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Dr. Dachao LIN

PhD - Harbin Institute of Technology (2022)
BSc - South China University of Technology (2016)

Email:

dachaolin@ust.hk

Bio

Dr. Dachao Lin is a post-doctoral fellow funded by the Hong Kong Scholars Program (2025) in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Dr. Lin was also an assistant professor at Guangdong University of Technology. His research mainly aims to engineer functionalized membrane separation processes for water treatment and resource recovery. So far, his work has attracted more than ¥2,000,000 research funding from National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (NSFG), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (CPSF), China Scholarship Council (CSC). He has published more than 60 peer-reviewed papers in leading journals, such as Environmental Science and Technology, Water Research, and Chemical Engineering Journal. Dr. Lin also serves as early career editorial board member for Journal of Water Process Engineering.

Research Interests

  • Electro-functionalized spacers for nanofiltration membrane fouling mitigation​

  • Self-stabilization one-step nanofiltration without regular cleaning

  • Novel membrane bioreactors for wastewater reclamation and groundwater treatment

  • Heavy metal ion and emerging pollutant removal from water environment

  • ​MXene catalysts for efficient nitrate electroreduction

Selected Publications

  1. Du, X., Zhang, Z., Wang, Z., Song, W., Lin, D. *, Qu, F. *. Biochemical oxidation-mediated simultaneous removal of manganese and sulfamethazine in solar-activated algal-MnOBacteria symbiotic membrane bioreactor[J]. Water Research. 2027, 308: 126757.

  2. Lin, D., Chen, W., Huang, C., Wu, Y., Zeng, W., Wang, Z., Nie, J., Du, X. *.Flexible electro-functionalized Ti/SnO2-Sb anodic spacers mitigate nanofiltration membrane fouling during wastewater reclamation: Multiple mechanisms of microbial stimulation, catalytic oxidation, and gas-enhanced shear stress[J]. Chemical Engineering Journal. 2026, 536: 175909.

  3. Xiao, M.¹, Lin, D.¹, Zou, Y., Chen, J., Wang, Z., Nie, J., Luo, Y., Lu, X., Du, X. *. Fluidization PAC-MnOx combined ceramic membrane reactor for manganese removal: In-situ growth pathway of MnOx and supersession of water flux[J]. Journal of Membrane Science. 2026, 744: 125201.

  4. Lin, D., Tan, C., Chen, B., Wu, Y., Wang, Z., Zeng, W., Liu, L., Chen, M., Du., X. *. Engineering low-maintenance one-step nanofiltration for decentralized brackish surface water treatment: Insights in concentration polarization and inorganic-organic foulant interaction[J]. Separation and Purification Technology. 2026, 394: 137408.

  5. Lin, D., Shen, X., Tan, C., Zhang, H., Chen, R., Du, X. *, Liang, H.. Establishing electro-functionalized gravity-driven ceramic membrane filtration (EGDCM) for decentralized treatment of algae-laden brackish water: Comparison of in-situ electro-oxidation and ex-situ electro-coagulation[J]. Water Research. 2025, 272: 122940.

  6. Xiao, M., Liao, Z., Zhang, Z., Wang, Z., Wu, Y., Chen, R., Lin, D. *, Xu, D.. Establishing a switchable dual-mode membrane bioreactor with functionalized PAC-MnOx filters to treat manganese-contaminated groundwater: autocatalytic manganese removal cycle, improved shear force distribution and rapid startup [J]. Journal of Membrane Science. 2025, 731:124241.

  7. Lin, D., Zhuang, Z., Zhao, H., Wu, Y., Ma, X., Wang, Z., Zhang, H., Liu, L., Du, X. *. Feasibility of one-step nanofiltration driven by ultra-low pressure (LPOSNF) for algae-laden brackish water treatment: insights from the relationship between algal physiological state and membrane fouling development[J]. Chemical Engineering Journal. 2025, 524: 19647.

  8. Lin, D., Peng, Z., Shen, X., Wang, Z., Song, W., Du, X. *. Establishing novel gravity-driven fixed-bed ceramic membrane filtration (GDFBCM) with critical PAC-MnOx-ceramsite filters for simultaneously removing manganese and ammonia from groundwater[J]. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 2025, 487: 137210.

  9. Lin, D., Lai, C., Shen, X., Wang, Z., Xu, D., Nie, J., Du, X. *, Liu, L.. Electro-coagulation pretreatment for improving nanofiltration membrane performance during reclamation of microplastic-contaminated secondary effluent: unexpectedly enhanced membrane fouling and mechanism analysis by MD-DFT simulation[J]. Chemical Engineering Journal. 2024, 498: 155779.

  10. Lin, D., Wang, X., Liu, C., Wang, Z., Du, X. *, Tian, J.. Fixed-bed ceramic membrane bioreactor (FBCMBR) coupled with intermittently fluidized ceramsite-PAC-MnOx filters by high-pressure gas for manganese removal from groundwater: Performance, mechanisms and optimization[J]. Chemical Engineering Journal. 2024, 484:149647.

  11. Lin, D., Xu, D., Fang, K., Wang, Z., Du, X., Ke, Q., Liang, H. *, Ulbricht, M. *. How in situ fabricated polyzwitterionic hydrogel coating on nanofiltration and ultrafiltration membranes influences mass transfer processes and fouling development[J]. Journal of Membrane Science. 2024, 711:123174.

  12. Du, X., Li, B., Zhuang, Z., Kuang, K., Song, W. *, Lin, D. *, Fu, C., Wang, Z.. Salt tide affecting algae-laden micropolluted surface water treatment and membrane performance based on BDD electro-oxidation coupled with ceramic membrane process[J]. Environmental Research. 2023, 237: 116942.

  13. Lin, D., Bai, L., Xu, D., Zhang, H., Guo, T., Li, G., Liang, H.*. Effects of oxidation on humic-acid-enhanced gypsum scaling in different nanofiltration phases: Performance, mechanisms and prediction by differential log-transformed absorbance spectroscopy[J]. Water Research. 2021, 195: 116989.

  14. Lin, D., Bai, L., Xu, D., Wang, H., Zhang, H., Li, G., Liang, H.*. Nanofiltration scaling influenced by coexisting pollutants considering the interaction between ferric coagulant and natural organic macromolecules[J]. Chemical Engineering Journal. 2021, 413: 127403.

  15. Lin, D., Bai, L., Gan, Z., Zhao, J., Li, G., Aminabhavi, TM., Liang, H * (2020): The role of ferric coagulant on gypsum scaling and ion interception efficiency in nanofiltration at different pH values: Performance and mechanism[J]. Water Research. 2020, 175: 115695.

Leading Reseach Projects Grants

  1. Thermally-Integrated Water Desalination-Electrolysis System for Clean Hydrogen (Hong Kong Scholars Program)

  2. Research on in-situ electro-oxidizing bio-fouling on nanofiltration membranes using spacer prepared by flexible anodic material (National Natural Science Foundation of China).

  3. Development of one-step ultra-low-pressure-driven nanofiltration (ULPDNF) based on in-situ regulation of functional layers on membrane surface (Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province).

  4. Mechanism and ultra-low-pressure in-situ regulation of salt-algae-combined nanofiltration membrane fouling in southeast coastal area (China postdoctoral Science Foundation)

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