Overview
Background
Adrian Oehmen is an Associate Professor in the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of Queensland. He leads research in the area of bioprocess engineering, particularly focussing on wastewater treatment, resource recovery and sustainable materials and processes. His research interests include enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR or BioP) and P recovery, microbial entrapment, acid mine drainage and metal recovery, biopolymer (polyhydroxyalkanoate – PHA) production and metabolic modelling as applied to mixed and co-cultures of microorganisms. He has published more than 100 papers in international scientific journals, led or collaborated on more than 30 research projects (many with industry). He is active within the International Water Association (IWA), serving on specialist group and conference committees and is an Associate Editor of Water Research.
Availability
- Associate Professor Adrian Oehmen is:
- Not available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Resource Recovery
Recovering Value-Added Products (e.g. Nutrients, Metals, Biopolymers) from Waste and Wastewater Streams
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Biological Nutrient Removal
Biological Processes for Removing Nutrients such as Phosphorus and Nitrogen from Wastewater
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Wastewater Treatment
Domestic and Industrial Wastewater Treatment Technologies
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Microbial entrapment
Up-concentration of microorganisms for process intensification
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Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal
Process Engineering, Microbiology and Metabolic Features associated with Biological Phosphorus Removal
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Acid Mine Drainage
Sulfate reducing bacteria and metal recovery
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Biopolymer Production
Mixed Culture Technologies focussed on the Production and Recovery of Biopolymers (e.g. Polyhydroxyalkanoates - PHA) from Waste/Wastewater Feedstocks
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Metabolic Modelling
Modelling the Metabolism Associated with Biological Processes and their Application towards Process Engineering
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Process Modelling
Process Modelling for Design, Optimisation and Control of Wastewater Treatment Processes.
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Anaerobic Digestion
Experimental and Modelling Studies focused on Fermentation and Biogas Production from Waste/Wastewater Feedstocks
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Drinking Water Treatment
Heavy Metal Removal (e.g. Arsenic) from Drinking Water Supplies. Application of Ion Exchange Membrane Process Technologies for Drinking Water Treatment.
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Micropollutant Removal
The Removal of Pharmaceutical Active Compounds, Heavy Metals, and other Hazardous Substances from Wastewater using Biological and Physical-Chemical Approaches
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Greenhouse Gas Assessment and Mitigation
Measurement and Minimisation of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions from Wastewater Treatment Processes (e.g nitrous oxide - N2O)
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Phototrophic Processes
Light-Driven Biological Technologies for Value-Added Product Generation (e.g. PHA) from Wastewater
Works
Search Professor Adrian Oehmen’s works on UQ eSpace
Featured
2025
Journal Article
Impact of microbial entrapment on sulfate-reducing bacteria performance and stability with temperature disturbances
Yin, Xinting, Gurieff, Nicholas and Oehmen, Adrian (2025). Impact of microbial entrapment on sulfate-reducing bacteria performance and stability with temperature disturbances. Bioresource Technology, 437 133110, 133110. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2025.133110
Featured
2025
Journal Article
Targeting phosphorus recovery strategies for activated sludge: DoE and multi-objective optimisation to analyse key process factors and associated costs
Boniardi, Gaia, Rackham, Paige, Gan, Albie and Oehmen, Adrian (2025). Targeting phosphorus recovery strategies for activated sludge: DoE and multi-objective optimisation to analyse key process factors and associated costs. Water Research, 288 (Pt B) 124670, 124670. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2025.124670
2025
Journal Article
The return sludge sidestream process promotes phosphorus removal stability with synergistic activity of polyphosphate accumulating organism populations
Close, Kylie, Ye, Liu, Wang, Dongqi, Gu, April Z. and Oehmen, Adrian (2025). The return sludge sidestream process promotes phosphorus removal stability with synergistic activity of polyphosphate accumulating organism populations. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 13 (4) 117331, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.jece.2025.117331
Featured
2025
Journal Article
Metabolic modelling of anaerobic amino acid uptake and storage by fermentative polyphosphate accumulating organisms
Thomson, R., Close, K., Riley, A., Batstone, D.J. and Oehmen, A. (2025). Metabolic modelling of anaerobic amino acid uptake and storage by fermentative polyphosphate accumulating organisms. Water Research, 280 123512, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2025.123512
Featured
2025
Journal Article
