Validation and monitoring of advanced oxidation for potable water reuse. This project aims to address an important limitation in the ability to monitor performance of advanced oxidation processes used to treat recycled water for drinking. The project will be conducted using a novel pilot system, designed to facilitate flexible operation and detailed monitoring. Through carefully designed experiments, observed operational parameters will be related to treatment performance for a range of contamin ....Validation and monitoring of advanced oxidation for potable water reuse. This project aims to address an important limitation in the ability to monitor performance of advanced oxidation processes used to treat recycled water for drinking. The project will be conducted using a novel pilot system, designed to facilitate flexible operation and detailed monitoring. Through carefully designed experiments, observed operational parameters will be related to treatment performance for a range of contaminants. An expected outcome is the development of a framework to provide validation of process performance relationships and ongoing performance monitoring for use by water utilities and regulatory agencies that oversee their operations. This highly practical framework for validation and performance monitoring of an advanced water treatment process should result in improved viability of water recycling projects, increased urban water supply security and enhanced protection of public health.Read moreRead less
Gravity Current Driven Smoke Dispersion In a Stratified Ambient. Smoke from bushfires transported by gravity currents, and known to occur nationwide, caused the shutdown of businesses, education and events in Canberra in 2019. Recent scientific investigations have shown that the speed of propagation and concentration of smoke in these three-dimensional gravity currents have a long term ‘memory’ of their initial configuration. In this project, high-fidelity computational and experimental techniq ....Gravity Current Driven Smoke Dispersion In a Stratified Ambient. Smoke from bushfires transported by gravity currents, and known to occur nationwide, caused the shutdown of businesses, education and events in Canberra in 2019. Recent scientific investigations have shown that the speed of propagation and concentration of smoke in these three-dimensional gravity currents have a long term ‘memory’ of their initial configuration. In this project, high-fidelity computational and experimental techniques will be used to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms of gravity current entrainment and propagation. This knowledge will set a strong foundation to improve operational forecasts of smoke transport that will allow government agencies to better respond to the negative impact of these complicated flows.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100755
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$462,948.00
Summary
Developing phytosystems for the biofiltration of air pollutants . This project aims to develop, evaluate and apply a range of biotechnology driven solutions for the use of phytosystem biofilters designed for air purification. The findings of the project will demonstrate the fundamental mechanisms behind botanical air pollutant biofiltration, apply systematic technological development against a range of air pollutants, and provide strategies to deploy the technology. With a transdisciplinary appr ....Developing phytosystems for the biofiltration of air pollutants . This project aims to develop, evaluate and apply a range of biotechnology driven solutions for the use of phytosystem biofilters designed for air purification. The findings of the project will demonstrate the fundamental mechanisms behind botanical air pollutant biofiltration, apply systematic technological development against a range of air pollutants, and provide strategies to deploy the technology. With a transdisciplinary approach utilising techniques new to this discipline, the project will substantially advance the fundamental science underlying this novel and highly valuable area of air-bioremediation technology, and will create a much stronger economic driver for this Australia-led innovation.Read moreRead less
Photoelectrocatalysis-based Techniques for Bactericidal Applications. Effective control of the quality of water supply is paramount for public health. This project aims to develop a novel photoelectrocatalysis (PEC) based bactericidal technology capable of instant inactivation and rapid decomposition of waterborne pathogens in recycled water. The PEC processes at the illuminated semiconductor photoanodes with ultraviolet (UV) and visible light activities will be innovatively utilised with the ai ....Photoelectrocatalysis-based Techniques for Bactericidal Applications. Effective control of the quality of water supply is paramount for public health. This project aims to develop a novel photoelectrocatalysis (PEC) based bactericidal technology capable of instant inactivation and rapid decomposition of waterborne pathogens in recycled water. The PEC processes at the illuminated semiconductor photoanodes with ultraviolet (UV) and visible light activities will be innovatively utilised with the aim of in-situ generation of stable di-halide radical anions, reactive oxygen species and photoholes as effectual bactericides to achieve instant inactivation and rapid decomposition of waterborne pathogens. The success of the project is expected to provide Australian water industry with enabling technology to safeguard recycled water usage.Read moreRead less
Advanced water treatment technologies to minimise nitrogenous disinfection by-products in drinking water: understanding the role of organic nitrogen. This project will identify improved methods for treatment of drinking water to prevent the formation of potentially hazardous disinfection by-products. It will assist water resource managers and regulators to select the most economical and safe treatment for each type of water source and to plan for future demands on our limited water supplies.
