Over the past twenty years, the knowledge and understanding of wastewater treatment has advanced extensively and moved away from empirically-based approaches to a fundamentally-based ‘first principles’ approach embracing chemistry, microbiology, physical and bioprocess engineering, and mathematics.

Many of these advances have matured to the degree that they have been codified into mathematical models for simulation by computers. For a new generation of young scientists and engineers entering the wastewater treatment profession, the quantity, complexity and diversity of these new developments can be overwhelming, particularly in developing countries where access is not readily available to advanced level courses in wastewater treatment.

This online course seeks to address that deficiency. It assembles and integrates the postgraduate course material of a dozen or so professors from research groups around the world that have made significant contributions to the advances in wastewater treatment.

Learning objectives

This internet-based curriculum in biological wastewater treatment consists of a more than 40 hours of video-recorded lectures by the author professors all compiled into a DVD package available to those registered for the online course, and of the textbook, lecture handouts, and tutorial exercises for students’ self-study.

Upon completion of this curriculum, the modern approach of modelling and simulation to wastewater treatment plant design and operation - be it activated sludge, biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal, secondary settling tanks or biofilm systems - can be embraced with deeper insight, advanced knowledge and greater confidence.

Course contents

Wastewater Treatment Development M. Henze, M.C.M. van Loosdrecht, G.A. Ekama and D. Brdjanovic
Microbial Metabolism Y. Comeau
Wastewater Characterization M. Henze and Y. Comeau
Organic Matter Removal G.A. Ekama and M.C. Wentzel
Nitrogen Removal G.A. Ekama and M.C. Wentzel
Innovative Nitrogen Removal M.C.M. van Loosdrecht
Phosphorus Removal M.C. Wentzel, Y. Comeau, G.A. Ekama, M.C.M. van Loosdrecht and D. Brdjanovic
Pathogen Removal C.P. Gerba
Aeration and Mixing M.K. Stenstrom and D. Rosso
Toxicity J.H.G. Orozco
Bulking Sludge M.C.M. van Loosdrecht, A.M. Martins and G.A. Ekama
Final Settling Takacs and G.A. Ekama
(file: Chapter 12 - Worked example )
Membrane Bio-reactors S. Judd, B. Kim and G. Amy
Modelling Activated Sludge Processes M.C.M. van Loosdrecht, G.A. Ekama, M.C. Wentzel, D. Brdjanovic and C.M. Hooijmans
Process Control G. Olsson
Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment J.B. van Lier, N. Mahmoud and G. Zeeman
Modelling Biofilms E. Morgenroth
Biofilm Reactors E. Morgenroth

Partners

IWA Publishing

Additional information

The course fee includes access to the course materials as well as individual guidance and mentoring during the course. The online course is delivered twice a year starting in spring and autumn. The maximum number of participants for spring run is 20. The course language is English. A reliable and reasonably fast (ideally 512 kbps) internet connection is necessary.

The course material is also provided as a package including more than 40 hours of video materials on a DVD and the hardcopy of the book Biological Wastewater Treatment: Principles, Design and Modelling, edited by M. Henze, M.C.M. van Loosdrecht, G.A. Ekama and D. Brdjanovic (2008). IWA Publishing, ISBN 13: 9781843391883, pp. 526. The book is also used for teaching as part of a lecture series in the Sanitary Engineering specialization of the UNESCO-IHE’s Masters Program in Municipal Water and Infrastructure.

Upon successful completion of the course participants will receive the Course Certificate issued by UNESCO-IHE.