Researcher

Professor Richard Stuetz

My Expertise

Prof Stuetz leads an interdisciplinary research group focused on water, wastewater and waste management processes in natural and engineered systems. He has specific research interests in the characterisation and fate of contaminants in aquatic and atmospheric environments and the development of management approaches to understand community perception and engagement.

Fields of Research (FoR)

Environmental Engineering, Environmental Monitoring, Wastewater Treatment Processes, Water Treatment Processes, Water Quality Engineering

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Biography

Professor and Deputy Head of School (Education)
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Prof Stuetz research is in the fate of contaminants in atmospheric and aquatic systems with specific interests in:

- Assessment of volatile emissions in environmental, industrial, agricultural, medical and defence application using chemical and sensorial methods

- Management of emissions from water, wastewater, waste management and intensive animal...view more

Professor and Deputy Head of School (Education)
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Prof Stuetz research is in the fate of contaminants in atmospheric and aquatic systems with specific interests in:

- Assessment of volatile emissions in environmental, industrial, agricultural, medical and defence application using chemical and sensorial methods

- Management of emissions from water, wastewater, waste management and intensive animal operations

- Reducing environmental impact and annoyance through improved community engagement practices

He is member of International Water Association (IWA) and Australian Water Association (AWA).


My Grants

  • ARC Training Centre for Transformation of Australia’s Biosolid Resources (Ball, Shah, Batstone, Ryan, Stuetz), ARC Transformation Centre (IC19010033) 2021-2025, $6,376,000 (UNSW: $1,307,408)

  • Analytics to predict anaerobic co-digestion and downstream process performance (Nghiem, Price, Perez, Stuetz, Bustamante, Murthy), ARC Linkage (LP150100304) 2015-2018, $870,000 (UNSW: $131,218)

  • Energy benchmarking for efficient, low carbon water recycling operations (Stuetz: UNSW), CRC for Low Carbon Living (RP2017), 2015-2017, $632, 911 (UNSW: $102,000)

  • Beneficial Reuse of Solids from Wastewater Treatment Operations (Stuetz), CRC for Low Carbon Living (RP-2008), 2013-2016, $1,399,682

  • On-line monitoring of cyanobacteria to predict coagulant doses and powdered activated carbon application in water treatment (Henderson, Stuetz, Newcombe, Chow, Hobson, Lin,  Bowling, Blackbeard, Roux,  Vigneswaran, Halliwell), ARC Linkage (LP130100033), 2013-2016, $740,000

  • Integrated ETWW demand forecasting and scenario planning for precincts (ETWW: energy, transport, waste and water) (Stuetz: UNSW) CRC for Low Carbon Living (RP2002), 2013-2015, $962,000 (UNSW: $117,000)

  • The industrial ecology lab (Stuetz: UNSW lead) NecTAR Virtual Laboratory Program, 2012-2013, $1,098,139 (UNSW: $126,861)

  • Litter management strategies to reduce odour emissions from poultry litter (Stuetz), Poultry CRC, 2012-2015, $399,943

  • Olfactory characterisation of odours for optimising impact assessment (Stuetz, Murphy, Bro), ARC Discovery (DP1096691), 2010-2012, $330,000

  • Optimising dissolved air flotation (DAF) for algae removal by bubble modification in drinking water and advanced wastewater systems (Henderson, Stuetz, Bulmus, Peirson, Newcombe, Jefferson) ARC Linkage (LP0990189), 2009 – 2011, $621,000

  • Optimising decentralised membrane bioreactors for water reuse (Stuetz, Coleman, Khan, Le-Clech, Drewes, Power) ARC Linkage (LP0989365), 2009-2011, $505,000

  • Detection of trace concentrations of chemical contaminants in urban water systems (Stuetz, Khan, Keller, Lim, Mueller, Waite, Neilan, Vigneswaran, Le Clech, Pomati, Bartkow, Shon, Rabaey, Bond, Bastone)  ARC LIEF (LE0883080), 2008, $1,068,000

