Ben Van den Akker

Dr Ben Van den Akker is an Enterprise Fellow at UniSA STEM, affiliated with the Sustainable Infrastructure and Resource Management (SIRM) department. His research focuses on advanced wastewater treatment technologies, water reuse, and microbial ecology in bioreactors.

• Key research areas: Wastewater Treatment, Water Reuse, Anammox Process, Membrane Bioreactors, Pathogen Validation, and Desalination Technologies

Dr Van den Akker has contributed to understanding nitrogen removal via anammox and n-DAMO processes, demonstrating stable pilot-scale applications. His work on pathogen removal in recycled water plants compares filtration technologies and clarifies their efficacy. He also investigates greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater systems, particularly nitrous oxide and methane.

Recent publications include studies on inland desalination for agriculture, simultaneous methane and nitrogen removal, and hazardous event impacts on membrane bioreactors. These works highlight his focus on sustainable water systems and energy-neutral treatment processes.

Dr Van den Akker serves as a Research Degree Supervisor at the University of South Australia, though no specific advisees are named in the provided texts. He collaborates with institutions like the University of Queensland, South Australian Water Corporation, and Urban Utilities.