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
2020
Journal Article
Long-term simulation of a full-scale EBPR plant with a novel metabolic-ASM model and its use as a diagnostic tool
Santos, Jorge M.M., Martins, António, Barreto, Sara, Rieger, Leiv, Reis, Maria and Oehmen, Adrian (2020). Long-term simulation of a full-scale EBPR plant with a novel metabolic-ASM model and its use as a diagnostic tool. Water Research, 187 116398, 116398. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116398
2020
Journal Article
Purple phototrophic bacteria for resource recovery: Challenges and opportunities
Capson-Tojo, Gabriel, Batstone, Damien J., Grassino, María, Vlaeminck, Siegfried E., Puyol, Daniel, Verstraete, Willy, Kleerebezem, Robbert, Oehmen, Adrian, Ghimire, Anish, Pikaar, Ilje, Lema, Juan M. and Hülsen, Tim (2020). Purple phototrophic bacteria for resource recovery: Challenges and opportunities. Biotechnology Advances, 43 107567. doi: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2020.107567
2020
Journal Article
Defluviicoccus vanus Glycogen-Accumulating Organisms (DvGAOs) are less competitive than Polyphosphate-Accumulating Organisms (PAOs) at high temperature
Wang, Li, Oehmen, Adrian, Le, Chencheng, Liu, Jianbo and Zhou, Yan (2020). Defluviicoccus vanus Glycogen-Accumulating Organisms (DvGAOs) are less competitive than Polyphosphate-Accumulating Organisms (PAOs) at high temperature. ACS ES&T Water, 1 (2) acsestwater.0c00092, 319-327. doi: 10.1021/acsestwater.0c00092
2020
Journal Article
Two-stage anaerobic digestion system treating different seasonal fruit pulp wastes: impact on biogas and hydrogen production and total energy recovery potential
Mateus, Sara, Carvalheira, Mónica, Cassidy, Joana, Freitas, Elisabete, Oehmen, Adrian and Reis, Maria A.M. (2020). Two-stage anaerobic digestion system treating different seasonal fruit pulp wastes: impact on biogas and hydrogen production and total energy recovery potential. Biomass and Bioenergy, 141 105694, 105694. doi: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2020.105694
2020
Journal Article
Community profile governs substrate competition in polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)-producing mixed cultures
Wang, Xiaofei, Oehmen, Adrian, Carvalho, Gilda and Reis, Maria A.M. (2020). Community profile governs substrate competition in polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)-producing mixed cultures. New Biotechnology, 58, 32-37. doi: 10.1016/j.nbt.2020.03.003
2020
Journal Article
The impact of temperature on the metabolism of volatile fatty acids by polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs)
Wang, Li, Shen, Nan, Oehmen, Adrian and Zhou, Yan (2020). The impact of temperature on the metabolism of volatile fatty acids by polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs). Environmental Research, 188 109729, 109729. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109729
2020
Book Chapter
Enhanced biological phosphorus removal
Lopez-Vazquez, Carlos M., Wentzel, Mark C., Comeau, Yves, Ekama, George A., van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M., Brdjanovic, Damir and Oehmen, Adrian (2020). Enhanced biological phosphorus removal. Biological wastewater treatment. (pp. 239-326) edited by Guanghao Chen, Mark C.M. van Loosdrecht, George A. Ekama and Damir Brdjanovic. London, United Kingdom: IWA Publishing. doi: 10.2166/9781789060362_0239
2020
Journal Article
Modified poly(acrylic acid)-based hydrogels for enhanced mainstream removal of ammonium from domestic wastewater
Cruz, Heidy, Laycock, Bronwyn, Strounina, Ekaterina, Seviour, Thomas William, Oehmen, Adrian and Pikaar, Ilje (2020). Modified poly(acrylic acid)-based hydrogels for enhanced mainstream removal of ammonium from domestic wastewater. Environmental Science and Technology, 54 (15) acs.est.9b07032, 9573-9583. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.9b07032
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
2020
Conference Publication
Achieving combined partial nitrification and biological phosphorus removal in a side-stream sludge treatment system
Lu, Xuanyu, Duan, Haoran, Oehmen, Adrian, Carvalho, Gilda, Yuan, Zhiguo and Ye, Liu (2020). Achieving combined partial nitrification and biological phosphorus removal in a side-stream sludge treatment system. IWA Nutrient Removal and Recovery Conference, Helsinki, Finland, 8 - 12 June 2020. IWA.
2019
Journal Article
Author Correction: Global diversity and biogeography of bacterial communities in wastewater treatment plants (Nature Microbiology, (2019), 4, 7, (1183-1195), 10.1038/s41564-019-0426-5)
Wu, Linwei, Ning, Daliang, Zhang, Bing, Li, Yong, Zhang, Ping, Shan, Xiaoyu, Zhang, Qiuting, Brown, Mathew Robert, Li, Zhenxin, Van Nostrand, Joy D., Ling, Fangqiong, Xiao, Naijia, Zhang, Ya, Vierheilig, Julia, Wells, George F., Yang, Yunfeng, Deng, Ye, Tu, Qichao, Wang, Aijie, Acevedo, Dany, Agullo-Barcelo, Miriam, Alvarez, Pedro J. J., Alvarez-Cohen, Lisa, Andersen, Gary L., de Araujo, Juliana Calabria, Boehnke, Kevin F., Bond, Philip, Bott, Charles B., Bovio, Patricia ... Zhou, Jizhong (2019). Author Correction: Global diversity and biogeography of bacterial communities in wastewater treatment plants (Nature Microbiology, (2019), 4, 7, (1183-1195), 10.1038/s41564-019-0426-5). Nature Microbiology, 4 (12), 2579-2579. doi: 10.1038/s41564-019-0617-0
2019
Journal Article
Oerskovia paurometabola can efficiently decolorize azo dye Acid Red 14 and remove its recalcitrant metabolite
Franca, Rita Dias Guardão, Vieira, Anabela, Carvalho, Gilda, Oehmen, Adrian, Pinheiro, Helena Maria, Barreto Crespo, Maria Teresa and Lourenço, Nídia Dana (2019). Oerskovia paurometabola can efficiently decolorize azo dye Acid Red 14 and remove its recalcitrant metabolite. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 191 110007, 110007. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.110007
2019
Journal Article
Denitrifiers in mainstream anammox processes: competitors or supporters?
