Avner ADIN, D.Sc., Dipl.-Ing., BCEEM

Lunenfeld-Kunin Professor Emeritus of Environmental Sciences

Director, Water Treatment Technology Laboratory

 

ABSTRACT

Professor Avner Adin (Feb. 3, 1943) is an internationally renowned environmental leader, engineer, scientist and innovator who combines teaching, research, technology and engineering practice in the field of water in policy, treatment, wastewater reuse and water security and safety. Serves as Chairman of Israel Institute of Standards' Central Water Committee after serving as Israel's national Drinking Water Standards Committee.  

 

EDUCATION

1964   B.Sc., Civil Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa.

1968   Diplom Ingenieur, Technion, Haifa. Sanitary Engineering.

1971   M.Sc., Sanitary Engineering, Technion, Haifa.

1975   D.Sc., (Doctor of Science in Technology), Sanitary Engineering, Technion, Haifa.

1975 - 77 Post - doctoral studies, Sanitary Engineering, Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA USA.

Languages: Hebrew (excellent), English (excellent), Spanish (good), French (fair).

 

ADVANCED STUDIES - INTERNATIONAL COURSES

1972   International Summer School on Criteria for Wastewater Treatment, conducted by Prof. W.W. Eckenfelder et al., Technion, Haifa, Israel, 25 - 30.7.1972.

1972   10th Geneva Graduate Study Program (Theme: Human Environment II) organized by the Information Service, United Nations Office at Geneva, Switzerland, 19.7 - 4.8.1972.

1973   NATO Advanced Study Institute on the Scientific Basis of Filtration. Churchill College, Cambridge, England, 2 - 20.7.1973.

1975   Filtration Day on Particle Size Analysis. The Filtration Society, in Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago 24.10/1975.

1981   Treatment and Disposal of Industrial Wastewaters, a specialist course organized by the British Council, Newcastle upon Tyne and London, 6 - 19.9.1981.

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

1964 - 67 National service: water and wastewater systems, planning and construction.

1967 - 68 Design Engineer, TAHAL - Water Planning for Israel. General design of national and regional water systems.

1968 - 75 Senior Research Engineer, Technion Research and Development Foundation, Technion, Haifa, Applied research in water treatment and special consulting for the Technion for industrial and private companies.

1971 - 75 Instructor - Acting Lecturer, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technion, Haifa. Teaching sanitary and environmental engineering for undergraduate and graduate students.

1975 - 77 Assistant Professor (Visiting) and Graduate Faculty Member, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, U.S.A. Teaching and research in Environmental Engineering.

1977 - 81 Senior Staff Member and Head, Water Quality Section, Israel Environmental Protection Service (EPS), Ministry of the Interior, Jerusalem. Management, direction and national policy - making for water quality control and protection.

Administration and financing of projects and investigations.

Member of different interministerial committees (e.g., the High Commission of Sewage Affairs). Administration of relationships with international as well as national bodies in the field of water quality.

1978 - 81 Adjunct Senior Lecturer - Water Treatment Technology, Division of Human Environmental Sciences, School of Applied Science and Technology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

1981 - 85 Senior Lecturer and Head of the Water Treatment Technology Central Laboratory, Division of Human Environmental Sciences, Graduate School of Applied Science and Technology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Elected member of the University Senate, member of different committees in the University and on the national level (e.g. Drinking Water Standards Committee; Water Commission Research Committee).

1986 - 95 Associate Professor (tenure appointment), Ibid. Further present involvement in scientific committees. Chairman, Water Treatment Research Committee-the Water Commission.

Member of the Israel (national) Committee of Hydrology.

Member of the Advisory Committee to the Minster of Environmental Quality on water quality issues.

Advisor to the Ministry of Health, to the national water planning (TAHAL) and operation (MEKOROT) companies, etc.

1987 - 88 Visiting Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas. Research in solid - liquid separation. Teaching Fluid Mechanics to Civil and Chemical Engineering students.

1988 - 91 Director and Chairman of the Division of Environmental Sciences at HUJ. Member of the central management, appointments and teaching committees of the School.

