Ms Lan Wu

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Dr Lan Wu received her PhD in Environmental Engineering in August 2023 and has since been working in the field of environmental technology and wastewater treatment. Her expertise lies at the interface of process engineering, microbiology, ecotoxicology, and mathematical modelling, with a strong focus on developing innovative and sustainable technologies to enhance energy and resource recovery from waste and wastewater.

Her research particularly advances the biotransformation of waste streams into high-value products, contributing to carbon-neutral and circular economy solutions.

Dr Wu has authored 53 publications in reputable peer-reviewed journals and books (including 19 first-author Q1 papers, 1 corresponding-author paper, and 1 first-author book chapter), with publications in leading journals such as Environmental Science & Technology, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Chemical Engineering Journal, and Nature Water. She is ranked #5 globally in biowaste-to-liquid energy (SciVal Topic T.67086, 2022–2026). Her work has been cited over 1800 times, with an h-index of 23 (Google Scholar, Apr. 2025).

E-mail

lan.wu@unsw.edu.au

Location

Sch: Civil & Environmental Eng

Book Chapters | 2026

Wu L; Liu X; Wei W; Ni BJ, 2026, 'Medium-chain fatty acids production from sewage sludge', in High Value Bioenergy Recovery from Wastewater, pp. 123 - 143, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-29127-2.00003-1

Book Chapters | 2026

Xu Q; Wu L; Liu X; Wei W; Ni BJ, 2026, 'Long-chain alcohols production from sewage sludge', in High Value Bioenergy Recovery from Wastewater, pp. 145 - 175, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-29127-2.00015-8

Book Chapters | 2023

Ni B-J; Wu L; Shi X; Wei W, 2023, '8 Application of biochar for improving sewage sludge treatment', in Current Developments in Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Elsevier, pp. 229 - 257, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-323-91873-2.00007-8

Book Chapters | 2022

Wei W; Wu L; Ngo HH; Guo W; Ni B-J, 2022, 'Chapter 7 Sequestration of nitrous oxide for nutrient recovery and product formation', in Biomass, Biofuels, Biochemicals, Elsevier, pp. 155 - 177, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-823500-3.00017-0
Journal articles | 2026

Qian J; Bai S; Wu L; Geng M; Chen G; Jiang F, 2026, 'Energy recovery from corn straw-based biochar@MIL-88A(Fe)-mediated anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge under norfloxacin: Metabolism and antibiotic resistance gene fates', Journal of Environmental Sciences China, 161, pp. 350 - 359, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2025.07.034

Journal articles | 2026

Wang C; Wei W; Wu L; Liu X; Chen Z; Hou Y; Ni BJ, 2026, 'Adaptive Microbial Dynamics in Hydrochar-Enhanced Chain Elongation under Loading Rate Regulation Explored through Mechanistic Network Analysis', Environmental Science Technology, 60, pp. 774 - 787, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c09829

Journal articles | 2026

Wu L; Feng K; Wang C; Zhang J; Long Y; Hou Y; Wei W, 2026, 'Decoding Ammonia Inhibition in Waste Activated Sludge Fermentation for Valuable Liquid Products: Performance and Microbiology Insight', ACS Es and T Engineering, 6, pp. 1128 - 1137, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsestengg.5c01033

Journal articles | 2025

Azad B; Wu L; Duan H; Qian J, 2025, 'Enhanced anaerobic digestion performance with carbon-based material additives towards sustainable energy production: A comprehensive review', Journal of Cleaner Production, 525, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.146616

Journal articles | 2025

Liu X; Wei W; Chen Z; Wu L; Duan H; Zheng M; Wang D; Ni BJ, 2025, 'The threats of micro- and nanoplastics to aquatic ecosystems and water health', Nature Water, 3, pp. 764 - 781, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s44221-025-00464-1

Journal articles | 2025

Wang Y; Wei W; Yang D; Wu L; Chen X; Dai X; Ni BJ, 2025, 'Unraveling temperature effects on caproate and caprylate production from waste activated sludge', Bioresource Technology, 417, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131844

Journal articles | 2025

Wang Y; Wu SL; Wei W; Wu L; Huang S; Dai X; Ni BJ, 2025, 'pH-dependent medium-chain fatty acid synthesis in waste activated sludge fermentation: Metabolic pathway regulation', Journal of Environmental Management, 373, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123722

