Professor Joseph Akunna

Teaching
Research

• Undergraduate courses (Civil Engineering and Environmental Management)
Fluid mechanics and hydraulics, water and wastewater engineering, sewerage design, water supply and treatment, wastewater treatment, solid waste treatment and management, air pollution control.

• Postgraduate and Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programmes
Wastewater treatment, sewage sludge management, solid waste management, landfill technology, contaminated land remediation, water quality management, sanitation and waste management in developing countries. These programmes have strong industrial links and the MSc course is accredited by the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), the pre-eminent professional institution of the sector.

Interests

My research interest is on environmental science and technology, specialising in:

engineering applications of biological, physical and chemical processes for the control and abatement of environmental pollutants, and in the production of bioenergy. My research aims to (a) develop new (and improve existing) technologies for harnessing beneficial products from wastes (e.g. organic fertiliser and bio-energy production organic residues) and (b) provide alternative solutions to common environmental problems i.e., treatment of sewage, municipal and industrial waste, water treatment.
renewable energy systems
surface runoff management
water resources management

Specific applications of my research address the following themes:

Domestic and industrial wastewater treatment
Decentralised wastewater treatment systems
Biological nutrient removal from wastewaters
Sludge anaerobic digestion and disposal
Anaerobic digestion (biogas production) of biodegradable organic residues and sludges
Organic fertiliser production from biodegradable organic residues and sludges
Solid waste management
Landfill technology and decay modelling
Renewable energy systems for hybrid applications
Surface water management
Groundwater management
Climate Change adaptation of water and waste management infrastructure
Water reuse in domestic, municipal, industrial and agricultural applications

Selected Past & Current PhD and Postdoctoral research project themes include:

Anaerobic digestion and co-digestion of agricultural residues
Modelling of anaerobic digestion processes
Anaerobic digestion in high saline conditions
Bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soils and surface waters
Development of clean technologies for the management of organic residuals from the distillery industry
Treatment of hospital and pharmaceutical wastewaters
Application of anaerobic digestion for sustainable household waste management in low-income countries
Market waste management
Mining wastes management
Low energy domestic wastewater treatment for effluent re-use
Development of methodologies for the assessment and control of groundwater pollution in low-income countries
Constructed wetland for municipal wastewater treatment
Surface water management in golf courses
Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) for surface water management
Optimisation of hybrid renewable energy sources for decentralised application
Climate Change and groundwater management in various case-study scenarios

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More Information

Funding

Selected current and past projects

• Applying drinking water treatment sludges to land: opportunities and implications [2021]. Funded by the Scottish Government (Scotland's Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW)).

• Effectiveness of construction mitigation measures to avoid or minimise impact to groundwater dependent wetlands and to peat hydrology. Project on behalf of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). [2020-2021]. Funded by the Scottish Government (Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW)).

• A review of investment decisions at small drinking water supply systems with declining water quality issues. Scotland’s Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW) [2017-2019].

• Support for Enhancement of the "Integrated Water Resource Management - Southern Malawi" Project. Project on behalf of the Scottish Government. [2017-2018]. Funded by the Scottish Government (Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW)).

• Investigate the causes (and methods) of CO emissions production (and reduction) from a municipal waste incineration plant [2017]. Funded by Dundee Energy Recycling Ltd (DERL), Dundee City Council.

• A review of investment decisions at small drinking water supply systems with declining water quality issues [2017-date]. Funded by the Scottish Government (Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW)).

• An independent evaluation of the "Integrated Water Resource Management - Southern Malawi" project on behalf of the Scottish Government [2016-date]. Funded by the Scottish Government (Scotland's Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW)).

• Innovative solutions for sustainable drinking water treatment at small to medium scales [2015]. Funded by the Scottish Government (Scotland's Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW)).

• Practical measures for reducing pollutant load from septic tanks [2014]. Funded by the Scottish Government (Scotland's Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW)).

• Validation of a filtering system for starch [2014-2016]. Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project, Technology Strategy Board) and Ivan Wood & Sons Ltd.

• European Commission Grant: Director General Enterprise & Industry 326/PP/ENT/IMA/13/1112413 - Study to support the evaluation of the use of phosphates in Consumer Automatic Dishwasher Detergents (CADD). [2014-2015] Leading organisation: Bio Intelligent Service, Paris, France.

• Evaluation of methane yields from co-digestion of food and farm residues [2010-date]. Funded by various private and public sector organisations.

• Scottish Biofuel Project [2012-2015] European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Project involving a consortium made up of Edinburgh Napier University, University of Abertay Dundee, University of Edinburgh, Scottish Agricultural College, and The Scottish Association of Marine Sciences (University of the Highlands and Islands), Oban.