  • Advanced characterisation of organics and biopolymers in water and wastewater treatment (Le Clech, Chen, Stuetz, Leslie, Khan, Coleman, Wiley, Vigneswaran, Shon) ARC LIEF (LE0882388), 2008; $320,000

  • Optimal management of corrosion and odour problems in sewer systems (Yuan, Keller, Melchers, Stuetz, Bond, Valix, Witherspoon, Verstraete, Vanrolleghem, Steyer, Bustamante, Suffet)  ARC Linkage (LP0882016) 2008-2013, $8,200,000 (UNSW: $1,870,000)

  • Optimising fouling control in membrane bioreactors (Chen, Stuetz, Fane), ARC Discovery (DP0880626), 2008- 2010, $390,000

  • Fluorescence as a tool for sensitive detection of failures in recycled water treatment and distribution systems (Khan, Stuetz, Barker, Storey), ARC Linkage (LP0776347), 2007-2010, $710,000

  • Managing the contaminants in feedlot waste products (Ashbolt, Peters, Khan, Roser, Davies, Stuetz), Meat and Livestock Australia, 2008-2010 $1,483,000

  • Macromolecular fouling in membrane bioreactors (Chen, Stuetz), ARC Discovery (DP0556983), 2005-2007, $425,000

  • Removal of potential impact of pharmaceutical active compounds during wastewater treatment (Stuetz, Ashbolt), ARC Discovery (DP0558029), 2005-2007, $495,000

  • Chemical analysis of odorants from poultry facilities (Stuetz), Poultry CRC (04-45), 2005-2007, $324,000

  • Water and wastewater process engineering – from nanoscale to megascale (Stephenson, Judd, Parsons, Stuetz, Longhurst, Cartmell, Jeffrey, Jefferson), EPSRC Platform, 2005-2009, $1,020,000

  • Early warning monitoring of wastewater nitrification failure (Stuetz), EPSRC – industrial CASE (with Severn Trent Water), 2003-2005, $96,000

  • Odour control by activated sludge diffusion (Stuetz, Parsons), EPSRC (GR/R52589), 2001-2003, $520,000

  • Network on real-time monitoring of water and wastewater quality (Stuetz), EPSRC – Engineering Network, 2001-2003, $150,000

  • Water process science and engineering – nanoscale to macroscale (Stephenson, Judd, Parsons, Stuetz), EPSRC-Platform, (2000-2004) $1,115,000

  • Network on the control and prevention of odorous emissions (Stuetz, Parsons, Longhurst), EPSRC-Engineering Network, 2000-2002, $148,000

  • Novel treatability test for organic contaminants (Parsons, Stuetz, Judd, Stephenson), EPSRC-JREI, 2000, $62,000

  • Online wastewater BOD monitoring using sensor arrays (Stuetz), EPSRC, 1999-2001, $170,000

  • Drinking water inlet protection (Stuetz), EPSRC-CASE, 1999-2001, $61,000

Other Research Income

  • Science-Practice Partnership on nuisance and harmful algae (Stuetz, Henderson, Johnson, Glamore) Melbourne Water, 2017-2021, $900,000

  • Environmental guidelines use and disposal products guidelines – Material stability review (Alvarez Gaitan, Stuetz), NSW EPA, 2016, $55,000

  • Capacity of granular/biological activated carbon for algal, taste and odour removal: Development of predictive tool (Zamyadi, Henderson, Stuetz) Melbourne Water, 2016, $50,000

  • Optimisation of granular sludge for energy efficient wastewater treatment and reuse (Stuetz), WaterRA 2016-2018, $30,000

  • OdourCOD – Odour characterisation and of odorants from biosolids (Stuetz) EU Marie Curie International fellowships, 2014-2016, $29,033

  • Odour abatement research (Stuetz), UNSW Foundation (MWH), 2014-2016, $75,000

  • Taste and odour compounds in water supply by GC-MS- olfactory analysis (Stuetz, Henderson, Zamyadi) WaterRA, 2014-2015, $10,000

  • Addressing odour abatement and assessment knowledge gaps using PTR-TOFMS (Stuetz), RIRDC (DAF sub-project) 2015-2016, $43,230