Journal articles | 2025

Xu W; Wu L; Geng M; Zhou J; Bai S; Nguyen DV; Ma R; Wu D; Qian J, 2025, 'Biochar@MIL-88A(Fe) accelerates direct interspecies electron transfer and hydrogen transfer in waste activated sludge anaerobic digestion: Exploring electron transfer and biomolecular mechanisms', Environmental Research, 268, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.120810

Journal articles | 2024

Bosco Mofatto PM; Cosenza A; Di Trapani D; Wu L; Ni BJ; Mannina G, 2024, 'Carbon footprint reduction by coupling intermittent aeration with submerged MBR: A pilot plant study', Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 12, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2024.113115

Journal articles | 2024

Long Y; Chen Z; Wu L; Liu X; Hou YN; Vernuccio S; Wei W; Wong WY; Ni BJ, 2024, 'Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction to Alcohols: Progress and Perspectives', Small Science, 4, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/smsc.202400129

Journal articles | 2024

Shi X; Ju F; Wei W; Wu L; Chen X; Ni BJ, 2024, 'Bioaugmentation of microalgae fermentation with yeast for enhancing microbial chain elongation: In-situ ethanol production and metabolic potential', Chemical Engineering Journal, 498, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2024.155742

Journal articles | 2024

Shi X; Wei W; Wu L; Huang Y; Ni BJ, 2024, 'Biosynthesis mechanisms of medium-chain carboxylic acids and alcohols in anaerobic microalgae fermentation regulated by pH conditions', Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 90, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/aem.01250-23

Journal articles | 2024

Wang C; Wei W; Wu L; Liu X; Duan H; Chen Z; Hou YN; Chen X; Ni BJ, 2024, 'Electron Donor-Driven Microalgae Upgrading into High-Value Fatty Acids via a Microbial Platform', ACS Es and T Engineering, 4, pp. 3080 - 3091, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsestengg.4c00414

Journal articles | 2024

Wang C; Wei W; Wu L; Wang Y; Dai X; Ni BJ, 2024, 'A Novel Sustainable and Self-Sufficient Biotechnological Strategy for Directly Transforming Sewage Sludge into High-Value Liquid Biochemicals', Environmental Science and Technology, 58, pp. 12520 - 12531, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.4c03165

Journal articles | 2024

Wang Y; Wei W; Dai X; Wu L; Chen X; Ni BJ, 2024, 'Different Electron Donors Drive the Variation in the Performance of Medium-Chain Fatty Acid Production from Waste-Activated Sludge', ACS Es and T Engineering, 4, pp. 650 - 659, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsestengg.3c00423

Journal articles | 2024

Wu L; Ngo HH; Wang C; Hou Y; Chen X; Guo W; Duan H; Ni BJ; Wei W, 2024, 'Lactobacillus inoculation mediated carboxylates and alcohols production from waste activated sludge fermentation system: Insight into process outcomes and metabolic network', Bioresource Technology, 409, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131191

Journal articles | 2024

Wu L; Wei W; Chen Z; Shi X; Qian J; Ni BJ, 2024, 'Novel anaerobic fermentation paradigm of producing medium-chain fatty acids from food wastes with self-produced ethanol as electron donor', Chemical Engineering Journal, 483, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2024.149236

Journal articles | 2024

Wu SL; Wu L; Wei W; Shentu J; Long Y; Shen D; Ni BJ, 2024, 'Challenges and enhancement technologies of medium chain carboxylates production in open culture anaerobic fermentation', Chemical Engineering Journal, 494, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2024.153224

Journal articles | 2023

Chen Z; Shi X; Zhang J; Wu L; Wei W; Ni BJ, 2023, 'Nanoplastics are significantly different from microplastics in urban waters', Water Research X, 19, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.wroa.2023.100169

Journal articles | 2023

Chen Z; Yun S; Wu L; Zhang J; Shi X; Wei W; Liu Y; Zheng R; Han N; Ni BJ, 2023, 'Waste-Derived Catalysts for Water Electrolysis: Circular Economy-Driven Sustainable Green Hydrogen Energy', Nano Micro Letters, 15, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40820-022-00974-7