1991 - 92 Chairman, Israel Society of Ecology and Environmental Quality Sciences. Member of the Council of the Organization of Professors and Senior Lecturers.

1992 - 93 Visit. Prof., Dept. Civil Engrg. and Engrg. Mechanics, McMaster Univ., Hamilton, and the Wastewater Technology Centre, Berlington, Ont., Canada: Research in wastewater filtration; Dept. Environmental Engrg., U.N.A.M. (Autonomic National University of Mexico), Mexico City: Supervising doctoral and master students; I.M.T.A. (Mexican Inst. Water Technology), Cuernavaca, Mor.: Applied research in water treatment, guiding a new water research group.

1993 - Re - elected Director&Chairman of the Division of Environmental Sciences at HUJ.

1994- Chairman, Environmental Quality Committee of the Association of Engineers,   Architects and Graduates of Technological Sciences in Israel.

1995- Full Professor. Member of the University Senate. Member of the Research   Committee of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, HUJ.

1998-99 Visiting Professor, Dept. Environmental Engineering, University of Cincinnati and USEPA, granted through ORISE, Oak Ridge-EPA agreement. Research on Cryptosporidium filtration. Teaching graduate course on Physicochemical Water Treatment Processes.

1999-00 Acting Chairman, Israeli Assoc. Environ. Engrg. (IAWQ&WEF, Israel)

1999-01 Director and Chairman of the Division of Environmental Sciences at HUJ.

2000- Member, National Committee of Environmental Quality, advising to the Government.

President, Israeli Water Association

2001-03 Head, Graduate School of Applied Science at HUJ. Member, Central Committee of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.

2003- Director, Water Treatment Technology Laboratory, Department of Soil and Water Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, HUJ. Chair, Drinking Water Standards Committee of Israel. Chair, Central Water Committee of the Israel Institute of Standards.

2011 Visiting Professor, University of South Florida.

2011-16 Visiting Professor, National University of Singapore (NUS).

2011-Present Member, Central Research Committee, Israel Water Authority.

2011-16 Member, EWI International Research Committee, Singapore.

2011-Present Chief Scientist, Adin Holdings water consulting and solutions.

2011-Present Professor Emeritus, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.

2013-Present Head, Division of Research and Development, Azrieli Academic Engineering College of Jerusalem.

2014-Present Chair, Evaluation Committee of MS program of Tel-Hai Academic College in Water Sciences, Council for Higher Education of Israel

2015-16/17   Head/Advisor, Department/Program of Environmental Engineering Technologies, Azrieli Academic Engineering College of Jerusalem.

 

SPECIAL AWARDS AND HONORS

1980   American Water Works Association's Publication Award for 1979: "For the most notable contribution to the science of public water supply development through his paper: "The Application of Filtration Theory to Pilot Plant Design" published by the Association." Co - authored by Robert E. Baumann and John L. Cleasby.

1990   Membership conferred by the International Consortium of Filtration and Separation Researchers (INCOFILT) "for meritorious contribution in the activities of filtration and separation fields. His spirit has been in the highest tradition of the academic profession".

1997   Distinguished Lecturer - First invitee to start a "Distinguished Lecture Series in Environmental Engineering" in Japan, at the Nishira Endowed Program, established by Hokkaido University.

1997   Endowed chair - Lunenfeld-Kunin Professor of Environmental Sciences.

1999   The IT Group Commendation “for contributing knowledge among professionals in the technical community” in the paper "Characterizing Cryptosporidium parvum as a Waterborne Particle in Granular Filtration", Co-authored Biswas, P., Dutari, G., Sethi, V., and Patterson, C., AWWA -International Symposium on Waterborne Pathogens, Milwaukee, WI, USA.

2001   The Kaye Innovation Award for the development of the Electroflocculation process.

2006   AWWA Life Member in recognition of 30 years active membership, American Water Works Association.

2008   Special Recognition of the Vision, Foundation and Management of the Israeli Water Association and contribution to the advancement of Water and Environmental Engineering in Israel. The Israeli Water Association.

