Groundwater dynamics at the ocean-aquifer interface: Implications for modelling of regional flow in Pioneer Valley Aquifers. The Pioneer Valley Water Resources Plan, part of the Council of Australian Government's Water Reform Process, includes the development of regional groundwater flow and saltwater intrusion models for assisting in the allocation and management of the groundwater resources. The ocean forms the largest active boundary of the Pioneer groundwater system, where complex, dynamic h ....Groundwater dynamics at the ocean-aquifer interface: Implications for modelling of regional flow in Pioneer Valley Aquifers. The Pioneer Valley Water Resources Plan, part of the Council of Australian Government's Water Reform Process, includes the development of regional groundwater flow and saltwater intrusion models for assisting in the allocation and management of the groundwater resources. The ocean forms the largest active boundary of the Pioneer groundwater system, where complex, dynamic hydraulic conditions exist due to oceanic oscillations (tides and waves) and density effects. This project aims to investigate and quantify the effects of the dynamic seaward boundary condition on regional groundwater flow in Pioneer Valley aquifers. The research outcomes will also have important implications for other coastal aquifers.Read moreRead less
A Basic Study of Mixing and Dispersion in Riverine and Estuarine Systems in South-East Queensland. Dispersion of matter in natural river systems is of considerable importance, particularly in relation to the transport of nutrients, sediment and toxicants into ecosystems as a result of stormwater runoff and wastewater discharges. The project aims to improve our basic understanding of mixing and dispersion processes in tropical and subtropical rivers and estuaries, and to develop improved predicti ....A Basic Study of Mixing and Dispersion in Riverine and Estuarine Systems in South-East Queensland. Dispersion of matter in natural river systems is of considerable importance, particularly in relation to the transport of nutrients, sediment and toxicants into ecosystems as a result of stormwater runoff and wastewater discharges. The project aims to improve our basic understanding of mixing and dispersion processes in tropical and subtropical rivers and estuaries, and to develop improved predictive models to assist with the management of natural ecosystems. This will be achieved through a Ph.D. research project integrating basic water engineering and environmental sciences.Read moreRead less
Electrochemical treatment of problematic water recycle waste streams. Supply of potable water to Australia's major urban areas is a major challenge to growth and quality of life. Indirect potable reuse via membranes can address this issue, as it offers an inexpensive and sustainable water supply, as well as leveraging new water sources. However, the potential impact of the generated reject concentrates on aquatic and human health is potentially of large concern. Our project helps address this, ....Electrochemical treatment of problematic water recycle waste streams. Supply of potable water to Australia's major urban areas is a major challenge to growth and quality of life. Indirect potable reuse via membranes can address this issue, as it offers an inexpensive and sustainable water supply, as well as leveraging new water sources. However, the potential impact of the generated reject concentrates on aquatic and human health is potentially of large concern. Our project helps address this, by making reject treatment economically and environmentally much more sustainable, and thereby future-proofing the technology. In addition, it develops technology that can be used worldwide to treat other recalcitrant streams (e.g., hospital, tannery, pulp and paper), is highly scalable, and is low in operating cost.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR180100040
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$381,468.00
Summary
Efficient PFAS removal from urban wastewater using a novel two-step approach. This project aims to enhance the removal of per- and poly-fluroalkyl substances (PFAS) compounds from municipal wastewater by making two simple amendments to standard wastewater treatment plants. Magnetite nanoparticles will be added to the treatment process, which adsorb PFAS compounds and reduce them to acceptable environmental levels. The resulting sludge will be dried and ashed in a simple and novel self-sustaining ....Efficient PFAS removal from urban wastewater using a novel two-step approach. This project aims to enhance the removal of per- and poly-fluroalkyl substances (PFAS) compounds from municipal wastewater by making two simple amendments to standard wastewater treatment plants. Magnetite nanoparticles will be added to the treatment process, which adsorb PFAS compounds and reduce them to acceptable environmental levels. The resulting sludge will be dried and ashed in a simple and novel self-sustaining smoldering process which will render the captured PFAS to small ash, condensate and gaseous streams suitable for established destruction technologies. The project is expected to provide support to water utilities in achieving sustainable water treatment and result in environmental and social benefits to the community.Read moreRead less
A Fundamental Understanding of Methane Driven Denitrification. Eutrophication in waterways due to the presence of nutrients including nitrogen is a well-recognised environmental problem. Moreton Bay, for example, used to receive 3,300 tons of nitrogen each year from point sources. Stringent nitrogen discharge limits have therefore been imposed on most wastewater treatment systems across Australia. Nitrogen removal from wastewater is commonly accomplished in a biological way involving the use of ....A Fundamental Understanding of Methane Driven Denitrification. Eutrophication in waterways due to the presence of nutrients including nitrogen is a well-recognised environmental problem. Moreton Bay, for example, used to receive 3,300 tons of nitrogen each year from point sources. Stringent nitrogen discharge limits have therefore been imposed on most wastewater treatment systems across Australia. Nitrogen removal from wastewater is commonly accomplished in a biological way involving the use of bacteria. The project aims to investigate a particular bacterial community, which is able to perform nitrogen removal from wastewater with methane as a renewable carbon source. The project will therefore lead to more sustainable wastewater treatment systems.Read moreRead less
