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Honorary Professor Zhiguo Yuan
Honorary Professor

Zhiguo Yuan

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Overview

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

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)

Works

Search Professor Zhiguo Yuan’s works on UQ eSpace

805 works between 1992 and 2025

101 - 120 of 805 works

2022

Journal Article

Formation and Fate of Perfluoroalkyl Acids (PFAAs) in a laboratory-scale urban wastewater system

Li, Yijing, Bräunig, Jennifer, Thai, Phong K., Rebosura, Mario, Mueller, Jochen F. and Yuan, Zhiguo (2022). Formation and Fate of Perfluoroalkyl Acids (PFAAs) in a laboratory-scale urban wastewater system. Water Research, 216 118295, 118295. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118295

Formation and Fate of Perfluoroalkyl Acids (PFAAs) in a laboratory-scale urban wastewater system

2022

Journal Article

Polyhydroxyalkanoate-driven current generation via acetate by an anaerobic methanotrophic consortium

Zhang, Xueqin, McIlroy, Simon J., Vassilev, Igor, Rabiee, Hesamoddin, Plan, Manuel, Cai, Chen, Virdis, Bernardino, Tyson, Gene W., Yuan, Zhiguo and Hu, Shihu (2022). Polyhydroxyalkanoate-driven current generation via acetate by an anaerobic methanotrophic consortium. Water Research, 221 118743, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118743

Polyhydroxyalkanoate-driven current generation via acetate by an anaerobic methanotrophic consortium

2022

Journal Article

Wastewater primary treatment using forward osmosis introduces inhibition to achieve stable mainstream partial nitrification

Zhao, Yingfen, Ab Hamid, Nur Hafizah, Reddy, Nichelle, Zheng, Min, Yuan, Zhiguo, Duan, Haoran and Ye, Liu (2022). Wastewater primary treatment using forward osmosis introduces inhibition to achieve stable mainstream partial nitrification. Environmental Science and Technology, 56 (12), 8663-8672. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.1c05672

Wastewater primary treatment using forward osmosis introduces inhibition to achieve stable mainstream partial nitrification

2022

Journal Article

Roles of reactive oxygen species in antibiotic resistant bacteria inactivation and micropollutant degradation in Fenton and photo-Fenton processes

Ahmed, Yunus, Zhong, Jiexi, Yuan, Zhiguo and Guo, Jianhua (2022). Roles of reactive oxygen species in antibiotic resistant bacteria inactivation and micropollutant degradation in Fenton and photo-Fenton processes. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 430 128408, 128408. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128408

Roles of reactive oxygen species in antibiotic resistant bacteria inactivation and micropollutant degradation in Fenton and photo-Fenton processes

2022

Journal Article

Transformation and fate of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances during aerobic digestion of anaerobically digested sludge

Li, Yijing, Thompson, Jack, Wang, Zhiyao, Bräunig, Jennifer, Zheng, Qiuda, Thai, Phong K., Mueller, Jochen F. and Yuan, Zhiguo (2022). Transformation and fate of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances during aerobic digestion of anaerobically digested sludge. Water Research, 219 118568, 118568. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118568

Transformation and fate of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances during aerobic digestion of anaerobically digested sludge

2022

Journal Article

Response of the anaerobic methanotrophic archaeon candidatus “methanoperedens nitroreducens” to the long-term ferrihydrite amendment

Cai, Chen, Ni, Gaofeng, Xia, Jun, Zhang, Xueqin, Zheng, Yue, He, Bingqing, Marcellin, Esteban, Li, Weiwei, Pu, Jiaoyang, Yuan, Zhiguo and Hu, Shihu (2022). Response of the anaerobic methanotrophic archaeon candidatus “methanoperedens nitroreducens” to the long-term ferrihydrite amendment. Frontiers in Microbiology, 13 799859, 799859. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.799859

Response of the anaerobic methanotrophic archaeon candidatus “methanoperedens nitroreducens” to the long-term ferrihydrite amendment

