Honorary Professor Zhiguo Yuan
Honorary Professor

Zhiguo Yuan

Email: 

Background

Prof Yuan received his PhD degree in aeronautical engineering in 1992 from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, China. He changed research direction to wastewater management in 1994, when he took up a postdoctoral research fellow position at Ghent University, Belgium. He joined the Advanced Water Management Centre (AWMC), renamed as the Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology in July 2021, at The University of Queensland in 1998. He served as the AWMC Deputy Director 2001-2014, and then the AWMC/ACWEB Director in 2015 to July 2022. His research focuses on development of innovative solutions for urban water management and environmental biotechnology through effective integration of fundamental science and applied engineering. He won over $50M in government, industry and university research funding including many ARC Discovery, Linkage and Fellowship grants, mostly as the lead Chief Investigator. Prof Yuan was one of the founding members of the $117m Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities. He has published intensively both in specialised journals such as Water Research and Environmental Science and Technology, and multidisciplinary journals including Nature and Science. He is the founder of three biotechnology businesses namely SeweX, Cloevis and Lodomat, and his research has delivered documented savings of hundreds of millions of dollars to the Australian water industry. His research achievements and leadership have been recognized through major national and international awards including the 2015 ATSE Clunies Ross Award and the International Water Association (IWA) 2014 Global Project Innovation Award (Applied Research Category). Prof Yuan was named as one of Engineers Australia’s Top 100 Most Influential Engineers for 2015. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE), an IWA Distinguished Fellow, and was awarded the highly prestigious ARC Australian Laureate Fellowship in 2017. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in January 2019.

Availability

Honorary Professor Zhiguo Yuan is:
Not available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Environmental biotechnology Environmental engineering

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Engineering, Beijing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Beijing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics

Research interests

  • Integrated Urban Water Management

    A whole-of-system approach to managing multiple water resources in an urban water cycle and multiple elements in an urban water system.

  • Digital water

    Descriptive, diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive data analytics for proactive urban water management

  • Sustainable carbon bioeconomy

    Gas fermentation to convert organic wastes to carbon commodities

  • Corrosion and odour management in sewers systems

    Effective control of H2S production in sewer systems and minimise its effect on sewer corrosion and odour generation

  • Sludge management in wastewater treatment systems

    Innovative technologies for enhancing bioenergy recovery from wastewater and reducing sludge production

  • Greenhouse gas emissions from water and wastewater systems

    Fugitive greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater systems including CH4 emission in sewers, N2O emission from wastewater treatment processes and CH4 and N2O emissions from estuaries, dams and bays

  • Biological nutrient removal and recovery

    Innovative technologies and fundamental science for biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal and recovery from wastewater

Research impacts

  • His research in sewer management has fundamentally changed practice of many Australian water utilities in corrosion and odour management in sewers. The documented savings to date for the water industry amounts to approximately $400 million, based on the testimonial letters provided by industry partners.
  • He has collaborated with almost all major water utilities in Australia through many ARC Industry Linkage projects as well as a large number of collaborative research projects.
  • He was a founding and Executive Committee member of the $117 million Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cites, with over 80 industry partners, and led the Future Technologies Program Leader.
  • Established SeweX, a consulting company under UniQuest Pty Ltd, in 2008. SeweX has undertaken over $3 million consulting work since 2009. Clients included both Australian water utilities and companies from overseas. SeweX has been recently licensed to Envirosuite, an ASX listed technology company.
  • Established Cloevis Pty Ltd, a spin-off company from my sewer research. The company has licenced its patented technology on biofilm removal from sewer pipes to USP Technologies (US).
  • His research on sludge treatment using free nitrous acid has led to the development of the patented Lodomat technology that substantially increases biogas production from wastewater sludge. The technology has recently attracted >$5M (+ >$4M in-kind) industry and government funding for pilot plant demonstrations.
  • His research has frequently attracted media attention, with many articles published in newspapers such as The Australian and The Courier Mail, the News Agency Websites (e.g. ABC, Xinhua Agency), and industry magazines, newsletters and websites. Five of his papers have Altmetric Attention Scores that are in the top 5% of the 6.4 million research outputs tracked.
  • He is an Editor of Water Research, a top journal in water science and technology.
  • He published over 500 papers in internationally leading journals (the full list and citation record: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=1IPdGqkAAAAJ&hl=en)

