Improving water quality modelling by better understanding solute transport. Poor stream water quality is a critical problem in Australia and globally. Stream water quality depends directly on pathways and time taken for water to transport pollutants through catchments. Predicting these pathways is highly challenging and currently requires specialised data. This project aims to better model the movement of water from rainfall to streams, enable greatly improved use of water quality data routinely ....Improving water quality modelling by better understanding solute transport. Poor stream water quality is a critical problem in Australia and globally. Stream water quality depends directly on pathways and time taken for water to transport pollutants through catchments. Predicting these pathways is highly challenging and currently requires specialised data. This project aims to better model the movement of water from rainfall to streams, enable greatly improved use of water quality data routinely collected in Australia's catchments and thereby better predict water quality behaviour. Proposed field studies aim to support this development. The outcomes sought are improved planning and management of water quality in our rivers, lakes and estuaries, improved health of these water bodies and improved water supplies.Read moreRead less
Deciphering ion specificity in complex electrolytes . This project aims to understand how ions influence the behaviour and properties of complex electrolytes (solutions containing either multiple ions, solvent mixtures, high electrolyte concentrations or a variety of interfaces, solutes or polymers). Complex electrolytes are ubiquitous in colloidal and particle technologies and underpin industrial and natural processes. Our team will combine experiment, simulation and theory to deliver a univers ....Deciphering ion specificity in complex electrolytes . This project aims to understand how ions influence the behaviour and properties of complex electrolytes (solutions containing either multiple ions, solvent mixtures, high electrolyte concentrations or a variety of interfaces, solutes or polymers). Complex electrolytes are ubiquitous in colloidal and particle technologies and underpin industrial and natural processes. Our team will combine experiment, simulation and theory to deliver a universal framework for understanding and predicting specific ion effects in complex electrolytes. The project outcomes are expected to deliver new understanding for researchers, robust rules of thumb for technologists and a public resource for data-driven solutions in applications utilising salt solutions. Read moreRead less
Unravelling the dominant drivers of ion specificity. This project aims to understand what governs the sensitivity of many technological and biological processes to the precise nature of the salt present in solution. The term ‘ion-specific’ encompasses all the circumstances in which the influence of a salt in solution depends on the precise chemical nature of the salt, not just the electrical charge on the ions that form the salt. As such, ion-specific effects abound and have important consequenc ....Unravelling the dominant drivers of ion specificity. This project aims to understand what governs the sensitivity of many technological and biological processes to the precise nature of the salt present in solution. The term ‘ion-specific’ encompasses all the circumstances in which the influence of a salt in solution depends on the precise chemical nature of the salt, not just the electrical charge on the ions that form the salt. As such, ion-specific effects abound and have important consequences in most situations involving solutions, including cellular functions and battery technology. This project will enable us to understand and control the influence of specific ions, building on our recently described fundamental ion-specific series with colloid science experiments and quantum simulations. This project should overcome current challenges in predicting ion-specific effects leading to progress in a wide variety of applications of colloid and interface science, from sensor interfaces to self-assembly.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR180100036
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$650,054.00
Summary
Remediation of PFAS in current and legacy biosolids application sites. This project aims to develop novel immobilisation, adsorption and/or thermal destruction methods for biosolids, soil and groundwater in current and legacy per- and poly-fluroalkyl substance (PFAS) sites receiving biosolids. Biosolids generated during waste water treatment carry an unknown potential risk of soil and groundwater PFAS contamination, through their application in agriculture and rehabilitation sites. This project ....Remediation of PFAS in current and legacy biosolids application sites. This project aims to develop novel immobilisation, adsorption and/or thermal destruction methods for biosolids, soil and groundwater in current and legacy per- and poly-fluroalkyl substance (PFAS) sites receiving biosolids. Biosolids generated during waste water treatment carry an unknown potential risk of soil and groundwater PFAS contamination, through their application in agriculture and rehabilitation sites. This project will provide the first major investigation of the release, fate and remediation of perfluorinated compounds in relation to their environmental pathways through wastewater treatment plants in Australia. The data will be evaluated to determine if perfluorinated compounds should be further incorporated into Australian soil and water quality monitoring programs. The project will provide evidence of research advice and methodologies being successfully adopted by water industry end-users, government regulatory agencies and private remediation industries.Read moreRead less