Journal articles | 2023

Huo P; Deng R; Chen X; Yang L; Liu Y; Wu L; Wei W; Ni BJ, 2023, 'Model-based evaluation of N2O recovery as an energy source in sulfur-driven NO-based autotrophic denitrification', Chemical Engineering Journal, 453, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2022.139732

Journal articles | 2023

Luo T; Dai X; Chen Z; Wu L; Wei W; Xu Q; Ni BJ, 2023, 'Different microplastics distinctively enriched the antibiotic resistance genes in anaerobic sludge digestion through shifting specific hosts and promoting horizontal gene flow', Water Research, 228, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2022.119356

Journal articles | 2023

Shi X; Chen Z; Wu L; Wei W; Ni BJ, 2023, 'Microplastics in municipal solid waste landfills: Detection, formation and potential environmental risks', Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health, 31, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.coesh.2022.100433

Journal articles | 2023

Wu L; Wei W; Chen Z; Chen X; Ni BJ, 2023, 'Long-chain alcohol production in open culture anaerobic fermentation', Chemical Engineering Journal, 452, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2022.139225

Journal articles | 2023

Wu L; Wei W; Chen Z; Shi X; Wang D; Chen X; Ni BJ, 2023, 'Medium chain fatty acids production from anaerobic fermentation of food wastes: The role of fermentation pH in metabolic pathways', Chemical Engineering Journal, 472, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2023.144824

Journal articles | 2023

Wu L; Wei W; Qian J; Chen X; Ni BJ, 2023, 'Converting food waste into high-value medium chain fatty acids and long chain alcohols via chain elongation with an internally produced electron donor', Green Chemistry, 25, pp. 10567 - 10575, http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/d3gc03614f

Journal articles | 2023

Wu L; Wei W; Wang C; Ni BJ, 2023, 'Toward high carbon recovery: Novel strategies to hindering the occurrence of competitive reactions during chain elongation process', Journal of Cleaner Production, 419, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.138340

Journal articles | 2022

Shi X; Wu L; Wei W; Ni BJ, 2022, 'Insights into the microbiomes for medium-chain carboxylic acids production from biowastes through chain elongation', Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 52, pp. 3787 - 3812, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10643389.2021.1957342

Journal articles | 2022

Wei W; Shi X; Wu L; Liu X; Ni BJ, 2022, 'Calcium peroxide pre-treatment improved the anaerobic digestion of primary sludge and its co-digestion with waste activated sludge', Science of the Total Environment, 828, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154404

Journal articles | 2022

Wei W; Wang C; Shi X; Zhang YT; Chen Z; Wu L; Ni BJ, 2022, 'Multiple microplastics induced stress on anaerobic granular sludge and an effectively overcoming strategy using hydrochar', Water Research, 222, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2022.118895

Journal articles | 2022

Wu L; Wang LK; Wei W; Ni BJ, 2022, 'Autotrophic denitrification of NO for effectively recovering N2O through using thiosulfate as sole electron donor', Bioresource Technology, 347, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2022.126681

Journal articles | 2022

Wu L; Wang LK; Wei W; Song L; Ni BJ, 2022, 'Sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification of nitric oxide for efficient nitrous oxide recovery', Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 119, pp. 257 - 267, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bit.27970

Journal articles | 2022

Wu L; Wei W; Chen Z; Ni BJ, 2022, 'Medium-chain carboxylate productions through open-culture fermentation of organic wastes', Journal of Cleaner Production, 373, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.133911

Journal articles | 2022

Wu L; Wei W; Liu X; Wang D; Ni BJ, 2022, 'Potentiality of recovering bioresource from food waste through multi-stage Co-digestion with enzymatic pretreatment', Journal of Environmental Management, 319, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115777

Journal articles | 2022

Wu ZY; Xu J; Wu L; Ni BJ, 2022, 'Three-dimensional biofilm electrode reactors (3D-BERs) for wastewater treatment', Bioresource Technology, 344, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126274

Journal articles | 2021

Shi X; Wei W; Wu L; Ni BJ, 2021, 'Zero-valent iron mediated biological wastewater and sludge treatment', Chemical Engineering Journal, 426, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2021.130821

