Karl G. Linden, PhD

Karl G. Linden is a Professor of Environmental Engineering and the Mortenson Professor in Sustainable Development. He is also the Associate Director of the Mortenson Center in Global Engineering. Dr. Linden has a BS from Cornell University in Agricultural and Biological Engineering and an MS and PhD from University of California at Davis in Environmental Engineering. He teaches classes on Sustainable Water Reuse, Water and Wastewater Treatment, and Water and Sanitation in Low Resource Settings. Dr. Linden’s research investigates novel water and wastewater treatment systems, including advanced and innovative UV systems and sustainable implementation of water and sanitation technologies in low and middle income countries. He has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Linden is a consultant to the World Health Organization for revising the Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality and a member of the WHO Water Quality Technical Advisory Group. He is past-President of the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP) and of the International UV Association (IUVA). He received the 2013 Pioneer Award in Disinfection and Public Health from the Water Environment Federation and the recipient of the 2019 AEESP Walter J Weber Jr. Frontier in Research Award, the 2019 Water Research Foundation Dr. Pankaj Parekh Research Innovation Award, and the 2020 Borchardt-Glysson Water Treatment Innovation Prize. He was recently named the 2020 Clarke Prize Laureate.

Honors and Awards

• American Water Works Association (AWWA) A.P. Black Research Award (2025)