Industry-relevant undergraduate education in hands-on bioprocess engineering
Ghebosu, Raluca, Iannotta, Dalila, Storeshaw, Peter, Heffernan, James, Masud, Mostafa Kamal, Li, Li, Cooper-White, Justin, Oehmen, Adrian, Carvalho, Gilda and Wolfram, Joy (2025). Industry-relevant undergraduate education in hands-on bioprocess engineering. Chemical Engineering Journal, 503 158332, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.cej.2024.158332
Featured
2024
Journal Article
The phototrophic metabolic behaviour of Candidatus accumulibacter
Carvalho, V.C.F., Gan, A.Z.M., Shon, A., Kolakovic, S., Freitas, E.B., Reis, M.A.M., Fradinho, J.C. and Oehmen, A. (2024). The phototrophic metabolic behaviour of Candidatus accumulibacter. Water Research, 259 121865, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121865
Featured
2024
Conference Publication
Community modelling of growth and metabolism of purple phototrophic bacteria for resource recovery
Shon, Akhila, Capson Tojo, Gabriel, Reji, Amal and Oehmen, Adrian (2024). Community modelling of growth and metabolism of purple phototrophic bacteria for resource recovery. 1st International Conference on Novel Photorefineries for Resource Recovery 2024, Valladolid, Spain, 9-11 September 2024. Valladolid, Spain:
Featured
2021
Journal Article
The storage compounds associated with Tetrasphaera PAO metabolism and the relationship between diversity and P removal
Close, Kylie, Marques, Ricardo, Carvalho, Virginia C.F., Freitas, Elisabete B., Reis, Maria A.M., Carvalho, Gilda and Oehmen, Adrian (2021). The storage compounds associated with Tetrasphaera PAO metabolism and the relationship between diversity and P removal. Water Research, 204 117621, 117621. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117621
Featured
2021
Journal Article
A review of the biotransformations of priority pharmaceuticals in biological wastewater treatment processes
Nguyen, P.Y., Carvalho, Gilda, Reis, Maria A.M. and Oehmen, Adrian (2021). A review of the biotransformations of priority pharmaceuticals in biological wastewater treatment processes. Water Research, 188 116446, 1-24. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116446
Featured
2020
Journal Article
A novel metabolic-ASM model for full-scale biological nutrient removal systems
Santos, Jorge M.M., Rieger, Leiv, Lanham, Ana B., Carvalheira, Mónica, Reis, Maria and Oehmen, Adrian (2020). A novel metabolic-ASM model for full-scale biological nutrient removal systems. Water Research, 171 115373, 115373. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.115373
Featured
2007
Journal Article
Advances in enhanced biological phosphorus removal: from micro to macro scale
Oehmen, A. M., Lemos, P. C., Carvalho, G., Yuan, Z., Keller, J., Blackall, L. L. and Reis, M. A. M. (2007). Advances in enhanced biological phosphorus removal: from micro to macro scale. Water Research, 41 (11), 2271-2300. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2007.02.030
2026
Journal Article
Electro-fermentation and its Engineering for Heavy Metal Removal From Mining Wastewater: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Perspectives
Hidayatullah, Ibnu Maulana, Steven, Soen, Kusmayadi, Adi, Oehmen, Adrian, Boopathy, Ramaraj, Putri, Nadia Adelia Salsabila, Shibghotulloh, Dawud and Aslan, Christian (2026). Electro-fermentation and its Engineering for Heavy Metal Removal From Mining Wastewater: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Perspectives. Current Pollution Reports, 12 (1) 19. doi: 10.1007/s40726-026-00412-x
2026
Journal Article
Lowering polyhydroxyalkanoate bioproduction costs in mixed cultures through integrated optimization of organic loading rate, sludge retention time and biomass withdrawal
Cruz, Rafaela A.P., Oehmen, Adrian and Reis, Maria A.M. (2026). Lowering polyhydroxyalkanoate bioproduction costs in mixed cultures through integrated optimization of organic loading rate, sludge retention time and biomass withdrawal. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 155, 809-818. doi: 10.1016/j.jiec.2025.08.030
2025
Journal Article
Exploring the feasibility of high rate enhanced biological phosphorus removal system driven by diverse carbon source
Lu, Xuanyu, Zhao, Jing, Duan, Haoran, Yuan, Zhiguo, Zu, Yilin, Oehmen, Adrian and Ye, Liu (2025). Exploring the feasibility of high rate enhanced biological phosphorus removal system driven by diverse carbon source. Water Research X, 28 100365, 100365-28. doi: 10.1016/j.wroa.2025.100365
2025
Journal Article
Phenotypic discrimination and characterization of microbial populations in enhanced biological phosphorus removal using single-cell raman spectroscopy-based methods
Bi, Jiayu, Marques, Ricardo, Wang, Dongqi, Qin, Lu, Close, Kylie, Li, Guangyu, Wang, Zijian Leo, Tooker, Nicholas B., Srinivasan, Varun, Onnis-Hayden, Annalisa, Oehmen, Adrian and Gu, April Z. (2025). Phenotypic discrimination and characterization of microbial populations in enhanced biological phosphorus removal using single-cell raman spectroscopy-based methods. Water Research, 281 123577, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2025.123577
2025
Journal Article
Higher order volatile fatty acid metabolism and atypical polyhydroxyalkanoate production in fermentation-enhanced biological phosphorus removal
Thomson, R., Le, C., Wang, L., Batstone, D.J., Zhou, Y. and Oehmen, A. (2025). Higher order volatile fatty acid metabolism and atypical polyhydroxyalkanoate production in fermentation-enhanced biological phosphorus removal. Water Research, 280 123503, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2025.123503
2025