Journal articles | 2021

Wang C; Wu L; Zhang YT; Wei W; Ni BJ, 2021, 'Unravelling the impacts of perfluorooctanoic acid on anaerobic sludge digestion process', Science of the Total Environment, 796, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149057

Journal articles | 2021

Wei W; Shi X; Wu L; Ni BJ, 2021, 'Insights into coconut shell incineration bottom ash mediated microbial hydrogen production from waste activated sludge', Journal of Cleaner Production, 322, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129157

Journal articles | 2021

Wei W; Wu L; Shi X; Ni BJ, 2021, 'Mechanisms of CuO Nanoparticles at an Environmentally Relevant Level Enhancing Production of Hydrogen from Anaerobic Fermentation of Waste-Activated Sludge', ACS Es and T Water, 1, pp. 1495 - 1502, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.1c00049

Journal articles | 2021

Wu L; Wei W; Ni BJ, 2021, 'Response to Comment on "a Critical Review on Nitrous Oxide Production by Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea"', Environmental Science and Technology, 55, pp. 799 - 800, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c08136

Journal articles | 2021

Wu L; Wei W; Song L; Woźniak-Karczewska M; Chrzanowski Ł; Ni BJ, 2021, 'Upgrading biogas produced in anaerobic digestion: Biological removal and bioconversion of CO2 in biogas', Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 150, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2021.111448

Journal articles | 2021

Wu L; Wei W; Wang D; Ni BJ, 2021, 'Improving nutrients removal and energy recovery from wastes using hydrochar', Science of the Total Environment, 783, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146980

Journal articles | 2021

Wu L; Wei W; Xu J; Chen X; Liu Y; Peng L; Wang D; Ni BJ, 2021, 'Denitrifying biofilm processes for wastewater treatment: Developments and perspectives', Environmental Science Water Research and Technology, 7, pp. 40 - 67, http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/d0ew00576b

Journal articles | 2020

Chen Z; Ibrahim I; Hao D; Liu X; Wu L; Wei W; Su D; Ni BJ, 2020, 'Controllable design of nanoworm-like nickel sulfides for efficient electrochemical water splitting in alkaline media', Materials Today Energy, 18, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mtener.2020.100573

Journal articles | 2020

Wei W; Liu X; Wu L; Wang D; Bao T; Ni BJ, 2020, 'Sludge Incineration Bottom Ash Enhances Anaerobic Digestion of Primary Sludge toward Highly Efficient Sludge Anaerobic Codigestion', ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, 8, pp. 3005 - 3012, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.0c00015

Journal articles | 2020

Wei W; Wu L; Liu X; Chen Z; Hao Q; Wang D; Liu Y; Peng L; Ni BJ, 2020, 'How does synthetic musks affect methane production from the anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge?', Science of the Total Environment, 713, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.136594

Journal articles | 2020

Wu L; Chen X; Wei W; Liu Y; Wang D; Ni BJ, 2020, 'A Critical Review on Nitrous Oxide Production by Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea', Environmental Science and Technology, 54, pp. 9175 - 9190, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c03948

Journal articles | 2020

Wu L; Peng L; Wei W; Wang D; Ni BJ, 2020, 'Nitrous oxide production from wastewater treatment: The potential as energy resource rather than potent greenhouse gas', Journal of Hazardous Materials, 387, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121694

Journal articles | 2018

She Z; Wu L; Wang Q; Gao M; Jin C; Zhao Y; Zhao L; Guo L, 2018, 'Salinity effect on simultaneous nitrification and denitrification, microbial characteristics in a hybrid sequencing batch biofilm reactor.', Bioprocess Biosyst Eng, 41, pp. 65 - 75, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00449-017-1844-5
Preprints |

Huo P; Deng R; Chen X; Liu Y; Yang L; Wu L; Wei W; Ni B-J, Model-Based Evaluation of N2O Recovery as an Energy Source in Sulfur-Driven NO-Based Autotrophic Denitrification, http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4189257

TRaCE Industry Secondment Program (2026)
CSIRO On Acceleration Program (2024)
UTS Research Translation Competition (2024)
Emerging Research Trends (2025)
UTS FEIT Post Thesis Award (2023)
UTS FEIT HDR Excellence Award (2022)
UTS HDR WiEIT Award (2022)
Roberto Rocca Education Program Award (2017)
Chinese National Scholarship Award (2017)

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