Dr David R Dixon

BSc (Hons) Melbourne 1968
PhD Melbourne 1972

Senior Research Fellow

Email:
Telephone: (61) 3 8344 8288
Fax: (61) 3 8344 4153
Room 1.9, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Building 2

The Solid Liquid Separations Group

Current Research Activities

• Environmental Engineering
• Water purification
• Water and waste water processing and recycling
• Sustainable Technologies

Editorial Activities

• Editor of IWA Journal, Water Research, 1997-current
• Editor of Virtual Journal of Industrial Effluents, 2004-current

David is a chemist with over 35 years experience in water and wastewater research. He has considerable expertise in the colloid science area related to the use of treatment processes for both potable water and industrial effluents and to many aspects of sludge management. He has been involved with local and international water authorities and research institutes as a consultant on various water and wastewater issues.

David is a member of the Particulate Fluids Processing Centre (PFPC), a Special Research Centre of the Australian Research Council (ARC).

Professional Affiliations and Activities

• Fellow, Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI)
• Member of IWA Management Board of Particles Separation Specialist Group 2000-current
• Member of IWA International Publications Committee 1999-current
• Co-ordinator of EIDN/DIST UK-Australia scientific collaboration in water and wastewater 1998-2001
• Leader of CRC Water Quality and Treatment projects within CSIRO 1995-current
• CSIRO Representative on UK Trade Mission on Effluent Management 1995-1996
• Member of IAWQ Management Board of Sludge Management Specialist Group 1995-current

Honours/Awards

• James Cuming Memorial Scholarship University of Melbourne, 1966.
• Society of Chemical Industry, Victoria Industrial Prize for the Sirofloc Plant, 1981.
• Russell Grimwade Prize in Industrial Chemistry, from the Royal Australian Chemical Institute 1981.
• CSIRO Medal (Sirofloc Process), 1989.

Professional Experience

• Senior Industrial Research Fellow, Solid-Liquid Group, PFPC, University of Melbourne since 2002
• Leader CSIRO Water Group 2000-2002
• Project Leader and Program Manager for the Environmental Techologies Group, CSIRO Molecular Science 1990-2000

Recent Publications

1. Stickland, A.D.; Harbour, P.J.; Dixon, D.R.; Scales, P.J. "Scaling filtration time initial dependencies of wastewater sludges." Water Research, 41, 206-216 (2007). [link]
2. Aziz, A.A.A.; Dixon, D.R.; Usher, S.P.; Scales, P.J. "Electrically enhanced dewatering (EED) of particulate suspensions." Colloids and Surfaces A, 290, 194-205 (2006). [link]
3. Harbour, P.J.; Dixon, D.R.; Scales, P.J. "The role of natural organic matter in suspension stability 1, Electrokinetic-rheology relationships." Colloids and Surfaces A (2006). [link]
4. Harbour, P.J.; Dixon, D.R.; Scales, P.J. "The role of natural organic matter in suspension stability 2, Modelling of particle-particle interaction." Colloids and Surfaces A (2006). [link]
5. Tufenkji, N.; Dixon, D.R.; Considine, R. and Drummond, C.J. “Multi-scale Cryptosporidium/sand interactions in water treatment.” Water Research, 40, 3315-3331 (2006).
6. Newcombe, G.; Dixon, D.; (Eds.) “Interface Science in Drinking Water Treatment: Theory and Applications.” Arthur Hubbard (Series Editor), Interface Science and Technology - Vol. 10, Elsevier, The Netherlands, (2006) ISBN-10: 0-12-088380-5; ISSN: 1573-4285.
7. Considine, R.F.; Dixon, D.R.; Drummond, C.J. “Cryptosporidium/sand interactions during filtration.” Interface Science in Drinking Water Treatment: Theory and Applications.” Arthur Hubbard (Series Editor), Interface Science and Technology, Chapter 12, 207-224, Elsevier, The Netherlands, (2006).
8. Considine RF; Drummond CJ; Dixon, DR, "Interaction forces between colloidal silica in aqueous inorganic and natural organic electrolyte solutions." Australian Journal of Chemistry (2005), 58(12), 837-844.
9. Dixon D, Eldridge RJ, Le NP and Scales PJ, "The effect of alum dose on the consolidation behaviour of coagulated clay dispersions." Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology – AQUA, 53.8, 545-552, (2004).
10. Scales PJ, Dixon DR, Harbour PJ & Stickland AD. "The fundamentals of wastewater sludge characterization and filtration." Water Science and Technology. 49(10):67-72. (2004).
11. Harbour PJ, Anderson NJ, Aziz AAA, Dixon DR, Hillis P, Scales PJ, Stickland A and Tillotson M, "Fundamental dewatering characteristics of potable water treatment sludges." Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology, AQUA, 53.1, 29-36 (2004).
12. Considine R.F., Drummond C. J. and Dixon D.R ., (2001) "Force of interaction between a biocolloid and an inorganic oxide: complexity of surface deformation, roughness and brush-like behaviour". Langmuir, 17(20):1625-1635.
13. Harbour P.J., Aziz A.A.A., Scales P.J. and Dixon D.R., (2001) "Prediction of the dewatering of selected inorganic sludges", Water Science and Technology, 44(10), 191-196.
14. Scales P.J., Lester D. and Dixon D.R., (2001) "Thickening” in Sludge into Biosolids, Processing, Disposal, Utilization." L Spinosa and PA Vesiland (Editors), IWA Publishing, Colchester, UK, Chapter 17, pages 315-318 (2001), ISBN: 1900222086.
15. Wong S., Hanna J.V., King S., Carroll T.J., Eldridge R.J., Dixon D.R., Bolto B.A., Hesse S, Abbt-Braun G and Frimmel F.H. (2001), "Fractionation of NOM in drinking water and characterisation by 13 C NMR spectroscopy and SEC." Environmental Science and Technology, 2002, 36, 3497-3503.

Publications List