Section: Overview
Overview
Key publications
Research funding
Supervising & teaching
Career

Key details

Areas of expertise

  • Anaerobic & aerobic membrane bioreactors
  • Biological wastewater treatment & nutrient removal
  • Removal of persistent and micropollutants from water and wastewater
  • Membrane separation in water and wastewater treatment
  • Resource and Energy recovery from liquid waste streams and solid-waste

Available to supervise research students

Not available for media queries

About Dimuth Navaratna

Dr Dimuth Navaratna is a senior lecturer in Civil/Water/Environmental Engineering and Project Management in the College of Engineering & Science and a Research Fellow at Victoria University's Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities. Dimuth holds a PhD from Deakin University specialising in Water and Wastewater Engineering.

Before joining VU, Dimuth worked in the water and civil engineering industries in different capacities for over 12 years. He also has more than seven years of teaching experience in Higher Education (including research) in the fields of water/environmental engineering, civil/building design and construction and project management.

During his time in the industry, he has contributed to over 130 local and overseas industry and research projects. Dimuth has published a significant number of book chapters and journal/conference research articles.

Qualifications

  • PhD (Water and Wastewater Treatment), Deakin University, Australia, 2012
  • Master of Science (Construction Project Management), University of Moratuwa, Sri lanka, 2006
  • Bachelor of Engineering (Civil), University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, 1996
  • Graduate Certificate of Tertiary Education, Victoria University, Australia, 2013

Key publications

Year Citation
2022 Nyamutswa, L. T., Collins, S. F., Navaratna, D., & Duke, M. C. (220916). Concept demonstration and future developments of sunlight transmitting nanophotocatalyst-coated substrates for sustainable low pressure water filtration (pp. 419-457).

doi: 10.1142/9789811253829_0013

2021 Nyamutswa, L. T., Collins, S. F., Navaratna, D., & Duke, M. C. (210608). Light transmitting substrates for convenient solar illumination of nanophotocatalyst coatings on membranes for low pressure water filtration (pp. 459-489).
2021 Nyamutswa, L. T., Collins, S. F., Navaratna, D., & Duke, M. C. (210101). Light Transmitting Substrates for Convenient Solar Illumination of Nanophotocatalyst Coatings on Membranes for Low Pressure Water Filtration (pp. 459-489).

doi: 10.1142/9789811226984_0013

Year Citation
2022 Olubukola, A., Gautam, R. K., Kamilya, T., Muthukumaran, S., & Navaratna, D. (221201). Development of a dynamic model for effective mitigation of membrane fouling through biogas sparging in submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactors (SAnMBRs). Journal of Environmental Management, 323

doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116151

2022 Zafari, N., Sharma, A., Navaratna, D., Jayasooriya, V. M., McTaggart, C., & Muthukumaran, S. (220801). A Comparative Evaluation of Conceptual Rainfall-Runoff Models for a Catchment in Victoria Australia Using eWater Source. Water (Switzerland), 14(16),

doi: 10.3390/w14162523

2022 Gautam, R. K., Valente, R., Abbas, H., Bui, A., More, N., Gray, S., Muthukumaran, S., & Navaratna, D. (220801). Recovery of biomethane from a submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactor treating domestic wastewater blended with semi-solid organic wastes discharged from residential establishments. Environmental Technology and Innovation, 27

doi: 10.1016/j.eti.2022.102763

2022 Kamilya, T., Gautam, R. K., Muthukumaran, S., Navaratna, D., & Mondal, S. (220701). Technical advances on current research trends and explore the future scope on nutrient recovery from waste-streams: a review and bibliometric analysis from 2000 to 2020. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(33), (49632-49650).

