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As Head of ºÚÁÏÍø’s Wastewater Treatment Research Group I conduct fundamental and applied research into the chemical treatment of wastewater and in collaboration with microbiologists their use in disinfection. This platform technology has resulted in   a number of international patents pursued by industry and which is now available at industrial scale for exploitation. My work is innovative and recognised both nationally and internationally by the UK Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) with a number of internationally recognised publications and membership of national and international panels for evaluation of research. I have generated over £3million in research grant funding mostly from UK Government funding bodies and collaborate extensively with leading industries which actively support my research group. I have an interdisciplinary research group covering the areas of reactor design, engineering, wastewater analysis, chemistry of catalysis and ion-exchange, characterisation of materials and microbiology.

My research interests are in micro- and macroporous silicate materiaIs (zeolites) developed whilst a post- doctoral Research Fellow at Imperial College, London University and since 1996 in fibrous materials for ion-exchange, catalysis and disinfection.

• Centre for Engineering Science and Advanced Systems (CESAS)

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• BSc (1st Class Hons.) and Ph.D in Chemistry, University of London
• Further Education Teaching Certificate (City and Guilds)

• Member of EPSRC Peer Review College
• Member of EU Research Grant Evaluation Panels

• Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry
• Member of the Society of Chemistry in Industry

“Disinfection of cysts and spores using the novel catalyst” (2017-18), £70,000. This project investigated the advantages of using the Fenton-like heterogeneous catalyst in laboratory batch system over a range of different oxidising disinfectants e.g. hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite etc.

“Novel MW and UV assisted catalytic oxidation process for destruction of priority hazardous substances” (2017-18). Funded for £100,000 by SBRI (Innovate-UK) Phase II –Collaboartive studyA pilot scale MW assisted rotating disc reactor was adapted to take UV lamps and tested at Bo’Ness at Scottish Water test site for the destruction  of simulated Produced Water and pesticides from  a major chemical company.

“Cellulose based catalyst for wastewater treatment”, (2016-18) funded by The Schlumberger Foundation for £60,000 to devlop chitin  based porous materials for wastewater treatment.

“Novel MW and UV assisted catalytic oxidation process for destruction of priority hazardous substances” (2015). An  award of  £50,000 by SBRI (Innovate-UK) Phase I –Feasability study. A laboratory scale MW and UV asssisted rotating disc catalytic reactor was designed and built and tested in  the destruction  of the pharmaceutic clotrimazole and the pesticide carbetamide.

“Novel UV-assisted catalytic process for the treatment of Brazil wastewater and reuse”, (2016-8), funded for a total of £600,000 by Innovate-UK in  a Newton Brazil-UK Collaborative Industrial Research and Development Competition. This designed and built novel pilot scale UV assisted rotating disc reactor incorporating a catalyst mesh for the advanced oxidation of industrial laundry wastewater in  Brazil. The project involved both a UK and Brazil wastewater treatment company and SENAI in  Brazil.

“UV and Microwave Assisted Oxidation Catalysis System”, (2015-17),Horizon 2020 EU Marie Curie Incoming Fellowship for £195,000. This project participated in  the design and build of laboratory and pilot scale UV/MW assisted rotating disc reactors incorporating the novel catalytic mesh. CFD modelling of flows in  the reactor and simulation of the microwave flux distribution was performed.

“Application of a novel material in the remediation of zinc from mine drainage” (2014) funded by The Coal Authority of Great Britain. This project grant of £57,000 is for a 3 month trial of a pilot scale treatment system for the removal of zinc, cadmium and lead salts.

“MICROCAT –Microwave assistance to catalytic oxidation of pesticides and humics”, (2013-6), funded for £990,916 by the UK Government’s Technology Strategy Board and EPSRC. This project developed a pilot-scale wastewater treatment system with enhanced performance and smaller footprint. The project focusses on the application of the novel catalyst in the treatment of agricultural wastewaters and hard to treat pesticides in collaboration with a number of industrial partners.

“Biocidal applications of the novel oxidation catalyst”,(2005-8), Ph.D studentship funded by EPSRC to investigate the catalytic potentiation of hydrogen peroxide by the catalyst and its ability to effect a log 5 kill of gram negative and gram positive bacteria, yeast, mycobacteria and spores.

“Heterogeneous catalytic oxidation of contaminated air and water”, (2005-9 ), £385,799 from the UK Government Home Office to investigate the ability of the novel catalyst in the decontamination of sulphur compounds.

“Novel Catalyst for Low Cost Treatment of Effluent”, (2005-8), a £1,173,100 project funded by the UK Government’s Department of Trade and Industry. This project had a number of industrial partners resulting in a successful scale up of catalyst manufacture to meet the needs of industry. A  UK Municipal Water Authority (Severn Trent Water) as end-user resulted in a successful pilot scale demonstration in the degradation of estrogens in wastewater.

“Effluent Treatment Catalyst from Low Value Fleeces”, (2004-7) was funded for £325,336 by the UK