Other Outputs
RsphCyc genome-scale metabolic model - superseded
Shon, Akhila, Oehmen, Adrian and Gabriel Capson Tojo (2025). RsphCyc genome-scale metabolic model - superseded. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/a240004
2025
Other Outputs
Rba_sphCyc model and supplementary material - updated
Shon, Akhila, Oehmen, Adrian and Gabriel Capson Tojo (2025). Rba_sphCyc model and supplementary material - updated. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/662cdc0
2024
Journal Article
Development and validation of an off-gas tool for oxygen transfer efficiency and N2O emission monitoring in wastewater treatment
Freches, André, Freitas, Patrícia, Marques, Ricardo, Fradinho, Joana Costa, Oehmen, Adrian and Reis, Maria Ascensão (2024). Development and validation of an off-gas tool for oxygen transfer efficiency and N2O emission monitoring in wastewater treatment. Journal of Water Process Engineering, 67 106102, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jwpe.2024.106102
2024
Conference Publication
Threading process control and process safety concepts through undergraduate chemical engineering courses at UQ
Coulter, Bev, Ye, Liu, Oehmen, Adrian and Rufford, Thomas E. (2024). Threading process control and process safety concepts through undergraduate chemical engineering courses at UQ. CHEMECA 2024, Gold Coast, QLD Australia, 29 September - 1 October 2024. IChemE.
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Adrian Oehmen is:
- Not available for supervision
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Application of novel immobilized microbial enrichment for intensified removal of sulfate from mining influenced waters and recovery of metals
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Metabolic modelling of microbial co-cultures for biotherapeutic production
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Esteban Marcellin, Dr Lars Puiman
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Doctor Philosophy
Application of novel immobilized microbial enrichment for intensified removal of nutrients from water
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Recovery of rare earth elements using immobilizedbiochelators
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Gary Schenk
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Doctor Philosophy
Novel halophilic biotechnology for PHA production from sugar
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Steven Pratt, Dr Lisa Bai, Dr Ian Levett
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Doctor Philosophy
The Impact of Operational and Disturbance Factors on Side Stream Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal Process Stability.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Gilda Carvalho, Professor Liu Ye
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Doctor Philosophy
Advanced biomanufacturing of novel cosmeceutical ingredients from Australian avocado food waste through the use of microbial biofactories
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jiahua Shi
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Doctor Philosophy
Enzyme-assisted deconstruction of lignocellulose and reconstruction into high value bio-derived advanced materials
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Gary Schenk, Dr Mike Tebyetekerwa, Professor Darren Martin
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Doctor Philosophy
Developing a novel taste and odour removal process for drinking water
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Shihu Hu, Dr Natascha Rossi, Associate Professor Gilda Carvalho
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Doctor Philosophy
Novel polyphosphate-accumulating organisms in the short-SRT enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) system
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Liu Ye
Completed supervision
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2026
Doctor Philosophy
The Role of the Sidestream Tank and Temperature on Sidestream Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal Performance and Microbial Community
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Gilda Carvalho, Professor Liu Ye
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2026
Master Philosophy
Methodology for assessing polyphosphate accumulating organisms in wastewater via fluorescence-activated cell sorting
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Gilda Carvalho
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Metabolic Modelling of Fermentative and Conventional Polyphosphate Accumulating Organisms in Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Damien Batstone
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Developing Strategies to Optimise Return Sludge Sidestream Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Gilda Carvalho, Professor Liu Ye
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
The return activated sludge sidestream process and the role of Tetrasphaera, a fermenting polyphosphate accumulating organism
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Liu Ye
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Achieving and Understanding Combined Biological Phosphorus Removal and Short-cut Nitrogen in Wastewater Treatment Processes
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Honorary Professor Zhiguo Yuan, Professor Liu Ye
Media
Enquiries
Contact Associate Professor Adrian Oehmen directly for media enquiries about:
- Bioprocess Engineering
- Wastewater Treatment
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