Search Professor Zhiguo Yuan’s works on UQ eSpace

805 works between 1992 and 2025
All (805) Journal Article (623) Book Chapter (9) Conference Publication (169) Book (1) Other Outputs (3)

61 - 80 of 805 works

2023

Journal Article

Formate as an alternative electron donor for the anaerobic methanotrophic archaeon Candidatus ‘Methanoperedens nitroreducens’

Xie, Mengying, Zheng, Yue, Zhang, Xueqin, Xia, Jun, Maulani, Nova, Yuan, Zhiguo, Cai, Chen and Hu, Shihu (2023). Formate as an alternative electron donor for the anaerobic methanotrophic archaeon Candidatus ‘Methanoperedens nitroreducens’. Environmental Science and Technology Letters, 10 (6), 506-512. doi: 10.1021/acs.estlett.3c00220

Formate as an alternative electron donor for the anaerobic methanotrophic archaeon Candidatus ‘Methanoperedens nitroreducens’

2023

Journal Article

One-year stable pilot-scale operation demonstrates high flexibility of mainstream anammox application

Zheng, Min, Li, Huijuan, Duan, Haoran, Liu, Tao, Wang, Zhiyao, Zhao, Jing, Hu, Zhetai, Watts, Shane, Meng, Jia, Liu, Peng, Rattier, Maxime, Larsen, Eloise, Guo, Jianhua, Dwyer, Jason, Akker, Ben Van Den, Lloyd, James, Hu, Shihu and Yuan, Zhiguo (2023). One-year stable pilot-scale operation demonstrates high flexibility of mainstream anammox application. Water Research X, 19 100166, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.wroa.2023.100166

One-year stable pilot-scale operation demonstrates high flexibility of mainstream anammox application

2023

Journal Article

Long-term onsite monitoring of a sewage sludge drying pan finds methane emissions consistent with IPCC default emission factor

Bai, Mei, Wang, Zhiyao, Lloyd, James, Seneviratne, Dilini, Flesch, Thomas, Yuan, Zhiguo and Chen, Deli (2023). Long-term onsite monitoring of a sewage sludge drying pan finds methane emissions consistent with IPCC default emission factor. Water Research: X, 19 100184, 100184. doi: 10.1016/j.wroa.2023.100184

Long-term onsite monitoring of a sewage sludge drying pan finds methane emissions consistent with IPCC default emission factor

2023

Journal Article

Novel use of a ferric salt to enhance mainstream nitrogen removal from anaerobically pretreated wastewater

Hu, Zhetai, Hu, Shihu, Ye, Liu, Duan, Haoran, Wu, Ziping, Hong, Pei-Ying, Yuan, Zhiguo and Zheng, Min (2023). Novel use of a ferric salt to enhance mainstream nitrogen removal from anaerobically pretreated wastewater. Environmental Science and Technology, 57 (16), 6712-6722. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.2c08325

Novel use of a ferric salt to enhance mainstream nitrogen removal from anaerobically pretreated wastewater

2023

Journal Article

Nitrification potential of daily-watered biofiltration designs for high ammonium wastewater treatment

Prodanovic, Veljko, Zhang, Kefeng, Zheng, Min, Hu, Shihu, Hong, Pei-Ying, Yuan, Zhiguo and Deletic, Ana (2023). Nitrification potential of daily-watered biofiltration designs for high ammonium wastewater treatment. Science of the Total Environment, 863 160989, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160989

Nitrification potential of daily-watered biofiltration designs for high ammonium wastewater treatment

2023

Journal Article

Membrane reciprocation as energy-efficient fouling control with high biogas recovery in a pilot-scale anaerobic membrane bioreactor

Lim, Zhuan Khai, Liu, Tao, Zheng, Min, Rattier, Maxime, Keller, Jurg, Yuan, Zhiguo, Guo, Jianhua and Hu, Shihu (2023). Membrane reciprocation as energy-efficient fouling control with high biogas recovery in a pilot-scale anaerobic membrane bioreactor. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 190 106849, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2022.106849

Membrane reciprocation as energy-efficient fouling control with high biogas recovery in a pilot-scale anaerobic membrane bioreactor

2023

Journal Article

Microbial stratification affects conversions of nitrogen and methane in biofilms coupling anammox and n-DAMO processes

Liu, Tao, Hu, Shihu, Yuan, Zhiguo and Guo, Jianhua (2023). Microbial stratification affects conversions of nitrogen and methane in biofilms coupling anammox and n-DAMO processes. Environmental Science and Technology, 57 (11), 4608-4618. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.2c07294