Multiscale physics for enhanced oil recovery. The project aims to develop a multiscale mathematical and laboratory modelling methodology for combined enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and CO2 storage, and synthesise the technology for Santos’s Mulberry oilfield as a test case. The multidisciplinary team will develop advanced reservoir- and laboratory-scale mathematical models and novel laboratory methods to enhance the reliability of modern EOR and CO2 storage and increase its uptake by companies in A ....Multiscale physics for enhanced oil recovery. The project aims to develop a multiscale mathematical and laboratory modelling methodology for combined enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and CO2 storage, and synthesise the technology for Santos’s Mulberry oilfield as a test case. The multidisciplinary team will develop advanced reservoir- and laboratory-scale mathematical models and novel laboratory methods to enhance the reliability of modern EOR and CO2 storage and increase its uptake by companies in Australia and globally. The expected outcomes are a pioneering methodology with environmental benefits without additional drilling and reduction of greenhouse effect, and economic benefit to the Australian oil industry through increases in productivity.Read moreRead less
A new molecular platform for catalytic synthesis of heterocycles. This project aims to address the lack of efficient methods to prepare cyclic molecules of biological relevance by utilising novel molecular platforms developed in our laboratories. This project expects to generate new cyclic molecules using these innovative molecular platforms by employing catalysts to reduce raw material and energy cost. The expected outcomes of this project include enhanced chemical technology to prepare cyclic ....A new molecular platform for catalytic synthesis of heterocycles. This project aims to address the lack of efficient methods to prepare cyclic molecules of biological relevance by utilising novel molecular platforms developed in our laboratories. This project expects to generate new cyclic molecules using these innovative molecular platforms by employing catalysts to reduce raw material and energy cost. The expected outcomes of this project include enhanced chemical technology to prepare cyclic molecules of pharmaceutical importance and the training of highly skilled PhD students. This should provide significant benefits, such as increased capacity for the development of new pharmaceuticals and advanced materials.Read moreRead less
Site-specific protein functionalisation at diselenides via photocatalysis . This project aims to develop a new photocatalytic reaction for the on demand functionalisation of proteins. The synthetic methodology will solve a major technological gap in the field by enabling efficient access to proteins with defined modifications at specific locations. Functionalised proteins generated in the project will underpin a detailed understanding of how specific modifications influence the structure and fun ....Site-specific protein functionalisation at diselenides via photocatalysis . This project aims to develop a new photocatalytic reaction for the on demand functionalisation of proteins. The synthetic methodology will solve a major technological gap in the field by enabling efficient access to proteins with defined modifications at specific locations. Functionalised proteins generated in the project will underpin a detailed understanding of how specific modifications influence the structure and function of several important proteins. The project will generate significant new knowledge in the fields of chemistry and biology and will foster interdisciplinary collaboration, nationally and internationally. The breakthrough technology also has the potential to benefit Australia’s biotechnology sector.Read moreRead less
Early Career Industry Fellowships - Grant ID: IE230100437
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$417,237.00
Summary
Nanobubbles for effective and energy efficient water treatment. This project aims to produce new knowledge for developing ozone nanobubbles as a technological option for the water industry where commercially suitable technologies are unavailable. Australian water utilities have identified two key challenges: destruction of micropollutants and natural organic matter in recycled and reservoir water, respectively. New knowledge from the project will allow these water utilities to utilise the extrao ....Nanobubbles for effective and energy efficient water treatment. This project aims to produce new knowledge for developing ozone nanobubbles as a technological option for the water industry where commercially suitable technologies are unavailable. Australian water utilities have identified two key challenges: destruction of micropollutants and natural organic matter in recycled and reservoir water, respectively. New knowledge from the project will allow these water utilities to utilise the extraordinary properties of nanobubbles and the strong oxidation capability of ozone for effective and energy efficient water treatment. Tech-transfer to the industry is guaranteed through a scientifically designed pilot plant for benchmarking against the current state of the art ozonation process and reverse osmosis.Read moreRead less