Iron - a solution for uranium resource recovery and pollution response. This project aims to determine key processes controlling uranium transport and fate in natural and engineered environments. This will result in improved efficiency in extracting uranium from tailings and subsurface deposits, reduced risk of contamination of water supplies, and improved management of radioactive waste repositories.
Innovative seed technologies for restoration in a biodiversity hotspot. This project aims to develop and implement innovative and practical methods to improve native plant establishment within a global biodiversity hotspot. As restoration efforts worldwide are hindered by altered substrates and invasive species, the greatest challenge is to reconstruct plant communities that are resistant to invasion and resilient within disturbed landscapes. The development of advanced technologies to enhance r ....Innovative seed technologies for restoration in a biodiversity hotspot. This project aims to develop and implement innovative and practical methods to improve native plant establishment within a global biodiversity hotspot. As restoration efforts worldwide are hindered by altered substrates and invasive species, the greatest challenge is to reconstruct plant communities that are resistant to invasion and resilient within disturbed landscapes. The development of advanced technologies to enhance restoration success will benefit ecological communities impacted by urban expansion, agriculture and resource development, and their associated practitioners, government agencies, private landowners and primary Australian industry.Read moreRead less
Conversion of Lignite to Biochars to Enhance Soil Fertility. Lignite, or brown coal, is used in power generation, but it is uneconomic to transport and acts as a significant source of greenhouse gases. The conversion of lignite to liquid fuel and char provides an economic source of fuel and the generation of a char which also lowers the carbon footprint associated with lignite processing. Lignite-derived char has potential to act as an agent for both promoting plant growth and improving soil hea ....Conversion of Lignite to Biochars to Enhance Soil Fertility. Lignite, or brown coal, is used in power generation, but it is uneconomic to transport and acts as a significant source of greenhouse gases. The conversion of lignite to liquid fuel and char provides an economic source of fuel and the generation of a char which also lowers the carbon footprint associated with lignite processing. Lignite-derived char has potential to act as an agent for both promoting plant growth and improving soil health. This project will do much to promote the use of chars, from a lignite source, which will increase the economic viability of mining brown coal. Read moreRead less
Pelletisation of seawater-neutralised bauxite refinery residues (Bauxsol?) for construction of permeable reactive barriers to treat flowing acid mine waters. Acid mine drainage (AMD) occurs where sulphides (mostly pyrite, but also sulphides of other metals) are exposed to oxygen and water; the estimated global liability from AMD is over US$300 billion. There is currently no cost-effective way to prevent the release of acid and heavy metals from exposed sulphide minerals especially at abandoned m ....Pelletisation of seawater-neutralised bauxite refinery residues (Bauxsol?) for construction of permeable reactive barriers to treat flowing acid mine waters. Acid mine drainage (AMD) occurs where sulphides (mostly pyrite, but also sulphides of other metals) are exposed to oxygen and water; the estimated global liability from AMD is over US$300 billion. There is currently no cost-effective way to prevent the release of acid and heavy metals from exposed sulphide minerals especially at abandoned mine sites. This study investigates the pelletisation and use of neutralised bauxite refinery residues (Bauxsol?) to treat flowing metal-rich acid mine drainage waters using reactive-barriers that will neutralise acid and remove heavy metals without impeding flow.Read moreRead less
Drains in acid sulfate soils: behaviour and management for optimal water quality. Water draining from acid sulfate soil (ASS) into rivers via drains is often severely polluted, resulting in massive fish kills and chronic environmental and economic damage. Effective drain management techniques to minimise the export of acidity and deoxygenating drain oozes will be developed. The basic processes that affect hydraulic functioning, acidity and toxic drain ooze export in ASS drainage systems will be ....Drains in acid sulfate soils: behaviour and management for optimal water quality. Water draining from acid sulfate soil (ASS) into rivers via drains is often severely polluted, resulting in massive fish kills and chronic environmental and economic damage. Effective drain management techniques to minimise the export of acidity and deoxygenating drain oozes will be developed. The basic processes that affect hydraulic functioning, acidity and toxic drain ooze export in ASS drainage systems will be addressed. This project will provide the basis for the environmentally sound management of these drains. The technology developed here will be applicable throughout Australia and can be exported overseas, especially to south-east Asia.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR180100021
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$900,000.00
Summary
