Multi-scale, two-phase flow in complex coal seam systems. Australia is the world’s leading coal exporter and a large consumer of coal. This project aims to fill key knowledge gaps that underpin the challenge facing the coal industry and environmental agencies in assessing the impact of coal mining on the surrounding environment, in particular, adjacent river and groundwater systems.
Nitrogen Removal in Wastewater Treatment Using the Nitrite Pathway. Nitrogen removal from our wastewater is becoming very important in most parts of Australia to protect our unique aquatic environment. This removal is achieved biologically through two steps: Nitrification converts ammonium via nitrite to nitrate; and denitrification converts nitrate via nitrite again to harmless nitrogen gas. This project aims to develop a method that allows this process to go just via nitrite, instead of nitrat ....Nitrogen Removal in Wastewater Treatment Using the Nitrite Pathway. Nitrogen removal from our wastewater is becoming very important in most parts of Australia to protect our unique aquatic environment. This removal is achieved biologically through two steps: Nitrification converts ammonium via nitrite to nitrate; and denitrification converts nitrate via nitrite again to harmless nitrogen gas. This project aims to develop a method that allows this process to go just via nitrite, instead of nitrate, to nitrogen gas. This would significantly reduce oxygen and/or carbon requirement in nitrogen removal. If successful, the new operating method will allow modern wastewater treatment plants to achieve a better effluent quality at lower costs.Read moreRead less
Optical fibre dip-sensors for in-situ environmental monitoring. This project will continue to build Australia's reputation as a global leader in both the science and technology of emerging optical fibres, which is an enabling field of research with enormous number applications in medicine, defence, and sensing. It will be an excellent vehicle for educating young physicists and engineers in Australia. The new class of low-cost environmental sensors to be created here will provide benefit to Austr ....Optical fibre dip-sensors for in-situ environmental monitoring. This project will continue to build Australia's reputation as a global leader in both the science and technology of emerging optical fibres, which is an enabling field of research with enormous number applications in medicine, defence, and sensing. It will be an excellent vehicle for educating young physicists and engineers in Australia. The new class of low-cost environmental sensors to be created here will provide benefit to Australia, enabling environmental and agricultural managers to more effectively monitor and manage natural resources such as water and nutrients and will lead to a more productive and sustainable economy.Read moreRead less
Catchment water balance and CO2 fluxes: a comparison between productive land uses. The aim of the project is to improve the understanding of different land use implications on water resource and land productivity. The project aims to use a paired-catchment study that compares the carbon and water balances in two catchments in the high rainfall zone in south western Victoria. One catchment is used prevalently for grazing, while the other is predominantly planted with blue gums. The main objective ....Catchment water balance and CO2 fluxes: a comparison between productive land uses. The aim of the project is to improve the understanding of different land use implications on water resource and land productivity. The project aims to use a paired-catchment study that compares the carbon and water balances in two catchments in the high rainfall zone in south western Victoria. One catchment is used prevalently for grazing, while the other is predominantly planted with blue gums. The main objectives of this project are: to quantify the effect of different agricultural land uses on the catchment water balance; to estimate the trade-off between carbon sequestration and water resources related to tree plantations and pastures; and to develop models at different spatial scales of catchment water balance for land-use management.Read moreRead less
Optimising permeable pavements with underlying reservoirs to enhance urban tree performance. This project will determine the optimal configuration of permeable pavements with underlying storage reservoirs and water delivery system to resolve the water security challenges that trees face in urban environments. This project will promote the healthy growth of urban trees and will lead to more liveable and healthier cities.