• Clean technologies for management of organic residuals [2012-2014]. Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project with Diageo Plc.

• Seaweed Anaerobic Digestion [2009-2010]. Funded by UK Government (ITI Energy).

• Dundee Riverside Landfill decay modelling [2006 – 2011]. Funded by Dundee City Council.

• Investigating the hydrolytic effects of microbial enzymes in improving sludge and solid waste digestion [2006 – 2007]. Funded by Scottish Government (SCORE Programme).

• Development of high-solids municipal waste digestion system and investigation of the soil enhancing properties of the digestate. [2002-2008]. Collaboration with The James Hutton Institute, Dundee and supported by Dundee City Council.

• Development of GRAnular Bed Baffled Reactor (GRABBR) [1998-2008]. GRABBR is an anaerobic wastewater treatment system. Pilot trials were funded by Tennents Caledonian Welpark Brewery in Glasgow.

• Development of small wastewater treatment systems (1996-1998). Funded by Balmoral Group, Aberdeen.

Esteem

Expert reviewer of research funding applications for national and regional public/non-profit establishments in the UK, EU, North America and Middle East.
Member of the European Commission expert panels on Energy and climate, Environment, circular economy and resource efficiency (2013 to date).
Reviewer for many scientific journals
• Editorial Board member, Heliyon (Elsevier’s open access journal) (2015-2018).
• Member, The Chartered Institution of Water & Environmental Management (CIWEM) Course Accreditation Panel, UK (2001-2006).
• Scientific Committee member, International Conference on Solid Waste Technology & Management, Philadelphia, PA, USA (www.solid-waste.org) (2014-date).
• Member, CIWEM Joint Examinations Board, UK (2000-2006).
• External Programme Assessor, BSc (Hons) Environmental Management & Planning, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK (2007-2012).
• External Examination, PhD Thesis, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK ( 2006, 2014, 2015, 2017).
• External Examination, PhD Thesis, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, UK (2009)
• External Examination, MPhil Thesis, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK (2014)
• External Examination, PhD Thesis, Cranfield University, Cranfield, UK (2014, 2017)
• External Examination, PhD Thesis, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK (2015, 2022)
• External Examination, PhD Thesis, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK (2015, 2019, 2024)
• External Examination, PhD Thesis, University of South Wales, Pontypridd (2016)
• External Examination, PhD Thesis, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK (2016, 2024)
• External Examination, PhD Thesis, University of Coventry, Coventry, UK (2017)
• External Examination, PhD Thesis, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK (2017)
External Examination, PhD Thesis, Dublin City University, Ireland (2019)
External Examination, PhD Thesis, Visvesvaraya Technological University, Karnataka State, India (2020)
External Examination, PhD Thesis, Indian Institute of Engineering Science and • Technology, Shibpur, West Bengal, India (2022, 2024)
Visiting Professor, University of Technology, Mauritius (From 2023)
Visiting Professor, Ecole Supérieure d’Ingénieurs des Travaux de la Construction, Paris [ESITC Paris], France (2006- date).
• Membre, Conseil Scientifique (Scientific Advisory Panel member), ESITC Paris, France (2009–date).
• Honorary Tutor, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK (2009-2010).
External Programme Validation Panel Member, Postgraduate Environment Programmes (comprising MSc in Energy and Environmental Management, MSc in Carbon and Water Management and Urban Environmental Management), University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK 4th May 2011.
External Examiner, Suite of Postgraduate Environment Programmes, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK (2011- 2016).
• External Examiner, MSc in Water, Waste and Environmental Engineering, University of Greenwich, Kent, UK (2016-2021).
• External Examiner, MSc in Renewable Energy Engineering; MSc Energy Transition Systems & Technologies, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK (2017-2022).
• Scottish Branch Committee Member & Vice Chair, The Chartered Institution of Water & Environmental Management (CIWEM) (www.ciwem.org) (2015-2018).
• External Panel Member, Institution-Led Review (ILR) of Engineering, Quality Management, Project Management and Waste & Resource Management. University of the West of Scotland, Paisley, UK, 27-28th April 2019.
• Advisory Board Member, World Biogas Association (2016-2018).
The Saltire Society Civil Engineering Awards Panel member (2016-2018).
British Standards Institution (BSI) Committee Member (2019-2023).
Advisor ‘Centre d’Excellence d’Afrique pour l’Impact de Développement (Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development in Africa)’, University of Lomé, Togo (funded by the Togolese Government, World Bank, and L’Agence Française de Développement (AFD)). (2019-2024).