2022

Journal Article

Swift hydraulic models for real-time control applications in sewer networks

Li, Jiuling, Sharma, Keshab, Li, Wei and Yuan, Zhiguo (2022). Swift hydraulic models for real-time control applications in sewer networks. Water Research, 213 118141, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118141

Swift hydraulic models for real-time control applications in sewer networks

2022

Book Chapter

Modelling N2O production and emissions

Spérandio, Mathieu, Lang, Longqi, Sabba, Fabrizio, Nerenberg, Robert, Vanrolleghem, Peter, Domingo-Félez, Carlos, Smets, Barth F., Duan, Haoran, Ni, Bing-Jie and Yuan, Zhiguo (2022). Modelling N2O production and emissions. Quantification and modelling of fugitive greenhouse gas emissions from urban water systems. (pp. 167-196) London, United Kingdom: IWA Publishing. doi: 10.2166/9781789060461_0167

Modelling N2O production and emissions

2022

Book Chapter

Modelling of methane production and emissions

Sharma, Keshab, Gutierrez, Oriol, Yuan, Zhiguo, Daelman, Matthijs R. J., van Loosdrecht, Mark C. M. and Volcke, Eveline I. P. (2022). Modelling of methane production and emissions. Quantification and modelling of fugitive greenhouse gas emissions from urban water systems. (pp. 197-212) edited by Liu Ye, Jose Porro and Ingmar Nopens. London, United Kingdom: IWA Publishing. doi: 10.2166/9781789060461_0197

Modelling of methane production and emissions

2022

Journal Article

A genome-scale metabolic model of Methanoperedens nitroreducens: assessing bioenergetics and thermodynamic feasibility

He, Bingqing, Cai, Chen, McCubbin, Tim, Muriel, Jorge Carrasco, Sonnenschein, Nikolaus, Hu, Shihu, Yuan, Zhiguo and Marcellin, Esteban (2022). A genome-scale metabolic model of Methanoperedens nitroreducens: assessing bioenergetics and thermodynamic feasibility. Metabolites, 12 (4) 314, 314. doi: 10.3390/metabo12040314

A genome-scale metabolic model of Methanoperedens nitroreducens: assessing bioenergetics and thermodynamic feasibility

2022

Journal Article

Copper stimulation on methane-supported perchlorate reduction in a membrane biofilm reactor

Wang, Yulu, Lai, Chun-Yu, Wu, Mengxiong, Lu, Xuanyu, Hu, Shihu, Yuan, Zhiguo and Guo, Jianhua (2022). Copper stimulation on methane-supported perchlorate reduction in a membrane biofilm reactor. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 425 127917, 127917. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127917

Copper stimulation on methane-supported perchlorate reduction in a membrane biofilm reactor

2022

Journal Article

An integrated first principal and deep learning approach for modeling nitrous oxide emissions from wastewater treatment plants

Li, Kaili, Duan, Haoran, Liu, Linfeng, Qiu, Ruihong, van den Akker, Ben, Ni, Bing-Jie, Chen, Tong, Yin, Hongzhi, Yuan, Zhiguo and Ye, Liu (2022). An integrated first principal and deep learning approach for modeling nitrous oxide emissions from wastewater treatment plants. Environmental Science and Technology, 56 (4) acs.est.1c05020, 2816-2826. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.1c05020

An integrated first principal and deep learning approach for modeling nitrous oxide emissions from wastewater treatment plants

2022

Journal Article

Corrosion mitigation by nitrite spray on corroded concrete in a real sewer system

Li, Xuan, Johnson, Ian, Mueller, Kara, Wilkie, Simeon, Hanzic, Lucija, Bond, Philip L., O'Moore, Liza, Yuan, Zhiguo and Jiang, Guangming (2022). Corrosion mitigation by nitrite spray on corroded concrete in a real sewer system. Science of the Total Environment, 806 (Pt 3) 151328, 151328. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151328

Corrosion mitigation by nitrite spray on corroded concrete in a real sewer system

2022

Journal Article

Gravity settling and centrifugation increase the acid buffer capacity of activated sludge

Meng, Jia, Duan, Haoran, Yuan, Zhiguo and Zheng, Min (2022). Gravity settling and centrifugation increase the acid buffer capacity of activated sludge. Science of The Total Environment, 820 153231, 153231. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153231