Ecological renovation of constructed wetlands: changing state from algae to macrophyte dominated systems. Mars Confectionary's constructed wastewater treatment wetlands no longer purify its waste waters. Over-burdening has tipped the balance from a plant dominated, clear water system to an algae dominated, turbid system. This project will aid restoration of the Mars wetlands by (1) improving our understanding of alage-macrophyte dynamics in shallow water basins; (2) producing a series of soft en ....Ecological renovation of constructed wetlands: changing state from algae to macrophyte dominated systems. Mars Confectionary's constructed wastewater treatment wetlands no longer purify its waste waters. Over-burdening has tipped the balance from a plant dominated, clear water system to an algae dominated, turbid system. This project will aid restoration of the Mars wetlands by (1) improving our understanding of alage-macrophyte dynamics in shallow water basins; (2) producing a series of soft engineering, ecologically based techniques for the management / rehabilitation of natural and constructed shallow water bodies which receive high nutrient loads; (3) improve decision support tools for the renovation and sustainable management of the Mars Confectionary, and similar food processing industry constructed wetlands.Read moreRead less
The use of chiral pharmaceutical compounds to characterise sewage treatment processes and sewage contamination of surface waters. Contamination by poorly treated and untreated sewage can severely degrade the quality of Australian surface waters. However, the behaviour of organic chemicals during conventional sewage treatment processes remains poorly understood. Furthermore, raw sewage pollution is generally not distinguishable from properly discharged treated sewage effluent by current analytica ....The use of chiral pharmaceutical compounds to characterise sewage treatment processes and sewage contamination of surface waters. Contamination by poorly treated and untreated sewage can severely degrade the quality of Australian surface waters. However, the behaviour of organic chemicals during conventional sewage treatment processes remains poorly understood. Furthermore, raw sewage pollution is generally not distinguishable from properly discharged treated sewage effluent by current analytical methods. The proposed research will provide a chemical marker for characterising treatment processes and identifying untreated sewage pollution. This will help to identify sources of such pollution so that they may be corrected. A principal outcome of the research will be the improved ability to protect Australia's valuable surface waters from sewage pollution.Read moreRead less
Groundwater dynamics at the ocean-aquifer interface: Implications for modelling of regional flow in Pioneer Valley Aquifers. The Pioneer Valley Water Resources Plan, part of the Council of Australian Government's Water Reform Process, includes the development of regional groundwater flow and saltwater intrusion models for assisting in the allocation and management of the groundwater resources. The ocean forms the largest active boundary of the Pioneer groundwater system, where complex, dynamic h ....Groundwater dynamics at the ocean-aquifer interface: Implications for modelling of regional flow in Pioneer Valley Aquifers. The Pioneer Valley Water Resources Plan, part of the Council of Australian Government's Water Reform Process, includes the development of regional groundwater flow and saltwater intrusion models for assisting in the allocation and management of the groundwater resources. The ocean forms the largest active boundary of the Pioneer groundwater system, where complex, dynamic hydraulic conditions exist due to oceanic oscillations (tides and waves) and density effects. This project aims to investigate and quantify the effects of the dynamic seaward boundary condition on regional groundwater flow in Pioneer Valley aquifers. The research outcomes will also have important implications for other coastal aquifers.Read moreRead less
Mineral transformation and oxidant production in subsurface environments. Sporadic influx of oxygen-rich rainwater / groundwater into subsurface waste sites induces dramatic biogeochemical changes which greatly influence the transport of contaminants present. In this project, fundamental knowledge gaps regarding the impacts of redox oscillations upon contaminant behaviour in these sediments will be addressed through a comprehensive program of field studies at a purpose-constructed experimental f ....Mineral transformation and oxidant production in subsurface environments. Sporadic influx of oxygen-rich rainwater / groundwater into subsurface waste sites induces dramatic biogeochemical changes which greatly influence the transport of contaminants present. In this project, fundamental knowledge gaps regarding the impacts of redox oscillations upon contaminant behaviour in these sediments will be addressed through a comprehensive program of field studies at a purpose-constructed experimental facility in an existing waste site, and complementary laboratory investigations. The intended outcomes are to improve understanding of contaminant mobility at the field-scale in these pervasive sites spread across the globe, and provide critical insight into their remediation using cost-effective techniques.Read moreRead less
A Basic Study of Mixing and Dispersion in Riverine and Estuarine Systems in South-East Queensland. Dispersion of matter in natural river systems is of considerable importance, particularly in relation to the transport of nutrients, sediment and toxicants into ecosystems as a result of stormwater runoff and wastewater discharges. The project aims to improve our basic understanding of mixing and dispersion processes in tropical and subtropical rivers and estuaries, and to develop improved predicti ....A Basic Study of Mixing and Dispersion in Riverine and Estuarine Systems in South-East Queensland. Dispersion of matter in natural river systems is of considerable importance, particularly in relation to the transport of nutrients, sediment and toxicants into ecosystems as a result of stormwater runoff and wastewater discharges. The project aims to improve our basic understanding of mixing and dispersion processes in tropical and subtropical rivers and estuaries, and to develop improved predictive models to assist with the management of natural ecosystems. This will be achieved through a Ph.D. research project integrating basic water engineering and environmental sciences.Read moreRead less