Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354804
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
ARC Research Network on Degraded Environment Assessment and Remediation. There are over 80,000 contaminated sites in Australia and >750,000,000 hectares of land impacted by soil acidity, sodicity, heavy-metals, nutrients and agricultural chemicals. The research network advances assessment, management and remediation of degraded environments (land, water, and air) through collaboration of the research programs developing sustainable solutions. The collective focus is minimising disposal and impac ....ARC Research Network on Degraded Environment Assessment and Remediation. There are over 80,000 contaminated sites in Australia and >750,000,000 hectares of land impacted by soil acidity, sodicity, heavy-metals, nutrients and agricultural chemicals. The research network advances assessment, management and remediation of degraded environments (land, water, and air) through collaboration of the research programs developing sustainable solutions. The collective focus is minimising disposal and impacts of contaminated soil and wastes, and land remediation. By facilitating communication, the network enhances national and international research coordination, interaction with regulators, end-users, industry, and other stakeholders, achievement of critical mass for new initiatives, enhances research training and contributes to a critical National Priority.Read moreRead less
Understanding Australia by analysing wastewater during the Census 2021 . This project aims to utilise the Australian Census 2021, a unique opportunity to link exposure to chemical and biological hazards with catchment socio-demographic data via systematic wastewater analysis. The project is expected to advance our capabilities to identify emerging hazards and understand factors that affect spatiotemporal trends in hazards across Australia. Moreover, in a world first, the project aims to assess c ....Understanding Australia by analysing wastewater during the Census 2021 . This project aims to utilise the Australian Census 2021, a unique opportunity to link exposure to chemical and biological hazards with catchment socio-demographic data via systematic wastewater analysis. The project is expected to advance our capabilities to identify emerging hazards and understand factors that affect spatiotemporal trends in hazards across Australia. Moreover, in a world first, the project aims to assess chemical fate on a national level by linking sales/use with fate and release from wastewater treatment plants and assess treatment efficiency at >100 plants around Australia. The project expects to provide insight for government, wastewater managers and industry into hazards that may affect environmental and human health.Read moreRead less
Estimating per capita use and release of chemicals by wastewater analysis. This project aims to systematically collect and analyse wastewater to assess human exposure to chemicals including drugs, pharmaceuticals, lifestyle chemicals and environmental pollutants. By combining temporal sampling from key sewage treatment plants with comprehensive nationwide sampling over the week of the 2016 census day, the project expects to estimate the per-capita human exposure to chemicals in the Australian po ....Estimating per capita use and release of chemicals by wastewater analysis. This project aims to systematically collect and analyse wastewater to assess human exposure to chemicals including drugs, pharmaceuticals, lifestyle chemicals and environmental pollutants. By combining temporal sampling from key sewage treatment plants with comprehensive nationwide sampling over the week of the 2016 census day, the project expects to estimate the per-capita human exposure to chemicals in the Australian population. Accurate and objective per-capita based consumption and release estimates for a wide range of chemicals is intended to provide a baseline against which to measure changes in our chemosphere.Read moreRead less
The role of engineered nanoparticles in the transport of environmental contaminants and the implications for remediation. Engineered nanoparticles are common in the environment due to their widespread industrial use. However, their influence on contaminant mobility is not known. This project will advance our understanding of the interactions of nanoparticles with environmental contaminants and thereby deliver safer and more sustainable remediation technologies.
Discovery Indigenous Researchers Development - Grant ID: DI110100028
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$198,824.00
Summary
Indigenous knowledge: water sustainability and wild fire mitigation. Sustainable management of the environment in Australia is currently informed by science. This project will create a space for cross-cultural translation between indigenous knowledge on environmental management practices and mainstream science practices.
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
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100633
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$460,573.00
Summary
Microplastics accumulation in Australian coastal wetlands. This project aims to quantify the intensity, rate and impact of the accumulation of microplastic particles in Australia’s coastal wetlands for the first time. This multidisciplinary project will examine interactions between microplastics, wetland ecology and carbon dynamics using advanced analytical chemistry, biogeochemistry and environmental microbiology. Expected outcomes of this project include the world’s first nationwide analysis o ....Microplastics accumulation in Australian coastal wetlands. This project aims to quantify the intensity, rate and impact of the accumulation of microplastic particles in Australia’s coastal wetlands for the first time. This multidisciplinary project will examine interactions between microplastics, wetland ecology and carbon dynamics using advanced analytical chemistry, biogeochemistry and environmental microbiology. Expected outcomes of this project include the world’s first nationwide analysis of the sequestration of microplastics and their influence on the carbon cycle in coastal ecosystems. This work will provide significant benefits, such as facilitating decision-making about microplastics emissions reduction and coastal wetlands conservation.Read moreRead less
Investigation of Australian crop species for the rhizoremediation of residual sulfonyl urea herbicide contaminations in agricultural soils. This research aims to identify an environmentally sustainable and economically viable solution to the problem of residual herbicide contaminations in agricultural soils. The strategy is focused on stimulation of microbial degradation of pesticides in the root zone of crop species (Lupins). Such a strategy will improve crop yields and reduce soil contaminatio ....Investigation of Australian crop species for the rhizoremediation of residual sulfonyl urea herbicide contaminations in agricultural soils. This research aims to identify an environmentally sustainable and economically viable solution to the problem of residual herbicide contaminations in agricultural soils. The strategy is focused on stimulation of microbial degradation of pesticides in the root zone of crop species (Lupins). Such a strategy will improve crop yields and reduce soil contaminations and environmental impacts at minimal cost. Read moreRead less
Ethics, responsibility and the carbon budget. This project aims to provide a rigorous ethical framework for dividing the world’s remaining ‘carbon budget’ (CB). In order to avoid climate change the world must drastically limit its emissions of greenhouse gases. The project will develop a new analysis of how our assumptions concerning risk and harm shape conception of the CB. It will also provide a new understanding of how future emission rights should be allocated given that countries have emitt ....Ethics, responsibility and the carbon budget. This project aims to provide a rigorous ethical framework for dividing the world’s remaining ‘carbon budget’ (CB). In order to avoid climate change the world must drastically limit its emissions of greenhouse gases. The project will develop a new analysis of how our assumptions concerning risk and harm shape conception of the CB. It will also provide a new understanding of how future emission rights should be allocated given that countries have emitted vastly different quantities of greenhouse gases in the past. The project will analyse how the CB will impact the climate transition plans of countries such as Australia. The project will thus bring significant new research in philosophy to bear on a practical issue.Read moreRead less
High performance conductive mesoporous carbon electrodes: a low energy desalination alternative. The high cost of existing desalination technology has limited its wider application. There is an urgent need for alternatives which require less energy than current methods. The proposed electrosorption process utilising porous carbon electrodes has the advantage of very low energy demand. Electrosorption therefore has the opportunity to become an alternative desalination option for application in a ....High performance conductive mesoporous carbon electrodes: a low energy desalination alternative. The high cost of existing desalination technology has limited its wider application. There is an urgent need for alternatives which require less energy than current methods. The proposed electrosorption process utilising porous carbon electrodes has the advantage of very low energy demand. Electrosorption therefore has the opportunity to become an alternative desalination option for application in a national and global water desalination market. Advancement in water desalination technology has the potential for a profound social, economical and environmental impact. This vital research is aligned with the National Research Priority 1, An Environmentally Sustainable Australia; Priority Goal: Water, A critical resource.Read moreRead less