NG How Yong

Education

  • 1997 National University of Singapore, Civil Engineering, BEng
  • 1998 National University of Singapore, Environmental Engineering, MEng
  • 2002 University of California, Berkeley, Environmental Engineering, Ph.D.
  • 2003 Yale University, Environmental Engineering, Post-doc

Work Experience

  • Fellow, Academy of Engineering Singapore
  • Provost’s Chair, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore
  • Director, NUS Environmental Research Institute
  • Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore
  • Director, Sembcorp-NUS Corporate Laboratory
  • Foreign Expert, State Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs (2012-2015)
  • Fellow of the International Water Association (IWA)
  • Associate Editor, Water Research
  • Editor, Journal of Water Reuse and Desalination

Research Interests

  • Wastewater treatment, reuse and digitalization
  • Membrane bioreactor
  • Forward osmosis and reverse osmosis technology
  • Microbial toxicity detection technology
  • Industrial wastewater treatment

Honor & Award

  • 2020 Institute of Engineering Singapore Prestigious Engineering Achievement Awards
  • 2020 NUS Engineering Leadership Award
  • 2016 National University of Singapore Engineering Researcher Award
  • 2014 International Water Association Asia Pacific Regional Project Innovation (PIA) Awards (Applied Research-Honour
  • Award) for the project “Development of Microbial Electrochemical Sensor for Heavy Metals and Cyanide Detection in
  • Used Water”
  • 2009 National University of Singapore Young Researcher Award
  • 2008 Singapore Youth Award
  • 2007 Singapore Young Scientist Award
  • 2006 International Water Association Young Water Professionals Award

Representative Publications

[1] E. Liu, L. Y. Lee, S. L. Ong and H. Y. Ng*. 2020. “Treatment of industrial brine using Capacitive Deionization (CDI) towards zero liquid discharge–Challenges and optimization”, Water Res., 183, 116059.

[2] W. Song, L. Y. Lee, E. Liu, X. Shi, S. L. Ong and H. Y. Ng*. 2020. “Spatial variation of fouling behavior in high recovery nanofiltration for industrial reverse osmosis brine treatment towards zero liquid discharge”, J. Membr. Sci., 609, 118185.

[3] B. Xu, T. C. A. Ng, S. Huang and H. Y. Ng*. 2020. “Effect of quorum quenching on EPS and size-fractioned particles and organics in anaerobic membrane bioreactor for domestic wastewater treatment”, Water Res., 179, 115850.

[4] Z. Lyu, T. C. A. Ng, T. Tran-Duc, J. H. G. Lim, Q. Gu, L. Zhang, Z. Zhang, J. Ding, N. Phan-Thien, J. Wang and H. Y. Ng*. 2020. “3D-Printed Surface-Patterned Ceramic Membrane with Enhanced Performance in Crossflow Filtration”, J. Membr. Sci., 606, 118138.

[5] S. Huang, H. Zhang, T. C. A. Ng, B. Xu, X. Shi and H. Y. Ng*. 2020. “Analysis of N-Acy-L-homoserine lactones (AHLs) in wastewater treatment systems using SPE-LLE with LC-MS/MS”, Water Res., 177, 115756.

[6] B. Xu, T. C. A. Ng, S. Huang, X. Shi and H. Y. Ng*. 2020. “Feasibility of isolated novel facultative quorum quenching consortiums for fouling control in an AnMBR”, Water Res., 169, 115251.

[7] T. C. A. Ng, Z. Lyu, Q. Gu, L. Zhang, W. J. Poh, Z. Zhang, J. Wang and H. Y. Ng*. 2020. “Effect of gradient profile in ceramic membranes on filtration characteristics: Implications for membrane development”, J. Membr. Sci., 595, 117576.

[8] C. K. Pooi, V. Loka and H. Y. Ng*. 2019, “Treatment and hybrid modeling of domestic reverse osmosis concentrate using biological activated carbon”, Desalination, 468, 114047.

