Professor Mark van Loosdrecht Awarded 2012 Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize

AMSTERDAM, March 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Editor-in-Chief of Elsevier's Water Research journal recognized for his significant contributions in creating sustainable solutions in the field of used water treatment

Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, is pleased to announce Prof. Mark van Loosdrecht has been awarded the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2012 for his breakthrough contributions in creating sustainable solutions in the field of wastewater treatment. The annual Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize is presented as highlight of the 2012 Singapore International Water Week earlier this month, recognizing outstanding contributions towards solving global water problems.

The 2012 Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize celebrates Prof. van Loosdrecht's pioneering work on an innovative biological process which provides a cost-effective, robust and sustainable way to remove unwanted pollutants from used water. This was made possible by his discovery of a unique group of bacteria which removes pollutants in used water using less oxygen and no added organic carbon compared to conventional processes for removing pollutants. This new process, also known as Anammox, can greatly reduce overall energy consumption, chemical usage and carbon emissions of a conventional used water treatment plant. By doing so it is set to create a paradigm shift in the used water treatment industry.

"I am truly humbled to receive one of the most prestigious awards recognised in the water industry and among our profession. With this award, I am further encouraged to ensure that my technologies and research will continue to help create more sustainable solutions that are applicable to our modern world while protecting the quality of precious water," said Prof. van Loosdrecht upon the announcement of the awarded prize.

Dr. Christiane Barranguet, Executive Publisher of Aquatic Sciences at Elsevier added, "Prof. van Loosdrecht is not only one of the most influential scientists working on water and wastewater technology today, but he is also the Editor-in-Chief of our flagship journal on water resources: Water Research, published in cooperation with the International Water Association,(IWA), UK. I am sure this recognition will serve as an example to many other scientists and will rebound in an increased output of publications in leading edge water technology."

Prof. van Loosdrecht is currently a full professor and the Group Leader of Environment Technology at Delft University of Technology. He did his Masters of Science in Environmental Engineering at Wageningen University and obtained his PhD in Microbiology and Colloidchemistry at the same university in 1988. He has been lecturing at Delft University of Technology since 1988.

About Water Research

Water Research is an international journal for researchers interested in water quality and its management. It publishes original research on treatment processes for municipal, agricultural and industrial water and wastewaters, water quality standards and analysis by chemical, physical and biological methods.

Water Research is the official journal of the International Water Association (IWA), UK.

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The company works in partnership with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and close to 20,000 book titles, including major reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier's online solutions include SciVerse ScienceDirect, SciVerse Scopus, Reaxys, MD Consult and Mosby's Nursing Suite, which enhance the productivity of science and health professionals, and the SciVal suite and MEDai's Pinpoint Review, which help research and health care institutions deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.

A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part of Reed Elsevier Group PLC, a world-leading publisher and information provider, which is jointly owned by Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. The ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).

Media contact
Helena Stewart
Elsevier
+44-1865-843821
h.stewart@elsevier.com