Microbial stratification affects conversions of nitrogen and methane in biofilms coupling anammox and n-DAMO processes

2023

Journal Article

Recent advances in tendon tissue engineering strategy

Ning, Chao, Li, Pinxue, Gao, Cangjian, Fu, Liwei, Liao, Zhiyao, Tian, Guangzhao, Yin, Han, Li, Muzhe, Sui, Xiang, Yuan, Zhiguo, Liu, Shuyun and Guo, Quanyi (2023). Recent advances in tendon tissue engineering strategy. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 11, 1-26. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1115312

Recent advances in tendon tissue engineering strategy

2023

Journal Article

Significant production of nitric oxide by aerobic nitrite reduction at acidic pH

Lu, Xi, Wang, Zhiyao, Duan, Haoran, Wu, Ziping, Hu, Shihu, Ye, Liu, Yuan, Zhiguo and Zheng, Min (2023). Significant production of nitric oxide by aerobic nitrite reduction at acidic pH. Water Research, 230 119542, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119542

Significant production of nitric oxide by aerobic nitrite reduction at acidic pH

2023

Journal Article

Anaerobic methanotroph ‘Candidatus Methanoperedens nitroreducens’ has a pleomorphic life cycle

McIlroy, Simon J., Leu, Andy O., Zhang, Xueqin, Newell, Rhys, Woodcroft, Ben J., Yuan, Zhiguo, Hu, Shihu and Tyson, Gene W. (2023). Anaerobic methanotroph ‘Candidatus Methanoperedens nitroreducens’ has a pleomorphic life cycle. Nature Microbiology, 8 (2), 321-331. doi: 10.1038/s41564-022-01292-9

Anaerobic methanotroph ‘Candidatus Methanoperedens nitroreducens’ has a pleomorphic life cycle

2023

Journal Article

High‐concentration electrosynthesis of formic acid/formate from CO2 : reactor and electrode design strategies

Kuang, Yizhu, Rabiee, Hesamoddin, Ge, Lei, Rufford, Thomas E., Yuan, Zhiguo, Bell, John and Wang, Hao (2023). High‐concentration electrosynthesis of formic acid/formate from CO2 : reactor and electrode design strategies. Energy and Environmental Materials, 6 (6) e12596. doi: 10.1002/eem2.12596

High‐concentration electrosynthesis of formic acid/formate from CO2 : reactor and electrode design strategies

2023

Journal Article

Towards carbon neutral chemicals production: opportunities for combining fermentation with electrochemical processes

Wood, Jamin C., Yuan, Zhiguo and Virdis, Bernardino (2023). Towards carbon neutral chemicals production: opportunities for combining fermentation with electrochemical processes. Current Opinion in Electrochemistry, 37 101177, 101177. doi: 10.1016/j.coelec.2022.101177

Towards carbon neutral chemicals production: opportunities for combining fermentation with electrochemical processes

2023

Journal Article

Antidepressants can induce mutation and enhance persistence toward multiple antibiotics

Wang, Yue, Yu, Zhigang, Ding, Pengbo, Lu, Ji, Mao, Likai, Ngiam, Lyman, Yuan, Zhiguo, Engelstädter, Jan, Schembri, Mark A. and Guo, Jianhua (2023). Antidepressants can induce mutation and enhance persistence toward multiple antibiotics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120 (5) e2208344120, 1-12. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2208344120

Antidepressants can induce mutation and enhance persistence toward multiple antibiotics

2023

Journal Article

High hydraulic loading rates favored mainstream partial nitritation: experimental demonstration and model-based analysis

Duan, Haoran, Zheng, Min, Li, Jiyun, Liu, Tao, Wang, Zhiyao, Shrestha, Sohan, Wang, Bingzheng, Ye, Liu, Hu, Shihu and Yuan, Zhiguo (2023). High hydraulic loading rates favored mainstream partial nitritation: experimental demonstration and model-based analysis. ACS ES and T Water, 3 (2), 556-564. doi: 10.1021/acsestwater.2c00569

High hydraulic loading rates favored mainstream partial nitritation: experimental demonstration and model-based analysis

2023

Journal Article

Ammonium concentration determines oxygen penetration depth to impact the suppression of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria inside partial nitritation and anammox biofilms

