Advanced waste slurry processing in the dairy industry. The dairy industry typically disposes of its wastes as low solids slurries. An aim for the future is to produce higher solids outputs. This project will examine the dewatering behaviour of a range of waste sludges and examine the molecular components that control dewaterability. The project will provide quantitative directions as to the best choice of dewatering methodologies to the dairy industry for the treatment and disposal of wastes ....Advanced waste slurry processing in the dairy industry. The dairy industry typically disposes of its wastes as low solids slurries. An aim for the future is to produce higher solids outputs. This project will examine the dewatering behaviour of a range of waste sludges and examine the molecular components that control dewaterability. The project will provide quantitative directions as to the best choice of dewatering methodologies to the dairy industry for the treatment and disposal of wastes. This will allow for better strategic design and management of waste treatment options.Read moreRead less
The Study of Pretreatment Options for Composite Fouling of Reverse Osmosis Membranes Used in Water Treatment and Production. It is recognised worldwide that fouling is a major impediment in operation of Reverse Osmosis units used for production, purification and treatment of water. This project is aimed at studying pre-treatment options for composite fouling which is the main type of fouling present in RO units by using both model feed systems and actual field water. The project outcomes are to ....The Study of Pretreatment Options for Composite Fouling of Reverse Osmosis Membranes Used in Water Treatment and Production. It is recognised worldwide that fouling is a major impediment in operation of Reverse Osmosis units used for production, purification and treatment of water. This project is aimed at studying pre-treatment options for composite fouling which is the main type of fouling present in RO units by using both model feed systems and actual field water. The project outcomes are to understand and develop pre-treatment strategies and to use those to develop a hybrid pre-treatment technology. This project will significantly impact water production in general and its outcomes will have far-reaching implications in treatment of water both within Australia and globally.Read moreRead less
The Boron Rejection by RO Membranes in presence of Calcium Carbonate and Magnesium Hydroxide. Water scarcity in various parts of the world demands the use of available saline waters for production of potable water. Reverse Osmosis membranes have been used as a means of achieving this objective. Fouling is a major impediment in operation of reverse osmosis units. The project aims to study boron removal by RO under high pH which increases the boron rejection but at the same time exacerbates compos ....The Boron Rejection by RO Membranes in presence of Calcium Carbonate and Magnesium Hydroxide. Water scarcity in various parts of the world demands the use of available saline waters for production of potable water. Reverse Osmosis membranes have been used as a means of achieving this objective. Fouling is a major impediment in operation of reverse osmosis units. The project aims to study boron removal by RO under high pH which increases the boron rejection but at the same time exacerbates composite fouling by calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide. Optimum pH for boron rejection will be determined and propensity of calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide at that pH range will be evaluated.Read moreRead less
New approaches to the treatment of potable water in the presence of algal blooms. The processing of blue green algae rich waters and subsequent release of algal metabolites causes taste and odour problems and toxins that affect potable water safety. This project will define a preferred approach to the processing of these waters and provide quantitative analysis tools to help water authorities guarantee water quality and safety. The defined process routes and analysis procedures will also resul ....New approaches to the treatment of potable water in the presence of algal blooms. The processing of blue green algae rich waters and subsequent release of algal metabolites causes taste and odour problems and toxins that affect potable water safety. This project will define a preferred approach to the processing of these waters and provide quantitative analysis tools to help water authorities guarantee water quality and safety. The defined process routes and analysis procedures will also result in better water conservation (lower net water losses in processing). This will allow better regulation of water quality, safety and management by water authorities and improve consumer confidence in the potable water supply.Read moreRead less
Nanogels: Next Generation Polymeric Particles. The existing knowledge in the formation of polymeric networks limits the technological development of polymer materials. This project will introduce new polymeric particles, called nanogels to open a new area in new polymeric architecture research. A number of new structures based on the nanogels will be developed. These new macromolecules will not only bring the polymer science into a new field, it will provide a great opportunity to discover the ....Nanogels: Next Generation Polymeric Particles. The existing knowledge in the formation of polymeric networks limits the technological development of polymer materials. This project will introduce new polymeric particles, called nanogels to open a new area in new polymeric architecture research. A number of new structures based on the nanogels will be developed. These new macromolecules will not only bring the polymer science into a new field, it will provide a great opportunity to discover the next generation of the polymeric products, particularly for application in automotive paint, drug delivery and bio-molecular separations.Read moreRead less