[9] G. U. Semblante, J. Z. Lee, L. Y. Lee, S. L. Ong and H. Y. Ng*. 2018. “Brine pre-treatment technologies for zero liquid discharge systems”, Desalination, 441, 96-111.

[10] Y.C. Tan, S. Kharkwal, K. K. W. Chew, R. Alwi, S. F. W. Mak and H. Y. Ng*. 2018. “Enhancing the robustness of microbial fuel cell sensor for continuous copper(II) detection against organic strength fluctuations by acetate and glucose addition”, Bioresour. Technol., 259, 357-364.

[11] X. Shi, T. S. Yeap, S. Huang, J. Chen and Ng HY*. 2018. “Pretreatment of saline antibiotic wastewater using marine microalga”, Bioresour. Technol., 258, 240-246.

[12] F. Chen, X. Yue, X. Shi, K. K. Ng and H. Y. Ng*. 2017. “Membrane fouling between a membrane bioreactor and a moving bed membrane bioreactor: Effects of solids retention time”, Chem. Eng. J., 309, 397-408.

[13] X. Zhang, J. Ma, C. Y. Tang, Z. Wang, H. Y. Ng and Z. Wu*. 2016. “Anti-biofouling Polyvinylidene Fluoride Membrane Modified by Quaternary Ammonium Compound: Direct Contact-Killing versus Induced Indirect Contact-Killing”, Environ. Sci. Technol., 50(10), 5086-5093.

[14] K. K. Ng, X. Shi, S. L. Ong, C.F. Lin and H. Y. Ng*. 2016. “An innovative of aerobic bio-entrapped salt marsh sediment membrane reactor for the treatment of high-saline pharmaceutical wastewater”, Chem. Eng. J., 295, 317-325.

[15] S. L. Low, S. L. Ong and H. Y. Ng*. 2016. “Characterization of Membrane Fouling in Submerged Ceramic Membrane Photobioreactors Fed with Effluent from Membrane Bioreactors”, Chem. Eng. J., 290, 91-102.

[16] X. Liu, S. L. Ong and H. Y. Ng*. 2016. “Fabrication of Mesh-Embedded Double-Skinned Substrate Membrane and Enhancement of Its Surface Hydrophilicity to Improve Anti- Fouling Performance of Resultant Thin-Film Composite Forward Osmosis Membrane”, J. Membr. Sci., 511, 40-53.

[17] C. Fu, X. Bi and H. Y. Ng*. 2016. “Effects of Bio-carriers on Membrane Fouling Mitigation in Moving Bed Membrane Bioreactor”, J. Membr. Sci., 499, 134-142.

[18] X. Yue, Y. K. K. Koh and H. Y. Ng*, 2015. “Effects of Dissolved Organic Matters (DOMs) on Membrane Fouling in Anaerobic Ceramic Membrane Bioreactors (AnCMBRs) Treating Domestic Wastewater”, Water Res., 86, 96-107.

[19] K. K. Ng, X. Shi and H. Y. Ng*. 2015. “Evaluation of System Performance and Microbial Communities of a Bioaugmented Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor Treating Pharmaceutical Wastewater”, Water Res., 81, 311-324.

[20] X. Shi, K. K. Ng, X. Li and H. Y. Ng*. 2015. “Investigation of Intertidal Wetland Sediment as a Novel Inoculation Source for Anaerobic Saline Wastewater Treatment”, Environ. Sci. Technol., 49(10), 6231-6239.

[21] X. Liu and H. Y. Ng*. 2015. “Fabrication of Layered Silica-Polysulfone Mixed Matrix Substrate Membrane for Enhancing Performance of Thin-film Composite Forward Osmosis Membrane”, J. Membr. Sci., 481, 148-163.

[22] K. K. Ng, X. Shi, Y. Yao and H. Y. Ng*. 2014. “Bio-entrapped Membrane Reactor and Salt Marsh Sediment Membrane Bioreactor for the Treatment of Pharmaceutical Wastewater: Treatment Performance and Microbial Communities”, Bioresour. Technol., 171, 265-273.

