Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668513
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$280,000.00
Summary
Time of Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer for Research on Airborne Particles and their impact on Health and the Environment. No TOF-AMS is currently available in Australia and thus, if acquired, it would significantly enhance Australian research capabilities in a field of high importance for the country and internationally, which is the nature and chemical composition of atmospheric aerosols, their origins and dynamics. The proposed studies with the application of this instrument would greatly in ....Time of Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer for Research on Airborne Particles and their impact on Health and the Environment. No TOF-AMS is currently available in Australia and thus, if acquired, it would significantly enhance Australian research capabilities in a field of high importance for the country and internationally, which is the nature and chemical composition of atmospheric aerosols, their origins and dynamics. The proposed studies with the application of this instrument would greatly increase scientific knowledge of atmospheric particles; would contribute to general welfare and economy in terms of enabling qualitative risk assessment of airborne particles on humans and the environment, and in turn, risk prevention. It would also enable the University partners to continue to produce graduates of high quality, conversant with cutting edge science.Read moreRead less
Photodegradation of Oestrogenic Pollutants in the aquatic environment. Recent media attention has highlighted the problem of oestrogenic pollutants in the aquatic environment. This research proposes to investigate Photocatalysis of oestrogens in water using the magnetic titanium dioxide particles developed at the Centre for Particle and Catalyst Technologies in the University of New South Wales, Sydney. The natural oestrogens 17b-oestradiol, oestrone and oestriol and the synthetic oestrogen 17a- ....Photodegradation of Oestrogenic Pollutants in the aquatic environment. Recent media attention has highlighted the problem of oestrogenic pollutants in the aquatic environment. This research proposes to investigate Photocatalysis of oestrogens in water using the magnetic titanium dioxide particles developed at the Centre for Particle and Catalyst Technologies in the University of New South Wales, Sydney. The natural oestrogens 17b-oestradiol, oestrone and oestriol and the synthetic oestrogen 17a-ethynyl oestradiol (the main constituent of the contraceptive pill) will be investigated in the photocatalytic system. Degradation will be monitored using various analytical techniques. Other commercial catalysts will also be investigated and compared with the magnetic catalyst and previous catalysts tested.Read moreRead less
Application and evaluation of passive samplers for monitoring aquatic pollution. Pollutants in water bodies pose a threat to environmental and human health. Monitoring of chemicals in water has thus become a key challenge for environmental authorities. Sampling based on the
analysis of grab samples is expensive, complicated and provides only patchy data. Passive sampling devices that allow time integrated sampling of pollutants are a promising alternative. This collaborative research aims t ....Application and evaluation of passive samplers for monitoring aquatic pollution. Pollutants in water bodies pose a threat to environmental and human health. Monitoring of chemicals in water has thus become a key challenge for environmental authorities. Sampling based on the
analysis of grab samples is expensive, complicated and provides only patchy data. Passive sampling devices that allow time integrated sampling of pollutants are a promising alternative. This collaborative research aims to evaluate a series of existing and novel passive samplers both in laboratory and field conditions and determine sensitive parameters that significantly influence sampler behaviour.
The project should provide a set of new tools for more effective management of water pollution.Read moreRead less
Metal emissions from petrol and the future health of children. We aim to determine the contribution of manganese, lead, and other metal emissions from motor vehicles to the environment and exposure of
children. Manganese is of potential concern because of (a) its recent
introduction as methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT) in
Australia as a fuel additive to replace lead and (b) the lack of information on environmental levels, exposure, and long-term health effects, especially in ....Metal emissions from petrol and the future health of children. We aim to determine the contribution of manganese, lead, and other metal emissions from motor vehicles to the environment and exposure of
children. Manganese is of potential concern because of (a) its recent
introduction as methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT) in
Australia as a fuel additive to replace lead and (b) the lack of information on environmental levels, exposure, and long-term health effects, especially in children. This project conforms with a Designated National Research Priority and is a collaborative project bringing together researchers from academia, CSIRO, industry, and the US.
Environmental Protection Agency.