Establishing advanced networks for air quality sensing and analyses. Establishing advanced networks for air quality sensing and analyses. This project aims to develop innovative, cost-effective, high resolution air quality networks. Recent developments in sensor technologies improve the ability to harvest atmospheric data. This project will develop, validate and implement methods for high sensitivity atmospheric sensing and apply cutting-edge statistical and analytic techniques to the data sets, ....Establishing advanced networks for air quality sensing and analyses. Establishing advanced networks for air quality sensing and analyses. This project aims to develop innovative, cost-effective, high resolution air quality networks. Recent developments in sensor technologies improve the ability to harvest atmospheric data. This project will develop, validate and implement methods for high sensitivity atmospheric sensing and apply cutting-edge statistical and analytic techniques to the data sets, unprecedented in scope and resolution. Outcomes include an open access database to quantify and visualise intra-urban air pollution and human exposure and develop air quality maps and smoke pollution management tools. It is expected to advance the evidence-based management of air as a resource, increasing economic prosperity and enhancing human health and quality of life.Read moreRead less
Scalable and Applicable Nanostructured Adsorbents for Arsenic Removal with High Performance. Arsenic contamination in groundwater and drinking water affects over 100 million people worldwide and causes severe health problems. This project aims to use a recently patented technology to develop a new generation of adsorbents with controlled nanostructure and morphology for arsenic removal. The novel low-cost adsorbents are expected to have superior performance for the treatment of water containing ....Scalable and Applicable Nanostructured Adsorbents for Arsenic Removal with High Performance. Arsenic contamination in groundwater and drinking water affects over 100 million people worldwide and causes severe health problems. This project aims to use a recently patented technology to develop a new generation of adsorbents with controlled nanostructure and morphology for arsenic removal. The novel low-cost adsorbents are expected to have superior performance for the treatment of water containing arsenic at both high and low concentrations. The engineered products will be tested in high-throughput wastewater treatment in pharmaceutical factories and as a household drinking water treatment device. This project aims to bring economic and social benefits to Australian industry and improve the quality of life for people all over the world.Read moreRead less
A screening tool to identify safer biodiesels. This project aims to identify what makes an optimal biodiesel in terms of minimising toxic exhaust outputs (environmental effects) and effects on health. Biodiesel, which can be made from virtually any natural oil, is seen as a healthier, environmentally friendly alternative to mineral diesel, but some biodiesels are worse than others. By studying exposure and analysing biodiesel exhaust, this project will develop a screening algorithm to assess bio ....A screening tool to identify safer biodiesels. This project aims to identify what makes an optimal biodiesel in terms of minimising toxic exhaust outputs (environmental effects) and effects on health. Biodiesel, which can be made from virtually any natural oil, is seen as a healthier, environmentally friendly alternative to mineral diesel, but some biodiesels are worse than others. By studying exposure and analysing biodiesel exhaust, this project will develop a screening algorithm to assess biodiesels for their environmental effects and their risk to health. Outcomes are expected to guide industry in producing an alternative fuel.Read moreRead less
Understanding and controlling bioavailability: passive dosing of persistent organic pollutants into recombinant cell bioassays. Bioassays with mammalian cell lines may replace animal testing in chemical risk assessment if issues with limited sensitivity can be overcome for very hydrophobic chemicals such as polychlorinated dibenzodioxins. The project will solve this problem by developing a polymer-release dosing technique that assures defined and constant exposure.
From hazard identification to risk management. From hazard identification to risk management. This project aims to explore health risks from water- and sediment-borne bacteria to recreational users of urban rivers, using a suite of novel molecular microbiological and in-vitro assays and microbial risk assessment modelling. This project also aims to develop source tracking methods to mitigate and manage these risks. The number of bacterial-related water-borne outbreaks associated with recreationa ....From hazard identification to risk management. From hazard identification to risk management. This project aims to explore health risks from water- and sediment-borne bacteria to recreational users of urban rivers, using a suite of novel molecular microbiological and in-vitro assays and microbial risk assessment modelling. This project also aims to develop source tracking methods to mitigate and manage these risks. The number of bacterial-related water-borne outbreaks associated with recreational activities is rising, but waterway managers are under pressure to re-open these rivers for recreation. The project is expected to benefit urban communities by ensuring waterway managers make informed decisions about river recreation.Read moreRead less