2008   Distinguished Member of Rotary Club.

2008   Member, American Academy of Environmental Engineers.

2011   VPP Visiting Professor, Singapore.

2013, 2015   President of Cleantech International Exhibition and Convention.

2014   ANEAS´s Achievement Award - On behalf the National Water and Sanitation Utilities of Mexico “recognizing your prominent extended career in the water and sanitation”. Granted by Mexico’s Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Ing. Juan José Guerra Abud, and ANEAS President, Ing. Roberto Olivares.

2017   CLEANTECH 2017 AWARD - Recognition as One of the Most Influential in Cleantech in Israel and of Life Achievements in Environmental Protection and Water.

2018   2018 Annual LIFE ACHIEVEMENTS AWARD in Water and Wastewater Treatment Science, Technology and Policy - on behalf of Israel Water Association.

 

SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS

1962   From IDF during undergraduate studies.

1971   From Graduate School of the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology.

1975,76 From Hebrew Technical University (H.T.I. - New York) for post doctoral studies.

1981 From the British Council for industrial wastes treatment advanced studies in GB.

1983   From NCRD (ISRAEL) and CSIR (South Africa) through the scientific exchange agreement.

1992 From the French Embassy through the French - Israeli scientific exchange agreement.

1998   From USEPA through ORISE, Oak Ridge-EPA agreement

 

COMPETITIVE SCIENTIFIC EXCHANGE PROGRAMS

• Fellowship with the National Institute for Water Research in Pretoria in the framework of the exchange agreement for scientific cooperation between the National Council for Research and Development (NCRD) of Israel and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR)South Africa. Main team: slow sand filtration 8.7 - 5.9, 1983.
• Fellowship with the University of Campaigne, France, Chemical Engineering Dept., framework of France - Israel cultural/scientific exchange agreement. Topic: Integration of the membrane filtration and the granular filtration processes. 27.9 - 17.10, 1992.
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DETAILED SCIENTIFIC AREAS

Research topics include desalination post-treatment effects, pre-treatment of saline water for desalination by reverse osmosis; membrane filtration of wastewater; application of silver nanoparticles to biofilm prevention; nano-particles removal from water; particle characterization in water and wastewater, raw and treated; study of particle transport, attachment and detachment mechanisms; mathematical modeling; development of high-rate, granular filtration as well as slow granular filtration processes; application of metallic and polymeric coagulants for process improvement; flocculant recovery; development of local filtering materials; filter bed optimization; electroflocculation; clogging mechanisms in drip irrigation systems and their prevention; sludge minimization and reuse in water treatment plants; removal of virus and parasites in water treatment processes; stream water rehabilitation; Short term investigations are being held in conjunction with industry. Among them are electronics, textile, metal finishing, pharmaceutics and various food factories.

 

ADVISORY AND CONSULTING

Prof. Adin's experience in both engineering and applied research has provided a basis for wide-world activities in the practical consulting area, solving national and regional as well as specific local problems. He has acted as a consultant or an advisor to many leading Israeli companies, e.g. MEKOROT National Water Company and TAHAL, to the Israeli Minister of Environmental Quality and to the Israeli Water Commission, as well as to the World Bank, the World Health Organization, the National Water Commission of Mexico and Texas Department of Commerce, BALTEN (water company of Tenerife) and to industry (e.g. International Harvester, Coca-Cola, Culigan) and various clients in the U.S.A., Canada, Mexico, Italy, Israel, Spain, Southern Africa, Egypt, Cyprus, India, Thailand, Senegal and China. Prof. Adin is the founder and Chairman of Adin Holdings, an international water consulting and solutions company (www.adinholdings.com) and founder and a Partner of Treatec21 Industries, Ltd., which develops, finances and constructs innovative, tailor made water treatment processes; and serves as Director and partner or as Advisory Board Member in other companies an technological incubators.

