Dr. Minh N. Nguyen

New publication in Environmental Science & Technology

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Pleased to share that our paper titled Interference of the real water matrix with micropollutant removal via advanced filtration: Insights from the Goreangab Reservoir in Namibia has been accepted for publication in Enviromental Science & Technology (EST) journal (2025 IF of 11.3).

Dr. Martyna Krajewska – my IAMT-KIT colleague – wrote this exciting paper comparing nine different pressure-driven and advanced membrane processes for removing micropollutants in the Goreangab Reservoir water.

I contributed to the development of filtration protocols that allow meaningful comparison, carried out filtration experiments with photocatalytic membranes, performed organic matter analysis, and revised the texts.

Decades ago, the Goreangab Reservoir served as a source of water (the other source is sewage effluents) for the world’s first wastewater reclamation plant for direct potable use (Windhoek). Today, the reservoir is no longer usable due to deteriorated water quality and the presence of micropollutants. We detected 28 types of micropollutants, including benzotriazoles, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, endocrine disruptors, and PFAS) in this reservoir water.

The treatment conditions were tailored for a particular micropollutant type – steroid hormone 17β-estradiol (E2) – which was spiked in the reservoir water at a concentration of 100 ng/L.

We found out that membrane photocatalysis, membrane electrocatalysis, and combined ultrafiltration–adsorption are effective and comparable to nanofiltration in removing E2. However, uncertainties still remain in terms of energy requirements, susceptibility to fouling, long-term performance, and upscaling potential – these are all discussed in the paper.

Link to the publication

MSA Best Oral Presentation Award, IMSTEC 2025

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Pleased to share that I received the Membrane Society of Australasia (MSA) Best Oral Presentation Award at the IMSTEC 2025 Conference, Gold Coast, Australia.

My presentation titled Collisions between singlet oxygen and steroid hormone micropollutants in photocatalytic membrane pores was based on a recently published paper in Chemical Engineering Journal (2024 IF of 13.2).

In the presentation, I discussed how the century-old collision theory could be adapted to predict the rate of micropollutant removal by photocatalytic membrane reactors.

Link to the publication

New publication in Chemical Engineering Journal

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Our paper titled Steroid hormone micropollutant removal from membrane bioreactor effluents using single-walled carbon nanotube composite nanofiber membranes has been accepted for publication in Chemical Engineering Journal (2025 IF of 13.5).

Han-Ya Lin, my colleague and a final-year Ph.D. student at KIT-IAMT, performed rigorous experiments and wrote most of the paper. I contributed in several aspects (time keeping, organic matter analysis, and text revision).

This paper highlights the challenges of introducing novel technologies (such as dynamic adsorption by carbon nanotubes) into real-world water treatment, specifically micropollutant removal.

Beyond the safety concerns, the shortcomings of this technology include i) the competition from organic matter for adsorption, as well as ii) high specificity (which means, the technology cannot remove different types of micropollutants in a complex water matrix).

These issues emphasize that carbon nanotube adsorption is not potential or promising. It is nowhere near replacing the “big names” − ozonation or powdered activated carbon adsorption − for micropollutant removal.

In a field where novel materials or processes are frequently promoted, this paper discusses why it is important to take a step back.

Link to the publication

About This Website

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This is my personal website, where I feature my research directions, publications, and CV.

I also set up a blog where I share my achievements (paper publications, awarded grants, etc.), some thoughts on my academic journey, and other stuff.

The design of this website

The website is simplistic and fit for its simple purposes. I keep the main sections (Research, Publications, and CV) updated from time to time. Blog posts are time-stamped and organised based on tags and categories. No search bar, because I think it is a distraction.

Due to privacy concerns, I do not track visits or enable comments using tools such as Google Analytics or Disqus. If needs be in the future, I may opt for some privacy-focused alternatives.

If you want to follow my posts, please subscribe to the website’s RSS (which is an archaic content format) at the bottom of each page, next to the copyright information.

The website is hosted by Github and built from Hugo. The website layouts are adapted from the Hugo-Xmin theme by Yihui Xie, with some slight tuning of fonts and colours.

What you will NOT find on this website

Unpublished scientific contents in any form (manuscript sections, internal reports, discussions, ideas, etc.);
Donation requests;
My political views (I detest discussing politics in scientific settings).