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Treating wastewater for potable reuse: removal of chemicals of concern using advanced oxidation processes. The project promotes Australia as a leader in water reuse technology and is of benefit to reuse schemes globally. Several major reuse schemes are planned for Australia and it is well recognised that robust science is needed for public confidence. Community perception is a serious barrier to potable reuse and the results from this project will provide essential and independent information fo ....Treating wastewater for potable reuse: removal of chemicals of concern using advanced oxidation processes. The project promotes Australia as a leader in water reuse technology and is of benefit to reuse schemes globally. Several major reuse schemes are planned for Australia and it is well recognised that robust science is needed for public confidence. Community perception is a serious barrier to potable reuse and the results from this project will provide essential and independent information for informed decision making. The oxidation processes proposed will improve the quality of both recycled water and waste brine, providing environmental and economic benefit. This is particularly significant for regional Australia, where there is substantial demand for both water reuse and cost-effective waste disposal in the absence of ocean discharge.Read moreRead less
Exposure and sensitivity of marine turtles and dugongs to dioxins - a risk assessment in near shore marine environments of Queensland. The World Heritage Great Barrier Reef sustains unique marine biota such as dugongs and turtles. High concentrations of harmful dioxins have been reported recently in dugongs. However, the impacts of these contaminants on the health of dugong and turtle populations remain unknown. This study will redress the general lack of toxicological information available f ....Exposure and sensitivity of marine turtles and dugongs to dioxins - a risk assessment in near shore marine environments of Queensland. The World Heritage Great Barrier Reef sustains unique marine biota such as dugongs and turtles. High concentrations of harmful dioxins have been reported recently in dugongs. However, the impacts of these contaminants on the health of dugong and turtle populations remain unknown. This study will redress the general lack of toxicological information available for reptiles and dugongs. This includes assessments of exposure, pathways as well as toxicological responses to the compounds of concern, to provide a robust assessment of the risks associated. The outcomes will guide management policy designed to protect the environmental health of Queensland's Marine Parks.Read moreRead less
Novel Technology for Improving Disinfection Outcomes in Regional and Remote Drinking Water Distribution Systems. Climate shifts have led to water supply shortages in many areas of Australia, both in rural and remote regions and in cities. To ease water shortages, transportation of water over long distances is becoming increasingly necessary. A major impediment to transfer of water through long mains is management of the disinfectant: most disinfectants decay too rapidly, leaving consumers at ris ....Novel Technology for Improving Disinfection Outcomes in Regional and Remote Drinking Water Distribution Systems. Climate shifts have led to water supply shortages in many areas of Australia, both in rural and remote regions and in cities. To ease water shortages, transportation of water over long distances is becoming increasingly necessary. A major impediment to transfer of water through long mains is management of the disinfectant: most disinfectants decay too rapidly, leaving consumers at risk of pathogen exposure. Chloramination, the most viable disinfection technology for this purpose, suffers from a process called nitrification which accelerates disinfectant decay. In this project, we are developing an innovative, patented process to prevent nitrification, which will allow safe and effective disinfection of water supplies in long pipelines.Read moreRead less
Atmospheric fate and processes of semi-volatile organic compounds in tropical climates. The outcomes from this study will contribute fundamental and quantitative information for evaluation of the fate of semi-volatile organic compounds (SOCs) in tropical systems, including Australia's World Heritage ecosystems such as rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. The study addresses key international knowledge gaps with respect to the influence of climate on SOC atmospheric fate. Australia's geographic ....Atmospheric fate and processes of semi-volatile organic compounds in tropical climates. The outcomes from this study will contribute fundamental and quantitative information for evaluation of the fate of semi-volatile organic compounds (SOCs) in tropical systems, including Australia's World Heritage ecosystems such as rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. The study addresses key international knowledge gaps with respect to the influence of climate on SOC atmospheric fate. Australia's geographical location within the tropical belt provides an ideal opportunity for leading this field of research and contributes relevant data for its commitment under the Stockholm Convention.Read moreRead less