PFAS source zone remediation by foam fractionation and in situ fluidisation. This project aims to develop two methods for the in situ remediation of per- and poly-fluroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination, downhole foam fractionation for in situ groundwater treatment, and in situ fluidisation for soil treatment, both separately and in combination. Using these methods, PFASs will be removed in the form of a foam, which will be extracted as a liquid concentrate. These techniques could enable PFAS ....PFAS source zone remediation by foam fractionation and in situ fluidisation. This project aims to develop two methods for the in situ remediation of per- and poly-fluroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination, downhole foam fractionation for in situ groundwater treatment, and in situ fluidisation for soil treatment, both separately and in combination. Using these methods, PFASs will be removed in the form of a foam, which will be extracted as a liquid concentrate. These techniques could enable PFAS removal efficiencies of greater than 90%, providing entirely new methods for the aggressive removal of PFAS from contaminated source zones. This project will enable the rapid removal of the bulk of the PFAS present in soils and groundwater and reduce the potential for further spreading.Read moreRead less
Investigation of chemical clogging in a permeable reactive barrier (PRB) installed for remediating groundwater from acid sulphate soils. Soil acidity is a major geo-environmental problem in coastal Australia, whereby acidified groundwater pollutes estuaries with catastrophic consequences on local aquaculture (e.g. fish, oyster and prawn farming) and agricultural industries. The project aims to optimise the design and performance of permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) utilising waste materials suc ....Investigation of chemical clogging in a permeable reactive barrier (PRB) installed for remediating groundwater from acid sulphate soils. Soil acidity is a major geo-environmental problem in coastal Australia, whereby acidified groundwater pollutes estuaries with catastrophic consequences on local aquaculture (e.g. fish, oyster and prawn farming) and agricultural industries. The project aims to optimise the design and performance of permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) utilising waste materials such as recycled concrete and oyster shells for neutralising groundwater acidity prior to discharge to waterways. The main research includes the study of potential clogging and fouling of these PRB materials due to chemical reactions and to develop a predictive tool for long-term PRB performance as a means of ground acidity alleviation.Read moreRead less
BauxsolTM based grouts and shotcretes for the control of acid rock drainage. Acid rock drainage (ARD) occurs where sulphides (mostly pyrite, but also sulphides of other metals) are exposed to oxygen and water; the estimated global liability from ARD is over US$300 billion. There is currently no cost-effective way to prevent the release of acid and heavy metals from exposed sulphide minerals especially at abandoned mine sites. This study investigates the use of BASECONTM transformed bauxite refin ....BauxsolTM based grouts and shotcretes for the control of acid rock drainage. Acid rock drainage (ARD) occurs where sulphides (mostly pyrite, but also sulphides of other metals) are exposed to oxygen and water; the estimated global liability from ARD is over US$300 billion. There is currently no cost-effective way to prevent the release of acid and heavy metals from exposed sulphide minerals especially at abandoned mine sites. This study investigates the use of BASECONTM transformed bauxite refinery residues (BauxsolTM) to grout waste rock dumps and tailings dams and to develop concretes that can be sprayed on open cut walls and floor to prevent and treat the ARD as it is formed.Read moreRead less
Modelling contaminant dynamics in a well-mixed/stratified estuary. The proposed mixed/stratified estuarine model is unique and will predict effects of stormwater discharge on water quality, provide guidelines for loading from various contaminant sources, assess impact of marine construction activities, establish effects of natural and anthropogenic resuspension and determine spatial/temporal changes in contaminant distributions. Knowledge generated will assist making decisions locally and overse ....Modelling contaminant dynamics in a well-mixed/stratified estuary. The proposed mixed/stratified estuarine model is unique and will predict effects of stormwater discharge on water quality, provide guidelines for loading from various contaminant sources, assess impact of marine construction activities, establish effects of natural and anthropogenic resuspension and determine spatial/temporal changes in contaminant distributions. Knowledge generated will assist making decisions locally and overseas regarding the protection of valuable living resources, the future environmental status of estuarine systems under alternative management and remedial strategies, management contaminated sediments, new legislation for best management practise, and support for long-term policy development for this estuary type. Read moreRead less
Environmental proteomics: A new, more reliable method of measuring the effects of chemical pollution on Australia's coastal ecosystems. Our research will provide a new, more sensitive method of detecting the effects of pollution on animals living in coastal waterways, and allows contamination to be managed before it does permanent biological damage. Australia is one of the most urbanized nations in the world, with most of its population living on the coast and many of the nation's coastal waterw ....Environmental proteomics: A new, more reliable method of measuring the effects of chemical pollution on Australia's coastal ecosystems. Our research will provide a new, more sensitive method of detecting the effects of pollution on animals living in coastal waterways, and allows contamination to be managed before it does permanent biological damage. Australia is one of the most urbanized nations in the world, with most of its population living on the coast and many of the nation's coastal waterways are under unsustainable pressure from pollutants. There is an urgent need for new technologies to help protect Australia's biodiversity, while sustaining the continued human use of our iconic coastal environments. Our work will establish proteomics as new environmental monitoring system.Read moreRead less