 

SELECTED CONSULTING EXPERIENCE

Surface water filtration projects

• Mexico City Water Treatment Plant (Mexico City, DF) 12 m³/s (274 mgd); 24 m³/s final Consulting work included evaluation of malfunctions and recommendations for improvements in construction and operations. Specific challenges included three different surface water sources (five future) and need to train local operations and maintenance personnel.

• Seccia River Water Treatment Plant (Regio-Emilia, Italy) 1.0 m3/s (23 mgd); 2.0 m3/s final The largest pressure filtration of its kind in Europe, this contact filtration process serves both industrial and drinking water systems. Consulting work included evaluation of water quality variations resulting from construction of a dam, derivation of design parameters for filtration and disinfection systems from pilot studies, and review of the general and detailed design.

• National Water Carrier Direct Filtration Plant (Israel) 21 m3/s (480 mgd) This large water treatment plant was designed to filter water from the Sea of Gallilee (Lake Kinneret). Consulting work performed under contract to TAHAL and CDM included establishing design parameters (e.g. filtration rate, flocculant application and media configuration) based on pilot studies, particle size distribution measurements and filtration theory.

 

Wastewater reuse and water pollution control projects

• Water Commission of Mexico/World Bank (1990-1994) As special advisor to the Governor of the State of Mexico provided consulting advice in reducing pollution of Lake Chapala by rehabilitating the Rio Lerma. Consulting work included assessment of pollutant contributions from the Toluca industrial corridor and recommendations of treatment and control measures that were applied by the government to improve river water quality.
• Tenerife, Spain (1990-1994) Consultant work included design of filtration plant for agricultural irrigation of treated effluent on the south side of Santa Cruz de Tenerife Island and development of Universidad de la Laguna staff to perform wastewater filtration research.
• Texas Department of Commerce ( 1995-1996) Consulting work included specifying projects to alleviate water pollution and water shortage along the Texas Rio Grande basin including the reuse of groundwater, municipal wastewater effluents and seawater desalination.
• The Bahamas Master Plan for Sewerage (2014-2015) Consulting work including interaction with the water authorities, inspection of current situation of wastewater treatment plants, pumping stations and sewage networks, application of wastewater quality criteria for reuse, identification of relevant advanced treatment processes and involvement in the whole beading and planning process.

 

Some additional past consulting jobs

• Master plan for drainage and sewerage - Warri Town, Nigeria
• Filtration plant - Famagusta, Cyprus
• Master plan for sewerage - Jerusalem, Israel
• Master plan for sewerage and sewage treatment - Shlomi Town, Israel
• Solar energy from Salton Sea, feasibility report - California, USA.
• Water pollution control plant - Calimaya, Mexico.
• Alum sludge treatment and alum recovery in the northern Galilee - Israel.

Participation in many other water, wastewater and industrial wastes treatment engineering works.

 

Pilot studies and other research

• Pre-ozonation and direct filtration of Lake Kineret/Sea of Gallilee (Israel) Research was directed towards development of inexpensive alternatives for filtration of Lake Kinneret water (basalt and tuff) along with a model for optimum design of high rate filters.
• Pilot filtration plant for National Water Carrier at Eshcol (Israel) Site Research involved determining the flocculant application distance from the settling basins, its dosage and pH desired values, in relation to the settling basins performance
• Membrane pretreatment of sea water at Eilat (Israel). For Israeli water company Mekorot, Prof. Adin combined laboratory and field study, design and operational parameters for membrane pretreatment of sea water. He also led an interdisciplinary research team which allocated the optimum location for the intake in the bay in relation to membrane fouling prevention.
• Physical-chemical treatment of primary and secondary wastewater with membrane filtration. Under contract to the governments of France and Germany, performed applied research in membrane treatment of municipal wastewater and of spent filter backwash water from potable water treatment plants.
• Israel Environmental Service (1977-1981) As Water Quality Director developed the country’s first Industrial Effluent Emission Standards (“Hok Ezer Le’Dugma”) in cooperation with Dr. Bill Garner of the Israeli Water Commission. These rules now form the basis of Israel’s current industrial pollution regulations.