Knowledge Exchange

Applying drinking water treatment sludges to land: opportunities and implications [2021]. Scotland’s Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW)
Effectiveness of construction mitigation measures to avoid or minimise impact to groundwater dependent wetlands and to peat hydrology. Project on behalf of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). [2020-2021]. Scotland’s Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW)
A review of investment decisions at small drinking water supply systems with declining water quality issues. Scotland’s Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW) [2017-2019].
Support for Enhancement of the "Integrated Water Resource Management - Southern Malawi" Project. Project on behalf of the Scottish Government. (2017-2018). Funded by the Scotland’s Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW).
Investigate the causes (and methods) of CO emissions production (and reduction) from a municipal waste incineration plant [2017]. Dundee Energy Recycling Ltd (DERL), Dundee City Council.
An independent evaluation of the "Integrated Water Resource Management - Southern Malawi" project on behalf of the Scottish Government [2016-2017]. Scotland's Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW).
Innovative solutions for sustainable drinking water treatment at small to medium scales [2015]. Scotland's Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW).
Practical measures for reducing pollutant load from septic tanks [2014]. Scotland's Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW).
Validation of a filtering system for starch [2014-2016]. Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project, Technology Strategy Board) and Ivan Wood & Sons Ltd. This project also investigated options for treating and re-use of effluent water from the filtering system.
Clean technologies for management of organic residuals [2012-2014]. Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project with Diageo Plc. Involved investigating options for management and treatment of co-products of alcoholic beverages production.
Low Carbon Networks for Business (LoCAl-Net) [2011-2013]. European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Project. The LoCal-Net project identifies the issues and barriers to low carbon innovation present within the key sectors of the Scottish Economy, including food & drink, agriculture and tourism.
Scottish Biofuel Project [2012-2016]. European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Project. The Project involved assessment of innovative and beneficial reuse of organic co-products produced by Scottish small and medium enterprises for biofuel production. This project intended to enable Scottish businesses to access the full range of academic expertise available to achieve lower waste disposal costs and introduce new income streams through innovation. The academic partnership comprised of Edinburgh Napier University, Abertay University, The University of Edinburgh, Scotland's Rural College (formerly Scottish Agricultural College) and The Scottish Association of Marine Science. I led the anaerobic digestion aspects of the project.
Dundee Riverside Landfill decay modelling [2006–2011]. This study involved development of novel and effective strategies for assessing and predicting methane generation from a closed municipal landfill. It also involved development of assessing risks posed by landfill sites for various site re-use options. This study informed stakeholders of the cost/nature of interventions necessary to rehabilitate the landfill site, pursuant to which, the site was transformed into a 35 hectare nature park (Dundee Riverside Nature Park) with views over the River Tay.
Development of GRABBR [1998–2007]. The GRAnular Bed Baffled Reactor (GRABBR) is an anaerobic industrial wastewater treatment technology. Pilot trials were carried out in collaboration with Tennent’s Brewery, Glasgow
Upgrading of small sewage treatment plants for major water companies and private estate developers [1993-date].
Development of small wastewater treatment systems [1996-1998], e.g., Balmoral SBR, which has been marketed by Balmoral Group since 1998.
Leading role in internationalisation, involving the following countries: Bangladesh, China, France, Ghana, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Togo and Turkey [2005 to date]
Short and continuous professional development (CPD) courses experience development and delivery. Examples include:

• Water pollution control (Clients: Scottish Water, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), United Utilities, etc.)
• Water & Environmental Management in Africa
• Waheed Rasheed Water & Environment Training Course, Aden (Yemen)
• Environmental Management in the Tanzanian Mining Sector
• Environmental Law & Policy in the Oil & Gas Industry
• Municipal & Industrial Wastewater Treatment & Management
• Solid Waste Treatment & Management
• Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Production
• Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS)
• Water Resources & Treatment

Outreach

• Public talk on ‘Making your rubbish work for you' - Cafe Science event on 24th September 2014. The talk discussed the possibilities of using waste as an alternative fuel source with reference to my research.

• The Courier Newspaper Debates: Dundee biomass
The Courier Newspaper hosted a special debate on a Dundee biomass plant plan on 1st May 2013, at the Gardyne Theatre (Dundee). Attended by over 350 concerned members of the public, the debate sought to identify the potential environmental impacts of the proposed plant. Member of a 7-person panel that took questions from the audience. The debate was chaired by Steve Bargeton, Deputy Editor of The Courier Newspaper: https://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/local/dundee/68894/the-courier-debates-dundee-biomass/

• Scottish Government Project Legend video on ‘Energy in Dundee’: Abertay's Prof Joseph Akunna explains how biogas can benefit the world!:

https://www.conventiondundeeandangus.co.uk/pathfinders/sector-showcase/energy