Ahmad M Abu Awwad

Prof. Ahmad M Abu Awwad

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

4Years (2023-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

View All Publications
26 January 2025 in Water
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
NONisreen Obeidat
Nisreen Obeidat
AAAhmad M Abu Awwad
Ahmad M Abu Awwad
Ahmed Al-SalaymehAhmed Al-Salaymeh
Ahmed Al-Salaymeh
RBRiccardo Bresciani
Riccardo Bresciani
Fabio MasiFabio Masi
Fabio Masi
Mutaz M. ZoubiMutaz M. Zoubi
Mutaz M. Zoubi
Urban areas face challenges with water scarcity, and the use of non-conventional water resources for uses not requiring potable quality is being promoted more and more by governments and international agencies. However, non-conventional water resources, such as rainwater and greywater, need to be treated before use to avoid health risks and possible nuisance (smell, bacteria and algae proliferation in storage tanks, etc.). This study is aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of a system reusing treated greywater for toilet flushing, relying on a nature-based treatment technology—ground-based green façades—with limited maintenance requirements which is therefore easily replicable for decentralized treatment systems, like those of greywater reuse at building scales. The demonstrative system has been installed at the University of Jordan’s Al-Zahra dormitory in Amman and uses a degreaser as the primary treatment followed by ground-based green façade technology as a secondary treatment mechanism. The effluent is stored in an underground tank and directed to a tertiary treatment mechanism with UV lamps to remove pathogens before being reused for lawn irrigation and toilet flushing. Samples from influent and effluent were analyzed for various physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics. The degreaser significantly reduced turbidity, TSS, total BOD5, and total COD levels in greywater. When combined with the green wall façades, the system demonstrated high removal efficiencies, particularly for turbidity, TSS, total COD, and total BOD5. The treated effluent met irrigation reuse standards for all the parameters, including total coliform and E. coli concentrations. The UV disinfection unit proved to be an effective post-treatment step, ensuring that water quality standards for reuse were met. The system’s overall performance highlights its ability to manage low- to medium-strength greywater. Results suggest the applied green wall system has significant potential for wider adoption in urban settings.

26 September 2025 in Sustainability
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
EHEiman Ahmed Hasan
Eiman Ahmed Hasan
AAAhmad M Abu Awwad
Ahmad M Abu Awwad
Frequent and severe droughts intensify water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions, creating an urgent need for alternative water resources in agriculture. Treated wastewater (TWW) has emerged as a sustainable option; however, its long-term use may alter soil properties and pose risks if not carefully managed. This study tested the hypothesis that long-term TWW irrigation increases soil salinity, alters fertility, and affects microbial quality, with rainfall partially mitigating these effects. Soil samples (n = 96 at each time point) were collected from two calcareous soils in Jordan, silt loam (Mafraq) and silty clay loam (Ramtha), under four treatments (control and 2, 5, and 10 years of TWW irrigation) at three depths (0–30, 30–60, and 60–90 cm). Sampling was conducted at two intervals, before and after rainfall, to capture the seasonal variation. Soil indicators included the pH, electrical conductivity (EC), sodium (Na+), chloride (Cl−), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN), and microbial parameters (total coliforms (TC), fecal coliforms (FC), and Escherichia coli). Data were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model with repeated measures, and significant differences were determined using Tukey’s Honest Significant Difference (HSD) test at p < 0.05. The results showed that rainfall reduced Na+ by 70%, Cl− by 86%, EC by 73%, the ESP by 28%, and the SAR by 30%. Furthermore, the TC and FC concentrations were diminished by almost 96%. Moderate TWW irrigation (5 years) provided the most balanced outcomes across both sites. This study provides one of the few long-term field-based assessments of TWW irrigation in semi-arid calcareous soils of Jordan, underscoring its value in mitigating water scarcity while emphasizing the need for monitoring to ensure soil sustainability.

1 June 2023 in Jordan Journal of Agricultural Sciences
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
HKHasan Khazaleh
Hasan Khazaleh
AAAhmad M Abu Awwad
Ahmad M Abu Awwad
MAMohammed AlQinna
Mohammed AlQinna
N this study, the effects of irrigation with treated wastewater (TWW) on soil chemical, microbiological, and yield of squash were investigated. Squash seedlings (Cucurbita pepo) were irrigated using conventional irrigation water (CIW), treated wastewater (TWW), and blended irrigation water (BIW). The drip irrigation system was used to irrigate Squash with CIW, TWW, and BIW. The concentration of all chemical and microbial irrigation water characteristics was falling within the limits of Jordanian standards (JS893/2021), except for turbidity and boron. Pathogens indicators such as Salmonella, and Helminth eggs were not found in TWW. TWW-irrigated plots had significant differences in electrical conductivity, organic carbon, total nitrogen, and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR). Total coliform and Escherichia coli (E. coli) contents increased significantly within TWW-irrigated plots. Squash’s fresh yield weight irrigated with TWW showed no significant difference compared with CIW. TWW and BIW treatments had a tendency toward lower fruit numbers than CIW. E. coli was not significantly different on the surface of squash fruits, while Total coliform increased significantly for fruits within the TWW-irrigated plots.