Recent Publications

• Payne, E. M.; Langelan, E. G.; Linden, K. G. High Absorbance of Nitrate Leads to Surprising Effects on Hydroxyl Radical Formation during 222 Nm UV Treatment. Water Research 2025, 123754. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2025.123754
• Bowers, C. A.; Randall, J. A.; Jones, C.; Prast, E.; Li, X.; Mosca, D. A.; Rasansky, R.; Linden, K. G.; Blatchley, E. R.; Ducoste, J. Experimental Observation and Simulation of UV-C-Based Personal-Scale Reactors for Airborne Pathogen Disinfection. ACS EST Eng. 2025, acsestengg.4c00803. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestengg.4c00803
• Burke, M.; Wells, E.; Larison, C.; Rao, G.; Bentley, M. J.; Linden, Y. S.; Smeets, P.; DeFrance, J.; Brown, J.; Linden, K. G. Systematic Review of Microorganism Removal Performance by Physiochemical Water Treatment Technologies. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2025, acs.est.4c03459. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.4c03459
• Lian, J. Z.; Borrion, A.; Fisher, R. P.; Yaman, R.; Linden, K. G.; Campos, L. C.; Cucurachi, S. A Comparative Life Cycle Analysis of Sol-Char and Anaerobic Digestion Sanitation Systems. Science of The Total Environment 2025, 964, 178622. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178622
• Lian, J. Z.; Sai, N.; Campos, L. C.; Fisher, R. P.; Linden, K. G.; Cucurachi, S. Exploring the Implementation Feasibility of the Sol-Char Sanitation System Using Machine Learning and Life Cycle Assessment. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 2024, 209, 107784. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.107784
• Gilboa, Y.; White, B.; Shlomo, I.; Linden, K. G.; Friedler, E. UV-LED Irradiation for Biofouling Reduction in Drip Irrigation Emitters Fed with Wastewater Effluent. Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol. 2024, 10 (11), 2723–2735. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4EW00271G
• Trujillo, C. M.; Segal, D. C.; Lam, C. W.; Ning, J.; Linden, K. G. Solar-Driven Self-Sustaining Remediation of Petroleum-Contaminated Soil. Solar Energy 2024, 279, 112810. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2024.112810
• Rauch, K. D.; MacIsaac, S. A.; Reid, B.; Mullin, T. J.; Atkinson, A. J.; Pimentel, A. L.; Stoddart, A. K.; Linden, K. G.; Gagnon, G. A. A Critical Review of Ultra-Violet Light Emitting Diodes as a One Water Disinfection Technology. Water Research X 2024, 25, 100271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wroa.2024.100271
• Pousty, D.; Ma, B.; Mathews, C.; Halanur, M.; Mamane, H.; Linden, K. G. Biofilm Inactivation Using LED Systems Emitting Germicidal UV and Antimicrobial Blue Light. Water Research2024, 267, 122449. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2024.122449
• MacIsaac, S. A.; Reid, B.; Ontiveros, C.; Linden, K. G.; Stoddart, A. K.; Gagnon, G. A. UV LED Wastewater Disinfection: The Future Is upon Us. Water Research X2024, 24, 100236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wroa.2024.100236
• Xiuwei Ao, Xi Zhang, Wenjun Sun, Karl G. Linden, Emma M. Payne, Ted Mao, Zifu Li. What is the role of nitrate/nitrite in trace organic contaminants degradation and transformation during UV-based advanced oxidation processes?, Water Research, Volume 253, 2024, 121259, ISSN 0043-1354, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2024.121259
• Pimentel, A.; Linden, K. Optimizing radical yield from free chlorine with tailored UV light emitting diode emission spectra. Water Research, Volume 249, 2024, 120923. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2023.120923
• Trujillo, C.; Saldana Campos, N.; Segal, D.; Linden, K. Heat Input Optimization for the Ignition of Self-Sustained Smoldering Remediation of Contaminated Soils Using Concentrated Solar Power. Water Research, Volume 8, 2024, 100143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clwas.2024.100143
• Oh, Y.; Sangsanont, J.; Woo, H.; Boczek, L.; Linden, K.; Ryu, H. Inactivation Efficacy and Mechanisms of Wavelength Specific UV Sources for Various Strains of Legionella Pneumophile Serogroup 1. Science of the Total Environment 2024, 907: 167781. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167781
• Wang, Y.; Ma, B.; Zhao, J.; Tang, Z.; Li, W.; Xia, D.; Linden, K.; Yin, R. Rapid Inactivation of Fungal Spores in Drinking Water by Far-UVC Photolysis of Free Chlorine. Environmental Science and Technology 2023. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c05703
• Mattos, K.; Hull, N.; Linden, K.; Dotson, A. A Pilot Household Greywater Treatment and Reuse System Produces High-Quality Water under Simulated Household Illness Test Conditions. Environmental Science and Technology 2023, 3c00331. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.3c00331
• Liu, B.; Mullen, L.; Payne, E.; Linden, K. Accelerated Ultraviolet Treatment of Carbamazepine and NDMA in Water under 222 nm Irradiation. Environmental Science and Technology 2023. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c00703
• Kirsch, K.; Nagel, C.; Iribagiza, C.; Ecklu, J.; Zawadi, GA.; Ntabaza, PM.; Barstow, C.; Lund, A.; Harper, J.; Carlton, E.; Javernick-Will, A.; Linden, K.; Thomas, E. Study design and baseline to evaluate water service provision among peri-urban communities in the Kasai Oriental, Democratic Republic of the Congo. PLoS One 2023, 18(4): e0283019. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283019
• Brown, J.; Acey, C.; Anthonj, C.; Barrington, D.; Beal, C.; Capone, D.; Cumming, O.; Fedinick, K.; Gibson, J.; Hicks, B.; Kozubik, M.; Lakatosova, N.; Linden, K.; Love, N.; Mattos, K.; Murphy, H.; Winkler, I. The Effects of Racism, Social Exclusion, and Discrimination on Achieving Universal Safe Water and Sanitation in High-Income Countries. The Lancet Global Health 2023, 11(4): E606-E614. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(23)00006-2
• Sperle, P.; Mirlach, A.; Linden, K.G.; Hübner, U.; Drewes, J.E. An Actinometric Method to Characterize Performance of Reflecting UVC Reactors Used for Water Treatment. Water Research 2023, 230, 119543. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2022.119543
• Ma, B.; Burke-Bevis, S.; Tiefel, L.; Rosen, J.; Feeney, B.; Linden, K.G. Reflection of UVC Wavelengths from Common Materials During Surface UV Disinfection: Assessment of Human UV Exposure and Ozone Generation. Science of the Total Environment 2023, 869, 161848. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161848