Zhao, Jing, Liu, Tao, Meng, Jia, Hu, Zhetai, Lu, Xuanyu, Hu, Shihu, Yuan, Zhiguo and Zheng, Min (2023). Ammonium concentration determines oxygen penetration depth to impact the suppression of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria inside partial nitritation and anammox biofilms. Chemical Engineering Journal, 455 140738, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.cej.2022.140738

Ammonium concentration determines oxygen penetration depth to impact the suppression of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria inside partial nitritation and anammox biofilms

2022

Journal Article

Water Research X is becoming an independent, open access, top-quality journal in water science and technology

Yuan, Zhiguo and Morgenroth, Eberhard (2022). Water Research X is becoming an independent, open access, top-quality journal in water science and technology. Water Research X, 18 100163. doi: 10.1016/j.wroa.2022.100163

Water Research X is becoming an independent, open access, top-quality journal in water science and technology

2022

Journal Article

Simultaneous removal of antibiotic resistant bacteria, antibiotic resistance genes, and micropollutants by FeS2@GO-based heterogeneous photo-Fenton process

Ahmed, Yunus, Zhong, Jiexi, Wang, Zhiliang, Wang, Lianzhou, Yuan, Zhiguo and Guo, Jianhua (2022). Simultaneous removal of antibiotic resistant bacteria, antibiotic resistance genes, and micropollutants by FeS2@GO-based heterogeneous photo-Fenton process. Environmental Science and Technology, 56 (21), 15156-15166. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.2c03334

Simultaneous removal of antibiotic resistant bacteria, antibiotic resistance genes, and micropollutants by FeS2@GO-based heterogeneous photo-Fenton process

2022

Conference Publication

Digital control of chemical dosing for sewer network protection

Li, Jiuling, Sharma, Keshab and Yuan, Zhiguo (2022). Digital control of chemical dosing for sewer network protection. 13th IWA Conference on Instrumentation, Control and Automation, Beijing, China, 17-21 October 2022.

Digital control of chemical dosing for sewer network protection

2022

Journal Article

Anaerobic oxidation of propane coupled to nitrate reduction by a lineage within the class Symbiobacteriia

Wu, Mengxiong, Li, Jie, Leu, Andy O., Erler, Dirk V., Stark, Terra, Tyson, Gene W., Yuan, Zhiguo, McIlroy, Simon J. and Guo, Jianhua (2022). Anaerobic oxidation of propane coupled to nitrate reduction by a lineage within the class Symbiobacteriia. Nature Communications, 13 (1) 6115, 1-12. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-33872-y

Anaerobic oxidation of propane coupled to nitrate reduction by a lineage within the class Symbiobacteriia

2022

Journal Article

Characterizing and comparing microbial community and biofilm structure in three nitrifying moving bed biofilm reactors

Zhao, Jing, Ni, Gaofeng, Piculell, Maria, Li, Jie, Hu, Zhetai, Wang, Zhiyao, Guo, Jianhua, Yuan, Zhiguo, Zheng, Min and Hu, Shihu (2022). Characterizing and comparing microbial community and biofilm structure in three nitrifying moving bed biofilm reactors. Journal of Environmental Management, 320 115883, 115883. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115883

Characterizing and comparing microbial community and biofilm structure in three nitrifying moving bed biofilm reactors

Availability

Honorary Professor Zhiguo Yuan is:
Not available for supervision

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Airflow and temperature modelling for sewers

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jiuling Li

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Understanding of Ventilation-Based Drying for Sewer Corrosion Control

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jiuling Li, Dr Zhetai Hu

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Data quality assurance in digitalisation of urban water management

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Helen Huang, Dr Jiuling Li, Dr Ruihong Qiu

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Extracellular Electron Transfer-Facilitated Microbial Conversion of Methanol by Eubacterium limosum

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Xueqin Zhang, Dr Bernardino Virdis

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The Understanding of Condensation-induced Concrete Corrsoion in the Sewer Crown Region

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Damien Batstone, Dr Jiuling Li

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Integrated use of magnesium and iron chemicals in urban wastewater systems

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Zhetai Hu

  • Doctor Philosophy

    In-depth understanding of bioprocess and microbial community in a novel methane-based membrane biofilm reactor

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Jianhua Guo

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Honorary Professor Zhiguo Yuan directly for media enquiries about:

  • Corrosion - sewers
  • Odour - sewers
  • Sewers
  • Wastewater management
  • Wastewater treatment
  • Water treatment

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