Challenge: The European dairy-industry is the largest in the world accounting for 22% of global milk production which inevitably produces significant volumes of wastewater. The dairy industry is a key sector in the Irish food industry, with exports >€6.3 billion in 2023 and the Irish dairy sector is striving to be a global leader of sustainable consumption and production processes (SDG 12) that enable increased operational efficiency, energy saving and competitive enterprise (Origin Green, 2024). The aerobic activated sludge treatment process in this sector is very energy intensive and consumes >50% of energy consumption to provide excessive aeration due to the current method of time-consuming and unreliable organic matter monitoring system. This leads to process inefficiencies, excessive energy use and increased costs to ensure regulatory compliance. Existing literatures suggest the clear lack of rapid and reliable effluent monitoring system due to the diurnal variations in wastewater flow and load. So, the research question is how to optimize the operational control of aerobic activated sludge treatment and monitoring of wastewater treatment quality that can reduce treatment related energy consumption and cost for WwTPs.
EFFICIOM project aims to address this gap by developing a fluorescence spectroscopy-based analytical method that is rapid, reagentless, highly sensitive and non-invasive. By machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI), the method will optimize operational control of aerobic activated sludge treatment process. The project will employ a multidimensional chemometric approach, combining historical operational data with standard wastewater quality analysis, enhanced by fluorescence spectroscopy data. The study will involve fluorescence spectroscopy-based wastewater quality assessment and protocol development at MTU’s laboratory facilities utilizing state-of-the-art in spectroscopic systems available at the Centre for Advanced Photonics and Process Analysis (CAPPA) along with active collaboration and engagement (including at least 12 weeks of structured placement at enterprise partner site) with an Irish dairy processing company. The project requires multidisciplinary skills including knowledge of wastewater treatment processes, wastewater treatment plant (WwTP) operations, aerobic activated sludge treatment, fluorescence spectroscopy, chemometrics, advanced soft-sensing techniques, and business development. These skills will be provided by the supervisory team, with additional expertise transferred through collaboration with the enterprise partner. The potential impact of the EFFICIOM project is significant, offering a step-change in how wastewater treatment quality is evaluated and provide a much-needed analytical innovation to industry. This PhD opportunity is designed to equip the PhD scholar with the skills, network, and experience necessary for a diverse range of career paths in academia, industry, and beyond.
The expected outcome of EFFICIOM will add to the body of knowledge on wastewater quality characterization and measurement technology, real-time monitoring methods, advancement of soft-sensing techniques for water industry, which is critical knowledge for SIRIG’s various stakeholders, including academic & research community, local communities, policymakers and industrial stakeholders, ensuring broad societal benefits and acceptance.
The supervisory team includes Dr. SM Ashekuzzaman (MTU) in association with Dr. Michael McAuliffe (CAPPA, MTU), Dr. Md Galal Uddin (University of Galway), Dr Anna Piterina (Dairy Processing Technology Centre, University of Limerick) and two industrial mentors from enterprise partner organisation.
MTU TU RISE PhD programme Website
https://www.mtu.ie/research-to-impact/tu-rise-phd-opportunities/
MTU TU RISE PhD scholarship funding is co-financed by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-27 and the Northern & Western Regional Programme 2021-27.