SELECTED RESEARCH PROJECTS
and objectives
Removal of Arsenic from Drinking Water using Alginate Based Adsorption
Media in the Point of Use (PoU) Filtration Technology
(Duration: 2019-2021; Role: Team Leader)
o
Develop nano-alumina
(Al2O3) and iron (Fe) impregnated alginate adsorbents
using different levels of Al2O3 and Fe.
o
Evaluate performance of
the adsorbents through lab. experiments by varying arsenic concentrations in
deionized water.
o
Optimize the adsorbent
media through binary mixture for the best arsenic removal performance
o
Develop the
point–of–use (PoU) low-cost alginate based filtration technology using the
binary mixture of the adsorbents
Removal of Lead (Pb) from Drinking Water using the Low-Cost Activated
Carbon
(Duration: 2018-2019; Role: Team
Leader)
o
Develop activated
carbon (AC) from the waste of jute stick (agricultural waste)
o
Optimize performance of
the AC in removing Pb from drinking water through acid or alkaline
functionalization
o
Perform lab-scale
experiments following the Design of Experiment and the column test
o
Optimize the dose, pH,
temperature and reaction time for the best performance
o
Develop water treatment
filters using the new materials
Disinfection
Byproducts (DBPs) in Desalinated and Blend water: Human Exposure and Risk
Analysis
(Duration: 2016-2018; Role: Team Leader)
o
Investigate occurrences of DBPs in desalinated
and blend water at different stages of desalination
o
Analyze shift of DBPs
from chlorinated to brominated and iodinated DBPs in bromide and iodide rich
seawater.
o
Investigate the effects
of groundwater on the formation and distribution of brominated and iodinated
DBPs in blend water
o
Investigate the effects of seawater intrusion on the formation and distribution
of brominated DBPs in drinking water
o
Perform human exposure and risk analysis from
DBPs in supply water in the coastal regions
Effects of Water
Stagnation in Plumbing System on Human Health Risk from Heavy Metals in Tap
Water
(Duration: 2015-2018; Role: Team Leader)
o
Investigate occurrences of heavy metals in
drinking water at different locations in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia.
o
Perform bench scale experiments by varying water temperature, pH, chlorine
content, water flow rate and contact time. The interaction effects of these
factors will be explained through factorial design;
o
Develop models for heavy metal discharges from
water distribution networks into drinking water.
o
Investigate the effects of water stagnation in
the premise plumbing on heavy metal concentrations in drinking water.
o
Develop low-cost technology based point of use
(PoU) device for removal of heavy metals from drinking water.
Multi-Criteria Decision-Making for the Selection
of Drinking Water Treatment Technology
(Duration: 2012-2014; Role: Team Leader)
o
Investigated
variability of HPC and OP bacteria, and DBPs in drinking water in the WDS, PP
and HWT;
o
Developed and
validated models for bacteria regrowth and DBPs formation in WDS, PP and HWT
o
Predicted human
exposure and risk from DBPs in municipal water; and
o
Developed and
applied multicriteria decision-making framework to select the best approach for
water treatment and disinfection.
Model-Based Exposure and Risk Analysis for
Disinfection Byproducts in Swimming Pool
(Duration: 2013-2015; Role: Team
Leader)
o
Investigated
occurrences and variability of DBPs, and parameters affecting formation and
distribution of DBPs in water entry point, tap water feeding swimming pool and
swimming pool (CSP) water and air prior to and after swimming;
o
Developed
models to predict DBPs in the CSP through explaining the correlation structure
and significance of parameters;
o
Investigated
bromide conversion into brominated DBPs in swimming pool;
o
Analyzed human
exposure to DBPs, risks and financial burden from exposure through incorporating
multiple pathways.
o
Developed
approaches to reduce human inputs into swimming pools
Selecting Dam Locations for Maximizing Rainwater
Harvesting in Saudi Arabia (Duration: 2013-2016; Role: Team Leader)
o
Explained the rainfall variability, patterns,
trends and identified the scopes of runoff collection.
o
Identified the
locations of new dams to collect surface runoff and estimated the runoff using
the Watershed Modeling System (WMS) software and hydrologic models
o
Estimated the cost
savings and carbon emission reduction through using surface runoff as an
alternative to desalinated seawater
o
Estimated crop water
requirements and water losses during the agricultural activities.
Management of Water
Resources for Sustainable Development of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
(Duration: 2011-2014; Role: Team Leader)
o
Investigated available resources of water and
demands in various sectors.
o
Developed the
frameworks for reusing treated wastewater in agriculture and partial fulfilment
of domestic demands
o
Investigated the effects of climate change on water resources and water quality
parameters in dam reservoirs
o
Developed models for optimization of water resources and demands for
multi-source multi-user scenarios
Selected RESEARCH
SEMINARS (Excluding conferences)
|
Mar 2019 |
Disinfection Byproducts
in Swimming Pool, Chemical risk and Control Strategy, The 8th
Int. Conference on Swimming Pool and Spa, 18-22 March, 2019, Marseille,
France (Keynote Speaker) |
|
Apr 2017 |
Desalinated and Blended
Water in Saudi Arabia: Human Exposure and Risk Analysis from
Disinfection Byproducts. University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE |
|
Apr, 2016 |
Modeling and Control of
Disinfection Byproducts in Drinking Water and Swimming Pool, University
of Western Ontario, Canada |
|
Feb, 2016 |
Pollution Prevention:
Development of Strategic Framework, Memorial University of Newfoundland,
Canada |
|
Nov 2011 |
Multicriteria
decision-making for selecting the best processes of water treatment and
disinfection, Auckland University, NZ |
|
Mar 2010 |
Disinfection byproducts
in drinking water: Risk-Based Decision-Making, American University of
Sharjah, UAE |
|
Jan 2010 |
Multicriteria decision
making for selecting the best approaches for water treatment and
disinfection. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of
Massachusetts – Amherst, MA |