Gravity settling and centrifugation increase the acid buffer capacity of activated sludge

2022

Journal Article

Insights of metallic nanoparticles and ions in accelerating the bacterial uptake of antibiotic resistance genes

Zhang, Shuai, Lu, Ji, Wang, Yue, Verstraete, Willy, Yuan, Zhiguo and Guo, Jianhua (2022). Insights of metallic nanoparticles and ions in accelerating the bacterial uptake of antibiotic resistance genes. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 421 126728, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126728

Insights of metallic nanoparticles and ions in accelerating the bacterial uptake of antibiotic resistance genes

2022

Journal Article

Biofabrication of cell-free dual drug-releasing biomimetic scaffolds for meniscal regeneration (vol 14, 015001, 2022)

Hao, Li, Tianyuan, Zhao, Zhen, Yang, Fuyang, Cao, Jiang, Wu, Zineng, Yan, Zhengang, Ding, Shuyun, Liu, Chunxiang, Hao, Zhiguo, Yuan and Quanyi, Guo (2022). Biofabrication of cell-free dual drug-releasing biomimetic scaffolds for meniscal regeneration (vol 14, 015001, 2022). Biofabrication, 14 (1) 019502, 019502. doi: 10.1088/1758-5090/ac3acc

Biofabrication of cell-free dual drug-releasing biomimetic scaffolds for meniscal regeneration (vol 14, 015001, 2022)

2021

Journal Article

Stand-alone asymmetric hollow fiber gas-diffusion electrodes with distinguished bronze phases for high-efficiency CO2 electrochemical reduction

Rabiee, Hesamoddin, Ge, Lei, Zhang, Xueqin, Hu, Shihu, Li, Mengran, Smart, Simon, Zhu, Zhonghua, Wang, Hao and Yuan, Zhiguo (2021). Stand-alone asymmetric hollow fiber gas-diffusion electrodes with distinguished bronze phases for high-efficiency CO2 electrochemical reduction. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 298 120538, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2021.120538

Stand-alone asymmetric hollow fiber gas-diffusion electrodes with distinguished bronze phases for high-efficiency CO2 electrochemical reduction

2021

Journal Article

The origin of waste activated sludge affects the enhancement of anaerobic digestion by free nitrous acid pre-treatment

Calderon, Angelica Guerrero, Duan, Haoran, Seo, Kai Yee, Macintosh, Catherine, Astals, Sergi, Li, Kaili, Wan, Jingjing, Li, Huijuan, Maulani, Nova, Lim, Zhuan Khai, Yuan, Zhiguo and Hu, Shihu (2021). The origin of waste activated sludge affects the enhancement of anaerobic digestion by free nitrous acid pre-treatment. Science of the Total Environment, 795 148831, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148831

The origin of waste activated sludge affects the enhancement of anaerobic digestion by free nitrous acid pre-treatment

2021

Journal Article

CFD simulation of dry pressure drop in a cross-flow rotating packed bed

Zhang, Chao, Jiao, Weizhou, Liu, Youzhi, Qi, Guisheng, Yuan, Zhiguo and Zhang, Qiaoling (2021). CFD simulation of dry pressure drop in a cross-flow rotating packed bed. Applied Sciences, 11 (21) 10099, 1-17. doi: 10.3390/app112110099

CFD simulation of dry pressure drop in a cross-flow rotating packed bed

2021

Conference Publication

Event-triggered online control of chemical dosing for sulfide mitigation in sewer networks

Li, Jiuling, Sharma, Keshab and Yuan, Zhiguo (2021). Event-triggered online control of chemical dosing for sulfide mitigation in sewer networks. 15th International Conference on Urban Drainage, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 25-28 October 2021.

Event-triggered online control of chemical dosing for sulfide mitigation in sewer networks

Supervision

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

    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

  • Doctor Philosophy

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

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Xueqin Zhang, Dr Bernardino Virdis

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

Contact Honorary Professor Zhiguo Yuan directly for media enquiries about:

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

Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au