Areas of expertise

  • Biomass and Waste
  • Waste Management and Resource Efficiency
  • Water Science and Engineering

Background

Dr Tao Lyu has been working at Cranfield University since April 2020. He is a lecturer in Green Technologies and Environmental Engineering MSc course director (JSU-CU Institute). He was awarded a PhD in Environmental Sciences from Aarhus University, Denmark (2016). His PhD research focused on emerging organic contaminants (micropollutants) removal in water and wastewater by Nature-based solutions, in particular Constructed Wetlands. After completing the project in the same department as an assistant researcher (2016.09-12), he moved to Nottingham Trent University as a Research Fellow (GCRF funded) in 2017. From September 2019, he was appointed as a Module Leader and lectured two modules to BSc (Hons) Environmental Sciences students. He expanded his research area on advanced nanotechnology development (e.g. nanobubble technology) for natural water restoration, eutrophication control, Harmful Algal bloom removal and sediment remediation.

Research opportunities

Dr Tao Lyu works at the intersection of environmental engineering, chemistry and nanoscience, with a focus on sustainable wastewater treatment and natural water restoration. Dr Lyu is interested in supervising PhD, MSc students with the following research interests. Postdocs, visiting scholars, students, Self-funded PhD and student placements are also welcome. Please get in touch by email for more details.

1) Nature-based solutions for wastewater treatment, e.g. treatment wetlands and microalgae technologies;
2) Sustainable technologies for the remediation of micropollutants (e.g. antibiotics) and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR); 
3) Environmental nano-materials: nanobubble technology development and its application in water treatment, disinfection, natural water and soil remediation and organic farming; 
4) Eutrophication and Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) control, in-situ sediment remediation; 
5) Biogeochemical cycling of nutrients (N, P) and metals (Fe, As, Cd etc.,) in water and sediment. 

Current activities

Grants and funding

Current Projects
- 2022-2025, The nutrients-antibiotics-antimicrobial resistance nexus in constructed wetlands for sewage treatment. EPSRC and water utilities. PI.
- 2023, NERC Cross-disciplinary research for Discovery Science - 'Protecting the Rivers: a community of promoting resilience-thinking for pollution management in rivers' ERC Co-I.
- 2021-2023, Royal Academy of Engineering - ‘Development of a nature-based solution for pharmaceutical wastewater treatment in Jordan.’ TSP2021\100376, UK PI, £79,698.  

Completed Projects
- 2022, Edge-of-field treatment wetlands, as a nature-based solution, for river water purification. Industry-funded project at Cranfield University. PI.
- 2022, Constructed wetlands, micropollutants and climate change. The Environment Agency. PI.
- 2022, NERC Discipline Hopping for Environmental Solutions in a changing world. ERC Co-I.
- 2021-2022, Industry-funded MRes studentship - ‘Improving the hydraulic performance of constructed wetlands for net-zero wastewater treatment’ Co-I.
- 2021, Industry partners and Environment Agency - ‘Summarising the evidence base on the use of treatment wetlands for phosphorus removal.’ Co-I.
- 2019-2021, Industry-funded project at Nottingham Trent University - ‘Oxygen nanobubble modified local soil material for indigenous macrophyte restoration.’ Co-I, £116,000
- 2019-2020, Industry-funded project at Nottingham Trent University - ‘Oxygen nanobubble technology for sediment remediation.’ Co-I, £21,000
- 2018, GCRF - ‘Enhancing water and soil remediation in India.’ Co-I, £17,000

Management and teaching

- Environmental Engineering MSc course director (JSU-CU Cranfield Institute)
- Thesis project coordinator for Water and Wastewater Engineering MSc
- Coordinator for Sewage Works of the Future Community of Practice (CoP)

- Water and Wastewater Engineering MSc (WWE M1&M2)
- Natural Based Solutions for Water and Land Management (NBS online short course)
- Environmental Innovation MSc course
- Water in Cities PhD course

Supervisions

Current supervision
- 2022-2025, PhD student, Lucie Krejcova, The nutrients-antibiotics-antimicrobial resistance nexus in constructed wetlands for sewage treatment
- 2021-2025, PhD student, Pinelopi Savvidou, Wastewater integrated selection environment: A UK model comprising regulation, resilience and sustainability
- 2021-2025, PhD student, Fan Wu, Aquatic macrophytes for water pollution control in a changing world
- 2020-2024, PhD student, Chimamaka Amala, Developing the next generation of wetland technology
- 2021-2024, MRes student: Cheng Liu, Enhanced steady performance of MFC-based biosensor under complex environment
- 2021-2022, MRes student: Shuja-Ul-Hassan Syed, Improving the hydraulic performance of constructed wetlands for net-zero wastewater treatment

Previous supervision
- 2019, Research Assistant at Nottingham Trent: Basgaer Moledina, Mick Cooper, 
- 2018, Research Assistant at Nottingham Trent: Samantha Best.


Clients

Royal Academy of Engineering
The Environment Agency
EPSRC
NERC
GCRF
Water Utilities

Publications

Articles In Journals

Conference Papers