The Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) invites you to participate in a short survey about your
interaction with the ARDC and use of our national research infrastructure and services. The survey will take
approximately 5 minutes and is anonymous. It’s open to anyone who uses our digital research infrastructure
services including Reasearch Link Australia.
We will use the information you provide to improve the national research infrastructure and services we
deliver and to report on user satisfaction to the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research
Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) program.
Please take a few minutes to provide your input. The survey closes COB Friday 29 May 2026.
Complete the 5 min survey now by clicking on the link below.
Combining recycled water use, biofuel production and phytoremediation of contaminated land and biosolids. The storage of biosolids, by-products of sewage treatment, is an environmentally unsustainable practice exacerbated by the presence of inorganic and organic contaminants. Phytoremediation is a plant-based technology which is potentially a cost-effective option for progressive long-term and sustainable clean-up of contaminated soils and sediments. Combining metal extraction by plants with r ....Combining recycled water use, biofuel production and phytoremediation of contaminated land and biosolids. The storage of biosolids, by-products of sewage treatment, is an environmentally unsustainable practice exacerbated by the presence of inorganic and organic contaminants. Phytoremediation is a plant-based technology which is potentially a cost-effective option for progressive long-term and sustainable clean-up of contaminated soils and sediments. Combining metal extraction by plants with reuse of wastewater and the production of a biofuel will provide multiple benefits of a cleaner environment, water conservation, waste reduction, carbon capture and a reduction in fossil fuel use. Development of such a low-cost combined bioenergy/remediation system will be of considerable local/regional benefit and national significance.Read moreRead less
PHYTOREMEDIATION OF BIOSOLIDS AND SOILS CONTAMINATED WITH HEAVY METALS AT THE WESTERN TREAMENT PLANT, WERRIBEE. This project will provide a scientifically-sound basis for the practical implementation of phytoremediation technology to remove or stabilize metal and metalloid contaminants in soils and biosolid stockpiles at Melbourne Water's Western Treatment Plant at Werribee. Through glasshouse and field trials it will identify plants suitable for the use in large-scale phytoremediation of bioso ....PHYTOREMEDIATION OF BIOSOLIDS AND SOILS CONTAMINATED WITH HEAVY METALS AT THE WESTERN TREAMENT PLANT, WERRIBEE. This project will provide a scientifically-sound basis for the practical implementation of phytoremediation technology to remove or stabilize metal and metalloid contaminants in soils and biosolid stockpiles at Melbourne Water's Western Treatment Plant at Werribee. Through glasshouse and field trials it will identify plants suitable for the use in large-scale phytoremediation of biosolids and soils to which these have been applied, underpinned by a greater understanding of the controls of contaminant bioavailability.Read moreRead less
Identifying limitations to the establishment of microbial communities and sustainable nutrient cycling in bauxite residue sand under rehabilitation. Australia is the world's largest producer of bauxite. The process of refining bauxite to aluminium generates 2 t of residue for every 3 t of bauxite, creating a major residue management issue. Rehabilitation of residue disposal areas is critical for reducing impacts on the environment and surrounding community and ultimately aims to create a sustain ....Identifying limitations to the establishment of microbial communities and sustainable nutrient cycling in bauxite residue sand under rehabilitation. Australia is the world's largest producer of bauxite. The process of refining bauxite to aluminium generates 2 t of residue for every 3 t of bauxite, creating a major residue management issue. Rehabilitation of residue disposal areas is critical for reducing impacts on the environment and surrounding community and ultimately aims to create a sustainable ecosystem following closure of the facility. This research will provide a detailed understanding of the establishment of microbial communities and the factors controlling the survival and functioning of microorganisms in bauxite residue sand. The outcomes will aid the development of improved protocols and strategies for bauxite residue rehabilitation in Australia and internationally.Read moreRead less
Urban salinity in Kalgoorlie-Boulder: Causes, extent and treatment through revegetation - a pilot study for Australian rural towns. The National Land and Water Resources Audit suggests that salinity will threaten 200 towns in Australia by 2050. The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder has a salinity problem caused by shallow, saline groundwater. This project will: (a) document and map the extent and causes of salinity, (b) determine whether salinity can be controlled through improved surface drainage an ....Urban salinity in Kalgoorlie-Boulder: Causes, extent and treatment through revegetation - a pilot study for Australian rural towns. The National Land and Water Resources Audit suggests that salinity will threaten 200 towns in Australia by 2050. The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder has a salinity problem caused by shallow, saline groundwater. This project will: (a) document and map the extent and causes of salinity, (b) determine whether salinity can be controlled through improved surface drainage and revegetation, and (c) conduct adaptation trials of ornamental trees and shrubs for tolerance to salt, waterlogging and inundation. The work will be conducted in partnership with the City Council and local Urban Landcare Group. Outcomes will be disseminated through WA's Rural Towns Program, national conferences and scientific papers.Read moreRead less
Stabilization of hydrology at waste disposal sites through revegetation. Persistent drought in the past 20 years has increased the extraction of groundwater reserves by more than 2-fold to meet domestic water requirements throughout Australia. This water resource could be threatened from poorly managed waste disposal sites, where removal of pre-existing vegetation often exacerbates adverse hydrological processes of deep drainage. This study will provide information for the waste management indus ....Stabilization of hydrology at waste disposal sites through revegetation. Persistent drought in the past 20 years has increased the extraction of groundwater reserves by more than 2-fold to meet domestic water requirements throughout Australia. This water resource could be threatened from poorly managed waste disposal sites, where removal of pre-existing vegetation often exacerbates adverse hydrological processes of deep drainage. This study will provide information for the waste management industry that has achieved an annual turnover of more than $200 million in recent years. It will present recommendations on how vegetation can be employed to meet regulatory requirements by the industry.Read moreRead less
