George Nakhla

Professor George Nakhla holds the Salamander Chair in Environmental Engineering at the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Western University. With a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, his career spans decades of groundbreaking research in biological wastewater treatment and bioremediation.

• Education: Ph.D. (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1989), M.Sc. (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1987), B.Sc. (University of Khartoum, 1983)

His research focuses on biological nutrient removal, anaerobic digestion, and advanced oxidation processes, with recent work exploring vacuum-assisted fermentation systems, micro-aeration for sulfide control, and biochar-enabled co-digestion technologies. Collaborative projects include:

• Development of the first Communal Biological Nutrient Removal System in Ontario
• Patented fluidized bed nutrient removal processes
• Membrane bioreactor systems for biological nutrient removal
• Investigation of lignin accumulation impacts in cattle manure digesters
• Optimization of hydrogen production from industrial wastes

Dr. Nakhla's work has expanded to include process modeling, bioreactor design, and micropollutant management, with significant contributions to understanding the interplay between operational parameters and microbial ecology in wastewater systems.