20 February 2026 in Water
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
NONisreen Obeidat
Nisreen Obeidat
Ahmed Al-SalaymehAhmed Al-Salaymeh
Ahmed Al-Salaymeh
AAAhmad M Abu Awwad
Ahmad M Abu Awwad
RBRiccardo Bresciani
Riccardo Bresciani
Ali ShehadehAli Shehadeh
Ali Shehadeh
Fabio MasiFabio Masi
Fabio Masi
Decentralized graywater treatment using nature-based systems represents a sustainable, low-energy alternative to centralized wastewater technologies, particularly in water-scarce regions. This study evaluates the performance of a rain-garden-based constructed wetland implemented at Zain Park in Jerash, Jordan, for on-site graywater treatment and potential non-potable reuse. The system consists of two filtration beds with multi-layer gravel–sand media planted with ornamental vegetation to promote physical filtration, adsorption, and biologically mediated transformations. Influent and effluent samples were monitored monthly from April 2024 to January 2025 and analyzed for biodegradable and oxidizable organic fractions (BOD5 and COD), nutrients (TN, PO43−), suspended solids, turbidity, salinity indicators, and microbial parameters (E. coli and total coliform). Average removal efficiencies reached 98% for BOD and 96% for COD, while turbidity and TSS were reduced by more than 96%, indicating effective organic degradation and particulate retention. Nutrient removal was moderate, with 40% reduction in Total Nitrogen and 74% in nitrate, reflecting partial nitrification–denitrification and plant uptake. Microbial removal was variable, with an average reduction of 0.8 log10 (64.7%) for E. coli and 1.1 log10 (82.6%) for total coliforms, indicating that passive filtration alone may not ensure complete pathogen attenuation. Post-treatment disinfection and substrate enhancements (aeration and plant selection) can strengthen system efficiency and support sustainable graywater reuse in water-stressed regions, contributing directly to SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). These findings support the applicability of compact constructed wetland systems as decentralized wastewater treatment solutions in arid and semi-arid urban environments.

1 January 2025 in International Journal of Information and Education Technology
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
AAAmal Sameeh Al-Salti
Amal Sameeh Al-Salti
AAAhmad M Abu Awwad
Ahmad M Abu Awwad
HAHani Ayyoub
Hani Ayyoub
AAAmani Al-Serhan
Amani Al-Serhan
Many factors influence student learning in a blended learning environment. To enhance the teaching–learning process and reduce the communication barriers imposed by screens and remote interaction, it is essential to understand the elements that affect engagement, particularly within collaborative groups. This descriptive correlational study examined the level of shared metacognition and its relationship with cognitive presence and teaching presence in the blended learning environment at the University of Jordan. A cluster-random sampling technique yielded a sample of 948 students drawn from all faculties and both genders. Validated instruments measured shared metacognition, cognitive presence, and teaching presence, and the data were analyzed using means, standard deviations, Pearson correlations, and multiple correlation analysis. Results showed high levels of shared metacognition, cognitive presence, and teaching presence. Statistically significant positive correlations were found between shared metacognition and cognitive presence (r = 0.692) and between shared metacognition and teaching presence (r = 0.593). Shared metacognition also accounted for a substantial proportion of variance in both forms of presence. These findings offer practical guidance for curriculum design in blended settings and help instructors address cognitive and metacognitive dimensions that enhance student motivation and engagement.

30 September 2026 in Agronomy
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
NONisreen Obeidat
Nisreen Obeidat
Amer SweityAmer Sweity
Amer Sweity
AAAhmad M Abu Awwad
Ahmad M Abu Awwad
RTRima S. Taha
Rima S. Taha
JAJaffar Y. M. AlKassasbeh
Jaffar Y. M. AlKassasbeh
ODOla Adel Da’na
Ola Adel Da’na
This secondary-data integrated assessment combines national wastewater treatment records, two national sludge reports, Jordanian regulatory criteria, published agronomic evidence, engineering scenarios, and a previously prepared spatial screen. The present national context includes 33 municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), but the analytical sources cover different historical plant sets. The 2020 GIZ report surveyed 29 operating WWTPs and reported sludge-quality data for 25 plants, comprising 28 plant-stage records. The 2014 USAID strategy covered 28 WWTPs, with metal data for 9 plants and six nutrient samples from 3 plants. In the GIZ records, mean concentrations were 3.44 mg Cd kg−1, 7.93 mg Pb kg−1, 603.79 mg Zn kg−1, and 111.86 mg Cu kg−1 dry solids. Maximum concentration-to-limit ratios were 1.00 for Cd, 0.103 for Pb, 0.525 for Zn, and 0.377 for Cu. USAID nutrient samples averaged 3.93% total N, 1.71% total P, and 0.71% total K. GIZ estimated 101,533–108,719 t dry solids yr−1 in 2020 and 128,540–149,332 t yr−1 in 2035. USAID produced lower estimates of 50,947 and 72,418 t yr−1 for the same years, showing major model uncertainty. The source spatial screen mapped 10,150.28 km2, including 745.62 km2 of protected rangeland reserves. Excluding those reserves leaves 9404.66 km2 for further regulatory and field screening. The results support controlled reuse based on batch testing, pathogen reduction, nitrogen and phosphorus budgets, and long-term soil monitoring.