 

SELECTED INNOVATIVE PROJECTS

• Silver nanoparticles for biofouling pretreatment
• Electroflocculation for water, wastewater and toxic industrial wastewater purification.
• Removal of turbidity from solar ponds for energy production.

• Basalt and Tuffa granules for filter media upgrade
• Home and individual filters with self disinfection capability
• Electrokinetic index for monitoring membrane fouling
• Algorithms for optimal filter design
• Slow granular filtration design parameters for effluent filtration

 

INTERNATIONAL FUNCTIONS (partial list)

• IWA (International Water Association, formerly IAWQ, formerly IAWPRC)/IWSA - Joint Specialist Group on Particle Separation (formerly Coagulation, Flocculation, Filtration, Sedimentation) - Member of the Committee.
• World Filtration Congresses - Member of the Scientific Committee and Session Chairman since 1986.
• IAWQ - Referee for scientific program of the bi - annual international conferences.
• IAWPRC and WPCF (Water Pollution Control Federation, USA, currently WEF) - Board member of the Israeli branch, 1985 - 1987.
• The World Bank (Washington, D.C.) - Consultant for wastewater reuse in developing countries. Participated in a book and sent to Far East.
• World Health Organization (WHO), Mediterranean Action Plan - Member of experts teams on industrial wastes control. Reviewer of the "Guidelines for Treatment of Effluents Prior to Discharge into the Mediterranean Sea" (1992).
• Chairman of the organizing committee of the 5th International Conference of the Israel Society for Ecology and Environmental Quality Sciences, held in Jerusalem, Israel, 25 - 28.5.1992.
• Mexico National Water Commission (CNA) and the Mexican Institute for Water Technology (IMTA) - Scientific Advisor on wastewater treatment and reuse; reviewer of World Bank projects in Mexico; chairing discussion group to re - shape the Institute. Since 1990.
• The Governor of the State of Mexico - Personal Advisor on the rehabilitation of the Rio Lerma basin, 1990-96.
• The Mexican Minister of Urbanization and Environment - appointed as Coordinator of Mexico - Israel Environmental Research Program. Participating Israeli Institutions: Weizman, Technion, Bar - Ilan. Since 1992.
• Reviewer for Jour. Environmental Engineering (ASCE), since 1990.
• Delegate of the Israel Society for Ecology and Environmental Quality Sciences to the NGO's activity program for environmental protection of the Mediterranean (MIO), established by the European Environmental Bureau and Elliniki Etairia. Since 1991.
• Chairman of the organizing committee of the 4th International Conference of IAWQ/IWSA Joint Specialist Group on Particle Separation, Jerusalem, Israel, 28-30.10.1996.
• Joint IAWQ/IWSA Specialist Group on Environmental Engineering Education (E-Cubed) - Member of the group Management Committee. Since 1994.
• Member of the International Scientific Committee organizing the 1998 IAWQ Specialist Group on Wastewater Reuse Conference, Milano, Italy.
• Assisting in organizing Italian-Israeli workshops to promote collaboration in the water and environmental field, since 2000.
• WATEC-Israel - Member of the Organizing Committee since 2006.

And many more.

 

MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

• Israel Water Association. Founder and President. Currently honorable board Member.
• International Water Association (IWA). Governing Board Member. Member of four specialist groups*. President of the Israeli National Committee.
• Water Environment Federation (WEF, USA). Board Member. President of the Israeli Member Association.
• American Water Works Association (AWWA). Active Member.
• The Filtration Society.
• Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP, USA)
• Association of Engineers, Architects and Graduates of Technological Sciences in Israel**
• The Israel Society for Ecology and Environmental Quality Sciences***
• The Israel Association of Environmental Engineering****
• INCOFILT (The International Consortium of Filtration Research Groups)*****
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*In two of which serves as Steering/Management Committee Member.

**Served as Chairman of the Environmental Quality Committee, and as a Member of the Engineering Council

***Chairman of the Society 1991-92. Formerly Board Member (elected twice) and Treasurer. ****Served as Board Member.

*****Acceptance to this organization was based on international academic expert review committee.