., Mouiche, Morgan, Hu, Shihu and Keller, Jurg (2017). Nutrient removal and energy recovery from high-rate activated sludge processes - Impact of sludge age. Bioresource Technology, 245 (Pt A), 1155-1161. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2017.08.115

Nutrient removal and energy recovery from high-rate activated sludge processes - Impact of sludge age

2017

Journal Article

Optical sorting and cultivation of denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation archaea

Qi, Xiaoqiong, Carberry, David M., Cai, Chen, Hu, Shihu, Yuan, Zhiguo, Dunlop, Halin Rubinsztein and Guo, Jianhua (2017). Optical sorting and cultivation of denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation archaea. Biomedical Optics Express, 8 (2) #279253, 934-942. doi: 10.1364/BOE.8.000934

Optical sorting and cultivation of denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation archaea

2017

Journal Article

Complete nitrogen removal from synthetic anaerobic sludge digestion liquor through integrating anammox and denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation in a membrane biofilm reactor

Xie, Guo-Jun, Cai, Chen, Hu, Shihu and Yuan, Zhiguo (2017). Complete nitrogen removal from synthetic anaerobic sludge digestion liquor through integrating anammox and denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation in a membrane biofilm reactor. Environmental Science and Technology, 51 (2), 819-827. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.6b04500

Complete nitrogen removal from synthetic anaerobic sludge digestion liquor through integrating anammox and denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation in a membrane biofilm reactor

2017

Book Chapter

Denitrification processes for wastewater treatment

Ni, Bing-Jie, Pan, Yuting, Guo, Jianhua, Virdis, Bernardino, Hu, Shihu, Chen, Xueming and Yuan, Zhiguo (2017). Denitrification processes for wastewater treatment. Metalloenzymes in dentrification: applications and environmental impacts. (pp. 368-418) edited by Isabel Moura, Jose J. G. Moura, Sofia R. Pauleta and Luisa B. Maia. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Royal Society of Chemistry. doi: 10.1039/9781782623762-00368

Denitrification processes for wastewater treatment

2017

Book Chapter

Application of molecular biological tools to monitor process efficiency

Lu, Y. and Hu, S. (2017). Application of molecular biological tools to monitor process efficiency. Current developments in biotechnology and bioengineering: biological treatment of industrial effluents. (pp. 281-291) edited by Duu-Jong Lee, Veeriah Jegatheesan, Hao Huu Ngo, Patrick C. Hallenbeck and Ashok Pandey. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-63665-2.00011-4

Application of molecular biological tools to monitor process efficiency

2016

Other Outputs

Affordable and sustainable water recycling through optimal technology integration: a report of a study funded by the Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence

Hu, Shihu, Rattier, Maxime, Solley, David, Batstone, Damien, Hertle, Chris and Keller, Jurg (2016). Affordable and sustainable water recycling through optimal technology integration: a report of a study funded by the Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence.

Affordable and sustainable water recycling through optimal technology integration: a report of a study funded by the Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence

2016

Other Outputs

Phase 1 results of ASWROTI project

Hu, Shihu (2016). Phase 1 results of ASWROTI project. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.14264/uql.2016.551

Phase 1 results of ASWROTI project

2016

Other Outputs

Phase 4 results of ASWROTI project

Hu, Shihu (2016). Phase 4 results of ASWROTI project. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.14264/uql.2016.604

Phase 4 results of ASWROTI project

2016

Other Outputs

Phase 2 results of ASWROTI project

Hu, Shihu (2016). Phase 2 results of ASWROTI project. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.14264/uql.2016.606

Phase 2 results of ASWROTI project

2016

Conference Publication

Development of a mainstream anaerobic treatment process using a hybrid UASB-micro sieve system

Jimenez, Jose A., Bethke, Lisa, Rattier, Maxime, Hu, Shihu, Santoro, Domenico, Sarathy, Siva, Filmore, Lauren, Willis, John, Keller, Jürg and Batstone, Damien (2016). Development of a mainstream anaerobic treatment process using a hybrid UASB-micro sieve system. 89th Annual Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference, New Orleans, LA USA, 24-28 September 2016. Alexandria, VA USA: Water Environment Federation. doi: 10.2175/193864716819712809

Development of a mainstream anaerobic treatment process using a hybrid UASB-micro sieve system

