Professor Howard Fallowfield

Professor

College of Science and Engineering

+61 8 72218581

howard.fallowfield@flinders.edu.au

Health Sciences (5.22)

GPO Box 2100, Adelaide 5001, South Australia

Professor Fallowfield is an aquatic microbial ecologist. His research focus is health aspects of water quality, which has been conducted across a range of aquatic environments including drinking water, wastewater and recreational waters. Howard has some 25 year's research experience in the UK and Australia, designing, constructing, operating and evaluating the performance of pilot plants for both drinking water and wastewater treatment. Successful research projects include the design and operation of high rate algal ponds (HRAPs) for the treatment of abattoir wastewater; construction and evaluation of new HRAP designs for the treatment of wastewater from rural communities in South Australia. The application of HRAPs for the treatment of wastewaters and on-site biomass energy production is also a current research project. A further research interest is the remediation of drinking water and groundwater contaminated with inorganic nitrogen, pharmaceuticals and personal care products using biological filters.

Qualifications

BSc (Hons) in Microbiology & Food Science, University of Leeds, UK.
PhD in freshwater microbial ecology.University of Dundee, Scotland.

Honours, awards and grants

2020 Stormwater South Australia Excellence in Research & Innovation awarded for Joint Research Between Flinders University and City of Marion, Local Governement Association and the Managed Aquifer Recharge Users Group recognising the Oaklands Parks Wetlands Education Centre contribution to STEM education and outreach. Oaklands Park Wetlands and Education Centre video

2019 joint winner of the Australian Water Association (SA Branch) Infrastructure Innovation Project Award with Peterborough District Council and the SA Local Government Association for Peterborough Community Wastewater Managment Scheme; incorporating two 5000m2 high rate algal ponds.

2017 I was a member of the Environmental Health Team, with Dr Kirstin Ross and Dr Harriet Whiley, presented with the Vice Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching

Key responsibilities

Within the College of Science and Engineering Prof. Fallowfield is coordinator of Research Higher Degrees associated with environmental sciences and the Health and Environment Group.

Teaching interests

My contribution to teaching reflects my expertise and interest in microbial ecology, particularly of aquatic environments, which have the potential to influence human health. Water quality and the treatment of wastewater, drinking water and stormwater is a specific focus together with the eutrophication of freshwater and the impact and management of cyanobacterial blooms.

Topic coordinator

ENVS9731 Public Health Aspects of Water Quality

ENVH9732 Legislation Relevant to Environmental Health

Topic lecturer

ENGR8951 Hydraulic and Water Engineering

ENVH7742 Microbiology and Communicable Disease

ENGR3851 Hydraulic and Water Engineering

ENVS9731 Public Health Asoects of Water Quality

ENVH2712 Environmental Change and Human Health

ENVS9770 Water Resources Management Minor Research Project

ENVS9760 Water Resources Management Industry Placement

EASC1101 Earth and Environmental Sciences

ENVS9730 Water Resources Management Major Research Project

Supervisory interests

Drinking water treatment

Environmental microbiology

Health aspects of water quality

Wastewater pond technology

Higher degree by research supervision

Current

Principal supervisor: Behaviour of chemicals of concern in managed aquifer recharge schemes, Exploitation of wastewater grown algal biomass for energy production (1), Improved pathogen removal from high rate algal ponds (1), Beneficial wastewater irrigation (1), Microbial ecology of high rate algal ponds for wastewater treatment (1), Attenuation of viruses in managed aquifer recharge schems (1)

Associate supervisor: Mechanism of pathogen die-off in wastewater treatment lagoons (1)

Completion

Principal supervisor: Carbon budgets for treatment lagoons (2), Water treatment using a nitrifying biofilter (2), Cyanobacterial toxin production; removal by bank filtration (2), Microbial induced corrosion of copper pipe (1), Strategies for the removal of suspended solids from waste stabilisation ponds (1), Integrating biological and hydraulic aspects of waste stabilisation pond design (2), Isolation of Campylobacter from chicken (1), Performance of a flat plate airlift photobioreactor (1), Computer modelling of high rate algal ponds (1), Nitrogen cycling in waste stabilisation ponds (1), Photosynthesis in wastewater treatment lagoons (4), Exploitation of wastewater grown algal biomass for energy production (1), Water treatment using nitrifying and denitrifying filters (1), Comparison of waste stabilisation pond and high rate algal pond wastewater treatment perfomance — Principal (1) (1)

Associate supervisor: Origin of pollution determined by faecal steriod analysis (1), Microbial risk assessment of recreational, drinking and ruse waters (3), Microbial risk assessment of wastewater irrigated vegetables (1)

Professional engagement

I am a member of the International Water Association and its Specialist Group on Wastewater Pond Technologies; the Society for Applied Microbiology and of the High Integrity Australian Pork Co-operative Research Centre. Previous research assessing microbial risks associated with recreational waters was recognised by membership of National Health and Medical Research Council committee which reviewed Guidelines for Managing Risks in Recreational Waters.

I am a reviewer for several international journals including Water Research, Journal of Applied Microbiology, Applied Phycology, Water Science and Technology.

I am a co-editor of the textbook Environmental Health in Australia and New Zealand published by Oxford University Press.

I have authored over 160 articles in peer reviewed journal and conference proceedings. Current research on high rate algal ponds is a collaboration with District Councils and the Local Government Association aimed at adopting the technology for use in rural communities in South Australia, however, the technology would also be appropriate for rural communities nationally and in developing countries. Integrated wastewater treatment technologies are also being investigated to enhance the sustainability and international competitiveness of Australian pork producers through membership of the High Integrity Australian Pork CRC.

Expert for media contact

Community/Public Health

Environment

Toxicology/Toxins

Waste Treatment

Water Resources

Cyanobacteria

Public Health Aspects of Water Quality

Waste Water Treatment

Water Quality

Available for contact via

+61 8 72218581