  • Rapid continuous chemical analysis of broiler shed emissions by SIFT-MS (Stuetz), RIRDC (DAF sub-project) 2013-2014, $8,404

  • Mimimising emissions from wastewater biosolids for beneficial reuse (Stuetz), Prospect Water Partnership (Research partnership between Sydney Water and Degremont, Australia), 2012, $50,000

  • Odour impact assessment of storage lagoon (Wang, Sivret, Stuetz), Bega Cooperative Ltd, 2011, $68,500

  • Artificial olfaction system for on-site odour measurement (Stuetz) RIRDC (DEEDI sub-project), 2010-2011, $6,818

  • Fate of sulfur compound on odour sampling (Stuetz), Poultry CRC – postgraduate support, 2010-2013, $90,000

  • Postdoctoral fellowship (Stuetz) Poultry CRC, 2009-2010, $59,591

  • Passive drainage and biofiltration of landfill gas using recycled materials (Dever, Swarbrick, Stuetz), NSW DECC, 2006-2008, $49,000

  • Assessment of ozonation for the destruction of odour from alumina refinery digestion condensate  (Stuetz, Guan, Wang, Feitz), Australian Aluminium Council, 2006-2009, $110,000

  • Odour impact assessment of odour control products (Stuetz, Wang), Bega Cooperative Society Ltd, 2006, $41,000

  • Landfill gas drainage and biofiltration trial (Swarbrick, Stuetz, Dever), CSR-PGH, 2005, $25,500

  • Corrosion and odours in collection systems (Apgar, Witherspoon, Easter, Bassrai, Dillon, Torres, Bowker, Corsi, Davidson, Wolstenholme, Forbes , Quigley, Morton, Stuetz), Water Environment Research Foundation, 2005, $240,000 (UNSW $45,000)

  • Greensand ozonation for odour control from Wagerup digestion condensate (Stuetz, Feitz, Guan, Wang), Alcoa World Alumina, 2005, $39,000

  • Condensate odour removal – Review of oxidation chemistry and assessment of ozonation for the destruction of odour from alumina refinery digestion condensate  (Stuetz, Feitz, Guan, Wang), Australian Aluminium Council, 2005, $40,000

  • Fate of sulfur compound on odour sampling (Stuetz), Poultry CRC – postgraduate support, 2005-2009, $147,000

  • Review of odour abatement technologies (Stuetz, Jefferson), EPSRC Odour Network, $96,000

  • Review of sampling methods for odour measurements (Longhurst, Stuetz), EB Milton Keynes – Odour Network, 2002, $100,800

  • Online sensors for wastewater monitoring (Stuetz, Stephenson), Yorkshire Water, 2002, $42,000

  • Biological odour treatment (Stuetz), Anglian Water, 2001, $108,000

  • Wastewater monitoring using an electronic nose (Fenner, Stuetz), Northumbrian Water, 1996-1997, $36,000

 

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Location

Civil Engineering Building (H20)
Level 3, Room CE304
Kensington Campus

Contact

(+61 2) 9385 5944

Research Activities

Algal and cyanobacteria blooms are of particular concern in drinking water resources due to their adverse impact on treatment processes, as well as their potential to release harmful toxins and taste and odour compounds into water supplies. Waste stabilisation ponds used for the advanced treatment of wastewater are also highly susceptible to algal activity which can limit recycled water production. DAF is commonly employed for algae removal but often times with only limited success. Traditionally, DAF is preceded by coagulation/flocculation in which chemical modification of the algal…

Complaints due to odour annoyance have become a major issue for intensive livestock, waste management and wastewater treatment operators. Odour assessment (using dilution olfactometry) does not take into account odour quality or their intensity, which is needed to be defined to understand olfactory impact. The proposal aims to apply a sensory analysis approach using olfactory-GC-MS to characterise different odorous emissions. A range of pattern recognition techniques, from simple statistical analyse to artificial neural networks will be used to summarise the data for nuisance evaluation to…