Nanoporous bioaffinity adsorbents for separations in the pharmaceutical industry. This proposal aims to develop new high performance adsorbents for bioprocess engineering based on templated nanoporous silica materials. This research will lead to significant advances in advanced materials and adsorbent technology, downstream processing for the biotechnology industries, and understanding of highly specific affinity interactions used for difficult bioseparations. It will have important benefits for ....Nanoporous bioaffinity adsorbents for separations in the pharmaceutical industry. This proposal aims to develop new high performance adsorbents for bioprocess engineering based on templated nanoporous silica materials. This research will lead to significant advances in advanced materials and adsorbent technology, downstream processing for the biotechnology industries, and understanding of highly specific affinity interactions used for difficult bioseparations. It will have important benefits for processes involving protein purification, such as bioplasma processing, as well as flow on effects to other applications of adsorbent technology such as food processing and water treatment. The new adsorbents will lead to reductions in the costs, energy usage and waste generation of Australian industries.Read moreRead less
The role of floc structure in the formation of sediments and filter cakes. The project aims to understand at a fundamental level if and in what way the fractal structure of aggregates of fine particles is preserved when forming sediments and filter cakes. The effect of this structure on processes for separating solids and liquids is significant: each year, millions of dollars stand to be saved though more efficient filtration, and more efficient thickening of mineral slurries. Improved understan ....The role of floc structure in the formation of sediments and filter cakes. The project aims to understand at a fundamental level if and in what way the fractal structure of aggregates of fine particles is preserved when forming sediments and filter cakes. The effect of this structure on processes for separating solids and liquids is significant: each year, millions of dollars stand to be saved though more efficient filtration, and more efficient thickening of mineral slurries. Improved understanding allows intelligent design of flocculation systems to optimise the performance of downstream solid - liquid separation processes, maximising economic and environmental returns.Read moreRead less
Self-assembled nanolayers of functionalised latexes as selective and adaptable nano-stationary phases in separation science. A new approach is proposed for the design and synthesis of functionalised ion-exchange stationary phases for analytical nano-separation methods. Desired charged functional groups are first affixed chemically onto nanometre sized latex particles and these particles are then self-assembled mechanically as monoloayer coatings onto a suitable supporting template such as fused ....Self-assembled nanolayers of functionalised latexes as selective and adaptable nano-stationary phases in separation science. A new approach is proposed for the design and synthesis of functionalised ion-exchange stationary phases for analytical nano-separation methods. Desired charged functional groups are first affixed chemically onto nanometre sized latex particles and these particles are then self-assembled mechanically as monoloayer coatings onto a suitable supporting template such as fused silica, monolithic silica or polymer beds, microfibres or microtubes, and channels in microchips. The resultant coated surface then acts as a highly efficient ion-exchange stationary phase which will be used in a wide range of separation technologies including ion chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, capillary electrochromatography and solid-phase microextraction.Read moreRead less
Separation science based on nanoparticle-coated monolithic scaffold stationary phases. The proposed project will generate highly significant, fundamental advances in separation science by developing new stationary phases and separation technologies suitable for the analysis of very complex samples which cannot be addressed by current methods. These technologies will be applied in a wide range of areas of national importance including pre-and post-blast identification of explosives in counter-ter ....Separation science based on nanoparticle-coated monolithic scaffold stationary phases. The proposed project will generate highly significant, fundamental advances in separation science by developing new stationary phases and separation technologies suitable for the analysis of very complex samples which cannot be addressed by current methods. These technologies will be applied in a wide range of areas of national importance including pre-and post-blast identification of explosives in counter-terrorism applications; environmental, clinical, and forensic analysis; energy generation and foods. The project will also lead to very significant new intellectual property having extremely high commercial potential worldwide, and thereby generates the promise of considerable direct financial returns to Australia.Read moreRead less
Integrated microfluidic device for the direct analysis of drugs and metabolites in biological fluids. Due to the way in which multiple processes are integrated in a micro Total Analysis System (µTAS), they offer substantial advantages over current technology, in terms of speed, cost of analysis, portability and operator simplicity and safety. This has considerable potential benefit for Australia, specifically for the remote and rural analysis of drugs and metabolites in biological fluids such a ....Integrated microfluidic device for the direct analysis of drugs and metabolites in biological fluids. Due to the way in which multiple processes are integrated in a micro Total Analysis System (µTAS), they offer substantial advantages over current technology, in terms of speed, cost of analysis, portability and operator simplicity and safety. This has considerable potential benefit for Australia, specifically for the remote and rural analysis of drugs and metabolites in biological fluids such as blood, serum, urine and saliva. These devices will have application for point-of-care testing in therapeutic drug monitoring, which will improve medical treatment and the patient's quality of life, as well as for on-site analysis in forensics for the rapid determination of illicit drugs and performance enhancing substances in our elite athletes.
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