[23] X. Liu and H. Y. Ng*. 2014. “Double-blade Casting Technique for Optimizing Substrate Membrane in Thin-film Composite Forward Osmosis Membrane Fabrication”, J. Membr. Sci., 469, 112-126.

[24] C. H. Tan and H. Y. Ng*. 2013. “Revised External and Internal Concentration Polarization Models to Improve Flux Prediction in Forward Osmosis Process”. Desalination, 309, 125-140.

[25] L. Jin, S. L. Ong and H. Y. Ng*. 2013. “Fouling control mechanism by suspended biofilm carrier addition in submerged ceramic membrane bioreactors (SCMBR)”. J. Membr. Sci., 427, 250-258.

[26] O. Lefebvre, C. M. Neculita, X. Yue and H. Y. Ng*. 2012. “Bioelectrochemical Treatment of Acid Mine Drainage Dominated with Iron”. J. Hazard. Mater., 241-242, 411-417.

[27] O. Lefebvre, Z. Tan, S. Kharkwal and H. Y. Ng*. 2012. “Effect of increasing anodic NaCl concentration on microbial fuel cell performance”. Bioresour. Technol., 112, 336-340.

[28] Z. Huang, S. L. Ong and H. Y. Ng*. 2011. “Submerged Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor for Low-Strength Wastewater Treatment: Effect of HRT and SRT on Treatment Performance and Membrane Fouling”. Water Res., 45, 705-713.

[29] L. Jin, S. L. Ong and H. Y. Ng*. 2010. “Comparison of Treatment and Membrane Performances of Different Pore-Sized Submerged Ceramic Membrane Bioreactors”, Water Res., 44, 5907-5918.

[30] T. C. Ng and H. Y. Ng*. 2010 “Characterisation of Initial Fouling in Aerobic Submerged Membrane Bioreactors in relation to Physico-Chemical Characteristics under Different Flux Conditions”. Water Res., 44(7), 2336-2348.

[31] L. Y. Lee, H. Y. Ng*, S. L. Ong, J. Y. Hu, G. Tao, K. Kekre, B. Viswanath, W. Lay and H. Seah. 2009. “Integrated Pretreatment with Capacitive Deionization for Reverse Osmosis Reject Recovery from Water Reclamation Plant”. Water Res., 43(18), 4769-4777.

[32] L. Y. Lee, H. Y. Ng*, S. L. Ong, J. Y. Hu, G. Tao, K. Kekreb, B. Viswanathb, W. Lay and H. Seah. 2009. “Ozone-Biological Activated Carbon as a Pretreatment Process for Reverse Osmosis Brine Treatment and Recovery”. Water Res., 43(16), 3948-3955.

[33] J.-Y. An, S. Kim, Y. Chun, S. J. Lee, H. Y. Ng, I. S. Chang*. 2009. “Floating-Type Microbial Fuel Cell (FT-MFC) for Treating Organic-Contaminated Water”. Environ. Sci. Technol., 43(5), 1642-1647.

[34] T. W. Tan and H. Y. Ng*. 2008. “Influence of Mixed Liquor Recycle Ratio and Dissolved Oxygen on Performance of Pre-Denitrification Submerged Membrane Bioreactors”, Water Res., 42, 1122-1132.

[35] H. Y. Ng*, Wanling Tang and Wei S. Wong. 2006. “Performance of Forward (Direct) Osmosis Process: Membrane Structure and Transport Phenomenon”, Environ. Sci. Technol., 40 (7), 2408-2413.

[36] H. Y. Ng*, T. W. Tan and S. L. Ong. 2006. “Membrane Fouling of Pre-Denitrification Submerged Membrane Bioreactors: Impact of Mean Cell Residence Time and the Contributing Factors”, Environ. Sci. Technol., 40 (8), 2706-2713.

[37] H. Y. Ng* and S. W. Hermanowicz. 2005. “Membrane bioreactor operation at short solids retention times: performance and biomass characteristics”, Water Res., 39 (6), 981-992.

NG How Yong