Dr. Hooman Vatankhah is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Florida International University. His research group focuses on the characterization, occurrence, and monitoring of emerging contaminants, with an emphasis on advancing their removal and destruction through enhanced physico-chemical treatment processes. These efforts aim to improve water quality, protect ecosystems, and ultimately safeguard public health. Applications of his research span water and wastewater treatment, potable reuse, and the treatment of unconventional water resources.

His interdisciplinary approach combines treatment process design, interfacial science, and environmental and analytical chemistry to deliver comprehensive solutions for understanding and managing emerging contaminants in aquatic environments. Drawing on extensive experience, Dr. Vatankhah has developed alternative membrane-based and non-membrane-based treatment designs for potable reuse applications.

Dr. Vatankhah is a member of the Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council (ITRC) PFAS team and serves on the Scientific Advisory Board for the RemTEC & Emerging Contaminants Summit. Before joining FIU, he served as a Research Fellow with the U.S. Department of Defense and as a Research Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines, where he contributed to numerous state- and federally funded R&D, demonstration, and validation projects. He was honored with the American Water Works Association’s Young Professional Award in recognition of his contributions to advancing the knowledge of emerging contaminants and developing enhanced water treatment solutions that safeguard public health and protect water resources.

He holds a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines, an M.S. in Environmental Engineering from the Technical University of Munich, and a B.S. in Energy and Environmental Engineering from the Technical University of Hamburg.

Selected Publications:

• Vatankhah, H., Anderson, R.H., Ghosh, R., Willey, J. and Leeson, A. Making waves: The progress of management strategies for cleaning and rinsing of PFAS-impacted fire suppression systems. Water Research, 268, p.122661. (2024)
• Tajdini, B., Vatankhah, H., Pezoulas, E.R., Zhang, C., Higgins, C.P. and Bellona, C., Adsorbability of a Wide Range of Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances on Granular Activated Carbon, Ion Exchange Resin, and Surface Modified Clay. Water Research, p.122774. (2024)
• Vatankhah, H., Anderson, R.H., Ghosh, R., Willey, J, Leeson, A. Innovative Approaches for Onsite Management of PFAS-Impacted Investigations Derived Waste. Water Research, 120769. (2023)
• Vatankhah, H., Tajdini, B., Milstead, R. P., Clevenger, E., Murray, C., Knappe, D., Bellona, C. Impact of Ozone-biologically Active Filtration on the Breakthrough of Perfluoroalkyl Acids during Granular Activated Carbon Treatment of Municipal Wastewater Effluent. Water Research, 118988. (2022)
• Tajdini, B., Vatankhah, H., Murray, C. C., Liethen, A., & Bellona, C. Impact of effluent organic matter on perfluoroalkyl acid removal from wastewater effluent by granular activated carbon and alternative adsorbents. Water Research, 241, 120105. (2023)
• Murray, C. C., Safulko, A., Vatankhah, H., Liu, C. J., Tajdini, B., Marshall, R. E., & Bellona, C. PFAS adsorbent selection: The role of adsorbent use rate, water quality, and cost. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 454, 131481. (2023).
• Murray, C.C., Marshall, R.E., Liu, C.J., Vatankhah, H. and Bellona, C.L., PFAS treatment with granular activated carbon and ion exchange resin: Comparing chain length, empty bed contact time, and cost. Journal of Water Process Engineering, 44, p.102342 (2021)
• Murray, C., Vatankhah, H., McDonough C., Mavdanov, A., Hedtke, T., Cath T., Higgins, C., Bellona, C., Removal of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances using super-fine powder activated carbon and ceramic membrane filtration, Journal of Hazardous Materials 366, 160-168 (2018)
• Vatankhah, H., Murray, C., Brannum, J.W., Vanneste, J., Bellona, C., Effect of pre-ozonation on nanofiltration membrane fouling during water reuse applications. Separation & Purification Technology 205, 203-211 (2018)
• Vatankhah, H., Szczuka, A., Almaraz, N., Mitch. W., Bellona, C., Evaluation of enhanced ozone-biological active filtration for the removal of 1,4-dioxane and disinfection byproducts formation potential. Environmental Science & Technology 53 (5), 2720-2730 (2019)
• Vatankhah, H., Riley, S., Dickenson, E., Murray, C., Bellona, C., Simultaneous ozone and granular activated carbon for advanced treatment of micropollutants in municipal wastewater effluent, Chemosphere 234, 845-854 (2019)