doi: 10.1007/s11356-022-20895-7

2022 Sanciolo, P., Rivera, E., Navaratna, D., & Duke, M. C. (220601). Food Waste Diversion from Landfills: A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Existing Technological Solutions Based on Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(11),

doi: 10.3390/su14116753

2022 Gautam, R. K., Kamilya, T., Verma, S., Muthukumaran, S., Jegatheesan, V., & Navaratna, D. (220101). Evaluation of membrane cake fouling mechanism to estimate design parameters of a submerged AnMBR treating high strength industrial wastewater. Journal of Environmental Management, 301

doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113867

2021 Nyamutswa, L. T., Hanson, B., Navaratna, D., Collins, S. F., Linden, K. G., & Duke, M. C. (210910). Sunlight-Transmitting Photocatalytic Membrane for Reduced Maintenance Water Treatment. ACS ES and T Water, 1(9), (2001-2011).

doi: 10.1021/acsestwater.1c00073

Research funding for the past 5 years

Please note:

  • Funding is ordered by the year the project commenced and may continue over several years.
  • Funding amounts for contact research are not disclosed to maintain commercial confidentiality.
  • The order of investigators is not indicative of the role they played in the research project.

Stormwater sampling and analysis for stormwater harvesting project in Werribee river catchment
From: Greater Western Water
Other investigators: Aspr Shobha Muthukumaran, Dr Ashok Sharma
For period: 2021-2022
$40,000
Next Generation Water Management in the Werribee River Catchment
From: Victorian Higher Education Strategic Investment Fund
Other investigators: Ms Rowena Price, Ms Karen Jackson, Aspr Shobha Muthukumaran, Dr Ashok Sharma, Dr Mikel Duke, Dr Daniel Ooi, Mr Nitin Muttil
For period: 2021-2022
$500,000
Increasing Viability of Wastewater Desalination in Regional Victoria (Horsham).
From: Future Drought Fund: Natural Resource Management Drought Resilience Program
Other investigators: Dr Peter Sanciolo, Dr Ashok Sharma, Prof Stephen Gray, Aspr Shobha Muthukumaran
For period: 2021-2022
$50,000

Investigating the Performance of a Solid Food Waste Technology
From: Brooklite Pty Ltd, Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science Entrepreneurs’ Programme: Research Connections
Other investigators: Dr Mikel Duke, Dr Peter Sanciolo
For period: 2019-2019
Not disclosed

Nutrient Removal & Recovery Trial
From: Intelligent Water Networks with Central Highlands Water
Other investigators: Dr Mikel Duke
For period: 2017-2018
$58,200

Supervision of research students at VU

Available to supervise research students

Not available for media queries

Currently supervised research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
1 PhD Principal supervisor
1 PhD Associate supervisor

Currently supervised research students at VU

Students & level Role
PhD (1) Principal supervisor
PhD (1) Associate supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
2 PhD Associate supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

Students & level Role
PhD (2) Associate supervisor

Key academic roles

Dates Role Department / Organisation
Jul 2016 - Present
Senior Lecturer
Victoria University
Jul 2012 - Jul 2016
Lectruer
Victoria University
Mar 2010 - Dec 2010
Senior Engineer
Townsville City Council
Jan 1997 - Nov 2008
Manager/Section Head
Puritas Limited a subsidiary of HAYCARB PLC, Sri Lanka
Jan 2006 - Dec 2007
Civil/Structural Engineer
Thusitha Contractors, Sri Lanka
Show more academic roles
Dates Role & Department/Organisation
Jul 2016 -
Present
Senior Lecturer
Victoria University
Jul 2012 -
Jul 2016
Lectruer
Victoria University
Mar 2010 -
Dec 2010
Senior Engineer
Townsville City Council
Jan 1997 -
Nov 2008
Manager/Section Head
Puritas Limited a subsidiary of HAYCARB PLC, Sri Lanka
Jan 2006 -
Dec 2007
Civil/Structural Engineer
Thusitha Contractors, Sri Lanka
Show more academic roles

Professional memberships

  • Professional member, Australian Water Association
  • Professional member, Engineers Australia
  • Corporate member and a Chartered Engineer, The Institution of Engineers Sri lanka
  • Professional member, Society of Structural Engineers in Sri Lanka