Cao, Shenbin, Oehmen, Adrian and Zhou, Yan (2019). Denitrifiers in mainstream anammox processes: competitors or supporters?. Environmental Science & Technology, 53 (19), 11063-11065. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.9b05013
2019
Journal Article
Nitrous oxide emissions from a full-scale biological aerated filter (BAF) subject to seawater infiltration
Vieira, Anabela, Marques, Ricardo, Galinha, Claudia, Povoa, Pedro, Carvalho, Gilda and Oehmen, Adrian (2019). Nitrous oxide emissions from a full-scale biological aerated filter (BAF) subject to seawater infiltration. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 26 (20), 20939-20948. doi: 10.1007/s11356-019-05470-x
2019
Journal Article
Metabolic modelling of mixed culture anaerobic microbial processes
Batstone, D.J., Hülsen, T. and Oehmen, A. (2019). Metabolic modelling of mixed culture anaerobic microbial processes. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 57, 137-144. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2019.03.014
2019
Journal Article
Application of dissolved oxygen (DO) level control for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) accumulation with concurrent nitrification in surplus municipal activated sludge
Wang, Xiaofei, Bengtsson, Simon, Oehmen, Adrian, Carvalho, Gilda, Werker, Alan and Reis, Maria A.M. (2019). Application of dissolved oxygen (DO) level control for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) accumulation with concurrent nitrification in surplus municipal activated sludge. New Biotechnology, 50, 37-43. doi: 10.1016/j.nbt.2019.01.003
2019
Journal Article
Global diversity and biogeography of bacterial communities in wastewater treatment plants
Wu, Linwei, Ning, Daliang, Zhang, Bing, Li, Yong, Zhang, Ping, Shan, Xiaoyu, Zhang, Qiuting, Brown, Mathew, Li, Zhenxin, Van Nostrand, Joy D., Ling, Fangqiong, Xiao, Naijia, Zhang, Ya, Vierheilig, Julia, Wells, George F., Yang, Yunfeng, Deng, Ye, Tu, Qichao, Wang, Aijie, Acevedo, Dany, Agullo-Barcelo, Miriam, Alvarez, Pedro J. J., Alvarez-Cohen, Lisa, Andersen, Gary L., de Araujo, Juliana Calabria, Boehnke, Kevin, Bond, Philip, Bott, Charles B., Bovio, Patricia ... Zhou, Jizhong (2019). Global diversity and biogeography of bacterial communities in wastewater treatment plants. Nature Microbiology, 4 (7), 1183-1195. doi: 10.1038/s41564-019-0426-5
2019
Journal Article
Improving polyhydroxyalkanoates production in phototrophic mixed cultures by optimizing accumulator reactor operating conditions
Fradinho, J. C., Oehmen, A. and Reis, M. A.M. (2019). Improving polyhydroxyalkanoates production in phototrophic mixed cultures by optimizing accumulator reactor operating conditions. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 126, 1085-1092. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.12.270
2019
Journal Article
The impact of the art-ICA control technology on the performance, energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of full-scale wastewater treatment plants
Vieira, Anabela, Marques, Ricardo, Raposo, Ricardo, Martins, Margarida, Alves, Rita, Povoa, Pedro, Irizar, Ion, Beltrán, Sergio, Craamer, Peter, Urchegui, Gorka and Oehmen, Adrian (2019). The impact of the art-ICA control technology on the performance, energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of full-scale wastewater treatment plants. Journal of Cleaner Production, 213, 680-687. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.12.229
2019
Journal Article
The link between nitrous oxide emissions, microbial community profile and function from three full-scale WWTPs
Vieira, A., Galinha, C. F., Oehmen, A. and Carvalho, G. (2019). The link between nitrous oxide emissions, microbial community profile and function from three full-scale WWTPs. Science of the Total Environment, 651 (Pt 2), 2460-2472. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.132
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
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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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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
Application of novel immobilized microbial enrichment for intensified removal of nutrients from water
Principal Advisor
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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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Doctor Philosophy
A sustainable biological nutrient removal and recovery process for cost-effective wastewater treatment
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Gilda Carvalho, Professor Liu Ye
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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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Doctor Philosophy
Developing a novel taste and odour removal process for drinking water
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Shihu Hu, Associate Professor Gilda Carvalho
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Master Philosophy
Biofilm-based pre-treatment for drinking water treatment
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Shihu Hu, Associate Professor Gilda Carvalho
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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
Novel Phosphorous accumulating organisms in next generation wastewater treatment systems
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Liu Ye
Completed supervision
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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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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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