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2027
    Transforming urban water management through technology translation
    ARC Mid-Career Industry Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2027
    Biofilm-based solution for cost-effective high-quality drinking water
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2023 - 2024
    A practical approach for water utilities to quantify direct greenhouse gas emissions
    UQ Knowledge Exchange & Translation Fund
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2024
    Production of valuable chemicals from gaseous waste
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2025
    Revolutionising sludge management, turning costly waste into a safe product (CRC-P administered by Urban Utilities)
    Queensland Urban Utilities
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2024
    Sewer corrosion reduction through model-supported ventilation control
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2023
    Simultaneous dissolved methane and nitrogen removal
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2022
    Centre of Excellence for NEOM research at KAUST- UQ subaward
    King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
    Open grant
  • 2019
    STP Innovation and leading practice environmental management
    Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2023
    Transforming Wastewater treatment in regional Australia (CRC-P administered by Queensland Urban Utilities)
    Queensland Urban Utilities
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2021
    Transforming Wastewater Treatment Ponds in Rural Australia
    Cooperative Research Centre Projects
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2021
    Revealing the microbial process of iron-driven anaerobic ammonium oxidation
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2021
    Maximizing Energy Recovery through Innovative Nitrogen remOval (MERINO) - DC Water Project
    District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2021
    Transforming wastewater treatment plants from a large energy consumer to an energy exporter through maximizing renewable energy recovery
    Melbourne Water Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2020
    Zero-energy sewage treatment
    Queensland Government Advance Queensland Innovation Partnerships
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2018
    Centre for Geoanalytical Mass Spectrometry (CGMS) - Achieving excellence in isotope geochemistry and geochronology
    UQ Research Facilities Infrastructure Grants
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2020
    Understanding of Iron-Dependent Anaerobic Oxidation of Methane Process
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2019
    Advance Queensland Research Fellowship (Mid): Energy Positive Domestic Wastewater Treatment
    Advance Queensland Research Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2016
    Next-generation multi-collector inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) with laser-ablation capability for in situ high-throughput and high resolution isotope dating and characterizat
    UQ Major Research Facility Fund
    Open grant
  • 2014
    A Platform for Translational Water Research
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2010
    Diversity and distribution of methanogenic and methanotrophic microorganisms in the suboxic transition zones of Little Nerang
    Queensland Bulk Water Supply Authority trading as Seqwater
    Open grant

Availability

Associate Professor Shihu Hu is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Enhancing anaerobic digestion with microbial electrochemical process

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Xueqin Zhang

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Recycling scrap iron for integrated urban wastewater management

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Greenhouse gas emission quantification and methane emission mitigation of open wastewater sludge lagoons using laboratory-scale column incubations

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Honorary Professor Zhiguo Yuan

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Production of C1-C2 liquid chemicals from waste streams containing carbon dioxide

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Bernardino Virdis, Dr Xueqin Zhang

  • Master Philosophy

    Upgrading biogas to biomethane electrochemically while producing iron salts for wastewater management

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Application of iron salts for urban water system management

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Zhiyao Wang

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Autotrophic nitrogen removal from low carbon wastewater by anammox

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Zhiyao Wang

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Cost-effective and sustainable treatment of ammonium-rich industrial wastewater

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Liu Ye, Dr Haoran Duan

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Sustainable management of sewage sludge

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Paul Jensen, Dr Haoran Duan

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Application of Membrane Biofilm Reactor for Nitrogen Removal and Metal Recovery

    Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Electrochemically generated iron dosing for sulfide control and phosphate recovery in anaerobic wastewater treatment system

    Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Anaerobic Oxidation of Methane coupled to oxidised contaminants reduction by `Candidatus Methanoperedens nitroreducens¿

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Xueqin Zhang

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Developing a novel taste and odour removal process for drinking water

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Adrian Oehmen, Associate Professor Gilda Carvalho

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Application of Membrane Biofilm Reactor for Nitrogen Removal and Metal Recovery

    Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Microbial Benchmarking at Wastewater Treatment Plants

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Jianhua Guo

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Fate and removal of PFAS in sewage sludge

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Haoran Duan

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Development and Application of Multiplexed Amplicon Sequencing for Wastewater-based Epidemiology and Pathogen Detection

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Jianhua Guo

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Microbial Benchmarking at Wastewater Treatment Plants

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Jianhua Guo

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Revolutionising sludge management, turning costly waste into a safe product

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Zhiyao Wang

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Production of valuable chemicals from gaseous waste

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Bernardino Virdis, Dr Xueqin Zhang

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Sustainable management of sewage sludge

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Paul Jensen, Dr Haoran Duan

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Reducing activated sludge production by advanced oxidation process in wastewater treatment

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Xueqin Zhang

Completed supervision

Enquiries

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