Mitigation of silica nanoparticle scaling in water treatment. This project aims to develop strategies to mitigate silica scaling at coal seam gas (CSG) water treatment facilities. CSG is adsorbed to the surface of coal along fractures and cleats and released when pressure is reduced by removal of groundwater, which has chemistry specific to the region from which it is extracted. Desalination of produced water is severely impacted by mineral scaling on reverse osmosis membranes. This project will ....Mitigation of silica nanoparticle scaling in water treatment. This project aims to develop strategies to mitigate silica scaling at coal seam gas (CSG) water treatment facilities. CSG is adsorbed to the surface of coal along fractures and cleats and released when pressure is reduced by removal of groundwater, which has chemistry specific to the region from which it is extracted. Desalination of produced water is severely impacted by mineral scaling on reverse osmosis membranes. This project will consider silica and silica-rich nanoparticles in concert with cations and organics, with the aim of better managing cations so to facilitate nanoparticle lubrication. Project outcomes may include more productive use of assets, improved pre-treatment infrastructure to support reverse osmosis operation, and the environmental benefits of reduced chemical waste and increased water recovery.Read moreRead less
Tree-mediated methane fluxes: A new frontier in the global carbon cycle. Methane is an extremely potent greenhouse gas. Recent evidence suggests that tree-mediated fluxes may be a significant, but overlooked source of methane to the atmosphere. This project aims to quantify the magnitude and drivers of tree-mediated methane fluxes from Australia’s dominant forest types. Innovatively, we will be using a novel combination of empirical field based measurements, gas tracer experiments, microbial ana ....Tree-mediated methane fluxes: A new frontier in the global carbon cycle. Methane is an extremely potent greenhouse gas. Recent evidence suggests that tree-mediated fluxes may be a significant, but overlooked source of methane to the atmosphere. This project aims to quantify the magnitude and drivers of tree-mediated methane fluxes from Australia’s dominant forest types. Innovatively, we will be using a novel combination of empirical field based measurements, gas tracer experiments, microbial analysis and modelling methods. Expected outcomes are a mechanistic understanding of tree-mediated methane fluxes, helping to constrain regional, national and global methane budgets. The results of this study will help inform publicly funded greenhouse gas abatement strategies, ensuring a maximal return on investment.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH200100023
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,950,000.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for Innovative Nitrogen Fertilisers and Inhibitors. This Hub aims to transform agriculture by delivering a new class of nitrogen (N) fertilisers and inhibitors designed to stem the 50-80% losses to the environment in current products. It is intended to generate new knowledge and valuable intellectual property in controlled released and coated N fertiliser products using a novel co-design process involving representatives of the whole value chain from product design through to va ....ARC Research Hub for Innovative Nitrogen Fertilisers and Inhibitors. This Hub aims to transform agriculture by delivering a new class of nitrogen (N) fertilisers and inhibitors designed to stem the 50-80% losses to the environment in current products. It is intended to generate new knowledge and valuable intellectual property in controlled released and coated N fertiliser products using a novel co-design process involving representatives of the whole value chain from product design through to validation and adoption. The project estimates possible 20% gains in efficiency of N use, delivering large costs savings, improved productivity, increased profitability and decreased environmental impacts, helping the Australian food and agribusiness sector to reach its 2030 target of $100B value added.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE210100035
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,205,137.00
Summary
Founding an Australian Critical Zone Observatory Network. This proposal founds a new network of Australian Critical Zone Observatories. The network will fill essential knowledge gaps about interactions of under- and above-ground environmental processes and their responses to disturbance and change. These interactions determine the sustainability of food, clean water, mineral resources and Australian ecosystems, and cannot be studied with existing environmental infrastructure. The 5 foundation ....Founding an Australian Critical Zone Observatory Network. This proposal founds a new network of Australian Critical Zone Observatories. The network will fill essential knowledge gaps about interactions of under- and above-ground environmental processes and their responses to disturbance and change. These interactions determine the sustainability of food, clean water, mineral resources and Australian ecosystems, and cannot be studied with existing environmental infrastructure. The 5 foundational sites will host integrated monitoring equipment to observe stocks and fluxes of carbon, water, energy and mass across the “Critical Zone” – the vertical span from plant canopies to fresh bedrock. Joining a burgeoning international movement, the network will catalyse Critical Zone science in Australia.Read moreRead less
Carbon costs of plant nutrient and water uptake. This project aims to investigate how much carbon plants need to invest belowground in return for water and nutrients. By using economic principles of supply and demand the project will quantify carbon expenditure for water and nutrients in grasslands and crops under different climate and land management scenarios. This project will use triple and quadruple isotope labelling techniques and explore the dependency of carbon investment on plant-microb ....Carbon costs of plant nutrient and water uptake. This project aims to investigate how much carbon plants need to invest belowground in return for water and nutrients. By using economic principles of supply and demand the project will quantify carbon expenditure for water and nutrients in grasslands and crops under different climate and land management scenarios. This project will use triple and quadruple isotope labelling techniques and explore the dependency of carbon investment on plant-microbial interactions and availability of belowground resources. Expected outcomes include new knowledge to build a universal framework about plant carbon-water-nutrient economics. This will benefit global carbon cycling models and efforts to increase nutrient and water use efficiencies in agricultural crops.Read moreRead less