Enhancing regional resource synergies through the application of industrial ecology strategies for sustainable development in the Kwinana Industrial Area. The project will investigate the potential contribution of industrial ecology strategies for sustainable development at the regional level in heavy industrial areas, in particular the Kwinana Industrial Area (WA). Industrial ecology mimics natural processes in industrial production and consumption to achieve better environmental, economic and ....Enhancing regional resource synergies through the application of industrial ecology strategies for sustainable development in the Kwinana Industrial Area. The project will investigate the potential contribution of industrial ecology strategies for sustainable development at the regional level in heavy industrial areas, in particular the Kwinana Industrial Area (WA). Industrial ecology mimics natural processes in industrial production and consumption to achieve better environmental, economic and social outcomes. Despite its compelling logic, industrial ecology faces a number of barriers. This research will investigate such barriers and develop and pilot test innovative ways for overcoming those, in particular through the provision of facilitating structures, operational arrangements and evaluation tools.Read moreRead less
The Prediction and Analysis of Complex Morphology in Coastal Environments. Coastal features, incorporating river, tide and wave induced flows and associated sediment transport, represent highly complex systems. At present it is impossible to analyse anything but the simplest forms, yet it is often necessary to determine their overall properties and behaviour in engineering analysis and design. The aim of the project is to develop and verify a modelling approach using the concept of entropy and a ....The Prediction and Analysis of Complex Morphology in Coastal Environments. Coastal features, incorporating river, tide and wave induced flows and associated sediment transport, represent highly complex systems. At present it is impossible to analyse anything but the simplest forms, yet it is often necessary to determine their overall properties and behaviour in engineering analysis and design. The aim of the project is to develop and verify a modelling approach using the concept of entropy and an efficient optimisation algorithm to allow key properties of complex coastal systems to be determined. The proposal represents an innovative approach to the coastal modelling problem that would overcome significant limitations of current morphological models.Read moreRead less
Impact of industrially based endocrine disrupting chemicals on aquatic biota. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a serious threat to aquatic organisms, livestock and humans. EDCs are present in water discharged from sewage treatment plants and in leachate from contaminated land. This project will determine the impact of EDCs from contaminated landfill on aquatic animals. It will also identify the chemicals responsible for biological impact by developing new bio-assays suitable for industr ....Impact of industrially based endocrine disrupting chemicals on aquatic biota. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a serious threat to aquatic organisms, livestock and humans. EDCs are present in water discharged from sewage treatment plants and in leachate from contaminated land. This project will determine the impact of EDCs from contaminated landfill on aquatic animals. It will also identify the chemicals responsible for biological impact by developing new bio-assays suitable for industrial, scientific and regulatory authority applications. This research has wide-ranging relevance and value to Australian State and Federal regulators and industries because of the ubiquity of sewage treatment plants and contaminated leachate from landfills.Read moreRead less
Microbial community characterisation for bioprocessing of chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminated groundwater. Due to irresponsible industrial practices, Australia has hundreds of polluted soil and water environments. This includes the notorious groundwater contamination underlying Botany in Sydney, an area of rich industrial, residential and cultural significance. The use of microbes to clean up polluted environments, such as the Botany groundwater, is known as bioremediation - a process exploitin ....Microbial community characterisation for bioprocessing of chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminated groundwater. Due to irresponsible industrial practices, Australia has hundreds of polluted soil and water environments. This includes the notorious groundwater contamination underlying Botany in Sydney, an area of rich industrial, residential and cultural significance. The use of microbes to clean up polluted environments, such as the Botany groundwater, is known as bioremediation - a process exploiting the natural metabolic versatility of microbes. To clean up the polluted groundwater in Botany, mixed species communities of pollutant degrading microbes are being produced. Novel tools to reveal the inner workings of these microscopic communities are also being developed, giving Australia an unprecedented advantage in the global bioremediation market.Read moreRead less
Use of effects-based bioassays to assess the endocrine disruption potential of advanced tertiary treated sewage effluent. Water reuse will become a major option to meet increasing water demand in Australia. However, the presence of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in wastewater has been identified as a potential impediment for this practice. This project will use a combination of effects-based biological methods based on different levels of biological organisation, and chemical analysis to ....Use of effects-based bioassays to assess the endocrine disruption potential of advanced tertiary treated sewage effluent. Water reuse will become a major option to meet increasing water demand in Australia. However, the presence of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in wastewater has been identified as a potential impediment for this practice. This project will use a combination of effects-based biological methods based on different levels of biological organisation, and chemical analysis to assess the efficacy of an advanced tertiary sewage treatment plant (ATSTP) to remove EDCs. The results will provide insights on 1. effects of mixtures of EDCs; 2. characterisation of risks of reuse of treated effluent; 3. optimisation of effluent treatment technologies to ensure industry competitiveness; and 4. developing sustainable plans to meet future water demand.Read moreRead less