Endogenous Processes in Biological Wastewater Treatment Systems. Biomass decay, or endogenous processes play a major role in biological wastewater treatment systems, but are poorly understood at present. Drawing on the expertise of four internationally leading groups in the area, we will carry out a comprehensive and profound study of these processes. The study will yield novel designs and operational strategies for wastewater treatment plants that optimise the microbial populations to achieve l ....Endogenous Processes in Biological Wastewater Treatment Systems. Biomass decay, or endogenous processes play a major role in biological wastewater treatment systems, but are poorly understood at present. Drawing on the expertise of four internationally leading groups in the area, we will carry out a comprehensive and profound study of these processes. The study will yield novel designs and operational strategies for wastewater treatment plants that optimise the microbial populations to achieve lower sludge production and higher treatment capacity and performance. It will also deliver a reliable, yet easy to use, model for endogenous processes. Furthermore, a number of highly skilled PhD students will be trained.Read moreRead less
Novel nitrogen removal process via nitrite in a biofilm system and analysis of microbial community dynamics. Nitrogen removal from wastewater is essential to protect our unique aquatic environment. This removal is typically achieved via two steps: Nitrification converts ammonium via nitrite to nitrate; denitrification converts nitrate via nitrite again to harmless nitrogen gas. This project will develop a biofilm reactor system, which enables this process to run via nitrite only, instead of nitr ....Novel nitrogen removal process via nitrite in a biofilm system and analysis of microbial community dynamics. Nitrogen removal from wastewater is essential to protect our unique aquatic environment. This removal is typically achieved via two steps: Nitrification converts ammonium via nitrite to nitrate; denitrification converts nitrate via nitrite again to harmless nitrogen gas. This project will develop a biofilm reactor system, which enables this process to run via nitrite only, instead of nitrate. Savings of 40% carbon and 25% oxygen requirements are possible this way. This process has not yet been demonstrated under controlled conditions, but recent progress in the research groups in Australia and Korea now offer novel ways to accomplish this promising process.Read moreRead less
Enhancing Biological Denitrification by Addition of External Carbon Sources: What, Where and When. External carbon addition for enhancing nitrogen removal is being increasingly used by wastewater treatment industry both in Australia and worldwide. This technology adds considerably to the operating cost, to which the non-optimal use of carbon sources has contributed significantly. To ensure long-term optimal denitrification performance with minimal use of external carbon, we will perform the firs ....Enhancing Biological Denitrification by Addition of External Carbon Sources: What, Where and When. External carbon addition for enhancing nitrogen removal is being increasingly used by wastewater treatment industry both in Australia and worldwide. This technology adds considerably to the operating cost, to which the non-optimal use of carbon sources has contributed significantly. To ensure long-term optimal denitrification performance with minimal use of external carbon, we will perform the first comprehensive study of the impact of external carbon addition on the denitrifying community and denitrification performance and, on this basis, answer the questions of what carbon sources should be used, where and when/how they should be added under various process design and operational conditions.Read moreRead less
Multiphase flow and transport in complex coastal wetland systems. Salt marshes play an essential role in maintaining Australia's coastal bio-diversity. They also function as barriers to fluxes of terrestrial pollutants to our coastal sea. Australia has a large number of salt marshes listed by the Ramsar Convention as coastal wetlands of international importance but many of them are subject to loss and degradation due to competing land uses. This project, examining in detail the flow and transpor ....Multiphase flow and transport in complex coastal wetland systems. Salt marshes play an essential role in maintaining Australia's coastal bio-diversity. They also function as barriers to fluxes of terrestrial pollutants to our coastal sea. Australia has a large number of salt marshes listed by the Ramsar Convention as coastal wetlands of international importance but many of them are subject to loss and degradation due to competing land uses. This project, examining in detail the flow and transport processes in marsh soils, will lead to (1) better understanding of the marsh's response to anthropogenic stress; and (2) improvement of strategies and methods for marsh wetland preservation and restoration.Read moreRead less
Sewer Monitoring and Management in the Digital Era. Overflow, flooding, corrosion, and odorous emissions are persistent issues for utilities managing sewers. Current sewer maintenance is reactive, and focuses on solving problems in local networks, despite that optimal solutions require a system-wide approach. Capitalising on recent development in IoT sensors, wireless transmission, and machine learning, this multidisciplinary project aims to develop digital-twin supported data analytics for proa ....Sewer Monitoring and Management in the Digital Era. Overflow, flooding, corrosion, and odorous emissions are persistent issues for utilities managing sewers. Current sewer maintenance is reactive, and focuses on solving problems in local networks, despite that optimal solutions require a system-wide approach. Capitalising on recent development in IoT sensors, wireless transmission, and machine learning, this multidisciplinary project aims to develop digital-twin supported data analytics for proactive sewer management including network-wide real-time control. The project aims to generate significant social, environmental and economic benefits by enabling utilities to better protect public and environmental health, reduce sewer odour and greenhouse gas emissions, and extend sewer asset life.Read moreRead less