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Prof. Muhammad Usman FARID

PhD - City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (2019)
MS - Beijing Normal University, China (2016)
BS - COMSATS University, Pakistan (2013)

Email: mufarid@cityu.edu.hk

Office: YEUNG - G7606 (CityU - SEE)

Bio

Dr. Farid received his Ph.D. degree from City University of Hong Kong and currently working as a Research Assistant Professor in the School of Energy and Environment at CityU. His research is focused on developing sustainable water desalination and treatment systems with minimum carbon footprint and energy cost via the design and application of advanced technologies, functional materials, and innovative system designs. He has published over 30 research and review articles on emerging technologies such as nano-enabled membranes, photothermal membrane distillation, nanobubbles, and hybrid systems.

Research Interests

  • Membrane separation processes for water desalination and wastewater treatment applications

  • Nano-enabled membrane fabrication and characterization

  • Photothermal membrane distillation

  • Photocatalytic hydrogen generation and CO2 reduction

  • Application of nanobubble technology in membrane separation processes

  • Monitoring and control of fouling and scaling in membrane-based processes

  • Microplastic detection and removal in marine environments

Publication

Peer-reviewed Journal Papers:​

  1. Farid, M.U*., Kharraz, A.J., Sharma, S., Rabia, J.K., Khan, N. K., Chpora, S.S., Shao, Y.L., Hassan, W.H., Nidal, H., and An, A. K. (2024).Technological advancements in water heating approaches for membrane distillation desalination process: From bulk to localized heating. Desalination

  2. Pa, W.M., Jia, M., Boey, W., Lee, P.H., Mang, S., Bhaskar, J.D., Guo. J., Farid, M. U., Shao, S.,  Xing, Y., An, A. K. (2024). Evaluating and predicting surfactant-induced hydrophilization of pore channels in membrane distillation. Journal of Membrane Science

  3. Rabia, J.K., Lau, Y.C., Farid, M.U*., Islam, K.I., An, A. K., Yi, J., and Shao, Y.L., (2024) Woody biomass derived nano lignin-enabled membrane with high structural stability for efficient wastewater treatment. Process Safety and Environmental Protection

  4. Zhenyu, H., Liu, T., Wang, Y., Jianyu, W., Farid, M. U., Kim, M.L., An, K., and W. Wei (2024), Dense Thiourea–Graphene Oxide Wetting-Resistant Membrane for Photothermal Distillation. ACS ES&T Water

  5. Kharraz, A.J., Jia, M., Farid, M. U., Khan, N. K., Hassan, W.H., Nidal, H., and An, K. (2024) Determination of microplastic pollution in marine ecosystems and its effective removal using an advanced nanobubble flotation technique. Journal of Water Process Engineering

  6. Farid, M.U*., Kharraz, A. J., Sun, J., Bowen, P.W ., Riaz. A., Boey, M.W., Guo. J., Bhaskar.J.D., and An, A. K. (2023). Advancements in nano-enabled membrane distillation for sustainable water-energy-environment nexus. Advanced Materials

  7. Sun, J., Farid, M. U*., Boey, M.W., An, A. K. (2023). MXene-PVA-TiO2-based photothermal-catalytic membrane with high structural stability for efficient desalination and photodegradation. Chemical Engineering Journal

  8. Jia, M., Farid, M. U*., Kharraz, A. J., and An, A. K. (2023). Nanobubbles in water and wastewater treatment systems: Small bubbles making big difference. Water Research

  9. Khan, N. K., Rehman. S., Kharraz. J., Farid, M. U., Khatri. M., Hilal. N., and An, A. K. (2023) Reverse osmosis membrane functionalized with aminated graphene oxide and polydopamine nanospheres plugging for enhanced NDMA rejection and anti-fouling Chemosphere

  10. S Patwary, MA Haque, JA Kharraz, NK Khanzada, Farid, M. U., NM Kumar (2023). Apparel Consumer Behavior and Circular Economy: Towards a Decision-Tree Framework for Mindful Clothing Consumption. Sustainability

  11. Kharraz, A. J., Khan, N. K., Farid, M. U., Kim, J., Jeong, S., and An, A. K. (2022). Membrane Distillation Bioreactor (MDBR) for Wastewater Treatment, Water Reuse, and Resource Recovery: A Review. Journal of Water Processing Engineering

  12. Farid, M. U., Choi, P. J., Lao, J. Y .,  Hilaire, S., An, A. K. (2022) Hybrid nanobubble-forward osmosis system for aquaculture wastewater treatment and reuse. Chemical Engineering Journal

  13. Farid, M. U., Kharraz. A. J., An, A. K. (2022) Nanobubble-assisted scaling inhibition in membrane distillation process for high salinity brine treatment. Water Research

  14. A. J., Farid, M. U., D Jassby., An, A. K. (2022) A systematic study on the impact of feed composition and substrate wettability on wetting and fouling of omniphobic and janus membranes in membrane distillation. Journal of Membrane Science

  15. Farid, M. U., Kharraz. A. J., An, A. K. (2021) Plasmonic titanium nitride nano-enabled membranes with high structural stability for efficient photothermal desalination. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces

  16. Farid, M. U., Kharraz. A. J., An, A. K. (2020) High-efficiency solar-driven water desalination using a thermally isolated plasmonic membrane. Journal of Cleaner Production

  17. A. J., Farid, M. U., Khanzada. N. K., Deka. B. J., Arafat. A. H., An, A. K. (2020) Macro-corrugated and nano-patterned hierarchically structured superomniphobic membrane for treatment of low surface tension oily wastewater by membrane distillation. Water Research

  18. Khan, N. K., Farid, M. U., J. Choi. J, Kharraz. J, Tang. C, Nghiem. L.D, Jang. Am, and An, A. K. (2019). Removal of organic micropollutants using advanced membrane-based water and wastewater treatment: A review. Journal of Membrane Science

  19. Farid, M. U., Khanzada, N, K., & An, A. K. (2019). Understanding fouling dynamics on functionalized CNT-based membranes: Mechanisms and reversibility. Desalination

  20. Farid, M. U., Guo, J., & An, A. K. (2018). Bacterial inactivation and in situ monitoring of biofilm development on graphene oxide membrane using optical coherence tomography. Journal of Membrane Science

  21. Farid, M. U., Jeong, S., Seo, D. H., Ahmed, R., Lau, C., Gali, N. K., & An, A. K. (2018). Mechanistic insight into the in vitro toxicity of graphene oxide against biofilm forming bacteria using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. Nanoscale

  22. Farid, M. U., Luan, H. Y., Wang, Y., Huang, H., An, A. K., & Khan, R. J. (2017). Increased adsorption of aqueous zinc species by Ar/O2 plasma-treated carbon nanotubes immobilized in hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membrane. Chemical Engineering Journal

  23. Ali, S., Rehman, S. A. U., Luan, H. Y., Farid, M. U., & Huang, H. (2018). Challenges and opportunities in functional carbon nanotubes for membrane-based water treatment and desalination. Science of the Total Environment

  24. Guo, J., Farid, M. U., Lee, E. J., Yan, D. Y. S., Jeong, S., & An, A. K. (2018). Fouling behavior of negatively charged PVDF membrane in membrane distillation for removal of antibiotics from wastewater. Journal of Membrane Science

  25. Wu, J., An, A. K., Guo, J., Lee, E. J., Farid, M. U., & Jeong, S. (2017). CNTs reinforced super-hydrophobic-oleophilic electrospun polystyrene oil sorbent for enhanced sorption capacity and reusability. Chemical Engineering Journal

  26. Ali, S., Rehman, S. A. U., Shah. I. A., Farid, M. U., & Huang, H. (2018). Efficient removal of zinc from synthetic solution and real wastewater effluents by functional carbon nanotube membranes: Behaviors and mechanisms of dynamic filtration. Journal of Hazardous Materials

  27. Ahmed, T., Farid, M. U., Faridullah, M., Naseem, K., Ali, S. A., Durrani, Y., & Muhammad, A. (2017). Toxic, vital elemental analysis and nutritional quality of wheat flour of Hazara division, Pakistan. Feb-Fresenius Environmental Bulletin

Book Chapters:​

  1. Jehad A. K., Farid, M.U., David, V.E., Gao, Y, and An, A. K (2019). Hybrid configurations of membrane distillation: Memsys Vacuum multi-effect membrane distillation (V-MEMD). Nova Science Publishers.

Research Project Grants (PI / Co_I):​

  1. Thermally-integrated water desalination — electrolysis system for clean hydrogen generation (2024) (Green Technology Fund; GTF) Status: Approved, Role: Lead Co-PI (Approved funding ~HK$ 4.14M)

  2. An Integrated Membrane Distillation System for Highly Efficient Ammonia Nitrogen Removal and Recovery from Reject Liqour (2023) (Applied Research Grant; ARG), Status: Approved, Role: Co-I (Approved funding ~HK$ 300,000)

  3. Nanobubble-assisted forward osmosis system for aquaculture wastewater treatment and reuse (2021) (PACRD- HKMU Research Grant Council), Status: Approved, Role: Lead PI (Approved funding ~HK$ 200,000)

  4. Nanobubble floatation technology for microplastics removal from sewage effluents (2021). Environmental Conservation Fund, Hong Kong Government, Status: Approved, Role: Co-I (Approved funding ~HK $500,000)

Editorial Contriubtion:​

  1. Associate Editor for Membrane Applications – Liquid Frontiers in Membrane Science and Technology

Awards:​

  1. Recipient of Global Talent Award (Home Affairs, Government of Australia)

  2. Hong Kong PhD. Fellowship (2016; Hong Kong Government)

  3. Outstanding Academic Performance Award, (2016/17; City University of Hong Kong)

  4. Chinese Government Scholarship for Master’s Degree Program.

  5. Higher Education Commission (HEC) Award for PhD Studies Abroad (2019; HEC Pakistan)

  6. Gold Medal for excellent academic record in Bachelor’s Degree (2013; Comsats University)

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